WOMEN ONLY! IUD Question

Lozzy_82

I have a Mirena. Insertion hurt a lot (I squeezed the nurse's hand and yelled "HOLY F**K"!" so loud I think the entire surgery heard me). After that I had fairly severe cramps for a few hours, moderate cramps for a few days, and since then it's been fine. I occasionally get mild cramps but nothing to really complain about. For me it was definitely worth it.

For reference I'm 29, have never been pregnant, and I was previously on birth control pills for around 10 years.

chawntamarie

I've had the paraguard IUD for about 6 months now. I have never had any children and I am married. I chose this IUD because I wanted a non-hormonal, highly effective BC that still allowed spontaneity. I was moody, emotional and always hungry on the pill. (This "contributed" to my weight gain). I also wanted a BC that was quickly reversible so that when we decide to start a family there is no waiting period.

The insertion was painful, but over fairly quickly. I took three Ibuprofen and had it inserted during my period. The first 3-4 cycles were frustrating because I spotted more, both before and after my period, and I had painful cramps. I never had cramps before the IUD. I found IUD Divas on the web and did some research about the cramping and spotting. Now I have a normal period and only occasional cramping. I take vitamin E starting about a week before my period and during to help with the spotting. And I drink Raspberry leaf or Moon Cycle tea at least once a day during my period.
I am highly satisfied with my method of birth control and would recommend it.

fudgebudget

This is actually a very common misconception about IUDs. IUDs work by stopping sperm from reaching eggs. No sperm = no fertilization.

You're WAY more likely to have a fertilized egg fail to implant or implant and then miscarry if you're not using an IUD.

Exactly. IUDs have also been shown to significantly reduce the risk of cervical cancer - http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/13/health/iud-lower-cervical-cancer-risk/index.html

InnerPinup79

I just got my paraguard removed after 2years because I couldn't handle the constant cramps, and the 5-7 day long heavy periods anymore.
I too was told if you have had children it will not not hurt too much to get put in. That wasn't my case. I had no children and was scared to take the pill because I was still smoking at the time and I was afraid of getting bloodclots (I have now quit smoking). I'm embarassed to say that with my high pain tolerance I screamed while they were inserting it. They had to tell me to calm down and relax or I could risk a tear....yeah that didn't help. I'm not one of those dramatic screamers wither and tend to "suck up" my pain. I could not do so here. It took everything I had to drive the 2 miles home (no one suggested I have a.ride) and I passed out on the floor in front of my door as soon as I got home. Scared my husband.

I tried for two years but my cramps were constant and I spotted along with the heavy periods. I thought I would save $ being on an iud vs birth control but I think I spent just as much on new sheets, underwear and boxes of tampons. I seriously would go through a box of supers in a month.

Sorry that was my experience and I will never do it again or recommend one. I honestly think they seem to be better for those whom have had.children.

glitterpiss

NFP is a terrible, terrible idea if you do not want a child in any way. Its easy to mess up and things like stress can affect your cycle and make it a bit harder to predict when its safe to have sex without making babies. Its also true that most women want to have sex more when they're fertile, so your body may be working against you.

I've had Paragard for a few years now (and I'm still baby-free!). I originally chose it because I have a blood clotting disorder and hormonal BC would make it much worse, and I don't want babies, so condoms alone were not enough for me to be comfortable. And abstinence isn't an option. lol

Make sure if you do get one, you take someone with you. It hurt to get it put in, but if you drug your self up a bit before it won't be too bad. I took 400mg of Ibuprofen but would have been better off with twice that. The part I wasn't expecting was that they need to enter your uterus twice, once to probe to measure depth, and the other to insert the device. It was a really weird and uncomfortable, and made me nauseous. I felt ok walking to the car but once I got there I almost passed out. This is where a friend comes in handy to drive you home and microwave you a heat pack for the cramps.

Later that night I went to my ceramics class and was feeling ok.

I do get heavier periods now, and more cramps, but I'm sure that hurts a million times less than child birth.

And yes, Paragard does prevent fertilization, but if it does somehow happen, the implantation is prevented. Its not like you're getting fertilized every month and they're just not implanting.

jodycoady

I had a copper iud for 6 years and I swear by it! I just got really heavy periods....It never hurt getting it taken out...I only got it taken out because I'm ready for another child

daisynsunshine

She is right. It keeps the baby from implanting after it is conceived it doesn't prevent the sperm from meeting the egg. Also please know that this paraguard doesn't have hormones but it does put copper into your system instead. I had it and got sick. I started getting faint and sicklike the flu. I went to the er and then the next week the dr. took it out. It was copper poisioning from 2 weeks of having it. Please read up on it as much as you can. It does hurt bad going in. Its only a few mins but it for me was like stabs in a nerve filled uterus. They said I was closed so they had to cut space and put it in. I was on my period when I had it put in.

shellma00

I have the Mirena IUD and LOVE IT!! It was painful when it was put in, but only cramped a little afterward. Havent had a period since about 1 month after insertion. As for the weight gain or loss, I am not sure.

riley711

You don't mention if you have any children already. If you have not had any children yet, proceed with caution. The IUD can become dislodged and cause damage that could make it difficult or impossible to become pregnant down the road.

bgrune131

I do not have kids yet. I'm 24, and I've literally been on birth control pills since I was 14. So, I am tired of them! I've already made up my mind & I scheduled my appointment for later this month to get Paragard, not Mirena. I have absolutely NO interest in Mirena. Since it has hormones, it goes against when I'm ultimately trying to do. I want the Paragard because it's 99% effective & I want to be hormone free.

glitterpiss

She is right. It keeps the baby from implanting after it is conceived it doesn't prevent the sperm from meeting the egg. Also please know that this paraguard doesn't have hormones but it does put copper into your system instead.

