[font="Comic Sans MS"][/font] Hello Ladies! First Happy HAlloween! Hope all had a wonderful evening how ever it was spent. And I must admit I am so happy I can't sleep tonight, because I just happend to type Para Guard IUD and sex, in my google toolbar and stumbled upon Bust, along with this IUD thread! I read many many pages, and I think got more thoughts than any basic website, so Thank You Ladies, and because of the awesome adivce and experiences, not to mention how non agressive people are here I HAD to join!You ladies sound so real, down to earth not to mention NICE!

Okay so now down to the nitty gritty, I am gonna post my 3 yes ladies, 3 IUD experiences! Don't worry not all of it is bad ....I am 23, and have two beautiful, wonderful boys, 5 and 2. And thats it for me, well at least for now, because who knows what I could want in the future, but I want to focus my time on them! Not to mention the 3 miscarriages I have experienced in the last 2 years after the birth of my 2nd son. SO it has been quite crazy, and the funny part was I WAS on B.C, ALL kinds, you name it I've pretty much tried it, well almost . Tried the pill, well actually 4 different types of the pill HAH, the hormones no matter how LOW my Dr. promised was not good for me, AT ALL. Lets see, theres also the ring (uncomfortable during sex, and not during sex, hormones got to me), then we have the patch (I actually got cysts from it, alot of pain where ever the patch was, and oh yea the hormones),depo, blah blah blah oh yeah did I mention how depressed, tired, bloated, crakny, sore, fat, and zits I get from HORMONES. Okay, (sorry ladies just venting). Also my periods just drastically never ever are what we catorgerize as "normal" actually even worse never even close to normal so each month, when it was time to take my placebos, or remove my ring/patch, I had no idea what to due seeing that "week " I was supposed to be on my periods i was'nt or vice versa.
So inbewteen all these experiences, I got my FIRST IUD , when I was roughly around 18, had my first son then, so my OB put it in, I got the mirena, because she PROMISED the LOW hormones would HELP. Well my 1st time ever getting that thing put in SUCKED, holy crud, but fortunatly it was quick, the intial Sharp stabbing was really quick, so just a lil crampy afterwards. Well alot of crammping afterwards. And I did'nt take ANYTHING for the cramps before hand so im sure that did'nt help me any. Well eventually, about 1 month afer having it in, I had it removed, I split up from my fiance', and it was for sure, so I had it removed, but also did'nt have really anything negative to say about it. But did'nt have it in long enough to really know what it was like.
I got my 2nd IUD, right after my 2nd son was born, about 2 years ago, I DID take some IBprofun about an 1hr before hand so it could kick in, and I must say it did'nt completely change how it felt being put in, but it definately did help. But about 2 weeks in, I was dizzy, nauseas, sharp pains right in the center of my abdomen, like dead center, SHARP. For 2 weeks straight after having the IUD in, I went to the ER, because my OB, was just telling me to ignore how I was feeling it is probably just coincdental.
Well, I did'nt ignore it, I went to the ER, hardly able to stand feeling so dizzy, they did an ultra sound, and it was fine, but I had it removed anywho. And yea a few days later, even gradually a day later I slowly but surely felt great, no more nausea, dizziness, or sharp pains.
So I just had a misscarriage, (my 3rd one) about 6 weeks ago, and being so tired both physically and emotionally I need a worry free BC, something that my body would finally not reject, and I could live somewhat worry free. SO my husband had me go to my local OB, and she recommended the Para Guard IUD, so I considerd it, read about it, in the mean time have not done the deed in over 6 weeks, and honestly wanting it, but NOT wanting to take ANY risks AT all, even using condoms, and so on. Even though my last pregnancy/ misscarriage was due to me charting my cycle and puling out.
So this past Wednesday< I went to my local PP (planned parenthood), instead of my OB, due to scheduling conflicts and I wanted to get in the sooner the better.Took, an IBprofun, and some pain medicine (percocets) an hours before. Was nervous wondering who would be puttin it in, because I wanted someone, who was just understanding yet knowledgable about what she is doing, AND my feelings. I sat there in this room nervous (not sure why, seeing this would be my 3rd IUD), my BP, was actually HIGH 151/94, which is NOT normal for me so yes to say the least I was nervous. And the Nurse practioner, came in, so I was like ohh geez, she explained it to me, and as I lay there in stir ups, she just talked to me, and talked which kept my mind at ease, just asked questions about my boys , life etc, which definatly kept me distracted and she was done, the ONLY reall kind of tension I felt was her applying some betadine, with some medicine to help stop some of the bleeding. So not sure if the pain med, and ibprofun helped alot together, or seeing I have had 2 births, 3 misscarriages, and being my 3rd IUD helped out. So I drove myself home, laid back for an hour, yes I was definatly crampy. But nothing where I could'nt function I have had WORSE cramping/pain before. I have been spotting and even having some mild discharge (no odor, and its clear so Im assuming its normal), and today friday well actually its sat now, so friday morning was cramp but only needed Ibprofun, once today instead of 2x's like yesterday. Can't feel my strings but have'nt really tried, the Dr' left them slightly longer, so it would curl up around the back of the cervix, and she also let me feel the string (on a model) of the para guard and mirena IUD and explained how the para guard is actually softer, and designed to even get softer over time.
She did say I could have sex anytime I am comfortable, hopefully soon but who knows. My insurance covered all 3 IUD's, SO that was a help, but PP also said If I didn't get approved from the insurance they have a sliding scale like others have mention. Only thing that suprised me today, (but actually nothing I have'nt felt before) was that stabbing pain again in my abodmen, very quick but very sharp, but since i've experienced this before Im thinking its my cervix . Who knows, but I will def, mention to OB on my follow up. So for the next 10yrs I will have worry free, guilt free, pain free, sick free, uninhibited SEX, (can you tell im excited), She said its good for 12 years, but they like to remove and replace around the 10th year just for that extra comfort of knowing your protected.
But one concern I was worried about was actually the Copper being in my body, because I know how too much copper can make you sick. But I looked it up alot, and talked about it to the dr. And she actually told me that we eat copper in some foods, so its actually ok, in small amount in our daily diet, and seeing the para guard is even a smaller amount then the daily does im good. So hopefully my experiences help, even just for any little question. Despite all my failed attempts, and painful ventures IM EXCITED! Im hoping that once this first week is done, I will start gaining a better sense of hope that this is finally the thing for me, and also a better sense of hope I WILL one day have a sex life with my husband again.
And the first two times I had my IUD inserted I had my period, while I got it, the Dr, said it would make the insertion easier, and yet the 3rd time I didnt get it put in while on my period, and it was the least painful time but I also had taking some pain med, but still not even in compairison! So maybe everyone's experience is different heck my OWN 3 were WAY different from each one. SO just read alot about the facts, consider the pros and cons, and read about other ladies experiences but only you , yourself can make that decision, but hopefully we all can help each other with the support.

