Has Anyone Had an IUD?????????

I have the Mirena and love it. My cycles have been a little unpredictable, but very light. I can deal with unpredictable when they are that light. I would recommend it.

Something my doctor didn't warn me about...When I had mine put in, the room literally was spinning and I alsmost blacked out. During all that, my doctor said that does happen to some people.

I loved loved loved mine. I had a Paragard between all of my kids and I loved the ease and lack of worry that goes with it. Plus the Paragard has no hormones so it didn't make me a hormonal mess-which is a bonus! Plus when I was ready to get pregnant I had it removed and was pregnant immediatly-no wait or anything. My husband loved it too because it was easy no fuss when we were "getting busy" and he didn't have to worry about if I had forgotten the pill. All in all it was the most convienvent birth control I have ever used.

I would bleed soooooo heavy during my periods I was housebound, literally! Then it worked it's way out on its own. Used condoms ever since. I really had wanted it to work for me, but it just didnt :(

I had the copper one for 5 years before I ever had a child and I loved it. I don't like taking hormones and have never had heavy periods. They can make your period heavier so if you already have heavy ones they may not be for you. I never had a complication and had it removed about 6 months before I conceived our son. I will definitly have another one in lieu of other mothods of birth control.

I did a lot of research and talked to my doctor. As Sherry C said, I don't like the idea of "maybe" a baby that was being prevented from attaching to the wall. So.. maybe I need to do more research, but my doctor and nurse practicioner said that the Mirena does not prevent attachment. If you get pregnant, the egg will attach. There's a higher risk for tubal pregnancy though. I understood it that they think the Copper IUD may prevent attachment. Mirena is hormones. I read a ton of stuff about Mirena and felt very comfortable with it. I am religious and so is my doctor, so that really helped in our discussion.
The first month after insertion was annoying... it was like one big long period, but it was very light, so that was nice. I got my Mirena on Sept 3. I'm doing great. It's really nice. I think I will always wonder if I am pregnant though because I got preggo with my second on a form of birth control. :) So that's why I switched to Mirena cause it's most effective - almost as effective as tying your tubes. But of course I do not want to do that yet. I'm only 27.
Good luck with your decision. And if you get Mirena after a baby, wait at least 8 weeks instead of 6 weeks post pardum. Your uterus is not as soft.

I had the Mirena IUD for 5 years...I gained 15lbs in the first 3 months...doc said it wasn't the IUD's fault. Struggled to lose the weight and succeeded. Had another one put in after 5 years...gained 15lbs for absolutely no reason within 3 months...doc said it might be the IUD's fault. Came to my senses and had it removed. Have had a much easier time losing the weight, I'm not having INSANE mood swings and life is much better. Of course, my period did come back, but it's worth it. I guess I was in the small percentage of women who react badly to the hormones.

I have the Paraguard IUD. I really like it. There's no hassle and it's easy to check. Do your research before you decide to get ont hough. I read so many articles on the internet and talked to my doctor alot about it. The only "problem" that I have had, is my periods are a little heavier. But it's better than trying to remember to take a pill every day!! Good luck!

I currently have a Mirena IUD and am loving life. I love the ability that I have to be intimate with my husband w/out having to worry if we have any condoms and such. I also love that I have gone from having a 7 day period that is REALLY heavy to a 5-7 day one that is SO light that I only need a pantiliner. I have 6 kids and I don't know why I didn't have one earlier. The placement was no harder than a normal pelvic exam and I didn't feel any discomfort afterwards. My SIL has had one removed since I got mine and says that when you want to have it removed it is just like getting your pelvic again. It really is a great choice for me and my lifestlye. We want the option of having more kids, but not right now, and I have a hard time remembering to take a pill....the reasons could go on.
J.

Hi A.!
I had an IUD, I went with one because I don't like all the hormones involved with other forms of birth control. (I had the IUD without the hormone release) I did however get pregnant while on the IUD, and very happy to have my little girl. I didn't have any side effects, I loved it. It takes the doctor just a few minutes to put it in place, and and be kept 5 to 10 years depending on which one you go with. One concern I had while on it was that I was always worried that it may not be "in place" or might have slipped since you can't really tell unless it falls out. But mine was still in place when the doctor told me I was pregnant. Although I did get pregnant, I'm going to get one again. Its effective rate is over 99%, so what's the chance it'd happen to me again? Good Luck!

