Weddingbee boards

So if you've read some of my other posts, I'm having problems with hormonal birth control.  Right now I'm considering a diaphragm or the paragard IUD, and I'm really undecided.  I post on weddingbee because none of my friends use anything other than the pill or ring, so I only know what I read online about them both.

I'm hesistant to get a diaphragm because of its effectiveness, and I also have a history of chronic UTIs, and that's a common side effect of diaphragms.

This leads me to Paragard, a non-hormonal IUD.  My problems with it: I have zero tolerance for pain and I'm terrified of the insertion.  I have fairly light periods now (3-4 days, no need for super tampons) with almost no cramping.  I must say, it's pretty nice.  I read that some women bleed for almost 6 months straight after insertion!  I'm sure I could handle the cramps with some Advil, so I'm more concerned about the bleeding.  I'm just wondering whether anyone here has/had Paragard and what your experience with it was.

I know this is a pretty personal question, but where else can I find such a diverse group of women to ask this question to? :)

I've never had children, haven't been pregnant, and haven't had an abortion, so I'm pretty sure my cervix is sealed up shut. haha.

My problems with hormonal birth control: weight gain!! It's horrible.  About a month after I go on it, I immediately gain 10 lbs.  I have no desire for sex, which kind of defeats the purpose of birth control and is quite frustrating to me and my boyfriend.  Depending on the type I'm on, some make my skin worse.  (I only get a few break outs a month, so it's no big deal.)  The mood swings are horrible.  Basically, I just don't respond well to hormones.  I've tried 4 different types of pills, the patch, and the ring.  I briefly read about Implanon, but that's hormone-based, so it's not what I'm looking for.

For those of you who have had an IUD inserted, how was that process? Obviously it's different for every woman, but I guess the more information I have about it, the better I feel.

If an IUD wasn't so expensive (I'm a law student living on loans, so $500 is expensive), I would just get it and see what happens, but if it falls out or if the bleeding is unbearable, it just seems like a huge waste.  I know that I won't know until I try it, but again, the more info I have, the better I'll feel about making the decision.

@crebre80: Do you have Mirena or Paragard?  Paragard doesn't cause weight gain because it's non-hormonal, so that's why I'm asking.  And also, do you mind if I ask what problems you're having with the IUD now, 2 years later?