Well, I will definately update as time goes by, and let everyone know how im doing, but I PROMISE ladies it will DEFINATLY NOT be as long, MY Sincerest APOLIGIES, im just venting, and also trying to just put my story out there seeing it feels, really good just talking about it (being bottled up for so long sometimes hurts).
I hope all you wonderful ladies who have had good experiences continue to have those good times with worry free BC, and those women who have had horrible/hard times I hope you find soomething anything that helps you have worry free BC, because I KNOW what you are going through. ...OK LADIES AGAIN HAppy HAlloween, and Stay BEAUTIFUL!!!

Savmomhc

AWWW GEEZ ladies, IM SORRY!! I just posted and I m looking at actually how long it came out now that its not in a tiny lil scrolin box, and its HUGE AGAIN IM SORRY!! I promise I won't type another one that big ever again ....Thanks you ladies!

So I got the mirena about 3 months ago. I really liked it at first but the thing is I can still feel it. Almost every day I have some kind of cramping and I especially feel it when I orgasm. I have tried just about every kind of BC there is and nothing works well. My body is pretty sensitive in general so hormones and me don't really do well together. I made an appointment to get it removed tomorrow. I've been back and forth, but I just want to be able to fell my body again and feel normal and natural. I'm pretty natural about almost everything else in my life so it makes sense for me. I am a little worried about pregnancy but what are you gonna do

My question for those who have had it removed: Does it hurt? It hurt so so much putting it in and I got to know about anatomy I had never thought of before. I breathed through it and was fine, but I am a little nervous about going through something like that again. Also any other thoughts about removal?

I also came across a board of women who all got pregnant while on the IUD. Most had had some significant weight loss/gain (~20 lbs) which caused the IUD to shift but I thought I'd pass that along for more info.

Themieu, I just wanted to reply and say im sorry to hear its uncomfortable, but one thing to let you know, the removal is VERY easy!~ Quicker and wayyy less painful than getting it in> So i just wwanted to let you know, and as fo r the hormones i know what you mean, thats why I got the paraguard and its only been a couple of days but I love it.....Well Good luck, and again DONT stress the rmoval, the most you feel is the speculum, they just pulll the string and it bends up and comes out, real reall quick and easy....>Agian Good LUck

Yay!! My insurance is covering the mirena and in two weeks i'll be getting cultures done and then i'll have it inserted!!! i'm hoping it all goes well!!! it's been a big help to hear all of your experiences, both good and bad, and i've decided that i'll never know unless i try. wish me luck ladies!!

((((NMR))))

I hope you have a positive experience.

thanks deschatsrouge!

Hello again ladies, so now im past a week having my para guard IUD, and I was doing great UNTIL 3 days ago. I started to experience some pretty bad dizzy spells, nausea and sharp pain in the lower right side in my abdomen. At first I ignored it but then seeing it has'nt gone away I was getting worried. I started having sex again (finally) , and I even checked for my string, and felt it, and everything is doing just FINE .... So I called my OB, last night and told them what I was experiencing and she sent me to the hospital. I had a urine alasysis done, a blood test, and an ultra sound.....and while i waited patiently they came back to me and said everything is just fine, actually beyond fine its perfect, my urine, my blood tests, and my ovaries and they even said my iud is great in the right spot. So they just told me that usually some women experience these symptoms getting an iud, and it will usually fully subside around 1 month after getting the iud. It is just gonna take some time to get my body used to it. So that being said, I was worried, but now have a peace of mind. But now I know that my body is just gonna take some time to get used to it, but I personally think it is worth it, so I guess you can say Im gonna grin and bear it! So if any of you ever experience it at first, you are most likely fine, but its still worth it just to get it checked out! Good luck ladies and take care....I shall post soon....
'
Savannah

sav, that sounds similar to my experience, although with a mirena. the first week or so was agony, but no probs since! 7 months and counting, and i'm very happy with it. hope you feel better soon!

