When I was 18 I had the contraceptive implant 'installed'. It seemed like the best solution. I wasn't in a stable relationship, I didn't want kids but I was leaving home to go to uni and I was very much intending to enjoy my freedom ;-) ...
There was the added problem that I can't swallow pills. I've tried everything - honey, water, pushing it down my throat. What ever I try I always end up gagging and coughing it back up. Whenever I need antibiotics (something that very very rarely happens) the doctors always look at me like I'm some kind of freak of nature when I ask if I can have them in soluble/liquid form. Am I the only one who just can't seem to swallow things whole?
...Anyway going back to contraception, at the time Implanon was the best option. My periods were already irregular anyway and I was skinny enough that a few extra pounds wouldn't do any harm. All in all I was happy with it. After 3 years the time came for it to be removed and replaced. I had been dating my current boyfriend for just six months at the time and since I had had to go back to university in Scotland for my final year and He stayed in Italy we were trying to have a distance relationship. I wasn't sure how things were going to go so I decided to keep on the safe side and have the implant replaced.
Three years later and I'm still with the same boyfriend but now I'm in Italy. And as far as contraception is concerned Italy is still a little behind. I went to my local GP to find out how to go about having the implant removed but he had never heard of contraceptive implants before. Still he said he would remove it but that in order to get it replaced I would have to see a gynaecologist. I had the implant removed about a month ago. It was the most traumatic experience of my life. The first time I had one removed, it was by someone who had been trained in removing them. They give you some anaesthetic, make a tiny 2 mm incision then pull it out. You don't even need proper stitches after, just paper stitches that fall off themselves after a couple of days. But this doctor hadn't been trained in removing implants. He gave me some anaesthetic, but didn't wait long enough so when he then made a huge 1.5cm incision in my arm I was in agony. He nicked a vain so I ended up splurting blood all over him and I think he also got a nerve because I couldn't feel my elbow properly for weeks afterwards. He had to put 3 stitches in and gave me a prescription for antibiotics (in powder form naturally) to avoid infection. I'll have a lovely scar on my arm once it's healed properly...
After that traumatic experience I started rethinking having it replaced at all. While I wait for my gynocologist appointment in January we're using condoms. Could we not just continue using them on a more permanent basis? Lots of couples use them as their only form of protection and they don't have any problems. If I did get pregnant by accident would it really be such a bit problem? I'm at a different place in my life now than when I was 18 or 21. Yeah I have gone back to studying but I'll be finished by September and hopefully starting work as a freelance translator - the perfect job for someone with kids who wants to stay at home. But I didn't mention any of this to Him. All I've said to Him so far is that I'm waiting to talk to the gynaecologist about it. Then the other day He said: "You don't need to get it replaced you know. We could just keep using condoms." When I asked why He doesn't want me to replace it he said it was because He was worried about the effects tampering with my hormones could have on me and in particular He was worried about me having to go through the trauma of having it removed again. Cute :-)
But this means having to buy condoms and this morning for the first time in my life I found myself at the till in the supermarket with a packet of condoms in my hand, my eyes constantly glancing around me to make sure there was no one I knew around. I'm beginning to think the implant might be less traumatic...
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