Implanon Rod

Tollee · 09-30-2005, 02:07 AM

Hi Ladies,
I am currently looking at my options for contraception, and I wander if anyone has any information on the Implanon rod that is inserted into your arm and lasts 3 years. From what I understand it is a progestrone only hormonal contraception that is realeased into your blood stream. My GP has said its ok to use with PCOS, but a 2nd opinion GP suggested it's not.

Thanks for your input!
Nic xxx

guineapig · 09-30-2005, 06:16 PM

It's progesTIN, isn't it? In the states I believe it is called Norplant. IMO I don't think any unoppsed progesTIN is good for PCOS. I was on the depo shot and I haven't been the same since, even thought the chemicals are supposedly "out."

Actually, I just looked it up, and the actual progesTIN in it is etonogestrel, the same one as in NuvaRing, and supposedly a metabolite (broken-down, simpler form) of the progestin found in Desogen. Is there some reason you can't take an estrogen-progesTIN birth control method? (high blood pressure, smoking, hx breast cancer?) I'd try one of the pills/rings with that particular progesTIN in it before an implant. But that's just my two cents. I'm scared of progestin by itself because of depo.

There is a progesTERONE only IUD, the Progestasert, I think? It's replaced annually. Or the copper-T, no hormones, replaced once every 8-10 years.

RunnerDuck · 10-03-2005, 03:10 PM

I don't know exactly when it's technically correct to say progestin and when to say progesterone... but I think you can use them fairly interchangably without your doctor thinking you're a drivelling idiot.

I thought progestin just meant synthesized progesterone...

At any rate I would also shy away from a progest___ only BC method. Progesterone is the pregnancy hormone - it makes you hungry, encourages your body to put on weight for that expected baby (hence cravings etc during PMS time...) ... it contributes to IR. Estrogen tends to temper this effect somewhat, at least if you believe certain sources...

Personally, I find progest___ makes me mean. I don't know how much effect it has on my appetite since I tend to eat like a hog no matter what the circumstances, but I have serious mood problems on BCPs and it's the progestin component of BCPs that make the difference in side effects - the estrogen is always the same, although the dose may differ. So I was prescribed the mini-pill (progestin only) while nursing but I never took it because I just have this gut feeling that I would have turned into a raging screaming ball of hormones.

My other concern would be that if you do have issues with this method, it's not a simple matter to remove it. It's very minor surgery - but still icky and inconvenient IMO. Of course at least you CAN have it removed, unlike the shot, which THANK GOD I never went for because the only OB who ever suggested it and was a complete moron in every other sense at least had the wherewithal to realize I have mood issues on BCP and a method than can't be stopped but has to be waited out for 3 months could be very, very bad for me.

I think somewhere down the line I may go for the hormone-free IUD. A friend of mine had one... she had problems with lots of vaginal discharge, though. So she had it removed. Thing is a. this problem usually goes away after the first few weeks/months (her's didn't) and b. having it removed was really easy. Involves an office visit still but I think easier than having an implant in your skin removed.

Tollee · 10-03-2005, 09:43 PM

Thanks guys, guess i have some more thinking to do about this - i have until AF arrives anyway - which may never happen...

(ps RD, the Tadpole is looking so grown up! very cute!)
Nic xxx

guineapig · 10-04-2005, 05:51 PM

I meant progesTIN to refer to the synthetic progesterone. It can cause all the nasty symptoms listed above--for me, it was headaches, nightmares, severe weight gain, rages, suicidal depressions, IR. That was both with various pills and on depo alone. When I was on natural progesTERONE, both on the cream for a while and then Prometrium, with no estrogen intake, I did not have those side effects as I did on the depo. Also, if you are pregnant and low in your own progesterone, you will be given progesTERONE supplements--not the synthetic. But the docs use the terms interchangably. I'm just wary of the synthetic! I can't help it! LOL

RunnerDuck · 10-04-2005, 06:19 PM

Ahhh... I have heard that Prometrium or Provera was synthetic and people had worse side effects with it but I could never remember which one it was. So PROMETRIUM is the natural/nice one. So what I am going to do is remember ProMEtrium for ME... next time I need to ask for something to induce AF. Because I don't want to do birth control pills again. Nothing against them, I just feel like I keep taking two steps back when i gotta use BCPs to bring on AF and I want to TTC...