Paraguard reviews - Mirena vs. Paragard IUD - Page 16

[gina1369]

LovingLife44, I have to say so far so good for me as well.  I have had the Paragard for a month now and I feel totally normal.  Read my posts above, insertion was the same for me as you experienced and I had moderate spotting and clotting for a few days, then nothing.  Sex was fine, no difference and hubby didnt feel a thing!  I got my perior for the first time with Paragard on Sunday, no cramps but bleeding a bit heavier than normal for me.  Nothing crazy though.  I am pretty happy with it so far!

[kpo12]

I have a Paraguard IUD. The first 3 months of having it my periods were irregular, but then they went back to normal 6-7 day periods. I still have very bad cramps the first day or two of my period and very heaving bleeding, but I had already had both of those problems without the IUD. Also, the heavy bleeding stops after the first two or three days along with the cramps. My doctor said that the Mirena IUD does make your period less heavy, but it can only be used for 5 years, whereas the Paraguard can be used for up to10 years and has no hormones. My doctor also said that she removes Paragard IUD's at least once a year because a women is unhappy with them, but she has never removed a Mirena. I have had my Paragard for almost 8 months though, and I am pretty happy with it. 

[kpo12]

800 mg of Ibuprofin a few times a day really helps with the cramps for me and if there is still pain, tylenol in between doses of ibuprofin works well. I've been doing that for years. I also make sure to take the Ibuprofin when I go to bed and then right away when I wake up in the morning before I get the cramps. It starts the morning off right!

[Laurenx003]

Did it really hurt alot? I'm really considering it and seeing everyone say that it hurt a lot is making me nervous since I'm such a baby when it comes to pain.. And i heard there is a pill to soften the cervix before the IUD is placed in... Anyone know what pill that was?  

[Katie8681]

Hi Laurenx003, I don't want to lie, when I had mine placed before I had been pregnant, it sure did hurt quite a bit. BUT I know a lot- and I mean a LOT- of women who have gotten IUDs pre-baby and didn't have nearly as much pain. It's possible that my doctor's technique was not as good as it might have been. The pill you're thinking of is misoprostol, also known as Cytotec. Some providers find that putting it in the vagina the night before the IUD is inserted softens the cervix and makes it easier, but not everyone does it.  Neither of my providers (1st- doc, 2nd- nurse practitioner) did. The research on the subject suggests that it doesn't make much of a difference, if any.

[Becka C]

yes i have had both the Mirena and the Paraguard... the Mirena was awesome... no periods or anything... i had the Mirena for 2 yrs, and I have had the Paraguard about 13 months and i am having extrememly heavy periods, long periods like 10 days and i am having really bad headaches with the Paraguard... hope this helps... I called today to see if i could get the Paraguard out and get the Mirena back... waiting on dr to call back

[victoria3209]

I had the Mirena for 8 months. And suffered the entire time. Pain during sex, extreme cramping for Weeks on end, and then a 6cm cist formed on my right ovarie. Had the mirena removed and within 24 hours I honestly thought I was dying. My body acted as if I was having another miscarriage so my husband took me to the ER and even the doctors and nurses there were worried enough to call my OBGYN (this is on Christmas eve night 2010) he immediately took me into surgery because my cist had ruptured. it was really bad.

Now I have the paragard, and love it. Yes I did have heavy periods for the first 2 months but it lightened up and everything is pretty much back to normal! And no babies! So that is even better!

[gina1369]

I am happy to report that my first period on Paragard came and went with NO cramps at all!  Yay!  I had a heavier than normal flow for 2 days, then tapered off.  7 day period like always... Very happy!

[dacandees]

I had a paraguard IUD for about a year and a half until my daughter was conceived right beside it.  Needless to say I don't recommend it.  Thankfully, I have a healthy daughter, but it was scary at the time.

[lovmy2girls]

I am new to this site but love all the great info I always read! SO THANKS!  Anyway.  I have an appt at 3 tomorrow to get the paragard REMOVED.  Scares me a little bc of the fact that it is so EASY for me to have children.  My boyfriend and I do want to have more children, however we just had our daughter 10 months ago.  **Blessing** The reason I want to have this removed is bc I have TERRIBLE periods and right before my periods I get very light headed and dizzy.  I am LITTERALLY in bead for 2 days after my period starts.  I do want to add, however, it is very effective =)  I would recommend Paragard, but it's hard on me to be in bed when I have a family to take care of..I cannot afford to feel unwell..does this sound petty?

[Ladina]

I had mirena for three years. I had some cramp when it was first inserted but couple of ibuprofin for a day or two. I remember that I had spotting first few months. It seemed like I had a two to three days period every other two weeks. My cycles began to be normal in about the third or forth month. I was really happy wt it. My period were on time n normal period cramping. The hormones in the mirena didn't effect my wight or causing skin problems. As two years had gone by.. I was very comfortable wt it and I was actually too comfortable that I just let my days went by day to day. I lost interests and motivation to do any thing. My periods were getting lighter n some month I don't have my period at all. I didn't feel normal at all. I was always tired n needed a nap every day. I had it removed after three years. I began to feel like myself agin after six months than I realized that I had a depression. So be aware in ur changes because I didn't realized that it caused my depression n lost in interests.

