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Hello ladies :)

I have been considering getting an IUD for a while and had a few questions I couldn't seem to find any information about online, so I'm hoping you guys can help.

When I was 18, I took hormonal birth control (brand name Yasmin for two months, and then the generic version Apri for another three or four months), and had a blood clot (DVT) in my head. It was a pretty serious deal, I had to stay in the hospital for ten days, it just overall sucked.

I went back to my gyno after that and explained the issue to her, and she did a bunch of blood tests and it came back that I have Factor V. This woman told me I couldn't have any type of hormonal birth control and tried to sell me on a diaphragm, which I was totally against.

I left, researched IUDs, came back, and told her I wanted the copper one. She tried to tell me that I probably couldn't have that because I haven't had children, I came back with all the wonderful research I had, and she said she'd talk to my insurance company and see.

Then I broke up with my boyfriend and saw no reason to follow through. This was several years ago. (I'm 22 now.) Now I have a serious boyfriend again so I spoke to my gyno about getting an IUD. The woman I saw before no longer works there, and I see this new woman now, and she said I should get the Mirena.

I know the Mirena has a different hormone from estrogen in it, but my previous doctor told me I shouldn't risk it with ANY hormones. This doctor says that I only need to avoid estrogen. I read on Mirena's website that you should tell your doctor if you've had a blood clot before, but that's all it said. I don't want to take the risk of having that serious of a blood clot again, because that really was a nightmare.

I told her I would prefer to not even screw around with it, and just go with the copper Paragard. She said that it had a higher bleeding profile but would do it, but that she still recommended the Mirena and thought it would be fine.

So my questions are:

Has anyone with a blood clot had the Mirena and not had any other problems with blood clotting?

I've read so many horror stories about the Paragard and getting it removed - I'm not prone to cramping or heavy periods in general - is it really that bad? And does it get better with time?

Is the insertion process for either one more complicated?

Thanks so much for your help!

EDIT

I also forgot - my doctor gave me an order to take to a lab to have an ultrasound of my uterus to see if it would even be possible. Is this normal? Have other people done this?

it's been almost a full week with my mirena in. minimal cramping and bleeding, an di've almost forgotten it's there. that leads me to ask a couple things. do any of you feel...poked? it's like being poked in the belly but it's like  a stretching feeling as well. i hope it's normal and not an iud poking my uterus walls.

and although it's only been a few days, i've started doing light yoga and walking. is this okay? i don't want to be immobile, nor do i want to constantly be scared mirena is going to stab me or pop out. i guess i'm just completely paranoid at this point. thanks :)

my timeline: I got my mirena thurs july 2nd, took out my nuva ring monday july 6th. Normally my period would be arriving sometime today/ or tomorrow morning. (it always comes about 2-3 days after i remove my ring) I feel CRAMPY! it's not unbearable but for sure makes me feel "blaaaah" and i wish it would go away. Will be period come on schedule or not due to the mirena being there? It's normal to still be crampy right? i guess i'm a little paranoid. =(

i hate cramps, they need to go away.

Hey everyone, It's me again.

Well I think I posted here recently mentioning my Ultrasound results here. Well after thinking on it, and being nervous about not knowing the effectiveness of the Mirena after it has dropped lower in the UT, I was going to just try dealing with it for a while, my spotting had stopped so I was happy... was... Yesterday I started my period and I started getting the WORST cramps ever, I was crindging, nothing helped, I worked out, went in the hot tub, used a heating pad, took strong pain killers, everything left me crying and laying in bed cringing. I felt like I was goign to get ill it hurt so bad. That was it! Enough.

So today I emailed my doctor (this is my NEW obgyn), he called me personally just 3 minutes after I hit send. He said that the increase in cramps means I am most likely expelling it and it's starting to hit the cervix (OUCH). So my boss is gone today, I can't just leave but I have an appointment tomorrow at 3 pm to have it replaced. Just take it out and putting another one in hoping for better luck this time for it to stay in place!

So wish me luck. I'm a little nervous about the experience, having one taking out and immediately another one put in. The first time having her put in wasn't too bad though, and it's gotta be better than these cramps i'm feeling.

Hopefully all goes well. I'll probably update tomorrow or the day after. Let me know if anyone has any tips or advice for the appt tomorrow or even for ways to try and make sure this one doesn't drop. :(

Happy Wednesday everyone!

- M -

I have a paragard IUD, for about 14 months now.
I also have a new boyfriend which has increased the amount of sex I've been having significantly.
Unfortunately my period seems to be a bit late this month which is making me paranoid. I'm normally as regular as clock work... full moon comes around and boom there's the period. I know that Paragard is 99.4% effective, I shouldn't worry too much, but of course I took two tests anyhow and both came out negative. So I'm for sure not preggers. Ok... so where the hell is my period?!?!
I am level headed enough to know that this kind of change in my "activities" can easily produce a change in my cycle and that I shouldn't' freak out. However, I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience?

