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Other than that...Welcome to probably the most comprehensive body of IUD information in LJ-comm form.
****Obligatory Note: We aren't doctors. We know lots of stuff, but medical choices should be made with the advice of a professional.****

 So I just got my paragard inserted this morning.  It was pretty much what I expected. Ouch!  I was expecting my period yesterday but knowing my luck and my cycle, I haven't started yet.  They told me that it was ok and that they'd do it anyway but it might hurt a little more.

I went into the room and immediately saw that they had the Mirena set up.  I told the nurse it was supposed to be the paragard.  She went out of the room and came back with the paragard.  she said that they had both and just set up the wrong one (good thing cuz I really didn't want to reschedule)

After a brief "interview" I got undressed and sat there with my little paper blanket waiting for the doctor.  He came in and started the procedure.  I warned them that I pass out from pain.  They thanked me and continued.  Speculum went in...no problem;  the tenaculum...cramps;  then they did the sound.  (did I mention that my boyfriend was there holding my hand and rubbing my head?...so cute)  The doc put in the sound and it hurt so bad that I passed out.  Apparently I was only out for a few seconds, but I freaked out my bf.  He's never seen me pass out.  Fainting was probably a good thing because usually after I pass out i am a little numb.  Once I was ok, the doc put in the IUD which hurt but not nearly as bad as the sound.  Doctor said "ok, we're finished, why don't you just lay here until you feel better, I'll go get some juice and crackers"  What a nice guy.  I had some nausea and some cramps.  The cramps weren't that bad, the nausea was bad.  Once I felt better (~15 minutes) they rolled me out to the truck in the wheelchair since I was still a little wobbly.  I felt fine for a while during which time we went around town to do some errands.  About an hour later I had some severe cramping, so bad that I almost passed out again.  We went home and I took more advil and went to sleep.  

Now I am sitting on my couch feeling pretty good about 8 hours into my iud life.  I haven't picked out a name yet, but I'm sure something will come to me.  

I am really glad this thing lasts 10 years because I really don't want to do that again any time soon, but certainly glad I did it.  :)

Hi all :) - I dont want to be gross but I have a question. I am scheduled to have my IUD on the 24th (originally was going to be on the 18th but because I couldnt find a babysitter, i had to reschedule) Anywoo my question is this...I havent taken HBC in almost 4 years and my natural period tends to be heavy and very clotty. I should get my period if not the day of, then very shortly after the 24th. Will a clotty period cause me to expel??  Thanks and I apologize for the TMI :(

I'm 24, married, and had a baby two months ago. I had a mirena placed today....OMG OW OW OW! I nearly fainted at the office from the pain and now I'm having horrible cramps and a lot of bleeding....OW. I've got a thermacare pad on and I took 800 mg of ibuprofen, any other tips?

So after only 3 days with the ParaGard (shortly after my last post) I expelled it. ( Read more... )

Hello everyone. I've had the ParaGuard IUD since October and I'm thinking about possibly getting back on birth control pills. I'm going on 2 months without a period and can't stand the stress anymore.I've decided to go back on the pill to have a regular cycle again which I always had throughout the 10 years I was on the pill. I'm wondering how many other people have done this or thought about it? Will they even allow me to have an IUD and birth control pills? After reading the symptoms of PCOS online, I think it may be a possibility and would make sense to me considering I've never had regular cycles to begin with. I don't want kids, so the more forms of birth control, the better.

 Hey lovely divas!

I got my Paraguard inserted July 2nd, so I've had it in for almost two weeks now.  Overall its been pretty great, but i'm having a lot of discharge. Before I had my IUD inserted, I would tend to lean more towards the heavy side of daily female discharge (basically meaning i have discharge everyday), but its never so much that I really notice it or can feel it.  Sorry for the TMI- without getting too graphic, basically what i'm asking is this: is it normal to have such a large increase in discharge? I know that the Paraguard's copper can increase excretions but I think i'll feel better knowing i'm not the only one.  Let me know if any of you have had similar experiences and if i should be worried!

Thanks! 

Hi Divas. So I posted a few weeks back about the woe that is my non-existent period. I've been off of HBC since May 23 and my last "period" was May 26 the day before my insertion of my copper baby. 

