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When I was 23 years old and my son was 6 months old I decided to get Norplant implanted into my arm because I did not want to have any more children until or unless we were financially able. It was 1993 and this was touted as the miracle birth control that you did not have to think about. I knew I did not want to have anymore children right away.  My ex-husband felt that he wasn’t sure he wanted anymore at all.  We weren’t financially in a good place and didn’t want to risk an unwanted pregnancy.

Norplant was in my opinion America’s biggest mistake in birth control and has since been taken off of the market due to so many issues.  You can read about that here

However, within months I went to doctors and complained about headaches, extreme weight gain (that occurred after his birth and after Norplant not prior to either).  Heavy bleeding with my periods and periods that lasted far too long or did not arrive for months at a clip. Within months of having Norplant placed in my upper left arm (5 capsules in a fan shape) I was constantly sick.  I complained of constant headaches and was given a plethora of headache medications and most of them didn’t work.  It was a constant low-grade fever that made me feel tired and miserable constantly.  Thankfully I was a fulltime stay at home Mom because I could not have held down a job to save my life.  I also didn’t have health insurance for long periods of time and the Norplant was placed in my arm thanks to the welfare system.  And the welfare system was all about giving you birth control but I had to go to doctors for 6 months straight in order to have the devices removed.  When they put the devices in my arm swelled and was black and blue.  When they removed them (they inserted and removed in the OB/GYN’s office with one small incision and local anesthesia) the doctor had to put his knee on the elbow area of my arm and yank them out so hard I thought he was going to pop my elbow out of the socket.

The entire Norplant incident in my life was mentally painful and physically exhausting.  Upon removal I still got headaches and while they weren’t as severe they were just as constant and miserable.  My girlfriend Joyce had the same experiences with Norplant and we’ve both regretted our choices all along to have it implanted in the first place.  She had her Norplant removed 2 weeks after I had mine taken out.  The welfare system paid to have mine removed because my medical bills due to side affects were too constant for them to say no to my request. 

When I had my son my periods had returned and were normal.  Then I got Norplant and my periods were shorter but far bloodier (sorry but I’m going for pure honesty here).  Upon removal my periods completely disappeared.  They just stopped.  Around the time I had Norplant inserted I gained 85 lbs within 3 months.  I attributed this oddity to being Norplant related but could not grasp it or figure it out at all.  I was frustrated and angry with doctors and without good health insurance that gave me choices as a patient I just gave up for quite some time. 

For years when I went to gynecologists and complained that I had NO period they told me “here take this birth control pill and it’ll be fine”.  But they never did any testing and they never investigated why I gained 85 lbs AFTER having a baby and/or why I had other symptoms.  I mostly ignored some of my symptoms because after all I had a new baby, financial problems and a frustrating marriage.  Those things sapped me of energy to think about myself and my well being.

I had Norplant in my arm for about 6 or 7 months prior to removal.  When the decision was made that it had to come out my ex-husband went and got a vasectomy without much discussion with me.  I suppose during that time he decided more kids were not in the works for him.  Oddly it pissed me off but secretly I didn’t care because I knew I wasn’t truly in love with him and did not want any more children with him.

Norplant was a nightmare and next to my choice to marry ex-husband it remains one of my biggest mistakes to date.  I made the decision offhandedly and trusted doctors and did no research.  There was no internet in 1993 and I was not the same questioning person I am today.  Norplant…you sucked!  I will and have hated you for 14 long years.