I’m really really sick of hormonal birth control. I love not having my period (on Depo), but the zero libido thing is starting to really get to me. I’m ready to go off hormonal BC and try an IUD. But I am scared to death of getting it intserted. I’m a huge wimp when it comes to pain and my girly bits.
How badly does it hurt? Did your doctor give you anything for the pain? Did you have to convince him/her to give you pain meds? I’ve heard a couple people mention getting a Happy Pill before the insertion so that they just didn’t care about the pain. If anyone here had that, what type of drug was it and how did you convince your doctor to give you Happy Pills? Anything else I should ask the doc? Any other advice? What else should I know?
Note: I’m not looking for medical advice; I’m going to see my doctor next week. I just want to know what to ask her for when I talk to her. And I do already know that she is willing to do IUDs for women who have never given birth.
I loved my IUD-best form of BC I ever used*. I’m sorry that it has been so long now that I do not recall the kind I had, but I loved it.
I never had a heavier period d/t it; I never had an infection or pregnancy scare. Mine did not migrate or cause problems–in fact, I never thought about it.
It did hurt a bit going in (IIRC), but not much more than a Pap. By all means, ask for a happy pill-Xanax or Valium would be good, I suppose.
If you have had endrometriosis or ectopics or have a misshapen uterus, I imagine that IUD is not for you. Google it-there’s bound to be tons of info out there.
I have, over the years, used condoms, diaphragm, Pill, Sponge, IUD, abstinence(didn’t work), and tubal ligation. I’m 43 and done with kids, though.
I had an IUD for a few years back in the late seventies.
Overall it was great. Nothing to remember, no hormonal side effects.
The worst thing about insertion was stabilizing the cervix, and there was a minute or so of discomfort. I had cramps during my periods when I was wearing it - never before or since.
They are not for the absent minded. If they need to be replaced, say, every 2-3 years. DO NOT forget to do this. As a matter of fact, I’d suggest erring on the too soon rather than too late side.
My oldest shared my uterus with the IUD that was supposed to prevent her conception. She was concieved by my calculations 2 months after the earliest time it should have been replaced (24 months).
Pending my insurance approving it, I should have my IUD inserted next week. I had a million and one questions for my gyn, and she was really cool about answering all of them. She actually uses one herself, so I was very happy to hear that. I’ll check back in after I have it inserted, and let you know how it goes. (One thing that I didn’t realize, though, is that it has to be inserted while you’re on your period, so the timing of the appointment is crucial. They said to call on the first day of my period, and they would get me in as soon as possible.)
These days, there are two different options: You can get the traditional copper version (which is supposed to last about 10 years), and a very low level hormonal version (progesterone only and it’s supposed to last about 5 years). I am opting for the hormonal version because they have an even lower occurance of failure than the copper version, and may have the side effect of making your periods lighter. Here’s hoping for that side effect, huh?
Mine hurt. Way more than a pap smear. Not going to lie. It really did. The gyne was not, however, expecting that. My pain response was apparently way out of whack with what she usually sees. Take that for what it’s worth which is very third hand. I wish I’d had something to relax before hand since it also took her a long time to get it through (and that may be because I’ve never had kids) but as soon as I really focused on relaxing it popped right in. There is apparently something they can do to soften the cervix up and she was threatening to stop trying and reschedule me for another appointment where they’d do that first, and I didn’t think I’d actually show up for another go round so I really really tried to relax and bam!
I’ve definitely had heavier periods but they’re settling down to plain old heavy now, not ridiculous like the first couple. This was expected, the statistics for possible adverse effects are right there in the package insert, which I did read before going ahead with having it put in. Heavy periods are apparently quite common but my gyne also told me if they persisted as really bad after the first three months and I couldn’t tolerate them, to go back in to her.
I got the paragard which doesn’t have any hormonal component and I’m very happy with it so far. Which is good because after that experience I sure don’t want anything BIGGER than an IUD coming out my cervix*, so yay for birth control.
*Yes, I know it dilates. Still, I had no interest in childbirth before and less now!
Did my brain escape from my head and climb into taxi78cab’s?
I was on Depo for ages, and my clinic said blahblahblah-bonedensityloss “no more for you!”. So I started up NuvaRing, which is okay. I insert a new one every three weeks so still no periods, which my doc said was safe and wouldn’t affect the effectiveness. But I just don’t like it, so yesterday I went to the clinic to get a pelvic exam and next week (if everything goes fine) I’ll have a Mirena IUD inserted.
They did warn me that there’s a 5% chance of it being expelled; however, the doc doing the insertion is awesome and has done a bazillion of these so that’s always a plus. I’m supposed to take some extra strength Tylenol an hour before, and the doc (she truly is the sweetest) advised me to bring a comfy sweater, some slippers, and someone to take me home and make me lunch afterwards (I’m roping my friend the fabulous cook into this).
