Related: Did you know that there’s a Cross Section Biomedical Illustration of Intrauterine Device in Position Peel and Stick Wall Decal? Ain’t life grand!?Has anyone used a new-generation intrauterine device (IUD)? My doctor brought it up, and it sounds like a great form of birth control. They are often more effective than the pill, and WAY more effective than condoms. It used to be that only women who weren’t planning on more children were prescribed an IUD, but now more studies have indicated that the IUD can be removed at any time and women can get pregnant if they wish.
I like the idea of local medical interventions (a hormone-relasing IUD) when possible, rather than systemic (the pill). However, I frankly am still a little creeped out by something in my uterus. And nobody I know has ever used this form of birth control.
Clearly everyone should only take medical advice from their doctors, but I am asking for personal advice here. Have any Offbeat readers had favorable or negative experiences with one of the new generation IUDs? How did it fit into your lifestyle? -Inquiringmind
To tell you the truth, I’m curious about this as well!
I’m super-squicked out by the thought of something in my uterus, too. So that’s stopped me from actually going forward with an IUD. Any Homies out there have experience with ’em that can lay down some knowledge?
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Comments on What are your experiences with the new generation IUDs?
I had a doctor recommend that I switch from hormonal birth control to an IUD and give me a list of places in the city that would do it. I made an appointment with the only female gynecologist on the list (because it may be old fashioned, but I feel weird having a strange man inserting his fingers into my vagina or testing my breast tissue). Went to her and she flat out refused to put an IUD in as I had not had children. Her recommendation for me was to continue with hormonal birth control as it was working and dealing with other issues (acne and the possibility of my having Poly cystic ovarian syndrome – not fully diagnosed – but the main treatment is to be on the pill until I want to try for kids anyway). So if you want one, be aware that some doctors will not give you one if you have not had kids.
I had the copper IUD (Paragard) inserted after my 2nd child was born in 2008. I took it out in September of 2011 since my new fiance and I wanted to try for a child at that time. I loved the copper one. I don’t like hormones either so I steered clear of Mirena even though my doctor said that the hormones were localized and unlikely to have an effect on me. I didn’t have any issues with the Paragard one, and it lasts for 10 years as opposed to the Mirena at 5. Also no hormones to mess you up. This one can make your periods heavier but that wasn’t too big a problem for me, they didn’t affect that too badly for me. I do recommend it.
I’ve had the Mirena for nearly five years now – so, almost the full lifespan. It’s worked well enough for me that I plan to get a new one put in after I have a kid or two.
Pros: it’s SUUUUUPER convenient. I have ADD and am chronically forgetful, so using a form of birth control I haven’t had to think about on a daily basis has been a gift to my sanity. I have enough shit to worry about every day.
The Mirena has also made my periods nearly disappear, which means I’m saving money (buying fewer boxes of tampons) and time (making bathroom runs). I also rarely get cramps or serious hormonal acne.
Also, while the Mirena contains hormones, it doesn’t make me feel crazy (as in, literally batshit insane) the way the Pill often did. I don’t know what method of BC I’ll use once I’m off the IUD and between having hypothetical kids.
Now for the cons: it DID hurt having it put in. However: it wasn’t unbearable – pretty much akin to a really bad menstrual cramp, and it only lasted about two minutes. I had residual cramping the rest of the day, but nothing that couldn’t be handled with ibuprofen. I had it inserted in the morning, lazed around with a heat pack on my belly for a couple hours, and then was able to go to work that afternoon.
While my period has been nonexistent, it’s also been unpredictable. The clock got thrown out the window because I would get my period whenever. And sometimes it has shown up for a day or two, disappeared for a week, and then started up again. Other times it’s happened like clockwork, as it was when I was on the pill.
The strings. The Mirena’s basically feel like fishing line. They’re supposed to curl up against your cervix, but that doesn’t mean my husband hasn’t hit them during sex, and that is NOT a good sensation during sex. It basically felt like a tuning fork, with pain reverberating throughout my ladyparts. If my husband hit it at the wrong angle it would be a bad experience for him too.
All those caveats aside, I’d get another one in a heartbeat. The convenience has made all the problems seem minor. I’ve also been lucky in that I’ve not suffered from the side effects many women have experienced, but YMMV depending on your own body. Just make sure to have a loooong talk with a doctor you trust before making the decision.
“Also, while the Mirena contains hormones, it doesn’t make me feel crazy (as in, literally batshit insane) the way the Pill often did.”
YES. This is exactly how I feel. I would just start randomly crying on the pill. Mirena has been fine, as far as I can tell. I feel that the hormones are less and more localized, so it’s a negligible amount of hormones.
“The strings. The Mirena’s basically feel like fishing line. They’re supposed to curl up against your cervix, but that doesn’t mean my husband hasn’t hit them during sex, and that is NOT a good sensation during sex.”
I just got them to cut my strings shorter so I didn’t have to worry about that.
I had the copper IUD placed while still in college (there are some doctors who will do it for a nulliparous woman), and I loved it. I am now married to a lady, so I no longer need it, but at the time, it was wonderful. It allowed me to begin to understand my own cycle, and it gave me confidence in my method. That was huge for me. Plus, as a person who got migraines from the hormones, getting off them was a revelation!
One word of warning for anyone who has been on hormonal birth control and who is switching to a non-hormonal IUD – it can affect the your sexual urges. Be prepared for that. It took me months to understand what was happening with my body after the hormones left. I think everyone is different, so I can’t speak to what specific affect it will have, but it really dramatically changed my sex life for a while.
