ok everyone, tell me what you know about the IUD - Page 2

[pumpkinhead]

I have an IUD, had cramping and bleeding upon insertion and no problems since. I looove it! It's something I'm very aware (not that I can feel it, but I've never forgotten that I have it) of but not something I need to devote much thought to w/ regard to sex. I didn't want a hormonal method of BC as I was still nursing ds, but definately didn't want to get pregnant and still don't yet (ds was concieved while we were using condoms GOOD SURPRISE )

*****Ladies, it's important to remember that this is a VIRTUAL forum. We aren't talking face to face here and it's very easy to misinterpret the *tone* of another poster. We need to be open to discussion and not defensive, even if there is something that we are particularly sensitive about.

I'm not trying to say any of the other posters are right or wrong here, just presenting my experience.

[Nathan1097]

And YOU have no proof that it WASN'T the IUD. I am very in tune with my body, whereas you, on the other hand, have never met me, never even laid eyes on me. So what makes you think that you know everything about my body, my fertility? What makes you think you can second guess both me AND the infertility specialist I saw?

I don't have proof of that anymore than you have proof that it was. But you are SAYING it was with no proof but conjecture. I don't know YOUR body, but I have been through infertility with a specialist, an HSG, two IUDs... I also have scarring inside- mostly on one side. NOT due to an IUD OR an infection. It was from surgery. But it would've been very easy for me to blame having had an IUD if I'd found this out AFTER having had it.

And the biggest question is WHY are you so desperate to "sell" the IUD?

I'm not. I only want to point out that what you say about an IUD being the cause of your temporary infertility is not necessarily so. This is how people go to bulletin boards and read "IUDs cause infertility". That is inaccurate.

I only wanted to share my experience and allow the mom to make her own choice knowing that some people have good experiences and other people have bad experiences. You came in here and posted EIGHT TIMES on a single page thread trying to convince everyone that the IUD is the greatest thing sincle sliced bread and anyone who says anything besides that is just plain wrong. WTF is up with that?

What is wrong with it is the emotional aspect that doesn't need to be here. Counting my posts, putting words in my mouth about having said it was "the greatest thing since sliced bread"... I'm just disagreeing with your emotional claim that IUDs cause infections which cause infertility.

I deeply resent your insistence on discounting everything I say- especially the implication that I might have had an STD, and the way you make seven years of infertility sound like a very insignificant problem. It's not insignificant. Seven years is a long d@mned time and if I can spare ANY woman the pain I suffered, both physical pain because of the IUD and emotional pain from not being able to get pregnant, I will do it.

All I said was that its most likely an STD that is the culprit for IUD infections that cause infertility- which is in the pamphlet that comes with the IUD. Here is the quote (it says nothing about "You probably got an STD and that's why".)

From what I understand, they refer to an advanced case of "PID" from STD's as the kind of infection made worse by an IUD. You make it sound like IUD's can CAUSE infections. This isn't the case.

You are still wrapped up in the emotions of your infertility. Its easy to blame an IUD- but LOTS of people have been through infertility and they have NOTHING to blame! They can't go to boards and say "Don't _______ because you may become infertile."

[lilirose]

:Puke

[Nathan1097]

I don't need to be a psychologist to see that you're being extremely emotional in your posts here. And you don't have to be a reproductive endocrinologist to know about scar tissue and HSG's, etc. I'm not pretending to be a doctor; I don't see why you would say such a thing. I also don't think you're crazy. Stirred up, yes. Stubborn, yep. But I'm stubborn too. I still don't believe that you have enough solid evidence to say that an IUD caused your infertility. First of all, because you HAD kids after and second of all, didn't you say it was even your doctor's GUESS that this was the case? IUD's go nowhere near the tubes.... It really is confusing how an IUD could cause either scar tissue or infection in and of itself; that is, without there being something ELSE going on to cause these things.

[AnnMarie]

Originally posted by myrhhmaid

What a crock though to have them say they don't know how it works! :!

I agree. After my second child I was going to go on the mini pill. I asked the doctor straight out if it could prevent implantation and she said no. When I got home I read the insert and it said that it was believed that could be the way it works. I think they don't want to tell people this because they really want everyone to use birth control and they know some women won't if they knew that. The IUD has been known to work that way as well--preventing implantation. I'd never use it for that reason alone, never mind all the other bad things I've read about it.

[applejuice]

Originally posted by Nathan1097
From what I understand, they refer to an advanced case of "PID" from STD's as the kind of infection made worse by an IUD. You make it sound like IUD's can CAUSE infections. This isn't the case.

The string on the IUD acts as a wick to draw germs and bacteria into the uterus and the pelvic cavity and cause low grade infections. It can also irritate the cervix which we know is a cite for lots of cancer.

[JessicaS]

This thread is becoming pretty emotional. Can everyone take a moment and try and be a little more objective?

Just because one person has had great experiences with a certain birth control method doesn't mean everyone will and it isn't fair to completely discount someone's experiences because they are not in harmony with your own.

