IUD- what do you know?
 

welll, i'm going into the process of getting an IUD. my husband and i don't want to have kids (yet) and i'm rather loopy on BC (hormones make me very moody) and we are not liking the penis rancoat option. sooo an IUD is the best option for us (after considering lots of things). anyway, do you have one? have you ever had one? do/did you like it/not like it? i'm very curious about this (tho i have a great OBGYN to answer questions) i wanna hear some REAL stuff about actually having one! please share!

I got one put in a little while ago and I dont mind it one bit. I'm not going to lie, it hurt really really bad to get it put in but I had some left over loratabs so I took those for a few days. Also, don't be surprised if theres some bleeding for the first little while.

Storm, which IUD did you get put in? I'm interested in the Mirena hormone-coated IUD, but all the literature I've read from the company markets it specifically towards women who have had children already. So I would also like to hear stories from women who have had IUDs put in but specifically the Mirena IUD.

Mine is the copper IUD, no hormones at all. I was on depo for three years and it totally screwed me up, so I wanted something with no hormones at all.

Ok, for the record - Make sure they're careful when they cut the string of the IUD. I had my string cut down a couple of days ago, and no sex for me now, as the string is a pointy little bitch that stabs my boyfriend every time we try :(

We're going to have to go back and have then cut it further (it was cut to be flush with my cervix, but . . . it's not)

Otherwise, so far my IUD is going ok. They placed mine to stop my period to prevent pain due to Endometriosis, so we're crossing our fingers . . . .

Didn't hurt much more than anything else has, for me, anyway. Do make sure to take some sort of pain reliever before hand. They gave me a shot in my uterus to numb it up, but I still felt everything they were doing.

has your ob-gyn already agreed to put one in for you? many of them won't if you haven't had a child yet.

K, bumping this thread because ratbastid and I are discussing this. I've been on bc pills for about 15 years now, (god I feel old!) and even though my doctor says there's no problem with me staying on the pill for another 10 years if I feel like it, part of me would really like to get reacquainted with my own rhythms. I've heard that the main side effects of IUDs are 1. spotting, 2. cramping, and 3. increased flow. So I'd like to hear from folks who do have them - what are the side effects like? Do they diminish over time? Since one of the main reasons I'm on the pill is to control horrrrrible cramping, I'm not really interested in doing something that might make it worse. I know side effects are unpredictable and vary wildly from person to person, but I'd still like to hear some personal experiences.

Good Link

I too am looking into non-hormonal IUD's. I want out of the hormone guessing game.

I've had a Mirena IUD for two months now, and I've not noticed any hormonal type side effects. BC pills make me moody, gain weight, have sore breasts, and nauseated frequently. Haven't noticed any of that so far, and with BC pills, the side effects showed up after about a week.

The first month I bled every day (spotting), and last month I spotted a few days before my period and it looks like it's going to be the same this month. From what I've read, this is normal for up to six months. Last month I had some menstrual cramps, but they weren't very bad at all and my regular ones are curl-up-in-a-fetal-position bad. My actual period was only 2-3 days....I could just tell when it started and when the spotting stopped.

As for the actual insertion, I took 800mg of ibuprofen about an hour before the procedure, and the insertion pain felt like a sharp period cramp that lasted about 3 seconds. I was slightly crampy the rest of the day, but it wasn't anything that ibuprofen didn't take care of nicely.

As for sexual positions, I've found that deeper penetration positions can cause some discomfort, so that is something you have to work around.

One other difference...the Mirena is much more expensive than a copper one. At the clinic I went to, the copper one was about $125 and the Mirena was $400.

All in all, I'm very pleased so far with the Mirena. The spotting is annoying, but it usually goes away in 3-6 months. Mine has already lessened, so I'm hoping it will stop pretty soon. Hope this helped, lurkette!!

If you haven't had kids or an abortion, IUDs are sort of difficult and very painful to insert, as they must dialate your cervix. There's often spotting and increases in cramping, but the hormonal based Mirena tends to help with things like that. If you have a history of severe cramps and very heavy period flow, then they don't reccomend that you use an IUD.

The experts recomend that you check its strings after each period, but other than that you don't need to worry about birth control for up to ten years, and they tend to be 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.

While I haven't had one, I know the info. ^_^

I do not believe you have to have your cervix dialiated to have an IUD inserted- the two OBGYN's I consulted with before having mine inserted said that having it inserted while I was on my period meant that my cervix would be dialated enough to insert it.

I LOVE my IUD!!! I cannot stress enough how FABULOUS of a decision it was. I am at such peace with my body now- when I was on hormones I was a total nutjob. The amount of sexual freedom that Martel and I have is enormous- I don't have to worry about getting pregnant at all, I don't have to remember to take a pill/ put my ring in (or take it out before we have sex)/ put a patch on or take it off.

My physical expierences with it ran about like one would expect- the most pain I expierenced was when they sounded my uterus (slid a slim rod inside it to see how deep it was, so they'd know how deep to put the IUD in). That was like a *very* sharp, sudden cramp- I think part of why it hurt was I wasn't totally prepared for it. The insertion took about two seconds and didn't hurt nearly as much as the sounding- like another sudden cramp. I felt pretty crampy for about four hours after that; I went home and streched out on the couch with a heating pad and eventually got to feeling better. I would definitely suggest that you schedule the insertion on a day you don't have to do anything else- no going to work or driving around doing errands, at least for half the day. I felt more crampy than normal for the rest of that period.

After that, the only real discomfort I felt was during the first two months, when Martel and I had sex and he penetrated rather deeply- like doggystyle. I think my uterus was just reacting in a crampy way to anything that was like it being sounded- but that sensation stopped after about a month and a half. The first three periods were heavier than usual- and I think my periods have been a wee bit heavier than they were when I was on the pill, but that's normal. The only complaint from Martel is that every now and then he gets poked by the string when we're having sex- but that is very infrequent.

