Anyone know anything about IUD's?

I am thinking of going with an IUD. If any of you have one, can you tell me all about your experience with it.

Thanks,
Jen FB

 

Hey there! I have a mirena IUD and have had it for 2 years. I haven't had any problems with mine at all. It was painful having it inserted due to a tilted uterus and I was slightly uncomforable for about 30 minutes afterwards but have had NO problems since! I am sure like with anything else, each person will have a different experience but I have nothing but good things to say about mine!
If you choose to go with one, I hope you have an easy time as well!

 

I also have the mirena and have loved it. not problems at all. I was pretty crampy the first day I got it, but I had only delivered the girls 12 weeks earlier so I think thats pretty normal. I would recommend it to anyone!

 

I have the ten year copper IUD with no hormones. It was a little uncomfortable getting it inserted, but didn't last long. No REAL cramping. I've only had it since 6 weeks PP and have been EBF so no AF yet. Hopefully things won't be too different than they were before the kids But, so far so good. I chose the copper one because I was tired of taking hormones (15 years) to prevent becoming pregnant and now that we aren't going to have any more (or atleast not for a long time) I went with this one. It make sense for our family planning. B)

 

I do'nt have one but I want to get one after this baby is born since we don't plan on having anymore after this. So, I'm glad that those responding have had or are having a good experience with it!

 

Okay I usually wait to reply to these questions until there are a few more positive replies, but I didn't want to forget to respond so here's my story. I had the Copper T IUD inserted around 12wks pp. Like the pp there was some cramping but nothing unbearable. I was pumping for the boys and did not get my period back until 8mo pp when I weaned from the pump. That first period wasn't really bad (my hormones must not have zeroed out yet). My second period was pretty bad. I thought it was just my body readjusting still. Well the next several months my periods went like this: spot for 4 days, bleed like I was dying for 2 days (I am talking soaking a maximum strength tampon in an hour), then spot for nearly a week. To say the least it was annoying. BUT my story doesn't end with bad periods, it ends with Brandon! Yep, my IUD failed. I started getting my periods back in Jan and I conceived Brandon in July that same year. Now don't get me wrong most people do not have this happen, but I just wanted you to know that no BC method is 100% safe except abstinence. They tell you to check the string on your IUD after every period, but even when I got pregnant my IUD hadn't fallen far enough out of my uterus for the OB to tell it was misplaced. If I had it all to do over again, I would go with the Mirena and stock up on some HPT's cause that first month my body completely skipped a period (which can happen with the Mirena) I would freak and be peeing on a stick every so often (this is the main reason I went Copper T is that I couldn't handle the thought of no periods to let me know I wasn't pregnant).

 

I also have the Mirena IUD and it is great. It did hurt a little getting inserted but it wasn't too bad. I haven't had an AF since May and I got it done in March.......I love it!!!!

 

I don't know anything about them, but I must tell you my sister-in-law had one that got lost in her body! Not only did she have to have surgery, but they almost couldnt find it once they got in there. She basically had another c-section to get it out. I know this is rare, but it can happen. I am sure she would tell you to have hubby get snipped!

 

I have the copper and my periods are a lot like she described, including "bleeding like I'm dying"! I am actually going to see about getting the Mirena! I would LOVE NO periods!

 

Not to play devil's advocate, but here's my experience with the Mirena....

*Had one inserted at my 6 wk. post partum apt...minor cramping, light spoting for one day...no problem. Attempted to ensure normal relations...DH told me that he could feel it "poking him". I went back in a few weeks later and sure enough, it had "fallen out". They said that it was uncommon for that to happen, but after twins, not shocking as my uterus may not have retracted completely by my 6 week pp.

*They removed the fallen IUD and replaced it. This was perhaps 8-9 weeks post partum and my cervix was definately closed b/c it hurt like a mother bear. I kept cramping horribly. So much so that the OB said she was going to give me a rest and try again in 15 minutes b/c my cervix was spasming so much she couldn't do anything. She came back in and finally got it in (waves of MASSIVE nausea). I thought I would pass out, but 10 years of birth control is 10 years of birth control and I was a firm believer in "no pain, no gain".

*The OB left me to get dressed. I sat up and literally fell back down, sweating, shaking, and dry heaving. I had to actually hit the "help" button in the room b/c I needed something to puke in. I ended up violently vomiting for about 25-minutes. They said it was an uncommon reaction, but not concerning, as some people can react that way to an insertion (I'd had NO SUCH reaction the first time). Finally I told them to just take it out b/c I couldn't very well spend the rest of my life shaking and vomiting in room #2. They had to call my DH to come and get me. I am now back on BC pills.

FWIW, I also had terrible, unexplained pain during intercourse post partum. I finally saw my OB about it at 11 months and when nothing could be explained via ultrasound had exploratory laparoscopic surgery where they found my uterus to be tilted, the ligaments of my uterus so overstretched from the twin pregnancy that my uterus was no longer properly suspended in my body, and (TMI WARNING) a stash of menstrual blood that was unable to properly drain during periods b/c my uterus was no longer 'upright'. They removed the blood and shortened the ligaments so that I was not "flopping around" and I am officially, miraculously, pain free. I often wonder if these problems (unknown to me at the time) contributed to my IUD failure.

 

I have the copper IUD and for the first 11 months, it was like I was a constant stuck pig during AF - I was soaking up the most absorbent, diaper like pads I could get my hands on within a half hour. Not fun when you have to be in meetings at work all day, or running to the bathroom with two little ones all day during the weekend. I seriously wondered if at times I was going to need a blood transfusion.

Now, one year + later, it's pretty much back to normal. I bleed heavily for 2 days (even though I didn't do that before), but it's not like the first few months of having the IUD, and the remaining 3-4 days are like regular periods while I was on the pill. I can use tampons again - YAY!

I just didn't want the hormones anymore, but looking back, I think if I would have known how nasty it was gonna be, I probably would have opted to go back on the pill, but since it was already done, I figured I'd give it a year, and luckily, just as a year hit, it calmed down - so that IUD is lucky!

 

I am thinking of getting the Mirena after this pregnancy. I was glad to see all the responses.