Can the contraceptive implant implanon cause anxiety and depression?

[Stress_Head]

Hi,
I have had the implanon now for 2 years and since then have experienced 6 month cycles of extreme depression and anxiety followed by periods where i return to my normal happy mood and behaviour.  For the last month I have been feeling hightened level of anxitey, which have caused social withdrawal, and fellings of sadness and depression. Most worringly, recently i have had thoughts of self harming.

I couldn't seem to put my finger on why I was feeling this way, and till tonight, hadn't considered the possibility that it could be the implanon. I have done some brief reseach and found that the implanon can cause depression, but I am concerned can it completely explain the reason for my extreme long-term changes in mood, or is there something more deep routed?
Thanks

[whst0700]

Just giving an update here. I had my Implanon removed July 31, 2012 and after about 8 weeks my life turned around. During the time I had it removed, I was going through many problems in my personal life and the hormone definitely escalated my emotions. When I think back to that time, I don't know how I survived all the emotions and how people handled me either. I felt so depressed at that time and now can't believe I ever felt that way.
These days I am 100% back to my old self which means only being emotional a day or so a month. I might add that I am not on any kind of birth control as I want get the hormones from the birth control out completely. I also have to admit, I like getting a period every month.
    Get the implant removed if you feel that you are experiencing symptoms because of it whether your doctor agrees or not. It's not worth your sanity and there are other options out there for you!

[mmeg56]

So glad I read this, I had the implanon fitted about 6 months ago, my life seemed to just go to shambles, when I first got it put in I was under a lot of stress and have previoiusly suffered from anxiety and depression so just put down my severe mood swings to me obviously being depressed, but like I explained to my mum and partner, I dont really feel depressed, life is good Im in counselling and working through alot of stuff that has been contributing to my depression however my moods just did not reflect this at all, I felt like I was making big strides forward ye Im constantly grumpy, I go from being fine to REALLY F*cking annoyed or angry in the space of 5 mins, I pick at everything my partner does and he is amazing and puts up with so much and does so much for me yet I treat him like hes a piece of ****, he says to me all the time :"I cant do anything right!" and I go off over the smallest things, this isnt me at all even when Id been depressed in the past I still had some maturity about me and knew what battles to pick but at the moment I just cant let anything go and even if I get an applogy it doesnt make me feel any better, its like Im on some sort of negative high and when I come down I feel so embarassed and ashamed and cant believe Ive been acting this way, Im needy and just a difficult person to be around, which is the opposite of how I usually am. Its pushed me to the point of feeling like there is no point anymore, Im doing everything right to combat my dpression and anxiety and things just seemed to get worse and worse, going to see the doctor this week and get them to take it out... hopefully things will improve because I feel like im on the verge of loosing the man i love because of my craziness...

[jenmac88]

Omg I have a lot of these symptoms with the implanon I'm due to get it changed on Feb but I think I wanna try having it removed for a dew months to see if anything changes, I felt it was great for the first year although my sex drive dropped to zero but I didn't have any periods for the first year, but after the first year I'm having abdominal pains an lower back pains that feels like my kidneys, feeling depressed all the time, sex drive is so bad I split with my bf for a while over it, I have put on a lot of weight from feeling depressed an comfort eating, my last period there lasted a month an I also am getting reddy brown discharge that smells awful. I am constantly moody an really not my normal self an I always wondered was it the implant. I am so glad to see so many that have the same problems I spoke to my family plan doc an she suggested removal but I was hesitant of getting preg but i am defo gonna have it out for a while an just be really safe to not get pregnant an try natural birth control for a while. Thanx everyone an good luck to u all! X

[SarahH93]

Glad to have found this site, I googled 'can the contraceptive implant cause depression' and this came up straight away. I have read some comments and although I don't wish depression or anxiety on anyone, it's nice not to feel as alone as I have felt recently. I have had the implant in since July. It was great at first, periods were still regular, I was still myself, it was good. Around September time things changed.. gradually I have felt myself become so depressed, snapping needlessly at my boyfriend, crying constantly, I would also bleed randomly for short periods of time as well as having periods that last well over a week where as they used to last 5 days. It has gotten worse recently, I cry all the time, I feel I can't express myself to my loved ones, I am distancing myself, I feel as though I am a bad person, childish, noone believes me, they call it "being a woman"... Focusing at college has become more challenging than ever, I am failing almost all of my exams. I will be visiting the health nurse later today, I want the implant out, I believe it is the implant and college stress making me depressed and I can't carry on like this, it is getting worse. I often lay awake at night wondering if anyone would miss me if I died, wondering if my boyfriend would be happier if we split. I just want help. Someone to understand me and help me get better. I am only 19, I have barely lived my life, I shouldn't be feeling like ending it. Thanks for all the comments, I believe I am getting closer to the solution. The implant needs to go, I also need support, I just need to convince myself to ask for it.

[dbellabear]

i have read the comments and i feel so relieved. when i got the implant in the nurse told me to give it 10 weeks for it to settle down and for my body to get used to the hormone changes. the first 8 or so weeks all i did was cry at everything and feel very angry and frustrated and i thought that was it but i was wrong. its not until i found this site that i put the pieces together and it all comes down to the implant. feeling depressed, anxiety, mood swings, lethargic, paranoia, cant handle stress, and no sex drive. i thought it was stress at work but i've done this job for 2 years and never felt like this. several of my friends have the implant and they recommended it to me so i guess thats why i didnt think it could be that. but reading the comments on this site, they describe too perfectly how i am feeling, i am getting it out soon as i can so i can feel normal again.

[worrieddad57]

thanks for your post. I have been reading soo many posts about the horrible side effects relating to depression, but was looking for some positive feedback from someone who had had it removed. I was so happy to find your post. My daughter who was in college, but had to drop out because she had to be hospitalized for severe depression and suicidal thoughts. She has taken several different medicines for depression with no relief form any of them. I have suspected the implanon and had her mention it to her doctor but he blew her off. She recently went to a new doctor who believes that the implanon might be the problem. She is having it removed next week. I hope and pray we are right and hope she can get her life back. She has been feeling hopeless and suicidal for the last year and close to giving up.It scares the hell out of me.i looking forward to getting my sweet,intelligent,and full of life daughter back.I needed to be hopeful and your post has given me that. Thanks!!