The only thing I would consider, Lurkette, is your sexual lifestyle- one of the possible side effects of the IUD is getting Pelvic Inflammitory Disease, which could then cause the IUD to lodge in the lining of the uterus (not good). PID is most likely contracted from getting bacteria in the uterus or from getting an STD (even a totally treatable one). This is why it's important to be monomagous or nearly so when you have an IUD. But that's something to research online and ask your OBGYN about!

Best wishes- :)

I've had one for two years now. The actual insertion hurt to the point I almost passed out from pain, I've been told this is not normal, though it could be attributed to a low pain threshold.

No kids here and none planned. Since having one inserted the only difference I have noticed is my periods are much heavier than before though cramps are almost nonextistent - a welcome trade off.

No discomfort for my guy or myself during sex, if anything it has liberated us as we are not concerned with my taking bc or pulling out early.

Aside from the initial pain/shock the only factor that took some getting used to was having the procedure done while having my period.

I highly recommend it. :thumbsup:

Sage - thanks for the info about PID - not something I had really considered. I don't think it'll be an issue since our marriage is really only open to women, but if that ever changes it'll be something to think about.

I had one put in 7 weeks after the birth of my third baby was born, so about 6 or so weeks ago (I forget the exact date...need to find it out!). The sounding was definatly the worst part for me, but I had recently given birth and was on my first period after birth, so I don't know what kind of difference that makes in the dialation of my cervix comparitivley. I was sent home with a Rx for 800mg. Ibprofin, but never felt a need to use them until last week when I had my first period with the IUD installed. I had some pretty heavy cramps for about two days. I'm a baby when it comes to that stuff though, normally I don't really notice any, but this period was a little intense. However my OB has told me it will go away after the first few months, for 10 years of protection, I can live with a few months! I have the Paraguard, which is the copper/non-hormonal type. Its the best thing I've ever done for myself. I wanted to breastfeed, and this type of BC made that possible (until I stopped cuz I just couldn't handle it with two other munchkins running around, one in school!). I am very excited about it. I wasn't ready to get my tubes tied just yet, but hated to think I would be put on the pill and get it all screwed up because I never remember to take a 5 day treatment of antibiotics properly, let alone birth control! Plus it's non hormonal, which I am screwed up enough as it is...don't want to add to my madness ;). From the pamphlet I have read, they are one of the best and most effective forms of BC out there.

I don't know if that helped much, but I love bragging about it. There was an older version that caused a lot of problems and the bad stuff seems to stick out most in peoples minds, but these are not like the ones of the past and I just thought I'd put that all out there!

OK, I just (like 1/2 hour ago) had mine inserted and can I just say

OOOOWWW!

That hurt like a motherfucker!

Apparently I have (according to the doctor) a "tiny little cervix." The sounding hurt, the insertion hurt, and when she opened the arms on the thing it must have scraped something because goddamn! that hurt. I apparently "flinched" (felt more like I sprung about 3" off the table) and nearly fainted, and freaked the doc out, because that wasn't supposed to happen - guess it's not supposed to feel like anything when they open the arms. Anyhow. Now it's like one big long nasty cramp that doesn't end. Hoping the pain meds will kick in soon.

But. Now I'm good for 5 years, and with any luck my periods will stop completely. Woohoo!

Man, this IUD thing is almost tempting, except that almost everyone who has gotten one and posted here said that it hurt like a bitch. Can't they just knock you out??.. I guess it's not a serious enough procedure, but for things like that I wouldn't mind.

Maybe I should coordinate inserting an IUD with having my wisdom teeth out. General anesthesia all around. :lol:

Awesome! I hope to post the same in April! (minus the owing, of course). Congrats!

Wait wait wait - why would your period stop? I thought you were getting the non-hormonal one? And I thought it was for 10 years, not 5?

I was told I couldn't get an IUD because I was too young. What a bunch of bull.

I got the hormonal one - I have intensely painful periods to start with, and the other one (the copper one) can cause heavier bleeding and cramping, which is the last thing I need. The amount of hormone released by the IUD is small compared to the dose in oral contraceptives.

It's a commonly held perception that has only been recently approved by the FDA. Lots of old-style gynos are going to say that. Find one a little younger and/or more aware of the changes. I'm compromising with mine - if I don't have major cramps/heavy flow off of the pill over the next few months, she'll put in the copper IUD for me.

JustJess, are you replying to me? If so, I spoke to a woman in her 30-40's, not too old. However, I am going to be seeing another gyno soon. Right now, I'm not on any form of birth control (hate condoms, was on depo and it screwed me up), but I'd like to have more confidence in sex than the "pull out and pray" method.

Yes, the Dalkon Shield--and it caused some very serious problems: ectopic pregnancies, septic abortions, PID, tubal scarring, etc. The general consensus as to why is that these devices were not properly sterilized before insertion, and that led to infection. 12 women died. The actual rate of death is low when considering 2.8 million women had used the Shield in its heyday, but it scared women enough that now the IUD is the least popular method of contraceptive among American women, though it is making a comeback.

Interestingly enough, the rate of pelvic infection among IUD users is lower than the rate of infection among women using no contraceptive (taken from Yahoo! Women's Health).

I fucking LOVE my IUD. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. LPM, keep going to gynos until you find one that will work with you- it's not fair that men can go to their doctors complaining about "performance issues" and get Viagra like it's candy, but women can't find birth control options that work for them if they don't respond favorably to hormones.

On another note, I'm very proud and happy that the thread that the thread that I started earlier this year has inspired some of you to take charge. :)

LPM - yes ma'am, I was replying to you, but I took too long!

Yes, I meant you'll want a gyno with a little more awareness. Lots of them were taught that women with no kids means no IUD. So go kick some ass! Unless they can give you reasons specific to YOU (i.e. you have bad cramps now, or very heavy periods now that the non-hormonal IUD would worsen), don't let them discourage you.

