Birth Control Options: NuvaRing, Birth Control Pills, and Mirena

Updated on April 30, 2010
J.M. asks from West Chester, PA
14 answers

I was wondering if anyone has any input about birth control options, particularly comparing birth control pills, the NuvaRing, and the Mirena IUD. I was recently told by my physician that I cannot use the copper IUD because they have now inserted it twice and I have expelled it, each time during my period. It is there belief that because the IUD causes cramping, each time during my period, the cramping made discarded the IUD. They were thinking that maybe the Mirena would work because the cramping is supposedly less. However, I was very upset about this news because I'm not really much for hormonal methods. So, I have these three options. I tried the NuvaRing before but only for 2 months. During those two months I completely lost my libido. Has anyone had that issue with the NuvaRing? I don't know if it was because I didn't try it for long enough or because it was 8 months after my daughter was born, but do you all think I should try it again? Then there are birth control pills, which they would put me on a monophasic pill (one dosage of hormone throughout the three weeks). I'm reluctant about all these methods for the same reasons. The three things I cannot deal with in any of them is
1) mood instability
2) weight gain
3) possible pregnancy again
So, please, please, please, I need help with this. I have no idea what to do and I have to make my decision ASAP.
Thank you.

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So What Happened?

Thank you everyone for your input. I went to the dr. today. She told me the following: She will talk with the other doctors in the practice to see if the Mirena is a good match for me because of my expulsion rate with the other two copper IUDs I had. She also will speak with them about a new thing that is similar to the Norplant but it is one rod in your arm and it is good for 3 years. She wants to discuss with the other docs if there may be an affect on mood. Until then, we agreed on Lo/Ovral, which is a b.c. pill. I did a lot of research and I hear good things about this one. If anyone is on it, I would love to hear what you think of it. Thanks again for all the wonderful advice. I do hope that I can get the Mirena because people seem to be really happy with it.

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K.B.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I have the Mirena IUD. I had minor cramping when it was inserted and nothing since. I have had it in since March of 04. I personally love it. I would never even have thought to use the copper IUD becuase of horror stories I have heard about it. Good luck!

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K.A.

answers from Philadelphia on

I do not have advice about these, but have previously used the Fertility Awareness Method aka FAM. No Hormones except your own. Taking Charge of You Fertility is a great book that details this method.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.P.

answers from Gainesville on

I had the Mirena placed 6 weeks after my son was born. I was still partially dialated so it didn't hurt as bad as it should have. My husband has no problem with sex (both oral and vaginal) since the strings have been snipped at the ends. He did feel them at first. I too have experienced some weight issues. I work out and eat right but still can't seem to lose weight. My doctor says it is still baby weight but its been 18 months and no weight loss. I'm scared to take it out b/c we have gotten so use to it being there. And we are definately not ready for another one yet!
http://www.womenhealthcenter.net/

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J.T.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hi J.,
The lowest dose of hormones will come from Mirena. I too did not want the effects of hormones. How I made my decision was this...I had been pregnant twice on the pill...not safe; you cannot always tell right away if you lost the NuvaRing, and my insurance did not pay for it....soI was left with the IUD. I lost my insurance before I could have it done, and my OB's office had a program to pay for the Mirena. There was cramping, but the most severe was about an hour after the insertion. I felt it again the first time my husband and I had sex. I haven't felt it since, not even cramping. Of course that is just me. It seems to be the safest form of BC. The hormones are released in the exact spot that they are needed instead of having to go through your bloodstream, so the dose is extremely small. It does not affect me like the pill did AT ALL. In fact, I feel ....normal? I feel like I did whe nI got off birth control altogether when we decided to have my daughter. I was off almost a year before we conceived her, so basically, I have no side affects.
I hope this helps.

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N.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I have used both iuds and the nuva ring. I didn't like the copper one for the same reasons you mentioned but I love the other two. I didn't personally notice a change in libido from the ring but that might not mean anything. The only problem I have found with the Mirena is that if you plan on having anymore children within the next 3 years, it is not worth the cost. If you are military, they actually will not put it in if you are considering that option. Also the good thing about the ring is that it is just as effective as the Mirena but it is removable by you, so if you were to get pregnant it is not a deal. Oh, and if this matters, my favorite thing about the ring and the mirena is that I don't get periods at all. With the ring, my doctor recommended not doing the off week except for once every 3-4 months because there is no reason to have periods that often for most women. Hope this helps!

