i just got back from my doctors and they are putting me on a pill that is in the middle of the first pill i started and the pill i am on now. the reason why i have been feeling the way i am is because of the amount of estrogen that has been put into my body. they told me that i could use an IUD or Implanon for birth control method because they do not have estrogen in them. How painful is it to get the IUD inserted in you?

the insertion doesnt hurt, just mild cramps. but u have to be on ur period to get any IUD placed. which is rather annoying b.c im suppose to get the mirena but my period has MIA!!!

I think this varies by physician. I was menstruating either time I had it placed.

**WASNT

u'r lucky!! i wish i didnt have to be on my period. its bad enough having it ya know!!!

also if u'r getting the paraguard IUD, expect lots of cramps!! they would get so bad that my legs would go numb. (yes red, i know every body is different.)

yeah that is what she said to me when i went in today. i guess from the sounds of it, i like the IUD idea.

Actually you don't have to be on your period to have it placed, it's just easier and less painful for you if they do it. I had mine done when I wasn't on my period, and they didn't care one way or the other.

I suggest you look up Implanon side effects. My partner had the Implanon for almost 2 years. She lost so much hair and gained a lot of weight. She got the Implanon because she was told that it'd be good for her PCOS but after looking it up, she found out that it wasn't good for people with PCOS. So I suggest you look up Implanon before you decide if you want to get it. As for IUD, I have no idea but I think that it is quite effective, more than tying your tubes anyway.

I have PCOS (but have been on Metformin for it since I was 15 so it's very controlled) and the contraception that was always recommended was the pill, and the particular brand was Yasmin. Who knows why! But I've been on that for a year and a half and have had no problems touch wood.

IUDs petrify me. There is no way I would get one put inside me. Oh my god! If my pill doesn't suit me I can just stop taking it, but if something goes wrong with the implant or an IUD it would require a visit to the doctor :-/

true, i was thinking of that.

i looked up the side effects for implanon and read the brochure the doctor gave me about it. i did not like what i read so i don't think i'll be using that one at all.

If you read the information for all contraception, you probably wont like it!

the implanon one cans sometimes give you hair loss! that's kind of scary.

I had a Paragard inserted last year. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

I assume you're in the US, which means that your choice for IUDs is limited to Paragard (copper, non-hormonal) or Mirena (plastic, hormonal). I chose the former because given my history of depression I didn't want to screw around with hormones. The hormones used in Mirena are localized and are in a less dosage than the average birth control pill, so

IUDs are recommended for women who've already been pregnant/have children as their uteruses are more used to having something there, but even if you haven't you can still have one implanted. I had never even had sex before mine was put in. All this really means is that your chances of expulsion are higher, by which I mean it's about 10%.

It's also recommended that you're on your period when you get one inserted, but mine was inserted after my period was over (but I kind of had special circumstances; I was going to move halfway across the country soon). Because of this, I was given a pill that I had to insert vaginally to open up my cervix so that it would be easier to insert it. Had mild cramping that day, but it didn't bother me really (but then again I'm good about dealing with pain). When it was inserted, I felt a sharp pain for a few seconds when it was stuck in and that was that. I was told that I would still be cramping while my body got used the IUD, and by the next day it was gone.

Since then, it's been a breeze. I don't have to worry about taking a pill every day, I don't have to go through insurance and buy more BC since I already paid for the IUD and insertion (which is excellent for me since I don't have insurance), I really don't have to think about it.

I know nothing about Implanon, so I can't say anything about that. Do you have an LJ account? There's this community called vagina_pagina that deals with a lot of these issues, and you could get advice from people who really know their stuff.

