# Doper Ladies, ever had an IUD? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 29, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479 "2011-11-29T19:29:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Patience\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@Patience\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patience_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/21 "2011-11-30T15:54:11Z")
I put on a little weight, yes. Between 5-10 pounds, I would say. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/22 "2011-11-30T16:41:49Z")
Have had a Mirena for the last 4.85 years. The new one is due in April. No weight gain, no periods after about a month, no problems. Love it love it love it. I did lose 40 pounds after insertion, but that was because A) I was working out a lot; B) that was weight I was dropped after ten years of Depo shots put it on; and C) Some of the weight gain was from quitting smoking and I started again. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/23 "2011-11-30T16:53:15Z")
I didn’t notice any weight changes with my Mirena. I am actually gaining a good bit of weight \*now \*(being off for the first time in ~8 years) so perhaps I lost weight slowly over time? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/24 "2011-11-30T17:17:41Z")
No difference from being on the Pill for years, for me. My weight hovers right at the top of normal BMI for my height (but with a broad frame), and I didn’t see any change. ---
**Author:** ![RedBloom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@RedBloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedBloom)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/25 "2011-11-30T17:23:16Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Actually, it’s because of that, that I know the OP by username already. Don’t have time to search for it now, but I recall in one of the more epic period threads she mentioned \*sitting in a bathtub \*because she was bleeding so badly. :eek: I’ve thought of you off and on since then, **RedBloom** - partially because that was one helluva mental image/user name combo, and partially because, well, I’m worried about ya, girl. That shit ain’t normal. So, here’s hoping you find some relief. Well shucks, thanks 🙂 I’m hoping my bathtub days are over and I can maintain a normal blood volume from here on out. My husband has every appendage crossed too that my moods improve. Finally had it done today and WHOA that was painful. I’m thinking it’ll be well worth it. I’m slightly embarassed I’ve brought up menstrual cycles more than once on this message board too. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/26 "2011-11-30T17:28:45Z")
_pat, pat_ Don’t be embarassed - if you can’t talk about this stuff with faceless, semi-anonymous strangers, who _can_ you talk about it with? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/27 "2011-11-30T17:37:20Z")
Our unabashed dictionary defines “IUD” as “Love Springs Internal”. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/28 "2011-11-30T20:59:04Z")
I’ve been creeping up for years (and am damned well going to lose it before the wedding) but I don’t think Mirena had anything to do with it. I was actually hoping I’d lose on it, as I was going from birth control pills and I figured the much lower hormone dose would help, but I didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/29 "2011-12-01T19:17:07Z")
My experience with the Mirena IUD was pretty awful. I also was trying to treat PMDD. Insertion was no problem at all. Stabbing pain started soon afterward. They didn’t think it was the IUD. I had a transvaginal ultrasound (which hurt more than I can describe) and they didn’t find any abnormalities, and they still didn’t think it was the IUD. I was spotting regularly and in a lot of pain, including nausea and vomiting. It got progressively worse and after a year I had it removed. The horror for me was all the blood upon removal, which turned out not to be regular period spotting, but my cervix! My cervix had apparently been bleeding the entire time. It took 6 months to get anything close to a regular period after removal, and my body has honestly been out of whack ever since. Don’t worry too much though. Complications are rare. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/30 "2011-12-01T19:18:11Z")
> [@RedBloom](#): > > I’m slightly embarassed I’ve brought up menstrual cycles more than once on this message board too. Especially with that username. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/31 "2011-12-01T21:06:36Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > My experience with the Mirena IUD was pretty awful. I also was trying to treat PMDD. Insertion was no problem at all. Stabbing pain started soon afterward. They didn’t think it was the IUD. I had a transvaginal ultrasound (which hurt more than I can describe) and they didn’t find any abnormalities, and they still didn’t think it was the IUD. I was spotting regularly and in a lot of pain, including nausea and vomiting. It got progressively worse and after a year I had it removed. The horror for me was all the blood upon removal, which turned out not to be regular period spotting, but my cervix! My cervix had apparently been bleeding the entire time. > > It took 6 months to get anything close to a regular period after removal, and my body has honestly been out of whack ever since. > > Don’t worry too much though. Complications are rare. I had a similar experience, although I can’t think of the brandname it was so long ago. When I finally went to another doctor because of the pain she immediately removed it, cauterized me (!) gave me a shot of penicillin and wrote a prescription for more antibiotics. I was young and afraid to ask her what was going on/how bad it was, but was relieved to no longer be in such pain (that the other doctor had scoffed at.) ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/32 "2011-12-02T01:07:38Z")
Yep. My daughter’s 22, i had one put in after she was born and I’ve had it changed maybe three times, definitely supposed to change it again soon. The first period was pretty bad, but I’m not accustomed to painful or heavy periods, after that it’s been perfect for me. Good luck I hope it’s suitable for you. Don’t be put off by an initial heavy period. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/33 "2011-12-02T01:12:16Z")
My mother actually forgot all about hers for years after it had any practical use, ending up hemorrhaging (really? is that how it’s spelled?), had it removed and … it’s now a pride of place Christmas Tree decoration!! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/34 "2011-12-02T01:27:06Z")
> [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](#): > > My mother actually forgot all about hers for years after it had any practical use, ending up hemorrhaging (really? is that how it’s spelled?), had it removed and … it’s now a pride of place Christmas Tree decoration!! That is just all kinds of awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Soliloquy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Soliloquy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soliloquy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479/35 "2011-12-02T01:44:45Z")
I have Mirena. Love it. No periods except occasional spotting every few months. It treated (treats) my PMDD beautifully, though I can get a little moody around my normal PMS times, still. And, no worries about BC! My son was a pill baby. I did have to have the strings cut VERY short, though. (My doctor told me to congratulate my boyfriend on his ability to feel the strings after the first cut, which he thought was extremely short.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-ladies-ever-had-an-iud/604479.md?page=1)