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Avatar universal

Lost Libido and Implanon

Hello,
I am a 28 year old engaged mom of two, with a huge problem.  I have lost my libido, I have no interest in sex most times.  Some days I might get a fleeting time of arousal but more times than not, I'm just not in the mood.  This is a recent problem, I would say only starting after the insertion of my implanon. The only other change that has happened is that my fiance and I have moved in together.  I don't know what to do, I consulted my doctor and didn't get any answers there. This issue has been causing fights between us, he doesn't seem to understand that it is not my lack of attraction to him, it's just how I feel.  His thinking is that if I do love him, I should want to have sex as a way for us to be closer and nothing should make me not feel that way.  He's starting to believe that it's him, and no matter how much I tell him it's not, it does no good.

My first question is, whether or not anyone else has gone through or noticed this after getting implanon?  Second question, could it really be the implanon ( as in has it been documented to cause loss of libido)?  And third is if I get it removed, how long should I give it before things kind of go back to normal?  Like I said, we hadn't had an issue before with this.  In fact it took very little to turn me on... Sorry if TMI.  I'm just tired of the fighting, but I don't want to be unrealistic when it comes to getting this thing removed...  

The other side effects I can live with, but this one is making my life hell literally!!
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Avatar universal
Iv almost done the full 3 years of my implant but I'm ready to call the doctors to get mine removed ASAP first of all iv put on so much weight but the worst of it is iv almost lost my relationship, I feel is quite happily go without sex for the rest of my life, iv gone of cuddles kissing alsorts my partners just gets the go away, which is putting a lot of awakwardness between us this has been going on for about a year now, iv. Been accused of not loving him anymore, having an affair, even he's talked about leaving as we're not the same anymore. I know I still love him of course but right now I don't want a sex life. Every now and then I feel as tho I should just so he feels better but he knows I don't enjoy it. I need to get this out and get my family back on track.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
like a chemical castration, i am a 35 year old female and have had no sexual need since implant 5 years ago. I have felt an aversion and even disgust to any sexual images or thoughts since implant. Prior to implant i had a very healthy if not over active at times libido. My sex drive COMPLETELY stopped completely within 3 months of implant. I felt like a mutant any sexual thought or image repulsed me.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
For many girls including all friends I've know that have been on implanon now have lubrication problems and female sexual dysfunction even years after removal because of progesterone only birth control including the implant. You will regret it.
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Avatar universal
I've been on the implanon twice in my life I am now 23. I got it taken out the first time at 16 after 1 year because of the severe depression it caused me... to the point of wanting to suicide and it caused a singular ovraian cyst which ruptured (painful asf). then got implanon again at 21 thinking my teenage hormones had settled now so i could handle it better... lets just say i was totally wrong. Implanon caused severe vaginal dryness which has NOT recovered and extremely low libidowhich has not recovered and severe depression(recovered). I've had it out coming up to 6 months and lubrication and libido have NOT recovered. Do not take hormonal birth control pills if you can help it and definitely stay away from implanon or anything predominantly progesterone based. My hormones are so out of whack still. Implanon is the devil in disguise. Don't say no body warned you
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am a 28 yo male in a relationship with an awesome 27 yo female partner in crime for almost 3 years now. My girl friend had the implant a little under 2 years ago and ever since then we started having issues. I noticed that the way of our interactions were a lot different and eventually we pin pointed the problem.  It made things very hard since we lost a very intimate part of our relationship . From my perspective; it made me feel as if she didn’t want my attention any longer, it felts as if she was putting all her time, focus and energy in to her social, persona, and work life. This made me feel very neglected and has left lots of mixed feelings.
We are together still today and she decided to take it out soon. I k ow what we can be and I fight for that.
Im sorry you gals are having conflicts here and there. For us in relationships the struggle can be on botth sides.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm so relieved to hear that I'm not alone in this, I had mine for nearly a year now, I got it removed today I'm so glad I did. After few months of putting in I noticed that I don't want to have sex any more which leads to problems with my bf of 3 and a half years I couldn't take it so I break up with him, now I'm single for few months and i have no interest in meeting anyone. I told my DR about it and she told me that is nothing to do implanon and advice me to go therapy. This thing ruined my life and I can't wait for new start  and hopefully new romance