I had the Paraguard inserted once I turned 30 and wanted to avoid hormones. It hurt going in for all of a minute. Afterwards, I got close to shock. It’s been three years now. My periods are longer but much much lighter. I always cramped a but when ovulating
I currently have Mirena, and have had it for… almost 4 years? Next year I get it removed. I have PMDD pretty badly, so I need SOMETHING to control my cycle, and the pill isn’t an option because I have migraines with aura (fun times).
The first several months I had it, I had a lot of cramping and my periods were sort of irregular (nothing too bad, but I like to know exactly when it’s coming to the day, which wasn’t possible). After a few months, it evened out. It hurt a little bit going in, but it wasn’t intolerable– I went to get it placed while I was on my period, so my cervix was low and all ready or whatever happens and took Motrin before I went in to preemptively fight the pain. I wouldn’t have been able to go to work the next day, but within a week I was ready to go again.
I love it because I don’t have to worry about taking a pill or anything… although it doesn’t really help my PMDD the way the pill did, it’s also much safer for my migraine problem. My period has FINALLY, after almost four years, become shorter and MUCH lighter, which is great– but why couldn’t that have happened when I had more than a year to go? Bleh. I dont know if I’ll get another one put in or not though… I just got married last year, and plan on starting a family sooner than six years from now, so IDK what will happen then. (I just heard recently that there might be a fertility issue associated with Mirena in women who have never had children, so I hope that’s not true… but I guess we’ll see in a couple of years.)
Occasionally I get some pinchy cramping but not too bad. I don’t look for the strings anymore because my gyno told me not to, LOL… she said if looking for them caused anxiety, don’t bother because after the first few months, it has a very low chance of moving around or causing problems. I mostly just get it checked on when I get a pap smear every couple of years.
I have Kaiser, and my insurance paid for the whole thing. I paid a $25 “go to the gyno” copay fee and that was it. The Mirena was completely free. I DEFINITELY recommend it 🙂
The only weird thing that makes me unique I guess (LOL) is that I use the DivaCup (tampon free since 2006 and damn proud of it!). It’s a little more awkward because I have to make sure to break the seal and not just yank out the cup like I used to, but I’ve had no problems. Sometimes I can feel the strings realllly low and almost hanging out during my period, but they always go back after the bleeding is done (TMI I know, but it might help someone). And yes, I still have enough of a period that I have to use the cup… I wish I were one of those lucky people who could get away with just a liner or something, but nope. Still bleeding after four years (although wayyyyy less than before).
I *adore* my IUD.
I have had it for 7 years at this point and it has been a wonderful experience.
I moved away from the pill because all similar systemic birth control methods gave me arrhythmia and hypertension.
Insertion is uncomfortable and the first month I had it I had some pretty brutal cramping but after that its been smooth sailing! I got it replaced after five years, also smooth sailing though no picnic, but the discomfort was gone after a few hours.
I get little to no cramping and as an added bonus, I’m one of a few who no longer get their period at all (occasional spotting every 6-7 months)
I would never consider getting any other form of birth control.
I was one of the rare people whose IUD migrated through the uterus and into my body cavity. I didn’t feel a thing, but when I went in for a 6 week check up, the IUD was missing. They thought it fell out, but found it in an ultrasound. It had to be surgically removed. It was completely painless to go about my life while waiting for my surgery and the procedure itself was simple. I was out running the next day and went back to get another IUD a few weeks later. The convenience over 5 years is just too much to pass up.
And as far as conceiving goes, I had an IUD for 5 years and was pregnant within a couple of months of removal. The whole missing IUD thing happened with the IUD I went to get after my baby was born.
i had a mirena, had it for about a year. insurance reimbursed all of it (and these days, post-Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, all women’s insurance *should* cover it). we LOVED it as a contraceptive — no need to take pills (which i frequently forgot), no dealing with condoms or diaphragm, none of that. neither my mister nor could feel the strings at all. i had one period about a month after it was put in, and then no more, at all, until it was taken out.
bad things: i had ’em, and worse than most. getting it put in was uncomfortable and i was crampy for a day or two, but not as bad as i was expecting given that i haven’t had kids. however, after a few days i started getting gut cramps. not just unhappy-lady-bits uterine cramps, though i definitely got those too, but my-intestines-are-trying-to-kill-me abdominal cramps, and those *never* stopped. every. single. effin’. day. for. a. year. i was willing to live with it — seriously, i’m in medical school, i’m no stranger to suffering — but the mister and i were talking about having kids anyway, and willing to risk it happening a little sooner than expected if it meant i wasn’t constantly wretchedly miserable, so i got it out. immediately, 90% of the issues = gone.
that said, as absolutely wretchedly miserable as it made me, i would use an IUD again (though, either paraguard, the copper one, or wait until after having kids), and i would absolutely recommend it to others. the likelihood of side effects of the type and severity of mine is really small, like 0.5%, and most people are really happy with them.
another thing to consider for people who want something lower-maintenance than a daily pill that doesn’t go, um, inside, is the patch. you wear them somewhere unobtrusive and switch them weekly, and periodically (pun!) do a week without. i have no direct experience with them, just an in-process medical education, but have been strongly considering for myself for my next bout of contraception.
I had the copper one after having a baby, and it took me several months to realize that it had severly affected my mood on a daily basis and made me a bit of a bitch. That changed as soon as I had it taken out over a year later (although there were no other side effects).
I have another brand now that hasn’t altered my moods at all, and it’s GREAT not having to worry about taking pills every month (which is how I got pregnant in the first place). It was slightly uncomfortable both times it was put in, but nothing worse than having blood taken, and I love the peace of mind it gives me, and that it lasts for up to 10 years! I also really like that as soon as my husband and I are ready, we can pop by the doctor, have it taken out, and start trying to get pregnant right away, instead of waiting several months like you’d have to do with the shots.
