Through My Experience, This Is What You Need To Know About The Implant
Source: HealthiNation
In A Nutshell...
The Implant is a hormonal method sort of birth control. A small hormone releasing silicone the size of a match stick will be inserted under your skin in your arm next to your armpit making it super invisible to anyone and everyone. It it 99.9% effective, ranking around or even better than condoms. The hormone it releases is progestin and in small doses into the reservoir of your blood stream. This hormone keeps your ovaries from releasing eggs and thickens your cervical mucus, making it hard for sperm to move around in the womb and fertilise any of your eggs. The lifespan of your implant is a max of 3 years. Therefore, once it's in, you can forget about it for 3 years and then after it has done its job, you'd have to remove or replace it. The best part about it is that once you remove the implant, your body functions back to normal and you can go back to being a baby making machine!
Pros
99.9% effective
suitable for women who want a fuss-free, long-acting but also reversible contraception
doesn't interrupt sex
can offer an alternative to those affected by estrogen
can be used when breastfeeding six weeks after childbirth
may be able to reduce heavy and painful periods for some women
Cons
Huge bruise on the arm a few weeks after insertion
Requires a trained healthcare provider for insertion and removal
May initially cause a change in period patterns
May cause weight gain, breast and abdominal pain
Does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases (STI)
DEFINITELY NOT RECOMMENDED OR SUITABLE FOR:
breast cancer patients/survivors
diabetic patients
medically certified depressed patients
high cholesterol patients
patients with seizure disorder
Definitely consult with a gynaecologist before using this birth control method just to confirm it's safe and suitable for you.
WHERE DID I GET IT?
Well, if you're studying or working overseas, especially in Western countries where healthcare is free or cheap then get it there. I've had friends tell me that they got it overseas where they were studying at and it was so much more cheaper than the price in Malaysia. In Western countries, they're also not as anal about why you're getting it at such a "young" age. They're more supportive that you are taking charge of your life and making good decisions as opposed to the close minded medical personnels in Malaysia. However, just get it done if you need to in Malaysia and ignore the skeptical looks they give you.
For those of you who want to know, I got my implant (the rode itself) off the counter at a pharmacy. Yes, I went to Caring Pharmacy and told the pharmacist what I wanted and he told me that he could order it for me. I got my hands on it after 3-5 working days and I went to a doctor that could do the insertion for me. My boyfriend and I drove all the way to Hospital Wanita Metro in Klang as that was the only clinic/hospital that didn't charge as much to insert and was pretty reputable. So, if you're wondering why I ordered it off a counter and then proceeded to find a doctor to do the insertion for me, it is because if I were to go to the clinic to get the implant + insertion, it would have cost me over RM1000. However, getting the implant off the counter at a pharmacy was around RM200+ only and insertion alone at the clinic was RM500. So, in total I spent around RM700 to get shit done.
HOW IS IT DONE?
Your healthcare provider will first make sure that you are not pregnant and the implant can be inserted. They will numb a small area on your arm where the implant would be inserted into. The implant is inserted with a special needle just underneath the surface of your skin. Once it's done, you get a little cute plaster and move on with you day. It takes less than 30 minutes, I kid you not.
THE AFTERMATH
This is essentially what you'll get after the insertion. It is a huge ass bruise on your arm that doesn't hurt. However, if anyone does see it, get a cover story ready or just tell em' like it is. Also, see that dark dot in the middle of the bruise? That's the insertion point. So, to answer your question, it is not a surgery. It is merely an insertion, just like getting an injection.
!!!WARNING!!!
Once the implant is removed, the contraceptive effect wears off quickly and you can become pregnant as rapidly as women who have used no contraceptive at all.
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-Zoey