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IUD questions

Hi ladies! Looking for a little help here. I am not married but am in a committed relationship. I went to the OB today for my annual and also to get on some form of Birth Control. I originally thought I wanted to get on the Pill but because of my age and the fact that I smoke (yes, I know it's bad) she was hesitant to give it to me. She did however recommend the Mirena IUD. She was able to answer a lot of my questions in the office and also sent me home with some literature, but I do have some questions for those who actually have experience with it, if you wouldn't mind answering.

How happy are you with your IUD? Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one? What was insertation like? Does your DH ever feel the strings? Any side effects? Has it made your periods lighter? Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? Anything else you can tell me?

Thanks! 

Re: IUD questions

  • imageFormer.Bride.to.be:

    How happy are you with your IUD? A lot happier than I was on the pill. I went off it for two reasons A) I smoke and am about to hit 35 B) I was a raving lunatic because of the hormones

    Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one? Paragard (copper)

    What was insertation like? Ehhh.. it hurt but only for a few seconds. I've never had kids and they say that the pain is worse if you don't have kids but I didn't find that to be true. Here was my experiance. Little pinch,medium/regular period cramp, big ouchy period cramp then done. I had taken two advil before I went and yes, I was able to drive myself home.

    Does your DH ever feel the strings?Nope and I could/can't feel them either

    Any side effects?Periods don't track on a normal cycle (better now after two years),bleeding is really heavy two out of 5 days and the cramps on days 1 and 2 are worse than the damn insertion was (that could just be my body naturally though. I don't remember since I was on bcp for 15yrs and didn't have cramps that whole time)

    Has it made your periods lighter?Oh hellz no!

    Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? Nope

    Anything else you can tell me? All in all I'm glad I got it and I love the freedom of not having to remember to take a pill and I love not having horrible mood swings.

    Thanks! 

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  • imageFormer.Bride.to.be:
    How happy are you with your IUD?

    Not happy.  I had it removed after 3 years.  I would have had it removed earlier, but it took a while for me to realize that some of what I was experiencing could be attributed to Mirena and it took some time for DH to decide to have a vasectomy and to be "cleared" as swimmer free.

    Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one? I had Mirena. 

    What was insertation like? Not bad at all.  A little pressure and an instant of pain maybe. 

    Does your DH ever feel the strings?  He never did. 

    Any side effects?  Yes - bloating, weight gain, facial hair growth, pain in my leg/hip bones, nervousness/anxiety, mood swings, short temper, etc.  NOT GOOD.

    Has it made your periods lighter? Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? My periods never went away and they were highly irregular.  I could never predict when they would be or how heavy.  It SUCKED.  I woudl rather know they were coming and know what to expect than be surprised each and every time. Bleeding varied from spotting pink blood or old blood, to heavy and everything in between.

    Anything else you can tell me? I know that side effects are supposed to be rare and that some women absolutely LOVE Mirena ... but I guess I'm one of the unlucky ones. I can't tell you the relief I felt when I walked out of the doctor's office after having it removed!

    I will tell you that you can Google Mirena side effects and read the stories of countless women who have had the "rare" side effects.  I read their stories and felt validated that I wasn't going crazy and that what I was experiencing was real and might be attributable to Mirena.  What I DID NOT experience, however, was the dreaded "Mirena crash" (also Googleable) that I read so much about.  I was so relieved that I didn't suffer that, as I had been worried about it in the weeks leading up to my removal appointment.

    Good luck as you make your decision.

  • imageFormer.Bride.to.be:

    Hi ladies! Looking for a little help here. I am not married but am in a committed relationship. I went to the OB today for my annual and also to get on some form of Birth Control. I originally thought I wanted to get on the Pill but because of my age and the fact that I smoke (yes, I know it's bad) she was hesitant to give it to me. She did however recommend the Mirena IUD. She was able to answer a lot of my questions in the office and also sent me home with some literature, but I do have some questions for those who actually have experience with it, if you wouldn't mind answering.

