Mirena IUD/ ParaGard (Copper) IUD

Sorry my response is so late--computer crashed.

I am 62 years old and I had and IUD in my 20's before anyone really ever heard of them and it was the greatest thing. I had no problems and at the time my Dr. was a pretty progressive-OB

Bets of luck

I love my Mirena. I had it put in 2 years ago... and outside of bad cramps the day that I had it put in I have had no problems. It is the best form of birth control that I have ever had!!!

The following was my response to another mom who made a similar request as yours...i still stand by the advice in it..

I really hate questions like this because everyone's experience is based on how their body responds to foreign objects and/or hormone therapy of any sort.

So what one person experiences is not necessarily going to be what you will experience. The reason I am telling you all of this is because my body (as with most of the women in my family) is incapable of absorbing added hormones properly. I have had sever endometriosis almost from the time I began having cycles when I was 11. The pill and all other formes of hormones to help "regulate" me have done nothing but make matters worse. Mirena has a hormone in it.

I was sent to a specialist for a hysterectomy and she talked me into trying the Mirena as a "last ditch" effort. At first it seemed to work.

By the end of the first year I was so sick all the time that my PCP had me tested for mono. The thing is my symptom were not typical of problems with an IUD, and were so gradual in coming on we never suspected that's what it could be.

I was so exhausted I could barely get out of bed to care for my 3 kids. I got sick if you looked at me cross-eyed or said "boo" And my pain from my cycles came back with a vengence.

The pain caused me to have the IUD removed, as I had not related the other stuff to my IUD as yet...I figured if I was going to still be in pain with it too, I didn't need to have it in. It took the doctor 4 attempts to pull the IUD out as it had managed to attach itself to my Uterus. That last pull was very painful. However, 2 to 4 days after the removal of the IUD all the other symptoms went away...

So...as this is atypical of what could happen, all it can do really, is make you more worried about any decision to get one. If your body is typically fine with the pill or the patch hormones, the only thing left is will it accept a foreigh body in your uterus? Mine did not.

I hope that you get responses from women out there who claim to have had a great experience. The problem is, that doesn't mean your body will respond as mine or as theirs...Ultimately, your body is your own and you have to make the decision based on how you have responded to other treatments in the past.

If you are the type who tends to get some or all of the "symptoms" to watch out for, then I would suggest not doing it. If you are the type who typically has no issues with other things you have done for your health, then go for it. You just won't know for sure until you try.

I wish this was one of those things that had a simple answer, but it isn't.

Good Luck... ;-)

I have had the Mirena iud for just under 5 months, and im a huge fan! It was almost pain free (slight cramping for a few days afterward) light (almost gone) cycles. I was told about it by a friend who has been using one for over 3 years with nothing but good things to say as well. We both opted for Mirena over the copper because it does have a very small of hormone which keeps mood swings at bay. Good luck, hope this helps!

I have had mine (Mirena) for about 2 years. I LOVE it, not having to worry about birth control. I was very fortunate and did not have any of the possible side affects upon insertion except minor cramping. Talking to a lot of the ladies I have met they have shared the same thing. Little to medium cramping for a few weeks to a month on and off. It is great! R.

I was trying to make the same decision just 6 months ago. I read as much as I could find to compare the two and decided to go with the Mirena. I LOVE IT. I wonder why I didn't do it earlier. I've had NO issues what so ever. Installation was just a few "pinches" and maybe 30 minutes of "cramping". I've forgotten that it is even there. I read about women who did have various issues and eventually had it removed. I was a little scared... but I thought... if I don't try it... I will never know if it works for me. If it doesn't, I'll remove it. So far, I wouldn't trade it for any thing. Remember, it is very "individual" and you'll never know until you try to see if it is for "you". The Mirena is awesome. Best of luck to you.

I just had the Mirena inserted last month and it has been wonderful. It was a little uncomfortable having it inserted but it only took about 3 minutes. I did bleed for 2 weeks afterwards (kind of like a long period) but that is very normal and haven't had any problems since. I used the pill for 6 years and am so glad I know am using this. I can tell that the hormone levels are less than the pill because I'm not moody and haven't seen any kind of water retention. So, my experience has been great so far. I recommend it and hope that whatever you choose works out well for you!

