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another IUD post
I dont post on here often but I need some advice/feedback. My history is I have never have had a child, been on depo and the pills. I got taken off the pills due to causing high blood pressure.
I recently bought and went to my gyno hoping to get the IUD implant. Long story short my gyno was suggesting that I am not a great canidate for the IUD. main reasons were that I dont have a child, my body rejecting it, and infection. She pretty much told me she would not insert it. It seems like I'm between choosing between the IUD and the depo shot, but am afraid of side effects. Thoughts/advice?
thanks
Re: another IUD post
It seems like most gynos refuse to insert IUD's in childless women purely to cover their own ass. There are some risks, as with any kind of birth control.
If she has said she won't give you one and you've done the research enough to make an informed choice, find someone who will. I had one inserted at 32, with no kids, through my county's public clinic. You can also check into Planned Parenthood.
Kristi and Kerry June 21,2008
There are many doctors who won't do it unless you've had a child. But you can find someone, usually.
Have you considered the Implanon?
Definitely call around. More & more doctors are open to inserting it in women without children. I had trouble finding a doc to do it 5 years ago, but had no trouble at all when I had it done in January.
I love my IUD!
I second this motion. I also got paragard 2 years ago, at 20. I have never been pregnant. I understand your gyno's concern with putting an IUD in when your uterus hasn't had anything in it before; fears of rejecting the IUD are fair. I had mine fall out once, and had to have another put in, which slid down a ways too and had to be pushed back up (OWWWW). It was unpleasant to have the procedure done (I highly recommend taking them up on the cervix shot to numb you) - both causing cramps and nausea. I did have cramps and heavy bleeding for a couple days afterwards. Since then, I've had no real issues. My periods have been heavier than they were while on hormonal birth control, and cramps haven't really changed. What I was after in the paragard was the lack of hormones - the side effects from the ring (serious weight gain, loss of libido) were not fun, and I have never looked back on getting an IUD, even with the cramps after getting it inserted.
I understand your gyno's concerns - mine expressed the same ones but agreed that it would be fine for me. She said a lot of other doctors don't like to give younger, childless women IUDs because of these risks and also because IUDs pose an increased risk for developing certain cancers if you contract an STD, though since you are married and presumably monogamous you aren't really at risk for that!!
Go find another doc!! And load up on ibuprofen when you go in, and get someone to give you a ride home
. You might need it.
I tried the depo shot before and gained 50 lbs. I have other friends that also gained significant amounts of weight. I hated the hormone side effects as well.
That being said, everyone is different and you might not gain weight from it. But I would much rather have the copper IUD any day. I would try another doctor if your really set on the IUD. GL
I got the Mirena IUD when I was 22, and I have no children. I second the poster before me who advises you to get the cervix numbed with a shot. I had a numbing shot and it still hurt a little (not too bad, though), so I can' t imagine the pain without it.
I love having an IUD. I don't have to worry about pills, and with Mirena my periods are pretty much non-existent. As far as hormones go, Mirena uses just a small amount (just enough to be released into the uterus but not nearly on the level as the lowest hormone birth control pill).
Previous to my IUD I used birth control pill, and I hated them. I'm pretty sure the hormones caused changes with my heart (I would sometimes get heart pains and maybe increased blood pressure). At first, I was interested in the copper IUD because it doesn't use any hormones. However, my doctor told me that Mirena doesn't even use enough hormones to cause those issues, and after having it for 1 year I agree (no problems since).
I was on the pill in college and on depo for about 3 years total since then (I just turned 30). I much preferred the shot because of the lack of periods, but I found I was gaining weight, losing energy, losing bone strength, losing muscle mass, losing my sex drive, growing more body hair, and--most important to me because I'm a professional singer--I was losing the ability to sing in my upper register comfortably. Since the last depo shot wore off--a little more than a year ago--my voice has come back, I've been losing weight slowly... the only side effect that remains is the danged body hair. :-P So, long story short, I NEED to be on a non-hormonal form of birth control, and I absolutely loathe using condoms. Enter the copper IUD, which I've been researching and am pretty sure I'll be getting at some point. I'm 30 and childless, but I also want to remain childless.
If I were in your shoes--and I may be sometime soon--I would do as others have suggested and consult other gynos. If you've seen about five and all of them refuse to do it, though, I wouldn't do it. But definitely get a second--and maybe third--opinion.
Yup, find another gyno.
I have had a copper IUD for 6 years (I am on my second one). I have not had children, and am turning 32 this year.
Infection is only a concern if you have a history of frequent infections, or are not monogamous/using condoms (there is a higher risk from infections/STD's traveling into uterus due to string). I assume you are monogamous as you are married.
The risk of your body "rejecting it" is very low. It higher in the first few months (always check to make sure it is there after your period initially) or right after childbirth or an abortion. And seriously, such a low risk factor.
Not having children is only an issue as it may be more difficult to insert (but not that bad) and if you do get pregnant there is a higher risk of an ectopic and loss of a fallopian tube. However, keep in mind that this is only a higher risk amongst proportion of those getting pregnant on IUD (which is under 1%).
A lot of doctors still are stuck on the risks that came with the IUD of the 1970's. Things are different now, as are the IUD's. Find a doctor who has kept a bit more up to date on the IUD as form of contraception for even non-child bearing women.