I had no spotting until about 2 weeks in which lasted for 3 days. Then June 22 rolls around and my period didn't come. A week later I get super bad cramps to where I needed to lie down, curl up in the fetal position, and guzzle down some motrin. That was it. Then this past Saturday I started to spot while on vacation. Nothing too heavy but I used tampons since I was at the beach. I could go with a light tampon in for 7 hours and only saturate at most 1/2 the tampon. 

The spotting is still going on today. Otherwise I have had no cramping or sore breasts like I used to experience 2 1/2 years ago before I went on the pill. Strings are still intact and I've taken 2 pregnancy tests from the dollar store - both negative. I know it's normal for your body to get adjusted to not having hormones in its system but I'm still kind of worried. The last time I was this irregular was when I was in 7th grade!

Could the spotting be some pre-period stuff and I'm just waiting for a full blown period? Or could this actually be my period? It's almost like my HBC periods but a tad lighter. I'm so confused. 

EDIT: Kind of looks like my period arrived this afternoon. Steady cramping, like a 1. Not painful at all. Small cloth pad was sufficient for over 6 hours. :-)

I am getting my IUD next Tuesday and no one has called to tell me what to do prior to my appointment.  Should someone call me with my pap results, etc. or am I supposed to call them?  I just had my ultrasound last night and from what the tech told me, all appears well.  I guess I might just be getting nervous and I want to make sure that I am doing the right thing.  I will be so frustrated if at this point, something happens and I can't do this Tuesday.  Thanks!

i went to my doctor on monday and told him of my symptoms. the said thing he asked was if i wanted my iud removed. i almost yelled NO! and he was a bit hurried and asked "what exactly do you want then?"

HELLO.

finally i got him to take  a swab and give me antibiotics. he gave me flagyl and a tetracycline and fluconazole. i think i may have an overproduction of yeast...and i remember from my nursing class that flagyl is an antiparasitic medication. i won't bother asking about that one.

so in conclusion, my doctor was a bit rude and didn't take my symptoms of infection seriously. the pain has subsided a bit but i still have the discharge and tenderness around my belly. i just hope the antibiotics work. thanks to everyone who listened to me whine about this earlier :)

I'm getting a copper IUD put in in 10 days. I wanted it sooner but my partner and I have used the withdrawal method recently so the dr wants me to take another pregnancy test before insertion to be sure. I'm also exclusively breastfeeding my 4 month old son and my period has yet to return. I'm a little nervous that SOMEHOW I'm pregnant, although they had me take a test this morning and it was negative... I'm a worrier, so it's probably in my head but I worry that somehow I'm pregnant and they wont pick it up and they will kill the baby. When I get my IUD put in it will have been 12 days since the last time we used the withdrawal method. I guess I'm just looking to hear experiences, and maybe some advice on the situation.

Hello there!  First the stats: 21 (yesterday!), NP and not using any hormonal BC for almost two years now.  Was on Ortho Tricyclen Lo, and Seasonal.  Had severe depression, no weight gain, hair loss, loss in sex drive and severe acne after stopping.

I have now been dating the same guy for 8 months now, and we are in a committed long distance relationship.  I am moving to Scotland after I graduate to get my masters while he finishes his undergrad.  I have tested negative to all STDs and gotten all my Gardasil shots.  I refuse to use ANY hormonal BC because of the sex drive issue.  I want a form of birth control that is completely effortless, and will last me for years.  I plan on marrying this guy, so this seems like the mature choice.

I'm currently wrestling with my insurance company (Golden Rule under United Healthcare) and don't know how much they will cover of the costs.

Of my many concernes for a NP 21 year old, I am most concerned about fertility.  When I want to have children much later (I hope 30+), I am hoping that my gynocological history will not hinder me from having children.  Perforation, expulsion, the like.  All you young NP ladies, what have your experiences been in this department?

Also, my cramps fluctuate from normal to pretty bad.  I recently traveled abroad, so my period was one week late, which made for more painful cramps.  If my cycle is normal, with a Paragard, will my cycle and pain return to almost normal within 3 months?  6 months?

Basically, I'm still wondering if this is for me.  I know it will take some adjustment, but I figure with the year apart, it will give my body the chance to assimilate to the new, foreign object, and when we are finally together on a regular basis, the pain and bleeding will be almost a non-issue.  I've thought ahead, and I am so excited about the freedom this will give me.

