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I haven't used the IUD, though I've recommended it often.
Here is a link to a thread where we were discussing it last month.
I have the copper IUD (10 years) and I LOVE it!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!! I have had it for about 5 years. I remember it being painful to put in and for the first several months (maybe 6?), the cramps were awful. Since then, no complaints.
People will warn you that it is only for people who have alrady had children, but I dont have any children. Your health ins probably will not pay for it, but if you add up the cost of birth control in a year it works out about even.
I tried the pill and the patch before the IUD and hormones definitely make me crazy. Talk to your doctor, but my experience has been great.
CONS: hurts going in, increased cramping and heavier periods for first few months.
PROS: no pills, no headaches, no weight gain, no worries
i think the warning about having children before using an IUD is because it limits or eliminate the pain of inserting it, because after having children your cervix is stretched out. There's no other medical reason, as far as I'm aware.
I think the poll on side effects is a great idea, but I have the copper one so I won't fill it out up there. I will say that my periods were much heavier and cramping much stronger when it was first put in but it decreases a little bit each month. I have not had headaches, movement, paranoia of movement, weight gain, moodiness or acne. It hurt like a b* to have inserted, but for me, it was SO worth it.
Melissa-Sweet-2009-55071.jpg (100 KB, 30 downloads) 2 years old
I like to consider myself a bit of an anecdotal expert in this area, as I've had both the Copper IUD (7 years) and now the Mirena (6 months) - and I have NEVER had children. Like FutureMrsMorgan I also LOVE LOVE LOVE the iud option :)
Originally, I went off the birth control pill because the hormones were really not jiving with me anymore. I was moody, irrational, and my libido was non-existent (no wonder the pill worked so well - hah!). Thus I was was on the look-out for a non-hormonal birth control option.
Condoms are the natural choice for many - but not this cat. They also don't jive well with my body. HATE HATE HATE condoms!
Which naturally led me to the idea of the IUD. My doctor actually suggested it. She said that many doctors are still under the impression that it's ONLY for women that have had kids, but that's just not the case. Many nulli-parous women use the IUD without any issue.
I guess I'm one of the lucky ones who didn't experience much pain upon insertion either. I took a couple advil before going in, and the doctor was able to insert it quickly and easily on the first try.
The cramping after was a different story. It was a weekend of painful cramps after the insertion, and about 6 months of painful, heavy periods as well. But to be hormone free, condom free, and baby-worry free was definitely worth the pain!!
After 7 years it was time for a new IUD, and I decided to give the Mirena a shot. I'd heard that since the hormones were not systemic, they don't cause as much issue with regards to moods or libido. And they had the added benefit of lighter periods. I was getting sick of having long periods with the copper IUD (not as heavy as in the beginning but lasted for 10+ days) so I was willing to give it a try.
I'm happy to report that things are GREAT! Lighter periods (almost non existent) no spotting (though I now others have issues with spotting) and no hormonal related issues either! Insertion was a breeeeze, and I had NO cramping after either. Woo.
So two thumbs up for the Mirena from me :)
The reason I got an Mirena IUD was because I had to go off my Depo shot, wanted long-term birth control, and I can't remember to take pills!
I have not experienced hardly any side effects. Though insertion was a bit uncomfortable (I haven't had children), I did not experience a huge amount of pain like others have described. Because I was formerly on the Depo shot, I haven't had a period in over 7 years, and so, my OG/GYN doesn't expect them to come back, if at all, until I've had my IUD over a year. My doctor says that his wife has and IUD, and her periods are very light to non-existent. After insertion, I had mild cramps for about 1-2 days and then I haven't experienced anything else...no cramps....no spotting...no nothin'.
The only cost that I had to pay for the IUD was my insurance co-pay. However, if I had not had insurance, the cost would have been about $800.
After reading other threads about this subject, I would say that my experience has not been the norm. Nonetheless, I would recommend others to try the Mirena IUD because after it's inserted, you just forget about it! To me, it has been worth the small discomfort at the beginning to have something that I don't have to worry about until years from now.
Like dogcatrabbit I also have a Mirena IUD and have had it for 3 years now. I cannot say enough good things about it. I highly recommend it! It was a little painful to have inserted (I have not had children), but the pain went away within a day. I haven't had a period since. I think it's hard to understand just how convenient it is to never worry about birth control AND to never have to worry (or be prepared for) your period each month.
A good friend of mine had hers for about 2 years before she decided to have a baby (her first) and was abe to get pregnant soon after having it removed.
