Why I Decided To Have My Implant Contraceptive Removed

For busy millennial moms like me, not to mention the current state of the world in this pandemic, having a new child is seriously out of the picture. I still believe contraceptive implant is the best birth plan control for couples who plan not to have kids yet, but I am sharing on this blog my personal experiences since I had Implanon for 10 months just so you would have an idea of what might be some of the effects of the implant to your body.

You may read my blog about what is implant contraceptive and other important things you need to know about it here.

So yeah, I decided to have my implant removed after experiencing some of its side effects that I didn’t like. Actually, it has been really stressful for me, especially the gaining weight bit! The birth control implant lasts for 3 years but you can have it removed by your doctor anytime. Here are the reasons why I had mine removed in less than a year:

But hey! You may also watch my YouTube vlog to know more!

1. Weight gain

I gained a total of 6kgs. since I had the implant! At first, I thought it was because of the quarantine stay-at-home-and-order-different-kinds-of-new-food-to-try-out effect. But after I started controlling my food intake and working out regularly but still continuously gain weight, I was sure it was the effect of the contraceptive.

2. Irregular menstrual cycle

My period has always been regular and with a significantly heavy flow for the first 3 days. But during the very first month after I had the implant, I barely needed to use napkins and just wear pantyliners for 2 days and that was it! I was really worried because I wasn’t used to that kind of menstrual flow, but my doctor said it’s normal when you have an implant, it’s part of the effect of the contraceptive.

3. Being Moody

I am never the kind who gets burnt out easily. My patience is normally long, especially with the kids. But there were instances that I suddenly realize I have been a bit of the ‘mean mom’ to them out of nowhere. I was also thinking it could be because I have been really busy with work and you know, having so many things to do in so little time is really exhausting. But I also believe the implant had something to do with my sudden mood swings.

4. Severe headache

I couldn’t completely blame this one on the implant because I used to have episodes of tension headache even before I got Implanon. During my check up, I was told it’s because of stress and lack of proper sleep. But what I noticed was my headache has been both before and after my menstrual period when it used to be just a sign that my period was coming. Man, I hate these episodes! I couldn’t work and I had to massage my head with essential oils and stay in bed!

5. Pimples

Thank goodness they didn’t appear on my face! If they did, I would have had the implant removed the next month! Hahaha! But big, itchy pimples started to appear on my back and it looked really dirty and annoying!

These are some of the side effects of the contraceptive implant that I experienced. As per my doctor, doc Mitch, the reactions are different for each body and I was perfectly aware of that fact before I decided to proceed with the insertion. And note that the side effects I experienced might not be the same for you. Doc Mitch also told me that she has a patient who was a model and she stayed slim and fit even with an implant. Oh, what a lucky gurl!

So you see, all the different kinds of birth control methods have different side effects. I had a better experience with the pill I was taking before my husband and I decided to have a baby and my OB and I decided to go back to the same pill after 3 months of the implant removal.

I was happy that the implant served its purpose of not getting me pregnant while I was on it. Because of that, I was able to achieve some of my goals and a lot of things that I couldn’t have done if I have gotten pregnant again. Too bad I had to remove it before 3 years. It was money wasted, yes, but the stress of thinking these are all happening to my body because of the implant wasn’t worth it. I am happy now because my menstrual cycle and its heavy flow is back to normal, I lost 2 kgs., and my back is clear from the disturbing pimples!

You may consult with your doctor about which kind of birth control contraceptive is best for you. Remember that these have different effects on different bodies so be sure to find the best fit for you. Always stay healthy and with everything happening in the world, let’s try to not get pregnant yet, ok?

Love,

Momma Nish