Thread: IUD - Should I get one?

And even when you already have the IUD, still use a condom if you are not in a monogamous/commited relationship to protect yourself agains other STIs.

Hi, I know this is a rather long post and many of you will be put off but I just wanted to share my personal experience of the copper coil.
A few months ago I decided to rethink my method of contraception. I had been on the pill (on and off) and wasn’t happy with it, for three reasons. 1. I often forgot to take it and therefore didn’t always know if I was really being ‘protected’. 2. I didn’t like the idea of taking pills every day. 3. (I don’t know if I can blame it on the pill but) I found my sex drive was low.

I was also using condoms for a while but found they completely ruined the moment (as my bf switches on the light and spends 40 seconds rummaging around in the drawer next to our bed) and consequently, the whole experience, for me.
I asked my GP about alternative methods and as she explained the coil to me I thought- ‘Wow, no injections, no pills, (and as I chose the copper IUD) no hormones! Just put it in and forget about it for the next 5 years! Only one thing- the procedure for getting it in there sounds ghastly!’

I trawled the internet for reviews and most of them scared the out of me; ‘it feels like a hot poker’, ‘worst pain I’ve ever felt’, etc. But after mulling it over I decided to stop being a coward and just go for it.

When I booked the appointment I had to let the receptionist know that it was for a coil fitting, so she could book three 10 minute slots in a row. This is just so there is enough time for Q & A before the procedure, the procedure itself and to make sure that you feel OK afterwards.
THE PROCEDURE: Naked from the waist down, I lay on the bed with my legs open. The doctor put some lubricant on a duck-billed speculum (they use these for smear tests) and pushed it into my vagina. I have never had a smear test so this was a new experience. It felt weird; it’s not very comfortable.
Next, using a syringe, the doc squirted some anaesthetic ‘up there’. This did not feel nice. I could feel the liquid working its way up my reproductive system. It was like sudden, bad period pains. It lasted for a matter of seconds.
Next, she measured my uterus. I’m not sure what she actually stuck up there but it felt similar to the first pain. Again, this lasted a couple of seconds.
Lastly the copper T was inserted. This lasted maybe about 6 or so seconds and also felt like bad period pains. The doctor then snipped the strings of the coil and the whole thing was over. What a relief!

It really was not bad at all. The pain was totally manageable with deep breaths in and out. Each segment lasted just a few seconds so before you feel like you want it to stop, it does. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I am 23 years old, I have never given birth and my periods before this procedure were extremely light (1-2 days of light flow and virtually no pain at all). My pain threshold is therefore probably a lot lower than that of other women and I really found the procedure completely bearable.

I lay on the bed for about a minute afterwards, as I felt a bit light headed. I was then ready to leave.
Once I got home, I experienced some more bad period pains which lasted for about an hour. To be honest, I had never felt pain like it before. But lying on the sofa, relaxing, I was fine. It might have been a different story if I had to go somewhere straight after the procedure.

My first period was a lot heavier, more painful and lasted longer (about 4 days) than my usual periods. The second was still heavier and more painful than my pre-coil periods but not as bad as the first.

I had sex a week after the coil was fitted and it was fine, actually it was great! I didn’t’ have any pain and my partner could not feel the strings from my coil.
2 months in and all things considered, I am really happy with the copper coil. My sex life has never been better; I want it more often and enjoy it more when I have it.

Everyone is different but for someone who has light periods and is in a long-term relationship, the coil is the perfect solution.

I hope this review will help you make your decision as it is an important one. If you do decide to go ahead with it, make sure you are comfortable with the person fitting it, and maybe ask them how experienced they are in fitting coils. My doc had done over 200. Lastly, make sure you are aware of the potential risks, like ectopic pregnancies.

R(UK)