Sage - thanks for the encouragement! I'm a little worried about the string poking Quad's pieces, because he oftens hits my cervix, and I don't want him to get hurt! Do you think that will be a concern?

Just Jess- it's happened maybe three times in the past ten months, so no, I don't think it will be a concern. If it does bother him, you can always go back to your doctor and have the string trimmed down :)

Awesome. You're the best!

If I may plug another good reason to have the non-hormonal IUD (at least for moi) - I've been off hormonal BC for the first time in about 8 or 9 years, and suddenly, ta-DAAAAA!!!!!!!! I have a libido. It's the most wonderful thing. I missed me. (Quadro missed me too!)

I am never going back to the ring or the pill or any of that shite. Though I am happy for those it helps, of course. ;)

JJ - libido was one of the big reasons I wanted to go off the pill, too. I've only had the IUD for about a week, and during that week I've been having my period and cramping so I haven't felt much like fucking, but I'll keep you posted on the libido front. Partly I was horny but afraid to have an orgasm because the nurse said when you have one, the IUD tucks up into the uterus so you can't really feel the string, and I was kind of afraid it would hurt. However, ratbastid helped me prove that fear wrong empirically :)

HOLY CRAP LURKETTE, ARE YOU SERIOUS???? OMG you have *no* idea how many times i've felt the string after sex and been like "WHY IS IT SHORTER???!!!???" You just took a MAJOR load off my mind!!!


:) :) :) :) :icare:

The string comes back down later, right? Right??

oh, JustJess- sometimes the IUD will "settle" into place in the uterus- resulting in a string that's a little bit shorter than it was when it was first put in. My Dr. said that a sign of a major deal is not being able to feel the string at all, or the string being very significantly shorter.

Lately, I've been having issues with spotting- I've been spotting 1/8-1/4 oz every day. It's REALLY annoying (not annoying enough to have the IUD taken out). Anyone else have issues with this? Anyone know what I could do to help with spotting?

Weird. I *thought* I replied...

Sage, how near to your cycle are you? Some women spot close to the due date. Did you have heavy cycles at all before the IUD? After? What about current stress levels?

Just some things to consider... I hope it stops soon, I *hate* bleedthrough - it's why I stopped using Depo Provera - I started having bleedthrough constantly.

I'm about... half a week... week out from my period. I went through a month a little while back where I spotted for a whole month. I have recently changed my diet and are taking supplements too. It's just *annoying*! No oral sex for me in AGES.........

4 days... not so bad. When I said I had it constantly on Depo, I mean I had it for 3 months straight. Ew.
So hopefully it'll continue on this trend and you won't have any next month. I have to agree that no oral is a travesty! :p

So I tried to get an IUD today, but my new gyno will not consent!

I think it's more than just going around to every gyno you can and trying to get them to do what you want. For me, the Nurse practitioner at college (who had seen how badly i reacted to BC and who did all my pelvic exams) was the one to mention an IUD in the first place. I talked to her about it quite a bit. I then went to the women's clinic at the local health department (the doctor I went to go see once worked with the nurse practitioner at my college). At first, she was adimantly against it, thinking I was just some young girl wanting to screw around. However, when I explained my situation, and she called the nurse practitioner (who knew my history) and they chatted a bit, she understood *why* I wanted an IUD.

The idea of giving a woman who has not had a baby an IUD is a relatively new one in the realm of OBGYN's as far as I can tell. Since there were so many problems with IUD's when they first came out in the 70s, a lot of doctors are very hesatant to take *any* chances with a woman who hasn't had a kid- if the IUD makes them unable to have kids for some reason they could possibly be sued.

Be mature about it- do research, talk to a lot of people, and try to get your gyno to understand why you want an IUD. I *do* think, LMP, that the biggest factor going against you is the fact you aren't married. Since having an IUD makes you more succeptable to getting PID, gynos want to see consistent, long-term, committed monogamy. Talk to your doctor, do it maturely, and see what your options really are.

Yes, do listen to Sage... she's sage, after all. That is precisely the sort of thing I heard from my gyno when I first discussed it. My gyno's concerns are about my not having had kids, my cramps and heavy flow (not really an issue) - so I'm going on a regular non-hormoned cycle and tracking all the details to prove that it's a good idea for me. Be consistent, be clear, and be honest. They have to feel you're a good candidate - it's not a procedure they should do lightly.

Yeah, the marriage thing is the biggest thing, as the first thing my gyno asked was if I wanted to be tested for STDs. Of course, I know I don't have any, so I said no. Anyway, I'm going to try nuvaring for now; hopefully that will be enough for now.

I have a friend on.... oh what is that stupid kind of BC called... the kind that's advertised as being totally different from every other kind of hormonal BC... I want to say Yasmin but i'm not sure. Anyway, she can't tolerate any other kind of BC other than that, so that's something to look into as well.

---UPDATE---
 

Just to let you know, the bleeding has *finally* stopped!!!!

Yes, ladies, it does happen!!

:D

LPM - I am now in your boat. Because I may or may not have had a pelvic infection 3 years ago - based on finding ureaplasma cells, which, by the way, you will have if you've even SEEN a member of the opposite sex naked, and then the colposcopy based on that, jesushrooseveltchristthathurt, which found a little tiny bit of lymphoid aggregates that weren't enough for diagnostic purposes but were mentioned - based on this, this makes her think I might become infertile and I haven't had kids yet, so she doesn't want to give me an IUD. She wants me on diaphragms instead, which I am so not thrilled about (don't like yet more spermicide, icky, and I'm MARRIED I WANT TO HAVE FREE AND EASY SEX GODDAMMIT)............. plus that whole meh effectiveness rate...

I am so frustrated. She told me I could quite easily find someone who would, but I really wanted to convince HER - she already knows me, my history, etc. Now I have to find someone else I can trust who agrees with me, but now I'm nervous that maybe I'm wrong. :|
Guys?

I've been lurking! This thread is interesting.

JJ - I say take your case to another doctor and see what they have to say about your past testing and problems. It's your right as a patient to have a second opinion!

