Which contraception is best?

[ettelloc]

Ive been on the pill for 10 years but have been thinking its time for change. My options are the injection or the implant. What are peoples experiences this these methods? Thanks

[ummmm]

Had the injection years back but it sent my cycle a bit mad. Had the implant taken out last year (time was up) and I thought it was brilliant. No side effects...no periods and no PMT.

[Leapers]

I am hopefully going to get the implant tomorrow, well at least talk to my doctor about it i have finally plucked up enough courage to make an appointment to see what they suggest and talk it over! Soooo nervous though!! I have heard mixed reviews for it but the only thing you can do is try it and see so i think anyway!

[237SJ]

My friend (who is a nurse) swears by the implant. She said it`s the best thing she ever did.

[tigwig]

I have had 4 implants now and think they are very good. The first 3 I had stopped my periods completely and I had no other side effects at all. The one I have now was fitted after the birth of my 2nd child and that did make me bleed a bit for a good few months. Now though it has stopped and I probably have a period evry 2 months or so. I would go for the implant as its so easy and you can forget about it for 3 yrs.

[milly143]

I've been having the injection for about 4 years now and wouldn't change it. I'm at the stage where I do want the implant as I don't want to limit my options for that long (although I know it can be removed). Apart from a few little bleeds I've had no periods in that time at all - woohoo! and I've suffered no weight gain, I lost some in fact. The slight drawback is making docs apps every 12 weeks but if you book early in advance I find I can get a really early time and it only takes 2 minutes to do it.

[milly143]

*don't want the implant

[SizzleSquid]

best is the non hormonal coil, no messing your body up with synthetic hormones, its painfree, symptom free, hormone free, and you can leave it in for up to 5 yrs and forget about it, and 99 percent effective. i reccomend it

[Eve]

I used to have the injection and was great having no periods although both times I came off it I had issues, the first time it sent my hormones a bit loopy for a while as my body was readjusting and the second time it took a long time for me to get anything like a normal cycle back.

I'm very tempted by the implant, had previously been put off after a friend ended up a hormonal mess after having one as it didn't suit her but it's not to say it would cause problems for me.

Not been on anything for a while since my last relationship as haven't needed any but been having cycle problems so tempted to try something to see if it helps even things out. I have polycystic ovaries which I think are reeking havoc as having a 2 week build up of pain and hormonal hell before nearly every period and it's driving me demented.

Hoping to get an appointment to talk through options with the practice nurse - see what's available now and would work best for me.

Not keen on the injection again after the problems before so hoping to try the implant. For those who know more about it, can you get it put in at any time of your cycle or is it like the injection where it has to be at a certain time? Think that's more of an issue with how effective it is as contraception though which is not a current issue for me.

Can you have it taken out whenever you want to and does it impact on your return of cycle/fertility in a similar way to the injection?

[what..the?]

I never knew injections or implants actually 'stopped' you getting periods, that's cool and surely extremely useful. Tigwig says she would get a period every 2 months or so on the implant, if you still get 'some' periods, if this period fell of important dates, holiday, wedding??? then surely it not as changeable/moveable as the pill where you can take extra or less the move the dates.

[honey33]

it depends on whether you want to have babies any time in the near future .. if you do then i would strongly say DONT have the injection.... i panicked as my pill contraception was giving me high blood pressure and doc wouldnt give me it so i had to make a quick decision and it was the worst one i have ever made i had the injection

it was great as it stopped my periods but now im trying for a baby its been 2yrs 8 month after stopping injection and im still not pregnant

[PipinHull]

what...the? - yes they are a continuous administration of hormone (no seven day break) so it does mean you have fewer/lighter periods, I agree with you though that it's not as convenient as the combined pill where you can take it right through your break and you KNOW you're not going to get a period. I'm on the mini pill now becasue I get too many migraines to stay on combined (heightens stroke risk apparenty) but I really miss it!

[4getmenot]

I'd rather have my periods, I know they are 'fake' periods as such but just wouldnt feel like my body was working properly if I didnt have them.

I felt the implant in my mates arm once, really made me gipp

[evedawn]

Mirena coil. Takes about 3 months of odd bleeding yo get used to but then u can leave it in for 4 years

[sophie_1003]

I've been thinking about the implant too as I've been on the pill for a while but as others have mentioned, the fact that you can't guarantee no period on important dates puts me off a bit; if you had the implant would it be possible to take that pill you can get that purely delays your period?

[4getmenot]

honey have the docs said that is the reason for you not conceiving?

[woofgang]

I ha d the injection to control mega heavy bleeding...worked like a charm for 4 ish years then I gained a stone in 6 weeks....scary stuff. I have a pal I used to work with who tried the injection, she went from Twiggy to Sophia Loren in about two months. Her OH would have been delighted except for the mood swings.
Medics can say all they like it's what you eat and you don't HAVE to put on weight....I suspect the ones who say that haven't had that experience.

[sophie_1003]

Definitely woofgang! I put on weight when I changed the pill I was on and when I mentioned it to the nurse she was full of the "Well; it's what you eat blah blah" but then if you look at possible side effects of the pill one is increased appetite so of course you're going to eat more! That's another reason I'm wary of changing again; I'm trying to lose weight at the moment (although not very successfully as still have Christmas and birthday chocolates to tempt me!) and am worried if I change to the implant that will make me put on weight again!

[woofgang]

Sophie I think it's even more than that. I didn't monitor myself but my friend was a teen gymnast and is still a fitness freak. She really really eats healthily and because of her high level of activity has trouble keeping weight on. As she started to balloon she kept a food diary and she swears blind that the injection actually changed her metabolism. Certainly the weight went on over the bust and hips only.