r/Nexplanon

For context I am 28F and I have been on the implant since I was 15 getting them removed and changed every 3 years. The first implant I had was implanon and the ones following were all nexplanon, both the exact same in my experience.

Yesterday I got my implant removed and instead of getting another one put in, I got the desogestrel pill instead, specifically Zelleta 75mg. My sister and friend are both on this pill and they said they get on well with it.

I chose to change as I just wanted the opportunity to stop taking birth control in the near future with ease, for a break from birth control, without having to book an implant removal. Also just curious about another method. I’m in a long term sexually active relationship and we do not want children for a few years, so unfortunately need to do something regarding birth control.

In my life, I have been on the implant for nearly as long as I wasn’t on it, so it’s really hard for me to say what the side effects are. I’ve gained and lost significant amounts of weight on the implant, never really had acne, suffer from anxiety and more recently panic attacks but this is a new development. I have always bled like crazy on my implant but it actually improves my periods - naturally they are literally debilitating and I can’t leave the house for 5 days, soak through absolutely everything etc. So, breakthrough bleeding or irregular heavy bleeding is nothing new or concerning for me at all. It’s more the mental side effects I worry about?

I guess I am just curious if anyone else has had a similar experience? Or can shed some light on how I’m likely to find the desogestrel pill in comparison to 13 years on the implant?

I just figured as this pill wasn’t a steady stream like the implant is, it would be sort of a soft launch into what I could be like without any hormonal birth control?

Any experience shared would be really useful and appreciated :)

Had Nexplanon for 8 months now and I have had 3 40+ day long periods in that time with a lot of shorter periods in between, so I don't think it's working for me. I want to switch to something else but IUDs kinda terrify me and I know so many people who got pregnant on the pill but I'm probably going to have to go on one of them. What is your experience?

I’m finally getting it taken out. I’m not trying to scare anybody for using it, as it has always done its job of not getting me pregnant.
I had it in 5 years now. The first year I bled non stop, and eventually it evened out to a proper menstrual cycle of 4 days but only every 3 months. However, just recently the period never stopped like it usually does. My anxiety spiked, I’m losing alot of weight and having migraines and I’m nauseous all the time. The tip of the iceberg was waking up to a bloody mess on day 16 of bleeding. The flow was as if it was the second day of my period. What was only usually only enough to slightly fill a panty liner is now making me go through my pads.
I just can’t take it anymore, I’ve been miserable and depressed.
If anyone has gotten it taken out for the same reasons, how quick did your body and mood adjust back to what you consider normal ?

Maybe this isn't the best subreddit to ask this in, as I sadly almost always just see posts of people with negative side effects or complications instead of long-term users who are happy with Nexplanon, but I don't know where else to ask this.

I know that there have been studies posted for quite some time now that Nexplanon is effective for 5 years, not 3. However, Nexplanon's official guidelines were 3 years, and all of my doctors and insurance plans proceeded with that accordingly. I'm really upset that my insurance won't cover replacement at 3 years anymore, as towards the end of those 3 years I start bleeding a lot more, and my OB/GYN said that she's known a few women who have gotten pregnant on Nexplanon after it expired at 3 years.

I really wish they kept it at 3 years!

Is anyone else upset about this?

I got the Nexplanon in early December 2025, and finally decided to get it removed 3 weeks ago. I’ve struggled with weight my whole life, but about 1 year ago I started tracking my food and taking my health seriously. The weight has been stubborn to come off, but I have successfully reversed my high cholesterol and lowered my A1C through lifestyle changes. All that to say, at this point I know my body and what fluctuates my weight pretty well. Which is why, when I gained 35 lbs in the 4 months of getting the implant, I knew something was up. My libido was also tanked, which is new for me and sources say I was pretty irritable all the time. Of course, I scrolled this sub looking for others who had a similar experience. I brought this up to my gyno who said a small percentage of women might see small weight changes. Thus, I was tempted to think I just needed to work harder or do something on my end to get my weight back down.

