Iud's

K.,

I don't have an IUD, so I don't necessarily have anything worthwhile to say, but I do have some questions for you to consider as you make your choice...

Are you sensitive to foreign objects? The reason I ask is because one of the reasons I chose not to have it was that I have trouble with elastic bands irritating my skin, earrings, surgical staples, surgical glue, stitches. All of these things I seem to have a sensitivity or allergy to, so I was very afraid about how my body would respond to the IUD.

The other concern I had was that I had heard that an IUD creates an environment in your uterus that makes it difficult/impossible for implantation...I read this as not preventing pregnancy/fertilization, but preventing implantation, which essentially is an involuntary/unknown abortion of sorts...not allowing a fertilized egg to implant seems pretty hostile. I would rather do something that doesn't allow an egg to fertilize at all. Make sense?

Those were my two concerns related to the IUD. Hope this helps give you some things to consider as you make your very personal decision.

D.

I got a paraguard IUD last year and it has been great. It is the kind with no hormones that stays in for 10 years. The closer you get it to childbirth, the easier it is because your cervex will be soft and the insertion easier. It is uncomfortable going in - definitely. Motrin helps. I was crampy for a few days. I felt something, not pain, for a couple of months. Now I occasionally notice it, but no big deal. My period became very heavy for 6 months or so and has now tapered off. It is still different than it was before, lasts longer. Considering the alternative, pregnancy or a less convenient and safe form of birth control, I think it is terrific. My husband was unwilling to get a vasectomy, which would have been my preference. This is a pretty good second.
The kind with the hormones often stops your period altogether. This would freak me out and I would wonder if I was pregnant. I have a friend who has it and has a panic now and then. I also think that the monthly cleansing is a natural, healthy thing, even if it is not my favorite time of month. Good luck with your decision.

I'm in the same boat. I am going to get the Mirena next month and hope it works well. I am a little nervous about insertion and if I will "feel" it all the time. I don't use tampons because they are so uncomfortable so I hope I'm making the right decision. I will keep watching to see what others say. Do your "homework" before you decide so you feel good about your decision. I have and feel Mirena is right for me. If I decide to have another baby it will be in the next couple years and then after that perminent measures will be taken. I'm just not ready yet to "cut off" hope of another child. Right now is not the right time so I will wait and see what happens in the future. A.

I got the Mirena IUC almost three years ago and haven't had too many problems. They had to dilate me a bit to insert it, and that was a bit crampy, but fine by the time I left the docs office. They had to go back in and trim the string because it was poking my husband! It took a month or so to settle into the lining, some twinges here and there, but not bad. I still sometimes get some twinges now and again, but it goes away after my period. I've been happy with very light periods (two days with a pantiliner or one or two tampons a day. I can't quite tell if I'm feeling the hormones or not. Sex drive comes and goes. And not having to think about birth control is wonderful!

I got the mirena IUD and I love it. My doctor used a local anesthetic when he inserted it, so it was virtually painless and it's great that I don't have to worry about anything for up to 5 years. I've had no problems so far, and I had it placed about 6 months ago.

I have a Mirena IUD (with the hormone in it) which I had put in 2 months ago. It was pretty sore to have it in but VERY quick - over in a minute or less. I could feel it for the first 24 hours, and I was quite crampy, but that stopped and I can't feel a thing now. I had some irregular spotting but not much. I had had problems with my periods before I had it and now that I have had 2 with it in they are way better - much lighter and less painful. And it is so great not to have to think about birth control at all. I really recommend it!
Have just read the other reponses - ignore the rubbish that someone wrote about it causing abortions - it certainly does not!

I had one for a short time. It did hurt me going in and I actually had a hot flash and felt nauseated during the insertion(felt like I was gonna pass out as well). After it was in I was having hot flashes all the time. I was crampy also....neddless to say I wasted a bunch of money having it put in because I had it taken out about a month and a half later. I'm not a wimp and have three kids, it just didn't feel right for me. It's different for everyone though. My cousin had no problems with hers. She recommended it to me.

I got the Mirena IUD about a year ago. It does hurt when they put it in, but the pain is pretty brief, a few minutes. After, I had moderate bleeding off and on few about a month, and that was it. Since then, I have no awareness of it at all and every month I get a very light spotting, not a full period. Sometimes it is so light that I don't need any liners or anything. I am very happy with it. Good luck.
A.

hi K.. just letting you know that no they dont hurt going in or out. you wont feel a thing. i didnt even have so much as a single cramp during either. and no you never feel it inside. i had one in for 4 years. it was great. i had it taken out so we could have another baby.

K.,
I got the Paragard IUD. I never was so satisfied with any other form of birth control. I love it. It pinched when they put it in. I was crampy that night. The next day was aahhh, no more pills!!! I've had it for two years. No problems yet. I get my period right on schedule every month. There are no hormones so there's no weight gain or drastic mood swings unless it's my own fault. LOL. Anyway, I swear by it. I am a 30YO single mom of two boys. Their dad and I divorced 3 years ago. My body doesn't react well to hormones. I suffer from Depression and Anxiety. I'm hoping that changes one of these days but anyway; I didn't want to get pregnant by my boyfriend for obvious reasons (not married, live on my own, two is plenty for me right now, blah blah blah) I looked into it the IUD's and felt that the Paragard was the best match for many reasons; -I forget things and so pills are ruled out, - the depo-shot made me blow up and even more emotional, etc. The Paragard has no hormones and last for 10 years and the Mirena has hormones and last upto 5 yrs ( Mirena is not for you if you anxiety issues). When I told my doctor that I was sure about it and was soooo nervous because I hate pain, I set the appointment. I took off from work that day and believe me there was no need. It pinched as if I was getting a pap done and I was poked or something. My period was a little heavy the next month. Sex was ehh-weird the very first time after having it put in but I think it was in my head and just nervous. We have great crazy sex now and it's not at all uncomfortable. Right after the proceedure, I was crampy but a day or so after, I was feeling great. It's been two years. my boyfriend and I do not use a condom and are far from missionary in the bedroom and (knock on wood) have not gotten pregnant. My cycle comes like clock work. It last exactly 6 days and that's about it. I swear by this product. With two little guys, It's nice not having to worry about one more thing.