Hi A.,

I am on my second IUD and love it! The first one I got right after my first was born and I just had this one put in after my third was born. I do not have any side effects or trouble with it at all. It is so great not having to think about birth control. My husband and I used condoms after my second was born and I HATED it (insurance wouldn't cover it and they are costly). My husband doesn't notice that it's there either which is great. I guess cramping does worsen a little with each period but I haven't had my period yet since my daughter was born so I can't really remember. I have the kind that does not have hormones in it called Copper which is great for me because I did not wan to have a bunch of hormones in me and once I had it removed I got pregnant so quickly. I would highly recommend it!

I've had the Mirena for a year and a half and I love it. For me, it wasn't painful to place, but I had few days of mild cramping afterwards. At first my periods were longer, but lighter. Then within 3 months they were shorter and lighter, then by 6 months they were only a day or two and I only needed panyliners. About a year I stopped having periods all together which, in my book, is FANTASTIC! Because the hormones are localized, I noticed an increase in my sex-drive, too. I love not having to worry about pills or periods and my husband loves that I'm whining to him about a vasectomy. Plus I wasn't 100% ready to make a permanent decision about not having any more kids. Now that I've had it for a while and love it, I'll probably just continue having it replaced every 5-years.

I have the Paraguard IUD. I LOVE it. My period is a tiny bit heavier and my cramps are a bit worse but it is so much better than the pill. The pill made me so sick to my stomach and it is only effective if you remember to take it at the same time everyday. What a hassle. I never have to think about this, other than to check it which is super easy. Good Luck!!

I got Mirena in July, and am very happy with it so far. For the first two months it was annoying, as if I had a light period constantly. Since then, I've only had two periods (at least, I think they're periods - last a few days and so light I only need pantyliners!), so I can't complain. My hubby thought he could feel it during sex, so I had placement check about a month after I had it put in, and everything was good. I think it was more psychological than anything! I'd definitely recommend Mirena.

I had a Mirena IUD for 2 years. I loved it b/c I had very light and infrequent periods. The reason I had it removed was b/c it really decreased my sex drive. Down to almost nothing! My husband had a vasectomy and I had it removed. We're much happier now.

I have had the Mirena IUD for 2 years. My only complaint is that I spotted on and off for the first 5 weeks. Also, my discharge is thicker than normal but that could also be due to my PCOS.

I would do it again, I have recommended it to friends. I have no problems with weight gain (an issue with PCOS women anyway) or pain. I thought the procedure was practically painless. I barely had any cramps afterwards. You can get frisky whenever you want and not have to worry!! =)

I got an IUD after my son was born because I didn't want to go on the pill because it totally messed up my cycle when we were trying to get pregnant. I love having an IUD because you don't have to worry about anything. They just put it in and leave it. I would recommend it.

I had the Mirena IUD and the idea was great. My sister in-law had hers for 5 years and removed it when she wanted to get pregnant. It worked great for her. I, on the other hand, did not have a good experience. I had severe lower back pain immediately following the IUD being put in. After like 3 months I couldn't take it and had it removed. My doctor almost couldn't find it and I was looking at having a surgery to go remove it but he finally found it. It had moved!!! I had almost instant relief of the back pain. My friend experienced the same thing with hers. My best friend has it now because she had such severe menstrual cycles and would bleed so much that they put that in to lighten her periods. She hasn't had any problems yet. I really liked the idea of not having to worry about protection for 5 years. We just had our 7th child, a girl finally!!!, and during my pregnancy my husband had a vasectomy so now I don't have to worry about it any more but the thought of not having to worry for 5 years sounded great. If you want to try it then go for it but if you start having lower back pains I would not keep it. Good luck!!

Had one for 10 years. It was great, no problems ever. Avoid the ones with hormones, I've heard a lot of complaints about them.

I had the Mirena, I think thats how you spell it...It worked great, and when we were ready to have another, I was pregnant within the month I had it removed. It was a bit creapy to have put in, and I did have some spotting for about a month, but after that really nice light periods.