I have not used either of those devices, but a friend used Mirena about 2 years ago. Her husband & I noticed the change in her personality, but as they had a new baby & a 4 yr old, a stressful job & she was working on a Master's degree, we thought it was that. As my sweet, loving, caring friend became bitchy, rude, & almost mean, she & her husband did some research on the Mirena & found that it has that effect on some women. They ended up having it removed & within a week, she was back to normal.

I wouldn't say not to use something based on one experience, but you should research all the side effects & options. I personally can not use any form of birth control that has hormones in it, so surgery was my only option when I reached that point.

Good luck!

There is an article in this months "Cookie" mag on this birth control. The copper on lasts the longest.(10yrs) while the other is 5. (I think) It seems to be a pretty good one. No major side effects. See if you can look up the mag on-line to read the article.
good luck.

I just got the copper IUD about 2 months ago the cramps and bloating are painful and the heavy bleeding is finally slowing but I will put up with this becuase i would rather not deal with the hormonal effects of taking anything with hormones in it. other than those few things it isnt bad at all and for something long term i think it's the best alternative.

The IUD I think is the best I have a 25 month old i have no trouble with it.

I had the Mirena for only about 9 months. It was giving me really bad cramps. About once a week i would get just really horrible abdominal cramps....way worse than period cramps. So i had them take it out, and i haven't had the cramps since. I loved it until then though. Getting it inserted was HORRIBLE pain though!!! It was VERY uncomfortable. I'm sure that's different for everyone though. Getting it taken out though, i didn't even feel that.
Good luck to you in the decision you make!

I have one and only "problem" is I don't get my period anymore. But my understanding it that the lining doesn't build up at all, so I am cool with it.

I've given birth to two kids...and have had both types of IUD. I've tried every other kind of birth control and can't tolerate the hormones. The plain copper one made my periods super heavy and the string "disappeared" which freaked me out- I couldn't stand it, so after a couple of years I switched to Mirena. I would definitely recommend it! No side-effects and, after a year or so, I had no period (which some consider a plus).

Best of luck! Either way you choose, I've experienced the IUD to be a great choice.

Here's my experience with the copper IUD:

I got the IUD after the birth of my only child. Normally, I have fairly short, light periods; only 5-6 days, with 1-2 days of heavy flow. With the IUD, I had extended periods that would last 2 weeks, with the heaviest flow I've ever seen! Every month! It was so annoying, I had to have it taken out after only 9 months.

It's easy and convenient other than that. Having it put in is nothing. The slightest of cramping is all I felt.

Maybe you will have better luck!

I have had a unique experience with the Paragard. I have heard that most women have heavier periods with the copper iud versus the mirena, and I did experience that. But I also would occasionally feel a stabbing sensation during intercourse that the ob/gyn said I shouldn't feel. They said that it was just the position of my uterus or that I wasn't excited enough. I had the iud out a few months ago and I have not felt the stabbing sensation at all since then. Also, since then I have been to a naturopath, and through a hair analysis it was discovered that I have too much copper in my body. The naturopath explained that the estrogen in birth control pills (which I was on for years before I had kids) and the copper in the iud caused my body to store too much copper. Of course, if you try to ask the ob/gyn about this, they'll give you some standard response. Do a search on "excessive copper" or "copper toxicity", read a little, and then see how you feel about the decision. My hubby and I are back to good old-fashioned condoms, now!

I would have to recommend talking to your doctor about the Crieighton Method. NO pills or chemicals of any sort. You just have to educate your self sbout your body. If your doctor is familiar with it he'll tell you it's the most effective form of birth control. Look it up online or contact any natural family planning center for sessions and information. I know a lot of people, including myself that use this who are christian and non christian as well that have never had 1 unwanted pregnanacy, however I could immediatley list off at least 10 babies concieved over the last few years whose parents have used different forms of birth control including husbands getting a vasectomy.

Good Luck

I have had the Paragard since Feb 07. This one was recommended by my obgyn since my cycles have always been so regular. When I got the Paragard (which doesn't have any hormones unlike the Mirena that is for 5 years and Paragard is for 10 years) it made my cycle a little off and heavier,but I have been okay with that. Sometimes it can make sex a little uncomfortable when I am going to start my cycle within the next week or so. Other than that, I love it. I was not good at taking the pill so this was great for me and my hubby especially since we don't see us having anymore kids in the near future. Good Luck!

