I also want to take the time to stress that it's WORTH the money, even if it didn't average out to be cheaper than hormones. Not having to take a pill every day or change a ring every month or a patch every week, not having to worry about losing your birth control if you go on vacation or whatever, not to mention the AMAZING feeling of being off of hormones... it's LIBERATING!

Having an IUD is incredibly empowering for me as a woman. I feel it's a wonderful symbol of taking charge of my sexuality and not letting anything get in the way of my enjoyment. I hope you're able to share in this feeling soon, cadre :icare:

All this positive feedback is the reason I'm trying so hard to get this. Thanks for the help! :D

Ooooh, I found a perfect website that breaks down the facts on IUDs:
http://www.arhp.org/files/UnderstandingIUDs.pdf

Enjoy!

For the update, I didn't end up getting an IUD. I couldn't afford to get it from my gyno and the local clinics wouldn't do it. My insurance would not cover it so I ended up back on the patch. Even though it has more risk for blood clots it works better for me than any of the pills that I've tried. If and when I get the money I will be trying again to get the iud. ^_^

Oh well, cadre. You win some, you lose some! I hope that the patch works out for you!

Keep up the fight tho! We must take a stand in saying exactly how we want our bodies to be treated, and not cave in to doctors who are too behind the times to consider an IUD a valid option for birth control! I would love to get some sort of "movement" going to get the word out on IUD's as valid birth control, but I have no idea how to go about doing that, so I just try to get the word out woman to woman, one discussion at a time!

I just got my Merina yesterday. Insertion wasn't NEARLY as bad as I had thought it was going to be. I've also never had children. It was kind of like cramp, I suppose.

I went with the hormonal one because they say your period can completely stop. That's a side effect I like :) I was also informed that with the non-hormonal, copper one, the body can reject it easier and you can bleed more. That one I didn't like. So I went with Hormones.

Hopefully the cramping will stop soon, but it's only been one day. She left the string rather long, hopefully that won't get in the way of sex once I feel like having it again, LOL...

For those of you with Merina, how long does the tenderness and soreness usually last after insertion? This thread has been really nice to read, it's answered a bunch of questions :)

I don't know about the Merina, but I had rather painful cramping for two or three days, and then for about a month afterward whenever I had sex I'd cramp. I'd guess the effects would be about the same for both IUD's, as one's body is just getting used to having an extra thing all up in it's buisness :)

Yay for the IUD! It's what I'm thankful for this holiday season!

penis patrol...

I went to the dr today and I was telling her I wanted to get my tubes tied this year and she highly recommended the Mirena (since no one can seem to find a cause for my cramps). I have been taking progesterone only BC for 7 years to keep the cysts away.

But I have to say Im terrified of the thought of an IUD, septic shock and all that from the 70's. I know they are different now....

now I've found this site that does nothing that lists all these horror stories and Im confused.

My dr told me that since Im already on progesterone and my body is used to it I wont have a long list of the side affects some people have with it

blah, I think Im better off having the surgery and getting my tubes times

Shani, the information I read put IUDs especially mirena as being more effecting than tubal ligation. If that's what you want though you should push harder with your doctor.

Just a side note, I saw a commercial today on tv for Mirena. It would appear that they have launched a campaign.

actually the Mirena literature says its "almost" as effective as a tubal.

Dave and I talked last night and we've decided that we arent gonna mess with it, I've just got too many fears and I read way too much last nite (should never have found the class action law suit site about Mirena lol) then I found out my sisters best friend had had one inserted and her life became a living hell until she had it removed. I am just one of those people that if there is a side effect listed, I will have it lol

Im glad its worked so well for some of you, but its def not going to be for me. My child rearing days are def over so I see no problem with doing something permanent

Well, I'm sure if you tell your doctor that they will understand. If not, find a new one. Best of luck :)

Hello! I am very interested in getting the IUD. I was on the pill for a year and it made me terribly depressed. I'm 20, I was 18 when i went on it and came off a year ago. Its taken untill now to actually start to regain some normality-libido and general moods. I have been with my bf for almost 2 1/2 years.

How many other young users are there? obviously I don't have kids,and don't want them for a good while yet hehe.

