I had the Merina Iud for about a year and a half to 2 years..... somewhere in between. I just had it taken out. I started itching all the time after getting it in. Then after sex, I noticed some spotting. I first thought it was just because it had just recently been inserted. Over time, it got worse and worse. I went to the OBGYN, they said the hormones the IUd gives out could be making me bleed. So they had me take estrogen to balance it out. After taking estrogen for 2 weeks, I was still bleeding. So I got it taken out. Now I'm trying the NuvaRing.. but now I'm seeing that might be a bad idea. Also, my husband said he could feel the strings from the IUD. He said he felt like they stabbed him. Sex was often pretty painful. Lower back pain was pretty constant. It is convenient. And if the side effects werent there, it'd be great! But-- after getting pregnant twice from the Depo Privera shot, I was extremely disappointed with the IUD.

I have never had any children or been pregnant. I have complications with all birth controls. Either they make me EVIL, Nuvo ring gave me the worst yeast infection in my life, Etc. I decided to get the Merina put in. After reading everyones comments, and replaying them through my head I almost walked out of the doctors office. I had taken 3 Ibuprofen and a very small dose of flexeral an hour before my appointment. I had also just got off my period the day before. It took about 5 minutes to put it in. There was about 3 bad cramps during insertion. I wouldnt say it didnt hurt at all, but YES it was somewhat painful. Although I dont think it was untolerable pain. I have had some steady cramping, and little spotting since yesterday.

It has now been 36 hours since I had the Merina inserted! I am still having some bleeding, but no cramps or side effects at this time. I have not tried to have sex yet, but I will keep you all updated!

It has been 3 days now, and I have no side effects other than some bleeding. I had sex last night and he did not even notice, and I had no pain from it. It took me a while to find the string but I finally found it. It's kind of like a wire almost, so if it did poke your man I could see it bothering him. Other than that all is great!

I had the paragard inserted on 7/13/09 and had it removed 8/10/09. Apparently it had dropped and was no longer effective so they removed it. The initial insertion was painful but the cramping only lasted a day and went away with ibuprofen. The worst part of the insertion is when they measure the cervix, it hurts. I am 28 and do not have children. I am a migraine sufferer and as such my doctor will not prescribe pills so I had another paragard inserted on Friday. This time I took ibuprofen an hour before insertion, the pain was way less than the first time. The insertion didn't take very long and even the measuring of the cervix didn't hurt that bad. I've had a little more cramping this time but it too goes away with ibuprofen. I had the IUD inserted on the last day of my cycle and have had minimal spotting since. During the time I had the IUD, I know it was less than a month, The only thing I noticed is that my period started a little early and was very heavy, my period had lasted 3 - 4 days and was always very light. I didn't experience weight gain, acne, or back pain. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the IUD works this time, my doctor says its very rare for an IUD to drop twice but they are gonna do an ultrasound to check the placement.

I've had the Mirena IUD for about a 2months now and at first I didn’t mind it, I mean I got it put in the 1st day on my period but it still hurt like hell, the cramping was horrible, but I was able 2 deal with it. And my period lasted maybe 2 days after when it usually 6 days so of course I was excited. The 1st 2 weeks were great except from time to time I felt the strings but I got no complains from my man. But after those week it all went down hill my sex drive has gone down (to the point where I don’t want it any more) which is strange cause I’m a Nympho (better known as a person addicted to sex). And I would be fine with curing my addiction if the love of my life wasn’t also one (we met at a meeting) so the lack of sex plus the mood swings have led us to break up. Also I’ve always had nice clear skin am talking smooth as a baby’s bottom I could soke my face in grease and still no pimples not one ever but now that I have this Mirena IUD, I HAVE THEM ALL THE TIME!!!! This thing has ruined my life and its only been 2 freaking month!!. And to add insult it injury I’ve been bleeding (spotting as the doc’s wanna call it, no its bleeding I’m wearing pads and all ) for a week and some change(10 days)and its either red or a brownish color. Do you know how hard that is to be an active college student; running around town, cheering(splits and all), meetings, classes, and work, plus having to deal with a period that jus wont quit. I still have 4years and 10 months left I don’t think I’ll make it I want this thing GONE. I rather struggle remembering a pill then this bullshit

Insertion was mildly painful, not too bad. Cramping only lasted about 2 days.

I love the convenience of the Mirena. I have had it for almost 2 years. My youngest child is 13 and my husband and I had been using condoms since his birth so it was definitely a nice change:)

Negatives:

I always feel itchy, like a have a yeast infection.

Intercourse is sometimes very painful.

Even though the string is cut short, my husband still complains he feels like he is being poked or stabbed at times.

I am very moody, irritable about 2 weeks out of the month with extreme breast tenderness.

The 1st year I did gain about 10 pounds, now at the end of the second year I have gained a total of 25 lbs. I eat better than I ever have and exercise more, I just can't lose the weight.

I am having the Mirena removed next week:(

okay first off.. many reviews for the minera IDU are bad because people love to make reviews for items or things that DONT WORK for them.. each person reacts differently

my IUD:
no weight gain-- those who say they gain 10+ pounds.. their IUD is not to blame.. get your thyroid checked if your that concerned..
no acne
no lifestyle change (still active still the same gal)
no mood changes or anything...
if you THINK the IUD is going to make you a moody physco then it is going to effect you..
naturally- the hormones WILL increase cravings.. you put the food to your mouth.. not the IUD can't blame it for your munching habits...

the appointment for inserting it hurt like a Mother-- but you know what.. well worth it (the reason why it can fall out or can hurt is because women who HAVE NOT been preggers before --their cervix sometimes isnt fully dialted or large.. thats why you need to be on your period when you get it inserted into you! the cervix is naturally dialiated)


keep in mind that each product is different for each woman. I have the Minena for my endometreosis.. not for birth control methods or so on (however it is more effective ive been told).. and it was NOT covered by my OHIP (paid 400 dollars) so I tried it despite the terrible reviews and im so glad I did..

