Anyone Have Experience W/ Iud's?

I had the Mirena put in early last year and just had it removed this spring. I really liked having it. Instead of periods, I'd spot for a few days, but that was it. The day it's inserted you'll have some cramping but it wasn't bad for me.

I had my IUD for a little over 2 years, after the birth of my 2nd child. Minimal cramping when I had it inserted, no period for the whole time I had, no noticeable side effects. My husband could feel the string when were intimate, but only in certain positions. I just had it removed June 1 which I didn't even feel. I spotted for 2 days, then nothing the 3rd day & then had a gush on the 4th day. Still no period and a couple of pregnancy tests later I am still waiting for either a period or a positive test, we will see what happens! Good Luck!

I am on my 2nd Mirena IUD. The only problem (if you can call it one) that I have had with it is that my periods became lighter and longer.

I had my first Mirena IUD placed late last year, and after 6 weeks, started to cramp horribly. I went to the doctor and found out that it hadn't been placed correctly (I wasn't able to see my dr. at the time of insertion), and that it was coming out.

My second Mirena was placed in January of this year, and my dr. used ultrasound to make sure it stayed put, and I haven't had any problems. My dr's office is moving toward inserting more IUDs using ultrasound as a guide, just as a precaution.

I have had lighter periods since then, but some months, the spotting tends to drag out. Other months, I only know it's "that time" because of how badly I crave chocolate.

It was, by far, the best decision I made to have it reinserted, as I was very nervous that it wouldn't stay put, and I wasn't sure the pain was worth it (btw, friends of mine with the IUD say their insertion didn't hurt at all). We have two kids two years apart, and my husband and I want to wait 5 years before having another two.

Good luck with your decision, I know it was the right one for me!

Not trying to rain on the parade, but I think it's important for women to know how the IUD works. Depo provera, the pill, and other hormonal birth control works by surpressing ovulation so that no fertilization of the eggs take place. It also makes the lining of the uterus inhospitable to an embryo so that if in the rare instance that you do ovulate (you missed a pill or something) it won't implant. The IUD doesn't surpress ovulation, it just prevents the embryo from implanting by irritating the lining of the uterus. This is why many more traditional religious groups regect both methods as abortofacient, but especially the IUD, because it's only method of birth control is keeping embryos from attaching. That is one reason why the IUD is so widely used in Europe, where they are a little more "liberal" (it's the number one method of contraception over there) but has a much more modest popularitiy over here, where abortion is a dirty word.

Just thought you should know- I tried very hard not to make it judgemental, just informative. I truly hope it helped :).

I'm 30 yrs old, healthy, black, been on Mirena for 11 months (recieved 6 mos after birth of 1st daughter, will probably remove soon to prepare for next child) now and LOVE IT! My gyn is in 40s, white, and loves it too. She said her periods are verrrrry light, while i experienced floods (which was normal for me) for the 1st 6 mos, 2 were very light, and the last was kind of medium.
My hubby felt the Mirena, but my gyn cut the strings some and he no longer did
I have discharge sometimes when I pass urine that looks like light colored (or brown during cycle) fluffy tissue which my doc says is normal
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT
I bled for 4 mos straight w depo shot:( :( so hopefully your periods will just b very light. Good luck!

I'll play devil's advocate for a second...I've had several friends have really serious infections with their IUD's. I hear it's pretty common, so that might need to be taken into consideration.

hi H.,
I have had 2 Mirena's the first was not comfortable got pregnant with my third and then for the second one ihave had for a year now. I love and its the 5 yr plan as i call it. I know 2 friends of mine had the IUD and did have small issues with it. but i love mine!!=S.

I had the Mirena implanted in March and have been happy so far. The first few months my period was a little irregular, but like a previous responder, now it just some irregular light bleeding (nothing more than a pantiliner required). I have had trouble finding the string, but found that when I squat down in the shower, I can find it. (Make sure they have you feel for it when you get it implanted so you know what to look for.) I tried to have it placed at my 6-week followup after the birth of my 3rd child and they couldn't do it but when I went back when I was on my period, they had no problems. It's sooo much easier than remembering the pill...so many other things to think about with three active kids!
One other small thing...I haven't been able to wear my wedding band since I got it. I think that the hormones may make me a little bloated, but it's not a big deal to me right now.