In other news I've some how "lost" my divacup. Someone in a restaurant or walmart, where it most probably fell out of my purse, will probably end up being a bit baffled when they pick it up off the floor. HAHAHAH.

After you got your iud, did you feel bloated or even look bloated?
i got mine last week and have been alot more bloated.. or maybe i just put on weight hahaha!

did this happen to anyone else? =)
x

I have had a paragard for about ten months. Everything has been great with it. My periods have even almost returned to how they were pre-insertion. Since my last period ended almost two weeks ago, I have still been getting an oddly colored discharge. Usually it is a little red/tan for a few days after my flow stops, but this has been two weeks already.  It has no smell, no change in texture, no other symptoms like abdominal cramps, itching, burning, etc. I feel completely fine and my strings are still there. I just have this tan discharge that doesn't seem to go away. Any ideas? And should I be worried? Thanks for any and all help ladies.

Today I met with the doctor that came with high recommendations from several people to discuss my getting an IUD.  Not only did he tell me that I needed a Mirena and not a Paragard because Paragard was just "bad"...he treated me like a complete idiot.  By the time I left his office he had me scheduled for a blood test to check my glucose tolerance levels, an ultrasound in his office next week, and another meeting to discuss my IUD when my pap and STD tests come back.  I told this joker that my family physician had already checked my hormones, my glucose levels, and that I had already had the yearly pap test...but that wasn't good enough, he said I needed to do it all again.  I tried to tell him that I am almost 30, been married for several years, already have a son, and am very educated as far as deciding what choice I want for my IUD.

I ended up calling my family practice physician, who I have been with for about 9 years now.  He chose to stop practicing the OB part of his practice a few years ago, so that he could spend more time with his family.  Because we have a great relationship, he is going to put my IUD in for me, towards the end of my next period...once he sees my pap results.

My question for you all is has anyone else had this experience due to irregular periods?  Second question...how long will it take to get my pap test results and will the doctor that did it send a copy to my doctor if I request it?

Thanks for letting me vent.  This whole experience has made me question women's rights in general!!!

So does anyone know the deal?!


I have HPV and obviously it wasn't an issue to get an IUD.

But are there any concerns? Let me know if ya know! THANKS.

OK, I am scheduled to get my Paragard inserted next thursday. (YAY!!)  Along with being terrified I have been wondering if I should have someone come in with me.  I am having my bf bring me and am debating whether I want him in the room with me.  1) It would be nice to have someone there to hold my hand and pat my head etc.. but 2) I don't exactly want him to see ALL that goes on down there.  It seems kinda creepy. 

What do you wise folk think?  Did you have anyone there with you to distract/support you and do you think it helped?

I've had my Paragard for 5 months now and each time my ovulation cycle starts (roughly that week before my period kicks in) I end up with nearly debilitating leg cramps in my left leg. The muscles just seem to temporarily seize up for roughly a week and then when my period kicks in they finally start to fade. My left leg remains much more prone to cramp attacks the rest of the month as well.

I'm currently experiencing the worst round of leg cramps I've had on the Paragard so far, but I suspect that they were aggravated by steroids that I was prescribed for another ailment.

Does anyone else experience this? Is it something I should discuss with a gynecologist sooner rather than later? I feel sort of alone on this issue with the Paragard because everything I read about leg cramps seems attached to women with the Mirena.

I'm afraid that I am giving up on my Paragard. I've not had a great experience with it at all. Every day there is so much pain. It just won't go away. I'm not enjoying having sex with my husband (and that's a major problem to me), and it hurts to exercise and even swim. I think my hair is falling out...I'll loose a hand full of hair just running my hand through it. It wasn't like this before the IUD. My blood loss was so bad during my period that I passed out. It's also hurt every time I lift anything. I'm a special education teacher and I need to lift. I lift kids from 70-200 pounds...I'm 100 pounds and it's a struggle enough sometimes, then...add pain from the IUD. I've tried to give the Paragard a fair shot. I wanted it to work. I even told my husband that I would keep going with the IUD for a few more months (I've had it for two months...I know, not long). Yesterday, my husband and I were leaving church and he said "I want you to get it out." He's tired of seeing me in so much pain. I think we'll try the diaphragm and/or the FAM method, which I would have to read up on. I have a question regarding removal. Do you have to be on your period? Any other advice? I'm afraid that the pain is going to be just as bad as the insertion, which I'll be okay with.

