IUD Questions (kinda long)
I am a regular poster on the Cincy nest board but I wanted to see if you ladies would share some advice/opinions/experiences...
I know this question gets asked fairly frequently, but I am need of
some personal opinions and experiences. I'm considering getting an IUD
(I don't know that I have a preference between Paragard or Mirena at this point) and
would like to hear how you feel about it. I like the Paragard option
b/c of no hormones, the length of time it covers you for (we aren't
having kids), the convenience, etc. But I don't know of anyone that has used it. My gyn has always mentioned Mirena.
Before I call my gyn & start the ball rolling I wanted to see how people felt about this or the Mirena. I've had to be on some type of BCP since I was 16 and I'm just tired of it. Its the only RX that I'm currently on and since we aren't having kids I would just as soon like to be med free if possible.
Right now I'm on Yaz and out of all the bcps I've taken for the past 15+ years its my favorite. However, the biggest drawbacks are the fact that I have to take a pill every day, and that I essentially have two periods a month. At exactly the 2 week mark in every pack I spot; its not usually enough to warrant a tampon but enough that its noticeable. Then that whole thing lasts anywhere from a few days to a week. Then I start my "normal" period. I've tried dozens of different pills, the ring, the patch, you name it.
My gyn has mentioned the IUD option a few times in the past and I've only not done it b/c I'm a little scared/nervous about the whole procedure and the after parts (I've heard both good and bad stories from several people). So what's your opinion, please?? TIA!
ETA: I've never been pregnant.
Re: IUD Questions (kinda long)
My best friend was on Mirena but had it removed to have a baby. She had it in for three years and had never had kids.
She basically said she was crampy for a day or two and then had a light period on and off for a month but after that if she had a period it was only a day or so and it was very light. She loved it and plans on going back on it as soon as she goes to her 6 week PP checkup.
After this baby I am getting an IUD and honestly I don't care if it is paraguard or mirena- although I would like to be off hormones, I also know that the paraguard can cause some additional discomfort. It may not be that way for someone like me that has had two kids- but all I know is after this LO i want to be pregnancy free for at LEAST two years. We will decide about a 3rd child then, and if we don't want a third he is getting snipped.
Good luck. I hate remembering a pill everyday and would hate to have 2 periods a month!
@KittahMama - can I ask how long it took your friend to get pregnant after she had her Mirena removed?
I've got Mirena - don't have any children. If you go that way - get numbed before you have the procedure. My insertion procedure was painful and I was miserable the entire day after. I should NOT have driven myself home but my Dr. had led me to believe that I would be fine to do so/it won't hurt that much. Not to knock male Drs, but I think before he ever tells anyone that again, someone should tie his d*ck in a knot and stick a pin in it.
I still get normal PMS and my period is barely any less than it was before. I think I'm in that small percentage of women that still get a fairly routine period with Mirena. BUT - it's far less predictable and that's annoying as hel!. I'm sure if I charted, it's not as random as it seems - but if I wanted to chart, I wouldn't be on BC.
I know my Ob encourages Mirena, and said his wife even has it. I got mine inserted when DD was 8 weeks old. He won't give one for someone who has not had a child.
Personally, I had problems from the beginning. Insertion wasn't a problem, but afterward I bled for four months straight. When I called the office about it they said it was "a little unusual" but within normal expectations, so I just had to deal with it.
After the initial bleeding stopped, I continued to get my period on a monthly basis. Which stunk because for me that was one of the major reasons I had wanted to go with an IUD over other BC options in the first place.
After 2.5 years of having Mirena, it expelled itself. I know statisically I'm the exception, not the rule, but that is my experience (story in my blog here, if you're interested).
Personally, I won't get one again. While I had it I would have some occasional abdominal pain, and was always freaking out that I was the 1 in a million person who got pg while on it, or had a perforated uterus, or whatever (I know I have an anxiety issues, but still). And honestly, since having it out... not having those abdominal pains.
I just think my body never really liked it. Almost like it was trying to reject it from the beginning & it just took a while.
I know several women who have IUDs and are very happy with their decision, have had no complications, no problems, etc. And that's awesome.