Jen xxx

I'm 28, but I had to fight to find a gyno who would do it here in the States. You might have an easier time of it in England. Just do your research, and make sure you're comfortable with the fact that if you do the copper, you'll have more cramps. Period. (no pun intended).

I'm young and yes you will have a very hard time finding someone to that will do it but you probably can. The other thing you have going against you is that not only are you young but you're not married, these two things made it hard for me to convince my gyno to let me have it. Just explain to them why you want an IUD as rationally as possible and I'll bet you you'll be able to convince one.

hey this is my first time on this site it seems pretty good for info. Ive just decided to use the iud, someone told me u have to be on your period while getting it inserted, is that true? Cant find that info anywhere if you can believe that. Well thats my only question for now, but i know Ill be back.

Thank you all for your shared experiences. I got an IUD (ParaGuard)inserted today and, while it did hurt (only pain for about 3 seconds) and I have bad cramps right now, it really wasn't that bad. I DID take 800mg of Advil before my appointment, though, so I'm sure that helped.

You do need to be on your period (or just ended) for the insertion - I believe this is so your cervix is more supple/malleable, making the insertion much easier. Good luck and I look forward to hearing more about your experiences!

where did all the libido go?
 

I recently entered the world of the IUD. I have been on pills for way too many years and realized that it dried up all of my sex drive and juices. I got the Mirena put in about 1 1/2 months ago....still no desire for sex. Does any one have suggestions about some vitamins or supplements I could take to promote it to come back? I miss it, as does my husband.

Also, my husband keeps feeling the strings when we have sex and complains that they are not comfortable. I heard they soften over time...is this any one's experience--(if so how long do they take to soften?)

Ms. mooshu - the progesterone may be affecting your libido. Why not get the non-hormonal IUD? Do you have heavy cycles and cramping, etc?

As for the string... that's because the gyno cut it and the sharp ends are poking him. I'm not sure if they could cut it shorter (bad if they cut it too short) - my gyno just left the string long because that way it's pretty much unnoticeable.

should I be worried?
 

AS stated above, i went off birth control pills after many years and got the mirena IUD about 2 months ago. For the first time, my period is 4 days late. Is this because my body is just adjusting to the change or should I be worried?

Many people are affected by the progesterone that way - I'd expect plenty of cycle oddities for a bit. And lots of people end up with very little period at all (did you at least spot?). Spotting may be about it for a cycle from now on (yay!).

Not what I had hoped..
 

I am new to this site. I have had an IUD in for the last two years. I had decided on this because of my age, and bc pills make me crazy. I had very high hopes for it..however..
I spot.. ALL THE TIME! It's like having a period 24/7! has anyone else had this problem?? I don't know any good alternatives except a tubal at this point. Even then, I will have to wait until I can take the time away from work.

I had read up on it quite a bit before deciding on Merina (sp?) IUD, they say many women stop having periods all together with it..then why do i have it all the time??
Any ideas?

Yes, the progesterone can affect you that way (the hormone in the Mirena). I'd get rid of it. if I were you. I have the regular IUD (copper only), and I do bleed a lot more with cramps I never used to have, but not constantly. So right now, I'm on the mini-pill, progesterone only, to see if my body will work with that. I bled for 28 days straight. Right now, it seems to have stopped.... It's a bit crazy. I have 6 more weeks of the trial, and I am pretty concerned about how this is going to go. I really want to be one of the majority of women who have LIGHT to NO cycle on this!!

Wow, I can't tell you how happy I am to hear from you Jess.. well.. ok I am very sorry it had the same effect on you, but its nice to know I am not the only one.
You say you are trying the mini pill instead? Please please let me know how that works out for you. My only concern about the mini is that it is not as high a success rate at the iud. I can NOT get pregnant right now, but i gotta tell you.. i am so tired of wearing a pad EVERY DAY!
I had such high hopes for this IUD to work well... cant have it all i suppose..

Well, the mini-Pill is similar to the Mirena. Both are mono-phasic 28-day progesterone only sorts of set ups. I'm on the same dose I'd be getting on the Mirena. That's what's caused me to bleed for 28 days straight.