I’ve got the copper IUD (what do they call that one? Paragaurd?) because the hormonal approach just does awful things to me mood-wise (lots and lots of anxiety attacks). It’s good for like twelve years. Downside: I was told when it was placed that any IUD ups the risk of non-cancerous ovarian cysts. Two months ago a cyst I didn’t know I had ruptured (or that’s the doc’s best guess based on the symptoms and such) and it was excruciating. Hopefully, this won’t happen again. I’ve been told some lifestyle changes could help decrease the odds of another (changes in diet, more regular exercise, that kind of thing). So I’m gonna address these things before I toss in the towel on my IUD, because other wise I love it so. I can’t feel it, don’t have to think about it, and don’t need to worry about a surprise pregnancy.
I got Paragard on December 5th just a few months ago. I liked the idea of going hormone free and this one has no hormones. The procedure kind of hurt, but it was super fast. They told me there could be some bleeding for a few weeks until my body’s cycle regulated around it. Well I bled for about 2 months straight. Around February it slowed down to about 3 out of 4 weeks a month. Now it is about like a normal period, although somewhat unpredictable and about 10 days long. My body has just taken a long time to get used to it. However, it is good for 10 years. I will take 5 months of crazy bleeding for 10 years of not worrying about an unintended pregnancy! The first time my husband and I were intimate after getting it, he felt the IUD strings and they scratched him a bit, but after about a week they softened up and there is no problem now.
I got Mirena in January of this year and I LOVE it! My doctor was concerned about my raised blood pressure on the pill and after trying a variety of different pills, food changes, vitamins, etc we decided that an IUD would be the way to go. I’m not going to lie having it placed was incredibly painful. I nearly passed out twice in the doctor’s office even though I took Midol beforehand as suggested. A big part of it though was probably because I haven’t had kids. My first period was longer and more achey than when I was on the pill, but not as bad as when I wasn’t on anything. My second period was lighter and less achey. I haven’t had any weight gain, although I am breaking out a little more. That was part of why I was on the pill though so it’s basically back to what it was pre-pill. Sex was awkward at first. Mainly though because my doctor told me that she wasn’t sure it would stay in because I haven’t had kids. It made us anxious and anxious sex is not fun sex. After I went back for a check up at 6 weeks though and she said everything thing was fine we went back to normal.
Just remember that everyones experience is different.
So many comments! I have been considering the mirena but this has finalised my decision to just relly on condoms. Hormonal birth control is awful for me and reading the experiences of others I don’t want to go through that again!
I have no personal experience–doing well on the pill and too cheap to change/may have kids soon. However, I distinctly recall hearing a lecture on birth control where the OB-GYN presented some data that an ASTRONOMICALLY high percentage of OBGYNS (10, 20%?) compared to the general population (2%) use IUDs. Her point was that the people who specialize in birth control choose them for themselves over every other method because of their effectiveness and simplicity. They’re also used much more in Europe than the US for that reason.
I totally plan to get one after I pop out our kiddos.
i totally believe that tons of OBGYNs use IUDs — with how chaotic that lifestyle is, i know *i* wouldn’t be able to take pills on time if i had been up delivering babies since 2 in the morning and wasn’t entirely certain what day it was. =) my female faculty (all that i’ve asked, at least) all love ’em.
I had a Mirena IUD placed about a year before my then fiance and I got married. Hurt a bit going in but that was to be expected. Things are not supposed to be shoved in there, just eventually shoved out! And for the time I had it, I loved it. My period actually stopped while I had it. It was safer than Condoms, and all it took was an occasional feel to make sure my strings were still where they should be. (they cut mine a bit long so it was easier to feel). The problem actually came when I got the damn thing out.
My husband and I decided two years ago we were ready to make the leap, to have little hedgelings of our own and brave the icy rapids of parenthood. I had been told that it would be maybe a month or two after it was removed that my cycle would restart when I first had it put in. As I was getting ready to have it out I read stories of women who took a whole YEAR to restart.
‘Well’, I figured. ‘nothing to be done about it now.’ It was taken out and we waited…and waited…and waited. I finally called the doctor after 6 months of my body doing nothing. No ovulation, no period, nothing. She said “Your young (I was 27 at the time) and it can be a side effect of Mirena, give it a year then talk to us.” A year later and I was still waiting.After my first year, tired of being put off I switched doctors who agreed that sometimes it can take a LONG time for cycles to restart after Mirena. Two years down the line now and we are still waiting for that chance. Granted now it has moved beyond waiting into actively trying to force my body to work again,with mixed and painful results but that is neither here nor there.
And to be fair to Mirena, it is entirely possible it just aggravated an already present problem I had no idea of. Thats the thing about these sorts of items, the science is sound but it is all a bit murky as it will effect each woman differently.
My point is IUDs are a fantastic choice if you are not planning children for a long time, or have had your midgets and are in no hurry to add to your current one or few. but having one in for a couple of years then trying to have a baby, as a warning and take my story to heart, it can cause a lot of heartache and a lot of time.
I love love love my IUD!!!! I have the paraguard and it lasts for 10 years. Yes it increases the flow of your period- but it is hormone free and great! I love it!! It allows you to have sex spontaneously-it is such a cheap method over time- and no hormones!!!
