Intrauterine Devices (IUD's) - A Form of Birth Control

@ dru saves the songs
Yeah, I get what you mean.

A quick search on Google gave me this site and the list of harmful side effects they give is large, though from the pamphlet I was given by my doctor at least 11/15 were touched upon. That doesn't mean that the side effects are any better, but if a patient is aware that she can get a perforated uterus before she gets an IUD, should she file a lawsuit about it when it happens?

[I also find it interesting that in the site above, they list "cessation of menstrual periods" as a serious side effect, when this is one of the commercial uses of the product.]

Though some of it I truly believe is doctor error. Not every doctor knows how to put the device in. It's supposed to be a 5 minute procedure, and I've heard of doctors taking an hour putting it in.

I haven't read anything else anyone posted but I would like to post my experience. I got the paragard inserted 7 weeks after I gave birth to my daughter. I felt a little pinching and other than some cramping afterwards it was not bad. I've had it in for a little over a week now. I bled for about 5 days after insertion but I don't know if it had to do with the iud or not because I was already bleeding when they put it in.

So far I'm liking it because it is effective immediately and I don't need to use condoms with my fiance. He can't feel it during sex except the little strings that hang out of the cervix and into the vagina so they can remove it when the time comes. Those strings feel like fishing lines to me and the nurse told me they will soften up in a few weeks so my partner will no longer be able to feel them.

the paragard is the non hormonal IUD which is why I chose it. It is effective for 10 years (though Planned Parenthood says 12) and from what I've read the only side effects is it causes periods to be heavier, which I'm okay with and would rather deal with heavier periods than side effects from the hormones in mirena.

@ ella vator.
Good choice! I almost chose paragard but my insurance doesn't cover it at all and they cover Mirena. So after I get it, if I don't like Mirena I can be done with it for free.

If things don't work out for me and Mirena I'll go with paragard.

I just finished reading this thread. Honestly I think the lawsuit against IUDs is unnecessary. All birth control has side effects and unfortunately perforation of the uterus is a small risk that we take when getting a foreign object placed inside the uterus. I was informed of all side effects, including perforation, before getting it placed. In the unlikely event that were to happen to me, I wouldnt go sue the company just because I can. You might as well sue all birth control companies for all the side effects they cause such as nausea, bloating, weight gain. It just comes with the territory of altering your hormones to prevent pregnancy.

I was told paragard is almost as effective as getting your tubes tied. If it fails it is usually because it falls out unaware or is not in the proper position. Its so easy to check if its where it's supposed to be. You stick a finger in your vagina and feel your cervix (which feels kinda like the tip of a nose). You should be able to feel the string hanging out of the cervix. If the string is not there or shorter or longer than normal, use back up birth control because the iud is no longer effective if it is not in the right position. My doctor told me to check once a week for the first few months because that's when its most likely to fall out and then once a month after the first few months pass.

If paragard doesn't work out for me I will get it removed and probably get the arm implant. My choices of birth control are limited right now because I'm breastfeeding.

@ ella vator.
That's how I feel about the lawsuits. Maybe some doctors truly aren't telling women the risks of IUDs though, and for that I personally wouldn't sue but I guess that would make a little more sense.

The one thing I don't like about paragard (besides the heavier periods) is that if it moves lower in the uterus (which could be unnoticed for some, as some get their strings removed or the strings are up against the cervix), it can be up to 10% less effective. That's insaaaane.

The arm implant scares me. The bars in your arm can break and they can be pretty hard to get removed. When I was talking to my doctor about birth control options, she told me, "I always like removing the arm implant because it's a challenge."

-

I'm getting Mirena in 10 days and I'm excited.

Name Of Misery.:

I'm getting Mirena in 10 days and I'm excited.

My absolute gross-out piece of advice for you and anyone who ever wants to get an IUD is get it inserted whilst you're on your period. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that the procedure is a lot less painful when you're on your period because your cervix opens up to let the blood out, and therefore inserting the IUD is easier. It's also not so bad if you've had a child but that's kind of what we're trying to prevent so we can rule that one out.

I have a copper IUD and it's WONDERFUL. I'm terrified of pregnancy and my boyfriend and I always use condoms anyway so it's good that now we have literally zero chance of conceiving an unwanted child.

Perforation is extremely rare and usually only ever happens when the person placing the IUD is inexperienced. I was scared to even go to the toilet in case I managed to push it out As long as you check for the strings regularly, and after every period (if you have the copper one and not the hormonal one which stops them eventually) you should be fine. One of my strings was longer than the other and when I got it checked I asked the doctor, who said that they were probably just cut that way. A general rule of thumb is, as long as you can actually feel the strings, your IUD is in place and is therefore effective.

I also found out that I have a tilted uterus when I got mine checked.

angus young:

My absolute gross-out piece of advice for you and anyone who ever wants to get an IUD is get it inserted whilst you're on your period. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that the procedure is a lot less painful when you're on your period because your cervix opens up to let the blood out, and therefore inserting the IUD is easier. It's also not so bad if you've had a child but that's kind of what we're trying to prevent so we can rule that one out.

Yeah, my doctor told me to call her up when my period starts and they'll get me an appointment immediately. I was a little anxious about opening my legs to my doctor on my period, but I figure she's seen it all.

I thought about getting the copper IUD, but my periods are kind of brutal already... I don't want them getting worse.