It is now been 3 weeks since my removal, and I’m down 10lbs, feel like myself again, and am finally starting to see significant muscle gains from the gym. Albeit, I have been working hard to lose the Nexplanon weight, but absolutely nothing was working while I had the implant. I’m so grateful that I listened to my instincts and switched off the Nexplanon.

I’m still not sure what exactly happened here. Some people say the Nexplanon causes you to overeat, and some mention hormones as the culprit. Some hormones, like progesterone, may also cause cravings and increased appetite. All I know is that after maintaining weight for the past year, I now have a significant amount of weight to lose to return to baseline. And the only thing I confidently know changed in my environment was that damn implant.

Disclaimer: Every body is different! I have many friends who use the Nexplanon with zero problems. I just wanted to throw out a different perspective for anyone scrolling this sub in a similar position that I was, looking for any sort of validation that the implant MAY cause weight gain.

TLDR: listen to your body and advocate for yourself❤️

I got mine removed basically a month ago. And just started my period yesterday. This sht is HEAVYY, barely having any type of cramps. Is this normal?🤣 I was expecting to have intense cramps w how heavy this flow is

Hi everyone. Got the implant 3 days ago. They put a big plaster on it. It's not coming off or dirty or anything. I was told to keep the plaster on it for 5 days. Can I change it before 5 days? I just keep thinking about bacteria and wanting to clean it😂

And is it okay to have it for the 5 days? Genuinely asking

Anyone who experience heavy super prolonged bleeding with nexplanon and got it removed how long did it take for the bleeding to stop. I am seriously considering getting it taken out. It is awful bleeding so heavy for months I’m ready to cut the f*cker out at this point.

Hi has anyone experienced this?

I recently on 12 May had the implant put in I've had it in many of times and never experienced this

I cant move me arm well I can but cant because everytime I do i get right bad sharp burning pain and its that bad I have to stay still till the pain has gone and its doing it all the time

My nan and husband has had enough of me about this pain im having and telling me its nothing and it takes time me husband wants to divorce me because he had enough of me talking crap about the pain he wont help me and me nan wont help me I cant drive 💔 im alone and dont know what to do about it the person who put it in is booked up 3 weeks and she said she cant see me till then :( is it worth to get a taxi to a&e?

Many thanks for the help 🙏

I have an appointment to get Nexplanon inserted next week. I’ve talked it over with my doctor, and I am confident that this is the right option for me.

I’m just a little squeamish about medical procedures and would appreciate knowing more about what to expect.

How long does the insertion take? Did you have any pain? Any information would be helpful!

Hey guys! I am strongly considering nexplanon birth control since my insurance covers it.

If you’ve taken it, what’s your experience with it? Do you recommend it?

I've had my nexplanon for a little over a month now, and I was just lying in bed like normal when I noticed that my arm was just ever so slightly sore near my implant.
Naturally I decide to run my fingers over it and then I noticed that my arm feels really lumpy and weird right next to the implant T-T
I have horrific anxiety and I've managed to convince myself that it's snapped in half or embedded in my muscle.
Is this normal and I'm just overreacting? Or should I get it checked out?
This is my first time on nexplanon and I'm very nervous 😣

I have had my nexplanon for about 9 days now, my period started the day after I
got it inserted. It started out like a completely normal period for me, but my cycles usually last 5 or 6 days and i’m now on day 8. After the fifth day, my period became light as if I was on the last day. Since when I would usually be off of my period i’ve had light, brown bleeding but only in a couple times during the day. I wake up in the morning with absolutely nothing on my liners but then i’ll bleed a small amount throughout the day. Is it normal for this to start this early? Also, i’m wondering if anyone else has had this experience and how long it lasted for them? I’ve seen that taking ibuprofen helps so i’m going to try that I think.