I’m excited. Probably back to no periods! And not having to think about it again for 5 years! And yes, a bit of a steep one-time investment, but over a 5 year period, much cheaper than pretty much anything else.
One thing I’ve noticed; US websites for Mirena suggest that it’s not for young women who have not have kids. Canadian websites do not say this, or do not word it as strongly. I wonder why? I get the reasons why the US websites say this, but not why one country would say “No no no” and one would say “Meh, no biggie”.
taxicab, are you planning on the Mirena or the regular copper one?
My wife had one up until 1985, and loved it. No pain, and it worked perfectly. Since she got her MS in reproductive physiology, I believe her. That was the time you couldn’t get one in the US, thanks to lawsuits, so after our second was born we were actively considering going to Denmark to get one. However we decided it made more sense for me to get a vasectomy, and go on a cruise with the money we saved.
Anyhow, she votes for. The only downside for me was that there was this little string which would sometimes wind up in just the wrong place. :eek:
I had one in 1980, and it HURT going in, I had severe cramps with it, and I got pregnant while it was in there. I had a miscarriage, and had the damn thing yanked out. Then I used abstinence until I could get a tubal.
However, I’m sure they’re better after a quarter of a century of refinement.
I just did the same thing, though my doc didn’t tell me about keeping them in continuously! I might ask about that when I get 'em refilled. But my periods have been almost nonextistant anyway, so I’m not too upset.
I noticed this when I was shopping around for new BC as well. Actually, I didn’t look at Canadian pages, but I saw all over that IUDs were only for women who’d had a kid. Is this because the entrance to the cervix is larger if you’ve shot out a baby? Do they not want to risk permanently damaging somebody before they’ve had a chance to have a kid? Does anybody know?
The cervix is easier to dilate and the IUD is less likely to be expelled in women who have had kids. There is also this nifty entity called “cervical shock” which means that the dilation of your cervix causes an overwhelming vagovagal response which can lead to nasty things like cardiac arrest. Cervical shock is much more common (but still very rare) in women who have never been pregnant. Every faciltiy where IUDs are inserted must have full resuscitation equipment on hand to deal with that possibility.
I’m hoping to get a Mirena sometime in the next year, but because my periods make me dizzy and vomity it suggests that dilating my cervix is going to be an issue for me as there already seems to be some increased vagal activity. I’m hoping that a visit to a gynaecologist will lead to me getting a Mirena, because my GP isn’t willing to risk me collapsing and dying on her and has insisted I seek a specialist. As soon as I permanently move back to Northern Ireland (and universal free health care) I’m making an appointment with a gynaecologist.
At this point my periods are getting unbearable, so if offered the full gynae “we don’t have a clue why your periods are horrible” package (exploratory lap&dye with Mirena insertion under general anaesthesia) I will be taking it.
I’ve seen Mirenas inserted with patients fully conscious and with no pain meds, fully conscious and with just some codeine/ibuprofen, under light sedation (a valium), under heavy sedation (lots of valium) and under GA. It’s about the choice that is right for the woman, not the choice that is right for the procedure.
If your doctor insists that you don’t need any pain relief, or refuses you a mild sedative when you **strongly ** feel the need for one, see another doctor. Everyone has different tolerances for pain and cervical dilation, so there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
I had my IUD inserted on a post partum visit. I also have an incompetent cervix that seriously complicated that pregnancy. I don’t recall the insertion hurting at all and wondered if that was related to being post partum and having and IC. I may have taken a big honkin’ motrin beforehand (I always do that for everything).
Advantages: I love not having to take BCPs and worrying about getting pregnant. My IUD is 8 years old. No cramps, etc. No complaints. I did have one pregnancy scare, but I’m perimenopauseal and think that was the likely culprit as opposed to actually being pregnant.
I am going on year seven with my ParaGard IUD (it’s supposed to last ten years). I had very little pain on insertion, more like a mild crampy feeling, but I had given birth about six weeks prior. My periods haven’t increased in flow at all, I haven’t gotten pregnant despite being very sexually active for a number of years, and I just generally never even think about it. Good experience here.
Amaranta, I would like to go with the copper one. I’m really not happy with hormonal birth control and would like to try being (artificial) hormone-free for a while. But I’ll see what my doctor says when I ask her about it.
I got the Mirena (hormonal, 5 year IUD version) inserted in March of last year, so I’m going on about one year of experience here. Love it. Loooove it. Can’t say enough about how much I love it.
Insertion hurts, there’s no lying to you there. My doctor (who is different from the gyno that inserted mine) said it would be uncomfortable, but of course can’t really judge individual responses to pain. That said, I wish she would’ve warned me to take a couple Advil before I went in for insertion. It hurt. A good deal. Take something beforehand. I’ve never had really bad cramps (mine are very mild), but these were awful. I was all better by the next day, however. Don’t let the thought of the pain dissuade you - it’s the best birth control ever.
