Thread: paragard IUD . . .?

(side note since it won't let me edit my post for some reason XD): other than that i love paraguard thus far. the idea that i have something inside of me is a little scary still, but when i check for the strings i try to remind myself it is just like checking for the string of a tampon & that seems to take some of the anxiety away.

however i am still a little timid about developing a bacterial infection, but so far i haven't noticed any itching or odor. i do feel as though i have a larger amount of discharge but it is clear & has no scent, so i am not losing sleep over it.

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.

Rachthecook(UK)

rachel: thank you for taking the time out to write me. so far i am pretty happy with my decision. i've had the paragard for a little over a month now . . . however i did have some problems with my period. it was about 5 days late and for the first couple days i spotted on & off so i made an appointment with my OB/GYN to make sure everything was still okay in there. he said what i was experiencing was normal with the spotting & asked if i was uncomfortable with it, and i told him i'd like to give it a couple months before i jump to any conclusions. about a day or two after visiting the doctor i got my "real" period. i don't think i've ever had a heavier period in my life! as a teenager, i could usually go about 5 - 6 hours before having to change my pad or tampon, 8 hours while i was on the birth control pill, but with the paragard . . . i had to change every 1 - 2 hours tops! this was a little bothersome as i work & am on my feet all day so having to excuse myself to the restroom constantly was a pain. the heavy bleeding lasted about 3 - 4 days and gradually went away on it's own.

the only other real problems i've had with it is pain during sex. not sure if this is normal the first couple months on the iud but whenever my boyfriend penetrates me deeply, i get a dull pain in my abdomen, similar to what i experienced when i had my ovarian cyst (i did have an ultrasound to check to see if the cyst was still there or if any other ones had developed, but there was no noticeable masses, so i can finally consider myself cyst - free!). other than that i am content, although i do worry a little about ectopic pregnancy but i think i am aware of my body enough to know when something doesn't feel right & would be quick to make a doctor's appointment. i am trying to give it some time before i make a final decision about how i feel about paragard (i gave each pill i've been on 6 months before deciding to switch to a different one) so hopefully things will continue to go smoothly & i can remain worry free for the next couple years.

I just got the Paragard at the end of June. The procedure went okay, there was some pain and cramping, but nothing I couldn't handle. My fiance said he was able to feel the strings and that it hurt like something was stinging him. So, when I went back to my doc in July for the ultrasound to check that it was in place, I told him the issue. He said the Paragard was in place correct and he'd cut the strings shorter so my fiance wouldn't feel them. So, when my fiance and I finally got some alone time this week, he said he could feel the strings even more! I'm so frustrated! I checked my strings when I first got it put in, and I could feel them. Now I checked and I can't feel them, but my fiance says they hurt more. And I can't really check after my period, because I haven't had one since February, and the doc says it's fine, probably just side effects left over from the depo shot. I really feel the Paragard was the right choice, as I did not want any more hormones and my fiance and I aren't very good at using condoms, but it's kind of pointless if I can't have sex with it anyway! I guess I'll just have to call the doc and see if there's anything else that can be done.

kailur: i'm sorry you and your fiance are having a hard time with the paragard. my boyfriend complained about the strings poking him too, so when i went for my follow up exam i told my OB/GYN about it & he cut them shorter. they no longer bother my boyfriend but now i can't feel them! i went to check for the strings earlier today (about 2 days after my period ended) and i could not find them. i am certain it is still there because it's only been a week or so since my exam but it still scares me because i would hate for it to implant itself in my uterus, become partially dislodged or cause me to become pregnant (the reason i got the paragard in the first place). i go back to the doctor's in about 2 weeks for my yearly exam, so i hope to tell him my concerns and hopefully get some answers. i am still feeling some pain during sex, although it isn't as bad as it was in the beginning as long as my boyfriend gets me well lubricated & relaxed before we get intimate but there is some discomfort when my boyfriend penetrates me deeply & this is somewhat concerning to me. it causes me a lot of anxiety which makes sex less enjoyable when i am constantly worrying if this thing is going to be more harm than good but i really hope everything continues to go smoothly so i can relax for the next couple years.