My IUD Story (Paragard)

[@jxexm04]

So I also had the copper IUD for about 18 months. The first 3 months were periods from hell! So heavy, so much cramping. But honestly, after that it really was ok for me. Not super heavy or prolonged periods and I was regular like clockwork. Unfortunately after 18 months, this method failed me after it somehow moved out of place. I ended up getting pregnant and miscarried about 2 weeks after having the IUD removed. During my D&C procedure (to avoid infection from any unexpelled fetal tissue), they also placed a subdermal birth control implant called implanon (now called nexplanon) just under the skin of my left arm. It is a progestin only implant that is approved for 3 years, but lasted me 5 years. My initial experience was pretty horrible, but only because of the crazy hormone shifts happening with this new progestin and just coming off the end of a pregnancy. To say I was emotionally unhinged would be an understatement. But after a few weeks, my body settled down, and I began to feel normal again after about 6-8 weeks. I had my first implant replaced in 2017, so I'm probably going to have it replaced next year. Other than having irregular, unpredictable, and sometimes very prolonged (but not at all heavy) periods, I have no complaints. This particular progestin is androgen based which means it was derived from testosterone. For me, I've had zero other issues - but a large percentage of women experience significant weight gain, new/worsening depression, no period at all, hair loss, or some other undesired side effects. I thankfully have not had any of these, but the main reason I wanted this one vs other methods is because I absolutely cannot do estrogen. Because everyone's body has both estrogen and testosterone that exist in a specific ratio, increasing my estrogen means my body adjusts by producing more testosterone too. And ohhhh myyyy GOD... that was bad. Never again! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! Because this is definitely a subject I don't feel is discussed as openly as it should be. There are TONS of options for birth control, and I think sharing experience helps others make better informed decisions. Love you! ❤

[@vegshe]

Jackie, thank you so much for your willingness to share your story. I am glad you settled into something that feels right for you. You're welcome! I hope the video helps women make a decision that is right for their bodies.

[@Sharl985e]

Thanks so much for your video! :) I personally was on the pill for 10 years, had a baby then had the copper IUD fitted as no longer wanted to take hormones. I'm coming up to 6 months of having the IUD in. Longer, heavier periods were to be expected like you say but unfortunately the cramping is everyday with me! I got sent for a scan to check positioning a few months ago and all was fine so I wanted to stick it out. But i'm at that stage atm where I really don't know how much longer I can keep it in... When you said the IUD was affecting you daily, was it due to cramping? I'd be interested to know if this is a common thing X

[@vegshe]

Hello Sharlene. You're welcome. Thank you for sharing. Yes, I was dealing with severe cramping and back pain about three days before my cycle started and throughout my cycle so...10 days out of the month. Based on the side effects I read about, breakthrough bleeding is common. Daily cramping, outside of your cycle, sounds terrible. I would definitely check with the doctor about that. Overall, the decision came down to the symptoms making it difficult for me to function more than a week out of every month and I didn't want to live my life that way. I hope you find the solution that is best for you :)