Should I get an IUD or no?

Question

So I'm thinking of getting the IUD when I go to my next obgyn appointment but I'm not sure which one exactly I should get. Any suggestions on which one and should not get? Be brutally honest please! 😬

Answer

I have the Paragard IUD! I got it in May 2017. Prior to this I was on oral contraceptives (Trinessa) which I started taking at 14 for acne and to hopefully get a lighter/shorter period. It worked wonders for all of that and I took it up until I got the IUD in May 2017 (I was 25). After 11 or so years on the pill I noticed towards the end that my mood was not great most of the time and my sex drive was negatively affected as well. I decided I wanted a non hormonal form of birth control so I went with the Paragard IUD (I have never had any children or been pregnant). The night before I got the IUD inserted I put a tablet (misoprostol) that my Dr prescribed me into my vagina to ripen my cervix. Personally, the insertion definitely hurt! My Dr had to open my cervix a little (which felt like a lot of pressure/discomfort) and pain. He then inserted the IUD and that hurt even more! My Dr walked me through the whole thing and told me everything he was doing as he was doing it which I liked. The insertion took like maybe 5 minutes. Afterwards, he asked if I wanted anything for the pain and told me I would have some cramping as your uterus starts to contract when it senses a foreign object (the IUD) inside of you, but the cramping will eventually subside. He gave me a shot which I believe was Ketorolac (NSAID) that treats moderate to severe pain. Immediately walking out of the office I got severe cramps (I was so glad I had my boyfriend come with me so he could drive home. I honestly don’t think I would have been able to drive home myself.) The whole drive home the cramping was bad and I immediately laid on the couch when I got home and used my heating pad. I took a quick nap (40 minutes) and when I woke up I still had cramping but it was much more tolerable (similar to menstrual cramps). All and all I would say the worst of the cramps lasted 1.5 hours and then they were tolerable for the next 3 or so hours after that and then they were gone. My Dr sent me to get an ultrasound 6 weeks later to ensure the IUD was in the correct spot. I started bleeding a few days after the insertion and I think this lasted for 1-2 weeks (however, I was on oral birth control and took my last pill in the middle of the pack the day before insertion so this definitely contributed to my bleeding). My periods after that we’re roughly 28 days apart and lasted 5 days which was the same as when I was on the pill. After about 5 months I actually got more irregular. I even had a weird “period” that lasted like 15 days once in November 2017. However , after that things normalized but my periods were now (and still) about 7 days long and heavier. I know they say the Paragard IUD can cause longer and heavier periods and for me it did however prior to the pill my periods were 7-8 days long and heavier than they are right now so this may just actually be my normal. My body definitely took a hit adjusting. From June 2017 to now I have had 5-6 yeast infections and once case of BV. A few years ago I had 3 yeast infections in a 5 month period so it is possible that I am just susceptible to this and I really threw my body off when I switched birth control methods. With ALL of that said, my mom has improved tremendously and my sex drive went WAY up in a matter of weeks of being off of hormones. I LOVE the IUD and it’s totally worth it (I take vaginal probiotics everyday to help keep my pH levels in control to combat the yeast infections and BV).

Answer

All these comments are helping a lot. Thank yall so much!!

Answer

All the IUDs are a little different and it really depends on what you want/need. You can get a non hormonal IUD which is Paraguard. This one lasts the longest( I think it’s 10 years but I’m not 100% sure) and it’s the biggest one. You’ll have regular periods on this if you’re cycle is pretty regular. The paraguard does make your period heavier and your cramps worse so if you’re someone who already has a heavy period or bad cramps that may not be the one you want. There are several different hormonal IUDs, the differences are the size and the length of time you can have them in. The Mirena is the biggest and lasts the longest, but it is smaller than the paraguard and doesn’t last as long as the paraguard. You’ll have to get measured before they insert one so you’ll know which is better in terms of size. Hormonal IUDs don’t give you regular periods and some women stop having periods all together. I’ve had the Mirena for almost six months. The insertion wasn’t that bad, it was very quick so it was tolerable. I did have cramps the rest of the day though. Since I got it put in my period has been different. I have almost no cramps, my flow is lighter, my periods are longer though sometimes a few weeks, and I have spotting and brown discharge between periods. I find the IUD super convenient, it’s great not having to worry about the pill. It’s not right for everyone though and you may not know if it’s right or wrong until it’s put in. If you have any questions about it you should discuss it with your doctor!

Answer

I have the Paragard. I had a lot of troubles with hormonal pills and opted for the non-hormonal option. I got it January of 2017. I’m currently 25 and I’ve never been pregnant. It was awful getting it put in, the doc had to measure my uterus first to make sure it was big enough to hold the IUD, and then like 10 minutes later he finally inserted the IUD. Worst pain of my life for the next half hour or so, and bad cramping almost constant for the first two days. The cramping was less frequent but just as strong for the next 6 weeks. My first period wasn’t terrible, but the next 10 periods were double my pre-IUD flow in both amount and length of time, and all-around awful to deal with. Now after a year, I no longer have cramps or spotting in between my periods, my flow is finally shorter (6 days instead of 10), and I love not having to worry about my birth control. If I had to do it all over again, I’d probably try the Skyla or Mirena first because the applicator is designed for women who haven’t been pregnant, but I’m happy with my decision so far. Hope this helps!

Answer

I have the mirena. Some doctors go by if you’ve had a kid or not because some are bigger. I was told if you haven’t had a kid most doctors like to give Skyla. Mirena is bigger and the biggest is the non hormonal ParaGard.

Should I get an IUD or no?

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