    How happy are you with your IUD? I prefer it to the pill, hands down.

    Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one? I have the Mirena.

    What was insertation like? Insertion was one of the single most painful experiences I have ever had. I generally have a fairly high pain tolerance, and they warned me that because I was young and had not had children that it would hurt more, but it was still bad.

    Does your DH ever feel the strings? He felt them for a bit, but they soften up pretty quickly.

    Any side effects? I have been getting a few more zits, but I attribute this to not being on the pills anymore.

    Has it made your periods lighter? Not at all, they are back to pre-BCP levels.

     Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? I had a little bit of mid cycle bleeding during the first few months, but I now have very regular periods.

    Anything else you can tell me? I will be getting an IUD again, the main con for me was how painful insertion was, I also bled and felt horrible for about 3 days afterwards. Overall, definitely worth not having to take a pill everyday and I love how much lower the hormones are.

    Thanks! 

    imageimage
  • How happy are you with your IUD? I really like it.

    Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one?Mirena

    What was insertation like? Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.  It was a very uncomfortable sensation, but it was quick. 

    Does your DH ever feel the strings? Sometimes; I don't think it bothers him.

    Any side effects? Not that I know of

    Has it made your periods lighter? Yes.  I still have periods but they are very light.  I only need a pantiliner for them.  I used to have heavy periods before I got the MIrena.

     Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? Anything else you can tell me? No mid-cycle bleeding.  It's really been great.

  • I just wanted to say thanks for posting this!  I was going to post it today too.  I was at the doctor yesterday and had to be switched off of the BCP due to several health problems, and my OB recommended an IUD also.  After talking with her, we decided the Mirena would be the best choice for me.  So thanks for helping me be educated as well!
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  • How happy are you with your IUD? I love my IUD. I don't have to remember to do anything or change anything, it's great.

    Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one? Mirena

    What was insertation like? It hurt a little, but it was over in a few minutes.

    Does your DH ever feel the strings? No.

    Any side effects? I can't tell if I have any because my hormones have been all over after having DD.

    Has it made your periods lighter? I don't get a period anymore! After I first got it, I had maybe 2 cycles. After that I haven't had anything, not even spotting.

    Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? See above answer.

    Anything else you can tell me? Because I don't get a period I get paranoid at times that I'm pregnant. That's probably just because I'm a worry-wart because the failure rate is really low (I think I read somewhere that it was the same as a tubal ligation).

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  • How happy are you with your IUD? I also love my IUD. I took the pill for 3 years and then changed to the Nuva Ring cause I hated taking a pill everyday. Then after about 1 year I stopped the ring because it made me CRAZY! Now after almost 2 years on my IUD I still love it!

    Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one? Mirena

    What was insertation like? This was by far the worst part for me. I'm young and don't have any kids. It felt like the worse period cramps you could get. But it was mostly better the next day.

    Does your DH ever feel the strings? He did when I first got in inserted. But there now soft and he's never mentioned anything

    Any side effects? No not that I can think of

    Has it made your periods lighter? I don't get a regular period any more. But I will sometimes still spot.

    Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? See above answer.

    Anything else you can tell me? Because I don't get a period I get paranoid at times that I'm pregnant. That's probably just because I'm a worry-wart because the failure rate is really low (I think I read somewhere that it was the same as a tubal ligation). **Blue1299** This exactly!

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  • I have paraguard. I was breastfeeding and that's why I chose it over mirena. I have heavy periods normally, and this makes them worse. It doesn't bother me too much, considering I like this more than pills. I really enjoy that it doesn't have any hormones. And insertion for me hurt pretty bad. I'm not the best at pain though.
  • How happy are you with your IUD? I love it.  I got it when my now-husband and I got serious.  I'm bad with taking the pill and we were terrible about condom use.  It was the best thing we could have done.

     Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one? I have the Mirena

    What was insertation like? It was painful and crampy, but only for a moment.