Hi A.,
First of all what sold me on it is I am horrible at taking a pill and all the other things just weren't for me. I tried the pill and I ended up with two kids because I kept forgetting to take it on time or at all. I had a ten year IUD put in after my second child and had it for six years. I loved it my periods went away and it was great. After I had it taken out I was pregnant two months later thinking it would take me a year or so to be able to get pregnant. My baby is now nine months and I had the Mirena put in at my six week check up and it is great. I am back to not having a period and its nice. However, I think it is different for everyone so just make sure you ask all of your family about it. My little sister had an IUD put in and she had the same problems as some of the other moms. Excessive bleeding for long periods of time. Good Luck!

I love reading the other responses that loved them and I wish I could say the same. After our daughter was born (our first) I had the Mirena put in because we wanted to wait a while. I had it in for only about 6 months when we decided that it wasn't for us. And now I am having problems concieving. (spelling?) I don't blame the IUD, but I everything was fine before I got it. I hope this helps. And it does wonders for so many. I am just one of the unlucky few.

I have the mirana and I love it. I have not had a period since my son was born in aug 2006. I can not be on any other birth control.

I got a Mirena IUD after my second baby (2 years ago). I was very nervous about it but have ended up LOVING it. The insertion was nothing compared to what I had expected, I have super light spotting now compared to really heavy periods before, and I am so glad not to have to remember to take a pill or worry about a pregnancy. I have heard (and read in the responses) about pregnancies with them in happening....my OB/GYN told me that usually only happens if they are not inserted correctly or if you have an oddly shaped uterus. My doc had me come in a month after insertion to check the placement and make sure it had not moved. It seems that people either love or hate the IUD. Personally, it was an excellent choice for me!! Good Luck!

I had Mirena for 9 months and then got it removed due to complications. I was bleeding heavily for 3 weeks out of the month (past the 6 months of spotting that is normal). This is not a usual result, I don't think. I did love not having to think about BC, but it was hard bleeding so much that I wasn't able to be with my husband much anyway! The day I got it removed, I stopped bleeding IMMEDIATELY and didn't get my period for about 45 days (normal, so if you don't get your period right away, fertility comes back in about 30 days!). After I got it removed, my Mom told me that she had had a bad time with her IUD too, so you may want to talk with you Mom to see if she ever had one and how she reacted to it! Good luck!

I have Mirena. I have had it for about 10 months. Because I am breastfeeding I don't know much about how it affects periods, but it was the best choice for me. The pill gave me headaches, and I had a diaphragm but went back to get an IUD after realizing what a hassle it was. I do know that the IUD is the moat effective form of birth control (99.9 %) and that was very important because the option of having another baby right now is out of the picture. I did have some pain the day in was inserted, but nothing unbearable. I noticed that the pain went down my legs which kind of scared me, but was gone by the next day.
I suggest reading over the information packets that the different brands provide and talking it over with your Dr.
Good luck!
M.
Mother of a 13 year old daughter and son who turns 1 on Nov. 1st.)

I have the Mirena IUD. You can have it in fort 5 years. The doctor puts it in for you; it's not the most comfortable thing and I had severe cramping for the rest of the day to the point I was a little nauseous, but once that passed, I was fine. It's nice because you don't have to worry about the pill. When it's that time of the month (I just got my periods back because I've been nursing my son and the IUD can also make it so you don't have any), it's much lighter than normal, but the cramping has been slightly worse. I really like it though. My husband and I joke that we're very fertile because we got pregnant with our daughter the first time and our son while I was on the pill and so far, it's been very effective. :) Good luck.

I love the Mirena IUC (intrauterine contraceptive). The Dr puts it in (not the most comfortable thing, but pretty fast) and its good for 5 years without any worries. There is generally spotting for the first 3-6 months, but then it's shorter and lighter periods, or for some of us lucky ones, no period at all! And when we're ready for another, we can have it removed easily by the doc.

I recently lost my insurance, and it's one less wory that birth control is taken care of for another year.

I just had the Mirena put in...nothing to report yet, but my sister has had two pregnancies on the copper one. My midwife (also my sister's) says that they have 7-8 pregnancies a year on the copper ones, and the baby usually doesn't survive having the IUD removed (but it has to be to avoid growing around the device). My sister however, is due in March with #2 on the IUD, and has a healthy 19 month old girl (#1 on IUD)

I have the Mirena IUD and I LOVE it. There was no problem putting it in and since I have had no trouble with it all. My periods are almost non existent and that's really really nice. It's only good for 5 years, so if you're looking for more long term birth control, I've heard good things about the 10 year one too. But I love Mirena.

