#$&#$ IUD Strings

[polyhymnia]

So I got my IUD about 6 weeks ago. I am undecided whether I like it.

After the first few days the strings poked out of me. Ouch! So I had them trimmed. The dr trimmed about an inch off each one. That was MUCH better. We did not DTD and then about 3.5 weeks after I got the IUD I got my period - Dec 1st. It was pretty crampy for a couple of days but not awful. Well.... it's Dec 14th and I haven't stopped spotting!!!! I don't need a pad every day but I did for about a week, now I need a pantiliner. My DP does not care to DTD when I am spotting/bleeding but finally night before last we tried it. It was fine at first and then he got POKED by the string. Yikes! So now he is nervous to try again. I can feel one of the strings at least and it is hanging down really far, I think, maybe 1" or more. I tried tucking it back up and kind of folding it in on itself but now I sort of maybe feel like it's poking me internally. I'm not sure if I'm imagining that though.

Anyway... so now i have to call and go BACK to the $#$@%#@ dr (who was 40 minutes late for my insertion appt, and ONE HOUR late for the string-trimming appt) and I have company coming next week and staying through the new year, and my DR is only in this office on Tuesdays and I am sure she is all full up next week andthen it's Christmas and then I have new insurance in January that may not even cover this doctor.....

Really, I anticipate the spotting will slow/decrease with time, and theoretically so will my periods (it's the Mirena) so I am OK with that. I am NOT ok with the $#$@#@*&% strings poking me or my DP, and I really feel a little frustrated with this. How can the dr trim the strings so long twice?? I am paranoid about the strings getting lost inside me but I also don't want to be POKED.

Can anyone else share any string experiences? Should I try once more to have them trimmed? Is there ANY WAY I can trim them myself? Would it be wrong of me to go to my regular GP to ask HER to trim them rather than the GYN? Should I try somehow to push them back into my uterus?

Any thoughts?/

[guestmama9904]

what kind of iud do you have? the copper, non-hormonal one? thats the one i have and the strings were weird at first and very stiff so i can imagine how they might poke. but the actually soften and fold up on themselves over the course of a month or so. also the irregular spotting stoped for me after the first couple months. you can ask yr MD for a few pills of progesterone if you want to stop the random bleeding. i chose not to take this even temporarily cause it gives me wacky dreams. but it might be the right thing for you.

[jrojala]

I had the mirena too, DH and I did not like the strings either- They never stopped poking him, though it did get better over time.
It was h*ll to get taken out though- very painful, the doc could not get a grip on the strings... ugh... She ended up using both hands, and a forcep- OUCH!

In the end, I would never ever get one again. I just felt 'wrong' the whole time I had it.

[polyhymnia]

Originally Posted by arismama!

what kind of iud do you have? the copper, non-hormonal one? thats the one i have and the strings were weird at first and very stiff so i can imagine how they might poke. but the actually soften and fold up on themselves over the course of a month or so. also the irregular spotting stoped for me after the first couple months. you can ask yr MD for a few pills of progesterone if you want to stop the random bleeding. i chose not to take this even temporarily cause it gives me wacky dreams. but it might be the right thing for you.

I have the Mirena. The strings are kind of stiff. The end is very poky. But if it's going to soften and fold up that would be great.

I'd rather avoid the progesterone, the point of the mirena was to stop taking the pill (I know it still has some hormone in it) but it's good to know that it is an option, thanks!

[Eman'smom]

I spotted (lightly) less than a pantyliner a day, for 3 months after insertion. Not fun but then I didn't have a period for over 3 years after that.

As for the strings they soften to the point of not being able to feel them fairly quickly, I'd say in a month or so from now you'll be fine. I do find the string length being so long odd, but dh only got poked a few times.

[kissum]

I spotted for months after getting mine, and I still don't like the strings. Hopefully they'll get it figured out for you though.

[guestmama9904]

my understanding is that there is progesterone in the mirena. also this iud causes more spotting than the copper one, but the spotting should lessen over time.

[twilight girl]

The strings can also be causing the spotting. My strings (Paraguard) were trimmed to short, and would poke and irritate my cervix. Also, I had mine for years, and the strings never softened and always poked DH when we DTD. It was not problem having it removed, though.

[kate3]

The reason we leave the strings long is because they can always be shortened. If you cut them too short, now you have a problem and the potential for "lost strings", which obviously is a big deal when you try and remove the IUD and there are no strings to grasp. Almost every patient needs to have the strings adjusted at least once.
The term "string" is actually a little misleading because they are really like fine fishing wire. The strings do soften up and usually curl around the cervix, up and out of the way.
The spotting is very, very common with the Mirena and pretty much a given for the first 3 months or so. Without any estrogen to balance off the progesterone in the IUD the uterine lining is unstable and sheds at unpredictable times.
Good luck and I hope it all works out.

[polyhymnia]

Originally Posted by Eman'smom

I spotted (lightly) less than a pantyliner a day, for 3 months after insertion. Not fun but then I didn't have a period for over 3 years after that.

As for the strings they soften to the point of not being able to feel them fairly quickly, I'd say in a month or so from now you'll be fine. I do find the string length being so long odd, but dh only got poked a few times.

Thanks, that's good to know.... hopefully DP will get used to it

Originally Posted by kissum

I spotted for months after getting mine, and I still don't like the strings. Hopefully they'll get it figured out for you though.