So I’ve been on nexplanon for 14 years, since I was 15.
I’ve obviously had them replaced every 3 years, my most recent one being in December 2024. I have opted at this point to have it removed after reading an experience recently about someone with BPD getting on nexplanon and it making their symptoms worse (specifically emotional regulation, anxiety, and anger/rage). I also went down the rabbit hole of other women struggling to lose weight, and having brain fog and fatigue, things that I have also struggled with and have gotten numerous blood tests for with little to no answers or results from doctors. So at this point I am deciding to have my nexplanon removed this week to see how things go, if anything I think it will be interesting to see what my baseline is as my adult body has quite literally never functioned without birth control. Worst case, I can always get back on it. My plan for now is to stay birth control free for 3-6 months and then look into my options after my hormones have some time to stabilize. I also plan to update this thread with changes I notice :)

Hi guys I got an intense Thai massage on my arms and the lady accidentally did it on the nexplanon part like she put her whole elbow on it… what’s the possibility of this probably making it snap? I still feel both ends of it. Did I mess up

Hey guys!

I recently got the implant put in (Monday 11th), I was wondering when it stops being so tender and achy? It’s still quite sensitive.

I’ve had the implant before but it was around 7 years ago so I don’t remember anything about the healing process🤣

Any advice/experience you guys have had with this would be greatly appreciated :)

TLDR; long periods, heavy bleeding, mood swings & depression all 3.5 years into implant. I’m exhausted from these constant new side effects, would getting it replaced be my best bet? I don’t want to not be on bc.

So I got my Nexplanon inserted in Oct 2022, and besides some nausea and low libido at first, I did not have any noticeable side effects. I didn’t get my period, maybe once or twice in the past 3 years, until August of 2025 I started getting them regularly. They’d be your average 4-5 day periods, regular flow, nothing crazy but it was definitely new considering I stopped getting them. In November I went to get it replaced due to the 3 year mark but my OB highly suggested against replacing since it’s good for 5 years. I took her advice and kept it in. As of 2026, i’ve been bleeding for 3-4 weeks on end and only get 1-2 weeks of no bleeding, then repeat. I’m exhausted, the bleeding is heavy most of the time, I feel myself getting depressed and emotional, I’m tired of it. I’m aware that getting it replaced is a gamble in terms of new side effects but idk what to do. I’m 23, I have pregnancy anxiety, and I do not want to NOT be on birth control. My bf and I still use condoms for example, but I do not trust just condoms lol. I’m thinking of getting it replaced but is that my best bet? I do not want an IUD, and I’m horrible at regularly taking pills. Any advice/experiences with something similar would really help :,)

Hey all, I know a lot of people post about the many side effects that can come from Nexplanon- however I wanted to share my specific experience since I hadn’t seen many results for relationship specific anxiety when looking into my symptoms. I wanted to potentially be a thread someone can look at in case they’re going through the same nightmare I did.

I am fronting this by saying I am not a doctor nor giving medical advice. I am not telling anyone to have their Nexplanon taken out nor that it doesn’t work- I know it works super well for the majority of people who take it, and that’s great! Unfortunately, I already had sensitivity to hormonal birth control in the past- and Nexplanon took a toll on my mental health so bad that it put my very happy relationship in jeopardy.

The reason I started Nexplanon was predominantly for period control. I have PCOS and take speronalactone to help my head hair grow back and to lessen my facial hair. However it caused me horrible periods that caused insane pain and bleeding that would last 3 weeks at a time with little reprieve. I spoke to an ObGyn and told him my concerns about my past trauma with the Mirena implant and my issues with progesterone pills- which caused me a lot of anger issues. So he offered Nexplanon- which would provide small amounts of progesterone so it would ‘probably’ not cause issues. I agreed and had it put in. I had it in for a little over 3 months and just had it taken out.

Month 1: Things were going pretty good! My periods calmed down and I only dealt with light spotting. Me and my boyfriend had a great intimate life without having to worry about a ton of birth control precautions. I felt pretty good!

Month 2: I started feeling more anxious, like overthinking every negative thing my boyfriend did or said and being afraid of some imaginary ‘other shoe to drop’. I have GAD and chalked it up to my already existing relationship anxiety and trust issues from past experiences. We had only been together for a few months and I thought I was still settling into commitment life after 5 years of being single. I started therapy up again and we started doing DBT and ART therapy sessions, which helped a lot at first.