Thank You Christine! I hope so, its not intolerable thats for sure, just unusual so definately scared me a little seeing how horrible i felt. But I think and hope its totally worth it, and in time hopefully it gets better. Its a HUGE relief being able to have what I like to call "worry free" sex with my husband, with no worries or before or afterwwards. So im just being completely optimistic, seeing I had the mirena 2x's before and had them both remove, but later on found out it was the hormoones that affected me, (big sensitivty to them)...so I will ride the wave and just take my ibprofun, but one thing that stinks is I already have an ulcer, so my PCP, is frowning upon the fact that I am taking the 800 mg's, because they just irritate my ulcer THAT much more, but I explained to him I need to take it for now, and I promised to ONLY use it when needed. Which Im sure when my period comes around, with all the cramping im expecting, I will certainly need to take it. So thank you again for those hopeful words, and also letting me know how you went through it also and it did get better, its really comforting to know. Thanks Again!

Savannah

sav, there will definitely be some adjustment cramps here and there, especially in the beginning, and sporadically (but hopefully less frequent) throughout the duration of the IUD. I haven't found that it's anything to worry about, I think it's just a natural uterine reaction to having a pointy, plastic & metal object inside.

But just be (at least mentally) prepared for the actual menstrual cramps when you get your period. They're vicious. Use heat and any combination of pain killers that you like. If ibuprofen bothers you, try 1 & 1/2 asprin, along with 1 & 1/2 acetaminophen. I find that combination completely helps the pain, and I'm not taking a large dose of one type of drug.

So...I know it's a common side affect to have some sporadic spotting in the middle of your cycle, but a couple times this week, I've had some *thick*, mucous-y, blood-and a lot of it. Not just spotting, but almost seemed like real menstrual fluid, just not as dark. And then this evening I saw that the crotch of my underwear was soaked in thinner blood. I'm not really feeling any pain or discomfort. I haven't checked the strings yet. I'm wondering though...the boy and I had been going through a dry spell (for several months) until last week, which was right before the first time the thick blood came out. Then it was like 5 days before I saw it again. Could sex-after-a-long-time have like, dislodged stuff up there, maybe bothered my heretofore dormant cervix, and caused some bleeding/mucous-ing? It's only been about a week since my period ended, so it's not an early period. It's probably nothing to worry about, but I've just never seen it like that at this point in my cycle. Thanks for any advice~

Sav, good luck with the iud. Your experience sounds really similar to the first time I had mine, and I found things got steadily better after a few months, though I had it taken out after about 6 months because I wasn't willing to ride it out at that point in my life. I had another one (non-hormonal, copper T) put in in May and love it. I've found the same thing, the longer I have it the better it gets. This time however has been much better, with minimal cramps and my period actually lightening, to the point that I'm wondering if they accidentally gave me the hormonal one! Anyways, two of the big differences between my first experiences is that my diet is much better (got rid of some foods that I was intolerant/allergic to, and less sugar) and I found the wonders of raspberry leaf tea. I have stomach issues so I don't like taking pain killers, and I had a girlfriend with amazingly bad cramps who used to drink the stuff super strong during her period and right before to help with cramps, and found that it was really helpful for me to, without killing my stomach. You can get it loose at a lot of health food stores for dirt cheap as most of the brands I've found in supermarkets are just raspberry flavouring in an expensive box. I steep it strong and it works better, and if my cramps are really bad I brew a large handful of leaves in a large glass jar for a few hours, strain, and then drink it that way, which helps. I've also foudn that walking helps the cramps, something my mother told me when I was 13 and chose to ignore, but turns out she's right. I really hate when that happens!!!

I hope everything works out with yours as well humanist.

I am going to make my appointment to get and IUD. My doctor told me to take some ibuprofen a couple of hours before and to schedule the appointment around the time of my period or even if I am on my period. He suggested it to me awhile a go but I choose the pill which I love . I suck at the pill.

should I have hubby come with me ? will I be able to drive after insertion? since I haven't had a kid, should I not be getting Mirena? do the strings get in the way during sex?

thanks in advance for all of the bustie wisdom!

just got paraguard in on nov 1st i cant take hormones so it seems great.getting it in wasnt to bad for me at least But due for my first period next week and today had HORRIBLE!!! cramping,is it my understanding this will subside in a few months?cause if not i want my husband snipped!all answers welcomed!

missladyj, i would not drive after insertion. my strings don't get in the way but my cervix never gets hit during sex anyway. i can't even feel my strings to do the string check. i didn't even know you could get any iud or iuc without having had one pregnancy, i had a hell of a time finding someone who would even let me talk about getting the paragard iud and my kid at the time was about ten.