After I had it removed for two years now... I'm feeling great n be myself like the way i was before I had a mirena. I now just had the paragurd for about a month now. Cramping on first few days but nothing serious n few ibuprofen took care of that. I hope that this paragurd will be better because it doesn't have hormones in it n it will still be the body's own natural way wt a little help from the copper for birth controlling

[Ladina]

I had mirena for three years. I had some cramp when it was first inserted but couple of ibuprofin for a day or two. I remember that I had spotting first few months. It seemed like I had a two to three days period every other two weeks. My cycles began to be normal in about the third or forth month. I was really happy wt it. My period were on time n normal period cramping. The hormones in the mirena didn't effect my wight or causing skin problems. As two years had gone by.. I was very comfortable wt it and I was actually too comfortable that I just let my days went by day to day. I lost interests and motivation to do any thing. My periods were getting lighter n some month I don't have my period at all. I didn't feel normal at all. I was always tired n needed a nap every day. I had it removed after three years. I began to feel like myself agin after six months than I realized that I had a depression. So be aware in ur changes because I didn't realized that it caused my depression n lost in interests.

After I had it removed for two years now... I'm feeling great n be myself like the way i was before I had a mirena. I now just had the paragurd for about a month now. Cramping on first few days but nothing serious n few ibuprofen took care of that. I hope that this paragurd will be better because it doesn't have hormones in it n it will still be the body's own natural way wt a little help from the copper for birth controlling

[Ladina]

I also forgot to mention that after I had a mirena for three months. .. I had a trip to er for ovarian cyst ruptured. I was hospitalized for two days n my medical bill was 14k. It could have been from a mirena.

[Heather5581]

I only tried Paragaurd, for one year and had a lot of pain the whole time, come  to find out, it was hooked into the wall of my uterus and I had to have it surgically removed. I was bummed because I was a little excited to have a BC that was hormone free. Oh well, tracking my ovulation works great for me and it's totally natural. I should have listened to my self the day I went in to get the IUD and had a really bad feeling. Never doubt yourself.

[Lorena Martinez]

are u able to lose weight with the paragard?

[Amanda Martin]

I have had both IUD's. Let me begin my first saying that I am EXTREMELY sensitive to hormones. I had the Paragard put in in 2000 and had it for 10 years with NO problems. It was painful during the insertion and I had cramping afterwards. My periods were normal up until the tenth year I had it. My periods became irregular and much heavier. My NP talked me into having my Paragard replaced with the Mirena. She convinced me by telling me that the hormone emitted from the Mirena was only local and would not give me any side effects.  I've had the Mirena for a little more than a year now and I'm having it removed next week. My periods completely stopped which was wonderful! HOWEVER, I became EXTREMELY depressed, gained weight (10 lbs. and I'm a very clean eater and work out 5 times a week - I do bikini competitions), have constant bacterial and vaginal infections, have headaches (never had headaches before), and completely lost my sex drive not to mention can't "get lubricated" AT ALL! The whole time I've had the Mirena I kept denying the side effects, but they have gotten so bad I would rather have a 10 day period than be depressed and fatigued as I have been for the past year now. SO if you are sensitive to hormones- do not consider the Mirena. The doctors will try to tell you that it doesn't cause side effects, but I am here to assure you that IT DOES!!!!!!! I did lots of research before I had it inserted and wished I knew then what I know now. I paid $400 for it, but have no problem with having it removed and losing the money just so I can have my sanity back. Hope this helps anyone in question!

[zwicks]

I have read so much on both the Mirena IUD, and the Paragard IUD today. I have not ever had one, but have tried SO MANY different types of BC. I just stopped using the Nuvaring. I am sensitive to hormones. I also have a sensitive body. I would like to choose the Paragard over the Mirena. I am worried about the heavy periods, and cramping tho, as i already have troubles with cramping, but i have always had a light period. I'm also worried about the long term effects of this.... Has anyone had any long term effects from this? And also can you, or your partner feel it during sex?

[heathergill88]

I haven't had the paraguard , but I did have the mirana and I had nothing but problems. It started with pelvic pain. Then pcos I had so many cysts on my ovaries and cervical cancer I got my leep procedure done in august of 2008 I got it removed ...I still have extreem pain and now ovarian cancer

[Amanda Martin]

To answer your question about feeling the device during sex.......At first your partner will be able to feel the strings, but over time they will soften. I could not feel them at all. If they are really long (over 1/4 inch) you should have your GYN trim them.  I can't feel my Mirena strings anymore, so much that I had to have an ultrasound to make sure it was still there! I think it depends on your cycle on whether you can feel it or not. I'm no doctor, but I have heard that your cervix can sit a little lower sometimes depending on your cycle. If this is true it would support why my boyfriend can feel the mirena strings every now and then.  I have pain with the Mirena when having sex sometime though. I think I have been getting cysts and they cause a lot of pressure when having sex.  The Mirena can cause cycts. As far as the actual device, it does cause pain with deep penetration. It feels as though my boyfriend is hitting my cervix and moving the Mirena! I know this is not true, but I can't help to think this is what it feels like.

Anyways, hope this helps.

[LovingLife44]

Update: First period with Paragard!! 

Background Info: Prior periods - regular, usually 4 or 5 days long, with one or two days of medium/light flow, the remaining days very light. Very rare cramps. Have been off BC for about 3 yrs, so I'd say this is my natural state! 

With Paragard: 

Experienced light cramping the day before, and pretty intense (but short-lived, fortunately) cramping the day my period started. I took ~400mg of Ibuprofen and did yoga, felt much better. 

No cramping during period. But today (stopped bleeding yesterday), am feeling some cramping. 

The second and third days were super heavy. Not unexpected or intolerable, but clearly a change in my routine... had to empty diva cup more frequently than usual, and switched to super duper tampons for yoga & runs. 

The days following were a fairly consistent med-light flow, tapering off to an end on day 6. 

So, a noticeable change, yes.... but, so far not too extreme. Fingers crossed! Have my follow up appointment in a few weeks.