I'm contemplating getting one.
If you have one, or have had one, please tell me which kind you had and what you liked and didn't like about it, and any side effects.
I'm contemplating getting one.
If you have one, or have had one, please tell me which kind you had and what you liked and didn't like about it, and any side effects.
I just got Mirena a couple months ago.... its ok. No period since I had it put in. Putting it in hurts more than giving birth.




I'm interest to hear too. I was thinking about getting an IUD, but I had so many problems with the ring I'm not so sure BC in my vag is right for me.
thats kinda comforting to know if i ever decide to repopulate the earth. Wish i knew before i got my IUD.
Anywho
I has a copper IUD. I was a bitch the first few months. in other words i was not able to walk without severe pain for a month or so, weirdly that didnt start happening til i had the IUD for 2 months. I had contraction because my body didnt want it. yet somehow the little fucker never moved a millimeter even.. yay.. sort of. Heres a thread about it.
I plan to stick with my IUD unless something else thats better catches my attention or i want to be a slut again, but im in a monogamous relationship, so the likeness of that happening is about none.
ummm... i think i am done rambling for now.
I have a Paraguard. Putting it in was a sharp pinch, but not as bad as a Pap smear to me. (Pap smears are agony to me though.) Taking it out was pretty painful, but it was over in less than 5 min. I can get through damn near anything for a few minutes. Especially given the peace of mind my IUD provides.
Periods last about 1 day longer, they went from about 3 days - super heavy, to 4 days - super heavy. Cramping is the same, about every 3 or 4 mos I have some moderate cramps the first day only.
I have my 2nd in now, the first was only removed because we were trying to conceive.
Best birth control EVER! Total peace of mind. No need to remember a pill or deal with the hormonal side-effects.
LOVE IT!
So it doesn't make you bloated or cause weight gain?
Only asking because I read that because copper is a foreign body, your body attacks it and creates a surplus of white blood cells, which stresses your body out and causes an increase in cortisol, which causes weight gain and makes an imbalance of your stress hormones.
You know this is similiar to what I feel is going on with my body.
I have gained wieght since I have had my copper IUD and I am having a heck of a time losing it, far harder than ever in my life.
I was actually saying to a friend of mine how I feel like my body definetley does not like it and wants it out, she thought I was crazy but honestly, I know I want it out now for sure.
I am calling my doctor tommorow, it has worked so well as far as preventing pregnancy but I just can not handle the foriegn feeling anymore. I know many women love it though.
Just not for me anymore.
this is where I read it : http://www.topix.com/forum/health/bi...FDCJOTQN53/p14
but... it's different for every woman, so just because one person experienced weight gain and bloating due to the impact of a foreign body and her body's response was to create extra white blood cells and cortisol, doesn't mean everyone's will.
still.. i think i'm going to wait until i start having sex again (which will not be until i'm in a committed monogomous relationship and THEY pay for half of the iud) to get it, because i'm not having sex right now so there's no point.
I have the copper non-hormone Paraguard as well.
Pros: No hormone induced craziness. I don't have to worry about it for the next 10 years. No ongoing costs for birth control.
Cons: It was particularly uncomfortable for me to get it inserted. I apparently have a 'small' uterus and it needs to be inserted at least 6cm in. They only got about 4cm in and then had to 'shove' it the remaining 2cm. Holy ow.
My monthly cramps have increased to semi-labor like contractions. Nothing dulls the pain. And ovulation mucus has increased, which is kinda weird (100% normal, but definitely not in the brochure).
Overall, would I get it again? Probably. It's wonderful not to have to worry about getting pregnant, taking hormones, and remembering to take the pill/patch/ring. But I may need to get some prescription grade pain killers for the cramps.
Good luck,
Lust
P.S. You can get pregnant on the pill if you're taking antibiotics.





The body can reject or fight against anything put in it. I haven't read up about the copper IUD so maybe there is an EXCEPTIONALLY high amount of people with this problem, but if not I wouldn't worry about the weight gain because your body doesn't like it.
I'm wanting to get mirena put in when I get my period this month. I've never had a baby so...I hope the pain isn't awful. I heard getting it on your period is possible when your uterus is open more...so thats my reasoning for doing it then.




You just have to ask which type of IUD. THe copper ones stay in longer, and are known to make women have heavier periods, more cramps, etc. The hormonal ones,like the mirena, make the period lighter, or go away entirely.
I have the mirena. It hurt a bit, inserting, but i've danced through worse. I love it. Hardly any period, nothign to remember. I got it done at PP so THEY actually paid for it for me, since at that time i wasn't making much.I always had debilitating cramps, erratic cycle, VERY heavy bleeding... it was rough. NOw, i have just a little bit of spotting,still erratic, and ANY cramping is very rare. I'm happy with it.




