IUD / Mirena?

[Dianyla]

Finding a doctor to insert the Mirena if you haven't had a child already can sometimes be challenging. (I've been looking for two years with no luck.)

Dex, did you try Planned Parenthood?

[ehirsch83]

Dex, did you try Planned Parenthood?

I second planned parenthood- I have been talking with them about getting mirena and they are completely open to it!(and I am 24, single(well I was engaged when I started talking to them) and have never had children).

[Brandi]

I have had mine for almost 5 years. Will have it removed in april and plan to get another one. I have no kids and have had very few problems on the marena. I was on the pill for almost 19 years because of Polycyctic ovaries and just plane got sick of it. I am very happy. And i don't have a period either because of it. i do get pms though. Unfortuantly that part does not go away and I get some cramping too. But it is all easy to deal with it. I love it.

[Mistie]

I got Mirena 8 weeks post baby. I had cramping (I was warned by gyn to take ibuprofen about 30-45 mins before appt), but it was not too terrible, certainly not on par with LABOR. For about three months, I would spot irregularly and only a small bit. I have had about 7 total periods in 3 years, but these are very light and panty liner tops. I usually get a period when I return from my summer off (am a teacher) and become confined with my department of AMAZING female teachers (Science). It seems by the third month back, everyone is sync'd. Kind of funny in a way. My gyn will NOT give Mirena to a single, non-mom woman. She says there is a risk of uterine puncture which may leave the woman without an opportunity to have a baby.
I used Depo for about a year and had to stop. It was terrible. I gained weight, mostly water, had horrible mood swing, and finally had a 3 month light period without break. This was not a good choice for me. However, it was an excellent choice for my friend who had none of these conditions and recommended it to me. I think it is more about the person. I tried to love it as I can not take estrogen (I am a clotter) but progesterone is an option.

[Mistie]

My cousin had heavy, terrible periods with short times between each. After 2 years of this, she went to her gyn and she had this procedure done. I do not know the term, but am looking for it now: the doctor put her out, and somehow "burned" her uterus with scalding liquid. It scarred her uterus thereby making her sterile (she has 2 boys, her DH has vasectomy). She has light, infrequent periods now and is very happy with results. She said there was some mild cramping for a few days after the procedure but after a week, she was fine. Ibuprofen took care of the cramping.
Ah hah: ENDOMETRIAL ABLATION is the term.

[Tuckervill]

Yes, my GYN is talking about an ablation, but I'm not interested. My problems are few and far between. If that changed, I'd consider it.

Karen

[btchance]

I don't have an IUD myself, but have seen many people with them. It's not 100% effective for birth control, but awful dang close (better than pills b/c you don't have to remember to take it). Most women will have lighter periods with the Mirena (heavier with Paraguard).

STD infections can be worse with them (instead of staying around the cervix it can go up through the cervix to uterus and ovaries) - at the clinic we just make sure there is no recent history of STDs, and are in a stable relationship.

The main reason doctors don't like to insert IUDs into women who haven't had children is because of a more difficult insertion if the cervix hasn't been dilated. It can be done, it's just more uncomfortable. The effects of the IUD are readily reversible when removed. The patient just has to check to make sure the strings are still there - rarely, the IUD can fall out on its own.

Hope you figure out what will work best for you.

[stacie]

Copper with no hormones here also. I had a child previously and found the insertion to be uncomfortable but nothing more than some cramping that day. My bleeding and cramping increased in my mid 30's. My doctor said that was not unusual. He did tell me that it might not be as bad if I removed the iud. I chose to keep it because I loved the convenience of not having to worry about forgotten pills and I felt better without taking the hormones. For me the iud means a little more uncomfortable physical reaction but the emotional rollercoaster I felt while taking the pill was gone. I did remove my iud when my husband got cut. I did notice lighter periods with less cramping almost immediately. I would do it the same again.

[Blueberry]

I'm one of the few with a bad experience. Very few people know this - I can't believe I'm sharing it here

I had the Mirena. No kids, was in a stable relationship (engaged!) and my doc really wanted to pull me off of pills to see if that was the problem with my weight gain. I had a *really* hard time with the insertion. It HURT (and I have a relatively high pain tolerance for such things). I had about 2 weeks of really heavy bleeding, and things calmed down for about 6 months. I have *never* had regular periods, so it was hard to tell if it was the IUD or the periodic 6 months with no period cycle.

On our wedding night, we notices something poking out. I spent the first day of my honeymoon getting the IUD removed (which did NOT hurt). It had turned around - the strings were no longer sticking out - one of the little arms was turned down and coming out. OUCH! The poor doc who removed it never even charged me My doc said not to try again with an IUD because it would likely happen again....apparently my body was very active in rejecting it.

So...it doesn't work for everyone...

[shootingstar]

Just reading about IUDs makes me cringe.

And I never will do IUD....

[amymisk]

I too have the Paragard Copper. I love it, best birth control I've ever tried. I chose it to stay away from hormones. My periods haven't changed and I have seen no difference in cramping either.

Good luck with your choice.