EACH PERSON IS DIFFERENT-and it takes up to 6 months to fully kick in.. cramps are normal for a bit..advil and a relaxing deep breath
hope this helps!

I'm 23 with no children. I've used the Mirena for seven months so far. I do love it but it took my body a while to adjust.

Like other birth control, it can have symptoms. These are mine:

Insertion - uncomfortable - heavy cramps for the first couple of days

Always felt that "it was there" for the first several months, now I have no awareness of it except for the strings

Sex sometimes led to light bleeding (not painful, but I could tell it was there)

Bled for the first month, then had sporadic reddish / brown discharge for the first three that resembled scabs (I know, eeew...)

Had tender breasts for about a month and then my period, with a 3-month hiatus (I don't know why)

Pros (for me) :

No weight gain

No known mood swings found in BC pills (I felt bad a couple times - could be just me or the IUD)

Discharge and breast tenderness finally went away

Sex with more effective contraception than female sterilization! :)

No acne / skin problems

Virtually no effort

Periods are lighter or not there for months

I really like the Mirena for its effectiveness and ease of use. I'm glad my doctor helped me to get one, despite the fact that I have no children nor plans for them in the near future. It was worth going through the side effects, which have pretty much disappeared. I would say to put aside the dramatically negative accounts of Mirena and try it for yourself unless you really loathe the side effects I listed above. I almost passed on this IUD because I had read the horror stories online. But there is no contraception quite like it. With typical use of the BC pill there is about 95% effective. With Mirena no matter what you do, typical use is 99.8% effective.

I had the Paraguard IUD put in when my daughter was 6 1/2 weeks old as I didn't want to take chances getting pregnant again due to a rocky marriage. I tried to opt for something that didn't have hormones as I was/have been nursing my little one. I am very tolerant with pain, and during the process of it being inserted, I blacked out and almost fainted. I had to wait in the room while I had both my girls with me (another BIG mistake). I recommend anyone who has dizzy or faint spills NOT to have this form of birthcontrol.

Three days ago I found out my sister who also had the same IUD got pregnant!!! I thought the whole point of birth control is NOT to get pregnant. She was lucky as they were able to remove it w/o hurting the baby. They told her the baby may not likely survive as the IUD stops it from properly developing (how scary is that??).

I continued to feel weak these past few months and have had an appetite like you cannot believe, I could eat and eat and still wouldn't be full. I have gained weight with it too. My periods were very painful and LOTS of cramping before getting my period. I also have a back injury due to a motor vehicle accident about 5 years ago, and about a week before my period the pain would become intolerable. My periods were at times heavier than they were during postpardum. I would put on two overnight pads and change them 2-4 times a day the first 4 days of my period. My periods would last 1 1/2 weeks long where normally they were 6 days long.

I wouldn’t recommend it also for anyone who has rough intercourse. I felt like it was harder and more painful during intercourse. What scared me even more was when I couldn't find any of the strings for 3 months.

Bottom line is, I would never recommend it to anyone. I thought it was going to save me the headache of taking a pill each day - but the side effects far out weigh the benefits!!

So this may be a little premature but I had an IUD put in about two and a half hours ago. First I really messed myself up by reading these ratings for hours the night before. This made me nervous for the pain. However I was educated enough to have the doctor answer all of my questions.

I took four motrin an hour before.

At first it was just uncomforatable, she did a physical inspection by placing her fingers far into me and pressing on my stomach. Then she clamped it open and cleaned it out. Not so fun. However these postings did not properly prepare me for the next move. She had to stretch or fit me for the insertion. Let me tell you I have had a breast augmentation, broken an arm and a leg and I think this was the most painful! I actually screamed out and cried! I thought my tolerance for pain was high but it was so bad. They say it is similar to labor pains and so this would def. stray me from having children. However, it was only a ten minute process, once the color came back to my face she helped me up and took my blood pressure and released me to pay.

After waiting 45 minutes in the waiting room to pay ( I went to planned parenthood) I started to have a panic attack. I had politely asked if they could check me out after 30 minutes and the receptionist gave me attitude and told me to sit down. I started shaking and crying, a nurse noticed and got me checked out. After I calmed down I started to feel better. Cramping is that of a first day period, just really uncomforatable. The bleeding is really bad. I was on my last day of my period, wearing a light tampon. Not even really necessary. Now I have gone through two pads in a hour.

I am not going to rule out that this was the right decision and I hope that my periods are not torture. Right now I feel okay and at peace but I would never do it again. Call me a wuss!

First off, I'd like to say that this product is over priced. Birth control for 5 years should not cost $600.00. This product produced one full year of side effects for me that my physicians could not explain. These side effects were irritability, yeast infections and severe itching that could not be relieved by any medications, loss of menstrual periods, and abnormal spotting.

I was never one to dislike my periods. I believe God gave them to us for a reason and its His way of telling a woman if she is working properly and pregnant or not. This product causes the patient to have a period once every 3-4 months. I really dislike that. It causes strange spotting (10 minutes of mild clots and light flow) and never bleeding again for 3 months after. This is very aggravating.

The itching and infections that this POC product created were a strain on my marriage. My OB doctor said that it appeared that it was breeding a yeast infection, fungal infection, or worse. After lab/blood tests she could not determine a path of origin. She said that if its a serious infection, it can cause sterility. If that occurs, I believe other actions should be taken. Antibiotics did not help. The infection was also passed onto my husband and he had testing done on his own with the doctor, whom also could not find anything. The itching will keep the patient up all night long wanting to die from the misery. I contacted the parent company, Bayer about a refund of this product. My doctors office (ignorant medical assistants) would not honor it, even though Bayer said they will reimburse the office.