Thanks so much for the responses ladies! I'm really glad to hear that people haven't had issues with the Minera type killing your sex drive. I was on depo for a couple years and had some issues with that and wondered if it was typical of all progesterone only methods (it's different for everyone, I know. But still, it helps to hear about the experience of others).
This further confirms that I'm leaning towards the Minera (hormonal) type. Heavier periods, who the heck wants that?
I had the Copper IUD (Paragard) for two years. I wanted to try being hormone-free after being on the pill for seven years. One of the reasons I also decided to get ParaGard was the lower cost. Insertion went fine and I had severe, painful cramps for about 5 hours afterward, but then I was fine.
I temporarily had some tenderness in the uterus area when I worked out... I think I could "feel" the device. It worked well... I didn't get pregnant... but eventually I couldn't deal with the side effects.
I knew that I could expect heavier periods, but after that long on the pill I just didn't foresee a 7-day heavy flow with bad cramps. Tampons just didn't cut it. Whereas I used to be able to use one or two per day, I would now blow through them while out in public.
To cope, I used a Diva Cup, and that worked really well, but was a but awkward when working out.
However, my periods didn't get any better, and I started getting bad PMS (moods, cramping, bloating) the week before my weeklong period, and bad hormonal acne. So I felt completely unsexy AND I was "out of commission" about half of the month.
The other thing that bothered me is that I could sometimes "feel" my uterus because of the device. I don't like being able to feel my organs. Their job is just to sit there and be squishy, not noticeable!
So after the acne thing started getting bad, and our wedding was approaching, I went on Yaz and eventually had my fiance remove the IUD. I've been on Yaz since then and it's cleared up my skin. It does dampen my libido, but I guess I'd rather have than than feeling GROSS half the month.
I was very disappointed with my experience... I'd been looking forward to my IUD so much. :(
There is NO NEED to have had children before getting an IUD. They do recommend having a stable, singluar sexual partner to prevent PID, but even this is less of a risk with modern devices.
I have had the Mirena for about 2 months now.
The worst thing for me was the pain when it went it. I haven't had any kids, so it hurt for the next day or two.
I haven't had my period at all- haven't had any problems. I couldn't feel it, had no problems. I have had TERRIBLE skin issues which cleared up since the Mirena has been in.
I asked my OBGYN if it could ever fall out, or anything. He said you would feel it/see it if it feel out (which he said has only happened to 1 person out of the thousands he sees).
I would totally recommend it. BUT- I am not on the copper IUD- I have the Mirena, so I take the one with the hormones.
I got the copper (no hormones) IUD after Cherry Pie got it (I know her IRL and she shared her experience). I'd previously thought I'd need to have kids in order to get one inserted (that's what a doc told me).
I had pretty much the same experience she did with the insertion and cramping. It took a long time to insert, was very painful at the time, and the cramping was nearly incapacitating for several hours afterward.
My acne also returned, but I figured this was because I've pretty much had acne since I was 12 and it only was at bay because I'd been on hormonal BC for several years. The cramps and period heaviness have gotten much better for me (I've had it for a year and a half now), and I went to a dermatologist to find a solution for the acne (also much better now!). I think if I was having the experience with bloating and cramping that she did, I'd definitely reconsider the IUD. but so far, it's been great for me. The only time I can feel it in there is when I get a particularly bad cramp, and that happens maybe one day out of the month.
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Thanks for the advice ladies. I'm going to give it a shot since my periods have become annoyingly irregular on the ring. If I don't dig it I'll just switch back to the ring (yay for my benifits paying for the device!).
Thanks for sharing! Also, can i have a mini rant that most docs (at least most of the ones I and my female friends have seen) don't tell you about these options unless you ask? If your a doctor please educate the women that come to see you for BC. Most women these days still think that the pill is their only option!
i have the mirena. i loved it for the first 2 years and HATE IT now. i have a lot of ailments that have no cause, for example my left foot was swollen for about a year. the doctors ran every test in the world (from kidney to heart to liver) and found nothing wrong. well i read about the mirena side effects and one of the unnamed side effects is extremity swelling. okay cool and then there's the moodiness lol i feel like i'm possessed sometimes!! there also seems to be a larger percentage of women not getting pregnant than the 99.9% they say on the website. I think it's about 2% of women that get pregnant (ectopic or go to term). i must say that if i had insurance i would remove it immediately and go with a non-hormonal type of bc.
I am copying my response to the other birth control thread..