I had a Mirena IUD and loved it! It was so simple being inserted and also removing it. I had a bit of cramping when it was first inserted...but it didn't last long. The entire time it was in I did not have a period! That alone is reason to get it!

Good luck!

I got the mirena after my second child, which was in may of 2006. normally, my periods would be very heavy bleeding with severe cramps. with the mirena, i spot for 7 days before my cycle, have my cyle, and then spot for an additional 7 days. kinda sucks for hubby. one plus side is that the spotting has subsiding considerably to the point where i have bleeding for about 7 days total now. and cramps....HISTORY...good luck, and GOD bless!!!

I had the Mirena IUD inserted about two months ago. So far, I have not had any problems. The insertion was a little painful, but nothing compared to labor.

I have had teh Mirena for 8 mths now and i LOVE it. My periods where a little irregular at first but in the last 3 mths they have only been 2-3 days and very very light. it's a litte uncimfortable when the OB puts its in but once its in teh pain is over. i would recomend some tylenol before you go. HTH

hello mom_wow four boys that must be great!! anyway i had the paragard for 10 years and it was great i had no problems. for me it was safe secure and i did not have anything to worry about. my cycles were always regular with the few exceptions of some cramping. Everyones experience is different and you wont know until you try it.it is a trial and error just like any other birth control, everyone has a opinion but you are the one that will have the experience. good luck..
Rae..

I decided to go with the Paraguard because I wanted a non-hormonal alternative. That was almost 4 years ago. I had no pain whatsoever when it was implanted. HOWEVER, it does seem that I still have spotting between periods and my periods last about 10 days. My OB/GYn informed me that was the reason the Mirena was invented because of these side effects. I don't know but I heard with Mirena you stop having a period altogether. You may want to do some research on Paraguard's effectiveness. I had a scare once and read that women were still becoming pregnant with it. Good for you for wanting to be informed ahead of time.

Hi!

I had a Mirena IUD for almost 3 years. Getting it inserted was a bit uncomfortable, but well worth it. My doc just told me to take some ibuprofen before I came into the office, and it seemed to help. It was almost 5 years ago when I got it, but I don't remember much cramping; if I did, I guess they weren't bad enough to remember. I loved the Mirena; I didn't have periods after the first month... occasionally I had some spotting, but a pantyliner took care of it. As far as whether or not your husband will feel it when you have sex - mine didn't. The strings were never a problem. I personally don't have any experience with the copper one; but I do have a friend that has one, and as far as I know she hasn't had any problems with it.

:) good luck

I have had the Mirena IUD for about a year and have not had any problems. My periods have gotten much lighter and I am no longer bothered by bad cramps. A slight downside is that my periods are not as regular even though they are lighter.

i have the mirena and i have had no problems. i ran a high fever about an hour after i had it put in but that was it. i've had no other complications. it's been great not having to remember to take a pill.

I like it alot!! I got the Mirena a few months after having my daughter. She is now 2 1/2. Just like most said....a little uncomfortable with the insert, a little cramping and then after about 3 months I havent even had a period. A little spotting but that is all. I was 35 when I had it put in and for the same reasons as you. I used the nuvaring before my daughter for about 5 years and it was wonderful also. My plan is to have a new Mirena put in after this 5 years are over. No surgery here.

Hey there! I have had my Mirena IUD for 2 years now and it has been 100% trouble free! I have horrible reactions to the hormones that are in birth control pills~even the "low" dosed ones...I have not had any problems at all with my IUD. It is awesome! I had very minimal cramping after it was put in (which took about 2 minutes, literally) and have honestly forgotten it is there! My periods are still about what they have always been...so, I am not one of the lucky laides that don't have to contend with that monthly cycle. I have not heard such good things about the copper IUD, however. That is why I opted for the Mirena.
I hope this helps you in your decision...Best of luck!!
J.

Hi there,

I got the ParaGard IUD 5 years ago and have been happy with it for the most part. My only complaint is that I have spotting in between periods. My doctor did xrays, ultrasounds and a pelvic to make sure it wasn't anything serious. I do have some uterine fibroids that just make me heavy periods and in times of stress, I spot more. My doctor says some women do continue to spot after the initial first few months. I guess I am one of those people.

I nursed my youngest for 2 1/2 years and didn't want to be on hormones.