Finally, the itching went away. After having the product in almost 2 years. I still do not know why it caused such an annoying side-effect, but I will never buy another Mirena again!

PS: I want my normal periods back too, Bayer.

I just went in to get the Mirana IUD replaced as I got it when I was 19 and am now 24 so my 5 years were up. I loved it. I couldn't get another one though that day because I wasn't on my period so they gave me the Nuva ring till I get my period. The Nuva ring is nothing special, I just cannot wait to get the IUD in again.

It is a tiny bit painful when they insert it. Just think of the pain you experienced the first time you had sex or the first pap smear you got. Uncomfortable, but tolerable. Lucky though it only lasts a few seconds. The first time I got it, my bleeding was weird for the first 6 months, little crampy but still, very worth it. I know I won't remember to take the pill everyday, I'm in a monogamous relationship and have been for quite sometime, we just don't want kids. They will ask you that when you go in to get screened to see if the IUD is right for you. If you're young and don't have a steady boyfriend, or you sleep around, chances are they won't give it to you because if you get an STD or STI, having the IUD will make it worse.

I'm using the Nuva ring right now and my sex drive has plummeted to the floor. It's only a few more weeks though so I can get a new IUD in. I suggest it to anyone who is in a steady serious relationship, don't want kids for a while, and knows they won't remember to take the pill everyday or the shot every however months, or the ring every month.. the IUD is great!

I just had my IUD put in about 45 minutes ago. It was easier and less painful than most of my monthly cramps. KEY POINT: TAKE TYLENOL, ADVIL, IBUPROFEN BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT. If you do that, and schedule it close to if not when you are on your period, it is not bad at all.
I'd recommend this to anyone at any time if you want long-term birth control.

I have the Paragard IUD and have had it for almost 4 years. Initially it was okay. My normal periods are really light for a week then for 2-3 days I bleed heavily. However, my periods are regular and come around the normal 26-27 days but last a long time. Well, this has gone on for almost four years. I get headaches and back aches and get low in energy. Around the time when the bleeding is heavy, I have insomnia. I have to change my pads frequently. It's terrible for those 3 days of intense bleeding. I have become anemic. I am making an appointment to remove the paragard. My children and family depend on my health and strength and I cannot afford to be sick in bed. I would highly recommend anyone who is thinking about getting the paragard to reconsider.

I've had an IUD for around 3 1/2 years and just recently had it removed. It was the Mirana brand, small white & plastic. It was wierd watching that small tiny little thing come out of my body and know that that little thing had caused me all the problems I'd been having. It caused me so much pain during sex, infections you couldn't believe. I will say if yo uhave the funds to try it and opt for removal and trying other forms of BC then go for it, it's worth a try. I have friends that have it and love it, others who don't care for it at all. It just didn't work for my body/shape.

I have tried both the Mirena IUD and the copper IUD and hated both. I had tried pills before and had a bad reaction, so I was hoping that the IUD would cause less side effects, but actually the opposite happened. My main compaints were EXTREME mood swings (almost bipolar like symptoms) and EXTREME weight gain.

I had the Mirena first (about two months about having my first child) and initially had very few problems (mild cramping, spotting between periods and after sex, etc.), but the side effects kept getting more severe with time. I had to go on anti-depressants after having the IUD for 2 1/2 months. At the time I didn't make the connection to the IUD (thought it was late PPD), but later its connection became clear. I did not gain weight initially, but this is typical when on anti-depressants. After four months, with consultation from my doctor, I gradually went off the anti-depressants. (I was on the lowest possible dose to begin with, so it wasn't a huge change). I gave the IUD the benefit of the doubt when my mood swings returned and I began to gain weight (with no lifestyle changes). All in all, I had Mirena for almost two years, and month after month my symptoms got progressively worse. I gained almost 60 pounds and was in an extremely depressive state. After doing more research and reading the findings of some clinical trials done in Europe and Australia, I found that many of my symptoms were the exact same as what those trials had found. (Severe depression and weight gain were reported). I realized I had to remove Mirena.

Because I still needed a reliable form of birth control, I decided to try the copper IUD and see if there was any change. there wasn't. I had it removed after 3 months.

It has been about two weeks since I removed my IUD for good, and I have already lost 11 pounds (with no lifestyle changes). Have had a few severe mood swings, but I have had more good days in two weeks than I have had in months. I believe my body is still adjusting to the removal of the IUD, but I have bursts of clarity where I feel my old self coming back. I feel like the IUD has taken away over two years of my life. If you are someone who has a history of bad side effects with pills, do not think the IUD will be easier, as the manufacturers would like you to believe. All in all, my experience with the IUD was MORE severe than with birth control pills. I hope no one else has to lose two years of their life like I did.

So here's the thing. There are a lot of horror stories about this type of birth control. People need to stop and realize something. SIDE EFFECTS happen. But just because the rarest ones happen to one person, they are still RARE (Ex getting pregnant, rejection, etc) Keeping that in mind, Using the mirena is going to exhibit many of the same symptoms as the pill...weight gain, acne, mood swings etc. When you take a pill, your stomach acids destroy a certain amount of the pill and its medicinal contents. The hormones in the Mirena are not being subjected to those conditions so you are going to have a stronger reaction to those hormones.

I Had a horrible time on the pill due to the change in hormones, so I went with the copper IUD. and YES it has its side effects, such as increased cramping, increases in yeast infections and changes in discharge, but, I would still recommend people look into it as an alternative to the pill.

As with anything. Get the facts before starting anything, and keep in mind that one persons experience may not be the norm. For all you people who are saying you would never recommend it because YOU had a rare side effect, should do your research before making your recommendations.