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E.F.

answers from Sharon on

I am a 26 yr old mom of 2 ages 7 and 4 and have used the Nuva ring as BC since my second child was born. I love it! I didn't have to think about taking pills every day, perfect. It doesn't interfere during sex and my peiod was less heavy while I was on it. I liked Nuva ring also because it goes into the vagina and not the uterus as an IUD does (less pain). I never had problems with moodiness or weight gain, but then everyone is deifferent. You tried it for 2 months, give it another try. Try it for 6 months. Even an 8 month old is still a hinderence to any mother's sex drive.

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N.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hi J.,
I'm not sure if you were given the option of the Patch or not?!?! I have used it for the past 4 or so years and I love it! Change it once a week and that's it. The only thing w/the Patch is that it's not as effective if your weight is over 150-160 lbs or so. But it's worth talking to your Dr. about. Oh yeah, I didn't have any bad side effects (weight gain, mood swings, low libido, etc...) Good Luck!

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D.A.

answers from Washington DC on

I am a mother of three and 24yrs old and I AM ON THE SHOT, but it has made me keep my baby fat this time. I normally go to 140 -145 and now with the shot I am 170 and only went to 172 with my littlw one maybe 175 so it is a weight gainer cuase I don't eat very fattening foods. And with that Mirena make sure they measure you they told me I could only be a four or five after the fact of trying to put it in and I am a 2. I know have permanent spasms of pain in my pelvic area cause it wouldn't go but the doctor tried 4 times making me almost pass out from the pain and had to dialate me herself. I don't recommend it and the pain was with medicine before hand. It was two times worse then labor for me I hope you don't go through the same if you do it. I had to be there 2 1/2 hrs and my daughter was out with my at the time 2 month daughter balling cause she was hungry he couldn't comeback cause I was bleeding so much they didn't want her to see. Anyway good day

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D.R.

answers from York on

Good Morning J.,

I have been on the Mirena since April 06 and i luv it, i mean at first when the application was put in i did have some minor cramps, but afterwards it wasnt a problem, i know at first i spotted for about a week but after that i have been doing ok with it, i recommend it, you cant beat the fact that its there for 5yrs...take care...

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B.R.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Well any hormonal bc can cause those side effects. I am sure you also could try the patch or the depo provera shot. I was on the depo for awhile and the only downsides were weight gain, loss of libido (again I used it right after I had a child), and trouble conceiving after I went off of it. I am now just going to try the Nuvaring so I don't have any advice about it.

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T.H.

answers from York on

Well if you are basing your decision off of the 3 reasons listed then maybe the Mirena IUD is your best bet. The IUD offers such a low dose of hormones that what it does is realse the hormones into the uterus causing the lining to not grow so no lining no period. I have had the IUD for about 8 months now and no weight gain, no mood instability, and definetly no pregnancy. It is 99.9% effective. I only had mild cramping for about an hour after insertion. It was fine. Also as my husband puts it, it is the "set it and forget it" method. The only libido problems I have is from the fact that I am still breastfeeding my son. I even asked the doctor and he said that there should not be any problems stemming from the IUD, that it is all the breastfeeding causing the lack of desire. The one reason that the IUD won't casue mood instability is becasue it delivers a constant dose for 5 years unlike the pills or ring that put you on 3 weeks of hormones then 1 week of none. I don't know alot about the ring so I can't give you an opinion on that. The pills don't seem conducive to anyone who has kids because youhave to take it everyday at the same time which as we all know is almost impossible with a 1 year old running around. Hope this helps and good luck.

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H.F.

answers from York on

Hello I am not sure about the other names that you already know about but i used Seasonal Birth Control pills for almost 3 years...They make you have your period every 3 months and mine lasted about 5-7 days not bad at all.Now they did make me not want to have sex as much and kept my weight but then again i didn't exercise..Also when i was ready for my 3rd child i stop my pills and had no problem get pregnant witin the 1st 2 weeks if not sooner..
Well good luck to you. Hope that i helped you out

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C.W.

answers from Washington DC on

I'm using the Mirena IUD. I love it. I don't have to worry about taking the pill (which I use to use & hated it) plus I don't have any monthly visit & it's good up to 5 yrs. I still get cramps once in awhile but to me it's not bad & it doesn't last long like maybe a few sec. & thats it. Good luck in picking what kind of birth control you want to use. Here is a web site about the Mirena IUD http://www.mirena-us.com/index.jsp
C.

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D.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi J., I have had the Mirena IUD and I didn't gain weight, have mood swings and never once had the fear I was pregnant again. I only had very slight cramping once they put it in and was gone by the time I got in my car (about a 5 min walk). I would suggest going with that one and it also has a very low dosage of any kind of hormone so you can barely tell. The only problem is that sometimes hubby could feel the strings during intercourse, the dr. then clipped them shorter. That was my only issue with it.

Good Luck with what you decide.

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