The copper just made me bleed for about 14 days/month. "just"! *sigh*

I am afraid that for me... my last option will be stupid fucking no fun condoms. :(

I feel your pain Jess.. trust me! I am not 16 anymore and having to go back to a condom would NOT make me happy. I am getting a bit tired tho of having a three day window when I am not spotting or bleeding. with summer coming up it will only be worse. I never thought I would look back on the days i was on the pill with fondness...
I thought this stuff was suppose to get easier as you got older??:grumpy:

Heh, it only gets easier when you get REALLY old. Like, after menopause. :D As long as you're fertile, it's going to be tough.

Btw, are condoms REALLY that big of a deal? I mean, I can understand if they cause yeast infections and other physiological reactions... but otherwise, we find them pretty handy and hardly think about them when we use them (and we're married and on BC!).

I know what you're saying... I guess my body just hates any kind of modified sex. Condoms... more UTIs. Hormones, migraines. IUD...crazy flow.

Fuck. Or not, in my case. Guess I'll just be celibate for the next 5 years.

*sigh*...
I guess to most, condoms are no big deal. For me, it is just that using them makes me feel like its a plastic fake and not my man. spoiled attitude i know, but there you go.
Plus, dang it all.. I am almost 40! Condoms were for when I was a youngster! I have had the good stuff (minus the condom) and I really don't want to go back to them!
BAH!
I am going to look into getting the tubes tied next year. By then I should have the time at work to do it.
I want my sex life back DANG IT ALL!:mad:

I joined this forum so I could reply to this thread. I don't have any friends with IUDs so it was really nice reading everyone's opinions and experiences.



I've had an the Paraguard since January. The insertion wasn't bad, a little worse than getting cavities filled, but it didn't last long.

The main problem with me is the spotting. Right now I'm not supposed to be bleeding of course, but I am. Sometimes it is more watery than menstrual fluid, and my biggest anxiety is having an embarrassing accident in an inconvenient place. I wear pantyliners frequently, I don't like them very much as they make me feel sweaty and nasty down below. Maybe someone has a suggestion for ones they like.

I much prefer wearing thong underwear most of the time as I find them more comfortable, but with my current problem, it seems foolish for me to buy anything other than black butt-buckets (granny drawers). I also enjoy my black skirts and pants very much! Nothing like hazard insurance against the overflow!

The cramping is random and annoying, but on the upside it's a nice announcement for a spotting episode.

It's been 8 months now and these side effects have not subsided. Some months are better than others. My periods are heavier than they were before, I can overrun large tampons in hours on day 2. It can get exciting. :rolleyes:

Overall, I'm glad I did it. All of this is much less inconvenient than an unwanted pregnancy!

I had an IUD inserted 3 months ago and there are a few things I am concerned about. I had the string trimmed, because my boyfriend could feel it during sex, but now the doctor cannot find the string. She doesn't seem concerned about this, though, although I find it somewhat unsettling. I have had spotting and cramping for the past months, and now I got my period 2 weeks early, and the blood seems darker than usual. On top of that, I now seem to have a UTI, for which i just took some Cipro. How would I know if my IUD perforated? I read an excess of dark blood at a random time is a sign of a miscarriage...? I know there are all kinds of symptoms in the first couple of months of an IUD, so I don't want to stress out, on the other hand I want to be safe. Unfortunately, I can't even talk to my gyno on the phone, she requires that one make an appointment to discuss anything, and then I have a 50$ co-pay! Is there a free gyno hotline of some sort??

Mirena or copper?
Cramping and spotting normal with both. It sounds like you have the Mirena, actually...
Don't stress yet about the spotting and darker blood. Your cycle is heavier, especially at first, with IUDs. Use your common sense - how much is an "excess" to you? Were your periods light in the past (thus this seems like a lot)? Did your gyno do a sonogram to make sure the placement was correct? If so, let her worry about the string. She'll find it when you need it!

I wouldn't necessarily associate the UTI with the IUD - different tracks, after all. However, the extra moisture with the extra bleeding might have done it - make sure you change tampons/pads regularly so that it's not too moist down there.

Ever since I got my IUD, I rarely have red blood when I get my period...it's always the darker color. Your cycle will fluctuate quite a bit for the next few months, it's very normal.

As for a miscarriage...from what I've been told by friends/family who have had them (I suspect I had one several years ago as well) ...they are very painful. If it was a miscarriage...you'd know.