I seriously can’t get behind IUDs. One friend had a horribly traumatic experience getting hers put in, another’s had her fallopian tubes fuse to it and had to have it surgically removed and another had to have it taken out because the hormones were too much for her body to handle. I realize this is purely anecdote but I try really hard to limit the plastic in my life and am hyper-conscious of what I put in my body food-wise…why would I decide to have a plastic foreign object into my body semi-permanently? I beg my friends not to get them.
I’ve been on birth control for about 9 years, and I just got Mirena 3 months ago when my insurance came through. I don’t have any kids, but I’m in a monogamous relationship and don’t plan on having kids for at least another 3 years. So far, it has been getting better every month! I had breakthrough bleeding for about a month, but otherwise my bleeding has disappeared.
I haven’t had any problems except with pain. When it was inserted, it was the worst 5 minutes of my life thus far, including the 4 1/2 hours of getting hip tattoos. I stayed at the office for 1 1/2 hours to avoid fainting so I could drive myself back. I definitely should have taken a sick day for the following day at work, but people were willing to be accommodating. The pain has been receding, but it was so bad in the first few days that I called my regular physician for 800 mg ibuprofen so I could sleep. That helped a lot!
I don’t know about the strings, but I have been using my menstrual cup without any problems. I asked my OBGYN about the cup and they had never heard of it before (that was a surprise), but they didn’t think there would be any issues. I’m going back for a check-up next month, and I should have some better information then.
I got the Muliload (copper) while I lived in NZ. Pretty painless insertion and it worked flawlessly for 5 years. The only thing I hated was my week long super heavy periods–I’m talking a maxi pad and a super tampon soaked through in a couple of hours. Flows like this would go on for 5 days.
When my time was up, I opted for Mirena as it was supposed to give me light periods and maybe even take my libido down a notch or two so I would be even with my fiance. So far, the insertion was painful, I bleed (albeit very lightly) for 3 weeks at a time and sometimes have cramps that take me to the floor. I’m still up in the air.
But I will never go back to the pill. I still wake up in the middle of the night gasping reaching frantically for my pill case which hasn’t been on my nightstand for 6 years. I call it my pill PTSD and will never go back. Maybe its just time to get knocked up!
I just want to add that I had very painful fibroids before going on Mirena. Every month at exactly mid cycle I would be bowled over by the pain. And it would last until I finally had my period. Went on Mirena after the birth of my son 2 years ago and haven’t had ANY pain. Very thankful.
I got the Paragard IUD because hormones are a problem for me, and I didn’t want to risk even the small amount that is in the Mirena. (Note I have not had kids.) The first one I got (put in by a nurse practioner) fell out after the first month. It got lodged in my cervix and that hurt a lot. The second one I got to replace that one (put in by the doctor) stayed in place no problem for years. Both times getting it put in hurt a lot. I had terrible cramps for 2 days. I had heavier periods with worse cramps for the first 6 months, but I returned to normal. Totally worth it though for me to be hormone free, and I would recommend it. I had the IUD taken out to try to make a baby, and we were successful! Getting it taken out was easy for me, no pain.
My IUD experience wasn’t very ideal. I had a Paragard inserted after my daughter was born in 2010. The insertion didn’t hurt much more than a normal pap smear. For the next three cycles, I had really bad periods. They were very heavy and I had severe cramping that reminded me of being in labor. After that, my cycles were normal and I didn’t have any issues until I found out that I was pregnant (eight months after it had been inserted). The IUD was able to be removed safely and the rest of the pregnancy was normal. At the time, my friends joked that the kid would be very tough, considering that he was conceived despite the IUD and he survived the removal. He is now a very large and healthy 20 month old! (So at least the story has a good ending.)
I got mine three months ago. I had been on the pill a looong time ago, for acne, and hated it. Got the Mirena (in Canada) for b.c., and love love love it so far! Insertion was not fun, but the pain was less than a minute. We were in and out of the doctor’s office in 20 minutes. I did bring my partner, and I was really glad. He could see some of what I was putting myself through so that we don’t need to think about kids right now, and he was a great support. Some cramping that day, but actually less that I had before with my periods (in bed for days, puking, migraines — awful). My periods have been lighter each cycle since, albeit longer (the first one was two weeks — but I didn’t even need panty liners, just good wiping). It cost a pretty penny, but I can have it for up to five years. Once I determined that our insurance wouldn’t cover it, I called every pharmacy in the area. I saved at least $30 by getting it from Costco. Many places noted they needed advance notice (just a day) to get one in.
I have never been pregnant, have no kids. I had no problems with insertion, my partner has never felt the strings (my gyno cut them really short, and curled them up. She also encouraged me NOT to feel for them, as often people get too eager and pull the device out. Instead, I will get an xray next week to confirm placement.) The biggest benefit is that my periods have totally changed, which was a good thing for me. And no babies!
As to hormonal side effects, the first few weeks I felt very emotional. Everything made me weepy, I felt sad/happy/mad in the span of seconds. I told myself that some studies have shown that links between hormonal birth control and emotions can be all in people’s heads. I didn’t attribute my new range of emotions directly TO the bc, but instead would tell myself ‘you are just feeling this right now. it is okay to feel things’. I never felt not in control of my emotions. Everything’s pretty leveled out now, and I’m spending way less on menstrual products! (Like, I’ve used 4 tampons and maybe 10 pads in two cycles. That could have been first-day usage alone before.)
TL; DR: Totally changed my periods, in a good way. No kids, no other bc, for up to five years. No maintenance. Highly recommend!