Hi everyone! I just had my Mirena IUD inserted a week ago, and so far it seems to be fine! I have to say that insertion was really painful (and I do have children), but it only lasted about 3 minutes or so and after that, just mild cramping for the rest of the night. Anyone considering Mirena would be wise to take some Advil (i took 4) right before your appointment, however, I still felt pain even with medication beforehand!

As far as everything else, I had sex for the first time the next day and it was great! I didn't feel anything and neither did my boyfriend! I check at least every 3 days to make sure I can feel the strings, and they are kinda short and looped around my cervix, so they don't bother me at all! It sure is nice to not have to remember to take a pill everyday anymore! I would go through the pain all over again...it's totally worth it!

if u dont mind back and other pains then go ahead! i had an IUD for about 2 1/2 yrs nothing but pain the whole time back pain, syomach and side pains and im not just talking craps either it was bad, lets just say i was a different person! 3 days ago i had it removed, come to find out it was enlodged either way i wanted it out enlodged or not i always had problems with it, the only good thing bout it no getting prego at all not even close and not one period after the first 3 months of spotting untill the last month or 2 of having it i couldn't have inter course with out bleeding and now im starting the pill everything seems to be fine my pain has reduced a lot just trying to get my body used to being somewhat normal again, now im on the pill and i dont know if its that great talking bout mood change and irritating itching! i would recommend the IUD but my pain that i had i dont want back but everyone is different i loved not having periods and knowing after many times of checking i was not getting prego! lol btw it was the 5 yr IUD.... if it wasnt for the back pain id do it again! but pill for now~!

Had my 1st Mirena inserted in 2002 only side effect being NO PERIOD so obviously once it expired in 2007 I had it removed and had a new one inserted.
Within a 10 months
I gained 40 pounds with no lifestyle change,
I had severe acne
Severe back pain
Severe nausea
Loss of hair

I had it removed in July08 and thus far all the symptoms are GONE

I had the Mirena inserted in August 2008. I had a lot of similiar problems that were considered normal: extremely painful insertion ( I had mine put in during my period and have had a child fifteen yrs ago), some cramping afterwards but tolerable compared to insertion, spotting on and off for the first 2 months, etc. At my 2 month check up I was told everything looked fine and was about to go off on my way when I questioned the string length (it seemed to be longer, almost at the opening of my vagina) and then she said she was wondering that too (HUH?). So she sent me for another ultrasound and I guess everything was fine b/c I never heard from them. So the only thing at my check up that was wrong was she said I had some discharge and diagnosed me with a yeast infection so mild I didn't know I had one. And so began my journey for the next 3 months with constant discharge, multiple self treatments with yeast infection medicine, multiple trips to the doctor's office with complaints of the discharge. I did not bleed the 1st 2 months (just very light spotting on and off). I started bleeding every few weeks, 1st time for over a week and then 3 to 5 days (bright red and started more than once during sex, all over him, yep, embarassing). I had started the relationship about a month and a half after the insertion. So, I 1st attributed the discharge to the sex and then maybe to the bleeding. Because everything seemed to start at the same time I wasn't sure. I think I have had 3 or 4 actual yeast infections since Aug. but the discharge is constant. No foul odor and at one of my dr.'s visits there was no sign of infection in the discharge. I spent a few months going crazy thinking something was really wrong with me and the dr. never told me this was a side affect. But between reading others stories and reading on the Mirena site that discharge was a side affect (in the physicians information section) I now feel confident that my problem is related to the IUD. All the complaints about this IUD I have found in either the patient or physician's information sections on the Mirena website. I guess I have one of the side affects that I need to decide to deal with or not. Pros and cons...we all have different tolerance levels. But at least I feel better knowing what the problem is. Most importantly, I agree with a few others about reading other people's stories...this is a guide only...everyone reacts differently to medications....research thoroughly and make sure u have a good doctor. Know your own body and listen to it. I didn't do all this and put myself through anxiety and fear for nothing.

A little about me and my Mirena experience. I'm a mother of 4 sons ranging from 11-17 yrs old. At the age of 37 I was in a new (committed) relationship and decided that the Mirena might be the best bet for me. I do not do well on BC pills and since I'm over 35 I was worried about the risks of taking them(besides I got pregnant with one of my sons while taking bc and got pregnant with another with a diaphram)

The insertion was painful. A lot of pinching and me sucking in my breath, but I felt fine once it was in and the procedure was over..UNTIL i was driving home, I had to pull over because I thought I was going to pass out or vomit. Once I made it home, I had severe cramping and nausea. It was very apparent that my uterus was not happy !! The cramping, nausea and faint feeling lasted about 24hrs. The good thing was my period turned to light spotting shortly after it was inserted and then the spotting stopped about 3 days later. I resumed having sex within 4 days of having it inserted.

The first 6 months or so were BLISS!! I loved my iud! I couldn't recommend it to enough people! nothing to take, nothing to worry about. My periods consisted of 3 or so days of light pink spotting only when I wiped. I never had to wear a pad or tampon after insertion. No cramps, no pms..nothing.

Shortly after 6 months, my breast started to swell and got very tender a week before my period was due. I would outgrow every bra I owned for about a week and my breasts were so sore putting a bra on or taking it off made me cringe. But no big deal, I learned to deal with it. the breast swelling and tenderness mysteriously disappeared, after 3 months and never returned, but was replaced with moodiness..I'll take bigger boobs over moodiness any day. I also developed a lot of pregnancy like side effects, nausea, sleepiness, occasional cramping mid cycle, increased discharge, crying for no apparent reason (very annoying) There were months that i was CONVINCED that the iud had failed me and I was pregnant. Only to find out after a trip to the Ob/gyn I wasn't. I started to constantly feel pregnant and my constant "crying wolf" was starting to drive myself and everyone else insane.

