Nexplanon Trials

This blog is highlighting the ups and downs of my experience with Nexplanon. I had nexplanon inserted on September 19, 2014.

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So different this time around! Healing up nicely, despite my bruise looking like death! The only time it hurts now is when I bend my arm inwards and squeeze. Super happy to have this bad boy back in!

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Soooo I would say my bruising on day 2 the second time through is worse! The first one taken in September 2014, the second taken in November 2016. My nexplanon had been removed for a year before getting it again. I feel like it hurts a little more this time around, but today has been much better than yesterday!

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Take Two!

I had my nexplanon removed about a year ago to rule out a health problem. Turns out it wasn't my nexplanon causing the issue (regular, frequent, intense headaches). So guess what went back in yesterday! Super happy to start this blog back up and document my nexplanon experience a second time! My insertion was totally not a problem. But I noticed this time through there was a lot more swelling and pain where the stick was inserted compared to last time when I had next to no pain. To help combat that I put a new ace bandage on for day 2. End of day two things are still swollen and they still hurt, but I can keep my arm against my side now without a compress on. I'm assuming what The increased swelling and pain from last time has to do with scar tissue? So off to watch Gilmore Girls and icing my new birth control! If you have any nexplanon questions ask away!

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Month 9?

I haven’t done an update in a while, so here goes what’s been happening with nexplanon and my lady parts :).

I was regularly getting a heavy spotting/light period for a while - it was fairly regular. My periods were lasting from 5-7 days. Then sometime around the end of March I started going from somewhere between spotting to a period? It was kind of weird. I was having a period that lasted a week, with medium heavy spotting that would last for a week after. It was almost like having a period for two weeks. I got really worried I was going to become one of the statistics of people who just start bleeding heavily on nexplanon. 

Then all the bleeding stopped. And the third week in May I got really bloated and actually PMS’d for the first time in a while, and then I had a light to medium 4 days of spotting and then I haven’t seen much since then. 

I feel like right now my body is transitioning with the nexplanon, and I’m hoping/praying/keeping my fingers crossed that my period is on it’s way out!

I’m still fairly happy with my birth control choice. I’m not using it for baby protection right now, but it’s been fine with my period!

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7 Months Later...

Still enjoying my implant! I haven’t had too many problems with it. I have had some prolonged spotting, but it is light and since I started using a cup, I barely notice it and sometimes forget I’m spotting altogether. I did actually have kind of a mix between a period and heavy spotting for four days right before my period tracker says would be my normal period time, but it was still too light for a tampon! 

I haven’t really had any mood swing problems, and other than disliking my career choice, my mental state is fine!

If you have any Q’s ASK!

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Nexplanon... Month 4

Below the cut is Nexplanon talk and Alternatives to Tampons and Pads!

I've officially had nexplanon for 4 months now. I've had my 'period' during the time that I normally have it, but it is SO light it barely qualifies as a period. In my period tracker app, I haven't listed it as a period... I've just been tracking as spotting. 

This month is actually the first month that I've spotted twice. I think I've spotted during the first week of January, then again right now. I started spotting again  4 days ago. 

For the first two weeks or so I experienced mood swings, and an overall mindset change, but that also could have been me breaking up with my then boyfriend!

My biggest problem has been that my periods are so light! I wasn't able to use a tampon anymore because they were too light, but I hate pads because they make me chafe. I actually ended up starting to use instead soft cups this past cycle, and while they are gross, they will cost me $8/year, I don't have to hid and carry tampons/pads to the bathroom all the time, and they are surprisingly comfortable.

I was always really hesitant to try them, then I started doing my research and the idea of sticking a chemical filled, bleached piece of cotton up my vagina was no longer anywhere near appealing. I ended up deciding to bite the bullet and it has been a blissful 4 days. Insertion and removal was definitely a learning curve, but the biggest thing to remember is to pinch it and insert it into your vagina while pointing downward. Then as it enters, it will loop around the back end of your cervix, and you tuck the side closest to you behind your pubic bone. Then to remove it you just have to 'bear down' (I learned this means push hard like you have to poop badly) and it will slip down and you just slide it out! My period has never been heavy enough to dump it out in the toilet... All I've had to do is slightly rinse it in the sink, or if I'm in a public bathroom, just wipe it clean with toilet paper. OOOOOOR because you only NEED to check it every 12 hours if your period is light, I just go about my business as normal! That's right, pretend I'm not having my period. Because there is no half bloody tampon or pad, just basically normal!

It took 3 days, but I finally broke the habit of reaching for the string and pulling it to the side when I go potty! 

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Update...

Everything is still going great! I spotted again for a few days, but I haven't seen anything since! I wish I went on this sooner!

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Day 39

I had 11 days of spotting, but now nothing for 3 days! Also, I was a little bloated while spotting but now I'm not and I've dropped 4 pounds in a week. Without trying. Soooo we'll see about that!

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Day 30

The spotting has gotten so light. Hopefully it will be all gone soon! I didn't even think it got heavy enough to qualify as an actual period. It's just been 8 days of hardly anything.

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Day 22

I started spotting yesterday. And today I can't tell if it's a heavy spotting or light period, but I'm so over being bloated. Hopefully this doesnt last a million years like others!

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This is day 11! Bruising is almost gone, just a little pink at the injection site! The only part that hurts now is around the injection area when I touch it. So far so good!

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Steri strips finally fell off on Thursday! And my bruise has largely subsided. I have a lot of bruising around the implant, but in the center of it, where the implant is, it’s yellowish now.

The point of insertion is really small. I thought it was going to be bigger, but it’s really only the size of like a small gem they put on your nails when you get your nails done.

It doesn’t hurt anymore. The only time it does is when I poke the point of insertion. So far so good! Only side effects are minimal cramping throughout the week.

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Day 6

I realized today that I think I don't hurt anymore unless the steri strips tug on my skin. The steri strips are still there. They told me to leave them on until they fall off and that should be 2-3 days buuuuuut they are still sticking! I'm not complaining though. But anyway, I'm still satisfied with my nexplanon. It's nice not having to remember to take my pill everyday. I was on a generic brand of ortho tro cyclen lo, and while I didn't have problems on it, I was consistently forgetting to take it. And I've been on various forms of the pill since 2007 and now we are in 2014 - so about 6.5 years of taking the pill. And I still couldn't remember to take it every day! So it's been nice not having to do that! I haven't really had any reactions to it that I can think of. I still can't tell if my stomach's a little bloated because I neglected my lunch and water today, or if it is a side affect so we will have to see over the weekend when I go from teacher to normal person!

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Day 2

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Day 5

So I haven't really had much to update on. My bruise really grew and now it looks super purple/red/blue/yellow. Gnarly. Im also a little bloated but that could also be my not having lunch each day this week. Or not drinking enough water. And long sleeve shirts are uncomfortable to wear. I'm not sure if it's just because I live in Arizona and its regularly 100 out this time of the year, but it was almost like it irritated it. And it could be that my steri strips haven't fallen off yet. The doctor that put in my nexplanon told me that the steri strips would fall off in two to three days and I'm still waiting on day 5! Im not complaining though. My students keep asking me where I got the bruise and I'm not sure we are ready to to see a dot with the bruise. I told my first graders I ran into something. It's quieted them a bit lol.

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Day 3

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Day 2