Do you have a child/children? I have had Mirena (IUD) twice, and I love it. They normally dont like to go that route if you havent had a child, since your cervix has never been dilated before. If you have had a kid, your cervix never fully closes back up.. so the insertion really isnt that bad. My midwife uses stuff called hurricane spray, which numbs the area... its just a little uncomfortable, but nothing worse than an exam.
Just make sure you check your strings regularly. Mine came loose on on side and I didnt realize it until it was too late, hence baby # 5. LOL. All around though, its the only b/c I have ever liked.

i do not have a child or children. my doctor said that recently they have found that giving this type of bc to women who have not had children did no harm to them apparently. i'm glad it's nothing worse than an exam. sounds like it's pretty easy rather than taking the pill every day.

My gynecologist told me the same thing. With the new IUDs (the ones that are not copper, like Mirena) are used regularly in women who have not had children because these IUDs don't seem to have the same effect on women (such as problems with fertility afterwards). I considered an IUD, but I didn't see having one placed just to have it taken out less than a year later when I want to start trying to conceive, lol.

I was told that I needed to be on my period for an IUD called Paragard. The lady told me that she always places IUDs on periods because that is the best way (though still not foolproof) for her to know with confidence you aren't pregnant (or didn't get pregnant between consulting and insertion).

Mirena has hormones. It will probably be the best for you because it regulates like most other birth controls (pill, ring, patch) in addition to the copper killing sperm. What I have, Paragard, is not hormonal. So my body gets all those 'period aches' and crappiness. However, Paragard lasts between 5-7 years longer than Mirena and was about $400 bucks cheaper through Planned Parenthood (income based). Obviously money was the primary issue here.

I haven't had a kid yet. So not to freak you out or anything, but the insertion of the IUD was freaking hell for me. As a matter of fact, while I was writhing on the bed feeling like my cervix was being forcibly removed from my body via tugging it out, the assistant attempted to joke with me about how if I thought this sucked, wait until I give birth. Needless to say, not only do I DISLIKE babies and had just recently come around to considering having children... when the assistant told me how much more painful giving birth was going to be... that came damn close to sealing the deal on adopting. lol.

As for post-insertion, I was told in about 3-4 hours I would ache but be fine. Well, I went to work for a mere 4 hour shift and couldn't bend at the waste. Sleeping that night was horrible. The next day was bearable but still crappy. Then I felt alright.

When I get the money (in a comfortable two years), I will switch to Mirena because my cramps and flow suck without my beloved NuvaRing [it got too expensive]. Despite the pain that I went through to get the damn thing put in, I will be willing to go back in and have Paragard removed and replaced with Mirena. So after the pain, yes, I find it worth it.

i wanted to go on nuvaring but my insurance does not cover that unforunately. i heard that the process of inserting it feels like you are just getting an exam and stuff. i guess it's different for everyone. thank you for your input though, i really appreciate it!

I did NuvaRing, and it was great. I think if I ever DO go back on BC, it'll be NuvaRing. I *ALMOST* got an IUD (Mirena), however, after reading the complications other women have had, I decided against it. Sure, everyone is different, but it wasn't worth risking my fertility just for BC.

I loved the NuvaRing, but my insurance doesn't cover birth control, period, so the NuvaRing was nearly $60/month for me. WAYYY too ridiculous!

Same for me, getting an IUD inserted was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. I had terrible cramps for the rest of the night, 10x worse than any regular period cramp. On the flip side, getting it removed was a cinch. I'm surprised that most people seemed to have it so easy, just thinking about it makes my cervix ache.

i was on paraguard like rhapsody and, like her, had cramps beyond everything (not the insertion, but my actual periods). i switched it out for a marina and have bragged and bragged about my BC every chance i get.

I work with a bunch of men and they all know how much i love my marina :)

first-- no period for 5 years after the initial 'shedding'.

I shall warn you: you shed your lining for about 3 months. you bleed (not heavy--medium flow) for 3-4 weeks after insertion. then it gets spotty, after 3 months you don't really have a period.

you don't have to have it put in while on your period. they suggest it because it's less stressful on the body and less painful.

good luck in your decision!

thank you for your post! :)