May 2012 Weddings
AurorasEnvy
member
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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IUD?
So I've been giving some thought to asking my OB about going to an IUD at my next visit. I've been on the pill for 10 years now, and I just feel like it is time for a switch - may be TMI, but one of the main reasons is that I feel like it might be partially responsible for my low libido (which I realized was really, really low after all the related posts we've had about that....)
Anyways, has anyone switched to an IUD after having this problem? Good/bad thoughts in general? We aren't planning on having kids anytime soon. I guess some of my questions are having trouble wearing tampons with it, how they do cervical exams with it...
I'd appreciate any feedback anyone has!
Re: IUD?
I didn't get it because I was a little afraid. I had one friend who had no problems, no periods after like 2 years, she previously had blood clots from her pill. I worked with two other girls who had a load of problems. One kept getting infections from it and then it fell out partially. The other had it taken out after it got in-bedded in her uterus.
However, I would probably trust your doctor after having her list the pros and cons.
If you get a period with it, you can still wear tampons. Mirena is still a hormonal IUD, so it may not totally solve the problem. Paraguard is a copper IUD and is not hormonal.
And because I have to-even with an IUD, there is certain "maintenance" involved. You're supposed to check the strings every few days and make sure they are still there. When it's placed, they leave the strings of the IUD hanging through your cervix. If the IUD moves, it may no longer be effective and the only way to check is by checking for the strings.
Planned Parenthood has a pretty basic FAQ about IUDs. Here it is: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/iud-4245.htm
this probably won't help, but i've know women that were denied an IUD by their ob/gyn because they hadn't had kids yet. but that may have been just the doctor's preference... not sure.
what i DO know is that being on hormonal birth control did greatly affect my libido. once i got off BC and after my body finally adjusted (~6 months) i feel like i have a normal functioning libido haha
good luck!
My BFP Chart Danger Love Blog
Yeah, I've read about them, but I was just curious about people's personal experience with them. I've also heard that a lot of docs won't give them to girls who haven't had kids. One of my childless friends has the Paraguard (no hormones), but only because she had a stroke and almost died because of her hormonal BC. I'd be more interested in that then the Mirena, since it still has hormones in it.
It just sucks because then the only other alternative are condoms. I haven't talked much to H about any of this yet, but I assume that would be an option neither he or I would enjoy. And it worries me, it's easy to remember to take a pill everyday, but stop every time to "suit up"?
.....
I've had a Paraguard for about a year and a half and I've been really happy with it. I switched from the pill for the same reason, low libido plus other issues like bad mood swings, etc from the different pills I tried. I choose Paraguard because it is hormone free. Of course, as with anything, there are risks involved but I chose to go for it anyway and no problems so far. All my OB/GYN said about my having kids first was just that insertion might be more painful than if I had had kids before. You can also ask for the strings to be cut short so less worries with a tampon and feelin it when having sex. Let me know if you have any other questions!
I looked into getting one about 4 months before the wedding because I'm not on the pill. My doc said that the reason you have to have a kid is because they only make it in one size, and usually it only fits in a uterus that has once carried a pregnancy. She said that sometimes your uterus can be "mature enough" to handle one without once having a kid, so she tried to check that for me, but I was sort of borderline, she was gonna do an ultra sound to make sure, and I just couldn't afford all that. She said that they have REPEATEDLY asked the IUD manufacturers to make them in a smaller size and they just haven't for years.... We're just doing condoms, I don't care for it, especially after we had a breakage on the first night of the honeymoon that totally changed the mood of our sex life until I got my period, but we'll just have to deal until we find a better solution. Sorry, I always TMI.
This! Exactly this! I had this EXACT same conversation with my hubby a couple days ago... about possibly switching from the pill to trying an IUD. I'm in the same boat where i'm fairly certain the pill has KILLED my libido... and H's is well.. alive and well. I've also been on the pill for like 10 years as well.
We also talked about the condom option and decided that's not really what we want to do either...
I'm looking forward to reading more responses and experiences.. but you aren't alone that's for sure!
I just had my Mirena IUD removed in April, it was in for the full 5 years. I loved it, it was a no brainer birth control option for me. I tried many pills and always wound up with breakthrough bleeding.
I did have constant spotting for about 3 months, just enough that you need a pantyliner, after that my period came every 30 days right on time and was super light. I did use tampons with no problems at all, but after a year or so my period was so light I didn't even need to use them.
As far as pelvic exams go, it's not any different then if you didn't have the IUD. Oh and hubby was never able to feel the strings when we had sex.
I would strongly encourage you to discuss this with you Dr, it's not the perfect option for every woman, and if you are a smoker I would avoid it. It was a little uncomfortable being placed and you have to be comfortable with putting your finger in your vagina to check for string placement once a month.
Hope that helped.
I feel like overtime the pill has lowered my libido as well, and have often thought about an IUD... I think the part that makes me not want to switch is that I would have to check to make sure it's still in place every few days. Plus I think I would be paranoid it would shift during sex...
If you do get it let us know how it is
I have a Paraguard copper IUD. It's awesome. Hormones are tricky...I have hypothyroidism...so my doc strongly suggested non hormonal BC since the pill can give you a false reading on your thyroid panel.
I LOVE the copper IUD. I have had no problems. My libido is up, my weight is down, I don't get crazy mood swings, and I can hardly even notice it. It's pretty awesome.
My GYN said most docs don't readily give out IUDs to women without babies cause it can hurt a little more going in. It did hurt a little. Nothing overwhelming though. Just make sure your husband checks for the strings every month (sorry i if that's TMI) and monitor your hormones.
You'll be fine!