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just got my implanon removed last Tuesday! I refuse to get back on hormonal birth control! I had it in 2.5 months after having my third child. So: March 2014 inserted. Jan 3, 2017 removed! In the time that I had it I have gained 30lbs. Got up to 10lbs heavier than my to full term pregnant weight. My hair started falling out within a month of getting it. I had irregular cycles that lasted for months at a time. My libido was non existant. I also felt extreme fatigue and blamed it on nursing school and being a mom of two small chidlren. My acne got considerably worse. Terrible mood swings. I also did not want my husband touching me most of the time. I also had a TIA (ministroke) in October 2014...6.5 months after having the implanon inserted! I am ecstatic to have it removed and the new dr who removed it said I should have been told to have it removed due to the TIA! I told her that I was so serious at the time about not being pregnant that I bargained with the dr to let me stay on it if I took a baby aspirin a day. Thankfully I did not have another one. But my kids are 15months apart and at the time they were just 1 and 7 months. I really did not want to pregnant! Fast forward- the weight gain, the bleeding constantly, the fatigue, and utter miserable feeling most of time- I went to have it removed to start my new year off right. I graduate this spring and will be getting a tubal after now being told that the only safe birth control for me would be an IUD. Which I don't want - hormonal or not! I dont want ANYTHING else foreign inside of my body. I wish I had gotten them tied. I had no idea birth control could be so damaging to your body. I will never ever do it again. Im at day 5 and my sex drive is back with a vengance. But I have abstained and we are waiting for my cycle to return so that we can use protection AND the fertility awareness method. I will be so excited to weigh myself in a few weeks also, to see how much weight I have lossed. I feel so free. No more of a prisoner in my own body. Implanon was NOT for me!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just fought with my fience now with it, i don't have any feelings  when it comes to sex, and its not that i don't love him i do but i have low sex drive when he start to touch me i just falls asleep i just get tired i don't know why. I would say maybe i need something new but no i don't have any kind of feelings when i see other man because i love him just that libido is my biggest problem and ihave the implanon i want to take it out then i will take from there.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I would love to hear a follow up. I am scheduling to get mine (Nexplanon) removed next month and hoping my libido goes back to normal. Thank you so much for all of the recent input. Sounds like the side effects have all been the same since 2009 when the first post was submitted.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I know this forum is a little old, but figured I'd throw in my two cents. I got the Implanon in November of 2012 and I did the full 3 years with tons of side effects that didn't really bother me at the time. November of 2015 I got a new one and it seemed the side effects increased exponentially. So I had it removed Jan 4th. I'm one month post (which seems to be the longest "post" time) and still not even a resemblance of normal. I have digestive issues, menstrual issues, and low libido that I know are all caused from the birth control. I'm currently looking into Addyi to see if it'll help with increasing my arousal. But as far as I can tell from all my research there isn't anything to be done except to wait and see if our bodies will regulate themselves back out. For those who are interested I will come back in a couple months to update on how I'm readjusting.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Oh my gosh this explains so much. Big love out to all the guys looking out for their girlfriends who are going through this, you're all amazing! So I got the implant in 2012, I would have been 18, I was in my first real relationship. I didn't notice anything first of all, Except that I had no periods or pms: it was amazing. But the relationship got progressively more rocky, with myself losing interest. I just had no feelings at all. Since then I had a few flings but I would say it's actually got worse as time has gone on, I've now been in the implant for four years and haven't had sex in over two years. And don't get me wrong I'm 22, at university, love sport, have a great social life and have had some amazing and really sweet guys chase me down: including a race driver, helicopter pilot, army officer and surf instructor. But I honestly have no interest in that area. It's like I've gone asexual. I can't imagine what it's like for you girls in relationships going through this. It's been fine for me, I''ve just kept busy with my degree and sports. But now reading all these posts it makes sense. It's tempting to keep it in for the final year of uni so I don't get distracted! I think I'll book an appointment with my nurse. Good luck ladies and you fine gents looking out for your girls. Will keep you up to date xxx
Avatar universal
I'm so glad I found this! I have had the implant for 8months and for the last 3 have been going through hell. My boyfriend is so patient but I'm scared that soon he'll loose interest in waiting. I wouldn't wish this on anyone but am so glad that I'm not alone. Got my appointment to have it removed next week. I've been moody and sleepy as well as not wanting sex, my body has started to reject it. I hope so much that things will go back to how they were! Fingers crossed.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ughhhh my life has been ruined thank god I've found this article because now I can show my bf in let him know I've found the answer to are main problem. I'm so relieved to know I'm not the only one experiencing this!!! Because if he breathed a certain way I would get pissed.... and sex? What sex? Everyday he'd ask can we have sex today? Can we have sex today? Why can't I touch you? Why aren't you attracted to me anymore? Can we do it? NOOOOOOO UGH LEAVE ME ALONE lol the story of my life but I REALLY REALLY HOPE getting this takin out will improve and increase my libido.... Good luck everyone!!!
Helpful - 0
9099928 tn?1401700851
Hi, I'm 24, I have visited this website dozens of times in the past 3.5 years mainly to re-assure myself that i wasn't going mad and that there were hundreds of people going through the same thing. I think it's time i give back now.