Thanks I hope so too!

Originally Posted by arismama!

my understanding is that there is progesterone in the mirena. also this iud causes more spotting than the copper one, but the spotting should lessen over time.

Yes, there is progesterone, but my understanding is that because it's local and not oral it has a lower effect on my whole body... so I'd still rather avoid taking it orally.

Originally Posted by twilight girl

The strings can also be causing the spotting. My strings (Paraguard) were trimmed to short, and would poke and irritate my cervix. Also, I had mine for years, and the strings never softened and always poked DH when we DTD. It was not problem having it removed, though.

Yikes that is not encouraging. Well, we'll see. I really hope it will work out it was so painful to have it put in I certainly don't want it removed any time soon

Originally Posted by kate3

The reason we leave the strings long is because they can always be shortened. If you cut them too short, now you have a problem and the potential for "lost strings", which obviously is a big deal when you try and remove the IUD and there are no strings to grasp. Almost every patient needs to have the strings adjusted at least once.
The term "string" is actually a little misleading because they are really like fine fishing wire. The strings do soften up and usually curl around the cervix, up and out of the way.
The spotting is very, very common with the Mirena and pretty much a given for the first 3 months or so. Without any estrogen to balance off the progesterone in the IUD the uterine lining is unstable and sheds at unpredictable times.
Good luck and I hope it all works out.

Thanks! I know longer is better than shorter, but since they were literally hanging outside of me after the first day I guess I feel like she had to have left them too long, if that makes sense. I wouldn't mind having them adjusted more often if it were easier to get an appointment with the doctor - the first thing they can offer me is January 29th, and it's in the middle of the day. With her track record (40 minutes late for the IUD, 60 minutes late for the 4- minute trimming-strings appointment) that means I have to miss probably 2 hours of work :-/ Very frustrating!!

The doctor had me feel the strings after she cut them the first time so I know what they feel like, fishing line is exactly how I described it to DP too, it's a great description.

I really don't mind the spotting so much esp. since it's supposed to improve, but the strings thing is really annoying.

In other news - I think I had ovulation pains Saturday for the first time in, oh, 10 years or so. Yikes! I was hoping the Mirena would stop ovulation for me but I guess not. The doctor said maybe itwould, maybe it wouldn't. Ah well.

[Nathan1097]

I have the mirena and its been over 4 years now- 2 with current b/f. He just mentioned that the strings poke him! Spotting is not a big deal anymore. My periods are rare- used to be like clock-work even with this IUD. I'm going in for an ultrasound at 4:00 today to check for cysts on my ovaries, actually- a side effect from the Mirena, I think. I don't think I've stopped ovulating, either.

[ccasanova]

that was one of the many reasons i got it taken out. The strings poked my dh so we had to dtd a certain way, and I lost my fave position (sorry if tmi) on top of my hair falling out, pain on my ovaries, worried about infertility from the mirena, I had it removed. It was no picnic to get it taken out either. my strings would constantly go MIA and the doc could not find it. he had to use a long hook and sweep around past my cervix until i couldn't take it anymore. *ouch* I was given the choice of either waiting for them to come out on their own or have it surgically removed, and yes, i would have to be put to sleep for it. So i waited and when they came out, I called and they saw me right away. It's out now, I'm so happy, DH is happy, I have my fave position back , and I'm charting. My hair is no longer falling out like it was, no more pains on my ovaries, and my cycles are like they should be. I'm having a lot of fun learning about my body and it's cycles. And the best part is that FAM has no bad side effects at all!

[AGurl]

hi, i have the iud too, just got mine last week and had the strings cut today - they were poking my DH quite painfully. i don't mind the spotting, its been light so far. tried DTD again today and it was less pokey but i he can slightly feel it. i also feel that it is poking me, since the doc cut it right up to my cervix opening. she said i would have a harder time feeling for the strings, and therefore knowing it is expelled, but in my view what is the point of bc if you're not DTD?

[Kama82]

I have had the Mirena for a little over a year. The strings poked my husband a lot the first few months. It softened up though and got to the point they would only poke him every once in a while. It has been a few months since they have poked him, they do soften up with time. If your strings are left long enough as they soften they will coil up around your cervix so the poking should get better.

[DanelleB]

Originally Posted by ccasanova

It was no picnic to get it taken out either. my strings would constantly go MIA and the doc could not find it. he had to use a long hook and sweep around past my cervix until i couldn't take it anymore. *ouch* I was given the choice of either waiting for them to come out on their own or have it surgically removed, and yes, i would have to be put to sleep for it. So i waited and when they came out, I called and they saw me right away.

My strings stopped poking my husband a year ago (have had Mirena for 3.5), but now they are missing. I went to have it taken out yesterday and the strings were no where to be found. I have an appt next month to try again, I just hope it comes out easier than yours did for you.

[Shelsi]

Yeah my OB cut my strings too short when I had an IUD years ago. When I went to have it removed 1.5 yrs ago there were no strings They were in my uterus along with the IUD.

So my OB fashioned some long hook thing and I got to endure him sweeping it around my uterus looking for my IUD. VERY painful! And he has a magic touch where nothing hurts...he's like a golden gynecologist lol...I can't imagine how painful it would have been with anyone else!