I have Mirena and have been on it Since Nov. 07 and I LOVE IT!I got pregnant with my firt child at 21 years old because I wasn't that great at taking the pill. After having her I tried two different kinds of pills and the ring. Finally I decided to do the IUD and it was the best option for me. Not only do I have lighter periods if any at all, but I don't have to remember to do anything for five years! Also, my insurnace covered almost everything so I only had to pay a one time $30 fee which is what I was paying every month before so the savings is huge over five years.

I have heard of some complications such as it coming out or causing cramping but most of those people had it re-inserted and were very happy that they did.

Good Luck!

I have a Mirena IUD and I LOVE it. I'll never change to any other form of birth control. I also work in an OB/GYN office and have only had a couple people decide they don't like it. Some people can't get used to the idea that it is okay not to have periods. Call your OB/GYN and ask them to mail you information or go to there website. I personally would recommend it to almost anyone.

J.

I also did the depo shot prior to kids and had no cycle. After two boys 17 months apart I got the Mirena. I love it. I do not have a cycle, cramping or other negative effects that I notice. I do once in a while have some blood in the "after effects" of sex but I've never charted it to see if it would be in time with what would be a cycle. I have not had any other spotting or bleeding which at this point in my life is a great thing! One less thing to worry about. I have nothing negative to say about the mirena. Good luck with whatever choice you make.

I know most people use an IUD without any problems; however I'm not one of them. I had my mirena IUD in place for about a month, and I had a bad reaction to the hormones, or the copper, or something. I ended up with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease, which aside from child birth, was the most painful thing I have ever gone through. I ended up in the hospital in so much pain I couldn't stand it, and pain killers didn't mask it. As soon as the Drs took it out, the pain was gone. I was told I could never have an IUD again. Like I said, I am aware that most people don't have any complications; I just wanted you to know that there can be complications, and it happened to me. Kudos for wanting to get informed before you make a decision. I hope whatever you decide, works out for you.
P.S. I also didn't do well with Depo, it made my hair fall out, and made me gain 40 lbs. So maybe it's just my body doesn't do well with birth control, and if you have done ok on others, you will probably be ok with the IUD.

Hi H., my OB recommended Mirena to me at my post partum checkup and I'm glad I did it. With two toddlers, I don't have time to worry about taking a birth control pill. I've had mine for 15 months and have had minimal side effects. You can expect your menstraul cycle to be abnormal for a while and eventually it will stop altogether. I didn't have the cramping either so I guess I'm very lucky.

I've had Mirena for almost 4 years and am thoroughly pleased with it. Not only have I not had any hormone issues, but I don't get my period either. Maybe three times in those 4 years I've had two days of spotting and that's it.

I had the Mirena IUD in for five years and loved it, never had a problem until I wanted to have it removed. I found that it had migrated up into my uterus, so I had to have it surgically removed. I was highly at risk for infertility (if it had damaged my uterus, though thankfully, it had not) or at the very least, I could have easily gotten pregnant during the time that it wasn't in place (I hadn't had it checked in a year, so there's no way to know how long I had been in that condition).

As horrible as that experience was, the previous 4 years or so were great. I only had a period about once every 4 or 5 months, and even then it was very light and only lasted about two days. Having it put in, honestly, is painful and unpleasant, but after it's in and the bleeding stops, it is really nice not to have to worry about birth control or about periods.

I am probably one of those one percent that the migration happens to, and it probably won't happen to you. However, it is definitely within the realm of possibility. Weigh the pros and cons and make your decision based on what is best for you!

I have had the Mirena IUD for a year now and i love it! i just recently got my first period since i had it put in and it was more like "spotting" for a week not like a full on regular period. My Doc. told me to take 4 200mg tylenol an hour before i came and i did and never had any discomfort. I haven't had any problems with it since i have had it and it sure is alot easier then trying to remember a pill everyday or having to remember to go get a shot everyother month! and being that this was the first "period" in a year...i cant find nothing bad to say about that thats for sure!! lol.. needlesstosay...i am very happy with my decision on getting it and i would mos def recommend it to you!

Did you have any side effects with the Depot shot?