This is my story, I had a depo shot 4 years ago it lasted 3 years, I had no idea what was involved or what it would do to me, the next morning I woke up and had a massive amount of anxiety running through me I quit my job that day and stayed in the house for days, I never even thought the shot caused this i just thought it was stress.

A few months later I decided to get the implanon mainly because I didn't trust the pill. (I had just started a serious relationship and we are still together now, i don't know how or why my boyfriend put up with me some of the time). The implanon was fantastic at the start, until I kept having these panic attacks and random bouts of deep depression i would cry at work secretly or in the shower, anywhere everywhere. I had previously had depression as a teenager but it was nothing serious. This was beyond anything i had ever experienced, and i can tell you it lasted the whole time i was on the implant, until maybe the last 3 months.

The implant without a doubt changed my personality (this sounds insane but i think it made me a more considerate and compassionate person because i understood a lot more about depression, and i'm grateful for experiencing that, i also do a lot for my boyfriend because i know i've been a bit of a cow in the past.) honestly though, it put me in a very very dark place, I considered taking my life at one point and I would not be surprised if a lot of people on the implanon would feel the same.

I tell people i have the implanon and every single person i have told that knows what it is knows somebody with the implanon who has completely changed as a person.

My implanon was due out at the start of this year, the doctor couldn't locate it and I had to wait 4 months to go into hospital to get it out, I had it out 4 days ago, It was a bit of a struggle it was attached to some nerves and I felt quiet a bit of pain, most people don't go though this. I was one of the people who was scared that i'd still feel insane once i got the implant out, but i can tell you it's day 4 and i'm feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders. The first 24 hours weren't great i felt fairly anxious and depressed i think it was my body adjusting. now i feel great, i was considering getting the implant back in while they were taking it out (stupid idea) lucky i didn't because that thing really did mess with my body and mind.

I'm not on any birth control at the moment i will go on the pill in a few weeks. (my mother and sister both said they were sensitive to hormonal birth control so i might end up feeling the same on the pill who knows)

My advice would be get that thing out, i know it's hard and i know everyone wants to wait it out, it might work, it also might mess up your life more than it is now. I experienced, lack of energy, depression, anxiety, personality change, bloating and other things. I however didn't gain weight i lost it, mainly through anxiety I also ended up with normal-ish periods by the end.

There are articles explaining why this implant is so bad for your body. I think it was too strong for my body i am 52kg and 5'4, i feel that at the start too much was being released and i was just overwhelmed. It's also fairly awful to have no break from hormones at all for 3 years. I think the implant made me gain a distrust for doctors, none of them seemed to be concerned with what i was going through and all told me it had nothing to do with the implant, most women know their bodies well enough to tell where there moods are coming from, these moods were just not me. I was also tired a lot and i did have massive dips in libido.

I feel for every one of you that are struggling with the implanon or nexplanon, it's hard and it seems like the right idea at the time.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
After reading some comments above it has confirmed my fears but also helped me understand mine and my girlfriends situation.

We got together November of last year and from the off had an amazing sex life and became incredibly close so quickly. She has had the implant for about 2 and a half years and around December/January she started bleeding irregularly over the course of 2 weeks. She went on the pill to stop this and for a period of afew days/ a week, we were back to normally and managed to have good sex in that time...then the bleeding started again. We presumed in was that the implant had lost its potency and got it changed.

