Implanon

[ali-kat-42.livejournal.com]

Hello!

I had Implanon inserted at the end of December '09.  It has been fantastic!  However, about a week and a half ago, I began itching something terrible!  I don't have any (known) allergies, but my initial thought was that I was having some sort of allergic reaction.  The next morning, my chest and arms were covered in red bumps (they looked like pimples).  The itching has lessened, but I still have these red bumps all over my arms, chest, and back.

Now, I realize that the most obvious answer is this is acne.  However, at 24, I have never had problems with acne (not even as a teen).  Would acne as a side effect of the Implanon take 3 months to set in?  What else could be going on?

Comments

[idiomagic.livejournal.com]

It's likely something non-related...bedbugs, fleas, scabies perhaps.

Or an allergic reaction...have you changed laundry detergent lately?

[ali-kat-42.livejournal.com]

Nope. No new detergents, soaps, perfumes, etc.

[yaymyson.livejournal.com]

I pray for OP's sake that it isn't bedbugs, but just to be sure:

OP, were the parts of your skin that flared up exposed as you slept? Bedbugs tend to feed off the most exposed parts of one's body (hands, arms, etc). Are there tiny blood smears on your sheets? Tiny black specks (bedbug feces)? Here's (http://bedbugger.com/2006/10/22/faq-what-are-bed-bugs-do-i-have-them-what-else-could-be-causing-this/) a site to help you determine if you've got 'em. My fingers are crossed that you don't, though. They are a nightmare.

If you want to test for fleas, leave a dish of soapy water on the floor overnight with a small lamp lit over it. The fleas will be drawn to the light, jump towards it, and drown in the water.

On another note, could it be terribly dry skin?

[fireaphid.livejournal.com]

Last I checked, acne doesn't itch, nor is it particularly common on the arms. I'd recommend seeing a doctor, because it sounds like an allergic reaction to me. In the meantime, can you take an OTC antihistamine like Benadryl or Claritin? Oh, and I sort of doubt it's related to Implanon because it probably would have happened sooner if that were the case, so don't let it worry you regarding your birth control.