IUD Or Depo Provera?

My daughter has had the IUD and the shot and she greatly preferred the IUD. They are a lot better now days than they used to be and not as dangerous. She has had the IUD now for about 3 years and has had no problems whatsoever! She said the shot made her feel like Dr. Jekkyl and Mr. Hide! :-) And the injection site was extremely sore for several days afterwords. Hope this helps!

I got the IUD put in almost a year ago, and I love it. For me, there wasn't a lot of pain/cramping with incertion, but I think that had to do with the fact that I had just had a baby 6 weeks prior, so I was still *open*. I did have the spotting for 6 or 7 weeks, but that wasn't major. I have had no weight gain, which I always had a problem with while on the pill or patch. I don't have cramping after sex or any other time, really. My periods are super light and only last a couple of days. They say some women stop their periods all together. I still get one every month, but like I said, they are really light. No changes with moods, sex drive, etc. The only problem I have noticed is that I seem to get yeast infections after each period. Before I had my son, I think I had 2 yeast infections in my life. So, I just have a running prescription for Diflucan. All together though, I am pretty happy with it.

I have a copper IUD (lasts up to 10 yrs), and it was one of the best things I've ever done for myself.

I did my research.. IUDs are actually one of (if not the) most popular forms of birth control in the world. The bad reputation comes from a certain type of IUD made in the 70s that had multiple filaments that allowed bacteria to enter the uterus. This type of IUD has been off the market for years, and there are no similar ones used today.

they will tell you you may have worse cramping with an IUD, but for me that was not the case. My cycles were also lighter.

I believe the 5 yr IUD has hormones implanted on it, so if you're having trouble with birth control pills because of the hormones, you might want to reconsider.

there are a couple days of discomfort after the insertion process, but they're pretty minor & go away shortly. All in all, I've been very pleased.

Do not do depo. I was very thin and gained 40+ pounds in nine months, not thrilled about that. And sex drive went down the tubes. So do not reccomend this birth control to anyone!!! Never did IUD, hubby got a vasectomy and it solved alot of problems:)

D.,

I use an IUD. I HATE shots! I was using the patch when it went off the market, my OB gave me those two options as well. I have also suffered labor type pains just about every month when "Aunt Flo" came for her monthly visit. I know the IUD has bad history, but with bad history comes learning experiences. I have had my IUD since June of 2006 and it is wonderful! Within the first month or two, I had no period at all! A little spotting, no cramping, it has been wonderful! And my honey and I don't have to worry about when we can or cannot do what we want to do. Besides, with an IUD, if you want to get pregnant again, just tell your doctor and he/she will take it out. That is all there is to it! I am very happy with mine. Take care and God Bless!

J.

go with iud (mirena) i am picky about birth control and did allthe reasearch and it is the best one. low hormones, it last 5 years but is easily removed before then and you can get pregnant right away. my cousin who has three kids and is a labor and delivery nurse swears by it. also, many of my friends who have had childrengot the Mirena IUD. hope that is helpful

Hi D.,
My sister has the IUD she has been on it for 2 years now with no complications.She gained ALOT of weight though and even though you said you would not have any probs with that , I do believe in the long run (and this is only if it happens to you there is a chance it may not!)I think that may be the best choice for you .Its proven to work really well for her she says she doesn't even know its there.
The Depo shot -
My 18 year old (better to be safe then sorry later) was on it for about 6 months they give it to you every 3.
She had very bad mood swings (aside from the usual teenage drama) and it also gave her severe migrain headaches.Again not everyone has the same side effects but it may be something you'd want to talk over with your Doc.
Make sure also that you get checked for the HPV virus ( I have it!)It's not something to put on the back burner if you have it!
About me : 38yr old Single mom with a 13 yr old boy and 17 yr old girl...really happy family life =0) good luck to you!

Well D., I have the Mirenea IUD and have had it for two years and I love it! I don't get periods anymore, and my libido increased from using the ortho evera patch I'm not big on the whole pill thing every day, and the ortho evera left square burns on my skin every week from them sliding a little bit every day, or they would just slide off in the shower. I would recommend to anyone the Mirenea I think it is great!

I had the Depo shot years ago and experienced the worst depression of my life. I cried daily and attempted suicide. I know many women who have experienced similar mood swings or depression although Depo denies that their product causes these behaviors. I'm sure there are many women who are just fine with it, but I cannot ever recommend it.

D.,
I have had the Depo shot for several years, My husband and I wanted to have another baby so I went off the shot and with in 8 mo. we were going to have a baby. After I had our Son I went back on the Depo shot and I nursed him while I was on it, And a few years later we wanted one more child so I did the same went off the shot a few months later we were pregnant, had the baby boy and then went back on the shot and nursed him. While I was on the shot I never gained any wait, no mood swings, hair loss and best of all no period. I dont think anyone can tell you "well dont go on the shot because this happened to me..." You are an individual and God made us all different so you might not have the same reaction as someone else did. I am now on the Depo and never have to worry about getting pregnant or starting my period when I least expect it...I think it is a decision only you and your husband should make.. Good Luck..

