Personal Implanon: A Low-Maintenance Birth Control Option for Young Women

[nikked]

Looking into options for my daughter so we don't end up raising a grandchild! Would like something long-term that doesn't involve her remembering to get shots, take a pill, etc. She doesn't qualify for an IUD because she's never been pregnant.

Was just wondering if any of you gals have used Implanon or know someone who has and what your experiences have been.

Thanks. :blushing:

Nicole

 

[lisasfuncooking]

Mother of 4, never used anything but the pill. Very easy to forget! After finished having kids I had my tubes tied. (not an option for you) But I would first look into the contraceptive patch first. It is the same as the pill but just a patch that you wear on you skin. Another option would be the pill that you only take a few ( I think 3-4 times a year) MUCH easier to remember that!
If it were my daughter, I would prefer that over the Implanon. As with all options there are always side effects that she needs to be aware of. Especially weight gain, which she may hate. BRAVO to you, for being a responsible parent and caring enough to ask for advice! Good Luck.

 

[kdangel518]

She can still get an IUD even if she hasn't been PG before. It's just not as easy to put in.I would not recommend the birth control patch, it has many more bad side effects, especially clotting.Shots may be the way to go.

 

[pc_jessica]

i personally would suggest the depo shot. very easy to remember only every 3 months. worked for me, i was always forgetting to take my pills. and my side effects from the shots may not be normal for all, but cleared up acne, no weight gain actually lost about 10 lbs, also once i started the depo shot i never had a period again...until after i went off the shot.

 

[heat123]

My freind has been on depo for 7 years and Swears by it! She may have experienced some weight gain but totally easy to get shots every 3 months!

 

[nikked]

The shot was our original thought. But, she is moving away, and won't have me sitting on top of her to make sure it's getting done. I know it's only every three months, but her track record of follow thru isn't so good...

We have an appointment on Friday to go over options...I just recently thought about Norplant, which is no longer available in the USA, but Implanon is. Provides three years of protection, and can be removed easily if and when she's ready for children...

Thanks for the information...Keep it coming!

 

[NooraK]

I have an IUD, but I didn't get it until after DS was born. Prior to that, I was on the pill. I switched to the IUD later because I knew it was a pain having to remember the pill.

My suggestion would be to sit down with her and her doctor, or have her sit down with her doctor and discuss the options. I think that being an active part of the process, making her get involved, is the best way to make sure whatever you choose is the right choice.

I know I'm at risk of starting a big heated debate, but I think there's more to worry about than just a pregnancy. She needs to be aware of the dangers of STDs as well, and all the implications of her choices when it comes to this stuff. And especially if she's going to be moving away, she needs to be treated like an adult because she's going to have to act like one.

I think it's great that you are concerned about her and are helping her figure out the options.

 

[nikked]

I have an IUD, but I didn't get it until after DS was born. Prior to that, I was on the pill. I switched to the IUD later because I knew it was a pain having to remember the pill.

My suggestion would be to sit down with her and her doctor, or have her sit down with her doctor and discuss the options. I think that being an active part of the process, making her get involved, is the best way to make sure whatever you choose is the right choice.

I know I'm at risk of starting a big heated debate, but I think there's more to worry about than just a pregnancy. She needs to be aware of the dangers of STDs as well, and all the implications of her choices when it comes to this stuff. And especially if she's going to be moving away, she needs to be treated like an adult because she's going to have to act like one.

I think it's great that you are concerned about her and are helping her figure out the options.

Oh, yeah. She's aware. She's already had one STD, and swears she'll never get one again, but I know she's having unprotected sex. It's a miracle she hasn't already been pregnant, and she has had a few scares, but doesn't seem to learn her lesson. For some reason, to her, a boyfriend means sex. And no matter what we say to her or encourage her to do, that's how her mind is processing things.

So, she turns 18 on Sunday. We're trying to get her hooked up with the best option for her (since she's moving away), and are doing a FULL STD panel to start her off fresh as an adult.

No offense taken by your comment, I totally agree. It's just not happening that way...:cry::yuck: If she's going to have unprotected sex regardless, I'd like to at least be preventing against pregnancy...and she has no interest in having a baby (at least according to what she says).

 

[chefsteph07]

I didn't know Norplant got taken off the market, what happened w/ that?

And, based on the previous post about her sexual history, I'd definitely get something implanted or long term.

 

[Sheila]

I'm not familiar with Implanon.But having dealt with infertility, I can tell you that I've encountered a LOT of women over the years who didn't understand that it can take a good year for the Depo Provera shots to wear off when they are ready to finally start their family. Some even think that their long term (over 1 year) infertility problems are a result of having had several rounds of Depo Provera. So if she goes that route, she needs to know in advance that when she is settling down & starting to talk about having a family, she needs to plan a good YEAR in advance to come off the shot & use another method before she has a lot of heartache of trying to conceive and not being able to. Infertility is the pits. I would not wish it on my worst enemy!Since you mentioned that you are having some issues with her being irresponsible about STD's, I recommend that you take her down to the public STD clinic for an appointment. Let the Dr's who handle those cases on a daily basis talk to her and show her photos of what CAN and DOES happen to irresponsible people. It might give her a renewed attitude on being cautious. If not, then she needs to take a trip to an HIV clinic. I'm sure they could enlighten her.Talking to a few teen moms about how much their social life has changed might help too. At her age, the LAST thing she wants to do is listen to her parents. Because, as we all know, teens are smarter than adults.

But she just might listen to someone her own age being upfront & honest with her. Very few of the girls her age who are Moms planned to become one. Most of them had the "it could never happen to me" attitude.And just so you don't feel alone ... my sister (who's sons are now 21 & 24) says that raising a teen is equivalent to trying to nail jello to a tree. It's pretty much impossible.