Shortly after the breast swelling started, I started to develop chronic uti's. I have only had 1 uti my entire life (as a teenager) prior to insertion. Now, I was getting them every few weeks. I had to end up seeing a urologist who had to put me on antibiotics once a day for 6 months! As soon as I would be done taking my meds, I would develop another uti a week later. My urologist suggested I think about having my iud removed since he could not find any other reason for the chronic uti's. Nothing in my life had changed besides getting the IUD.

Around the same time I developed chronic uti's I also developed chronic bacterial vaginal infections. Which also requires antibiotics.
In the last year I have been on antibiotics for 7 uti's and 5 vaginal bacterial infections. That's right, double doses of antibiotics. Apparently what works for a uti does not work for a vaginal bacterial infection. So each require you to take a different type of antibiotic.

And then, on top of everything I developed painful ovarian cysts. Sex became painful and unenjoyable. I would have pain during sex and then would cramp for hours afterwards. It took 3 weeks for them to dissolve on their own. Only to return a few months later.

Fast forward to this month (december). I had my iud for 1 year and 7 months and the last straw was a compilation of 14 (that's right 14) new symptoms/side effects. For some reason my pregnancy symptoms/side effects went into over drive. I had moodiness, extreme tiredness, bloating, constant burping, nausea, vivid dreams that would wake me up in the wee hours of the morning, tender gums and sensitive teeth, hunger, cramping early in my cycle, a thicker discharge, lower back acheyness and sinus congestion. I felt like I was losing my mind, all i could think about was: Am i really pregnant this time? I could still feel my strings and the chances were nill but the symptoms were undeniable. I was not imagining them. Even my co-workers mentioned that I looked exhausted.

I had my Iud removed yesterday (Dec. 15th) enough was enough. I just want to feel "normal" again. The midwife that removed it gave me a really hard time about having it removed. She said she didn't think the symptoms I was experiencing had anything to do with my iud and that I was probably just getting my period. I explained to her my period is not due for another 10-12 days, I have NEVER experienced these pms symptoms before my iud!! I never had chronic uti's, bacterial infections or ovarian cysts either! She reluctantly removed it (and was very cordial about it either) The removal was nothing compared to the insertion. I felt slight pinching and then it was out.
I had slight cramps, for about an hour and then started to bleed a bit but only when

I had a copper IUD (paraguard) placed a little over a year ago. A year later my only complaint is that I have a heavy blood flow-
like I need to change my pad every two hours. It's a real nuisance since I work and I have a 15 month old. I can't afford to go the bathroom every two-three hours. When I first got it inserted,my periods were longer(one month it lasted 10 days)and only once I became nauseous and vomited)Since then, I have thick and heavy discharge (but acceptable) I get a period every month and my cycle is usually 4 to 5 days but the flow is very heavy. Therfore, I'm thinking about having it removed and switching to Mirena bc of the lighter to eliminating periods option.
But after reading these posts, I'm reconsidering. My only complaint is the amount of blood flow which is a nuisnace. Any opinions and thoughts would be greatly appreciated before I make the switch.

I had the Paragard (the copper one without any hormones) inserted a little over 6 months ago. The initial insertion was crazy painful. Over the next two months, the cramps died down and I thought everything would be fine. Not so. After those two months, everything went horribly wrong. I was bleeding constantly, (it's now been 6 months total, remember), my cramps were KILLER--I've never had kids, so supposedly the cramps are better if you have. However, the cramps were so bad that I couldn't move and I would be crying and almost screaming. It was like this even when I wasn't on my period. About 2 weeks out of a month I would hardly be able to move. Also, my sex drive was down. Now, after half a year of trying it, I finally had it removed today. Life has been bliss, I immediately stopped having cramps and was less emotional. Thank heavens I finally got off that devil birth control!

Im 23 years old and I had my son in February of 2007, ive never been on any birth control ever before until i got the Mirena IUD in October of 2007. I chose this method b/c of light to no periods, convenience and the fact it was a 5 year plan. However, the day i got it put in, it hurt like hell, nothing i couldnt handle but it felt like contractions. (coming from the woman who didnt get an epidural during birth)i continued to have cramping over the 7 months that i had mirena, i never had any periods at all, i actually loved it, i could deal with the cramping, after about 4 months of having it, i started experiencing weird symptoms beside just cramping, such as weight gain and high blood pressure. My doc swore it wasnt b/c of the IUD but i knew it was cuz ive never had these types of issues prior.. i weighed 112 b4 i got prego and only gained 22 lbs during pregnancy, and went back down to 118 after i had him. My blood pressue was always normal 120/80 or below. With the IUD my weight went up to 130 pounds (im not complaining) and my blood pressue was always like 170/90.. they tried to talk me into taking meds and i was like no i know its from this IUD just take it out so in may of 2008 i had it removed and guess what... my blood pressure is back to normal 120/80 or below and i only weigh 125.. the difference happened within 2weeks to a month after the removal. I wouldnt recommend it to anyone.. its just not worth it, and my doc said that since that happened to me than i shouldnt ever take the pill either cuz itll def do it to me since it does go mostly to ur blood stream. I feel much better knowing i dont have a foreign object in me and im healthier.

I have 2 children ages 3 and 6 and had Mirena Inserted when 3 years and 5 months ago. The insertion was uncomfortable but not painful at all. I haven't had any major side effects although I wonder if I could lose the last 5-7 lbs that are holding on after giving birth to two kids. (but maybe it's just will power) I haven't had a period since about 6 months after it was inserted. As for acne I have never had a real problem and haven't had any. (I am 38 yrs old) I never had any problem with Birth Control Pills and I think there is a real correlation between the two. If you have problem with the pill this is probably not the birth control for you. If you have taken the pill and did well I think you should give this a try.