Tkaren1981, my cramps are worse now with the paragard but i very rarely had cramps before. it's not every cycle that the cramps are bad for me.

missladyj, I was able to drive right after just fine. I was definitely in some discomfort, but not debilitated.
It is usually okay for women who haven't had children to get an IUD; there's just a higher risk of expulsion, because the uterus is not accustomed to having a foreign object inside of it. I've had mine for a year and a half without any issues, but I know some women haven't had such luck. Personally, I think it is worth the risk.
The copper IUD and hormonal IUD have about the same effectiveness, so which one you choose depends on some of their differences.
You'd really only want the copper IUD if you normally react badly to hormones, which is a very common reason. It's also nice that it lasts over ten years, while the hormonal IUD only last 3-5. The hormonal IUD would be preferable if you don't think you can handle bad cramps, or if you have a copper allergy (which is pretty rare). I personally went with the copper one because hormones are a nightmare for me. Also, I've heard that the strings on the Mirena are a bit stiffer and more easily felt during sex than the Paragard.

Hope this helps some!

holy gods. driving after insertion?! I would really reccommend taking your hubby along so you don't have to drive home. I got the copper IUD at 25 having never been pregnant. I'd been on alot of different hormonal pills & had various problems with all of them. I took the ibprufen before insertion. I left the office in a cold sweat & had some pretty intense cramps by the time i got to the car. I love my paragard, but consider your body & your doctors advice when you decide. everyone's body is different. best of luck!

Hello Ladies,

I had my IUD put in on Friday! Nova-T, non-hormonal, lasts for 3 years, oh and I'm non-parous (haven't given birth). My doctors had no qualms about doing it for me, infact they said that it was a good form of contraceptives and it was just a common misconseption that those who haven't given birth can't use IUD's.

Like others my doctor recommended taking ibuprofen before my insertion. Lucky me my uterus had a kink in it so I had to have it clamped, which yes definitely hurt, but only very briefly. Over all I didn't have a lot of pain at all, it was uncomfortable but over pretty quickly. I haven't ever really been someone who suffers from cramps, so that might be why. I would still definitely not recommend driving home. I felt a bit woosey, and your body has just had a foreign object forcefully inserted, it's not too happy with you right now so best let it have a rest is my opinion.

I'd DEFINITELY recommend making sure you go to an experienced doctor. The lady I saw said she'd been inserting IUD's for over 40 years and I could tell she knew exactly what she was doing. She talked me through it and had it done in a jiffy. She also did a couple of coultures (scrapings) before she inserted it just incase in the future I have any kind of infection, that way she has something to refer back to for an idea of what we're dealing with.

It's now Monday and well, I'm bleeding pretty steadily. It's not so much spotting as a light period. I have a pretty constant little ache 'down there' but not really any intense cramping. If anyone's interested I can give a regular update. Just send me a reply if you'd like to know how things are going.

If anyone's curious theres a link to the actual leaflet that comes in the Nova-T box, it's in PDF form. It's pretty informative and goes through exactly how it'll be inserted.

http://www.bayerhealth.com/display.cfm?Obj...;Article_ID=249

I asked my doctor about tampons - they're fine!!! Use a pad for the first few days, so that there's no further irritation of the uterus, but tampons are ok for use on your period. She said that it's supposed to take 5lbs of force to get these suckers out and if you're pulling that hard to get your tampon out there's something wrong!


Ok well I guess that's all I've got for now. I hope that helps someone out!

thanks everyone! I am making the appointment tomorrow. My doctor was the one who originally suggested the IUD and he will be the one who inserts it. I really am lucky that I really love my doctor. I still have to decide on whether or to go with hormonal or not. I am leaning towards hormonal. I will keep you all posted! thanks again.

wow, i never would have thought of not driving - it didn't occur to me that it was that big a deal. that said, i've noticed that for women who have never been pregnant, the whole insertion process can be more painful and uncomfortable than for women who have been pregnant. if you haven't, you might want to ask your doctor if they will use anything to soften your cervix, and if they will be administering pain killers or anything like that.
in my case, my doctor just inserted it, and i took acetominophen at home that night for the cramps. pretty uneventful, and i think this is more common for women who have had children.

TKaren - give it at least 3 months if you think you can. 6 is better to get an idea of how it's working for you. good luck!

I've been researching the copper IUD (can't do mirena - hormones HATE me) and the biggest side affect that i'm seeing is the bad crapping during your period. But I'm wondering, what do people consider bad???

Bad as in, "I never cramp, now I have to take aleeve" bad, or "The pain is so bad I throw up" bad? Mine rank here about 8 months out of the year and I have to start taking pain meds 2-3 days prior to starting and continue through day 4 or 5 or I'll literally get physically sick from the pain.

I don't know if mine could get worse at this point, so I'm just looking for How Bad is Bad?

how bad is bad? i can't really say mine are bad, just noticeable now. it's not debilitating for me just general discomfort. if you need pain meds now, then you'll probably need them with the iud in for each cycle.