LPM- I've been on Nuva Ring for 6 months now and I LOVE it. Can't feel it and I've had almost NO cramping and NO moodswings. I used to be one of those EVIL PMS women.

JJ- get a second opnion! I don't know how it is where you live, but here in Asheville you can't spit without hitting a doctor. I had to go to a totally new doctor to actually have my IUD inserted, but that doctor was recommended by your regular doctor.

NEVER take *no* as a difinitive answer from a doctor unless what you're asking for is beyond the realm of reason ("I'd like an IUD and oh... I moonlight as a hooker")!!!

Well, I got a recommendation from a friend, and I have an appointment Mar.22 to see him. Problem is, he's so busy that it might be a long while after that to actually GET the IUD if he agrees. This gyno did my friend's tubal ligation (or whatever it is that they do now), so he can't be all bad, plus she doesn't deal with incompetence ever.

Thanks, guys!!
Wish me luck!!

Let us know how it goes, LPM. I have been on the Ring for 8 months now and really love it, compared to the damn Patch I was on for 12 months before that. The Ring is so low-maintenance and I haven't noticed any side-effects... the only thing that happened was when I left it in for an extended time (which you can do, if your body lets you) and my body freaked out. Otherwise, it works like a charm. :) That and the condoms we use for double protection!! :thumbsup:

I have yet to fill my prescription for the Nuva Rings. I am just too nervous/lazy.

Lazy I can understand, but can you tell us what you are nervous about, exactly? :)

Personally, I feel quite relieved being on the Ring, compared to how freaked out I would be every time if I had sex without it. Honestly LPM, from the moment I started the Ring, I never noticed any changes in my body. It was a different story on the OrthoEvra patch... :rolleyes:

The only difference I noticed was some breast sensitivity in the first week, right after I put in a new one. Other than that, nothing. Love 'em, but given my current relationship status, I think I'm going to talk to the doctor at my annual about getting an IUD.

I'm so glad I inspired you guys! I hope your IUD expierences are good, and you enjoy having your sexual freedom as much as I do!

on a lighter note:
Q: what do you call someone who uses the withdrawl method of birth control?

A: A parent!

I'm nervous because of how fucked up I got on Depo.

And Ms Sassy (AKA Sage), I know it's dangerous, but I would not hesitate to get an abortion, nor have I gotten pregnant after 9 months without birth control.

I was just making a joke.... not directed at you or anyone else, and not making light of anyone's prior or current difficult situations with hormonal birth control.

I think if you've got the oppurtunity to try out another kind of birth control, go for it! If it makes you loopy, you can always stop. It might even be a good option for you- you just won't know until you try!

UPDATE: This Friday, the 21st, I'm getting my very own IUD. I'm psyched. I know that it may not work (may not be able to get it in since I've never had kids), but I'm optimistic that it will happen, and my migraines will continue to be low, my libido will continue to be high, and my UTI's will be over with! :D

I really liked my 2nd opinion doctor, and am getting rid of the original friggin' gyno altogether. Plus, this guy does obstetrics too, so if/when I want to go that route, I'm all set!
Whee! Wish me luck!!

I've had mine for 3-4 months and aside from the initial discomfort I've been totally happy. I spotted for about a month or so, then had a real period, and now just had another VERY light period.

I'd advise doping up on ibuprofen in advance of the insertion, and plan to take it easy for a day or so afterward. I had horrible cramps afterward for about 24 hours, but my friend Sara had practically nothing. I hope you get an easy time of it. If you're still feeling icky when I get there I'll take good care of you :)

Thanks for the warning!
As it happens... I'm on about 2400mg of ibuprofen a day anyway. Hot diggity! I'll try to will myself to go Sara's route, since cramps just completely undo me. I, um, never have cramps. (*don't kill me, please*) So any cramping feels like a lot. Gee, if I'm feeling better, does that mean you won't take care of me? Because that sounds awfully appealing right now... :p

Whoohoo, Jess! I've had mine for about six months, and now that the spotting is over, I love it. (My information packet said it could last six months, but it really lasted for about 3) I have to agree with lurkette...the ibuprofen is helpful. I was lucky I guess, I was kind of crampy for the rest of the day, but nothing that really interfered with normal activities. The next day I was good as new. I'm so glad I got an IUD!

Ladies, I'm so happy that more and more of y'all are getting IUDs! I know they got a bad rap when they first came out, but now they're effective AND safe!

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my IUD! I would sing its praises from the rooftops if I could! Oh, and JustJess, I'm sooo friggin glad you got a second opnion! I am really sick of doctors being scared to put in IUDs in women who haven't had kids- I reviewed the risks and decided if it meant never having to take hormones again, I'd face any odds! :thumbsup:

Just fake it :) I'll pet your hair and give you tummy rubs and bring you good chocolate (or comfort food of your choice) just because you're cute ;)

I did not get an IUD. I seriously considered it and my Dr told me she'd go ahead and let me get one if I wanted. She asked me to go off my pills for a few months to see how my cramping was. She told me that if I had a lot of cramping without the pill then it would be likely that my periods with an IUD would be much more crampy. She could then give me an IUD with hormones in it because those type tend to control the cramping more.

Well I opted not to go with the IUD because I get BV too frequently. Bacterial Vaginosis is not a big hassle normally but if you get it while you have an IUD inserted it can more easily infect the uterus and reproductive organs and cause so many more problems. Also with my lifestyle it's more risky to have an IUD because any infections you might be exposed to can travel deeper into the reproductive system and cause a myriad of problems.

As for the pain on insertion - I wonder if they wouldn't give you a little prescription for it. I had more than one colposcopy (aint it the bitch? justjess) as well and it was terribly painful. In a colposcopy they do insert an instrument inside the cervix at least partway and that was quite painful. For the second colposcopy I told them that the Ibuprophen was not nearly enough pain relief (I had cramping for 2 days after the first) and that I wanted something more. My Dr gave me a prescription for 4 or 6 codine and told me to take 2 before my appointment. That helped a lot. Perhaps, if you are considering getting an IUD you could ask for a little extra pain control. The Dr's are usually more than willing to accomodate in that kind of situation.