I just had the Mirena IUD put in one hour ago. This must be a record time frame but surely I can update it in a few months. The procedure was an uncomfortable intense cramping but not necessarily something I would consider painful - it didn't phase me at all. I have some continuing cramping and the ride home was not comfortable but it seems to be reducing an hour in. Seriously, I was anxious because I read so many claims of women who went into the doctor's office and had intense pain or had to grip a table - it was not nearly so bad and I have never had a child, so to all of you ladies out there - don't worry about it! I didn't even take pain killers beforehand and they didn't have to numb my cervix. It is SO worth it!

I had my IUD inserted at about 8 weeks post partum and I have a WONDERFUL doctor who gave me a cervical block first so I didn't feel a thing! So far I love it! I have had it for 6 months now and only had light spotting a few times and mild cramps a few times as well. I would recommend it to anyone, just make sure you ask for the cervical block for the insertion, otherwise you will feel pain like the previous posts.

I'm 45 yrs old, have not had a child, and had the Mirena IUD inserted 10 days ago. The procedure hurt like absolute hell. To the person who wrote earlier 'I felt like kicking my doctor in the head'... I totally concur! The first day was awful and while I do still have cramps they are not even close to that first day. I have had spotting every day, but nothing that a panty liner can't handle. Unless some horrific pain, infection, or other crisis occurs, I plan to keep the IUD for at least 6 months to give it a fair try. If it reduces or eliminates my periods, along with providing BC, it will be well worth the 5 minutes of pain ten days ago.

I am strongly considering the Mirena. For those of you who have gained weight or had acne break outs, where you on the pill just before the IUD? I have NO problems with the pill, but the IUD is more effective and stops the monthly period (supposidly). Just wondering who went straight from pill to Mirena and what your experiences were. Thanks!

I'm 32 and a mother of a 13 year old and a 9 year old. I had the mirena inserted this morning. The pain was more than expected but I could bear it. I just kept thinking to myself how much more pain I'd have to endure if I had another baby. I had my best friend in the room with me to help me get through it and I'm so glad she was there. She talked to me and helped keep me relaxed. She reminded me to breathe when the pressure of the insertion got bad. Because I started to hold my breath at one point. I suggest you bring a friend too if you're worried or having anxieties about the procedure. It does help to have someone there supporting you.

So far it's been about an hour and I'm still a little crampy but nothing too bad. I'm going to lay down and rest and continue to take my Aleve and be thankful that I have it done because now I don't have to worry about missing my pill.

I am a 21 year old mother of a 2 year old. I had the Mirena inserted last year around this time. When I first got it everyting was fine and I had normal periods and no side effects, now that my body has gotten used to a new friend, things have changed. My hormones are completely off balance. I now have a lot of tenderness in my breast nipples and I have these really vague cramps periodically ( not even time for my cycle). I also forgot to mention that my sex drive has dissappeared and my cycle is unestimated. Now when I have a cycle it for only a day and the rest I am spotting. At first I thought that I was expecting then when I realized I was tremendously bloated I was okay. YIKES!!!! I am thinking of having it removed because the pains that I am having are not at all fun.

I had my Mirena inserted on September 8th, 2008 - about two weeks ago. I'm a 24 year old who has never had children, in a committed relationship, looking for an alternative to birth control pills and condoms. Here's my experience so far:

Insertion (which took place while I was menstruating) was super painful (as expected), making "this might be a little uncomfortable" the understatement of the month. Good lord, having kids must hurt! I wasn't sure if I needed to throw up, pass out, or toot... Vegas nerve, perhaps? I had to make a conscious effort not to kick the doctor. Needless to say, I was a little ginger the rest of the day.

SIDE EFFECTS thus far include an elongated, period trickling down to spotting and stopping completely by mid-week two. Pretty bad cramping, but other than the fact that they accompanied a rather long period, the cramps were nothing more painful than those of my period. My chin broke out big time which seems to have subsided by mid-week two, with a few stragglers. Experienced some slight mood imbalance, but nothing like the craziness of Yaz. Significant bloating and I gained four pounds by week two, but I need to note that I haven't been working out at all on account of not feeling well. The one side effect I pray subsides is my sex drive. I can't seem to find it. Hopefully it'll turn up in the next few months.

Now, here's the fun part: as my spotting subsided by week two, a delightful little yeast infection developed, which was resistant to all over the counter medications. So, I went into the doc and got the serious yeast bomb(Terazol suppository), and stocked up on some pro-biotics (Fem-dolphilus). They told me that's a natural vaggie reaction to having a new buddy up there cranking out hormones. I also bicycle a whole lot, which probably didn't help. While he was up there, he made sure the strings were in the right place.

So, excited to try out my new toy and finding myself newly yeast-less, I got it on a little too vigorously over the weekend (but, hey, he couldn't feel any strings!), and ended up with a classy little UTI. Now, while I'm sure this is a prime example of "honeymoon cystitis", the fact that I have a yeast-prone pussy makes me cringe at the thought of anti-biotics. But, here I am on week three throwing back two ciprofloxacin's a day. I had the doc hook me up with some more Terzol, in case I started to bake bread again.

And here I am! First week was hell, second week was significantly better, and after I kick this UTI, I'm looking forward to exponentially fewer side effects as each week goes by. I'd have to say that my biggest fear would be the IUD moving out of place and getting pregnant with it up there. I'm thinking that's where the hormones come in.

Hopefully this post will help other ladies make their choices about their reproductive options. Let's hear it for having options at all!