I had a copper IUD inserted at the beginning of September a the Sexual Health clinic in Victoria. The insertion was definitely the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my entire life, and I've done some painful things (tattoos, piercings, scarification, burns, BDSM, etc.) I had it inserted without anesthetic because I didn't want to wait for it to take effect. I wanted it to be over and done with. The whole process only took about ten minutes, not including the 15 minutes I had to take to sit in the waiting room before I was confident that I could walk without getting dizzy. I immediately started cramping and spent the rest of the day at home with a heat pad on my abdomen. Even with ibuprofen it was still difficult to walk around that first day. I think I was one of the "lucky" ones, with the process being monumentally painful.

I started my period (early) the next day, as expected. The cramping wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I usually have a hard start to my periods, but it's nothing that interferes with my day. I ended up having my period for two weeks with some serious clotting, so I went in to the clinic to make sure that everything was in proper "running order" and was assured that everything was fine. My period ended two days later and I thought I was through the worst of it. But oh was I wrong!

A month later I got my period and it was bad. Like, "can't go to work because I can't stand up," sort of bad. Like I said before, my intense cramping never before interfered with my day or my work, but this time there was no way that I was even leaving the house. I was also a PMS monster from HELL, which was also out of the ordinary. Luckily, it seemed that the pain was only going to stick around for the first couple of days, then everything went as usual: heavy bleeding, cramping, and a period that only lasted about 6 days.

Since that last time, everything is as right as rain. My flow is still heavy, but the cramping has died down back to a manageable level. I would say that getting the IUD was definitely worth the initial discomfort and inconvenience.

I got my IUD inserted on september 30. I have never given birth, so the insertion was pretty painful. About as bad as sucky cramps, though, so nothing I couldn't deal with. That day I walked home (my doc is close to my dorm) and went to work and class. I did have some bad bouts of cramping (yelling and crying, fetal position kind) so it's good I work with my school's lab rats in a sound-proof basement. But I took about 8 ibuprofen a day and was pretty ok, and then I was all good with regards to pain. I did have my period for three weeks, but then that went away and it wasn't painful during anyways. Let's see, I haven't had an IUD period yet, I did have a 'pill withdrawal' period though, and that was fine. My doc put me on the pill to combat bleed through (haha, that didn't work), so I did have a short period when I went off. But so far, I'm loving it. The strings softened up and I don't have to worry about getting pregnant for 10 years!

i had my annual the other day, and was relieved to hear my mirena is in place! i was getting worried, cause i couldn't feel the strings (never have found the stupid things, and it's been 6 months!)
yay for effective birth control!

Hello all. I had my IUD (copper paragard) inserted at the end of August 2008. The insertion was some what painful but not as painful as having a baby! The doctor told me i might not be able to have it put in because my uterus is tilted backwards to far. But she got it in,and I think thats why it hurt so bad,because of the position of my uterus. I had bad cramps and spotted right after and continued to spot for 2 weeks straight which wasnt to bad but then spotted on and off for a month. Then at the beginning of September I had the worst pains ever in my overies. My back was hurting so bad and I could hardly walk because the bounce from me walking hurt my insides. I went to the ER to have them check my IUD, well my IUD was in place,but I had got cyst on my overies which I had never had before i got the IUD in. Well that finally went away. I love my IUD and do not want to take it out because I dont want to have to worry about forgetting a pill, but sadly I will take it out. Starting the beginning of October I started losing more hair then usual but I wasn't to concerned with it. But then it started falling out so drastically that I lost more then half my hair in 2 weeks. I had really really thick hair before,and now my hair is so thin that i have to tie a rubberband around my hair 4 times to hold it up when usually i just wrap it around twice. I went to my doctor and told her what was happening and what I had read online about others losing their hair due to the IUD and my doctor blew me off and said "its not a side affect". So I switched doctors and this doctor ran a bunch of tests but could not find anything wrong. I finally got so fed up and depressed over the clumps of hair falling out that i went to the ER over it. I finally got a doctor that said: "the paragard DOES have hormoans in it even though they say it does not, what do you think keeps you from getting pregnant? Plastic and copper wire is not going to keep you from getting pregnant. The IUD could be messing with your metobolic system which will make your hair fall out and also your IUD has the time released hormoans in it and your IUD could be letting off to much" I told the doctor that the Paragard is said not to have any hormoans at all thats why i got it. and he said it still has hormoans.. So there is nothing I can do but use rogaine and take my IUD out and pray my hair grows back. I am only 25 years old and very depressed and feel so ugly because of this. I do not discourage the IUD because I love mine, but if you find your hair falling out drastically then I would take the IUD out.. Goodluck

kimmie, I've had my Paragard for 1.5 years now and I have had a lot of hair loss as well. I've considered that it might be because of the IUD, but also maybe because I blow-dry my hair a few times a week? I've never known for sure, but all I know is that I've never had so much fall out than over the last 6 months or so. It definitely sounds like you've lost more-I still have fairly thick hair-but every time I wash it, my hands come away covered in loose strands. I've looked around the internet a bit for similar experiences, and have found a substantial amount. So...I guess for now I'm waiting, but if it got worse I might consider having the IUD removed. I'm sorry you've had such a bad reaction-that's gotta be traumatic!

