Scarleteen

Hi there,

I’ve been having a bit of a bad time with Nexplanon as I’ve been bleeding constantly for four months now (alongside regular period pain like cramping- not sure how normal the cramping is but I’m assuming it’s to do with my implant?). I read online that some people had found some success with evening primrose oil for lessening the bleeding. I just wanted to please check that evening primrose oil doesn’t effect the effectiveness of the implant? Was also wondering if iron supplements are also ok to take alongside the implant? As I feel like loosing blood like this can’t be that healthy. Thanks!

Hi there Holly55, sorry to hear that you're still experiencing cramping and continued menstruating 4-months into your Nexplanon insertion. Back not last Sunday but the one before, you mentioned that you'd be calling your GP clinic on that following Monday to report this side effect. As Marisha metnioned, whilst there can be a bit of an adjustment period that can cause your periods to change and be a bit irregular, "menstrual bleeding [that] is heavy and prolonged" is something that you need to talk to your GP about as per the Nexplanon website.

It could be, unfortunately, that the particular type of hormonal mix in the Nexplanon isn't a great fit for your body as whilst its protecting you from pregnancy, it is causing this bleeding pattern that isn't comfortable or workable for you. This is where your GP can help you find another option that would be better for you. This is quite common as each person's body are different and can respond differently to the various types of hormonal birth control methods out there in terms of side effects, so finding a good match can take a few tries. In fact, on the Nexplanon website, they mention "1 in 10 women stopped using NEXPLANON because of an unfavorable change in their bleeding pattern".

This is probably a bit frustrating to hear as I see in your previous posts that you cannot take the combined pill and switched from a mini-pill to your implant. There are still many different hormonal and non-hormonal methods available, and if you'd like to do some reading ahead of time, you can check out this page Birth Control Bingo: Hormonal or Non-Hormonal? and follow though the "choose your own adventure" style quiz questions to help find a match/and or read through the various options. How does that sound? This could also help you think about if there is a particular kind that feels like you'd have a better time managing anxiety around, as I see that is something you've been working through as well. We're here to bounce ideas off if you have thoughts on curiosities you'd like to work through on these options.

Finally, with regards to vitamin supplements, it is also a good idea to check in with your doctor about this as they'll be able to know if it would interact with any medications you currently take, and other things relevant to your individual health, including a recommended dosage if they feel it may be beneficial to try either or both the Evening Primrose or Iron supplements.