I love hearing from you guys - it reassures me that there really are lots of intelligent women taking control. My sister doesn't seem to think it's a good idea, and I just don't get it. I've done the research, I'm not an idiot, I just want to be safe and healthy!

Sage - yes, I was damned happy about the 2nd opinion. His reaction on the whole ureaplasma thing was: "Why did she even test for that? They never do unless there's some unexplained event/illness..." Yep. And don't get me started about how she was SOOOOO worried about that and yet NEVER RE-TESTED FOR IT AGAIN AFTER THE COLPOSCOPY. Arggh.

Lurkette - Faking it is now in, how exciting! :lol: French fries. My comfort food is french fries. Or Fluff. Take your pick. :)

Raeanna - I completely understand. If that were an issue, I'd reconsider too. And yeah... I seriously considered just curling into a ball and dying after that colposcopy.

Medusa - I am seriously hoping that I don't spot for 6 months... but I have a feeling that I will. I spot pretty easily. Hell, that's a good portion of my "cycle"!

Updates after Friday to follow... whee!

good luck jj, i've read this entire thread, it is very interesting, i don't use any bc, just condoms, but if i decide to, everyone is very informative, good luck!

Are there any other side effects besides spotting? Wikipedia mentions heavier periods, but have any of you actually noticed this? It's also contradicted on the Mirena website which says that it can be lightened or stopped.

Good luck today, Jess! I'll be thinkin' of you.

Lindalove, there are two kinds of IUDs in general use today - the Mirena and a copper-7. The copper-7 doesn't contain any hormones and that's the one generally associated with heavier periods. The Mirena does release small amounts of hormones, and most of the people I know who have it (myself included) experience lighter or no periods.

Please wish me a bloody day, would ya?

I've been spotting since Monday, but still no sign of a "real" period. I don't think I'm going to be successful today. If he can even try, I doubt he'll get it in. This cycle has been weird - no real emotional bit, no achy boobs, no major horniness - none of my usual signs. :confused: I'm going anyway, but I doubt there'll be the result I want.

I have been on copious amounts of ibuprofen for my knee - 2400 mg a day. Do you think that might be affecting things??

JJ- I've never heard of a doctor saying "They won't be able to insert it". I mean, WTF- you can get a baby through there but can't get something smaller around than a pencil in there? I think most doctors are woefully ignorant about IUDs because they don't deal with them much at all- they're more used to dealing with hormal birth control.

JJ- everything will be fine, you'll see! :thumbsup:

Okay... well, you were right, Sage - they inserted it just fine! He said it was probably all the ibuprofen that was making my cycle so non-existant, and checked for pregnancy just in case (negative, obviously). So I got it, it's mine!

Goddamn, that hurt. If you've ever had a colposcopy, by the by, that does actually hurt more. But it's very comparable to that. Yowza. And yep, I'm pretty crampy just now. :( But that's okay. Really!

The only odd thing for me, is when he did some ultrasound to make sure that my IUD was inserted correctly, he found that I have a big cyst on my right ovary. 3cm by 5cm. That thing is almost as big as my ovary itself! He thinks it's "hemagophyte" or something... meaning that when the lil' egg came out at ovulation, it left a gap this time and so it filled with blood - kinda like a blister type of thing. It is often reabsorbed, but not always, so I have to do another more in-depth (literally, I'm sure) sonogram next week. Worst possible case = surgery to remove it. But I'm betting it will be gone by the time I have the sonogram (which he said is entirely possible).

All in all, not a bad day - much better than expected. I'm off to vacuum now... :)

I did Depo twice, and have the weight to prove it. I too didn't have all sorts of confidence in the pull and pray, but that's what I did until the BC pill... I'm on Yasmin (had never heard of it until my GYN put me on it), and have been on it for about five years now. My period lasts about a day, and two Aleve in the morning takes care of my cramps. I take other pills, so I just put this in my pill case, and take everything in the morning. Otherwise, I would never remember.

Just be careful and on top of things... my mom had a cyst the size of an eight-month pregnancy when her ovarian cancer (and all female parts) was removed last year.

I have an IUD. I had tried many hormonal methods (my favorite one was Depo-Provera), but they threw my emotions and sex drive out of whack, so I wanted something non-hormonal. I went with the Copper-T IUD.

I had the 1st one for 5 years, and my 2nd one now for less than 1 year so far. When the 1st one was put in, the pain was like a long menstrual cramp, the worst you can imagine. When I stood up after, I actually passed out. For the 2nd one, I received a local anaesthetic by a needle in my cervix. It numbed me. There was still some pain, but not too bad at all.

I had some spotting for a little while. My menstrual cramps and bleeding were worse for a few months afterwards, but not unbearable, and then subsided back to normal levels.

With the 1st one, sometimes my partner can feel the string poke him uncomfortably, but only at certain angles in certain positions. But it wasn't often and we were always able to work around it, never found it very problematic. With the 2nd one, I haven't had this complaint yet. The string was probably cut shorter or something.

You should check for the string regularly to make sure it's still there. You have to make sure to not miss your regular gyn check-ups, because there is risk of losing fertility or of ectopic pregnancies if the IUD moves or embeds into the uterus lining or anything like that. Also, if you get any kinds of ordinary infections or STDs, the IUD can dangerously exacerbate it. I'm just saying be responsible about it, not intending to discourage anyone, because I've never had any problems so far and I love the freedom of not having to worry about pregnancy for 5 years at a time.

only five years? My doctor said mine was good for ten years and medical litature is starting to suggest they might be effective for up to 12 years!

Why only five years, Fia?

Not sure. I was told 5 years by both gyns. I'll ask next time I go in, but that's not scheduled anytime soon.

