NEXPLANON IMPLANT REMOVAL, MY OWN EXPERIENCE

I had a not so good experience in my Nexplanon implant removal. It took me months before they finally got it removed from my arm. It was quite a hard and sad experience for me. I wanted it to be removed as quickly as possible but I was only disappointed. It took me four hospital appointments until the implant has finally out of my arm. What a roller coaster ride it was having doctors appointments since November last year, none of them succeeded to find the stick. One time they tried to cut my arm but was unsuccessful. Today I am sharing my experience with my nexplanon implant removal.

March 12, 2019, 1:30 pm I am finally birth control free! The doctors finally made the implant out of my arm. I had a surgery in order to remove the implant out. The implant moved over the years and went inside the muscles (it is supposed to be under the skin). I had the nexplanon birth control implant for three years and it was expired on September 30th, 2018.

Morning Before The Surgery

My appointment was 9 am on March 12th in Porvoo hospital. I was there before 8:30. As soon as I arrived I went to the information desk and informed that I have arrived and I had an appointment at 9! The nurse showed me the room where I could change to a hospital gown. I went and changed then went to the waiting area. It was past 9 Am and I was still waiting. By 9:20 the nurse in the information came and told me the nurse who is assigned to me was late so it’s better we go now to the X-Ray. So I went there and waited again.

By 9:40 I was called for an X-Ray. I was so nervous. “What if they cannot find the implant?” Luckily they found it. The implant went so deep in the muscles. The doctor then put a mark in my arm where the implant is located, so that the doctors know where to cut. After the X-Ray, I went back to the surgery waiting area. I got bored and tired of waiting.

I didn’t know that I need to wait there for many hours. Then, a nurse came. She checked my medical records, asked a few questions, put a tag on both hands and checked the mark on my arm. I’ve been asked if I have eaten or drink anything in the past few hours. I woke up early, bring Rianna to school and catch the bus at 7:10 and didn’t have time to eat or drink before I left the house. I asked her if they could speak English to me and explained why I wanted to understand everything. All the nurses on that day communicate with me in English. The doctors though spoke Finnish with me.

Surgery Time

I waited about four hours before it was time for surgery. By 1 pm the nurse finally called me and took me to the operating room. It was about time. I was so nervous but was so positive that they will manage to take the implant out today. I lied down, connected me to the computer to monitor vital signs, put the needle in my right hand and they got everything ready. There were two nurses and two doctors in the operating room.

They covered the left side of my head/face so I didn’t see how they cut my arm or remove the implant stick but I heard the doctors talking. I was awake and aware of exactly what was happening. The doctors found the implant and took it out. It was very fast I didn’t even notice until they told me it’s done and they started to stitch the wound. I also did not feel any pain at all.

After the surgery, the doctor told me it was not so hard procedure. They knew where the implant is and it made the surgery easy for them. She asked what I do for work, do I need sick leave, etc. She then said I will give you a week of sick leave. I was so relieved and happy that the implant is finally out and this journey is over. At 1:40 pm I was out of the operating room. I went to the post-surgery room and they serve me “breakfast” at around 2 pm. :) I had a sandwich and a juice. Waited there for a while for the nurse orientation on how to take care of the wound. I was prescribed Panadol 1G 3x a day for a pain reliever.

Months Before The Surgery

The nexplanon birth control implant was inserted in my arm on September 30th, 2015 in Loviisa hospital. I decided to have it because during that time I was in the Finnish language course. I didn’t want to get pregnant again until I finish the language school and also finish a degree. The birth control works for three years. Within a few months I can still feel and see the implant in my arm but as years went by it vanished and I could not feel the implant anymore. When I started my job and school in March 2017, I gained weight and muscles. I used a lot of force and lifting so my arm gained muscles which I believe made the stick move around and deeper in the muscles.

(the day I got my implant inserted, sept. 30, 2015.)

I had my first appointment to remove the implant on November 7th, 2018. It was the same doctor who inserted the implant three years ago. He could not find the implant. they advised me to go to the X-ray to locate where the implant is. I had an x-ray twice and went back to the doctors’ office after. Both the doctor and the nurse tried to search the implant but unfortunately, they couldn’t locate where it is. It took about half an hour until the doctor said they will send me to Porvoo for another doctor’s appointment.

More Hospital Appointments

On December 3rd, 2018 I went to Porvoo hospital. Again the doctor couldn’t find the implant. She tried to cut my arm but was unsuccessful as the implant is deep and it needs surgery to get it out. I was so frustrated again. Photos below were the day I had my little cut in my arm. The day they confirmed that I need surgery. They will book the time for me. They booked the surgery date for January when I was still on holiday in the Philippines. (I got upset with this one because I told them not to set the date after January 8th, but they did. I paid 50€ for the uncancelled appointment.)

On February 26, I had another doctor’s appointment. I was expecting that day I had surgery. They told me they’ll book surgery date for me and told me what will gonna happen by then. I was so frustrated on that day. I cried on my way home because I was expecting it was my surgery day and that I can finally get rid of this birth control.

Nexplanon Implant Side Effects

You may wonder what the nexplanon implant gave/cause me of having it in my arm for over 3 years now. I had weight gain, super moody, always tired, hate to admit it but I was depressed too, low sex drive, crazy mood swings. Birth control isn’t for everyone. However, I didn’t get pregnant while having it so it seems that it still works on me. But the side effects just unimaginable. I still hate it why it was so hard to remove it and take it out.

So happy that this journey is finally over. I am birth control free and we can finally start our journey on getting pregnant again. I am 35 so I freak a little this low chance of getting pregnant when you’re getting older. Also, Rianna is seven years old and wanting to have a sibling. Today March 14 my period starts. My last period was on February 2 and September last year. I didn’t have a regular period when I have the implant. Had few spotting but not a real period. I am hoping my cycle will be back to normal soon.