I had the copper coil kind... no hormones... loved it! No side effects.

I had a similar experience to Amanda. My body rejected the IUD and it was very painful. I had a large tear that required stitches and I bled so bad I nearly required a blood transfusion. I don't recommend it to anyone, however I do know people that have good experiences with them. There are those cases where they just aren't right for some women and my best advice would be to talk to your Dr. about your situation and if he feels it would be right for you.

I had the Mirena (like a lot of your other requests). The device itself was fine, but I noticed I would feel pregnant sometimes. I already had 2 children, so I know what those first stages felt like. I mentioned it to my doctor, and she said the IUD does not stop the fertilization, but it stops the implantation. So most people don't even know they had a fertilized egg, and everything goes along fine. But I guess I was really sensitive, and I could tell when the egg was fertilized. I told her to take it out right away, because I didn't like the idea of having a "maybe" baby that was forced out by the IUD. I just wanted to prevent the fertilization altogether.

They are bad, I had a lot of problems and wouldn't recommend them.

Hi A.,

I have 4 sons. In between my second and third children I did a short stint with IUD's, I have had 2 of them. The first one I had put in at my 6 week checkup after my second baby and I got an infection that lasted for 3 months... ughh!!! I had severe bleeding with this one and hated every minute of it and the doctor kept telling me to wait it out because of the cost but I had it removed and then was able to get rid of the infection. The second one, after my third baby, the doctor reassured me that there was very little likelihood of me getting another infection so I followed her advice and had another put in after my third baby. I did wait until he was 4 months to have this one put in just because I didn't want to mess with postpartum healing this time. It was painful and irritating to my husband, I don't know if they cut the string to short or what but he kept saying that it was poking him... not a nice place to be poked with a sharp object... Then my period came back with a vengeance and I felt like I was going to bleed to death, I actually had to wear depends for the first 4 days of my period which lasted 7-12 days on average. I had it removed after a year, (ya I waited that long, crazy I know). After my fourth and final baby I was having the same insane bleeding as I had had with the IUD only lasting longer up to 28 days once... awful, so I ended up having to have an endometrial ablation done, coterized the inside of my uterus, now my period is very short and light. This was not my doctors first choice, she did want me to try the Mirena but I was unwilling after all the trouble that I had with the first 2 IUD's, so even though my option was more permanent, I am done having kids and would never get an IUD again anyway. She did try to assure me that the Mirena is getting rave reviews and that it would significantly reduce my bleeding, also that the hormone is being released at the source of where the hormone is needed and not being distributed to the rest of your body like taking the pill, therefore less moody, etc. Its a hard choice to make, some love them, some hate them but I have heard some real horror stories about them, so never again for me.

S.

I have the Mirena...and love it! Though I am still breast feeding my 10month old...I havent had a 'cycle' not that I mind! But I would highly recomend it. There is a small downside...it has a string...like fishing line, and sometimes it pokes my husband while we are...well you know. But they can trim the string shorter if need be. I hope this helps.

Hi A.-
I got my Mirena IUD put in at my 6 week checkup after giving birth (my son is now 15 months). It was not painful at all and my Dr. said it even makes it easier to do that soon as everything is sort of stretched out down there. I have had several friends get them put in at different times and none of them have complained of pain. I love not having to think about birth control and you literally cannot even feel it's there. I did have some bleeding for the first couple of months and worried it would continue, but it totally tapered off and now I have light periods. I think it is definately the way to go and cheaper than most other birth control as I only had to pay 1 copay to have it put it, whereas pills, patch, etc. will cost you monthly. You should give it a try. Try it for 6 months and if it isn't working for you (too much bleeding, etc.), then remove it. That was my plan, but I don't plan to remove mine anytime soon...it lasts for 5 years, and like I said, I love it. Also, when I was considereing an IUD, my Dr. (one of 6 in the practice) told me the Mirena is the only one she would recommend as all the others, they have had patients that had gotten pregnant. The Mirena was the only one that she had seen with NO pregnancies. Good luck!