I figure every form of birth control has its drawbacks! Since I am a little incontinent I have to wear a panty liner anyway, so it catches the spotting as well. I don't have any pain or other discomfort associated with it, and I really forget it is there.

I think I am supposed to check for the strings every month, but I confess I don't do that very often! My doctor sometimes can't find them either at first, but eventually he does.

I like not having to keep spending the money and hassle every month at the pharmacy for the Pill and also having to remember to take it everyday.

I am 42, have two great little boys and am done having my kids. So the ParaGard IUD was a good choice for me. I was on the Pill for 8 years total and don't miss it other than the light periods.

Good luck to you.

Kim Howell

I had the Mirena for 3 1/2 years and loved it. I just had it removed so that we could have another baby, but I would gladly do it again. I had the same symptoms for about a month after insertion, but after that the periods got continually lighter to where for the last 2 1/2 years or so I didn't have to use anything, not even a pantyliner. Now that I'm having real periods again I really miss it.
On the other hand, my sister has had the Paragard for almost 3 years and has had some issues and as soon as they can afford it my BIL will get a snip and she will have it removed. She has had worse pre-menstrual symptoms and pretty bad bleeding during her periods (she says she goes through a big box of tampons per period plus some pads). Now let's keep in mind that my sister has a history of period problems and a tendency to overexaggerate.
So, there's my good, bad, and ugly of both. I do strongly recommend the Mirena, I loved it!!!

well I've had both... the paragard after I had my second daughter. It mysteriously expelled after 2 years.. and I had a son..I got the merena and it expelled within the first year. After my second son, I got the paragaurd again. Four children was enough for me.. however february of last year my husband went in for a vasectomy. I had my IUD removed only to find out I was already 6 weeks pregnant. My pregnancy sustained and I now have five children. my advice to you would be to have your husband consider a vasectomy, if you don't want the tubal.It will be the only way to keep the option of having more children in the future. the IUD is NOT 100%. I had horrible cramps and heavy bleeding and clotting during my menses. the presence of the IUD is suppose to make your uterus an unpleasant environment for a fetus, however, you can get pregnant. when I found out I was pregnant I came to the conclusion that my horrible cramps and heavy bleeding and clotting was not a normal period but possibly miscarriages every month or so. be very careful when making this decision. there a several forums on the web with similar stories to mine. some people say that IUD's are harmless and others feel that they can lead to infection and infertility. please consult with your physician ask as many questions as possible. be careful and good luck.

A friend of mine told me about the IUD (Mirena) after i had my son. I am 27 and would like to have another child but want that to be later. I do not like to take pills and sometimes they get skipped. I used the NuvaRing for about 4 years and liked it as well. I have had my IUD in for a little over a year and i have not had any problems. My doctor perfers the pill but i wanted something low maintenance. It's best if you have it inserted while you are on your period, this was recommended by my doctor. It makes it much easier to be inserted and you will not have much pain. Having it put in was not so bad. It was like a normal visit to the GynO and he inserted it, took about 2 minutes with a little pressure. I had some cramping for about 3 days, noth enough to have to take anything for it. Shortly after i had it put in my sister and a friend of her's had it done also. I highly recommend it and glad that i had it done. Mine is good for 5 years but you can have it removed before then if you decide to have another child. Good Luck!!

I had thearaGard for about three years. I had it before having kids so it did hurt quite a bit going in. But only for about a week. My periods were heavier and my cramps worse than before, but nothing horrible or more than I could handle.

My favorite part was not having any hormones. After being on various birth controls over the years, I wanted to give my body a break! I liked it so much that I plan to get it again after having my baby.

Wow! You have gotten a lot of responses! I am 30 and after five kids I got the Mirena IUD. I have had it for 3 months and I liked it for the first two months. After the initial bleeding/spotting, which lasted about 3 weeks for me, it has made my periods lighter but they do last a few days longer. Before getting the IUD I got cysts on my ovaries around the time that I ovulate. I still get those but the pain that they cause seems to be getting worse, bad enough that I had to take Lortab with my last cycle to relieve the pain. I normally refuse to take narcotics, even after childbirth, but 800mg of ibuprofen failed to relieve the pain and usually 200-400mg will work. If the pain returns next cycle, I may consider getting it removed and go back to tracking my days. We never had an "oops" with the tracking method in the 10 years I used it. But, if I can get the pain under control in a safer/healthier way, I will definitely continue to use Mirena.