Month 3: This is where things went terribly wrong. Me and my boyfriend had a tense visit with his parents in the town he grew up in and hated and so he was having a particularly bad day. On our way home we had a tense conversation, but it really wasn’t too bad looking back on it- just a disagreement. We talked and I thought I moved on- but I found myself unable to shake the anxiety from it. Two days later he told me something rough from his past- and it reminded me of a traumatic experience of my own. That night I felt fine- I was happy he trusted me enough to tell me. But the next day, I had an unshakable amount of anxiety and I could not stop thinking about it. An imaginary scene I had created about it played in my mind over and over again and I could feel myself starting to spiral. I tried to brush it off as a rough day and went to sleep- only to be woken into a major panic attack. I was shaking, I had heat flashes and cold flashes, I had muscle aches and my chest was so tight. That panic lasted all week. I would have a couple hours of calm before the panic washed over me again and my body felt like I had just carried bricks up Mount Fuji. I couldn’t sleep- I was always jolted awake with more panic, but I was exhausted at the same time. I couldn’t shower because the temperature change from warm to hot made me so cold that I’d start shaking and panic again. All Xanax did was numb my body while I was still trapped in my own head. I had to stop drinking coffee and picked my cigarette habit back up because it was the only thing that calmed me down for at least a moment. I had constant ruminating thoughts about whether the talk we had caused this and if I could move past it. I heavily considered breaking things off because I was so scared that it was the only thing that would end the pain. At the same time- I craved his attention more than anything. Every time I’d go over I was wondering why I didn’t feel better- he’d been my safe place this whole time so why didn’t I feel safe then? All I could do is shake and cry as he held me. My sex drive never went away- I wanted it all the time. I craved the intimacy in between my panic sessions. It got so bad that I went to an emergency therapist and all I could do is sob about how I thought my relationship was in jeopardy. I finally opened up to my mom about what we talked about and she validated me and told me it was okay- that it didn’t make him or me a bad person because of what happened in our pasts. That made me feel a lot better. I talked to my therapist and we did an ART session- which eased the panic. I felt some sort of calm for the next week- I slept well a couple of times, but I’d still have nights where I’d just shake in bed with my muscles spasming. The week after I dissolved again. There was less panic but the anxiety and ruminating thoughts were still there. I still had cold and hot flashes, but I also developed health and agoraphobia. I was still having a war in my head about whether or not I could handle my relationship. I couldn’t stop googling symptoms and going to Reddit for self soothing. I convinced myself I had ROCD, or potassium poisoning, or Zepbound sensitivity, each time forgetting about that little plastic thing in my arm. I did google if Nexplanon caused high cortisol- but not if it caused anxiety. Also my Mirena symptoms were totally different- as that one caused intense depression, lack of libido, and avoidance. So I overlooked it until I scheduled an appointment with my primary doctor. Because it felt physical- my anxiety was never THIS BAD- not even in my abusive relationship let alone this perfectly healthy one. I was irritated and anxious at work- I got onto my students more (I’m a TA) and was short tempered with my family. I seriously considered checking myself into a mental ward at this point if she told me nothing was wrong.

This week: I saw my primary doctor on Tuesday. I told her about the Nexplanon and she told me that it sounded a lot like an extreme hormonal imbalance caused by my sensitivity to hormones. She was shocked that the OBGyN recommended it for period control since it’s not even good at it. She said it rarely happened but she did have a few patients where Nexplanon drove them bonkers and recommended I take it out right away. So that day I had it taken out by her. She was surprised by how hard it was to remove because I only had it in for a short time, but she had to basically rip it out because my body seemed like it was attacking it and fused to it. I walked out of the clinic and I felt a wave of something wash over me- hope. I know it was a placebo but I felt hope for finally having vindication- that I wasn’t too broken to be happy. A few hours later I was tired and tried a nap- and there was no jolt of panic. I felt rested- I felt good. I still had the hot flashes and slight mood swings, but nothing crazy. Yesterday, I felt exhausted, and a lot less anxious and fragile. The ruminating thoughts were almost completely gone. A couple of episodes lasting about 10 minutes but it wasn’t bad. I still had hot flashes, but I wasn’t uncontrollably shaking after I took my shower. I stayed at my boyfriend’s house and it was amazing. I felt secure for the first time in a whole month. I felt safe.