Since having it changed the bleeding remained irregular so was given a pill of a lower dosage of hormones to be taken 3 times a day to combat the bleeding, which she was told there would be no side effects that would effect sex drive, depression (she's had a history of depression fyi) etc. Since the change we have had little to no sex over the past month. Were currently trying to ween her off this pill to just having the implant to see if its stops the bleeding and that she regains her sex drive back, but naturally I am extremely worried. At the moment she doesnt want to hug me, kiss me or even hold my hand, let alone have any kind of sex with me. This leaves me feeling horrible and helpless, as I know its not my fault but is leaving me feel like complete s***.

We love each other so much but the tension and upset that this is causing its getting unbearable, however I am willing to wait as long as it takes and do what ever it takes to get us back to having a healthy relationship and the strong sexual relationship we once had.

Any help, advice, words of wisdom would be great!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The same is going on for me non-stop but with implanon I'm not having any period pains where as before hand I almost fainted from them.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My girl had the Implanon put in when we were in the UK at the end of 2009.  I didn't really realise it but all the times I thought she was being so difficult.  Its this implant as at night she pushes me away and I know she loves me but she just doesn't feel comfortable.  

Her periods are very irregular.  We have sex when we get the chance but then she is straight back on another period which can last for weeks.    We had a new implant inserted in Thailand and no doctor mentioned these side effects (lack of sex drive).  

I am a man, and I have felt so guilty as I need to get off during the periods of no sex, so when when she is ready for sex often, I have let one go the day before, then she thinks I'm not performing well anymore.  Many of our problems could be down to this implant.  

Please get back to me on your feelings.

jamey
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My girl had the Implanon put in when we were in the UK at the end of 2009.  I didn't really realise it but all the times I thought she was being so difficult.  Its this implant as at night she pushes me away and I know she loves me but she just doesn't feel comfortable.  

Her periods are very irregular.  We have sex when we get the chance but then she is straight back on another period which can last for weeks.  Please guys and girls reply to me, it seems that this is not just a minority here.  We had a new implant inserted in Thailand and no doctor mentioned these side effects (lack of sex drive).  

I am a man, and I have felt so guilty as I need to get off during the periods of no sex, so when when she is ready for sex often, I have let one go the day before, then she thinks I'm not performing well anymore.  Many of our problems could be down to this implant.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My girlfriend has been on this for a few months now and we have gone from having sex almost daily to having sex once a month. Literally, it's been three times in the past three months (only once sober). I can't take it. I'm being as supportive as possible because I know that Implanon is the only birth control she can take due to a bunch of other problems (she gets horrible migraines with most of the other birth control methods, amongst other things). Reading the comments above, I fear that our relationship is going downhill because of this. As one of you said, you don't even like your boyfriend kissing you or hugging you anymore, and that's exactly where we are right now. And yes, I do feel like she is repulsed by me even though I know it's just the side effects. My question is, since she can't really use any other form without worse side effects, is there anything we can do to increase her sex drive while she's still using Implanon? If not, I'm not sure how much longer we're going to last. The tension has been causing us to fight almost every day now
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My girlfriend had a coil fitted because of very heavy periods to the point it was causing anemia. As everyone above has found, my girlfriend has no interest in sex anymore. I would rather she was in good health thou not losing so much blood with the periods. Do feel like our relationship isn't as close anymore thou.
  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm 25 and have had mine in since 2009, 4 years, just got mine out, I had been experiencing fatigue, extreme headaches, and worst of all NO SEX DRIVE!!! My fiance keeps thinking I want nothing to do with him I don't want him to touch me even though the implanon has been taken out, I'm worried my libido will never be the same again!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I got mine taken out 12 days ago. My sex drive was at zero. It took about 3 days and I am all over my husband. He seems so much happier. It was affecting his confidence and our marriage negatively. He didn't believe me that it was the implanon. I'm hoping it will taper off a little as I want sex more than him now! Try to get something without hormones like the copper IUD.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hello.. does anyone of you feel pain while on sex? and lower abdomenal (puson) pain sometimes? while on implanon....
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Avatar universal
So did you get your libido back? and if so, how long did it take to come bck?
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Avatar universal
hey @jjsangel.....i know you made this post years ago..but i have had this horrible experience also (& im a 21 year old newly wed) :((....It causes so much trouble between me and my husband. i NEVER want to have sex. I just got it taken out a couple days ago. I pray that you will see this to give me an answer...did you ever get your normal libido back and how long did it take?
Helpful - 0
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