Well where do I begin? I used Marina and everything seemed great it worked with no pain, headaches, cramping, ect. I was suppose to get my period between the 16-19th of every month but I didn't see it, by the way I usually have irregular periods. I got a call from my doctor who had given me a blood test 4 days ago. He called and told me that my HCG levels were a bit high so I thought to myself that I probably just have a high level of that hormone in my blood. Yeah right! I took a home pregnancy test and it was positive!!!!! The crazy thing is I figured it got pushed out. Nop its still there what the heck are the odds?!! 1 in 100 women using the IUD in ten years is what it is. I thought this was more then 99% accurate? Well I guess I'm that 1%. Just a warning, make sure to check up on this thing I guess?

I am 28 years old and never had a child. I tried different methods of birt contol but nothing seems to work for me. I started off with Ortho Tri Cyclen LO but it was giving me horrible side effects (headaches, nausea, dizziness and acne), I swithed over to Yaz, Apri - the same story. Then my doctor put me on the mini pill MICRONOR (one hormone only) but it gave me very bad mood swings. I was ready to give up until I found the IUD. I had my Paragard IUD put in August 23rd. Everything seemed good, no side effects, no pains and no headaches. I thought I finally found something that would make my life easier. I got my first period while beind on the IUD on September 17th and today on September 20th my search for good birth control method starts again. I just found out that my body rejected this method as well. It's very rare and they give it only 5.7%. It got pushed out from my uterus due to a heavy period. That's what my doctor told me. I checked for the strings to see if it was still in position and I felt the whole bottom of the IUD. I knew than that it failed. My doctor recommends putting the Mirena in but with my previous exeperiences I am afraid my body is going to reject that too. He says that if puts the copper IUD back in it's going to be pushed out again. I don't know what to do anymore... I can use condoms but to me they are mood killers! and some of them make me itch. Does anyone have the same problem/ I hope not for your sake :-)

I had the Mirena installed on June 16, 2008 (3days after I started my period). My cycle lasted from June 13th to June 21st after the insertion.At this time my daughter was four months old and it was the first cycle after I had her. On June 24th, my boyfriend and I had sex and he could feel the strings and it was a little uncomfortable for the both of us. I started bleeding again on June 25th and bled until July 30th. I went on vacation and didn't have any spotting or bleeding. I thought this was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Then I started have acne on the side of my face, really big bumps, like 2 or 3 and I would have like weird feelings, like anxiety and just feeling outta sorts. Well on September 10th and 11th I had to miss work because I was nauseated and I thought I had the flu virus that was going around at work. (two of my co-workers were out as well). So I came in Friday, September 12 and my co-worker, when she found out I was nauseated asked me if I was pregnant. I told her no way because my mirena is in place and working fine. I went home that night and took a pregnancy test. I didn't even have to wait 20 seconds before it showed up positive. I called my doctor on 9/15/2008 and she penciled me in. They took another pregnancy test and it was positive. The did an ultrasound and the Mirena is still in place. So they said they would remove it, and when they tried, she couldn't find it. While she was still in there, the ultrasound tech did another ultrasound to guide her to the IUD and she couldn't reach it. Apparently the strings can't be found. So now I have a 7 month old and 7 weeks pregnant with a Mirena still in there and extra hormones etc. After they tried to remove it I had some spotting and a yellowish slimy discharge but then it went away.

I've had the Mirena IUD for about a year now. I'm sched to have it removed b/c of all the side effects. I'm experiencing terrible breast soreness, sexual interest decrease, bloating. I exercise, supplement, and eat exteremly healthy (mostly whole food) - so I couldn't figure out where all this was coming from until I spoke to a friend who also had thE Mirena. The hormones are messing me up.

After I had my first unexpected child I decided to get the IUD Mirena. Then the pimply faced break outs started. My skin was clear and glowing while I was prego, but I couldn't quite figure out why my face started breaking out after I had the baby...then I thought of the only thing inside of me that could be the cause: My Mirena. Lo and behold I googled "Mirena" and break-outs" and found that I wasn't the only one experiencing this issue. It also made me lactate less after a few months of breast-feeding, and I'm spotting now as opposed to regular periods, but no complaints there. My advice is if you love your clear skin then steer away from Mirena and stick with something that will help or have no effect on your skin, other than that it's an effective birth control and no weight gain for me; I actually lost weight.

I am 26 years old. I have three boys. I wasnt sure if i would want anymore children so i didnt get my tubes tied. I heard that the IUD was a great option! I HATE IT!! My periods are irregular sometimes lasting up to 2 weeks sometimes more. There are times that I dont get a period but i will have a foul discharge for that week! ITS AWFUL! i cramp witch i never had to deal with before. i have never had acne but i do now. my husband hates it, it hurts him during intercourse. the strings poke him and i have gone twice to cut the wires down but still very uncomfortable for him. i am planning to have it removed!!

I am a 21 year old mom of two adorable boys, my husband and I decided to use Mirena after our second child was born.
My doctor told me that Mirena was a perfect choice for me because I am a healthy person, that discomfort and complications would be minimal because I was nursing but that he would prefer to wait until 12 weeks postpartum to let my uterus adjust completely.
I have to admit that I am so fortunate to find such a caring OBGYN, Dr. Daren Watts is the best of the bests!
Anyways, I went to my appointment with my whole family, the doctor came in and told me that the procedure would be quick and simple and that because he had to go and do an emergency c-section he would not be able to stay and chat.
As he begun with the procedure, he kept me informed as to what he was doing step by step, I was so grateful to know that he was using anesthesia on my cervix because I had forgotten to take pain relievers. I did not feel any pain or discomfort, the procedure was complete in less than two minutes and was advised to call him if I had concerns but that otherwise he would see me at my next check up. I was just static!
I went back to see him a week later because I was feeling the strings almost at the entrance of my vagina and was horrified by the thought that the Mirena could be coming out, I did not want to get pregnant yet!
Well, it turned out that the Mirena was in the right place and working just fine but that my string seemed too long because the passage in my vagina is short, he went ahead and cut the strings in half and now I feel absolutely no discomfort. Sex is no longer uncomfortable, mostly because my husband knows how deep he can go before he gets poked, and I love, absolutely love my Mirena. The spoting lasted about a month along with mood swings, but I am happy to report that tampons, liners and yelling are no longer needed, well, at least for five years. The best thing about this is that when my doctor removes it, my husband and I can get pregnant right away! But for now I am enjoying being spontaneous and care free! :D