Maybe it's something specific to you, Fia? My gyno said I can leave it up to 10 years too. I do tend to minor infections like yeast and UTI's, but he said that I would be okay on the IUD anyway. I think it depends on what kind of infections you're getting.

Good news - booty last night did NOT hurt, so I think the cyst has reabsorbed by itself. I'll know for sure with my sonogram appointment on Thursday, but he said that the previous (really!) uncomfortable booty would probably be directly related to the cyst's appearance and the size of it. Yay for reabsorption! :)

OK, I've had my IUD (Mirena) for about 4 months and I am noticing that my orgasms have changed. I've always had the most intense, build-and-release, leg-shuddering, almost pass out clitoral orgasms, and now...not. I can still have orgasms, even pretty nice ones, but they're just not the same. I get the build, but instead of falling over a cliff, I just kind of tumble down a hill. They're not as intense and not as satisfying. I don't know if this is a common side effect with IUDs (seems reasonable, since there's this thing in my uterus, which might make all the muscles contract differently) but I didn't hear about it ahead of time, and if it doesn't go away I might rip the damn thing out with my bare hands. Anybody have any experience with this, or is it maybe due to something else? I'm also on Paxil, which does have known side effects relating to orgasm, but I've been on it for 2 years at the same dosage and nothing has changed recently.

I have never heard of IUDs affecting orgasm... besides, a clit orgasm is more about the nerves in the clit and around that area than the actual uterus....

Sounds like it's time to go to your doctor and get your paxil adjusted- you have probably devloped a resistance to it and so it's not working like it should. You could just go off paxil completely and celebrate a drug free system :D But that's just the "I hate psychoactive medications" in me talking :D

*warning - threadjack*

Believe me, I'd love to go off the Paxil. I'm down to the lowest therapeutic dose, and I've tried stepping down but I really do still "need" it to treat the depression. Before I was actually diagnosed with depression, I was right there with you, hon. I thought antidepressants were a crutch for people without the mental and emotional strength to deal with the root of their problems.

But even with several years of intensive cognitive-behavior therapy and ruthless self-examination, I find that I slide right back into depression without the meds. I've stopped feeling "weak" and guilty about being on meds. Would you sneer at a diabetic for taking insulin? It took my neurochemistry 30 years to get into the state it's in, and I'm not at all surprised if it takes more than 2 for me to re-train my system away from a depressive neurochemical and cognitive state. Just like some (SOME) diabetics can eventually change their diet and exercise habits to reduce or eliminate the need for insulin, most people with depression who need meds to control it can eventually go without meds. However, it is a process that takes time. There are things I could be doing that I'm not - like walking 20 minutes every day - to speed up the process, and if the Paxil is behind the orgasm problems, I'll jump right on the exercise bandwagon to hurry up the weaning phase. But (to be a little snippy, apologies in advance) I'm not going to stop using something that's working to keep me from being miserable and self-loathing just because some people disapprove.

/threadjack

Threadjackers unite!

Ahem, sorry.
Personally, I would tie the orgasm changes to one (or both) of two things: Mirena IUD's have hormones. It is proven that hormones affect libido. Whether or not progesterone does, I don't know. But your doctor should.
Paxil affects libido too. It could be that the combination of the two is screwing with your system.

Since you want to keep the IUD and you don't necessarily want to keep the Paxil long-term, I would be doing whatever is necessary to wean myself off the Paxil. And hey, go ahead and be snippy - at least you're mad at someone other than yourself. (That being said, don't get mad at me; you're scrappy!)

PS - I don't think Sage was necessarily disapproving of your taking them; just noting that her opinion may be biased. :*:*:*:*

I have a Mirena too, and I haven't noticed any differences as far as climax is concerned. I think that the combo of the hormones in the IUD and the paxil could very well be the culprit. I don't know if having been on it for 2 years would matter; our bodies do funny things sometimes. I ate peaches the first 18 years of my life, and all the sudden my body decided it didn't like peaches anymore and I developed an allergy. Your body could be deciding it doesn't like the paxil/progesterone combo. I'd definitely speak to your doctor though.

One more thing...I was on an antidepressant for a year, and the sexual side effects were the last ones to manifest. I don't think I noticed them until about 3-4 months....different than two years, but again...our bodies are strange things sometimes :)

well, my doctor scared me..I went asking about the IUD's and she said that while they put it inside, it can perforate the uterus and disable you from childbearing forever!
She said it is best for people that already have a few children and wouldn't mind if that happened!
She really freaked me out so I decided not to have it.
Anyone else been warned of this before or was my clinic a wacky place with unprofessional nurses?

nope, that's a warning that they do give. the incidence is pretty low, but they really really don't like giving them to women without kids. there's a lot of fear of malpractice lawsuits feeding that stuff. if I were you, I'd find someone a little more practical.

Outside of the United States, the IUD is an exceptionally popular form of birth control, and countries where the IUD is no. 1 (even among women without children) show a low incidence of risk associated with the IUD. It's one of the safest, most effective, cost effective forms of birth control. Why are doctors in the US so paranoid? We have a malpractice-oriented, sue-happy society. They HAVE to warn you about all possible side effects, no matter how far-fetched.

I'm going to be looking into getting an IUD shortly.

I had an IUD inserted this thursday. I was kind of anxious about the insertion as I have heard from many women that it hurts really bad. But since birth control pills and minipills give me migraine and I dislike the idea of using condoms for the rest of my life I really had no other choice but to give an IUD a go.
Luckily it wasn't all that bad. Just two seconds of intense pain really, and then a menstruation cramp-like pain the rest of the day - the weekend too. But, for some reason, that little shit gave me a migraine so I spent the weekend dealing with both the cramp-like pain and a shitty migraine - oh yeah; and to top it off I had a kidney stone passing too. So yeah, I'm kinda grumpy and not too fucking happy about my IUD.

