IUD / Mirena?

[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.

[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.

[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...

[Torrilin]

But I've been on it long enough that they are trying to convince me to change (Depo suppresses estrogen & can thus lead to bone-density loss, particularly with prolonged use).

My doctors are concerned about bone density loss (I'm heading into my 3rd year on depo). But they're more concerned that going off it would lead to bad things, since my menstrual cramps are severe. Not a little severe, ibuprofen intake measured in grams per day severe. My body handles ibuprofen well, but the intake I need to control pain is not healthy long term. Stomach bleeding, intestinal bleeding, drug rebound (where you get withdrawal headaches when you stop the painkiller), blood thinning... Lots of not good all 'round.

So to keep me as healthy as possible, my current doctor is encouraging weight bearing exercise. I'm getting better at doing weight work, and I actually need a bigger hand weight! I still need to get myself a jump rope (gotta stop procrastinating on that). Weight work is not fun the way biking or swimming is, but the payoff is. Some of the weight exercises help me hurt less on long rides .

[Tuckervill]

I had the Copper T in my 30s, after two kids. It was the WORST experience of my life. I remember cramps ruining a golf game on vacation one time--I was in such pain I had to lie across my husband's lap in the golf cart while he drove me back to the clubhouse!

We also had the problem with the wire poking, and the insertion wasn't pleasant, but not near as bad as an endometrial biopsy!

I do not tolerate the pill, so after that IUD we decided to have a child and then a vasectomy. (For a minute there I couldn't even remember how I've kept from getting pregnant for the last 14 years!)

Karen

I've had a Paragard (copper T) IUD for the last 9 years. Many doctors do not recommend IUDs for unmarried and childless women for two main reasons. First, a woman with a never-stretched uterus is more likely to have heavy periods, cramps, and slightly higher risk of expulsion of the device. Secondly, the IUD strings do pass through the cervix which can make it easier for an STD infection to travel upwards into the uterus, leading to Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.

These two reasons are real. However, it really drives me nuts when doctors discourage young unmarried childless women away from a good, cost-effective, reliable solution based on cultural assumptions that married women are not at risk of contracting an STD. Not to mention assumptions that unmarried women are somehow incapable of engaging in safe sex. (Don't get me started on this one!!! )

Anyway, I had mine inserted at Planned Parenthood, who were willing to respect my wishes, as a 20 year old nullipara nullihubby young woman looking for reliable non-hormonal protection. They also have a sliding-scale payment system which really helped me to afford the high upfront cost.

Insertion was unpleasant but bearable, with a few days of cramps afterwards. For the first year or so my periods were especially heavy and crampy. Since then, my periods have been basically the same as they were before the IUD (that is to say, "normal" heavy and crampy ). I've heard that most women who have already had something the size of a bowling ball up in there do not have nearly the cramping/discomfort problems.

I know a lot of women have benefited from the hormones in the Mirena, I just prefer to not use hormonal contraception. Also, bear in mind that the Mirena needs to be replaced every 3-5 years, while the copper IUDs have a 10-12 year effective lifespan. Also, while fertility is immediately restored with the copper IUDs, I don't know if that is the case with the hormonal Mirenas. In case future fertility is important to you.

[GLC1968]

Yeah, I laughed at the H getting poked with the strings thing...he didn't.


There are people whose bodies won't work with an IUD. I got mine after 3 d&c's, and 3 fibroid removal surgeries. My doc was concerned that if the fibroid returned again, it would force the IUD out of place, so we do check it periodically (due to the location of my fibroids). I'm sure there are other cases where it won't work with a woman's utereus shape.

I had some serious hormonal issues when I was on the pill (and during the fibroid years), and I was concerned about the hormones on the Mirena. My doc mentioned the Paragard (no hormones) but suggested that with my heavy and irregular periods, the Mirena would be a better bet. The hormones in the Mirena are a tiny fraction of those you get from any other form of BC. The pill, Depo, the patch..all of them work by putting the hormones into your body and allowing your bloodstream to carry them to your reproductive system. The Mirena secretes the hormones right there...so much, much smaller amounts are effective. This is why removal means immediate fertility, even with the hormonal IUD.

As I mentioned in my other post, the hormonal issues/side-effects I had on the pill and on Depo (yes, I tried that, too) are GONE on Mirena.