Also-- do you think an OBGYN would prescribe 5-10 hydrocodone for the initial cramping if I'm in an intensive 3 week, 3.5 hr a day summer course?  Since missing school for medical reasons is excused, I'm an overachiever, and would rather attend class drugged up than not be able to concentrate because of the pain.  Or would they be stone cold beaches and say "Deal with it princess" ?

Thanks and will be updating soon!

I am in tampa, fl, moved here less than 2 weeks ago. My fiance and i have been together 6 years, getting married in september. I am 25, NP. The 3 places i have visited asking about iuds have been horrible. The first swears that they have not had one NP patient not expel them. The other 2 places wont even hear about putting one in without previous kids. i am willing to drive a good distance, up to a few hours, to find someone that is GOOD that will do this for me. Are any of you in FL that can suggest places to go? I am at a loss here. Thanks!


EDIT for a real entry. I was on my phone earlier to make the earlier part of this post.

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Hello, im 23, and I had a 10 year copper iud inserted at the beginning of April 09. Insertion was great, I hardly felt a thing, although I was a bit crampy for a couple of days afterwards. Ive had one period since insertion which was heavy and crampy but I managed it ok. All in all everything is great with my IUD except for one thing...

It really hurts when I have sex, its like a really sharp pain inside my belly, and sometimes it continues to hurt afterwards if i sit down too quickly etc. Its not a severe sharp pain, but painful enough for me to pull away and go "ouch" its even made me cry a couple of times, which is undoubtedly a mood killer. We have tried different positions and nothing seems to help. Its frustrating, depressing and painful and I dont know what to do. Ive been checked out at the Drs twice and they have said it all looks fine down there, and ive had a pap smear and it came back all clear.

Any advice or anything would be really really appreciated,

Thank you.

Obligatory physical info: 35, no kids, previously on Depo Provera for 1 year with contant spotting.

So, I've hit the 6 month mark with my copper IUD, and I'm pretty impressed. The first 3 months were *awful*. Periods that were extremely heavy with massive cramping (so bad I took days off work) and that lasted for about 2 weeks and thus triggered my anemia...basically, I wanted the darn thing out and was considering getting my tubes tied.

But, my doctor said that I should hang in there for at least 3 months, and preferably 6--and I'm so glad that I did. Right after the 3 month mark, my uterus settled down. With each cycle, my non-bleeding lengthened, and now I'm up to 21 days of non-bleeding, which is what I was before going on birth control. No spotting, cramps have lessened (though they're still there), and the flow is heavy but not unbearable.

At 6 months, I'm really happy to have the IUD, and I'm so glad to be off hormones. I've lost the weight that I gained (all in my belly--grrr!), and my iron levels have stabilized. And no babies--yay! :)

Hi all - I have an appointment to have my Mirena inserted on 07/18 which is exactly mid-cycle for me. ( i am 31 yrs old, 1 child)  It was the nearest available appointment without having to wait about a 6-8 weeks for another. I really want my IUD sooner rather than later. I cant take regular birth control pills and do not want anymore children, but im not ready to get my tubes tied just yet. .  From what I read I see that most people wait to insert during their period, so I just wanted to know if anyone has any mid-cycle stories. I am sure I can take the discomfort but now I am scared that I made that appointment too hastily.

Thanks!!

the first week of having my mirena went by smoothly but now i feel intense pressure in my belly. i'd swear i was months pregnant (i'm not!). also i've had a discharge. sorry to be a little gross but it's a green-ish color. just pressing tenderly around my bellybutton causes pain, and when i do press on my belly, it's very hard. feels swollen.

i know my symptoms point to PID, but out of curiousity, before i run to my gyno and cry, has anyone else experienced this? i've read a 14 day course of antibiotics can kill most PID bacteria...but is there a certain window of time that is most effective? i've had 2 major operations on my girl parts; i can't take another.

thanks, guys.

Hello, everyone! Little history: 32, NP, had Paragard for a year. Could not be happier with my choice of IUD; other than some cramping the first 2 or 3 months after insertion, nothing unpleasant and my periods are back to how I was pre-IUD ever since. Happy happy happy!

