NEW
CONTRACEPTIVE SERVICE AT APPLETREE
Appletree
is now able to offer fitting and removal of the ‘Implanon' contraceptive
implant.
What
is Implanon? 
Implanon
is a very small tube of special plastic which releases
a contraceptive
hormone once it has been slipped
just under the skin. The hormone is very similar to
the ‘mini-pill' or ‘depot-injection' method of contraception.
How
does it work?
Its
main effect is to stop the ovaries producing any eggs for fertilisation.
It
is effective?
It
is thought to be the most effective form of contraception
available (apart from abstinence!). Its failure rate is less than
1 in 1000 users.
Is
it better than the pill?
Both
types of pill are very effective but are completely dependent on
the user remembering to take the pill every single day. Research
shows that on average a pill user misses 8 pills a year. Implanon,
like the mini pill does not contain the hormone Oestrogen so it
can be used by many people who cannot use the combined pill due
to e.g. migraines, history of blood clots etc. Like
the pill it often helps reduce PMT and make periods less painful.
5 out of 6 women using it will have much lighter or no periods.
Is
it better than the coil?
The
coil is probably as effective but up to 1 in 20 fall out, usually
within the first 6 weeks of fitting. This makes it overall slightly
less effective. The coil does last a lot longer (up to 10 years)
but is more invasive to fit and can make periods heavier and more
painful. The Mirena coil is a hormone releasing coil which lasts
for 5 years and for many women dramatically lightens or stops their
periods altogether.
Is
it better than the Depot Injection.
The
depot has to be given by injection every 12 weeks. It's very effective
too but we don't like to use it for more than a year or two as there
is evidence it may thin the bones, though this thinning returns
to normal rapidly after stopping the depot injection. It can take
longer to get pregnant once you stop using the depot than other
methods.
I'm
breast feeding, can I use it?
Yes,
just like the mini-pill it is fine to use while breast feeding.
Remember you can get pregnant within 3-4 weeks of giving birth so
you must arrange some form of contraception quickly after the birth.
Implanon is ideal for spacing babies as fertility returns very rapidly
once it is removed.
What
happens when I come for a fitting?
We
first need to ask you some questions about your general health as
there are a few people who it is not suited for. Then we need to
make sure you are not already pregnant as most of the pregnancies
that have occurred in users of Implanon have turned out to have
been pregnant at the time of fitting. This means if you are already
using a form of contraception to keep using it until 7 days after
the fitting. This does not include condoms or natural planning methods
which are not considered safe enough and for these women we ask
that they abstain from sex for 3 weeks prior to fitting or have
it fitted when they are having a period having not had sex for the
7 days before the period starts. Everyone will get a pregnancy test
on the day it is fitted.
How
do you fit it?
The
implant is fitted on the inside of the upper arm of the non dominant
arm, i.e. your Left arm if you are Right handed. We clean and then
numb a small area of skin with local anaesthetic. The implant is
fitted with a needle but you will not feel this as the skin has
already been numbed. The upper arm is bandaged for 24 hours after
fitting to reduce any bruising that might occur. After that we don't
need to see you for 3 years!
To have it removed again the skin is numbed at
one end of the implant and a very small cut made, the
implant then slides out. Simple!
Ok,
so what's the down side?
For
the vast majority of users, none. However in the first few months,
just as with other hormonal contraception, there can be irregular
bleeding and spotting. For an unfortunate few this can go on for
several months and may require some other form of treatment, like
the pill to help settle it for 2 or 3 months. We would always ask
that the Implanon is kept in for at least 4 months before it is
removed for bleeding problems. We ask you to keep a bleeding diary.
Again as with other hormonal contraceptives it can cause some breast
tenderness, and headache. It may also worsen acne. If any of these
side effects proves intolerable the implant can simple be removed.
I'm
interested. What do I do next?
Make
an appointment with one of the practice nurses, Dr Mills or Dr Stevens
to discuss further. At the moment only Dr Mills and Dr Stevens are
fitting them. |