    Does your DH ever feel the strings? Never.

    Any side effects? I was crampy for a day, but that's it.

    Has it made your periods lighter? Yes, I actually only get a period once every 6-8 months and it's incredibly light.  I do get spotting about every 4 months,  My OB/GYN is not concerned.

    Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? None.  although since I don't have a normal cycle, I guess I really can't say for sure.

    Anything else you can tell me?  EVERYONE is different.  The best way to find out is to try it.

  • How happy are you with your IUD?Not happy. I had it removed after 4 months. At first it was really high up in my ute and my OB had to do a u/s to make sure it was still in. Then it slipped into my cervix and the (way too short) strings stabbed my DH and made him bleed. He swears he still has flashbacks. When she had to remove the old one she asked if I wanted a new one and I said heck no!

    Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one?Mirena

    What was insertation like? It was really bad for me. But I have a tilted cervix and I only dilated to a 7 during labor. My doctor swears its not normally like that. My friends that have had it said it was no big deal. Removal was no big deal for me.

    Does your DH ever feel the strings?See above answer

    Any side effects? Fatigue, nervousness, anxiety, hair loss. Same as on the pill for me.

    Has it made your periods lighter?Yes! I didn't even get them. That was the one plus for me, I loved that part of it.


    Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? Nope

    Anything else you can tell me? I would probably still recommend it. I've never heard of anyone else having the issues I did. I have friends that have/do have it and love it!

     

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  • imageFormer.Bride.to.be:

    How happy are you with your IUD? Extremely

     Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one? Mirena

    What was insertation like? Crampy, awkward, it felt like my doctor was trying to pull my cervix out of my body (not painful, just pressure) when she was artificially dialating it. I have never had a baby.

    Does your DH ever feel the strings? Only right after it was put in, not any more.

    Any side effects? Crampy for the first few days.

    Has it made your periods lighter? I have not had a period since insertion in July. I am not pregnant.

    Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? A little spotting maye twice since insertion.

    Anything else you can tell me? I switched to the IUD because I was a mess on the pill-- yeast infections, no sex drive, depressed, anxious.  I was hesitant to opt for Mirena because it also had hormones and my head was saying "no hormones!".  I have not had any of that pill nonsense since switching to Mirena.  It was the best thing I could have done for myself BC-wise. My doctor has done tens of thousands of insertions and has never had one problem with any woman using an IUD.  Obviously, this is not the case all over-- just look at the testimonials on this board-- but that was the case in her offices. If your doctor has not done it a lot, like with anything else, maybe look into using someone who does these types of things often.  Also, my doctor told me that if I was so unhappy that I needed it removed within 6 months (or a year or something) once it was inserted, Mirena would refund the cost of the IUD (not the cost of insertion), which should help allay fears a little.  

    HTH 

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  • I had my Mirena put in back in April. I had a LOT of pain when it was put in and for days after.

    After not being able to feel the strings I went in to talk to the dr about it. She wasn't concerned and said that it either fell out or the strings just moved up inside. 

    I pushed the issue and she sent me for an ultrasound. They couldn't find it. She was sure that it fell out.

    I pushed again and had an xray. It is out in my abdomen, possibly causing damage to other organs.

    It turns out that when she inserted it she pushed it all the way through the uterus. 

    I have surgery on Tuesday to have it removed. :(  

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  • imageFormer.Bride.to.be:

    How happy are you with your IUD? I have had my IUD since May.  I LOVE IT!!!

    Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one? I have Mirena

    What was insertation like? I was a virgin at the time of insertion, and it was very painful.  I have always had painful paps though, and it was similar.  My doc gave me pills that I had to insert to help open my cervix though, and holy cow, those made me sick with craps.  Not everyone needs those though, and w/o them, insertion would not be nearly so bad.  I did have bad cramps for about 2 weeks and could not exercise without dibilitating cramps after for about a month.  This could all be different because of the virginal status though.  I am not sure.