I have had the copper one for 5 years and I’d never consider any alternative. It hurt like a motherfuck to put in (not having given birth I don’t know but I imagine it’s the same muscles/ same pain just at a much smaller degree) but that was short, and other than the occasional check on the strings I’ve barely thought about it since. Cost me $22 or whatever the fee was and that’s it! No further fees or packaging or hormones or anything. Happy bunny. It does feel a little weird thinking there’s a copper thing in me but I amuse myself pretending it’s a defender robot.
Plus it’s badass to say. When my boss was teasing me about not coming back to work pregnant after my wedding I had great fun joking back about no chance – the 2 inch copper pipe in my uterus … I’ve also been known to joke about heavy metal birth control
It will make you beep in airports though
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I had a doctor recommend that I switch from hormonal birth control to an IUD and give me a list of places in the city that would do it. I made an appointment with the only female gynecologist on the list (because it may be old fashioned, but I feel weird having a strange man inserting his fingers into my vagina or testing my breast tissue). Went to her and she flat out refused to put an IUD in as I had not had children. Her recommendation for me was to continue with hormonal birth control as it was working and dealing with other issues (acne and the possibility of my having Poly cystic ovarian syndrome – not fully diagnosed – but the main treatment is to be on the pill until I want to try for kids anyway). So if you want one, be aware that some doctors will not give you one if you have not had kids.
I had the copper IUD (Paragard) inserted after my 2nd child was born in 2008. I took it out in September of 2011 since my new fiance and I wanted to try for a child at that time. I loved the copper one. I don’t like hormones either so I steered clear of Mirena even though my doctor said that the hormones were localized and unlikely to have an effect on me. I didn’t have any issues with the Paragard one, and it lasts for 10 years as opposed to the Mirena at 5. Also no hormones to mess you up. This one can make your periods heavier but that wasn’t too big a problem for me, they didn’t affect that too badly for me. I do recommend it.
I’ve had the Mirena for nearly five years now – so, almost the full lifespan. It’s worked well enough for me that I plan to get a new one put in after I have a kid or two.
Pros: it’s SUUUUUPER convenient. I have ADD and am chronically forgetful, so using a form of birth control I haven’t had to think about on a daily basis has been a gift to my sanity. I have enough shit to worry about every day.
The Mirena has also made my periods nearly disappear, which means I’m saving money (buying fewer boxes of tampons) and time (making bathroom runs). I also rarely get cramps or serious hormonal acne.
Also, while the Mirena contains hormones, it doesn’t make me feel crazy (as in, literally batshit insane) the way the Pill often did. I don’t know what method of BC I’ll use once I’m off the IUD and between having hypothetical kids.
Now for the cons: it DID hurt having it put in. However: it wasn’t unbearable – pretty much akin to a really bad menstrual cramp, and it only lasted about two minutes. I had residual cramping the rest of the day, but nothing that couldn’t be handled with ibuprofen. I had it inserted in the morning, lazed around with a heat pack on my belly for a couple hours, and then was able to go to work that afternoon.
While my period has been nonexistent, it’s also been unpredictable. The clock got thrown out the window because I would get my period whenever. And sometimes it has shown up for a day or two, disappeared for a week, and then started up again. Other times it’s happened like clockwork, as it was when I was on the pill.
The strings. The Mirena’s basically feel like fishing line. They’re supposed to curl up against your cervix, but that doesn’t mean my husband hasn’t hit them during sex, and that is NOT a good sensation during sex. It basically felt like a tuning fork, with pain reverberating throughout my ladyparts. If my husband hit it at the wrong angle it would be a bad experience for him too.
All those caveats aside, I’d get another one in a heartbeat. The convenience has made all the problems seem minor. I’ve also been lucky in that I’ve not suffered from the side effects many women have experienced, but YMMV depending on your own body. Just make sure to have a loooong talk with a doctor you trust before making the decision.
“Also, while the Mirena contains hormones, it doesn’t make me feel crazy (as in, literally batshit insane) the way the Pill often did.”
YES. This is exactly how I feel. I would just start randomly crying on the pill. Mirena has been fine, as far as I can tell. I feel that the hormones are less and more localized, so it’s a negligible amount of hormones.
“The strings. The Mirena’s basically feel like fishing line. They’re supposed to curl up against your cervix, but that doesn’t mean my husband hasn’t hit them during sex, and that is NOT a good sensation during sex.”
I just got them to cut my strings shorter so I didn’t have to worry about that.
I had the copper IUD placed while still in college (there are some doctors who will do it for a nulliparous woman), and I loved it. I am now married to a lady, so I no longer need it, but at the time, it was wonderful. It allowed me to begin to understand my own cycle, and it gave me confidence in my method. That was huge for me. Plus, as a person who got migraines from the hormones, getting off them was a revelation!
One word of warning for anyone who has been on hormonal birth control and who is switching to a non-hormonal IUD – it can affect the your sexual urges. Be prepared for that. It took me months to understand what was happening with my body after the hormones left. I think everyone is different, so I can’t speak to what specific affect it will have, but it really dramatically changed my sex life for a while.
I had the Paraguard inserted once I turned 30 and wanted to avoid hormones. It hurt going in for all of a minute. Afterwards, I got close to shock. It’s been three years now. My periods are longer but much much lighter. I always cramped a but when ovulating
I currently have Mirena, and have had it for… almost 4 years? Next year I get it removed. I have PMDD pretty badly, so I need SOMETHING to control my cycle, and the pill isn’t an option because I have migraines with aura (fun times).
The first several months I had it, I had a lot of cramping and my periods were sort of irregular (nothing too bad, but I like to know exactly when it’s coming to the day, which wasn’t possible). After a few months, it evened out. It hurt a little bit going in, but it wasn’t intolerable– I went to get it placed while I was on my period, so my cervix was low and all ready or whatever happens and took Motrin before I went in to preemptively fight the pain. I wouldn’t have been able to go to work the next day, but within a week I was ready to go again.
