Sex & Romance
Dear Community,
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.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
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.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
IUD weird side effects?
Hi all!
I got my paraguard IUD last month and just started my first period. I am bleeding a TON! I have been bleeding for over a week now and have gone through 40 tampons. Is this normal? My doctor said that I may experience an increase in bleeding but this much seems abnormal. I am also having cramps that make me feel like I may die. I had to call out of work last Wednesday because of the pain. Any information is greatly appreciated!
Re: IUD weird side effects?
I'm not sure if its all that normal everyones body is diffrent. my advise is to call your doctor ASAP. just to be on the safe side.
hope all goes well!
Kristi and Kerry June 21,2008
Crap. I really wouldn't sign up for that
It's really not that bad. I'm pretty sure this is how my body was before BCP to begin with (I was on bcp from 17yrs old to 32yrs old so I really don't remember what my body was actually like w/o the bcp). All I know is I will never ever go back to bcp as they made me totally nuts.
Kristi and Kerry June 21,2008
I had an IUD for 1.5 years without many issues with it, I actually really liked it. About two weeks ago I started bleeding and cramping as you described and it was actually expelling. I'm not sure if the expulsion caused the bleeding or if the bleeding caused the expulsion. So if you haven't already, I would just check the strings when you're bleeding heavily, or after you've been bleeding heavily to make sure it's all in place.
I noticed everything settling down and balancing out in the first few months. But if you're concerned I wouldn't hesitate to call your doctor. Good luck, and feel better! I know this is not fun stuff!
Yeah but that's the ONLY negative side effect. I'd rather do this than hormonal BC anyday. And I use Diva Cup which holds more than a tampon too.
I did not have your experience, OP, when I got my Paragard inserted, but what you're going through sounds within the realm of normal. There is definitely an adjustment period. My first period was terrible, but I don't remember any extra bleeding at any other time (I've had it for 5 years now). Definitely call your doc, and in the meanwhile, get some iron supplements - this much blood loss can cause exhaustion (many women are anemic anyway so it's not a bad idea).
I've had mine for about 2 years. My doctor told me that most users experience heavier bleeding anywhere from 6-14 months after initial insertion. The first 8 months for me were really heavy and crampy, and then it got noticeably easier.
I still have a really heavy day and a half per month. Like another poster, this is how my body is naturally. I had nearly forgotten what it was like before I went on the pill several years ago, and I barely had any flow on the pill at all. My Diva Cup is my godsend.
Definitely happy with my choice to switch to non-hormonal BC.
my read shelf:
<a href="http://s23.photobucket.com/albums/b384/OneSweetShannon/?action=view
I have had a Flexi-T for 4 1/2 years (the Canadian version of the Paraguard). I will be getting another one next spring, as they recommend only keeping them in for five years before replacing here.
I had it inserted at the same time I stopped hormonal BC (I had been on the pill for about ten years; since I was 16 or so). So I expected my periods might be a bit heavier and so on since I had very light periods on the pill (i.e. lasted 2-3 days and were light).
I can say that I had a lot of cramping during my first period with it, but since then, I have not had any cramping. I am pretty fortunate, but, yes, no cramping. My periods tend to be a tad heavier than I *remember* them being before I went on the pilll but that was so many years ago. Like a PP, on Day 3 or so I tend to go through a super-plus tampon every 4 hours or so. Then it lightens right up. Periods last about 5-6 days (and I will spot for a day about a few days later). I really don't find my periods to be an inconvenience or anything though, and they definitely aren't painful or anything.
Part of why you are cramping a lot now is probably as your body may be trying to expel the IUD. They should subside once your body adjusts to it.
I do tend to ensure I stock up on tampons when they are on sale though! You can try a Diva Cup or something too, but be careful to make sure your strings have softened and "pulled up" before you do as you don't want to accidentally pull on those strings when you remove it. I have heard this happening to a couple women.
You may have heavier periods for the first few times until your body adjusts. If you are concerned, check with your doctor. Make sure you also check for those strings after your period ends, as sometimes an IUD can get expelled during a heavy period (this happened to my mom when she was younger actually).
I will say, I'll gladly take a slightly heavier period over hormonal birth control ANY day. I did not even have "bad effects" with the pill, but I never realized until I went off of it how it had sort of "deadened" my emotions. I went off of it for concerns related to my high risk of breast cancer.......but I can say my reasons for not going back on it are numerous now!
I'm a nurse and I work on a women's gyn/surgical floor. Although I'm not extremely familiar with IUD issues here is some general advice when it comes to any sort of vag bleeding (that we tell our patients). If you are saturating a pad in less than an hour and it won't stop it's time to seek medical help. Call a Nurse on call sort of service, if you are not satisfied with what they tell you go to urgent care/ER. As I said I'm not real familiar with IUD's but if they don't think it's a problem the worst they can do is send you home. If they do think it's a problem, you've done the right thing and sought medical help.