I'm going to pitch in my two cents in contrast to Audrey's observation and mention it barely hurt for me. I got a cervical block, though. They injected (yeah, needle) a numbing agent into my cervix and put it in. I cramped during the measuring portion and during the insertion, then went back to work. A friend of mine panted like she WAS giving birth and nearly crushed my hand! She did NOT get the block. (I requested it.) All in all, I love my IUD. Have not had a true period in over two years.
I got the mirena about 4 week ago. I took a percoset before going in and i really hardly felt anything more then some pressure and a slight cramp or two. The speculum hurt the worst and it was all over in 4-5 minutes. Since then i have had spotting for the first 2 weeks and mild cramping, both of which are gone now. I don't feel a thing, my DH can't feel it and i am so relieved to have it in there so i don't have to worry about getting pregnant. I will use IUD's for the rest of my life, i am a IUD believer! I'm really curious if i will get a period, i hope not!!
My periods got lighter with the copper IUD, and now i dont get back aches or cramps, but i do get those contractions *lust* mentioned.
I know the contractions sound horrible but i would rather put up with those than on going cramps. The only happen shortly during ovulation and just a few a day or so before my period. The contractions have become less and less. I also dont really get as bloated as before I got the IUD.
I think overall, the IUD is great.





Just a random note - my friend got pregnant with an IUD and she just gave birth to a baby girl. She was very very fortunate they were able to remove the IUD without damaging her baby who was just a lil fetus then.
^^ did she have the copper or hormone one?





I'm actually not sure. I never asked her.
so about the mirena- I'm usually not good with hormones- the pill, patch, ring, injection all turn me into a bloated, fat, swollen-boobed, crying, yelling screaming hormonal mess. There is not a brand of hormonal birth control I've tried that works for me. come to think of it, being pregnant for 9 weeks, around the 7-8 week- THAT is how I felt on BC- bloated and bitchy. I was a horrible crabby pregnant lady, atleast during the early weeks getting used to the hormones. How does the mirena affect you hormonall versus the bc pill? Is it the same strength??
The hormones in the Mirena IUD are localized, so you won't get any of the side effects that you'd get from other hormonal contraceptives.
I had a Mirena IUD for a little over a year - I liked it a lot. I didn't gain any weight, didn't experience any side effects, and had only two short periods after the initial bleeding ceased. I did get some pretty gnarly cramps from time to time, but nothing unbearable. Plus - getting only two periods in a little over a year was a *huge* bonus.
The insertion was cake, and I've never had a vaginal delivery - I had a cesarean with my daughter. The removal was a bit uncomfortable, but my situation with the removal was a bit different.
I would suggest the Mirena.
My neighbors 5 year old was due to a copper IUD. She got preggo on it... thats why I got the hormonal IUD.
Uhm, yea, no block here. I will say once it was inserted I had no cramping, etc at all. BUT Im tilted back and to the side which explains why it hurt so bad.
I will say that
Uhm, yea, no block here. I will say once it was inserted I had no cramping, etc at all. BUT Im tilted back and to the side which explains why it hurt so bad
Im changing my opinion now. I may not have a period but I spot every single damn day. I just had a conversation about it with my mom. I think Im going to have it taken out if it doesnt go away in another month.





You know, BC is so individual -- you'll get the full range of responses on here from "Love it!" to "IUDs are the devil!" and there's just no way to tell how you're going to react. Same with the pill or ring or anything else. So get all the information you can, but really, you'll only know when you get it. We just all react so differently to the same forms of BC.
For the record, I am very happy with my Paragard, which I've had for about a year now.




Yep. Its local-no nausea, mood swings, bloating, etc. I couldnt handle the Pill or the patch either, but this is GREAT for me. Though it DOES put me back at my natural hormonal cycle, which is a mixed blessing. I naturally have no steady cycle, and a VERY high drive. So nothing changed.
I have a Mirena and love it. I just got my second one inserted a few months ago. I rarely get periods and don't feel it at all. It did hurt like a sonofabitch to get inserted the first time though. The second time she gave me Xanax, Vicodin and shot some novacaine up in there and it was bearable. The first one I bled for 3 months straight while I guess my body cleaned itself out. This is the only type of BC I can use because all of the other ones the hormones bother me. The hormones in the Mirena don't affect me though.




i know a girl who got pregnant with an iud as well...doesn't seem very safe to me.
iud..sis...stay in school...cause it's the best
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