The good the bad and the ugly huh? Well lets start with the good. The Paragaurd is hormone free. Always an excellent choice (I love mine.) It takes one visit and you're done, no more having to remember your pill. And you can be spontanious, no stopping to put in/ on your diaphram sponge or condom. The mirena lasts for five years, and the paraguard for 10. The bad. It hurts like crazy if you didn't have your children vaginally. And it still hurts some if you did. Make sure you take 800mg of ibuprofen before your appointment. If they trim the strings wrong your husband my claim he feels them. They need to be short but not too short. You should be able to feel them internally while on your period. Cramping during your period becomes immense for about 6 months.Then either you get used to it or it subsides, I haven't figured out which yet. Which brings us to the ugly. When you are on your period with the paraguard you are going to bleed like a stuck pig. You'll be using your overnights during the day. But that also subsides to only a few days after a little while. On a personal note I love mine. After I have this one removed to have another baby I'm going to go right back to the same thing. Hope this helps in you decision.

I got the mirena iud in march and it is great. i will last for three years and you et a one day period or no period later.

Hello! I received the Mirena IUD in mid-March and absolutely love it. The procedure itself is kind of painful but other than that I could not ask for a better form of birth control... no pill, no patch, no shot... absolutely nothing to worry about for 5 years!! Another plus... my cycle has went from every 4 weeks with serious bleeding to every 6 weeks with spotting!!!!!!!!

My vote... go for it!!

I have had mine Paragaurd for less than 6 mo. so it may get better, but I already love it!! I do have HEAVY periods and much more cramping, but this month wasn't as bad as before, so maybe it will get better! No hormones which is get for me because I had negitive side effects with the version of the pill I was taking before, although I loved my nuva ring. Good luck! I <3 my IUD! the measuring/insertion is a bit painful but passes quickly! I would recommend it to any even remotely monogomous woman.

Have you considered going with the Implanon?
If you don't know what that is, look it up online.
I had the "Norplant" when I was younger which I know
they don't use that anymore due to side effects, but
since then they have fine tuned it and now do the implanon.
My daughter has had it for about 4 months now. No side effects and no worries for three years to come. It was
highly recommended by our OBGYN and after three years,
she can birth control free if that's what she chooses.
Our insurance did cover every bit of it except the co-pay.
Good luck!

hi Mom
my evoerice is dont get the cooper ones i dont know about the new onesi've had a hysterratmysince then but i had a bad infecftion with the cooper 1 andno of of others that did do
good luck L.

I have used both. I first used the ParaGard after the birth of my first child. I didn't find out until after I had it inserted that endometriosis runs in my family (thanks to sisters and a mom who never talked about that stuff at the time). This IUD cause my periods to be really heavy and which in turn caused my hereditary endometriosis to flare up. I'm not saying it caused it but it didn't help. So I had it removed.
After the birth of my 3rd child I got the Mirena since the hormones with it were going to cause lighter periods. Well I went back 2 weeks after it was inserted just to make sure it ws in place still and the doctor couldn't find it. I had to go into emergency surgery (this was the last day of my insurance coverage.) They found the thing in the cavity behind my uterus. Sometime in the first 2 weeks of having it perforated my uterus and left it. I think it was within the first 2 days because I was in a bit of pain. but then the pain left so I didn't think anything of it. I think the dr. accidentally inserted it wrong. So I've had somewhat negative experiences with both. With that being said, my sister has loved her mirena and my sis-n-law has loved her Copper IUD.
I now have Implanon and love it. It's an implant in the arm that is about the size of a matchstick that slowly releases low doses of hormones. It's safe to use when breastfeeding. Some people complain about irregular bleeding but I've only had one period (about 1 week after insertion) and I haven't had one since. I'v had it for about 4 months now. I too have 4 kids. 4 is enough for me but I'm not ready for anything permanent yet. The Implanon last for 3 years. Hope that helps.

Hi, i had to response to read other responses because i am planing to see my gyn for the same reason.
Thanks

I'm 41, have a baby boy, and have gotten the Mirena IUD since he was born. I love it. I've had no side effects at all, the doctor inserted it very easily and in doing all my research I found it to be better than the copper. They have a great website that gives a lot of info.

