Ditto on the peeing. I'm also pretty prone to UTI's, ALL the time, so I have a prophylactic script for 10mg Macrobid. I take one after every bootycall. Dr. says it's not enough abx (antibiotic) to cause secondary issues like yeast infections, etc., but I've only had one mild UTI since I started!
As for the libido, yeah, I found that my sex drive was much reduced on the Ring. It picked up pretty quickly after I dropped it.
As for IUD horror stories... wow. Caught on a tampon? That's just bullshit. There's nothing hanging out that could be caught. It CAN be spontaneously ejected, but that's pretty rare. Make sure your dr. leaves the string LONG and doesn't cut it - to avoid poking James in the midst of lovin'. If it were to eject, it would feel like really bad cramping (in the beginning, getting used to it, I thought I *had* to be ejecting it b/c my cramps were so bad).
The upsides: no hormones w/ copper (libido intact, s/e from BC gone), less UTIs (no condoms), no other BC needed (in my life!), almost foolproof in effectiveness, immediately effective, no long term effect on fertility
The downsides: heavier cramps/bleeding (bad if you already have those, fine if you don't), possible scary shit: ejection, higher risk of ectopic pregnancy, perforation of uterus. All of those = very low odds. Read up on the stats.
Quote:
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Originally Posted by eMedicine study
Use of an intrauterine device
The presence of an inert copper-containing or progesterone intrauterine device (IUD) traditionally has been thought to be a risk factor for ectopic pregnancy. However, only the progesterone IUD has a rate of ectopic pregnancy higher than that for women not using any form of contraception. The modern copper IUD does not increase the risk of ectopic pregnancy. Nevertheless, if a woman ultimately conceives with an IUD in place, it is more likely to be an ectopic pregnancy. The actual incidence of ectopic pregnancies with IUD use is 3-4%.
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This means that if you get the copper IUD, your chances of an ectopic are no greater than they were before you got the IUD.
Re: spontaneous expulsion and perforation:
Quote:
Several factors influence expulsion rates, including the skill of the provider, the woman’s age and parity, the length of time since insertion and the timing of insertion.
Many studies indicate that the provider’s ability to place the IUD correctly at the top of the uterine cavity, or fundus, may be the most important factor in determining the risk for expulsion. In some studies, higher expulsion rates were associated with providers whose skills were inadequate.
Studies also show that younger women who have never given birth are more likely to expel an IUD than older women with children. In general, the risk of IUD expulsion is greatest during the first few months after the IUD is inserted, while the woman’s body is adjusting to the device. Thereafter, the risk decreases. However, contractions of the uterus during the first few months after the insertion or during later menstrual periods can push the IUD downward, expelling it either partially or totally. It is recommended that users check after each menses for the presence of IUD marker strings to ensure that the IUD is still in place.
Perforations
Very rare (1 in 1,000 Insertions)
Risk:
* Linked to skill and experience of provider
* Reduced through supervised training
* Greater for postpartum insertions performed between 48 hours and 4 weeks after delivery
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The summary: IUD is a good option, but you have to know that as a "nulliparous" woman (never gave birth before) and a young one, it is a higher risk that you'll expel the IUD. The first 6 months are an adjustment - your cycle will be heavy and crampy, but it will settle down. That's also when you're most likely to expel if at all. Advil is your friend - it works almost perfectly for cramps. (ibuprofen blocks prostaglandins, and those are the source of the pain and crampy during your cycle.)
Other than that... go forth and get an good gyno - one with a lot of IUD experience. One who is not stuck in the middle ages.
Oh yeah, and if you've had any PID (pelvic inflammatory disease, and you'd know if you had), forget it!