I loved mine. I did bleed very heavily for almost 3 months (off and on) which is long from the other women I know that have had them. After that I got a period maybe once every few months, but literally all it was, was a little discharge that had a pink-red tint. I wore a panty liner for 1-2 days and that was that, there was not enough of anything to warrant a tampon. I have mine in for just over a year when we started reading that having your 2 children 4 yrs or less apart was good for several reasons and I had it taken out early (almost doesn't even hurt). There is some cramping when it's put it, but my doctor gave me 1 Advil, and I went to work and was fine. You do have to have it check after 3 months to make sure it's in place, so prior to that they suggest another back-up method. After that they'll check it once a year during your annual appt. I definitely feel it's well worth it and plan on having one put back in as soon as I can after my next baby. Good luck!!

Hi H.,

Here's my story. My first 2 are 14 mos apart. After my 2nd child, I had the Tguard (the copper one) IUD placed. It worked great. I had no complications, and my body responded exactly as the docs said it would. I had heavier, more painful cycles for the first 6 mos or so, and then they got lighter (or my body just got used to the pain, and it didn't phase me like before). After I had it for 14 mos, my husband & I decided to have more children. I had it removed 1 week after a cycle, and the docs said that it could take up to 6 mos before I would get preg. Well, I was preg a week later. I do not like putting added hormones in my body, so I didn't want to try the mirena. Also, after the mirena is removed, you typically have to wait longer for the hormones to wear off before you can get preg again. I wanted to have the ability to get preg right after I got it removed. It certainly worked. Just to let you know, our first 2 are girl-boy, 14 mos apart, and our second two are girl-boy, and will be about 13 mos apart. We were hoping it would turn out that way, having 2 "sets" close together. I know you wanted to hear about the mirena, but I felt I should tell you my experience with the other IUD. Oh, and to go off of another responder, the IUD that I had not only did it upset the lining of the uterus to stop the implanting, but it also blocked the eggs from being fertilized. If you are looking for good birth control, that decreases your periods, go with the mirena, but if you are just looking for a good birth control that works without the added hormones, go with the copper one. Oh yeah, and I knew a girl that had an IUD placed after her 2nd child, and got preg shortly after, because the IUD had fallen out. There are pros & cons with these things, so it's good that you are looking for more info before you decide. Good luck in your decision, and God bless!

HI H.,

I have an IUD-but I have the copper one which is good for 10years. I love it. It took me a year before deciciding on it . Many women are skeptical about it. It's really easy, and the only pain you feel is when they insert it, and you will get some mild to medium cramps that day. As for the Mirena...keep in miind that it gives off synthetic hormones just like the depot. So you will have the same symptons as the depo. I perfer the copper because it has no hormones, so i do not hve to worry on any weight gain, irregularity with my periods,etc. I hope this info helps. Like I said before I love the IUD's. They make life very easy without the worry of getting pregnant.

Best Wishes,
Lissa

Yes, I'm in the same boat. I have two boys also 15 months apart, one 3 years and the other 16 mos. I got the mirena during my annual pap and my gyno was done before I even realized he had put it in! I think I may have had some slight cramping later that day, but just like a period, and it could have been from the pap. But, I can't even tell I have it in. I have had it for a year now. I love it. Initially, I would get spotting every so often. Currently, I get a light period and I mean light.

I have a Mirena IUD and I love it. I didn't have any problems with the placement of it (other than a little soreness for a day). I haven't had any adverse reactions either. Right now I've had it for 6 months. I haven't gotten a period yet, but I don't know if it is because of the Mirena or just because I'm still nursing. I have had breakthrough bleeding, but it is only for one wipe (sorry to be so graphic!) and then it's gone for about a month. So maybe that's my period.
Anyway, I'm happy with the decision. For me it's a lot easier than remembering to take a pill or using a condom.

ok so i know this was posted 4 months ago but i thought i would add to this. i was on the mirena for a year or so and was the greatest thing i ever used. i had problems with other b/c due to forgetfulness with the pill, mood swings worse than pregnancy with the depo shot, didnt trust the patch and hated the ring. but i just had mine removed on july 8th and found out less than a month later that i was pregnant. i was in complete shock because i thought it would take a couple months for everything to get back to normal....apparently not and now im 5 months along with my second boy. to me it hurt to have it put in and taken out but that is the only bad thing i have to say about it. i would recommend it to just about anyone. i know im getting it again after this one due to my husband doesnt want anymore kids but neither of us want to get "fixed"

good luck to you, hope things turn out well

I had an IUD in between having my boys. I really liked it. I feel I should warn you, though... I wanted mine taken out after one year so we could have another child. When they went to take it out, the Dr. said it was almost out on its own. Lesson to take from that is just to make sure you have it checked on a yearly basis to make sure it's in properly. I think that's what they recommend anyway. There was little cramping for me when the Dr. put it in, and even less when it came out. I did, however, have heavy periods.