Since insertion, I’ve had maybe one period, of maybe two days. I love everything about my IUD. I love that I never have to think about birth control, ever. I love that I never worry about missing a pill or whether I’ll have my period over vacation. I love that I don’t have to do anything at all and I’m protected. Love it, love it, love it. SpouseO has noticed the string, but it seems to be infrequent.
I’m childless, and my doctor didn’t blink when I asked her about getting one, so the whole “it’s only for mothers” isn’t quite true. I think irishgirl’s summarized why, and much better than I could have. Not sure why it’s advertised as such so strongly here in the States, but there you are.
:eek: Well, that explains why I nearly passed out once after a (failed) attempt to do an in-office endocervical (endometrial?) biopsy. Doc used some sort of clampy thing to stabilize the cervix, which I found thoroughly unpleasant, then tried to use something to dilate the cervix to get the biopsy sample. A few minutes of pretty extreme pain and she admitted it was not gonna work. I tried sitting up, and started to black out so I laid right back down again. Since a D&C was being proposed anyway she decided to just do the biopsy as part of the D&C. This was all prior to having any kids.
Anyway - more to the point of the OP: I don’t have any personal experience with an IUD but anecdotal experience from friends suggests that IUD insertion is trickier and more painful if you happen to have a retroverted uterus. Not impossible, just more challenging.
I had one way back in the early 80’s. It was a little painful going in, but nothing I couldn’t handle. My periods were kind of heavy while I had it and I had more cramping than usual, but all in all it worked as advertised.
After I had it taken out, though, I had trouble getting pregnant and ended up having a tubal pregnancy (before finally having my two living children). I don’t know if this was due to having an IUD or not, but I’ve always wondered if it contributed to it.
Can I just say that the systemic dosage of hormones with Mirena is MINUTE, the equivalent of taking two progesterone only (mini pills) a week. Side effects are less than with any other hormonal method of birth control, and most settle within 6 months of insertion.
20% of women with Mirena are period-free within a year, and the majority of the other 80% have significantly lighter and/or shorter periods. Copper IUDs are well known to increase both flow and cramping during periods.
Mirena is also a more effective birth control method, with an estimated failure rate of 1 in 500 and a lower rate of pelvic inflammatory disease and ectopic pregnancy than copper only devices.
I’m going for Mirena for a few reasons.
My periods are hellish, even on the pill a 20% chance of not having any sounds like a really good incentive!
A baby is in my 5 year plan (yes, I run my life like Communist China), and I want a method with quick return of fertility (none of the other hormonal methods have that)
The fit and forget benefit- I don’t want a fiddly, complicated, unsexy contraceptive I have to remember to use
I’ve been on the pill since I was 16, I don’t really want another 5 years of all those extra hormones
I’m paranoid- I want something really, really effective.
Adding all those things up, Mirena is about the only thing that fits the bill.
One of my friends (23 years old, never been pregnant) had a Mirena fitted this year, she raves about it, says the insertion wasn’t a big deal and she passed out the first time she had a Pap smear- like I said, varies for everyone.
I had one inserted about 15 years ago … it was plastic, not one of those old copper ones IIRC.
I hated it - getting it put in hurt so badly I almost threw up (I was about 21 at the time). It gave me really bad period cramps, plus the little plastic stringy poked my b/f (he said but my doctor said it was impossible).
All in all it was a bad experience and I think I lasted about 3 months before going back to have it removed.
Now that I’ve had a baby, an IUD is something I’m reconsidering (hopefully my cervix is softer and my pain threshold higher) but I’m just very nervous about it. I wouldn’t go for the Mirena though as (a) I’m breastfeeding, and (b) the hormones in it can cause difficulties getting pregnant soon after having it removed, and we may want another baby.
Do you know if it can still have the side effect of decreased sex drive? I’m not completely sure that my lack of libido can be blamed on birth control, but I really want to see what it’s like to have only my own hormones in my system for a while. I haven’t had my period since last May thanks to the Depo and I’m just concerned that not having my natural hormonal cycle may be part of my problem. Since Mirena can also prevent your period, I’m still a little concerned that I wouldn’t be able to get back to my natural fluctuations in sexual interest (which included peaks in that interest!).
How is the dosage level of Mirena compared to the Nuva ring? I tried the Nuvaring because it was said to have one of the lowest doses of hormones out there. Turns out they were still far too much, because I flew down into a horribly deep depression, had panic and anxiety attacks (I’d literally wake up in the middle of the night terrified of absolutely nothing), had terrifying irrational thoughts and was even suicidal at some points. I took it out after a week, because even though most women will adjust to the hormones, that’s apparently after a MONTH and I couldn’t take even two more seconds of that hell.
That’s why I was looking into a copper IUD; I don’t think I can handle hormones at all. Unfortunately, the gyn I went to charges $600 for an IUD insertion and you can’t even do a monthly payment plan.
