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Bringing Back The IUD...
I know we have discussed this in the past, but FSIL just informed me that she just got Paragard and loves it. She said insertion hurt a lot, and her cramps are worse than before, but she loves the hormone free part and not having to take the pill everyday. I am more interested in it now having talked to someone I know that has it. Hormone free is very attractive to me as is still getting AF to let me know I am not pregnant. Although the hanging string freaks me out...
DH and I might be TTC in a year (maybe) and I have read that if you plan to not get pregnant for at least 2 years it's the right method for you. Plus I am freaked out because didn't it get pulled of the market in the past...?
For those of you have had, have, or know someone who has had Paragard what are the pros and cons?
I am going to continue my research and then maybe make an appt. with my doctor. Does it need to be inserted by an OBGYN, or will my regular physician be able to... she is the one that does my pap and exam...
Re: Bringing Back The IUD...
I love my IUD! Loooooove it! I have something comparable to para guard. Canada's version of the hormone free IUD. Got it in August. I think I'm on my 5th cycle now. My first three were pretty heavy and I had some crazy cramps, but the reason I went on the pill in the first place when I was 15 was for cramps, so I guess mine just came back. My flow has been fairly heavy as well. My fourth cycle however, I had minimal cramping and a lighter period. So I don't know if my body was adjusting still or what my 'normal' is goin to be. My sex drive is coming back, and I'm less tired than I was. Though I've noticed way more s symptoms... Emotional, back aches, cramping etc. that I never had on the pill. But I'd been on the pill so long that I don't remember what my period was like (other than the cramps) before being on the pill. I was 15 and didn't really pay attention to my body... Just knew I didn't like the cramps. As for insertion, I didn't find it that bad. I typically have a fairly low pain tolerance and I was okay. Lots of pressure a little bit of pinching and some cramps for about a week afterwards that would come and go. Though, I love my doctor, she's brutally honest, and said she has had women pass out while getting it. But everyone is different. Hubby and I were originally thinking like 2-3 years before kids and now it's probably going to be about 6 months and we'll be trying but I'm not worried about getting it out, and I will definitely get another one after in the future for birth control.
As for the obgyn vs family doc, I don't know, things work different here in Canada. My family doc did it, she will also be who I go to when I'm pregnant and who will deliver my baby and all that fun stuff. I'd recommend the IUD to anyone looking for nonhormonal bc in a monogamous relationship.
You will need an OBGYN to insert it, I don't know of any fam prac providers who are comfortable enough (or have the tools to do it) where I've worked. I had a mirena, which had the hormone, but I'd highly recommend it to anyone.
One thing you may want to look into is cost if you don't plan on keeping it for the long haul. I know mine was only covered 50% by insurance so I had to pay $450 out of pocket for it, and if you are only going to have it in for a short time it may be an expensive choice, although with the new heatlhcare act I'm not sure how that works. I had a lot of cramping and spotting for the first 3-4 months, then really short light periods after that (like only need pantyliners so light). I highly recommend you discuss it with your Dr and call your insurance to see if and what portion of it is covered. Good Luck!
I had a recent visit to the OBGYN because I was worried about all the spotting I was having randomly. We talked IUDs at that time, too. She said that she didn't recommend the Paraguard for me personally because she said that women tend to spot more, have heavier periods, and worse cramping. (And obviously my concern was that I was having too much spotting, and plus one of the reasons I went on the pill in the first place was to stop my terrible cramping, terribly heavy/long periods, and to give me some regularity.) My OB was also blunt about it being pretty painful to insert, she said when she had hers put in she had tears coming down. I made the mistake of googling it, and after I read how much it hurt a lot of women to put in, it pretty much scared me out of even the Mirena. I had to have a colposcopy/cervical biopsy once, and it was pretty much the worst medical experience of my life (and I've had several surgeries). I also agree with the string thing - and overall it makes me more uncomfortable to think about some metal or plastic THING just sitting up in my lady parts than to think about ingesting some extra hormones. Not to mention the new pill my OB switched me to stopped the spotting AND my periods are only 3-4 days long now and are a lot lighter.
However, a friend of mine has the Paraguard (hormonal BC caused her to have a stroke) and loves it, so it is what it is and the experience will be different for everybody.
I'd definitely have an OBGYN place it - that sort of thing is their specialty and I'm sure they've placed a lot more IUDs than a regular MD.
Here's a link that mentions the Dalkon Shield, the one that was taken off the market. Pretty much says that after a lot of research they found out it was a false alarm: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/27/americans-get-reacquainted-with-iuds/
Personally, if I was thinking of having a baby in a year, I'd skip the IUD for now and wait to get one until I was done having kids (or at least done for awhile).
Just an FYI, hormonal birth control pills act in the same way. Their primary means of preventing pregnancy is by preventing ovulation and sperm motility, but in the case that an egg does become fertilized the lining of the womb is inhospitable for implantation as well.