D.-

I have to say that I personally would not recommend the Depo shot. It took me 2 years after stopping the shot to get my period back, and it has never been regular since then. I have been off the shot now for about 6 years, and I currently am going through fertility treatments to try to have a baby. There is no evidence to connect my infertility to the Depo, but I had normal cycles until I started the Depo shot. Hope this information helps. Keep in mind that every person will have a different experience, so do what you think is the right thing for you. I would also recommend doing some research about facts and statistics, just to make sure that you are well educated when it comes time to make a decision.

I had the Mirena IUD (has hormones) put in 6 weeks after my 2nd child was born. It did cause several problems that I didn't realize until later. All are correced now. I had the Mirena IUD removed after having it for about 1.5 years.

I had them put in the old fashioned copper IUD without hormones. I've been fine. I'm very sensitive to hormones the pill was a problem. The Dr assured me these hormones would not even get into my bloodstream. But I found a whole message board of women who disagree.

You can take any IUD out at anytime YOu just can't leave it in past it's time. I'm not sure how Depo works. Those are shots every few months?

If you have any more questions or would like me to be more specific you can e-mail me personally.

I have the mirena iud. I have had it for a year and a half and it is wonderful not to have to worry about anything for birth control. my periods are much lighter now, i've had no weight gain issues. i do get a cramp here and there, but much less cramping overall since the lightened periods. Placement wasn't the best, but it's worth it for 5 years of birth control. The specific one that i have has hormones in it in addition to the mechanical function so you get the same hormones as the pill except lower dosage. I would recommend this to anyone.

I had previously been on the depo shot for about 9 months and hated it. for 2 months i wouldn't have a period and then the whole month before my next shot i would bleed unpredictably. I didn't experience weight gain or depression, but the unpredictablity was what made me get off of it.

I have had the IUD since November 2006. I have been very pleased. Before I got the IUD inserted I heard there would be some cramping and lite bleeding during the insertion. I did not experience either. I have liked not worrying about making appointments for depo (you need a shot every 3 months) or taking a pill. My IUD is called Pariguard and lasts for 10 years. It has no hormones so it won't effect your mood or your period. Dr's (and other ladies with it) say your first couple of periods will be pretty heavy. Definetly reasearch the Pariguard IUD!

I am considering the Paragard IUD because the active ingredient is copper. I am very sensitive to hormonal therapy so I will also have a test done to see which hormones I am sensitive to. I also heard there is an IUD available with a smaller amount of Depo Provera than the shots, which is still hormonal but less of a dose with the same effectiveness.

I used Depo for 3 years. Decided to stop when we wanted to have a baby. I didn't have any problems while I was on the shots, but I didn't have periods while on it...a bonus in my book. Once I was off of the Depo, it too 7 months for me to have a period and I got pregnant right away....because I hadn't had more than 1 period, I had an ultrasound to see how far along I was, only to discover it was a nonviable pregancy. I had to have a DNC. After that it was a couple of months before I had another period. It took a year and a half for me to get pregnant. I blame Depo for my miscarriage and for the daly in my becoming pregnant and would not recomend it to anyone. I have friends that have IUD's and are very happy with them. Now I am on the pill. I take the active pills sequentially and skip the nonactive weeks, avoiding my periods since I have a history of severe cramps. Life is good!
Good luck to you, which ever you decide.

I took the depo shot years ago and you cant pay enough money to go back on that ever agian. I gained alot of weight and was literly crazy I had the worse mood swings ever. I was currently using the nuva ring I had no problems with it at all. I have been using it for over a year and half neither my husband nor I could tell it was there. I recently stopped taking it cause I can't loose any weight and I am hoping not using it will help ?????? I havent gained with it since I am still not at my pre pregnancy weight though I decided to ellimenate that to see what happens if nothing then I am going to start using it agian. The doc tried to put the iud in it hurt and he couldnt get it in my cevix is tilted. Well good luck on your desision

I used Depo for 11 years and loved it - no weight gain, no mood swings, no issues with libido, best of all NO PERIODS. I got pregnant within 5 months of stopping Depo (research says it can take up to 18 months). After I stopped breast feeding I started depo again with the same results then my doctor suggested the IUD with hormone in it...the comparison I did was the cost because they both work the same so, $50 every 3 months for 5 years = $200/yr * 5 years = $1000.00 or $500 once for 5 years. It was an easy choice for me. Also should I choose to get pregnant again, removing the IUD takes less than 10 minutes (at the Dr's) and my cycle starts again within a month and can be pregnant within 2-3 months.

I currently have an IUD>I have only had 1 problem with it> i now know THINGS I need to stay away from.It slipped out of place once and had to be replaced.With a new unit.I am a mother of 5 I have been pregnant 9 times 4 miscarriages b4 my 1st.I am now a single mom,the IDU has been a positive thing for me.My baby is now 8.but you just need to be mindful of your body and have any concerns you have checked out.I had my IUD put in after the birth of my baby and since have had only the one problem ...my fault....

