to iud or not?
when you go to get it, have someone drive you home YES. Most enthusiastically yes, do not try to drive yourself home. I couldn’t sit up straight. Also wear loose pants, or a non-constricting skirt or dress, or pajamas. Bring a pad. I have the Mirena. I chose it because I was told the copper one was larger, I think? but I might have made that up; and that it tended to increase cramping and flow. I hadn’t been off hormonal since I was 19, so had no idea what my unmedicated adult cycle was like, but did not want to take the chance given that I had a significantly heavy and long period while on hormonal. I had some minor issues with hormonal BC — some weight gain, breast size increase, some mood stuff — that may or may not have been attributable, as I’d been on it since I was a teenager and in college, etc. I also had trouble changing pills — OrthoTriCyclen to OTC Lo to the generic of OTC; had mood swings and spotting for three months each time I changed. For the first few months I woul
I’ve posted in previous IUD threads, but just to reiterate: I have a Paraguard and I love it. I did have heavier periods (but no flooding) for the first few months, and there was some cramping, but I discovered the Advil trick, too. After nine months, though, I found I didn’t need the Advil anymore (and 600mg worked for me). The best thing overall for the cramps, though, was ThermaCare pads. I found I could reduce my Advil to 200-400mg (or none at all) with the pads. It’s gotten to the point now that I forget I have it at all. I really love the copper IUD and have become a bit of an evangelist on the subject. I was on hormonal birth control years ago, and had a stroke when I was 27 (ten years ago).