OK I'm on month 9 of my Paragard and am still hating it. My cycle is about 19 days with extreme cramps for two days, then spotting, then bleeding, then pinky discharge, two or three days of nothing, and then the cycle starts again. All in all, I have about three days a month where I feel OK.  If I was in a relationship, it would surely be over because I feel so lousy that I have no mojo. So, my question is, how many DIVAs here actually took out their Paragard and switched it to the Mirena (hopefully in the same visit, as I'm considering) for the same reason. My main reservations with the Mirena are migraine headaches and depression, as I felt like a cloud lifted when I got off the pill... I was hoping to still ovulate and be hormone free. But the side effects I'm having with this Copper Monster totally suck. I think I'm done. Any help from you all would be great!  

I know that with the IUD there are strings and they hang out of the cervix. My gyno and I talked briefly about this during my consult and yesterday, he didn't mention checking the strings myself. He trimmed them (I could hear that) and used a silver cream to cauterize something...

The point is, I've tried wiggling a digit up there to see if I can feel the strings just to see what they felt like. I can't find them. I don't know up from down in there; just seems like a bumpy road. I don't know what the cervix feels like. I was thinking that since my doctor didn't specifically say to check for them, nor did he show me how to check them, maybe he trimmed them enough to that they fit inside my cervix?

Has this happened to anyone? Also, all my doc said after the insertion was no sex for 2-3 weeks, ditto tampon usage and I may spot a bit. What were the rest of you told after insertion? I was just so excited to have it done that I suppose I forgot to ask.

Another thing, and I apologize for bombarding this community, but I know I have this thing in me, and I'm moving around kind of delicately so as to not dislodge it or something. I think of it as a thing that moves with my body and I don't want to disturb it. Is that silly?

So:
1. Can all of you feel the strings of your IUD?
2. Did your doctors give you instructions after insertion?
3. Did anyone feel afraid to move around a lot after getting the IUD?

Not really.

After deciding to get my Mirena a few weeks ago, I'd been excited everyday except yesterday when I got it. I was nervous when I saw the huuuge box Mirena comes in, and the weird tubal attachment doodad and 2 pairs of forceps and a speculum. I had taken 1000 mg of Advil every 2 hours but I think it didn't do much in terms of shock value.

"You're gonna feel 3 little cramps."

Little, my ass. First of all, anything dealing with the medieval tools of gynecology just freaks me out. Just thinking about the vagina and those tools. Ugh. My doctor, a male, was very patient and told me to quit tensing up. He gently pried me open with the speculum and I apparently made weird enough faces that the nurse said I reminded her of her sister's childbirth. Damn.

When he said I would feel the cramps, I asked how he knew and he laughed as I heard metal clanging between my legs. The first cramp came in a wave that was intense for 2 seconds. Then another cramp and a "Wait a sec while I get this manipulator in."

What? Whatever it was it was uncomfortable. I felt weird scratches and it was in, and my doctor was quite dramatic.

"Well...Miss Becca. I'm afraid...

it's in! Good job!"

Me: "Do I get a lollipop?"

Doc:"No. How about some pamphlets on herpes?"

Me: "I hate you."

All in all, it wasn't as bad as  I expected. 8 hours later and I feel like I'm on my period, and I go to the bathroom and almost expect a tampon to show up. I haven't felt inside for the strings yet, and I must say that the bleeding isn't that bad. And wine helps a little. Pre and post insertion. No painkillers or antibiotics and Doc said I could resume normal activities except for nookie. Not a problem with my long distance relationship.

Hey everyone, i think im worrying over nothing but i got my copper iud inserted 2 days ago.. since then i have been having awful cramps and i cant even go to the toilet as the horrible cramps come back!!! its not very nice =(
has this happened to anyone else? is it normal?
thankyou in advance.
x

Hello all, I am new to this comm, I just got Mirena put in today, figured I would come share my story. 

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So I've had the Paraguard IUD since October. Before that, I was on birth control pills for 10 years but stopped it the day after I got my IUD. I've noticed that my periods start like every 36 days or so ever since I stopped taking hormonal birth control. Well I haven't had a period since May 14th. We're going on almost 2 months now without a period. I have cramps and feel like I'm going to start but alas no blood. I took a pregnancy test on Sunday and it was negative. Took one this morning and it was also negative. What is going on?! Is my body still trying to adjust?

Hello all! I've been watching this group for a while, and finally got up the courage to join and post. As you'll notice from my username, I made this account specifically to post here; I have a regular lj account, but I don't really thing my choices involving my girlie bits are the business of the friends and acquaintances I have friended on my regular account. I hope that the pseudo-account thing is ok?

Anyway! Stand by for mega-long insertion story (I hope the lj cut works...I'm not so great with them):

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All-in-all, I'd absolutely do it again, although I would probably be a lot more nervous about the insertion now that I've done the pain thing once.