Implanon Pain... explaination and a question for users

[drowningmermaid.livejournal.com]

So... I've had my implant for almost two weeks. It healed fine, not much of a scar, I can poke at it and it doesn't really hurt... it's fine.


Except for this one thing...

Last night, as I was talking to my husband, I motioned with my right arm and felt a sudden stabbing pain, followed by an intense wave of heat. It literally felt like something had just burned my arm.

I thought the damned thing had ripped itself out of my arm. I had to check.
I pulled my arm out of my sleeve and checked it out. Nothing. No redness, no excess swelling (other than, of course, fat arms), nothing. But it was still burning and my arm was starting to go numb. It hurt me so bad, it brought tears to my eyes.

30 minutes later, the sensation was gone and I felt fine.

But about 2 hours after that, it happened again. This time, I wasn't moving at all. I was laying on my bed, watching a little TV and skimming through a magazine. All of a sudden, I get the stabbing pain again in my arm, to the point where I felt like something had knocked me down. I screamed, trying to muffle it in the quilt so I didn't wake up our daughter.

Nathaniel came running into the bedroom to see what was going on, and I was sobbing into the bed. I couldn't stop. I calmed down and the burning passed again, but this time, my arm felt like it was freezing. And then, just as quickly as it had happened, I was fine again.

Nathaniel suggests I call the doc at Planned Parenthood and see if this sort of thing is something to worry about. I'll email her after I make this post, because I can't ever get through on the phone.

Did I mention I've also had a headache for more than a week? I have no idea if it's got anything to do with the implant, but yeah. It's like a tension headache mixed with a migraine and no pills will touch it.

And my face... I looked in the mirror last night as I was cleaning my face and noticed I've got these little red spots all over the soft part of my eye area. Like I've busted blood vessels or something. I don't know what's going on with me... but I don't like it.

*sigh*

if this implant has to come out, I'm going to be so upset. I mean, if it's giving me crippling, blinding headaches and messing up my face, giving me stabbing pain, I can see why it needs to come out, but damn it, I waited for it for a year. And if it comes out, that means more pills for me. I hate pills.

I just don't know... I don't know what else to say.
I guess that's it. I just needed to put it out there.

Has anything like this happened to any of you??

EDIT: I just got a phone call from the doc (3:30pm) and she said another doc was there at the time, she showed him the email I'd sent her and he said it sounded like it could be nerve pain from it just not being completely healed yet. She asked me if anything had happened since the mailing and I said no. She said maybe it was a fluke from a certain way I moved my arm, but if anything persisted, to give her another call and she'll take a look at it. No mention of the headaches or anything, and my dumb ass forgot to ask.

Comments

[banannamonster.livejournal.com]

I don't have any advice from experience, but I say definitely give PP a call, or even stop by and talk to someone there. Those kind of side effects would make me very nervous, especially if the pain in your arm is that bad.

Hope you and your arm get feeling better soon :)

[drowningmermaid.livejournal.com]

I've emailed her since their phone system is confusing and I never get through to an actual person... I just hope to get a response soon.

Thanks.

[sparkle-lite.livejournal.com]

Hopefully you will hear back from your doctor soon! It could however be that it isn't completely healed. I had a pretty nasty bruise for more than 2 weeks after insertion, and my arm was a little tender for at least 3 weeks, maybe 4. Perhaps your arm is still adjusting to the implant.

also, do you have your ID Card? Mine's in my car or else I would check, but maybe it has a helpline number that you could call to ask.

[drowningmermaid.livejournal.com]

Oh, good idea. Thanks!

[archangelbeth]

What's your blood pressure? (When I had pre-eclampsia, I didn't get the vision stuff, or the headache per se, but a sort of constant tension thing -- which I attributed to poor sleep because of my (high blood pressure induced) nightmares.)

If your blood pressure is higher than normal, I'd call the doctor ASAP, and possibly hop on over to ER land. High blood pressure can be dangerous.

[drowningmermaid.livejournal.com]

I don't know anything about taking a blood pressure, unfortunately... all that stuff generally goes way over my head.

[archangelbeth]

Are there any stores around with a blood-pressure machine? There are a couple in local pharmacies here. A nurse at the doctor's office could also take your blood pressure in a few minutes or less (and that's counting the "roll up the sleeve" time). The possible broken blood vessels around your eyes could be linked to the blood pressure being high enough to burst them. Do you have similar issues in the whites of your eyes?

[drowningmermaid.livejournal.com]

We have a very small town. There's nothing here. I have to drive 45 minutes for an actual convenience store like walmart or target, walgreens, etc...

We go "to town" once a week and that was yesterday. I wish I'd have gotten the message then. Oh well...

I don't see anything in the whites of my eyes that looks unusual, but the ones around my eyes have started to fade, which I can only assume is a good thing. I suppose it could have been from the crying the other night, but I didn't think it was that bad.

[archangelbeth]

Well, if it's fading, that's a positive thing. Maybe just look around the next time you're "in town" for a blood pressure machine? (Or give them a call ahead of time if you have a phone book, so you know which one to look for?) More as a future reference thing. And don't use the arm with the implanon thing in it. *wince* Those pressure cuffs get tight.

Luck!

[atalanta0jess.livejournal.com]

I know that after I had breast surgery the doctor warned me that I might occasionally get shooting pains in the areas. He said it was the nerves "coming back to life." Not a very scientific sounding explanation, eh? But he was right, I do get those pains sometimes, and they can be pretty ouchy. I've never had the burning. But anyway, maybe she's right about the nerve pain. :)

[drowningmermaid.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your info. It's not been nearly as bad since that first night, but I can sort of get a feel for when it may happen and I relax the arm and it goes away.