But, on the bright side, I just found out that both the hormonal (Mirena) and nonhormonal (paragard) are free on my health insurance plan, so if I don't like one I can try the other! :D

Name Of Misery.:

Yeah, my doctor told me to call her up when my period starts and they'll get me an appointment immediately. I was a little anxious about opening my legs to my doctor on my period, but I figure she's seen it all.

I thought about getting the copper IUD, but my periods are kind of brutal already... I don't want them getting worse.

But, on the bright side, I just found out that both the hormonal (Mirena) and nonhormonal (paragard) are free on my health insurance plan, so if I don't like one I can try the other! :D

Brilliant! I only got the copper one because personally I don't really like hormonal birth control as the idea of putting extra hormones into my body kind of freaks me out. It's weird to explain, though.

I think women would kill for the periods I have. They last a maximum of about five or six days and I cramp usually only on the first day.

You'll be fine! You'll most likely have awful cramps afterwards, though, and I was sick after getting mine put in, but it subsides if you can get to sleep, and is an excuse to do nothing at all.

When I first asked about getting a Mirena, my male GP told me that I couldn't have one since I hadn't had a baby. I ended up chatting to a different (female) GP on a different day and she told me she'd be having words with him, and just gave me the address of the sexual health clinic.

I don't even check the strings anymore, I kind of rely on my boyfriend to let me know if he can't feel them with his fingers which I know is so bad of me but I'm so lazy... Oops

@ sansa.
Do you like your IUD, then?

I'm getting mine Wednesday of next week and I'm a little scared, cause I've read so many horror stories.

I've had mine for about 2 or 3 weeks now. After I got it inserted I bled for about a week, and I just started bleeding again yesterday. Not sure if it's my period or not since I just had a baby and my body is all out of whack still lol. Hopefully it goes away soon.

I got my Mirena today! It hurt like a bitch to get placed, but now I feel good and I'm excited to be protected for the next five years.

Most of the time I can't swallow my pills, so I chew them and they make me sick :/ So I'm really bad at taking them because I know they will make me want to puke. I've been on the shot before, but with the shot I was bleeding unexpectedly, for like two weeks at a time, plus I was very moody and depressed on it too. So now I'm thinking of a copper IUD. I've never had kids before and I'm really small so I know it's going to hurt a lot during insertion. But what I'm really worried about is... My boyfriend is, well... Really large. Will we have to be careful when we have sex? Will he be able to feel it? I really don't want it to change our sex life, because the whole point in getting an IUD would be so we can have sex without worrying.

@ Chloe
There is a chance that your IUD would cause your partner pain while having sex. Sometimes the strings are cut weirdly or just are really hard and they can cause problems. There's also a chance you could be in pain while having sex. After the IUD is placed in the uterus, the uterus and cervix are quite tender and possibly inflamed from the IUD. This often goes away, but it doesn't always. Some people have gotten it taken out because their sex lives suffered, and some people have not noticed a difference at all.

If you're interested in IUDs, you may want to consider visiting the livejournal community iud_divas. Lots of people post their experiences, both good and bad, so you can get an idea of what you're in for.

Name Of Misery.:

@ Chloe
There is a chance that your IUD would cause your partner pain while having sex. Sometimes the strings are cut weirdly or just are really hard and they can cause problems. There's also a chance you could be in pain while having sex. After the IUD is placed in the uterus, the uterus and cervix are quite tender and possibly inflamed from the IUD. This often goes away, but it doesn't always. Some people have gotten it taken out because their sex lives suffered, and some people have not noticed a difference at all.

If your partner can feel the strings during sex then the general rule of thumb is that they're too long, and they need to be cut. The IUD could still be in place, though. I could hardly feel mine after I got the IUD placed but they're much easier to feel now since they soften over time.

Does anyone else still use condoms? I have a copper IUD and my boyfriend still wears condoms, but I can't seem to be comfortable with the idea of him coming inside of me without one, even though I really want to do it and it turns him on like nobody's business.

angus young:

If your partner can feel the strings during sex then the general rule of thumb is that they're too long, and they need to be cut.

I've also heard, though, that if the strings get cut too short, they can be super pokey and go straight down and such. That's not how it is for everyone, obviously, but yeah.

@ angus young
We stopped as soon as the waiting period for my birth control kicked in (condoms). I've been on birth control for about a year now and we've never had a scare.

dru's troubled soul:

@ angus young
We stopped as soon as the waiting period for my birth control kicked in (condoms). I've been on birth control for about a year now and we've never had a scare.

I suppose the chance of pregnancy is pretty low anyway (I've heard there's only a 25-30% chance each month) but I can't seem to get comfortable with the idea.

@ angus young
That's still a good enough percentage to worry, in my opinion. Mine is only supposed to yield me a 3% chance, when taken properly.

I might consider spermicide. It can cause irritation if you use it a lot, but if you just want to do this for him every so often (few times a week), then it should be helpful and put you more at ease. Here's the Planned Parenthood page that takes about effective/side effects, etc.

dru's troubled soul:

@ angus young
That's still a good enough percentage to worry, in my opinion. Mine is only supposed to yield me a 3% chance, when taken properly.

I might consider spermicide. It can cause irritation if you use it a lot, but if you just want to do this for him every so often (few times a week), then it should be helpful and put you more at ease. Here's the Planned Parenthood page that takes about effective/side effects, etc.

Thanks Dru