So my question -- sorry about the TMI factor but, well, that's what we do here:

My boyfriend and I were having sex last night and quite a bit of air was introduced into my vagina. Usually this just means some queef'ing (ugh) but that's about the extent of it -- however, this time I actually had some pain from the amount of air in there. I could feel it pushing past the head of his penis deep inside me and it almost feels like I am bruised at the entrance of my vagina from when the air was coming out. I had a very strong expulsion of air when I went to the bathroom afterward.

I remember reading that there's a risk of an air embolism from air being blown into the vagina during oral sex and that that practice should never, ever be done. But what about air that's introduced during sex? I mean, air gets in there no matter what but I'm concerned about the amount and the force that I obviously felt. Is having an IUD going to make the introduction of air more dangerous than it would be without the presence of an IUD? I kinda think (I know, inaccurately) of my cervix as being an air-tight(ish) seal, but the strings obviously change that. I google'd but wasn't able to find a satisfactory answer...it seems most people just want to know what queef'ing is and how to stop it.

Also, while I've had air get trapped/queef'd from sex prior to this, it's never been this much. My boyfriend is European and uncut -- could that have anything to do with it? We were not in any strange positions -- just missionary -- although I think there could be an "angle" issue from our positioning on the bed.

Any thoughts/insight are greatly welcome. I'm so thankful this community exists...thanks in advance for all your help.  :)

I'm 20, NP and in a long term relationship. I had been on CHC pills for about 6 years (alesse, tri-cyclen, yasmin) and while the reduced cramps were an advantage, I just couldn't handle the mood swings, depression and acne :( I volunteer at a Planned Parenthood-esque clinic in Canada, so I was introduced to IUD's there. I decided on Mirena because without hormones, my cramps and periods were out of control. I had counselled a number of clients before on insertion and post IUD care so I knew what I was getting into, but that still didn't help my nerves the day of insertion!!

I decided to go to another clinic, because (maybe it's just me but...) I didn't feel that comfortable exposing myself to people I work with :p About an hour before I took a T3 and my boyfriend drove me there. The doctor was really professional, straightforward and punctual. I had to do a preg test first and then she did a routine test for STI's. Then she did an ultrasound to check the size of my uterus. She also put some freezing in my cervix to make it less painful. The insertion itself was easy; it went in with no problems and there was only slight cramping. I had to put in a pad afterwards but I felt alright. The doctor said I should wait in the waiting room for about 10 min to make sure everything was ok. I was feeling pretty good... but then....

Five minutes later, BAM! I felt incredibly dizzy and lightheaded so the receptionist took me back to the rest area. I nearly fainted and as soon as I sat down, the cramps... OH GOD the cramps. Then I started to feel really nauseous and I threw up a little. I also started to sweat uncontrollably but the receptionist and doctor assured me this was totally normal. My cramps got so bad to the point the doctor gave me another T3. I have to say my boyfriend was totally awesome throughout this; he held my hand the entire time and made sure I was okay. So I definitely recommend you bring someone for moral support :) I rested there for about 45 min/an hour and then we went back to the car. The cramps eventually stopped when I got home, but there was still a dull ache. We just took it easy and watched some movies the rest of the day.

This morning, there is still some slight cramping and bleeding but nothing a normal ibuprofen can't handle :) I may have felt really bad afterwards, but I don't regret it at all. If everything works out, it's worth it for 5 years of no worries birth control and no periods and stable hormones!!!! I hope this helps!

I just got the Mirena inserted 7 hours ago and I couldn't believe how fast it was all over!  I went in this morning.  I ate a little breakfast and took an 800 mg Ibuprofen a half hour before the appointment.  I had to wait in the waiting room for half an hour and I worried it might wear off.  Today was the ending of my period.  I had the Nuvaring before and had taken it out 4 days prior.  No more jelly bracelet in my vagina!

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OK I know this is TMI but I just had a BM (flushed half way)  and when I looked in the toilet, there was what looked like a half a copper mini safety pin - think the pin with the top and no "needle" and part of the bottom.  Either I ate it with food and it just came out, or could it be part of the copper coils on my IUD? I have had pain since this thing was inserted, and had three ultra sounds all coming back normal, but could it be that this has been floating around and finally pushed through? My stings are intact and up there. HELP? Anyone experience a similar situation? I'm not having sex right now so I'm not worried about it "working" but should i be concerned? I should have fished it out but i just flushed it away...