Today: I feel fantastic. My period is already coming back, but I don’t care. I will take the physical pain over the mental turmoil. I felt like I was in Hell and that I barely crawled out. I don’t feel broken anymore- I’m sitting at my boyfriends house and he’s playing a video game and I’m off doing my own thing, whereas I was constantly in need of his comfort while questioning everything about us over the past few weeks. The slight mood swings are still there, and the hot flashes haven’t gone away, but I feel good. Really good. Like everything was going to be okay.

Special shoutout to my boyfriend too- who knew about my fears and thoughts and chose to stick by me anyways. Who held me while I cried and shook every time. Who ran to my side every time things got bad. He’s honestly the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and I feel so bad for doubting us.

In summary, this was for people who are currently in the situation I was in- for those who are currently self soothing by Googling and hounding Reddit for answers in a desperate attempt to save their relationship. This is NOT a sign to avoid Nexplanon or have it taken out! I am a very uncommon case and my body just seems to hate synthetic progesterone. But I’m saying that if you haven’t considered it and you’re feeling similar symptoms- please see your doctor and ask about the possibility of it being the Nexplanon. They would have a lot better answers than me. And for those experiencing the same thing I am- stay strong. Don’t make rash decisions while you’re in a state of panic. Your thoughts don’t control you- and you are safe and loved. Everything is going to be okay

Thank you for reading

Hi everyone! I'm getting my implant taken out tomorrow (finally!) and I just wanted to ask whether I should expect some symptoms.

I've read that alot of people feel awful the week of, and I'm starting to get a little worried as my A level's are also this week 😭 awful planning from me but if anyone has any advice or just anything I should know please let me know !!

Thank you in advance ! 🖤

UPDATE: Got it removed a few hours ago, feeling a little rough and I'm extremely tired but nothing too bad!

First and foremost, I’m sorry if this post is a bit scattered. I feel very overwhelmed and anxious about some decisions I need to make and thought maybe a Reddit post could help me by putting the thoughts into the open. Sharing experiences, thoughts and tips is very welcomed and appreciated.

It all started three and a half years ago. I got my first Nexplanon arm implant and it was great. No problems and no period. Then, towards the three year mark, I started to get irregular bleeding, excessive periods (multiple times a month) and nonstop spotting. I decided to get the implant removed and a new Nexplanon put in. This was December 2025.

Fast forward to now, it’s been nothing but a nightmare. The irregular/ excessive period situation continues, somewhat worse. For the past year I’ve had a suspicion that my hair was falling out but my hairstylist recently commented on it, confirming the suspicion :( I think the last couple of months especially the hair thinning/ loss has been especially bad.

I had to go in mediation about seven months ago for terrible acne on my face.

And my mood is unstable, I feel very depressed and sometimes suicidal, even though I know I have so much to be grateful for.

Recently (the last month) the fatigue has been so so bad. It’s hard to wake up and hard to go about my day. I’m always exhausted.

The worst is the swelling in my legs. Especially ankles and calves. It started progressing at the beginning of the year but the last two months the swelling feels painful. I don’t understand how my collarbones stick out but my legs feel big and heavy. I’ve lost weight and have a healthy lifestyle.. what’s going on?? It feels like water-retention?

I’m not sure if Nexplanon could be the culprit of this, because it’s a hormonal birth control. Could it be? I want to go off it but I’m scared that everything will become so much worse. I don’t know what to do and I feel scared.

I went to the gynecologist and she was really unhelpful. I live in a foreign country and she claimed to not even know what Nexplanon is. I have the option to get it removed at an emergency clinic. But I’m just so scared of removing it and everything becoming worse. It’s so hard now.

Has anyone had an experience like this?? And able to offer insight?? Please let me know. I’m really anxious.