Never had it, sorry!  I just wanted to post a reply

Sazbomb, I was the same on the pill and recently opted for the copper coil, I also didn't want to put weight on and the copper coil doesn't release hormones like some of the others do.

The implant was not good for me as I'm too squeamish. I tried the mini/ micro pill (that you take everyday) first, but still felt shocking...the coil hurt a little when inserted but I can honestly say, my periods are no problem, abit of stomach ache the night before and they are not heavy at all (they did say the coil may cause my periods to be heavier)....it is without a doubt one of the best decisions I have made....I have also lost a little bit of weight

Thanks Cinds

oh Devil, it was a different coil to the one you mentioned... she said it wasn't copper and it releases the same hormone as whatever the implant does...

I was a bit iffy about checking the threads... also, it seemed like a bit of a hassle

I told them i didn't want the mirena (sp) coil as I didn't want any hormones and I think that contains them (not 100% though)...checking the threads is easy, just have a feel fer them. They will call you back around 6 weeks after having it fitted to check it is still in the correct position...I can't stress enough how happy I am with my decision...I couldn't bear to see the implant in my arm

Your Doctor probably knows which coil with suit you and that may be different than me, but on the whole, no hassle.... I had a choice and chose the copper coil.

My Friend had the merina (sp) coil and she loves it as she got really bad PMT, she is much better now....

Honetly, DON't worry about checking the threads....it's not that bad, just check them when your period ends, when you're in the bath or shower....easy peasy

She only gave me the 2 options Devil, both of them are the hormone ones I also noticed I was much more moody/emotional when on the pill... I would cry at things I wouldn't normally

Ooppss *Leaves thread but peeps in from the outside*

I used the Mirena coil for about 10 years, and it was wonderful - it suited me far more than any other contraceptive I've ever used.  The amount of hormone it contains is tiny, and I didn't put on any weight at all becasue of the coil.  In fact, I put about 5 lbs ON when I had to have it removed.  I have read a lot of negative reports about the Mirena coil, on one particular forum especially, and quite a few people do seem to get headaches and say they have gained weight, but I think the people who post on medical related forums tend to do so because they've had problems, not because they are happy with things.  The biggest advantage of the Mirena was that I hardly had a period for 10 years.  The worst thing about it was the pain in having it changed. My first one was inserted when I had a general anaesthetic for another problem, so I didn't feel a thing, but you have to have the Mirena changed every 5 years, and I can honestly say that the pain of having this done was worse than childbirth.  And that's coming from someone who would never go through the pain of childbirth for a second time


But the Mirena really suited me, and I was devastated when I had to have it removed.

blimey

I was almost being talked around there Growly

From the leafelts, the implant sounded like it would suit me better, and I thought I could give it 6 months and if I hate it, then I can get it taken out and try the coil?

Moonie, you can stay I just thought it was fair to warn any lurkers about the nature of the thread

These matter dont bother me tbh Saz but some female posters may be put off if they knew a bloke was about
Thanks anyway

side effects are different for everyone, personally though i put 3 stone on within a month of implanon..and i didn't change my diet or lifestyle at all (despite doctos telling me i must have sat on my bum eating cakes or something) been very hard to lose that weight too

but just because someone has put on weight doesn't mean you will. sadly i hve to pretty much avoid hormonal contraception.....and the idea of the coil disturbs me an dthe OH lol. in the end OH has opted for the snip but i dont know the conditions of that atm.

I won't lie Sazbomb, having it inserted felt like the Doctor was trying to rip my womb out of my 'mimsy'....but for me, the pros far outweight the cons... No headaches, no PMT, klighter periods and regular periods ( on the mini pill (that I took every day) I'd bleed as and when, sometimes for a few days every week....the coil is worth considering, but do ask about the copper coil as well if you decide to go down that route, they might say yes....

Oh, and my Friend who had the Mirena fitted was a big girl, she has managed to shed around 3 stone since...

awww Hooby, thats a bit of a rubbish experience The thought of the coil disturbed my bf too

I know loads of people who have had problems with that injection one, so def dont want that... its a really hard choice to make

the implant doesn't hurt though...least i dont think...and when they remove it i was PMSL at the doctor and the nurse both pulling at the pliers to get it out...was like that story about the giant turnip i read when little

i may have put on weight, but it DID work...i know cos i still managed to get laid . periods were a bit erractic though, i could have none for months then a light one, or a heavy one (never normal lol).

it was nice to have something to stop me getting pregnant that i didn't have to worry about...unlike a pill (which i can't take due to risk of dying lol).

bloody men dont know how easy they have it ...well...mine does

Mine was all for it, as long as it stopped the migranes, though I was worried he'd be able to feel the strings...he actually offered to 'check' them for me

I have the implant (rod) & this is my 8th year, 3rd one. Never had a problem. When they remove it they can tell if you have put much weight on because of the tissue grown around it. The only thing that is a pain with thte implant is having to keep your arm pressure bandaged for 2-3 days cause its hard too sleep. Other than that I recommend it

My daughter has the implant and has never had a problem.

Thanks Abo and Nipple Twister

I just thought that sounded more convenient than the coil... I'm likely to forget to check the strings and whatnot, or be really paranoid about it moving... though Devil and Growly have got me re-thinking

Just say NO

suggest the snip

I had the Norplant implant rods.   They were a complete nightmare for me.  I couldn't 'see' it myself... but they made me depressed and agoraphobic (have never suffered from it before, and never have since).  They put me on Prozac as I couldn't work out why I was depressed.  But then things just got even worse.  