I had Mirena put in twice. Both times it slipped within the first two weeks, scraped the uterus, and when it was removed there was a huge amount of blood backed up behind it. I bled for about two weeks afterward and now have scaring. I wouldn't trust it at all.

I had the Mirena and loved it!!! It was a little uncomfortable going in but once done it was nothing. I didn't know I had anything in and it was so nice not having to remember any pill or other forms of birth control. It worked GREAT for me!

Hello, I had a paraguard put in and the whole experience was horrible I bled for 3 wks with terrible cramping. I went back to the dr and the IUD had turned sideways. I had to have it removed which wasnt a good experience either. I am a mom with 2 boys and have recently decided to have my tubes tied and it was the best decision.It was quick and easy and most times reversible or artificial insemination is an option if you choose to have another child.

Okay so the ugly...here goes..After having our fourth child I decided to get the Mirena. Whats not to like about not having a period and having crazy sex all the time without worry for five years? Well for me after three months I had to have the Mirena removed. I am in the small percentage of women that it does not work for (5%). Actually no BCM with hormones will be good for me. With the Mirena I became extremely depressed (didn't even want to hug my kids), I lost my sex drive completely, my hair fell out by the handfuls, and I got very severe migraines. This is because I have bad reactions to synthetic hormones.
The good part was that after one month I didn't have a period. If not for the bad reaction I would of kept it in. Just watch yourself for the first few months and if you have any changes with mood and stuff go take it out. It is not worth living miserably. Unfortunately I cannot do any form of BC.
Also look into Essure if you are sure you do not want anymore kids. It is an in office procedure that is permanent and will only cost you your copay if your insurance covers it. I was going to do it until we thought about having more kids in a few years. I hope this helps in your decision making process.
Plus I have two friends on Mirena and it works well for them.

I still have mine and while it is working, I am not sure I would do it again. For the first 3 months or so I had lots of cramping and pain. The worst part of it all was my insurance would not cover it, medical or prescription. Be sure and check with them before doing anything or you might be surprised when you get a bill in the mail for it and mine was not cheap ($600).

I had the IUD two years ago. My husband complained of it poking him when we had sex. When I talked to my DR he said that it is difficult to get the string the right length. If you get it too short it will poke them, but if you get it too long they will feel it also. After talking to many other women, I learned they had the same complaints. I ended up getting mine removed because our sex life was already stressed with 2 kids..I then got the Nuvaring...and I loved it! Good luck though!!!

I have the Mirena for 4 yrs now and I LOVE it. I have not had a period for last 3 1/2 yrs. No mood swings, no bloating, nothing. You don't even know it's there! I have 2 wonderful children and have no intentions of having anymore. I will most likely get another put in next year when my 5 years are up. It was not the most pleasant experience when they put it in, alot of cramping, but they went away by the end of the day. Hope this helps!!

Well i have the Mirena and it has work pretty great for me. They have had to trim the sting, but I do not have any horrible story for you.

I had the Mirena for two years and really liked it. My periods went from 7 days of heavy to two or three days of light flow. I had none of those issues associated with the pill, like weight gain or mood swings because it has such a low dose of horomones.

I would go with Mirena over the copper, because the copper JUST aggitates the lining of your uterus causing a fertilized egg to not be able to implant, where Mirena uses the same horomone as the mini pill to keep you from ovulating on top of keeping the lining of your uterus unfriendly to implantation.

Do what's best for you! Good luck!

Hello,
I am a mother of two boys, and I am work full time. I got the mirena two months after my second child. The best part of the Mirena (for some women) is that your mentral cycles stop completely and my sex drive. I just was not interested in intamacy with my husband. I also got a severe acne infection on my face. Overall I started feeling (not complete as a women). I finally took the Mirana out and my body is trying to recup and returen to the hormone normality. I'm sure every women is different, I made the choice to have the Mirena because I was not sure to tie my tubes, I did not want to take a pill everyday and I thought it might be an awesome perk to not have a mentral cycle. I am also a candidate with prior severe endometriosis and the Mirena sounded like a great decision to stop or freeze my hormones. Well I do feel hormonal, tired and the symtoms of baby blues; according to my doctor my body is trying to heal from the last recorded experence and that is two months after my son was born. I had an anxiety attack and decided to visit my husbands accupunturist. She is amazing, I decided to heal naturally with accupunture, herbs, diet and excerise. I feel normal like never before. As for the preventing pregnancy, my husband is considering to do a "snip snip".