I do question your doctor's assertion that the Paragard actually does contain hormones-I'm pretty sure it is illegal for pharmaceutical companies to blatantly lie to people about what they are putting in their bodies, unless it is a placebo. Especially because the Paragard is specifically marketed as a 'non-hormonal IUD'. Many women who have unpleasant or extreme reactions to hormones turn to the Paragard as their last hope. Some even have dangerous reactions to hormones, and I don't think the makers of Paragard would deceive them. I have been through my own devastating sensitivity to hormones as well, and I haven't had a single one of those side effects with my IUD. I would do more research and get more doctor's opinions about that. Maybe write to the company?

Hello humanist. how are you?? I have not touched my hair in over 2 months. i wash it once a week which i hate even washing it then. my hair falls out in strands of 50 or more. so its not like a couple hairs here and there that make up the hand fulls. then when i get out of the shower i comb it lightly just to get the tangles out so i can throw it up and i lose even more! iam seriously suprised iam not bald. I have come to the conclusion that it has to be my IUD because that is the only thing that has changed in my life.. I believe my IUD doesnt have hormoans,i think that doctor was confused with which one i have. But just telling you what the doctor said. I am just going to have it taken out and see if it stops. It just makes me angry that doctors dont want to listen to us. Plenty of girls on the web have noticed hair loss due to having the IUD inserted and have called their doctors and paragard telling them and all have said "its not a side affect" I think they should listen and list it as a side affect even if they believe it not to be. I also heard of copper toxticity can cause hair loss. So I may also have to much copper in my body but I can not get a doctor to test me for it because again "thats not a side affect". The ER doctor I had said somthing pretty cool to me. he said: Do some research and print out what you find and educate your doctor on what you find, we are just practicing medicine you know...But getting a doctor to listen is the hard part. lol Iam just complaining.. Im just upset cause I love my IUD I really dont want to take it out but its either take it out and see what happens,or leave it in and go bald...I know I will eventually go bald because the hair loss has not let up. I was trying to wait it out to see if my body would adjust and the hair loss would slow or stop. but it hasnt.

kimmie-
if your hair is falling out, I would suggest you not putting it in rubber bands anymore, esp if you have to wrap it tightly. that causes extra strain on your hair follicles which causes breakage & more damage.
my hair is very fine & cannot take the stress of any sort of band like that bc I have to twist it so tightly to make it stay; hence, I keep fairly short hair now to avoid the temptation,

I had my copper t removed in march & have felt progressivley better reproductively speaking ever sinse.
I had continual periods for 2 weeks at a time & the other 2 weeks of the month I wanted to be left alone bc my body felt so invaded. in that regard? it was a Great bc method!

christine: am so glad your checkup went well !

well as of right now. its not up tight.its in a lose pony. but if i dont have it up it looks like crap and makes me want to actually shave my head lol. so for now its staying up in a lose pony until it stops falling out so much. its so gross because if i try to wear it down,there is hair everywhere. even in the strangest places lol. hair in my food,in my drink cups. i think im shedding more then the cat haha.i have my moments where it really bothers me and gets me down and other days i just laugh about shaving my head and getting a wig. Luckily my boyfriend is very supportive and sensitive about my hair loss. i have had short hair for a realy long time and after i had my baby my hair grew fast so i wanted it long. its almost to my waist,just really fine now. ehh oh well though. im sure it will stop once the IUD is out.

The hair loss thing is something I've never heard of. That's really weird. I'm trying to come up with some rationale for why that would happen and can't figure anything out. Wow, what a huge bummer.

hello ladies, i am new here and the reason i signed up is because this place holds a lot of great information. Ok so heres the thing, I am 18 years old and have been taking birth control off and on for 4 years. Hormonal BC does not agree with me, i am already predisposed to depression so when im on the pill, i become the monster from hell...anyways i have been reading up on the ParaGuard IUD since i dont want anything hormonal and i dont ever plan on having kids, if i do want kids someday, i plan to adopt...i have an appointment tomorrow with my general doctor to talk about getting it. Any advice would be appreciated. It was this thread that actually helped me make my decision getting it. Oh and i am in a steady monogomous relationship. I have been with my boyfriend for a year now and we are moving in together soon. I am really excited because i am tired of living such a numb life...I want my life back! thanks...oh and what are you thoughts about getting it done at a planned parenthood if my doctor doesnt give it to me for some reason.

anoel- I would recommend that you read back through the archives of this thread. There is tons of information about the questions you are asking. Several of us have the Paraguard IUD, and there was also talk about Planned Parenthood a little ways back. That's where I got my Paraguard, and I've had a wonderful experience. There are some busties who haven't had good experiences with their IUDs, though. Let us know if you have any specific questions that you don't find answers for.

so i just got my IUD placed like an hour ago...the pain wasnt too bad and the procedure went smoothly...right now i am just experiencing some cramping but other than that i am good...this was a great decision! i hope it goes just as smoothly for the next 10 years

i just have a quick question...so i forgot to ask the doctor but i go to the gym every night and after i work out i usually sit in the hot tub. How long should i wait before i am safe to sit in the hot tub again if i even have to wait? i am just worried about getting an infection. thanks.

hmm, i don't know about the hottub, but i do have a theory about the hairloss thing...hair loss is common for women after pregnancy, due to the change/drop in homone levels. if you are coming off the pill, perhaps it's possible you would experience the same sort of thing? after having kiddo i was losing CHUNKS of hair for about 6 months before it levelled out and my hair started thickening up again. i know for some women though, it can be more severe. just a thought!

here's a question for you girls who've had iud's put in.... I'm going for my annual pelvic exam soon and I want to ask about getting an iud. I've been considering getting an iud for a couple of years now, I was on the pill for years and it makes me crazy. Best thing I ever did was get off of it. After researching it online quite a bit as well as reading here, the iud seems the best way to go.

