My Birth Control Implant (Nexaplanon) Experience

(using this photo solely because otherwise Blogger will make the gorier photo the featured image for this post...)

As of writing this, it's been 2 weeks and 5 days since my surgery.

For reference, I have two friends who got the hormonal IUD, so I was weighing my options here when it came to a long-term contraceptive. I opted for the birth control implant, because I personally didn't like how invasive the IUD would be, and my friends said it's also painful when inserted and the few days after.

I didn't want to take birth control pills either, because they are a daily commitment, and the symptoms are too unpredictable; one friend got heavier periods, another gained weight, another experienced clearer skin and another felt like it reduced her cramps and period flow.

Still, I wasn't 100% sure about the birth control implant, as the side effects also varied widely for people. The medical assistant at Planned Parenthood later told me that the most common reason people give for removing Nexaplanon was irregular bleeding.

The surgery

I went to a Planned Parenthood clinic in my city and had made the appointment a month and a half ahead of time. I arrived early at 5:05 pm (appt was at 5:10 pm) and left at 5:55 pm.

The medical assistant patiently answered all questions I had and listened to my concerns, going through the different forms of birth control with me and passing out informational sheets. She herself also had to ask me a ton of questions, such as "has there been major stress in your life recently?", and do check-ups, such as weighing me on a scale. Afterwards, I waited for the provider who would perform the surgery on me. She made me feel a lot more comfortable, letting me feel the implant itself and talking to me throughout the process, even wishing me a belated happy birthday.

Even though I took acetaminophen an hour before the surgery, the numbing shot was still very painful. Luckily after that, it only felt like my skin was pulled back, and just like that, the surgery was done.

The provider warned me that I can take out the implant at any time, but it's harder to remove than to insert. Additionally, if I can't feel the implant in my arm anymore, I need to go back to them.

Post-surgery

Background: I just turned 23 years old, and I am of East Asian descent. I don't have a family history of depression/anxiety/other mental disorders.

TW for photos. Scroll to bottom if you want to see images of how my arm healed.

Acne

My acne worsened a bit. There were more pimples on my chin, and a few popped up on the edge of my forehead. I think it has slowly gotten better, but they aren't completely gone yet after 2.5 weeks. 

Bleeding

My period came this week as expected, though the last day (the 6th day) for me wasn't as light as it usually is. Also, for the 3 days following (still ongoing), I've been spotting. :\

I'll update this in the future, as it seems there are people bleed for 3 weeks at a time, or have irregular periods until a year in.

Mood

In the first 2 weeks, my mental health would fluctuate quite a bit, but the surgery coincided with another personal event in my life, of which I had informed the medical assistant. My mood is also often influenced by my lack of sleep, which has been a consistent problem for over a year now that I'm still trying to figure out. Overall, I have a great support system, so I've been managing alright, and I don't think the implant affected my emotions.

Pain

I made the mistake of working out 2 days after the surgery, and on my third set of bicep curls, I felt like something popped in my arm. I also played volleyball 4 days after the surgery, and it was fine. I only experienced soreness when I lifted my arm, flexed it or touched the site of the procedure.

Insurance

I knew IUDs and birth control pills were covered, but I wasn't sure if my MetroGold Plus insurance
also covered the birth control implant. The receptionist at Planned Parenthood and the MetroGold Plus rep weren't super helpful, as the former just said that it depends on the insurance and they might send me a bill, and the latter said the clinic has to ask the insurance for approval. Luckily, I haven't gotten anything yet, so I think it's safe to say that the birth control implant is covered under "Family Planning" for MetroGold Plus.

Other Reading To Do

Here's further reading if you want to read about other people's experiences with various implants: What It's Like To Use a Birth Control Implant | Hello Clue 

Birth Control Side Effects | Planned Parenthood

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Day 1 (Night Of)

Day 5

Day 12