The migraine is rather light at the moment though and has been since yesterday, so I'm hoping that it'll vanish along with those cramps..

What the...?! 10 years? Apparently there are only IUDs with a max. durability of 8 years here in Denmark. Do you know which company made yours, sage?

(sticks the periscope in her uterus to check)

Nope! Don't Know! :lol:

I think the timespan of the IUD is something of a mystery- I mean, they still aren't entirely sure about how it works! I think that some doctors like to err on the side of caution- it being an implant and all- and some doctors are more comfortable with saying ten or twelve years.

hundlove- listen to onesnowy. There is a VERY slim chance of perforation, usually in a case where the doctor isn't very familiar with IUD insertion. When I say VERY slim, I mean the doctor that inserted mine had done at least a thousand procedures, and was in a circle of OBGYN's who all were well-versed in IUD insertion, and had only heard of ONE incident of perforation. Don't let some doctor scare you. You can die from a blood clot when you take birth control, and yet you don't give it a second thought. Take control of your sexuality, go to a VERY educated doctor, and give an IUD a second thought. It's THE BEST decision I've ever made (second only to deciding to kiss Martel that one time :lol: ). I haven't regretted it FOR AN INSTANT.

Onesnowy- good for you for thinking about getting an IUD! I am SO HAPPY that I inspired something of a trend here on TFP. Keep us updated!

Nancy- I'm *so sorry* you were in such pain this weekend! I know the craming from an IUD is bad, but with a kidney stone AND a migrane! :icare: I hope you're feeling better!


Ladies, I am so happy for all of you who are hearing what I went through and are deciding to *do* something about your birth control. After I had so many problems with my hormonal BC and got an IUD, I was so fired up about what the hormones did to me I wanted to do a book and get the word out that women didn't have to put up with the lousy side effects of hormones! You all have helped me, in your own little ways, feel good about my decision and feel good about sharing my expierence with all of y'all! HUGS!

Well I'll be damned. The spotting has stopped only 5 days after the insertion. Maybe this IUD thing isn't such a bad thing after all!
I'm still having a migraine though but I'm hoping it'll vanish once my body has gotten used to the device.

Say, JustJess.. you're a migraine sufferer like myself. Did you get any migraine attacks shortly after the insertion like me? Are the attacks generally on the low?


I see. Well if they aren't too sure about the lifespan then I better get mine removed after 5 years even though some thinks that it'll last longer than that :crazy:

Thanks for the concern, sage - but I'll be allright. Eventually ;)

Nancy - Mine's a "Paraguard", that's the brand. And no, I didn't have any headache issues - I was too crampy to worry about my head! In fact, since I've gone off birth control in December, I've only had 3 migraines. That's it. Give your body some time to readjust!

Just had my first cycle... wow. I have never bled so much. 3 days, it poured! (This from the person who generally bleeds *maybe* one day) ... and cramps - I'm sure they'd be mild for most, I'm just not used to them. 2 days of cramps. But that's about it. The 4th day, I'm suddenly down to spotting and the 3rd day, not a sign of a cramp. I can take that.

Oh yeah, the bleeding! They're really serious when they say you'll have "heavier than normal" periods for the first three months! BUT, after about six months, your body gets used to having the IUD, and there's no more spotting or really heavy periods (least for me).

If/when I get an IUD it will be a Mirena. I've already discussed it with my health practitioner; they said when I wanted to get an IUD that would be the one to get because I do have such horrible periods that I need the hormones, and I certainly wouldn't want to go back to how it was before I was on hormonal birth control.

*crosses her fingers for a uterus like Sage's*

Oh, I hope so!! But still... 3 days ain't so bad. :)

Mirena has great reports - that's the one that Lurkette has!

heh... three days... when I first got mine my periods lasted a week! Now mine last around three or four days and are regular as clockwork- for the first time in my life! :D

Lucky bastard! :crazy:
I have no idea why the IUD is giving me a migraine. Usually it's only connected to my menstruation; as soon as the content of oestrogen increases the attacks start. And since I'm most likely gonna bleed more from now on I think I can expect more severe migraine attacks. I hope that'll change after 3-6 months though *crosses her fingers*

I'm prepared; I just bought three packs of Always ultra long plus san pads :D

Nancy - are you sure they gave you the copper IUD, the NON-hormonal one? Right now, it seems to be a lot more common for people to get the progesterone one. Maybe it's a good idea to double check with the doctor's office? Just to reassure yourself...

I'll have to do a little more research for further detail, but as an overview: when you are shedding your lining, your levels of estrogen and progesterone are very low. That's what prompts the shedding. Generally, hormone-linked migraines are due to the changes in levels (usually a negative change, but can be linked to increases as well of course). So it could be that because the IUD is prompting massive shedding, it's creating it's own feedback loop to have your estrogen/progesterone levels drop severely, causing your migraine.

Like I said, that part is just a theory. Let me get more info from people who know more than I do. BUT if my theory is correct, you may actually want the Mirena! Because the progesterone content would keep your levels pretty neutral and thus reduce migraine attacks.

Quick question: how long were you off B/C before going on the IUD? (Wondering because I wonder if your headaches had a chance to regulate themselves and go back to normal without hormones in the system.)

I guess I am a little confused by the hormonal IUD... isn't the point of getting an IUD to get *off* hormonal BC? Maybe I just don't know enough about the different hormones involved... can someone enlighten me? :)

Yep. Voila, Bio class for pre-med types is actually useful!
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...emaleCycle.jpg

The two major hormones are Estrogen and Progesterone. FSH is Follicle Stimulating Hormone (stimulates one of the follicles in our ovary to mature to ovulation and start putting out its own estrogen and progesterone) and LH is Leutenizing Hormone, which causes the follicle to actually ovulate and go into the oviduct (beginning of the fallopian tubes) when it surges up.

