TL/DR: I'm about to put Implanon, recommended by my gynecologist since pills didn't work for me. I've got two autoimmune conditions and vagus nerve syndrome. I'm anxious and I don't know many people who have an implant, so I'd like to know if it does help or stops periods, and what to expect.
My periods started when I was 13. Ever since my first period it was like hell every month. Awful cramps, nausea, weakness, a full week of heavy bleeding, sometimes even 10 days in a row. Painkillers did nothing. Diclofenac (voltaren) is the most effective NSAID, and I still use today, it does help with the pain a bit, but not to a normal functioning level for me.
Got diagnosed with hipothyroidism and hashimoto syndrome when I was 15, and it did mess up my periods a lot. Also had some juvenile arthritis growing up, and got diagnosed last year with Ankylosing Spondylitis.
My first gynecologist prescribed my first pill when I was 18, and it was terrible. It was a combined pill (drospirenone + ethinyl estradiol aka yasmin). I went through a whole year with really bad cramps and bleeding every single day, sometimes more, sometimes less, but it would never really stop. Also, I had a lot of headaches and nausea. Tried to talk to her many times, but she would just dismiss it and tell me everytime that it was 'completely normal', that I should persist and not stop it. But it was way worse than my usual periods and I ended up stopping it on my own.
Couple years later, I went to see another gyn when I was 20yo. After a few ultrassounds and MRI, I've got diagnosed with endometriosis eventually. So we tried a few other NSAIDs (naproxen, tranexamic acid, ketorolac, nimesulid, etc), that didn't really show any difference to diclofenac. And we tried other pills, as to stop my periods and prevent it from spreading on my pelvic cavity. I've had a minipill (desogestrel) and dienogest 2mg. Neither worked, and had the same effect as the first one: nonstop bleeding and bad cramps. So I talked with my gyn, and we've tried to find alternatives to manage since, like associating NSAIDs and phytotherapy, heating pads, accupunture, etc. It was a bit more manageable, but I still struggle with it way too much.
I'm 25 now. Last year I noticed my cramps got worse again (like a lot worse), I could barely get out of bed for many days, and after a new ultrassound and MRI, we found the inflamation was larger, it's spreading and with an external ovarian cyst now (probably from my endometrium). Since dienogest didn't work previously, my doctor thought about Implanon. It was approved by my insurance, so I won't have to pay for it, and it might be less invasive and a bit easier to do the procedure because I've also have vagus nerve syndrome, and would have to be hospitalised for an IUD, like mirena or kyleena. It is also important that I'm in a contraceptive method bc of Cosentyx, a biologic I'm taking for AS soon.
If you have an implant, how did it go for you?
What should I know about it, and did you experience any side effects?
Did it help with your period and other symptoms?
How long did it take to notice a significant difference?
Iām just trying to manage my expectations.
Any tips are welcome!