Contraception and SSRIs - personal anecdotes needed!

[Kela]

Hi all!

Just wondering if anyone’s got any experience with having Nexplanon and also taking SSRIs (specifically Citalopram)? I can’t find any literature stating they interact, perhaps someone here can link me to studies on nexplanon and SSRIs?

[CaitlinEve]

Hi Kela!

Nexplanon and Citalopram do not have any interactions on paper; I also asked a family member who worked in OBGYN for a decade to confirm!

Although I do not have personal experience with the interactions between Nexplanon and Citalopram, I did find some threads (Reddit and Quora) from people who have that experience that you may find helpful!

Hopefully someone with personal anecdotes can chime in on this thread soon, though!

[Kela]

Thankyou Caitlin!

Debating going back onto nexplanon after a few years break, only this time as in a LTR, don’t want to use condoms …would nexplanon plus a diaphragm work as a buddying up contraception system?

Are spermacides safe (as in not from an effective pov, but like genuinely safe for cervix use)? In the UK I can’t really say we hear much about diaphragms and spermacides! It seems to be something of an old fashioned method.

So if anyone has any diaphragm experiences from the NHS I’d love to hear them!

[CaitlinEve]

Using a birth control implant and a diaphragm as contraception would be buddying up, yes! Nexplanon is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy and diaphragms are varied between 92-96% effectiveness. Spermicides are safe for cervical use within reason; obviously if you experience irritation or a reaction, discontinued use is recommended. Additionally, using it too many times a day can lead to vaginal irritation as well. Spermicides are about 70% effective on their own and is often recommended to be used in combination with another form of contraception

[Kela]

Hmm I wonder if the NHS would let me have both the implant AND a diaphragm? I know we here understand doubling up but I wonder if a Dr would feel the same

[Jacob]

Hey Kela,

I can't say how your doctor will react, but both methods work pretty differently to each-other so there's no interaction between them and so no reason you can't use both.

The implant is extremely effective so they might raise an eyebrow at first, but hopefully from that you can talk through an option that feels good for you, and hopefully you can get them onboard!

Here's the NHS page on how to get one: Where to get diaphragms or caps - not a huge amount of info, but out of the options they've given I'd say your GP is your best bet unless you know of a good sexual health clinic, availability of sexual health specific services is sadly very patchy around the country these days.

That said, I know you said you weren't interested in condoms, but condoms do offer STI protection which neither of these methods do, and also tend to be a bit more convenient if what you're shopping for is a second method. Would it be you or a partner who would be against condoms?

[Heather]

I do just want to echo what Jacob has said: if you are going to back up an implant, condoms would be the ideal thig to back them up with since it can do something the implant can't.

Honestly, spermicides are the least effective method there is, and while paired with a diaphragm, they get more effective because of that cervical barrier, they are both so much less effective than your implant -- and also so frequently wind up going without being used because they aren't very user-friendly -- I personally don't see that point of those two as a backup. I think you are probably likely to go to the trouble of getting them and, liker so many people, especially when they don't really need them, may wind up watching both gathering dust after a few tries with them.

OTOH, condoms are very easy to use and give you STI protection no other method can.

Just my two cents.