I love it because I don’t have to worry about taking a pill or anything… although it doesn’t really help my PMDD the way the pill did, it’s also much safer for my migraine problem. My period has FINALLY, after almost four years, become shorter and MUCH lighter, which is great– but why couldn’t that have happened when I had more than a year to go? Bleh. I dont know if I’ll get another one put in or not though… I just got married last year, and plan on starting a family sooner than six years from now, so IDK what will happen then. (I just heard recently that there might be a fertility issue associated with Mirena in women who have never had children, so I hope that’s not true… but I guess we’ll see in a couple of years.)
Occasionally I get some pinchy cramping but not too bad. I don’t look for the strings anymore because my gyno told me not to, LOL… she said if looking for them caused anxiety, don’t bother because after the first few months, it has a very low chance of moving around or causing problems. I mostly just get it checked on when I get a pap smear every couple of years.
I have Kaiser, and my insurance paid for the whole thing. I paid a $25 “go to the gyno” copay fee and that was it. The Mirena was completely free. I DEFINITELY recommend it 🙂
The only weird thing that makes me unique I guess (LOL) is that I use the DivaCup (tampon free since 2006 and damn proud of it!). It’s a little more awkward because I have to make sure to break the seal and not just yank out the cup like I used to, but I’ve had no problems. Sometimes I can feel the strings realllly low and almost hanging out during my period, but they always go back after the bleeding is done (TMI I know, but it might help someone). And yes, I still have enough of a period that I have to use the cup… I wish I were one of those lucky people who could get away with just a liner or something, but nope. Still bleeding after four years (although wayyyyy less than before).
I *adore* my IUD.
I have had it for 7 years at this point and it has been a wonderful experience.
I moved away from the pill because all similar systemic birth control methods gave me arrhythmia and hypertension.
Insertion is uncomfortable and the first month I had it I had some pretty brutal cramping but after that its been smooth sailing! I got it replaced after five years, also smooth sailing though no picnic, but the discomfort was gone after a few hours.
I get little to no cramping and as an added bonus, I’m one of a few who no longer get their period at all (occasional spotting every 6-7 months)
I would never consider getting any other form of birth control.
I was one of the rare people whose IUD migrated through the uterus and into my body cavity. I didn’t feel a thing, but when I went in for a 6 week check up, the IUD was missing. They thought it fell out, but found it in an ultrasound. It had to be surgically removed. It was completely painless to go about my life while waiting for my surgery and the procedure itself was simple. I was out running the next day and went back to get another IUD a few weeks later. The convenience over 5 years is just too much to pass up.
And as far as conceiving goes, I had an IUD for 5 years and was pregnant within a couple of months of removal. The whole missing IUD thing happened with the IUD I went to get after my baby was born.
i had a mirena, had it for about a year. insurance reimbursed all of it (and these days, post-Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, all women’s insurance *should* cover it). we LOVED it as a contraceptive — no need to take pills (which i frequently forgot), no dealing with condoms or diaphragm, none of that. neither my mister nor could feel the strings at all. i had one period about a month after it was put in, and then no more, at all, until it was taken out.
bad things: i had ’em, and worse than most. getting it put in was uncomfortable and i was crampy for a day or two, but not as bad as i was expecting given that i haven’t had kids. however, after a few days i started getting gut cramps. not just unhappy-lady-bits uterine cramps, though i definitely got those too, but my-intestines-are-trying-to-kill-me abdominal cramps, and those *never* stopped. every. single. effin’. day. for. a. year. i was willing to live with it — seriously, i’m in medical school, i’m no stranger to suffering — but the mister and i were talking about having kids anyway, and willing to risk it happening a little sooner than expected if it meant i wasn’t constantly wretchedly miserable, so i got it out. immediately, 90% of the issues = gone.
that said, as absolutely wretchedly miserable as it made me, i would use an IUD again (though, either paraguard, the copper one, or wait until after having kids), and i would absolutely recommend it to others. the likelihood of side effects of the type and severity of mine is really small, like 0.5%, and most people are really happy with them.
another thing to consider for people who want something lower-maintenance than a daily pill that doesn’t go, um, inside, is the patch. you wear them somewhere unobtrusive and switch them weekly, and periodically (pun!) do a week without. i have no direct experience with them, just an in-process medical education, but have been strongly considering for myself for my next bout of contraception.
I had the copper one after having a baby, and it took me several months to realize that it had severly affected my mood on a daily basis and made me a bit of a bitch. That changed as soon as I had it taken out over a year later (although there were no other side effects).
I have another brand now that hasn’t altered my moods at all, and it’s GREAT not having to worry about taking pills every month (which is how I got pregnant in the first place). It was slightly uncomfortable both times it was put in, but nothing worse than having blood taken, and I love the peace of mind it gives me, and that it lasts for up to 10 years! I also really like that as soon as my husband and I are ready, we can pop by the doctor, have it taken out, and start trying to get pregnant right away, instead of waiting several months like you’d have to do with the shots.
Hi Dreemwhrld,
Do you happen to know that name of your new IUD? Thanks!
I’ve got the copper IUD (what do they call that one? Paragaurd?) because the hormonal approach just does awful things to me mood-wise (lots and lots of anxiety attacks). It’s good for like twelve years. Downside: I was told when it was placed that any IUD ups the risk of non-cancerous ovarian cysts. Two months ago a cyst I didn’t know I had ruptured (or that’s the doc’s best guess based on the symptoms and such) and it was excruciating. Hopefully, this won’t happen again. I’ve been told some lifestyle changes could help decrease the odds of another (changes in diet, more regular exercise, that kind of thing). So I’m gonna address these things before I toss in the towel on my IUD, because other wise I love it so. I can’t feel it, don’t have to think about it, and don’t need to worry about a surprise pregnancy.
