Contraception Advice (POP, implant etc)
 

Hi,

Ive been on dianette for 4 years and have been told its unsafe for me to continue due to high risk of stroke.

The doctor said my options are progesterone only pill (POP), implant, injection, and the coil/IUD thingy.

Im not really happy with any of them to be honest. If I were to choose one it would be the POP or implant, but Ive heard that being over a certain weight can reduce effectiveness and I'm not far off that weight.

Also, I dont like the potential side effects, such as acne (already have it), weight gain, irregular periods or lack of control over them and whatnot.

Has anyone any experience of the POP (most likely cerazette) and the implant?

thanks x

Cerazette has been brilliant for me- I've been on it about 3 years now? And yeah, I'm not pregnant (woo!) and haven't really found any side effects- best of all it doesn't affect my weight/appetite. So yeah, since I'm morbidly obese and all, I'm not sure weight is a terrible problem. Plus no periods = awesome.

x

I'm on the implant and have had no problems with it, though for the first 6 weeks I did have a continuous period, but after that they have been greatly reduced and much lighter than before. My skin is fine. I have gained weight but I have also been on sedating antidepressants and antipsychotics during this time so it's likely that weight gain has been due to them.

I have the implant, but I haven't had it long, so I can't really contribute with my experiences - but I was just going to say that I'm pretty sure that the only way weight affects it is if you are overweight, you may need to have it taken out slightly before the three years is up. Almost certain.

Incidentally - the best thing about it, is not having to worry. It's like, the doctor shoves it in and three years later you get it changed. You can even sign up to a reminder service off the website, where they e-mail you when it's nearly time to get it removed.

I'm on Cerazette which is a POP. I'm still not sure if I like it yet. I've been on it 2 and a half months now. Periods are pretty irregular for the first few months but mine seem to be settling now. The period(s) that I've had since going on the pill have been very light.

I've had no weight gain, except for on my boobs which have pretty much just exploded. However my mood swings have been appalling. I'd feel fine one minute and absolutely depressed or angry the next. I've had loads of screaming matches with my parents because of this and I've cried all over my boyfriend quite a bit. They've been pretty understanding, though, and these have calmed down more now. I'm also really really tired all the time but I don't know if that's related to the pill itself.

the implant was great for me.

had the implant for nearly a year now, its been great. a little bit of weight gain, but absolutely no periods/no mood swings.

Ahh thanks everyone, guess everyone's different. Only ever been on Yasmin for a year and then dianette for 4 years which are both combined.

Is the implant the exact same as cerazette but the only difference is the way it gets into your body?

Thanks everyone this has been useful.

I'm on the implant (have been for two months, so still early days) and apart from light bleeding/heavy spotting for two to three weeks at a time and a little bit of acne I've had no other problems. No weight gain at all. Apparently, so I've been told by doctors/nurses, for most people side effects usually last for a few months, then after that everything settles down. I asked about weight and maybe having to get it taken out early, as I am slightly overweight, and they told me it isn't affected by weigh, so you don't have to have it taken out early. At first I believe doctor's though overweight people would have to have it replaced earlier but now after more studies they believe it isn't the case.

I've been on various different contraceptive pills and found the implant to be the best for me. Everyone is different though, lucky men not having to worry about all this stuff :)

^ They're currently testing a male contraceptive pill / injection / implant.
Then they can. Ha.

I was on Microgynon, Cerazette, injection and now cerazette again. The only reason I stopped taking cerazette initially was because I had breakthrough bleeding (although that was after about ten months of absolutely no bleeding at all) - and the dr. recommended I did. The injection was brill - one injection once every three months and bam, you're sorted! But I had mood issues on that - it's the same active ingredient as microgynon, and I came off that because I was moody.

Been back on cerazette for a year now, and I find it absolutely fab. No periods (although I know that's not true for everybody), no bad moods, no excessive appetite - it's just been quite easy. Plus, it seems (to me, anyway) that if you've got to try something, it's the least invasive option to start with, anyway.

But it's all hit-and-miss; different people work with different things. I've had good times with the injection and cerazette though, if that's any help :)

Just FYI, my GP said the same thing to me about Dianette, but as soon as I came off it my acne started coming back (which is what I take it for), so I went to see my dermatologist and he said there was no reason that somebody my age, with no family history of DVT or blood clots, and with none of the other risk factors (not overweight, don't smoke etc) couldn't carry on taking Dianette. He wrote to my GP and they let me go back on it. Doctors are really over-cautious when it comes to Dianette, because there was a big scare where some women in their thirties who'd been taking it for over a decade started having blood clots. It is a serious risk, and you do have to be aware of it, but if you actually look at the statistics, Dianette only poses a very marginally greater risk than any other form of hormonal contraceptive. They are all associated with greater risks of stroke.

It's worth asking your GP why they think the risk of stroke is too great for you. You can also ask to switch back to Yasmin if acne is your problem, although they don't like prescribing it because it's expensive.

Ive been on the injection since November last year and have had no problems. I feel my moods have stabalised since not having a period since starting it or the 7 day break i would get with microgynon

The only downfall i have found is that i get weighed every time i get it ( i dont know if it is due to my weight or if that is the norm) and that for the first month there was slight weight gain

Implanon (in arm) was hell for me. I've had it for about 5/6 months now and have been on a constant period. Like, seriously, non-stop bleeding. I feel like I'm dying.

I'm having it removed this month.

That's what happened to me on "the pill". But I haven't had any problems with the implant, yet. Touch wood.

This :P

Is the pill you were taking progesterone only? I was thinking maybe it was my body's reaction to progesterone seeing was that's what the implanon releases.

If it was the combined pill, maybe me trying that will have the opposite reaction :P

Yeah, I take it for acne but also have been on isotretinoin very recently. Id rather keep to the dianette as well. I know the risks of blood clots etc.

Got cerazette also but hopefully can discuss with another gp. Its because of migraines with aura. Thanks everyone xxxx