Paragard IUD experience (insertion to wk 3)

I had my Paragard IUD inserted about 2 weeks ago, so after NOT being able to find many personal experiences documented by others, I decided to start my own log on how things are going for those who may be interested.

For starters, the Paragard IUD is a small, t-shaped copper contraption that sits in your uterous and naturally repels/slow sperm and inhibits egg implantation to the uterine wall. It is absolutely comparable to Mirena & one of the most reliable forms of birth control. However, as an IUD and foreign object, side effects include typical body responses such as cramps, changes to your cycle on either end of the spectrum, and in worse cases pregnancy with a high chance of miscarrying after the IUD is removed and (typically for those with pelvic disorders) perforation of the uterus followed by surgery and possibly infertility...all for 10 years of steady, convenient birth control. Yeah, it's a big choice to make, but seeing as I am hormone sensitive (estrogen made my knees swell & progesterone worsened my depression) with a sensitive vaginal environment (can't even take a bubble bath & hormonal BC made me more prone to YI & odd odors) and in a steady relationship with a child already, my choices are slim. Lol don't I sound complicated? Anyway,

Take a motrin or ibuprofen an hour before your procedure. Insertion is done with a small clear tube and speculum and, if you're lucky, a handsome red head med student getting nervous from your neatly trimmed pubes and having to hand over the equipment to your actual Gyno😎😶😏 some say it may hurt, but it was just uncomfortable and I felt a couple pinches and a little pressure...think childbirth divided by 50 lol. Sort of the same sensation when they get past your cervix, but it's smooth sailing from there. After that, it's just nerve wrecking when they have to cut the strings cause all you can think of is what could possibly happen if you get snipped instead...*cringe*

The cramping started almost immediately, but they were more so aggravating pangs for me than actually painful. I did find one thread where she said they were pretty debilitating and she had to call out of work the next day. I took it easy the rest of that day, but that's because I didn't want to chance anything going wrong. Nothing in the vagina for 10 days. I spotted lightly for

maybe 2 days and then it was smooth sailing.... Until yesterday,

I have a thick, heavy, white discharge that's just everywhere & i mean that in the most hygenic way possible. It's a lot of discharge, but no smell or funky colors (besides usual browinsh pink from spotting) or itching. I can pull my undies down to pee and drip a bunch before I even sit down. I've been wearing pantyliners, and I need em. The thread I read said that hers lasted 2 weeks & was followed by a few days of heavy spotting and then the red sea of all cycles. My cycle isn't too heavy to begin with, so I'm hoping I end up on the other end of that spectrum with no period or just monthly spotting, that'd be nice.

My mood swings? Nonexistent. I can feel when my mood shifts or changes and it's been pretty steady since i stopped taking bc back in October. I haven't noticed anything outside of my usual PMSing and even that has been pretty predictable and tolerable. When I had the nexplanon for 6 months I was a mess of aggression with no sex drive. Depo, my mood swings were steady but I got pregnant after two months... Noeploridone (progesterone BC pills) made me a horny sack of tears.

. My next cycle starts on the 5th of January; until then I'll post if anything changes or new happens. So far, I'm loving this little thing and I hope it'll work for me until I'm ready for another baby or IUD.