The major BC pills/patches/rings/etc do one of two things: put out higher levels of both estrogen AND progesterone because that inhibits our hypothalamus from putting out hormones that cause us to eventually ovulate; OR they (like the Mirena) put out no estrogen and high levels of progesterone, which inhibits the anterior pituitary from putting out FSH and LH - thus no ovulation either.

Please note that during pregnancy, your body is producing mid-levels of both estrogen and progesterone (first from the corpeus luteum, which is what forms of the leftover follicle spot the egg came out of in the ovary, and then from the fetus itself) because mid-levels will also keep your lining thick and lustrous to better support a baby... and remember that this also keeps any other follicle from maturing to ovulation, since you only want one at a time.

So when you take pills that also put out mid-levels of estrogen/progesterone, they are imitating the state of pregnancy, keeping you from ovulating at all. So it's not really bad for you - studies have shown that women who have had children/been on BC have lower incidence of ovarian/uterine cancers than those who have not. And when you have your off week, the levels drop suddenly and that naturally causes you to shed your lining.

I hope that wasn't too much...
I can also tell you how the IUD actually works if you don't already know...

In addition to the primary effects of hormonal birth control, some of us get to experience positive side effects, and this is why I am going to go with the Mirena. The progesterone of the Mirena generally decreases the amount of lining in the uterus so that periods are lighter. Because of the lighter period, some of us (me) are less likely to have menstrual cramps, or so I've been told. The Paraguard Copper-T, on the other hand, is more likely to give users heavy periods and more cramping. Given that my periods are heavy enough on BC, I don't want to go back to what it was like without the hormonal regulation. I could always afford to take time off of school, but now that I'm in the working world, missing 2-3 days a month because of cramps just won't work, and I can't afford the pain pills they used to put me on. So the Mirena definitely looks like the best option for me.

Thanks, Jess... not too much at all, and I can always learn more.

I guess on TFP I have mostly heard of women wanting to get off those evil artificial hormones (Sage talks often about that), and that's why the IUD is preferable to pill/ring etc, at least for one's health. So when people talk about getting the hormonal IUD, I get confused... isn't it just another hormonal BC? And doesn't it suck like a bitch to have it put in? I guess I wouldn't want to go through that unless I had a ton of good reasons!

I mean, for Owl, I understand completely wanting to stay on hormonal BC for the benefits of regulating periods. But if you are going to have the same benefits on the hormonal IUD, then I guess I'd wonder why there's a need to switch? Other than for reasons of convenience, maybe? Help me out. :)

Personally, I love my ring and only think about it once a month, when I take it out/put it in. Since I am not terribly worried about artificial hormones in my body, and I like my period being lighter and less crampy on hormones, then I am fine sticking with it. It's pretty darn convenient for me... I mean, talk about low maintenance. I am not sure what would motivate me to get an IUD, especially one with hormones?

I mean, I think it's great for those of you who have gotten one... I am just not convinced that I want/need one, in particular.

Thanks for your help, ladies. :)

Hormones can be evil. For instance, on hormonal BC (and I tried 'em all), I had migraines so regularly they were interfering with my quality of life. I had to take 15 doses of Maxalt Sept. 05 - Dec. 05. Plus all the other stuff I took when that didn't work, or in trying to not have to take it. I would go home ill from them, because the pain was so bad it was making me nauseous. And though I didn't know it at the time, my libido was non-existant. All of this changed immediately when I went off of the hormones in December. Drastically changed!

Now, I want and enjoy the booty again. I have taken 3 Maxalt doses since Dec. 05, and I rarely have to take even OTC stuff for normal headaches. Everything is better (except pimples, but that'll take a lot longer to settle down). And I hate condoms - I'm very sensitive to them and tend to get UTI's all the time from them. SO! I needed another solution. The non-hormonal IUD was that solution.

In snowy's situation, it's a little different. She needs the progesterone-only for quality of life reasons. It's especially good at lightening cycles, as is necessary for her. And let's face it; most of the delivery methods of progesterone only BC aren't as reliable. I believe the one major version is called the "mini-pill" as all the others have estrogen. Most studies cited state that IUD's are about 3-5% more effective than taking birth control pills.

Hormones aren't evil... but they ain't perfect either. ;)

If the Ring works for you, use it! Enjoy it! Rock on! It certainly requires little enough thought or preparation. It just wasn't right for me... or lots of other people. That's why we're so excited about the IUD. :thumbsup:

Basically, I just want a form of birth control I'm not going to have to worry about, or pay for, for 5 years. That's really appealing. Right now I'm poor enough to qualify for free BC, so I want to take advantage of it by getting something that will last me a long time. I also want to have something I don't have to think about :) though the ring is a great thing and I've loved it the year I've been on it.

Fair 'nuff!! Sounds reasonable to me. Thank you for clarifying, both of you... I was just a tad bit confused.

I definitely know who to ask if I decide to switch! :D

That would be great - much appreciated, JustJess! :icare:

I'm positive that my gyno inserted the copper IUD. She knows about my particular situation from my doctor, we even discussed it before the insertion during which she showed me the copper IUD I was about to have inserted.

I've been off the birth-control pills for two months now. The change already manifested itself a month later, during my second menstruation off the pill. The cycle was still the same: The migraine started on a monday (my menstruation always starts 4 days after that) and continued for a week, getting increasingly severe each day. But after getting off the pill, the attacks have been extremely light which is a big deal for me. Normally I'd take 3-7 maxalt doses during that week but up until now I haven't felt the need to take any! So I really, really hope that it will either continue this way or change for the better.

Getting the Mirena really is my last resource if the copper IUD isn't working out for me. But I won't know for sure until I've given my body a chance to readjust during the next 3-6 months.

Does has anyone had issues with iuds in regards to sexual activities?

I'm young but because of the cost and ease factor I am considering and iud. I would need the mirenda because of cramping that I get naturally but I want to know if any of you have experienced problems during sex. My partner and I use alot of different positions and techniques and the last thing that I want is to be limited in that respect.

If you (re)read the entries you'll find that a lot of the ladies have already covered that issue :)