Good luck, and congratulations on your family. :)
~J.

I have an IUD, the Mirena. I love it! I got it after my third child, when he was 6 weeks old. I had very spotty, irregular periods for a few months, but now I am period free for almost two years. It is fantastic!! I have reccommended it to everyone I know!! No issues to speak of, and I haven't heard of any from anyone I know.

H.,

I have never tried Depo so I have nothing personal to compare with the Mirena. As a nurse practitioner, any birth control method is not going to be the same for every woman. I have had patients LOVE Depo and those that despised it. I ended up trying the Mirena IUD after having several patients LOVE the decreased bleeding or no bleeding with it. Unfortunately, I didn't get the same effect. It did decrease my flow and severity of my periods - but it increased the number of days I bled (spotted) to 3 weeks vs the 2 weeks I was bleeding without it. Still it was such a relief not to deal with the severity that I stuck with it for a year and a half until I decided to have it removed.

One of the good things of Mirena vs Depo is that when you do decide to start having more children - fertility is not delayed as it can be with the Depo shot. However, each method has its own potential side effects that should be considered as well.

Good luck with your decision.

S.

Hi H.. I have IUD. I love it. I got mine about 3 yrs ago. I don't have a period. But I have heard some people do. I have had no problems at all. I would tell everyone you should get one. I have nothing bad to say about it. I know I didn't give much info, but I hope this helps some.

You might want to check the posting on Mamasource from July 8 about IUDs and pregnancy. The person who posted believed she might be pregnant despite having an IUD, though that can happen with other kinds of birth control too....I don't use one, but you might go back in the Mamasource archives for past postings about IUDs. Good luck with your decision.

I had the Mirena IUD inserted about 6 months after my third child. I am not expecting to have any more children but don't want my tubes tied. I used Depo before my first child but I was very moody from it. I also used the patch between the first two kids, which was ok but also too much hormones for me. I love Mirena. It was uncomfortable for me when it was inserted but only took a few minutes. I definitely had heavy bleeding in the first two months or so that eventually tapered off. I now don't get my periods at all, which I love! I hope my experience helps you with your decision.

I have the Mirena and have had it for about a year and a half. It works really well for me and I never had a problem with it. My period is kinds wierd though. Sometimes I get a light period but often its just light spotting for a few days. I like this better than before though. I had mild cramping the first day or 2 that I had it but other than that I don't realize its there. It's important with an IUD that you go to the yearly visit and make sure that it is still in place. They can cause problems if they move and they could be less effective. Best of luck to you with whatever method you choose.

I have heard from other moms that they are very happy with Mirena. After the procedure some moms had slight cramping, but nothing that asprin couldn't help with. Everything I heard has been positive.

Congrats on your little ones !

J. Z.
Independent Shaklee Distributor
www.shaklee.net/Z.
Save Green While Going Green

I had an IUD and loved it! I would highly recommend it. I had it taken out to have another baby and am getting another one next week!

I had some mild PMS-y cramping for a few days after it was put in, but nothing terrible, and then no discomfort or problems since. Nothing to remember or buy, no hormones, easily reversible... worked for me. I kept it in for 5 years. Getting it taken out was really quick and hurt for a brief second but it was no big deal. I didn't get one with hormones, just a plain "t" with copper on the arms (ParaGuard?), so I can't say if Mirena is better. But I believe the ones without hormones can stay in longer. I chose the copper one because I was concerned about the side effects from the hormones, but that's probably not a worry for you, if the Depo shot didn't bother you.

I've had the Mirena for 15months now and absolutely love it! No hormonal disruptions, no issues whatsoever.

~Liz

I too would actually like to hear what anyone's experience has been with Mirena or any other similar contraceptive, i.e. side effects experienced, pluses/minuses, etc. My girlfriend has it and is very pleased with it - no periods, and for her no side effects.