You are right to be concerned about the IUD; it can have monumental consequences, like spontaneous abortions because of damage to the uterine lining when you do wish to have more babies, as well as discomfort--or even pain and potential hemmorhaging--from prolonged use. I have not researched Depo, so I cannot tell you, but I would be somewhat wary of anything that alters your hormone balance, because it can negatively affect the way you behave with your family. If you were not married, I would recommend condoms for all sorts of reasons. If you do not have an allergy to latex, then I would highly recommend the diaphragm, for its affectiveness and relative ease of use, even though you would have to get fitted properly for one through Planned Parenthood (or somewhere similar). Hope this helped.--M.

I currently have the 10 year IUD....Its the one with copper and no hormones. I had the Depo shot a few years back and at first it was great...no periods, no pills but I did gain alot of weight. On top of that my mood swings got really bad, I got depressed and I was just not a nice person. The hormones in the depo shot really messed with me. So after having my baby I choose the IUD... I talked with my doc and he said that the 5 year IUD actually has hormones in it and I would probably have the same occurances with that as I did with the depo shot (you also stop getting your period witht he 5 year IUD)...So I got the 10 year IUD...It does the same thing but I still get my period. My periods are a bit more heavy and cramping is a little worse, but I love it. I dont have to worry about pills or getting pregnany. Once the IUD is removed you can get pregnant right away.

If you want to know anything else just send me a message.
Jenny

I would not get depo. I used it for about a year and a half and it has completely messed up my system. I gained about 50 lbs during the pregnancy and I was less than 20 lbs away from my prepregnancy weight before I got my first shot. I gained about 5 lbs a month or so until I started working out and then I never lost any weight, I just stayed the same. My face broke out all the time, I had hot flashes and I was very moody.

I am currently using an IUD right now (Mirena) and it works pretty well. I don't have the same symptoms because I still have my period (kind of) I will spot for a couple of days and that's it and it stays in for 5 years and it's really simple.

I've never done either, but my sister did the Depro shot. She gained A LOT of weight with this.

Another option is the Nuva Ring - ever heard of it? From what I understand, you insert in for a period of 3 weeks and hormones are released. Then after 21ish days (I'm not sure of the exact time frame) you take it out and have a period.

I got seriously hostile on the pills I was taking, so when I go back to the doc, I'm going to talk with her about other options and this (so far) seems to be at the top of the list. From what I understand, you and your husband are not supposed to even know it's there.

Not much help, huh? Sorry - I gave you what I've got! Good luck with whatever you decide.

Hello there...I have been on the Depo shot, every body is different, but I did have some major problems with the shot, and the pill. I talked with my doctor recently, I am scheduled for the 9th to have an IUD put in. For me, it has more pros than cons if you compare it to the other 2 options I have tried. I can let you know how I feel after having the IUD put in and see if that helps you any......

Hi, D..
I have had the copper IUD (the one for 10 years) in for a little over a year now. Other than the heavy menstrual cycles, it hasn't been a problem for me. In fact, it's kind of nice not have to worry about going to get a shot or taking a pill every day or anything like that.
I am planning on getting the copper one switched out for the five year one soon, though because of the periods.
Having them put in wasn't that bad, and you don't even know that they're there.
Well, good luck in your decision.
Jen

Hi D.,

I was on the Depo shot for several years and I wouldn't recommend it. They have recently discovered that it can cause brittle bones and reduce bone density which can be a contributing factor to Osteoporosis. It took me about 14 months to get pregnant after I quit getting the shot and my doctor was concerned about my bone density as I recently showed some degenerative problems in my mid spine - they don't know if Depo acclerated the condition or not. However, due to recent info I wouldn't recommend it. I even read that many doctors will only use Depo as a last resort for birth control.

Good luck.

L.

Don't know about the IUD, but I was on the Depo shot. Besides the weight gain the shot also takes calcium from your bones.

I would definitely consider the IUD. I have one since June 2006 and it is wonderful for me. The only few drawbacks I experience are spotting in between periods, and the cramps have become more intense than they used to be, plus a heavier period that lasts longer. I noticed I start spotting about 3-5 days before I am actually due.
It did take some getting used to at first, as your body has to adjust, and I bled 2 weeks out of the month for the first two months.
If you research it, you will see that is normal.
The one I have is non hormone, and you keep it in for 5 years.

My sister does the Depo shot, and she has gained weight on it. You also do not menstruate when you are on the shot, so I don't know how healthy that is to go years without a period. But that's just me. =0)

I would NOT recommend the NUVA Ring... I know 3 women personally that it made so depressed, they were suicidal, including me! I have heard other horror stories concerning it causing severe depression when women have used it. I barely made it a month and I was ready to be admitted into a hospital, I was so depressed and non functional. After doing research and women telling me their stories, I removed it and was feeling better in a week, though it has done permanent damage as I am still not completely the same.
Hope the info helps!!