Hi ladies! So a small backstory, I’m 19 and in college. I have a boyfriend and am sexually active. I’ve been on different types of pills for a couple of years now and have decided that their hormones just don’t work for me. Because of that I’ll be getting an IUD next Wednesday.

I’ve researched the Skyla IUD since that’s what my gynecologist recommended since I’ve never given birth (Skyla is smaller than the others) and because I need the hormones to help my bad periods and hopefully my migraines.

I’ve been reading a lot on the insertion process and let me tell you, every time I read about it or watch a video on YouTube about someone’s experience, I go into HYSTERICS. I’ve never had a pap smear so I have no idea about cleaning the cervix or the stirrups or anything like that. While I am sexually active, sex hurts. Just two fingers give me pain (I possibly have endometriosis, but gynecologist doesn’t want to test me for it yet). So obviously inserting a piece of plastic has me terrified as well as my gynecologist putting who knows what inside my vagina to get the IUD inserted.

I will not be on my period the day I get my IUD inserted. I know it’s recommended because of the cervix, but with my current pill I have another period due at Christmas (I get periods once every three months with this pill) and I work in retail so asking off near or right after Christmas is impossible for me unless someone is dying. So my gynecologist told me I can schedule it before my period and that I just need to take a pregnancy test there on the day of.

Anyways, what kind of painkiller would be best for me to take beforehand? The gynecologists in my area do not use any type of numbing gel or local anesthesia for insertion, so it solely depends on my pain tolerance and painkillers.

I honestly don’t know what would be best to take or how much. I usually use aleve but I only take it for headaches. I’ve never taken anything for cramps or periods (I hate taking medicine unless the pain is unbearable) even though my cramps are bad. Would ibuprofen or Advil or something else be better? I could really use some help! No one in my family or any of my friends have had IUDs so I have no one to ask about this.