Contraception: The Implant Update

When I first wrote my post about contraception, I had hoped that it would be popular, but I would never have guessed that it would be my most popular post to date.

It fostered such healthy conversation and sharing over Twitter and in my comments section, and it was wonderful to see so many of you discussing your experiences and talking about how contraception has affected you over the years. The post was also beautifully timed as the blogosphere soon exploded with all manner of contraception related discussions, from hashtags to further blog posts and YouTube videos.

There’s no doubt about it – it’s shit that we don’t have enough tangible information about the different forms of contraception available to us. It’s shit that sometimes contraception is impossible to get a hold of (fancy a months wait for a doctor’s appointment, anyone?), and it’s shit that once we get a hold of it, it’s an absolute gamble as to how it’s going to affect our bodies. What is not shit, however, is the fact that we as a community are now coming together to share our real life experiences rather than resorting to trawling unhelpful NHS pages.

In my original contraception post, I spoke about my awful experience with the injection and about my latest addition, the contraceptive implant. I thought it might be helpful to update you guys as to how I’m getting on and how the implant has affected me, especially for anybody that is considering choosing this option. The easiest way to do so? A pros and cons list, of course.

PROS

No weight gain – After getting the contraceptive injection, I put on 6 or 7 pounds in three months. My clinic doctor warned me that this might be the case, but I was shocked as to how quickly this happened. I’ve not experienced any weight gain with the implant and my weight has plateued, but it hasn’t made it any easier to lose weight. Still, I’m grateful that things are stable and I can now start a bloody starvation diet to shed these extra lbs *sob*.
No mood swings – I haven’t experienced any extreme mood swings with the implant, and I’ve definitely found myself less likely to burst into tears or lose my temper.
Good skin – My skin is actually pretty good at the moment, minus the odd blackhead and of course, my typical redness. With the injection I definitely got a random wave of acne, so this is a definite plus for me.
Easiest thing on god’s green earth – The implant is such an easy and maintenance free form of contraception. I literally made an appointment at my clinic and had it popped in there and then. After that you just have to make sure you keep the area clean with a little plaster for the following few days, and then you’re done. FOR THREE YEARS. No reminders every morning to take your pill, no booking an appointment every three months for the injection – you’re just done. This is undoubtedly one of my favourite things about the implant as it easily fits in to your daily life and doesn’t become a chore.

CONS

Erratic periods – Honestly, I never know whether I’m coming or going at the moment with periods. They are totally erratic, liable to come at any time and I definitely experience spotting. Most of the time I’m experiencing tiny bits of like, old blood, if that makes sense. You know when you’re at the end of your period and the blood is just dark and kind of not really there? Yep, that, just most days instead of two days out of the month.
Discharge – A totally random side effect I wasn’t expecting, I’m now dealing with pretty much daily discharge which is so annoying. Sometimes I have to change my underwear during the day because it’s almost like I’ve done a tiny pee (I havent, FYI, done a tiny pee). I’ve been wearing a panty liner recently to try and combat this, but I’m going to check in with my doctor soon to see if anything can be done about it because it’s really starting to grind my gears. Definitely not sexy to have to say ‘let me just pop to the loo’ before any kind of sexual contact.
Scar – My doctor struggled to get the implant in my arm so I think she damaged some of the tissue, meaning I’m left with a bumpy scar that almost looks like a whitehead. It doesn’t hurt and my implant has been totally fine, it’s just a bit ugly and annoying that it won’t go away.
Cystitis – I suffer from cystitis all the damn time so this could be unrelated, but I’ve noticed that with the erratic bleeding and extra discharge, I’ve been way more prone to cystitis. Like I said I routinely suffer with cystitis, so if you’d like a post about my experiences and how I try to treat and prevent it, then do let me know!

Also, if you’re wondering, this beautiful kimono robe is from Bluebella. They wanted me to show that nightwear can be versatile, so beyond wearing one of their pyjama shirt as part of my daywear, I also threw this robe on as a beachwear cover up. We took these shots whilst in Budapest and I had taken my bikini with me to wear to the baths, but we never ended up going so we had to photograph this in the hotel room *very beachy*.

I hope this contraception update has been helpful – and if not helpful, at least intersting – for you, and please please please feel free to share with me your contraception experiences, either in the comments down below or on Twitter and Instagram. I look forward to hearing from you sassy gals.

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Contraception: The Implant Update