I didn't want to worry about forgetting pills-working and having little children. The insertion hurt like hell-even after having two kids. After I had the insertion I had this nagging cramp on the lower left side of abdomen. However, it went away and all was fine. I can't tell that I feel different or anything on it. Anyway what are your choices, get surgery? get pregnant (god no) or have to remember a stupid pill. I think you have to remember that your mind can play awful games on you if you let it.

i think iud is the best birth control you can find

OK - I read all this stuff before I had Mirena put in and an almost did not show for my appointment - I am 34 and have had 1 twin pregnancy - for all of you who are seeking comfort read this --- I had the merina put in while I was on my period. Was it comfortable - no - was it the worst pain ever - not even by a long shot! I had a Kidney stone that mounted this easily - 2nd only to giving birth to twins by c-section. Any way- that was in April - GREAT news!! I have not had my period since! The first month I felt very PMS had some on and off cramping and I could have sworn i could feel it and I spotted on and off - but nothing a panty liner could not handle. But after that - have not had any issues - no mood changes, I cant feel it, no weight gain (in fact I lost 3 lbs) and my sex drive is the same... I would highly recommend this - if you are someone who is very sensative or gets wound up about stuff ( you know who you are) you could easily blame all the problems of the world on this tiny little device - if you're not stop reading these crazy sites and driving your self nuts!!!

I've made an appointment to get Mirena IUD put in (after doing some research) and I thought i'd continue to read up about it until my appointment... good lord there are some scary testimonies on the internet! Now I am not so sure... did anyone gain a lot of weight? I've read about the cramping and spotting, but the weight gain is new to me and I'm just looking for some advice... thanks!!!!

I had my marina IUD inserted about 10 months ago and it has changed my life . No more awful continuous bleeding and cramps . I would advise any woman to take this root first, before having major surgery . My doctor was right he said you have to give it 3 to 6 months before having it removed [which I'm not going to do] Good luck ladies

I had my Mirena IUD inserted about a month ago, and I have to admit, the insertion was more painful than I expected. I'm 40 and have never been pregnant, so I'm sure that makes a difference. It didn't take long, though, probably about 5-6 minutes total, so I could stand it. Since then, I've had the very very light spotting pretty much daily that I anticipated and some light cramps and back pain. I think I just had my regular period, but it's kind of hard to tell, because it was pretty light as well. I'm guessing I'll have to wait a couple months or so to find out when my regular cycle is (as I've gotten older things are changing in that area anyway). But I highly recommend the IUD for women for whom other birth control methods can't or won't work (I can't take the pill for medical reasons). The short pain during insertion is a small price to pay for 5 years of pregnancy protection.

I LOVE my Mirena!!! I wish I had gotten one years ago. Insertion wasn't painful at all. I've never had kids, so I was a little nervous about the pain, but I took 4 Midol 30 min before I went and it was seriously like having a mildly uncomfortable pap smear. I talked to the nurse throughout the whole thing. It only took 2 minutes! I had cramping for about 20 minutes afterwards, like the kind you get on a period, but that was it! I highly recommend getting it inserted when you're on your period because your cervix is already slightly opened, so its less painful. I haven't had any problems with spotting or side effects, so I am a very happy customer, and so is my partner. I almost talked myself out of getting one because I had read so many horror stories on the internet. I don't understand why people thought it was so painful. I suppose everyone is different, but if you prepare yourself before hand it shouldn't be that bad. Ultimately, the decision should be made between you and your doctor. Do not let all the horror stories scare you. Remember that there is an even greater number of women out there that are perfectly happy with their Mirena, they're just not posting because they're out having fabulous sex :)

I HAD THE PARAGARD SINCE APRIL 2008 CANT SAY I REALLY LIKE IT I SPOTTED UNTIL I CAME ON MY PERIOD THE NEXT MONTH. I'VE HAD BACTIARIA VAGANOSIS (BV) ONCE ALREADY THINK I HAVE AGAIN BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME SYMPTOMS ODOR AND DISCHARGE, MY FIRST PERIOD WAS REALLY HEAVY STAYED ON FOR 7 DAYS AND MY SECOND PERIOD WAS FOR 7 DAYS BUT IT WASN'T HEAVY AS THE FIRST TIME. I MET ANOTHER GIRL WHO GOT THE PARGARD SHE GOT BV 3 TIME BEOFRE SHE REMOVED IT. I HAVNT READ ANYONE ELSES STORY IF THEY GOT BV. I WONDER IF BV ALWAYS HAPPENS IF SO I REALLY WILL D/C CUZ BV IS GROSS. I TRY IT OUT FOR ANOTHER MONTH AND SEE WHATS HAPPENS NEXT.

I got the paragard put in three days ago and it hurt. Not a lot but It was uncomfortable.after I got really bad cramping for about three hours that hurt.then it just went away and now there is no cramping. I was so sick of the hormones I would do it again if it means no kids for that long.I guess I will find out how the periods Will be.

estuve usando mirena por 2 anos y estaba bien hasta que empece a tener problemas como de menopausia fui a otro ginecoloco y me dijo que la mirena estab generando mas hormaona de lo normal, cuando se suponia que debia durar 5!!! anos. Tuve muchos problemas despues de que me la quite, hasta se me hizo un nodulo en un seno por exceso de hormona en mi cuerpo y me tuve que operar. Es un terrible metodo