But for me, from my personal experience, the benefits definitely did not outweigh the "costs" & risks, and at this point I have no intention of getting an IUD again. Ever.
I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer, but you asked for opinions, and I want to be honest with you about my personal experience. I will say my experience, from what I can tell, is not the norm, but it does happen.
GL!
While looking into the possibility of getting an IUD recently I found out that ParaGard keeps you from getting pregnant by "interference with sperm transport or fertilization, and prevention of implantation". I wasn't too keen on the fact that it wouldn't stop me from ovulating, thus allowing the possibility of fertilization that couldn't implant.
The Mirena works by a combination of the following: "Thickens cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering your uterus, Inhibit sperm from reaching or fertilizing your egg, and can make the lining of your uterus thin " it can also "stop the release of your egg from your ovary, but this is not the way it works in most cases". I would have been more comfortable with this option, but not totally.
In the end I decided to do regular old charting because I was too uncomfortable with the idea of insertion and staying in for a long period of time, plus all of the other stuff I listed above. Just thought I would throw that out there in case that makes your decision to use one or the other easier. GL.
She had two periods then got pregnant. It took no time. Her pregnancy was as text book as they come except she went overdue and had to be induced. She just gave birth two days ago actually!
She had two periods then got pregnant. It took no time. Her pregnancy was as text book as they come except she went overdue and had to be induced. She just gave birth two days ago actually!
I had exactly the same problem with respect to the pill as you did on top of having endometriosis issues which led to heavier bleeding. Having constant periods is a total nightmare and I truly sympathize.
I would strongly recommend Mirena. I haven't had a period in months. It is not a painful procedure. They are actually doing studies right now in order to obtain approval for the use of Mirena in younger women (i.e. teenagers/early twenties) who have not had children. They are also doing studies to prove the effectiveness of it as a treatment option for endometriosis.
The problem with Paraguard is that it can cause really heavy and irregular periods. It's a clear warning on the product information. My BFF is an OB and she's had numerous patients have it removed due to this problem. She always recommends Mirena first because of this persistent problem in her patient population.
I love iMirena and cannot imagine my life now without it.
I think the pain level experience is personal rather than general. Yours may not have been painful. My Dr's other patients heard me yelling OW OW OW all the way out in the waiting room. Mine was traumatically painful and I'm kind of scared to have it removed.
I used a Mirena and loved it. Forme, it felt like a pinch at the dentist's office when he inserted it. However, I had a vaginal delivery when I had DS. A friend of mine also has a Mirena and has 2 kids (but not vaginal delivery due to breach + c/s). When hers was inserted, she said it was pretty painful and her OB told her that it is intended for women who have had kids because the cervix is wider post vaginal delivery. So while it is possible to place one in, it is probably going to hurt more just because your vaginal area hasn't delivered a baby. I hope that makes sense.
I had very few issues. I had it inserted ~11 am and was teaching by 11:45 in my classroom at school. You should get it inserted while you are on your period (I know that sounds strange). I took 2 ibuprofen before I got it inserted and went about my normal life the rest of the day. I spotted a little pretty much every day for the next 6 mos. However, it was barely enough to warrant a pantyliner much less anything else. After that, I didn't have a period. I recently had mine taken out to ttc (shhh), and that was painless. I am having way more stress not knowing when my period is going to start back up. I loved having a mirena and definitely recommend it. I do know some women have had issues with it, but I also know several more who have had little to no issues. GL!
I also have Paraguard, and like Kristen said, I have heavier periods but I can't take BCP b/c of migraines. I don't regret it one bit. I can deal with it for a few days a month to know I'm not screwed up from hormones. I also like the reliability compared to charting or other methods. The insertion wasn't bad at all and other than some cramping the first couple months here and there, I've had no issues.
Thank you so much for ALL of the opinions, good and bad. I thought it over some throughout the weekend and I think I'm going to go w/ the Mirena. While I would like to be on a hormone free BCP, it seems to be pretty low dose so I can handle that.
I just called my gyn's office to ask a few questions and they are actually going to call my insurance carrier for me to get it rolling. They did mention that they like to insert it while you're on your period, so if this all works out alright, I might be able to get this done later this week or early next week. Woo hoo!!