As far as the perforation goes, it usually happens during insertion and rarely after insertion. I haven't read anything about it hurting or anything, so I don't know what to look for as far as signs for a perforated IUD. I'm surprised your doctor trimmed the strings because it is important to feel for them after each period.

I was conceived while my mom was using an IUD. She didn't tell me for a long time because she didn't want me to feel like I was an "unwanted" child. Let's see, I must have been conceived about the first week of February, 1976 since I was born in early November. Mom told me just a few years ago. She thought the IUD was called copper seven but couldn't remember for sure.
Lindy

bleeding?
 

Hi everyone,

I just got a (copper) iud a couple weeks ago and after having sex for the first time have been getting a LOT of bleeding (more than on my period), as well as really bad cramps, which have now lasted about 5 days and counting. My period isn't due for another week or 2. My doc said that my period has probably just come early because of the iud.

Has this happened to anyone else? Does it eventually calm down?

It does calm down eventually. However, you should expect longer and heavier periods for some time. It is a gradual decrease in severity, but in the beginning, I had cramps like crazy. If there are no contraindications, take some Advil - I find it extremely effective in battling cramps. I also bled a lot more - different blood color and amount, but also, lots of pre-and post-cycle "spotting" - quotes are because it was pretty heavy for spotting for some time.

This last time I had 5 days, minor cramps, and nothing else interesting to report. But of course... it's been 10 months since I got the IUD.

My sister just dealt with getting one removed that had been installed incorrectly. She had intense pain and heavy bleeding for a month, during which time her doctor said she was fine, then after 6 months she was in incredible, unbearable pain. No one seemed to diagnose her properly - she thought the whole time it was probably the IUD. Finally they did an ultrasound which showed the IUD punctured her uteris. 2 weeks later, they finally did the surgery to remove the thing. Horrible ordeal. Though she doesn't need birth control anymore. :(

Hello all.

I joined this forum, primarily so I could reply to this thread. It looks like a neat place though, so perhaps I will stick around.

I have an appointment to get a copper IUD inserted tomorrow. I'm scared to death, but the truth is, the pill scares me more. I am only 29, and am a relatively healthy weight, but high blood pressure, stroke, and blood clots run in the family. I myself have high blood pressure, and although I don't smoke, I am around smokers a good bit. This is enough to convince me that I just don't need to be on the pill anymore. That, and it just seems to make me a basketcase lately.

This leaves me with a few options, none of which I like. The IUD seems to be the least displeasing of them, though. I have a tilted uterus, so I'm a little concerned about perforation; I've read that it is more likely to occur in a woman with a tilted uterus. I just don't know what else to do. None of the hormonal birth control methods are a good option for me, and I really would like more kids one day.

Does anyone have any information about IUDs in individuals that have a tilted (retroverted) uterus?

I don't, personally, but do some research, and discuss it COMPLETELY with your doctor before you do it. For the most part, they're not that bad. It's a day with really bad cramps, frankly (bring your cramp med of choice - advil works really nice for me). My mom expelled hers spontaneously, but no perfs or anything, and that's my only negative anecdote that I have any direct knowledge of.

I don't want to make you more nervous, but please keep in mind - if you were to get perfed, that could interfere with having kids one day. So please do discuss this thoroughly with your doctor, ok?

Thanks JustJess. I had a discussion with my doc a month ago about it, when I decided to do this. I had forgotten to mention to him that I had a tilted uterus, because I didn't realize it might matter.

I decided to go ahead to my appointment anyway, and we discussed my situation. He said it was not a problem, and he just took the position of my uterus into account when he inserted the IUD.

I have an Rx for Motrin 800s, and I took the advice in this thread and took some before going to my appointment.
I have to say, the doc did a masterful job. I've honestly had pap smears that were worse. a couple of seconds of pressure/discomfort, and that was all. Right now I do feel a little crampy, but no worse than normal while I'm on my period.

I guess I am still concerned about infection and other possible problems, but I am hopeful that this will turn out to be a better option for me. This thread has been invaluable to me in helping me make a descision. I'll try and return the favor/contribute by keeping others posted on what kind of experience I have. Thanks again!