    Does your DH ever feel the strings? My husband had his fingers in there one time and felt the strings.  This was several months after having it.  If he feels them now, he has not said anything.  He just commented that is strange knowing I have that in me,  but has pretty much forgotten about it since.  They are stiff when they are inserted, but soften up over time, and feel a bit more like your body.  If you can feel them and they are to long, you can have your dr snip them shorter for you

    Any side effects? Not really for me.  Maybe a little weight gain but that is more likely  just my sedintary job. 

    Has it made your periods lighter? yes!!!!!!!!!! My last period before my IUD lasted from March through August (and yes I got the IUD in May, and this was part of the reason for this instead of the pill), Since August I have had very light spotting about 1 day a month vs. 5 month periods...I do still get cramps but not very bad comparativly to before.  We were hoping to control both the bleeding and sevarity of the cramps, and both have happened on it.  It is not for everyone, but it is totally for me!

    Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? Nope!

    Anything else you can tell me? I love it.  I decided to try because I know I cannot trust myself to take pills every day. I also know that birth control pills made led me down the road to suicidal thoughts many years ago...even though this particular one does have hormones, I love that they stay fairly isolated and don't go directly into the blood streme the way that pills do.  No suisidal thoughts since having this in, and that is going on 7 months.  Not to mention, I got 5 years of birth control for $35 out of pocket!  Whicn is super nice when I am quitting my job and loosing my insurance in a few months!

     Remember that every woman is different.  Good luck with your decision!

    Thanks! 

  • Oh, I might have one more side effect I didn't really know about...Increased facial hair... I didn't realize til this posting that that was a side effect! 
  • I've had Mirena for 2.5 years and I LOVE it!!  Insertion was the worst pain I'd ever felt though.  I wish I'd had someone to drive me home because it was very traumatic and exhausting.  Aside from cramping for a few weeks I've had no problems!!  I have no period, no worries, it's awesome!  My boyfriend has occasionally felt it during sex, but only in certain positions, and once it scratched his penis!  He was fine and it healed in no time, he was just a little freaked out. The only side effect I've noticed is increased pubic hair...but could that also be an age thing?  Regardless, I'd  absolutely recommend it!! :-)
  • I have Mirena. I have had it for 2.5 years. I have 2 children, but the insertion of the Mirena was painful for about 5 minutes of cramping. I was glad I brought someone to take me home. I have had no periods after the first 3 months which is wonderful. No my partner could not feel the strings. I asked the doctor to cu them very short because when I was planning to get it someone had mentioned that on here. I have had no side effects from it. 

    I would definitely do it again. 

  • imageFormer.Bride.to.be:

    How happy are you with your IUD? I had the paragard (copper) for three years and just had it removed last week. I LOVED not having to think about BC and always being spontaneous.

    Do you have the Mirena or the copper, non-hormonal one?Copper

    What was insertation like? My docs office almost put in a Mirena and I specifically got the copper IUD because I didn't want to have hormones...I was super pissed and the only reason I knew was because I saw her pull it out of the box and I was like umm wtf are you doing...so I was probably more on edge than normal. Insertion wasn't fun, but it wasn't the worst thing ever. I didn't cramp a lot. I DID cramp a lot though when I got it removed which I was surprised about. 

    Does your DH ever feel the strings? Yes, I did have them trimmed and I think that helped.

    Any side effects? Has it made your periods lighter? Nope periods are the same. 

    Do you experience a lot of mid-cycle bleeding? No

    Anything else you can tell me? I also notice now that it was a tad uncomfortable during sex. I didn't realize this until I go it out though. I found that during positions where H was deeper I would tilt my pelvis to prevent I guess going too deep because it would be slightly painful and  since removal I'm not doing that anymore. I also feel like I had more discharge and just more unpleasantness down there while I had it...I won't get it again going forward, but it did do what it was supposed to do lol I'm not a mom :) GL

    Thanks! 

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