I got Paragard on December 5th just a few months ago. I liked the idea of going hormone free and this one has no hormones. The procedure kind of hurt, but it was super fast. They told me there could be some bleeding for a few weeks until my body’s cycle regulated around it. Well I bled for about 2 months straight. Around February it slowed down to about 3 out of 4 weeks a month. Now it is about like a normal period, although somewhat unpredictable and about 10 days long. My body has just taken a long time to get used to it. However, it is good for 10 years. I will take 5 months of crazy bleeding for 10 years of not worrying about an unintended pregnancy! The first time my husband and I were intimate after getting it, he felt the IUD strings and they scratched him a bit, but after about a week they softened up and there is no problem now.
I got Mirena in January of this year and I LOVE it! My doctor was concerned about my raised blood pressure on the pill and after trying a variety of different pills, food changes, vitamins, etc we decided that an IUD would be the way to go. I’m not going to lie having it placed was incredibly painful. I nearly passed out twice in the doctor’s office even though I took Midol beforehand as suggested. A big part of it though was probably because I haven’t had kids. My first period was longer and more achey than when I was on the pill, but not as bad as when I wasn’t on anything. My second period was lighter and less achey. I haven’t had any weight gain, although I am breaking out a little more. That was part of why I was on the pill though so it’s basically back to what it was pre-pill. Sex was awkward at first. Mainly though because my doctor told me that she wasn’t sure it would stay in because I haven’t had kids. It made us anxious and anxious sex is not fun sex. After I went back for a check up at 6 weeks though and she said everything thing was fine we went back to normal.
Just remember that everyones experience is different.
So many comments! I have been considering the mirena but this has finalised my decision to just relly on condoms. Hormonal birth control is awful for me and reading the experiences of others I don’t want to go through that again!
I have no personal experience–doing well on the pill and too cheap to change/may have kids soon. However, I distinctly recall hearing a lecture on birth control where the OB-GYN presented some data that an ASTRONOMICALLY high percentage of OBGYNS (10, 20%?) compared to the general population (2%) use IUDs. Her point was that the people who specialize in birth control choose them for themselves over every other method because of their effectiveness and simplicity. They’re also used much more in Europe than the US for that reason.
I totally plan to get one after I pop out our kiddos.
i totally believe that tons of OBGYNs use IUDs — with how chaotic that lifestyle is, i know *i* wouldn’t be able to take pills on time if i had been up delivering babies since 2 in the morning and wasn’t entirely certain what day it was. =) my female faculty (all that i’ve asked, at least) all love ’em.
I had a Mirena IUD placed about a year before my then fiance and I got married. Hurt a bit going in but that was to be expected. Things are not supposed to be shoved in there, just eventually shoved out! And for the time I had it, I loved it. My period actually stopped while I had it. It was safer than Condoms, and all it took was an occasional feel to make sure my strings were still where they should be. (they cut mine a bit long so it was easier to feel). The problem actually came when I got the damn thing out.
My husband and I decided two years ago we were ready to make the leap, to have little hedgelings of our own and brave the icy rapids of parenthood. I had been told that it would be maybe a month or two after it was removed that my cycle would restart when I first had it put in. As I was getting ready to have it out I read stories of women who took a whole YEAR to restart.
‘Well’, I figured. ‘nothing to be done about it now.’ It was taken out and we waited…and waited…and waited. I finally called the doctor after 6 months of my body doing nothing. No ovulation, no period, nothing. She said “Your young (I was 27 at the time) and it can be a side effect of Mirena, give it a year then talk to us.” A year later and I was still waiting.After my first year, tired of being put off I switched doctors who agreed that sometimes it can take a LONG time for cycles to restart after Mirena. Two years down the line now and we are still waiting for that chance. Granted now it has moved beyond waiting into actively trying to force my body to work again,with mixed and painful results but that is neither here nor there.
And to be fair to Mirena, it is entirely possible it just aggravated an already present problem I had no idea of. Thats the thing about these sorts of items, the science is sound but it is all a bit murky as it will effect each woman differently.
My point is IUDs are a fantastic choice if you are not planning children for a long time, or have had your midgets and are in no hurry to add to your current one or few. but having one in for a couple of years then trying to have a baby, as a warning and take my story to heart, it can cause a lot of heartache and a lot of time.
I love love love my IUD!!!! I have the paraguard and it lasts for 10 years. Yes it increases the flow of your period- but it is hormone free and great! I love it!! It allows you to have sex spontaneously-it is such a cheap method over time- and no hormones!!!
I seriously can’t get behind IUDs. One friend had a horribly traumatic experience getting hers put in, another’s had her fallopian tubes fuse to it and had to have it surgically removed and another had to have it taken out because the hormones were too much for her body to handle. I realize this is purely anecdote but I try really hard to limit the plastic in my life and am hyper-conscious of what I put in my body food-wise…why would I decide to have a plastic foreign object into my body semi-permanently? I beg my friends not to get them.
I’ve been on birth control for about 9 years, and I just got Mirena 3 months ago when my insurance came through. I don’t have any kids, but I’m in a monogamous relationship and don’t plan on having kids for at least another 3 years. So far, it has been getting better every month! I had breakthrough bleeding for about a month, but otherwise my bleeding has disappeared.