Oh, and I should mention that all the woman I know who have IUD's (7) are married and only two of them have children. The rest are like me - married within the last 5 years and not planning on having children but not ready to have that option taken away just yet. I didn't even know about the increased STD risk, but I guess my being married, my doc didn't feel the need to mention it? He should have, though. Of course, based on my history, that's a chance I'd be willing to take - even if I wasn't married.

[Grog]

Wow! Thanks everyone for your stories.

There is a clinic here in Vancouver where that's all they do, one night a week. They also have an ultrasound machine to check that the IUD is properly inserted. If you're in Seattle, you may want to check it out (PM me).

In Europe very many women, married or not, have IUDs. It seems to be in part a cultural thing NOT to have them much in North America. The risks that Dianyla mentions are indeed real, but they by no way should be thought to be limited to unmarried women!!

My main reason for wanting to switch is to reduce the quantity of hormones I take. I have been extremely good with taking the pill on time, I've forgotten maybe two over ten years.... But well it's been ten years and I don't think it can be that great for me to keep going. I am thinking of a Mirena because the hormones mix is much less than the pill, and doesn't travel that much in the body. I am firmly against getting Depo-Provera for myself. I'm happy it works for some of you, but the perspective of having six months of misery if doesn't work for me just doesn't cut it.

I'll keep thinking about it, I may even take an appointment with that clinic to see what they think about it (although I know already they have no issues with unmarried, nulliparra women).

Thanks a lot!!!

[Dianyla]

In Europe very many women, married or not, have IUDs. It seems to be in part a cultural thing NOT to have them much in North America. The risks that Dianyla mentions are indeed real, but they by no way should be thought to be limited to unmarried women!!

Oh, and another thing... in Europe they also offer a smaller petite sized IUD that works much better for women who have never been pregnant. I have IUD Envy!!!

I think the US is culturally biased against IUDs because of the Dalkon Shield incident. More than once when I've told people what I use they get a shocked look on their face and say "I thought those IUD thingies were banned years ago!!!".

Not to mention, I have some personal conspiracy theory beliefs that IUDs are simply not as profitable to the Big Pharm companies and therefore they are not marketed and sold as aggressively. Think about it... $500 for a device that lasts 12 years? Compared to how much revenue for monthly oral contraceptive refills? Hmmm...

[Ocultica]

I just had my Mirena removed and got a new one the same day. I love it. I don't bleed anymore and I'm not an emotional rollercoaster. The pill really messed me up, and my Doc doesn't do Depo shots. ( too many bad side effects) I had the option of the new IUD or a tubal and I took the IUD.

[sarahlou]

I've had a mirena in for nearly 4 years and think it is great. I've never had kids but had it inserted in Australia where my doctor didn't seem concerned about that. It is soooo much better than the pill. My only (maybe) problem with it is that I've developed some darkening above my upper lip in recent years that comes on with UV exposure. I've heard that this can be a result of birth control but I don't really know that it is linked to the mirena. Anybody else with this problem? Any solutions to it (other than copious amounts of sunscreen and a hat)?

[three]

Bringing back this thread (thanks Grog) and hoping those of you with the Mirena, or other IUD, will return with additional information.

With the experiences listed on this thread, things seem a little less scary than the vast horror stories I found online.

I am wondering, however, if those of you with the Mirena have experienced: loss of libido, acne breakouts, weight gain or mood swings.

Hoping to gather any additional information possible...

Thanks!!

[shootingstar]

Just reading about IUDs makes me cringe.

And I never will do IUD....

[Blueberry]

Bringing back this thread (thanks Grog) and hoping those of you with the Mirena, or other IUD, will return with additional information.

With the experiences listed on this thread, things seem a little less scary than the vast horror stories I found online.

I am wondering, however, if those of you with the Mirena have experienced: loss of libido, acne breakouts, weight gain or mood swings.

Hoping to gather any additional information possible...

Thanks!!

I had mine for ~6 months, I would guess. I didn't experience any of the above. I think since the hormones are more localized, you're much less likely to have side effects. Of course, my body then rejected mine...

[roadie gal]

I had IUDs for almost 15 years. I LOVED them. I hated the thought of putting hormones into my body and I can't remember to take pills, so the IUD was ideal.

The insertion was painful and the first few months I had worse cramps. After that, though, my cramps were much less than before I had the IUD. If I still had to worry about birth control, I'd still be using the IUD.