I don't think I'm going to be having sex any time soon, but my theory is, I'd rather get the whole cramping thing of the first couple months over with, or see if I have any major issues, on my own so that when I'm having sex with someone on a regular basis, I'll be totally adjusted (or know it hasn't worked) and won't have to deal with these things. (don't worry, I ALWAYS use a condom until I know it's an ongoing thing and my partner and I go to get tested, so I wouldn't be having unprotected sex off the bat if I had an iud)

SO.....my question is, do doctors usually want to know that you're in a monogamous relationship before they'll fit an iud, rather than you just wanting one? I suppose I could always just tell them I am in one, but just wanted to see what your experiences have been.

zoya: the 'monogomous relationship' issue has more to do w/ the iud not being a barrier against std's more than anything else I think. my dr didn't so much ask as say something like ' ... you've had 1 child (para whatever) and you're only sexually active with your .. husband..' to which I replied yes.
I think were you to say right away 'this is a form of bc I'm interested in as the pill really makes me ill' and then your dr Should mention/discuss w. you the specifics to determine if it's a good choice for you or not.
clearly, the iud is not going to be as ideal for some as others, as it goes for all bc methods.

I think your idea is very smart, to see how your body responds to it.

Thanks freckle -

I made an appt for the 14th, not sure if it's just a consultation or if they'll actually fit it then. It's about a week - 10 days before my period, so I know they might not want to, but it was the only appointment they had anytime even close to my period. When I went in, the nurse was actually really cool - I didn't actually say I wasn't in a relationship, only that I'd only had one partner in the last 7 months and that we were using condoms, and what you said about how the pill makes me ill. I think that the fact that I'm older and clearly careful about this stuff helps too.

So I'll keep you guys up to date - I'm kinda nervous about all the cramping and heavy periods. I have really light periods, like seriously only need to use my insteads (disposable menstrual cup) for 1.5 days, so I'm hoping that it won't get too crazy bad. I don't have any major work to do for about a week after my appointment (assuming they insert it then) so I have time to get through the initial cramping and stuff.

when i had my recent gyno exam and inquired about an iud, my doc was concerned if i was in a relationship. she was more concerned about me not having kids to have a successful and easy placement of the iud. she said a woman who has had a baby will allow for the device to slip in "like buttah." her exact words. she was funny. oh, and they tested to check my iron level too.

I've got my annual exam on Tuesday, and I'll be inquiring about the IUD then. My gyno is a total douchebag, though, so I expect some hassle. He was shocked when I said I didn't want kids last year, and that I was thinking about a tubal. Not surprisingly, he wouldn't go that route. But, if he's not going to do it, I may ask to see another doc in the practice.

yeah I was actually pretty surprised during my annual when I asked the nurse about the iud, she was just like - ok, when you leave, see the nurse and make an appointment for the iud clinic time.

one thing that she said that struck me as funny was when I said something about how the guy who was my partner was a lot younger than me, and her response was "doesn't he ever want to have kids?" The thing I found amusing about her statement was not that it was in reference to me getting an iud, but in reference to me being with a guy much younger than me! ha!

Well, I just thought I would share my Mirena experience. Before I got on mirena, all I had ever used was Ortho tri Cyclen. I asked around about IUD's and got mixed reviews. I decided to go ahead and risk it. I got it inserted in Jan. Immediately I knew something was up. it hurt extremely bad, and general consensus is that iud placement is not that painful. wow, it definately was. (and i am comparing this to a high dose of pitocin at 8cm au natural LOL) Anywhoo, he inserted it, there was a loud pop and a huge gush of blood. I freaked in my head but didn't say a word. i could tell by the dr's face that he was shocked, but he didn't say anything. so I continued to bleed, at this point the table was covered, as was he and a lot of the floor. the nurse brought me towels and such, and after 10-15 minutes the bleeding slowed. they had to get a cleaning crew in there. the dr assured me that this was normal and yadayada, but something just did not sit right with me.
i continued bleeding heavily for the following 9 months. I called the dr twice in those months, first he said i needed to give it a chance to regulate, at about 6 months in he precribed progesterone. it was a bad month, i couldn't afford the 60$ rx. i became a totally different person, moody, grouchy, a complete bitch. i wasted a small fortune on tampons. for 9 months i had 2 choices: bloody sex or no sex. Every few weeks I had full blown pregnancy symptoms. Mirena was horrible, the absolute worse thing I have ever done to myself. At the beginning of September, I called to have the thing taken out. The dr was on vacation for the next week and didn't have an appointment up until the following month due to an apparrent baby boom. So I removed the devil myself.
I would not advise people not to choose Mirena, because obviously it works for a lot of people, but just beware it isn't always good. I have since read that if you have a tilted uterus (which i do) IUD's will cause more problems for you.