I haven’t had any problems except with pain. When it was inserted, it was the worst 5 minutes of my life thus far, including the 4 1/2 hours of getting hip tattoos. I stayed at the office for 1 1/2 hours to avoid fainting so I could drive myself back. I definitely should have taken a sick day for the following day at work, but people were willing to be accommodating. The pain has been receding, but it was so bad in the first few days that I called my regular physician for 800 mg ibuprofen so I could sleep. That helped a lot!
I don’t know about the strings, but I have been using my menstrual cup without any problems. I asked my OBGYN about the cup and they had never heard of it before (that was a surprise), but they didn’t think there would be any issues. I’m going back for a check-up next month, and I should have some better information then.
I got the Muliload (copper) while I lived in NZ. Pretty painless insertion and it worked flawlessly for 5 years. The only thing I hated was my week long super heavy periods–I’m talking a maxi pad and a super tampon soaked through in a couple of hours. Flows like this would go on for 5 days.
When my time was up, I opted for Mirena as it was supposed to give me light periods and maybe even take my libido down a notch or two so I would be even with my fiance. So far, the insertion was painful, I bleed (albeit very lightly) for 3 weeks at a time and sometimes have cramps that take me to the floor. I’m still up in the air.
But I will never go back to the pill. I still wake up in the middle of the night gasping reaching frantically for my pill case which hasn’t been on my nightstand for 6 years. I call it my pill PTSD and will never go back. Maybe its just time to get knocked up!
I just want to add that I had very painful fibroids before going on Mirena. Every month at exactly mid cycle I would be bowled over by the pain. And it would last until I finally had my period. Went on Mirena after the birth of my son 2 years ago and haven’t had ANY pain. Very thankful.
I got the Paragard IUD because hormones are a problem for me, and I didn’t want to risk even the small amount that is in the Mirena. (Note I have not had kids.) The first one I got (put in by a nurse practioner) fell out after the first month. It got lodged in my cervix and that hurt a lot. The second one I got to replace that one (put in by the doctor) stayed in place no problem for years. Both times getting it put in hurt a lot. I had terrible cramps for 2 days. I had heavier periods with worse cramps for the first 6 months, but I returned to normal. Totally worth it though for me to be hormone free, and I would recommend it. I had the IUD taken out to try to make a baby, and we were successful! Getting it taken out was easy for me, no pain.
My IUD experience wasn’t very ideal. I had a Paragard inserted after my daughter was born in 2010. The insertion didn’t hurt much more than a normal pap smear. For the next three cycles, I had really bad periods. They were very heavy and I had severe cramping that reminded me of being in labor. After that, my cycles were normal and I didn’t have any issues until I found out that I was pregnant (eight months after it had been inserted). The IUD was able to be removed safely and the rest of the pregnancy was normal. At the time, my friends joked that the kid would be very tough, considering that he was conceived despite the IUD and he survived the removal. He is now a very large and healthy 20 month old! (So at least the story has a good ending.)
I got mine three months ago. I had been on the pill a looong time ago, for acne, and hated it. Got the Mirena (in Canada) for b.c., and love love love it so far! Insertion was not fun, but the pain was less than a minute. We were in and out of the doctor’s office in 20 minutes. I did bring my partner, and I was really glad. He could see some of what I was putting myself through so that we don’t need to think about kids right now, and he was a great support. Some cramping that day, but actually less that I had before with my periods (in bed for days, puking, migraines — awful). My periods have been lighter each cycle since, albeit longer (the first one was two weeks — but I didn’t even need panty liners, just good wiping). It cost a pretty penny, but I can have it for up to five years. Once I determined that our insurance wouldn’t cover it, I called every pharmacy in the area. I saved at least $30 by getting it from Costco. Many places noted they needed advance notice (just a day) to get one in.
I have never been pregnant, have no kids. I had no problems with insertion, my partner has never felt the strings (my gyno cut them really short, and curled them up. She also encouraged me NOT to feel for them, as often people get too eager and pull the device out. Instead, I will get an xray next week to confirm placement.) The biggest benefit is that my periods have totally changed, which was a good thing for me. And no babies!
As to hormonal side effects, the first few weeks I felt very emotional. Everything made me weepy, I felt sad/happy/mad in the span of seconds. I told myself that some studies have shown that links between hormonal birth control and emotions can be all in people’s heads. I didn’t attribute my new range of emotions directly TO the bc, but instead would tell myself ‘you are just feeling this right now. it is okay to feel things’. I never felt not in control of my emotions. Everything’s pretty leveled out now, and I’m spending way less on menstrual products! (Like, I’ve used 4 tampons and maybe 10 pads in two cycles. That could have been first-day usage alone before.)
TL; DR: Totally changed my periods, in a good way. No kids, no other bc, for up to five years. No maintenance. Highly recommend!
The FDA recently approved a 3-year IUD as well, called the Skyla.
I have had the copper one for 5 years and I’d never consider any alternative. It hurt like a motherfuck to put in (not having given birth I don’t know but I imagine it’s the same muscles/ same pain just at a much smaller degree) but that was short, and other than the occasional check on the strings I’ve barely thought about it since. Cost me $22 or whatever the fee was and that’s it! No further fees or packaging or hormones or anything. Happy bunny. It does feel a little weird thinking there’s a copper thing in me but I amuse myself pretending it’s a defender robot.
Plus it’s badass to say. When my boss was teasing me about not coming back to work pregnant after my wedding I had great fun joking back about no chance – the 2 inch copper pipe in my uterus … I’ve also been known to joke about heavy metal birth control
It will make you beep in airports though