How safe are IUD's?

medsurgfunrn · Sep 10, 2006

just got my mirena yesterday. it was extremely uncomfortable during insertion, but ive never had kids and she said she had a had to dilate me more than usual b/c im so tight. the pain was only very temporary. insertion lasted only 2-3 min. i signed in at 1115 and was out of there at 1126. that included dressing undressing getting vitals taken and insertion. i was shocked how fast!!!!!! i am a huge chicken when it comes to pain and i was ok, the only thing is that im glad i had my mom drive me. i was a little diophretic and dizzy afterward which is normal according to the gyn and the mirena pt info pkt. i was fine within 15 min, but still felt good having someone with me. i was on pills for 10+yrs and wanted to end my slavery to them. today i feel great! and really happy i did it. good luck with what ever decision you make.

allnurses Guide · Sep 10, 2006

I am really surprised no one has mentioned the Mirena IUD more... I have had mine for 5 years and am set to have it replaced. I couldn't stomach the thought of heavier bleeding and cramps with the copper IUD but the Mirena is just the opposite, the little bit of progesterone that slowly gets released keeps the uterus from building up a nice cushy landing pad for a fertilized egg, that is why most women don't have periods and very little cramping (if at all) with periods.

That is why I wouldn't use an IUD - I'm not comfortable with a birth control method that controls things after the fact of creating a fertilized egg.

Not to stir up trouble . . . your statement just hit me hard.

The funny thing is the best form of birth control for me was Natural Family Planning, which I was taught at a Family Planning Clinic while in college. It was pretty amazing because I really didn't understand my body all that well and I did after I took that class. Now, it wouldn't work for everyone - you have to be dedicated to checking your temp every morning before getting up out of bed and the consistency of cervical mucous, etc. But I didn't get pregnant for 4 years of married life.

When I started using a diaphragm, I became pregnant within the first year - of course you have to get out of bed and walk into the bathroom and place the diaphragm :rolleyes: :mad:

After that, I had my #2 child while relying on condoms and my #4 child while relying on condoms (I was 42 when I got pregnant with #4, 12 years after #3).

My #3 child we actually tried to make. :blushkiss

Birth control, as evidenced by this thread, sure effects everyone differently.

Good luck on your choices.

steph

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Sep 10, 2006

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The funny thing is the best form of birth control for me was Natural Family Planning, which I was taught at a Family Planning Clinic while in college. It was pretty amazing because I really didn't understand my body all that well and I did after I took that class. Now, it wouldn't work for everyone - you have to be dedicated to checking your temp every morning before getting up out of bed and the consistency of cervical mucous, etc. But I didn't get pregnant for 4 years of married life.
steph

The best thing about this method (which is not the rhythm method), is that it can be used to both prevent pregnancy and try for pregnancy. Taking your temp every morning is easy and has no side effects on your body! No hormones~just knowledge of your body and it's cycle.

The bible: Taking charge of your fertility by Toni Weschler.

The 30 seconds it takes me to take my temp in the morning is more than worth not having to take BCPs or risk IUDs.

PANurseRN1 · Sep 10, 2006

Perhaps we should stay on-topic here and not turn this thread into a pro-life/pro-choice/"when does pregnancy actually begin?" debate.

JohnBearPA · Sep 10, 2006

I'm a guy, and probably not really qualified to comment in too much depth here, but my son came along while his mother was using an IUD. Add to that the fact that I used a condom, and had no viable sperm (checked thru a sperm count) due to a motorcycle accident (one leg around each side of a very large and immobile tree, still have the scar, LOL) that occurred several weeks prior to the conception. Also, she was on the pill right before the IUD insertion. Guess the little bugger really wanted to be here!

My younger sister is also a product of an IUD and condom combo. Not sure which IUD, or even which "pill", and can't ask as both mothers are deceased, but thankfully both babies were wanted and loved, and although it was quite a hardship at the time (I was 17 when my boy was born, and just graduating high school, and my Mom, who was pregnant at the same time as my girlfriend was, at that time was 34 and just graduated out of nursing school), I'm glad of the circumstances.

This was wayyyyy back in the early 80's tho, I'm sure that IUD's have come a long way since then. Also, I'm really not up on my OB/GYN, but just had to comment. Hopefully effectiveness has increased since then.

rmengis · Sep 10, 2006

I also have the Mirena, got it 3yrs ago and have had zero problems. I've never had cramps and after about 6mos my periods became virtually nil. Sounds like your insertion experience was similar to mine (crampy for a short time). Hope you continue to have success. I love this form of BC.

judyblueeyes · Sep 10, 2006

I'm on year nine of a 10 year IUD. I hate to say goodbye to it. I have had no problems at all.

charebec65 · Sep 10, 2006

Steph, our stories are similar....multiple pregnancies utilizing birth control.

I got an IUD about 23 years ago. I think it was a copper 7? Who knows, I was 18 at the time. I had it until I was 24 but I don't recall why my doc removed it. I had two miscarriages while I had it in. Otherwise, I had no problems with it, just a little cramping I wasn't used to and a bit heavier periods.

Since then I've gotten pregnant using a diaphragm (double the spermacide) which I miscarried and also using 'the pill' (she is now 16). In fact, my only pregnancy that came about when I was not on any birth control, I gave birth to fraternal twins. I finally had my tubes cut fried and tied.

LydiaNN · Sep 10, 2006

i have had an iud for 3 years so far, no probblems but...
:angryfire my cramps are hell!!!:angryfire

personally, i would consider hellish cramps to be a major problem. that is one of the reasons i have never even tried an iud.

parrotmom · Sep 10, 2006

I have a ParaGUard for nearly 4 years now. Insertion was uncomfortable but not painful. My periods are now about 5 days long and I have one really heavy day with cramps. I was a breastfeeding mom and found out I was pregnant with son a week before her first birthday. We were weaning and I forgot to use somethng so we got the PARAguard after my son was born so I could breastfeed without the supply problems that come with oral control, psychosis of depo, alleric to latex so condoms and diaphragms were not an option. I always check mine the wek after my period and did have an u/s to check placement a year ago as I had changed docs and he was having trouble finding it.

NurseBranch · Sep 10, 2006

Hello,

I had my 10 year IUD inserted on August 25th, and although the insertion was very painful for me, it wasn't anything that motrin didn't take away. With my first cycle, I had pretty bad cramps that first day, but I didn't get cramps prior, so I have nothing to really compare it to. So far, my husband and I are very happy with our decision. Good luck to you.

kirsnikity · Sep 10, 2006

I don't have an IUD but am seriously considering it after I have my second child, probably in a few years.

The IUD is the most effective form of birth control next to sterilization. One responsibility that you have is checking the string once a month for placement; rarely they can move and this is the most likely cause of unplanned pregnancy with an IUD. If the IUD is where it's supposed to be, it's extremely effective.