Eventually my boyfriend at the time (twas Pondlife actually...and he is not normally perceptive in any way about most things) MADE me go and see a different doctor.  As soon as he saw I had Norplant in he rang through to reception and got his next two appointments shifted to another GP and took me through to a treatment room to have them removed, oh and he stopped the Prozac.   My mental health returned to normal gradually over the following three months.   Though I did then get pregnant with my son (ooopsy!).

After I had my boy I went to a family planning clinic 'for a chat'.... before I knew it they had me a couch and were fitting me with the copper coil (didn't hurt... but then I had just had an 10lb baby).  The coil did give me horrendous period pains and stuff... but for me it was a trade off that was worth it....   I am sane & not pregnant... that'll do for me.

LOADS of friends have the mirena coil and they swear by it.  You don't even have periods with that.  When I go and have my current coil changed I may give it a go.  I didn;t last time I had it changed cos the Norplant has left me not wanting to have any hormone stuff.... but as someone said above.... the hormones in the mirena are very small localised doses.

Oh.... and having had coils for 11 years... I have never checked any strings ... I probably should, but I haven't.    It must be ok... I am not pregnant!

I can imagine how well that would go down with him In fact, I might, just to see the look on his face

hmmm i may go for the coil myself then...although i dont like the idea it's better than getting pregnant again (much as i love my kids...i dont want anymore after this one...for now anyway). i only had a choice between that, implant again or minipill...which is 50% effective for someone my size apparently, so hardly worth it.

Hoob... do it!    

Honest, the freedom of not having to worry every month that you're pregnant again is liberating.   The pill and the mini pill were useless for me... some of them made me feel pregnant, some of them made me put on weight at an alarming rate...  and then there was the fact that I was hopeless at taking it (daughter is the result of a few missed pills!).

I second that Hoob, for me, the coil has been a good decision....the implant was a definate no, no as I couldn't bear to see it under my skin, I feel queasy thinking about it...**shudders**...I don't have to worry about not taking the pill now, and the mini pill i was on had to be taken within a certain time scale each day!!!

i thought my implant was quite cool...i liked poking it around but then i'm quite...weird LOL

i'll have a word with the midwife and ask her what she thinks...maybe lol. i have a new one and not met her yet :/

Hi Hoob! I've had the implant now for about 2.5 years and i can't wait to get it out ! I didnt noticed anything at the beginning but now i've put on weight and am horrendously temperamental, my periods are all over the show and i can go 2 weeks at the most without a show - sometimes they last for 3 weeks. Of couse everyone is different but mine really is starting to annoy me, i've been to the GP for loads of tests etc and they seem dubious or unwilling to take it out, i dont know whether to just be more forceful with them about it though.. Anyways i'd say no to having it with my experiences !

Should you give the rods a try Saz...  firstly I'd say keep a diary, or warn the bf or someone to 'keep an eye' on your state of mind.  The problem with what they did to me, was that I couldn't see it myself, which looking back is really really bizarre cos I actually was completely off my rocker at the time.  But I couldn't see it, and I couldn't connect it with the implant... til I'd had it removed.

Also... should you have it and then decide to get it removed... plan to have it done when you have about 10 days without needing to have your arm on show.   I had mine removed two days before New Years Eve....  My whole arm went purple/black/green/yellow with bruising.... it didn't hurt... but it looked impressive!   I got bought lots of sympathy drinks on New Years Eve that year !

oohh its not looking so good for the implant now

I thought they would just take it back out if you had problems?

Oh Maz....  get it out!   And then you'll realise just how affected you have really been!

they were relunctant with me too, athough for me it was probably the fact i was quite big and so pills are not for me, and not much else was either lol. implant was easier for them...esp as it was there already. they didn't like me leaving the clinic without a new one put in....despite me emptying their condom basket mind you the woman was quite snooty, esp when she saw i had a kid at 19 don't think it occured to her i was there to stop it happening again for a while!

i dont want another implant, if i do and put another 3 stone on i'd probably die or something

they say they will and are meant to, but i think for alot of doctors etc they would prefer to see fault in you rather than something they prescribed.

i was trying !! I've moved recently and not registered with a GP - have to sort that out then see about getting it out for sure !

That was soooo true for me.   The Family Planning Clinic I popped round to, just to find out my options, was when I was living on an estate... it was at the Estate Clinic. I felt like a stray cat that had been picked up by PDSA or a Cats Home..... "QUICK, QUICK.... WE HAVE A FERTILE ONE HERE!..... NEUTER... NEUTER... NOW!"

I was on my back and having the coil in before I literally knew what was going on....

I walked back home ten mins later like ------->


mind you, I did mention that I had had to have the morning after pill prescribed a week after I gave birth to my son!

If the first GP you see is unsympathetic, make an appointment to see a different one on your way out....if you still have no luck, go to the family planning clinic.... if they are arsey... go to the walk in centre! xxxx

Here in Bolton we have a walk in centre called Lever Chambers, I went to y Docs but they told me to make an appointment there....I had an appointment to discuss my options first, then a further appointment to have it fitted, I was in and out in 10 mins Then, a follow up appointment so they could check it was in place still (about 6 weeks later)...i don't have to see anyone for 5 blissful years now!

a week!!!! i was 'congratulated' for doing it after 3 weeks