Paraguard..To Do or Not to Do??

Hi I had a paragaurd inserted almost a year ago after my third child. The good news is that it does work....no unexpected pregnancy:-) I never have to remember to take anything and the horrible hormonal rollercoaster lots of women experience is non-existint for me with it, so I feel great emotionally! I think I'm a much better person and mom without the hormones.
The down sides of the paragaurd for me have been the disgustingly horrible periods. They are very heavy and I get very crampy, they also seem to last several days longer. I feel crampy sometimes for no reason, doc says everything is fine though. Personally I would put up with the physical pain over the emotional mess but it seems like we have to pick one or the other;-) Good luck!

I have used both Mirena and Paraguard. I loved paraguard. I never cramped with it and never felt it. Neither did my husband (which I know is a concern with some couples). I had it in for a year then had it taken out( which feels funny when they take it out) and we conceived another baby boy two months later. You do have your monthly visit which for me was the same as before having my first baby. When they put it in it was unconfortable but it always is when they look down there. Afterwards I bleed alittle for a day and was a little sore.

I know you said you aren't interested in Mirena, but I wanted to pose a question for you: Is it strickly because of the hormone? If so, you might talk to your doctor a bit more about it. I couldn't take Birth control pills, even the low hormone ones. I struggled for years with them because of ovarian cysts, and low lebido (TMI, sorry). I raised concerns about the Mirena hormones to my doctor and he assured me its not the same. I have had 2 Mirenas now, one after each child and I LOVE it. I have a great Lebido (better than I ever did before), I have no ill effects of the hormone and I don't have a period. I know my cycle is normal too because when I had the first one taken out I started right up where I normally did and got pregnant the first try (within 3 weeks of getting it out).

I am not trying to persuade you to get it, its just that it seems to get a bad rep because of the "hormone"...check with your doctor.

If you are set on Paragaurd, I have heard good and bad, but periods can usually get worse with it not better.

I used natural family planning and have been 100% successful in accomplishing my goals. There are very few doctors or agencies that actually are accredited to teach it but you can find out if there is anyone in your area by contacting One More Soul in Dayton, Ohio, as they are one of the nation's leading training agencies for this. You might want to consider this as there are no harmful side effects, it helps bond the couple together through the communication and the intimacy that it fosters since it is a team effort.

I wish you luck.

It is awesome. I have had it since 2009 and have not had any problems. You have a little bit of cramping right after it is inserted and then a little bit with your first few periods and then you don't even know it is there!