Well, I just thought I would share my Mirena experience. Before I got on mirena, all I had ever used was Ortho tri Cyclen. I asked around about IUD's and got mixed reviews. I decided to go ahead and risk it. I got it inserted in Jan. Immediately I knew something was up. it hurt extremely bad, and general consensus is that iud placement is not that painful. wow, it definately was. (and i am comparing this to a high dose of pitocin at 8cm au natural LOL) Anywhoo, he inserted it, there was a loud pop and a huge gush of blood. I freaked in my head but didn't say a word. i could tell by the dr's face that he was shocked, but he didn't say anything. so I continued to bleed, at this point the table was covered, as was he and a lot of the floor. the nurse brought me towels and such, and after 10-15 minutes the bleeding slowed. they had to get a cleaning crew in there. the dr assured me that this was normal and yadayada, but something just did not sit right with me.
i continued bleeding heavily for the following 9 months. I called the dr twice in those months, first he said i needed to give it a chance to regulate, at about 6 months in he precribed progesterone. it was a bad month, i couldn't afford the 60$ rx. i became a totally different person, moody, grouchy, a complete bitch. i wasted a small fortune on tampons. for 9 months i had 2 choices: bloody sex or no sex. Every few weeks I had full blown pregnancy symptoms. Mirena was horrible, the absolute worse thing I have ever done to myself. At the beginning of September, I called to have the thing taken out. The dr was on vacation for the next week and didn't have an appointment up until the following month due to an apparrent baby boom. So I removed the devil myself.
I would not advise people not to choose Mirena, because obviously it works for a lot of people, but just beware it isn't always good. I have since read that if you have a tilted uterus (which i do) IUD's will cause more problems for you.

When I inquired about the IUD before getting it inserted, my gyno was very laid back and nonchalant about it. She downplayed the never-been-prego thing, cuz I was super paranoid about that after reading many internet horror stories. She said the insertion *may* be a bit more uncomfortable and that there was a slightly higher risk of expulsion. I think the key is to go to someone who has done a lot of IUD insertions; my doc told me that she does several insertions a week and has never had an expulsion. She also said that the never-been-prego thing is more of an issue for younger women (like under 25).

She was even pretty good about the future reproduction issue. I told her that there was a strong possibility that I would never have a kid, but my husband and I were not quite ready to make it permanent and I didn't want to be on the pill indefinitely. She said, "when you are ready, I can insert essure, too." Which then made me think she was just shilling for the pharm companies, esp after she gave me the whole "the pill is the most safe and effective form of bc available" as I'm sitting in the exam room covered in advertisements from Ortho Ah, HMOs.

zoya - my doc did say that she doesn't "recommended" the IUD for people who may have multiple partners, mainly because the strings have a slight risk of introducing bacteria into the uterus, but I don't think she would have refused to insert it.

tosha, that's really scary. I'm sorry you had to go through that!

turbo, that sucks. i would ask for a new gyno if you don't believe your doctor is understanding of your concerns with birth control and reproduction rights.

prophecy, i agree that experience is important with placing with an IUD. that's what my doc said to me...experience with IUD insertion equaled success in placement unless you have a tilted uterus (sorry, to hear about your story tosha). i went to planned parenthood for my annual. in regards to bc in the pill form....is it so hard for western medicine to believe that while it may be easy...some women don't want the risk of cancer and want to avoid hormonal birth control. geesh. that's my reason for not using hormonal bc. but, i think it is a topic for another thread.

...my reason for not using hormonal birth control, is that it makes me a depressed nutjob. and I have actually had a gyno (actually nurse practitioner at a gyno office who was doing my annual) tell me that the pill I was on was the lowest dose of progestin and same dose all month, so there is no way it could do that. I was like "uh... i've lived in my body my whole life, not you, so I think I know when something is fucking with me."

I'm glad you guys have talked about the tipped uterus thing, I have a tipped uterus, I mentioned it to the nurse at my annual, she said it really depends on which way it's tipped, to the front (abdomen) or toward the back. I'm pretty sure mine is toward the back - which I didn't really remember at the time - so I will definitely bring it up this week at the clinic and see what they say...

I too have a tipped uterus, and had a complete newbie insert my iud, and was apparently So Confused by it that she had to call for backup in the form of many, many extra people. (I lost count around 5 or so down by my feet).
that was when it is now believed that my cervix was torn, at the time of insertion.

I think the whole tipped uterus thing may be key here.. dr's need to advise patients w/ them that it May complicate insertion.. may cause more pain or residual bleeding as the placement would almost Have to be different- yes?

just a thought.

Well, I had my annual this afternoon, and I liked my doc a lot more this time...but then we were chatting about our favorite historical fiction books while he was wrist deep in my box, so that was kind of fun and interesting. He said I have a "textbook uterus," so the IUD should be no problem, and he thinks its a better option for me, since I'm having worse migraines during the placebo week on the pill. I'm ready to be done with that BS. Sooooo, Feb 12, I'm getting paraguard - WOooT!

I'll let you know how it goes!