I know there's another thread called "birth control" but my question is type-specific. For all you ladies that have/had an IUD I have a few questions:

1. Did it hurt being put in?
2. Did you bleed afterwards? How long?
3. Did your periods continue regularly?
4. Could your partner feel it during intercourse? (This is actually my boyfriend's concern, not mine!!)
5. Would you recommend it? Why/why not?

I know every woman is different and I know not all responses are typical. I just want to know from people who have had it first-hand. My doctor is a man so he can't help me and his nurses all had tubal ligation after their kids and have never had an IUD.

Thanks ladies. :)

I don't have one myself, but my mother recently (about 6 months ago) was in the hospital at an outpatient facility for a minor surgery. Her bed mate, was a woman who had needed an immediate surgery due to a rotten IUD inside of her.

My other girlfriend had excessive pain and eventually had to have it removed within the first 4 months.

I hope that it works out for you better. Me? I just don't feel comfortable with something in me.

My other girlfriend had excessive pain and eventually had to have it removed within the first 4 months


that happened to me too :(

I personally haven't had one, but I know a girl who did. She had it removed after a few months due to the pain it caused her.

She apparently had no idea how to use birth control that wasn't given to her in shot form or put inside her uterus, because she's got two kids and is pregnant with number three.

It was uncomfortable being put in but it went really quick.
I bled for about 2-3 days, but it was mostly a mucus discharge tinged with blood.
My periods were irregular at first but then regulated afterwards.
Bill could feel it once in a while pending on cervical position during my cycle.
I had some issues with it - I gained about 50 lbs while I was on it over a period of 2.5 years.. but over all, it was the best birth control that I've ever had.

I had minimal cramping when I put mine in. Just took some tylenol before hand and I was fine the next day.
I didn't bleed at all. I think I got lucky.
I haven't had a period in... 3.5 years(I'm coming up on my 4 year date for it.) When I did bleed, it was more spotting for a day or two and then it was gone.
I haven't had anyone say they could feel it, so I don't know.
I'd recommend it! I love it. Nothing to worry about for 5 years, I haven't had any issues at all. I didn't gain any weight like I did when I was on Depo. My friend also got hers a month before mine and she hasn't had any complications, and loves hers also. :)

the depo is the devil!! i was on that and never again!! mood swings like a mofo and weight gain in all the WRONG places!! lol

@ Fearless, oh I know! I gained back like 35-40 pounds after I had just lost it after having my son! I won't ever go back on that stupid birth control. I'll stick to my Mirena IUD. lol. :)

yeah..i was cool with it until it made me feel pregnant! :/

My friend got one, I don't think it was Mirena. And she said when she had sex it was the worst pain she ever felt. Very uncomfortable. I don't know from personal experience though.

I have the Mirena, I love it. I think it is down to each and every persons body as to wether or not it will be accepted. I somehow am managing to skip periods! I was told they could get worse or improve and thankfully, I get a little discoloured discharge for a wipe or two, not a day or two but a wipe lol then it's gone! If it goes on longer I know I will have a period. I have had mine in nearly a year now. My fella could feel the threads with his fingers but the nurse who put it in left them long due to having a long cervix. Personally I would say yes but untill you have tried it you don't know how your body will react with it.

My friend had issues with hers.. it moved and caused a lot of bleeding and she ended up having it removed.

There is also the Implanon.. I have it and love it so far.. Its breastfeeding safe (cant remember if you are gonna breastfeed or not).. lasts for 3 years.. and so far I only had the initial 'get used to it' bleeding for a week.. and nothing since.. I've had it since April.. The only part of putting it in that hurt was the numbing shot.. and then afterward, it was bruised for a few days.. Its very easy to check.. all ya gotta do is feel your arm

My best friend has had an IUD for over a year now and had nothing but problems with it, she litterally bleeds/spots every week to week and a half, when she has sex she bleeds and says it hurts, and she says that her perios are worse now than before... :S

The.Answer also has a very interesting story about a friend of his who had one if he would be willing to share with you.

My friend has had the mirena for three years and she has never had any problems with it at all, she had it placed after having her daughter.

*wishes she could 'reply to all'*
Are the IUDs you guys are talking about the Mirena or the copper IUD? I'm curious. The copper one (if that's what you're referring to when you say IUD) does not sound cool.

@lithium layouts -- I was referring to Mirena :) The copper IUD scared me silly so I got Mirena.

My sister-in-law had Mirena and it ended up puncturing a hole in her uterine wall, she had to have it removed along with scar tissue. She has really bad pains & bleeding, so she went to the doc and they did an ultrasound & discovered it.

ugh! I wanted to get Mirena so bad. GRRRR! I hate trying to find contraceptives.

shit.. ur not the only one!! i want the mirena BUT i have to pay $700-$800 UPFRONT!!!

whoa! In the UK it is covered by the NHS, the system maybe crap at times but it does have its perks!

HOLY CRAP! Get the implanon mama! Way cheaper.

implanon FTW... but mine was free with pregnancy medicaid.. yay medicaid :)

The copper one scares me! I looked into the Implanon and it just makes me nervous. It could break and be impossible to remove without a surgical procedure, etc.

I'm getting the Mirena either way - I just wanted to see people's personal stories.

I loved my Mirena. It was, hands down, the BEST birth control method I have ever used!

1) It was very minimal pain being put in (hurt more having it taken out).
2) I only spotted a little afterwards for like a day.
3) My "period" was very regular. I put that in quotes because my period consisted of spotting for about a day and that was that.
4) My husband said he could feel it every once in a while in certain positions, but usually no.
5) I would absolutely recommend it. We're trying for baby #2, but I will get another Mirena afterwards!

Yeah, implanon makes me nervous as well.
Bill and I are going do the family planning method (worked great for us before we got pregnant and we were actively preventing.. then the month we tried to get pregnant we did) and we're probably going to use spermicidal lube as well..
hormonal b/c are so hard for me to find one that works and esp. w/ me wanting to breastfeed, I dont want anything in my system that could mess w/ milk supply