Sorry for the long story, but I hope this helps.

I got the mirena after my 3rd kid. I've had it for about 3 months. The procedure was quick and uncomfortable and I bled about 3 weeks. My periods used to be heavy and last a week now they're light but last 2 weeks. Altough i haven't had a period for the first time since I got it I've been cramping like crazy. My husband says it scratches him during intercourse. I want it out but I don't want more kids and I forget to take the pill.

I did a lot of research on both and talked to lots of people, both users of them and in the medical field. The ParaGard (copper) was the IUD I was going to use. It would have lasted longer and has no hormones in it. I was having to get away from hormones because of the health risks I was running in to. The Doc had tried changing my birth control pills several times and nothing was working and also decided I was experiencing small blood clots and was a stroke candidate at 28 yrs old. After going in to get the IUD, found out my uterus was too shallow for it and had to opt out. My husband instead went in to have a vasectomy. Best wishes to you.

I have one and have had it sense October. I like it. The beggining was a little rough. Some cramps and bled for about 1 month but since then it has been great. I have had only 3 periods and nothing more then a panty liner is needed for me. I also dont have cramps any longer or any pain at all.

I have had my mirena since October 2007 (after the birth of my second son) and I love it. I had been on every BCP on the market and they all threw my hormones out of whack. But the Mirena hasn't. Right after I had it put in I did have a spotting for almost a month, but I haven't had a period since then. I would choose the Mirena again in a heart beat.

i had the Mirena one for about two years after I had my son. Then we decided to try for number two it took my longer to get pregnant but I hadn't had a period in almost two years so i kind of expected that. I had no problems with it at all. My doctor advised me that the Mirena was better for me because I had cramps and I get cysts on my ovaries and the hormones keep them from forming. I would recommend. I haven't done a lot of research into it but I think it is the best alternative for long term, plus losing my period was nice, I would still get a day or tow when i would get irritable or emotional. Good luck with your choice.

My body doesn't deal with hormones well. The Paragard worked great for me. Although I did experience cramping during the first few days of my period and my periods were always 5-7 days long. Other than that, I had it for 9 years, removed it (easy and almost painless, a little pinch) and had my 3rd child, got pregnant after a month of trying.

Good luck!

I had the Mirena in for a about a year and then I took it out since I happened to be one of the few that didn't not have a period but instead I pretty much spotted for two full weeks every two weeks. It annoyed me too much since I never knew if I would spot and ended up staining all of my underwear. It also seemed to dry out my skin more. My OBGYN said I was one of the few so maybe it wouldn't happen to you.

I got an IUD many years ago, and everyone was told (on the news, articles written, etc.....) to stay away from the copper.

I don't know if that's still true.

If someone else knows anything different, please feel free to respond. I don't want to be putting wrong information out on this board.

i just got the Mirena on July 14. I had immediate cramping and then off and on cramping for about 2 weeks. They had to hold my utereus still while they inserted the IUD(because it has been 2 yrs since I had my daughter the utereus is soft but not as soft as it could be) so that was a little uncomfortable and I think that started the cramping. I was just coming off birth control pills so I had some spotting and off an on bleeding for a week. I just went back for the one month check up and everything is good. I nor my husband can tell its there. I just started my period and it has lingered on for about 5 days. Dr said they will eventually phase out all together with in a yr

I don't know anything about the IUD's, however....my friend who was using mirena is now due in a month. Good luck.

Hi C.,

About 3 yrs ago I had the copper one inserted. The first 6 mos or so was painful (cramping & heavy flow), but it wasn't too bad. I had very slight cramping after insertion, but it went away soon. After the 6 mos or so, it either got better, or I just got used to the pain. I never had any complications. It never interfered with my personal life, and really it was quite nice. I had it removed a little over a year later, because we wanted more children, and I got pregnant immediately. I removed it 1 week after a cycle, and got preg a week later. I liked the fact that it had no hormones, because I am the type of person that likes more natural approaches, even with regards to birth control (I do believe that non-hormonal approaches are best & safest). I would recommend it if someone is looking for long term, but not permanent, birth control. It worked great for me.