Anne Robinson’s periods used to be so agonising that for two to three days a month she was effectively housebound.
“I was in a lot of pain,” said Anne, 43, from Glasgow. “Not cramp but pain in my legs and bum. The doctor thought it was hormone related so I was recommended an implant and the pain stopped.”
It would be Anne’s third contraceptive implant over the years and she was more than happy to follow the doctor’s recommendation.
“For me the benefits were not having a period, no cramp and no pain in my legs,” she said.
“I made a decision years ago not to have sex so it wasn't about contraceptive over the last few years.
“However for me it was an excellent option.”
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A small, thin flexible tube about 4cm long, the contraceptive implant works by steadily releasing the hormone progestogen into the bloodstream.
The continuous release of progestogen stops ovulation and makes the lining of the womb thinner so that it is unable to support a fertilised egg.
If inserted correctly, it is more than 99% effective at preventing pregnancy but the implant also helps women manage menstrual pain.
A nurse or doctor is required to implant it under the skin of the upper arm, using a local anaesthetic to numb the area. No stitches are needed and the implant works for three years.
“Mine ran out in 2020,” said Anne. “I decided I didn't want another one due to my age and I wanted to get my periods back to a normal routine and bide my time until the menopause. Also, I am overweight and I wanted to see if the implant was contributing to that.”
What Anne assumed would be a straightforward process — accessing NHS contraceptive services in Glasgow — proved anything but. After nearly two years, she has not yet managed to secure an appointment to have her implant removed.
During that time Anne approached her GP practice and a local authority-run sexual health clinic but each time, the answer was they either did not provide the service, had no funding to do it, or lacked trained staff to remove the implant, largely due to staffing issues brought on by the pandemic.
“I was told I couldn't get an appointment due to covid,” she said. “I've tried to get an appointment with the Sandyford but they are always full.
“My periods have never gone back to normal. I was wondering if I was peri menopausal so need it out to see how things go.”
Anne is not alone as dozens of women across Glasgow have taken to social media to complain that they are unable to secure an appointment to remove the contraceptive implant.
Every woman in the UK is entitled to free contraception, whether it’s the Pill or long-acting implants, but women in the city say they are facing constant struggles to book appointments due to understaffing issues.
A post in the private Facebook group Glasgow Girls Club asking for advice on booking appointments for removal has over 93 comments, with replies from women of all ages threatening to take matters into their own hands.
According to the post, many are travelling to other parts of Scotland to have their implants removed while others are turning to private medical practices.
But for Anne, paying for her implant to be removed is not an option. “I wouldn't go private as the NHS should be removing these for us,” she said.
Deborah Harkness agrees. “Getting an implant removed is no different to the other sexual health services offered," she said. “Using covid and staffing as an excuse is not good enough.
“I also looked into getting it removed privately but I just don't have the money for that.”
The 34-year-old also had three implants over the years and like Anne, assumed she would be able to get the implant removed more or less straight away.
“I wanted all the hormones out my body and I also wanted off some other medication for other health reasons," Deborah said. “But it took me months to get an appointment to get it removed.”
She said: “The appointment system online is a joke.
“Appointments are released in dribs and drabs, making it near impossible to get something booked.
“If there are no appointments then nothing shows and they don't give the appointments out over the phone.”
Deborah said after months of trying to get her implant removed she has been left with the impression that her health “just isn't as important” for the NHS in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. “But this is my body and it was causing issues,” she said. "It was getting beyond a joke."
It comes as doctors caution about the dangers of a trend sweeping TikTok – where women remove their own contraceptive implants in desperation.
All forms of contraception should be inserted and removed by a medical professional, but women from around the world who are struggling to book appointments with their doctor are resorting to doing it themselves and posting ‘contraception removal' videos online.
But medics warn that a DIY removal can result in severe pain and bleeding as well as other complications.
“I don't blame those at looking into ways to remove it themselves, honestly,” said Deborah.
“I joked I'd remove mine myself as all you need is numbing gel and a pair of tweezers to get it out. I would never have done it but can understand why people would resort to this.”
After months of trying, Deborah finally was able to secure an appointment to get her implant removed in December last year. But the scars of what happened to her go far beyond the physical marks.
“I don't intend on replacing it with any form of contraception for now,” she said. “I’m lucky to have had mine removed but I wouldn’t go through it again.”
A spokeswoman from NHSGGC said: "We would like to apologise to anyone who has found difficulty in arranging an appointment to have an Implant removed.
"Unfortunately, due to the current covid guidance we are only able to do face-to-face appointments at four of our sites – Sandyford Central, Sandyford Paisley, Sandyford Parkhead and Sandyford Clydebank. As a result we have had to prioritise the types of appointments that are available at these sites.
"We acknowledge that there are less appointments available for removals at the moment, however every week we open up lists that can be booked into by calling us on 0141 211 8130. We don’t hold a waiting list for these appointments.
"Our website www.sandyford.scot has all the up to date information on what services are available.
"In addition to the service at Sandyford, many GP practices offer a service for implants. Women can check with their own GP practice if this is available.
"We would like to reassure women that there is no harm if their Implant is in for a few weeks or months longer than planned. Also, if a woman has an urgent problem with pain or other symptoms, she would be prioritised and seen more quickly.
"We expect that once the restrictions ease and we are able to open up in more of our locations and increase the number of face to face appointments, there will be more removal appointments available."