I have the mirena. It's the iud with hormones. Now, I don't know if it was the people that put mine in or what.. but it was horrible and painful. They "measured" my uterus with a giant metal thing before they placed the mirena in. I was convinced they ripped a hole in my uterus and I was dying. They made me sit there for a while because I was dizzy and having hot flashes.. then they let me drive home (haha) and i came home, stripped off my clothes as I walked through the house and passed by the 2 kids and FI without being able to even talk to them to explain what was going on, got in bed and had chills and cried for about 24 hours.
My FI was scared to death.. I had just had baby #2 a couple months before this.. mind you, a 9 pound baby! (my first baby was also 9lbs 2oz) so I thought I could handle a little mirena.. no.. way in hell would I do it again. Hurt like having my first child (my 2nd child didn't hurt at all..).. miserable. Then I was moody and had headaches and everything for a couple months.. bleeding for a few months.. cramping for a few months.. now, a year later, things are smooth sailing. I barely have a period like every other month.. It's probably a day or 2 of spotting and that is it. But not worth the pain of getting it put in.
Now I am scared to get it removed! I have heard horror stories about iud removal...
I wish I had gotten the implanon thing, sooo much easier!
edited to add another problem I forgot to mention! HE can FEEL it!! The strings that stick out of the cervix poke his.. thing.. and hurt him! he says it's like a needle prick! I told them and went back in and they trimmed the strings and told me after a month the strings would soften and it wouldn't bother him.. it's been a year and he still feels them! He HATES it. But I told him he has to live with it until our next kid because I am not going back on the pill.. and I am hoping after our next kid he will get the big V.
I highly recommend the Mirena. In the past, I have tried the pill, Depo, and the patch, and this is by far the best form of birth control I have tried. I had it inserted a couple months after giving birth to my first daughter though and only felt a little "pinch" when it was inserted. I don't know how it would be not having children before though. I have had no problems with it. I had some light spotting for a little bit after it was inserted. I didn't get my period either, but I was also breastfeeding. After I did quit breastfeeding, my period didn't come back either. I had it removed in June to try for baby #2 and I didn't even feel it get taken out. The Dr. said "that's it" and I couldn't believe that it was out already. It took him about 5 seconds. And if anyone is wondering about getting pregnant after being on it for a while, it only took us 2 months of trying to get preggers again.
I highly recommend it because you never have to worry about taking a damn pill everyday and it was so wonderful not getting my period every month!
I had a Mirena for 2 1/2 years and I developed issues after 2 years. It took me 6 months to figure out what was causing it. I had sudden weight gain, skin blemishes, depression, migraine headaches, chest pains, and other body aches that would wake me up in the middle of the night. I had it removed and all the symptoms went away in about 3 days, but it took a while to get the weight off. Until that two year mark, I thought the Mirena was the greatest thing since sliced bread. I loved not having a period and my skin was clearer until the 2 yr mark.
One of my friends got one after I got mine and she still loves it. I think she's had hers for almost 4 years.
Yay, just got my IUD inserted today! Finally!
Also, I was one of the fortunate ladies who didn't experience pain - a little discomfort but no biggie.
Fingers crossed that it all goes well.
I loved my IUD, and hated it! The pain wasn't horrible when they put it in, although it didn't feel good! I would normally get a period every month, sometimes not though, or i would spot in between. You could feel the strings with your fingers, and sometimes my partner could feel them during sex. I was always nervous about it coming out or moving!!! I had the hormone one though, and didn't get bloated or moody like i usually do!
I've had Mirena for about three months now, and so far awesome. Insertion was uncomfortable, and then I had BAD cramps and diziness for about an hour, then it was gone. Since then, not a problem. I used the Nuva ring before, so I'm not as nervous about movement. I do love that I never have to think about it. I am spotting a lot more, but I also only had to use pantyliners last time I had a period.
I had the Mirena IUD for 6 months, it was 6 months too long. I haven't had children and the pain putting it in was beyond horrible. The after effects were even worse for me. My migraines were more frequent and severe, I had no sex drive, I gained 20 lbs, my hair was thinning and falling out more and my vision started to get blurry at times.
I had it out after 6 months of feeling and looking awful. I have a friend who also had some of the same symptoms and got hers removed after only 3 months.
I'll never get another IUD again. Many people have had positive experiences with them, I unfortunately am not one of them. 
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Can anyone comment on their experience using an IUD? Please indicate if you use the copper type (no hormones) or the progestin type (hormones).
If you've tried this method of Birth control would you recomend that others look into it? What kind of symptoms did you experience and were you concerned about it coming out of place?
Of course I will talk with my doctor and seek other medical info before deciding to switch, but I'm just interested in hearing about the experiences of some real women.