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

[corriesabel]

i am 15 and had it for 6 months. i have been crying all the time, headaches for the past week, and my heart is going crazy. i dont know how to tell my parents without being a hypochondriac, or just 'over reacting'. i hate the implanon and i want it OUT! i havent had my period in 4 of the 6 months. and i feel like im going crazy. i dont know how to get everything under control and try to calm myself down... please help... im so desperate! :'(

[mollytp]

Hello, All I want to say is everyone is different.. on this thread people arent all from the same friendship group and probs a percentage which have been scattered all over the country. I know people with the implant who have been fine and are on there second one... however I also know a handful of people that havent. Ive had the implant in for 2 and a half years and other then scattered periouds and spotting I thought i was fine. However i started becoming really aggressive and having irratable problems with anyone close to me. my boyfriend for instance is an amazing person and he literally would have done anything for me but anything he did would make me so angry and make me want to cry cos i found him so annoying. ontop of that i blamed my spotting for lack of sex drive.. whenever my boyfriend would touch me i felt so irratated and upset and would just pretend to sleep.I broke up with him and put it down to growing out of love; however now ive had the implant out all my friends have seen such a significant change in my mood and i cant stop thinking about sex so its safe to say my sex drive has come back. In some instances some people may be suffering from depression but the change in me as a person since having it taken out has been so drastic, its important people are aware of the mental changes the implant can do.. because it has ruined my life and perfect relationship.

[Cattur]

I have implanon for about 3 weeks now. I have Always suffered with depression and anxiety, but now it's just horrible. I don't want to leave my house; I'm so paranoid and anxious. I cry all the time and have horrible worrying thoughts. My hair is beginning to fall out more than usual and I have a general uneasy feeling all the time. I would not recommend this for anyone that already has anxiety or depression.

[Marapoo]

I've had the implant for six months ad before that I was on the mini pill, and I've been experiencing some serious mood swings. My boyfriend broke up with me twice because of it. I thought it was just me but I'm so relieved to hear I'm not the only one having this problem and that it's probably the implant that's doing it. I will definitely be having it removed. I've never been like this before, but I've only just made the connection that it was when I started using contraceptives. Severe mood swings, feelings of insecurity, cryin at the stupidest things, sometimes I can be really happy and the next I've hit a low. I went out the other night drinking with my friend and I had a really good time. As I was walking home however, I had an emotional break down, something which had never happened to me before! I'm glad I found this page though, I thought I was the only one it was happening to!
Definitely be getting it removed!

[puddle84]

Glad to hear a positive recovery! Women's health issues around reproduction are so ignored by the general medical community, even female doctors!  There is a great website by a UBC Doctor Jerrilyn Prior @ http://www.cemcor.ubc.ca/ that explains so much!  I got off the pill bc of risk of stroke (on many meds with that risk, plus weight, arrhythmia, scar tissue in veins, etc) and got so overly emotional I wanted to die. I was ranting non stop, picking fights, smashing belongings, and had the heaviest menstruation of my life; thought I was bleeding to death!  The CEMCOR website is really informative, all women should check it out.  Re IBS; have u tried probiotics?  Seem 2 work 4 me, also helpful for BV  

[vikdan]

I too am on my 3rd implant.i am 28 and had tried the pill and other forms of contraception with extreme side effects- the injection for example gave me and other members of my family more problems then they were worth- i have  found the implant is the best form of contraception and believe me apart from the coil I have had them all. yes every form of contraception has its draw backs and has side effects like other medication does and everyone's body acts differently which is why they give you the leaflets when making a decision of this nature and in them it does warn of the side effects that most people have mentioned. what i would say is read them people and make an informed decision also  my local health authority will not supply this contraception to under 16's because of these side effects so slightly confused as to why 14's and 15's year olds have this implant- it actually says they are not suitable for those ages.

so to summerise- the implant will have different effects on different people like with any medication. i have found no problems really with it - in fact no periods for 3 months is a good thing- in all my 3 implants. also would not suggest for under 16s since my medical authority does not supply it to this age range.

hope this helps.