K.-
I got a Minerva (spelling?) IUD 3 months after my son was born and I love it! It took about 30 seconds, yes seconds, to insert and there was no pain involved at all! I've had it for 3 years now, and I have never had pain or complication from it. My periods have pretty much stopped, just light bleeding for one day a month. (I just need to use mini-pads for that day.) As soon as I hit my five year mark, I plan on putting a new one in. My insurance covered it, I just had to pay the co-payment for the DR visit. I highly recommend it!
Hope this helps, and if you have any other questions, pls feel free to contact me.

Hi K.,

I have the Mirena IUD, been a year now. When the GYN puts it in place, they numb the area first. It did hurt some, mostly like really bad menstrual cramps, only for a day or so. Normally I don't feel a thing. I get mid-cycle pain sometimes and get cramping on the side where it was placed. Other than that it's great! I have very light periods, most of the time a liner is enough. I know others who have it who don't have any periods at all. It's nice not having to worry about BC! One thing I did notice is that it doesn't really help with acne like pills do, I delt with it by using Proactiv Solutions!

My experience with Mirena after 1.5 years: putting it in I had bad cramps for 2 days but nothing unbearable. After than I haven't felt a thing. My period is on the same schedule as before but MUCH MUCH lighter. I've had a great experience with it so far, and would recommend it to anyone.

All 3 of my daughters have the Mirena IUD and love it. One has it to control her periods because she has endometriosis (?sp). One had her tubes tied after her last baby but has very heavy periods that sometimes lasted for weeks, and wanted them stopped. The other just wanted a reliable birth control without having to remember to take a pill everyday. All 3 said they had slight cramps for a few hours after it was inserted but nothing a couple Motrin couldn't take care of. Two of them were even able to go back to work that same day with no problem (the last one didn't work at the time but she said if she did she wouldn't have had a problem with it). They all like the idea of not having to take pills everyday and not having a period every month. And none of them have ever felt it once it was put in. My girls have always had problems with very heavy periods and bad cramping, but not anymore. If I needed birth control (I'm post menopausal now) I would get one too!

Get one, you will love it. It hurts going in, but only cramping and for a few days. Coming out, I don't know yet, but having it really puts my mind at ease. I have the Paraguard but would recommend the Mirena. My periods are very heavy now but wouldn't be with the Mirena. I was worried about the hormones in the Mirena. I learned to late that they are only localized and don't get into your blood stream so you can nurse with no problems. Good luck and enjoy!

Hi K., I had an IUD many years and it did not hurt going in or coming out. My husband said he could feel the end of the string so I was sure it was still in (they don't come out that easy) I did have some big bleeding issues which I found out is because the IUD does not allow the seed to implant so you are kind of aborting. The doctor would not tell me that I figuted it out as it would only happen when I might have become pregnant. That is just for your info. I see your babies are close as were mine and you need some help spacing. See how you like it and if not it can be removed. My best, Grandma Mary PS after reading some of the responses I feel I have to add that any foreign object in the uterus will prevent pregnancy. I guess they have improved the IUD if you girls are having light periods that is great. I'm an old timer and I did lots of reading about it. I am not saying I don't recommend it. They do work. Mary

Hi K.,

After giving birth to my son, my first thought was what type of birth control I could use since I was nursing. I had two choices either the mini-pill or Mirena. I took the mini-pill for about a month and can easily say that each week I forgot to take it at least once. My doctor recommended Mirena and I have been overjoyed. I did not feel any pain with insertion, just a little mild cramping that night in which i took motrin and all was fine. After that, I haven't felt it at all since. My ex-husband said he initially felt the little string for the first couple of weeks afterward, but my doctor told me that was common until the IUD nestled in a more permanent position. My sister recently gave birth in August and I recommended she use it and she has with no side effects at all. I have had my IUD since April 2007. After about 6 to 8 months I actually stopped having much of a period. I just have mild spotting for a couple of days and it's over. I hope my rambling of information helps you.

Hi K.,

I had the Mirena IUD for 2 1/2 years - put in 6 weeks after my son was born and just took it out five months ago because we were ready to try again (I'm now pregnant).

I thought it was great. It did hurt a little when it was "installed" - comparable to a bad period, I would say. Kind of crampy and uncomfortable, but nothing compared to labor!

Taking it out was even easier - took about 30 seconds and didn't hurt a bit. I was pregnant again within 3 months of having it out.

It was basically totally worry-free birth control. I couldn't feel it at all once it was in there - the doctor told me to feel for the strings once a month the first few months after she put it in, and I never had any problem finding them.

Strangely enough, my health insurance DID cover getting the IUD put in, but DID NOT cover taking it out. Guess they don't want to have to pay for another kid! :)

Hope that info helps in your decision. Let me know if you'd like to know more.

-C.

Hey K.! I had the Mirena IUD put in about 4 months ago. So far I'd say this is the best form of birth control I have used.
Just a little pinch when they are putting it in (don't know about taking it out, i haven't done that yet), some cramping for a day or two. And no, I don't feel anything there otherwise.
I'd recommend it!