Please don't spread misinformation, the sperm is prevented from meeting the egg, and if that by chance does not happen then it also prevents implantation.

"ParaGard® prevents pregnancy primarily by stopping sperm from reaching and fertilizing the egg.2 ParaGard® may also prevent the egg from attaching (implanting) in the uterus. ParaGard® does not alter your body's natural menstrual cycle."

from: http://hcp.paragard.com/about-paragard/patient-faqs


Also, no it does not put copper into your blood stream, just in your uterus...

"the copper in ParaGard® doesn't raise the overall level of copper already present in your body." from the same website.

veganbaum

NFP is a terrible, terrible idea if you do not want a child in any way. Its easy to mess up and things like stress can affect your cycle and make it a bit harder to predict when its safe to have sex without making babies. Its also true that most women want to have sex more when they're fertile, so your body may be working against you.

NFP is NOT for everyone, but neither is hormonal birth control. You should follow three signs of fertility and it can only be relied upon if you have a regular cycle, if you don't, or if you are unwilling to track all three signals, then yeah, it's not for you. If you can and do, then it can be as effective as BCP. So, no, not for everyone, but not something to be pushed aside without learning more about, either, especially if one is looking for non-hormonal birth control methods. One should educate themselves on all the options.

glitterpiss

NFP is NOT for everyone, but neither is hormonal birth control. You should follow three signs of fertility and it can only be relied upon if you have a regular cycle, if you don't, or if you are unwilling to track all three signals, then yeah, it's not for you. If you can and do, then it can be as effective as BCP. So, no, not for everyone, but not something to be pushed aside without learning more about, either, especially if one is looking for non-hormonal birth control methods. One should educate themselves on all the options.

Don't get me wrong, I don't recommend hormonal BC either. It just seems like with NFP, from what I've gathered, that you shouldn't have sex for about 13 consecutive days of the month. Which seems like a lot. And easy to mess up. While using the program to be more diligent about using more than one type of birth control during your more fertile time is a great idea, I don't think NFP is enough protection to recommend to someone that absolutely does not want a kid.

It does seem like the combination of NFP+paragard+condoms would make it nearly impossible to conceive though, but overkill.

soccerella

. It just seems like with NFP, from what I've gathered, that you shouldn't have sex for about 13 consecutive days of the month. Which seems like a lot.

I promised the OP that I wouldnt talk about NFP anymore since she is not interested in it, but I had to clear this up. If you monitor all three of your signs like veganbaum said and you do so consistently you are only have to avoid intercourse for about 2 or 3 days (the two days before you ovulate and the day that you do are usually whats recommended). Granted it takes a few months to actually figure out your cycles, especially if you have been using hormonal birth control, but yea its no where near 13 days a month - that would just be ridiculous! If its telling you to avoid for that long a period a time, its probably only taking into account 1 of the fertility signs, but like I said if you combine all three together and learn how your body works (which can take a bit) it really only ends up being a couple days

Valleybabe69

I've had the Mirena for 2 years now I have never given birth before but because of heart problems i cannot be on BC pills- it didn't "hurt" it was more like severe cramping and only for a few minutes if that because they had to dialate my cervix


it's the best thing ever, you don't feel it and it helps with lighter to no periods at all, when my 5 years is up i am definately getting it replaced with another.

also i didn't expierence any weight gain

Lottalooks

I had an IUD put in many years ago and it did hurt putting it in. It is like severe menstrual cramps. They may have improved now. Even if not it is worth it to get off the pills. They are awful when you are trying to lose weight! You will get over the pain 5 min after they stop!! Oh yea my daughter is 33 now that i got pregnant with while the IUD(copper 7) was in place and removed,,, lol

bgrune131

Valleybabe, I'm not getting the Mirena. I'm getting Paragard. The Mirena has hormones. Do not want hormones in my body any longer. It's the same idea as Mirena, just no hormones and purely copper.

What scares me is that a lot of people are posting on here that they got pregnant with an IUD in. I do not want children for at least another 4 years, and that scares me. I thought I was making the right decision, but the pregnancy comments are not helping

AviaBatyah

Now everyone is Different. I got off BC because of health reasons. It was making me sick and causing damage to my digestive system after being on it since my teen years. Will in 2 months after getting off BC I gained 30 lbs. So not sure if that is what is keeping you from losing weight.

jess_blonde

Valleybabe, I'm not getting the Mirena. I'm getting Paragard. The Mirena has hormones. Do not want hormones in my body any longer. It's the same idea as Mirena, just no hormones and purely copper.

What scares me is that a lot of people are posting on here that they got pregnant with an IUD in. I do not want children for at least another 4 years, and that scares me. I thought I was making the right decision, but the pregnancy comments are not helping

Purely anecdotal (and potentially TMI) - I have had my copper IUD for seven months now and in at least five of those seven months I have had PIV sex, with ejaculation in my vagina, on or very near the days I was ovulating. Still not preggers I trust it fully. If you've trusted hormonal birth control before this, you are far, FAR less likely to get knocked up with a Paragard so long as your little copper buddy is properly in place.

bgrune131

Thank you for the reassurance. I have trusted my BC pills for many, many years. I am fully confident in doing what I'm planning on doing. I think that not only will it be cost effective, but also wonderful not to worry about taking a pill every day....AND it's good for 10 years! I'll happy with that.