My mother got pregnant on an IUD so I don't really consider it an option for me. There has also been a wide range of experiences with them. The IUDs they are using now are pretty new. I don't think we will know all the possible side effects of them for awhile.

[pumpkinhead]

The string on the IUD acts as a wick to draw germs and bacteria into the uterus and the pelvic cavity and cause low grade infections. It can also irritate the cervix which we know is a cite for lots of cancer.

Both valid reasons for not getting an IUD. Keep in mind, however, that the 'string' is made of microfilament polyethylene so NOT very likely to WICK anything. Also, most cervical cancers are causd by a virus and not as a result of irritation. If this were true then we'd ALL have to stop having sex .

[Missgrl]

I think it's important to remember how we are each unique and individual. What works/doesn't work for one of us will be the opposite for someone else! It's also important to remember that when discussing feelings of infertility, emotions can run extremely raw!
There is nothing worse than taking an eternity to conceive and then hearing someone say they got pregnant just by winking at her dh. (so to speak). We members that have experienced infertility are willing to
'blame' everything that crossed our path!!!!!

For me, I blame the Pill that I took for 7 years before I TTC.....it then took 3 years to get my ds1. . I now have a Copper T IUD and am liking it to a point. I too bleed heavily during my period and it lasts for about 9 days. Besides that all is well with it. I've had it for almost 3 years.
But again, everybody's body deals with things differently.
I wish you good luck with yours

[Amy in NH]

I have had 2 IUDs (have the 2nd right now) and love them! They don't cause me any side effects, and I was pregnant the 1st month I TTC after having the 1st one removed.

I agree with Jennie that scar tissue from infection is not likely to be caused by the IUD, but by PID, which can be exacerbated but not caused by the IUD. I also believe you are more likely to be pregnant while having an IUD than ending up with infertility as the result of having had one.

In my experience, talking to many people who have had them, the biggest problems come from having an IUD without first having had a pregnancy - which is contraindicated by the makers to begin with. There were also a lot of problems with the ones around in the 1970s, but the new current design has eliminated those problems.

One important thing to note that I have not seen mentioned here is the hormone vs. no hormone issue. The Paraguard Copper-T IUD has NO hormones, but the Mirena DOES have synthetic progesterones. So if you get a Mirena you Are getting hormones which could cause the same long-term hormonal problems you would get from the pill or any other hormonal contraceptive method. The antecedent infertility problems would not be because of the IUD itself, but because of the hormones that were a part of it.

HTH!

[Nathan1097]

I'd like to follow up Amy's post with a comment about the Mirena (the one I have now).

I got it a couple weeks ago and so far the side-effects have been a couple. For one, I was due for my period nearly to the day that I got it put in. So with the spotting from insertion then my actual period (which was fine) I bleed about a week. But now its been two weeks and still bleeding. Its not heavy, but its bright red. The insert says this can happen for the first 3 months. So its not a HUGE deal, but still a side effect.

Second, I definitely can tell there is progesterone in there. It makes me a bit hot sometimes, but not too bad. And my appetite seems to be up a little bit. Maybe a bit of a headache now and then. Just sort like PMS or very early pregnancy kind of things. So yes- the insert says its "very low levels" of the stuff, but I don't know what they are comparing to because I can tell its in there. I probably should've gotten the Paraguard again, instead of Mirena, but I figured the progesterone would lesson the bleeding during my periods. I guess if that happens that's AFTER the first three months.


Third, its making me queezy. Its not a HUGE deal, but I may switch to the copperT even so. I don't like the idea of feeling pregnant when my pupose is to NOT ever get that way again!


I'll keep anybody updated that wants to know. Otherwise, I still am glad I got it. MUCH better than getting pregnant!

[kimkabob5]

I had the Mirena IUD installed last March. At the time my youngest was eleven months old and I hadn't had a period yet. For the fiirst three months I spotted every day. Then it stopped and I got my first period on October 30. It was heavy for a week, then I spotted for almost three weeks. Then I got another period on November 30! So basically I've been bleeding now for over a month straight and right now it is heavier than my normal periods. It is supposed to make your periods lighter and shorter, but it's having the opposite effect on me. I'm getting it removed next week.

[Nathan1097]

Another update.

I talked with my OB and she said to up my protein intake and to take a B-complex vitamin to help with the nausea. That has worked very well! And the spotting is gone mostly. I'm supposed to get my period soon and it feels like it should start, but we shall see. I'm not going to worry if it doesn't, since I know that the progesterone can keep it away.

[luvmy3boyz]

This is my second Mirena....my first one I had in for almost a year then we decided to ttc. I got pregnant the first month (granted I also have 2 suprises from using birth control pills so getting pregnant was never a problem to begin with). When I asked my doctor about the way it works she said there wasn't a 100% reason that it was several reasons combined. She cited some research that showed extremely low to zero sperm in the fallopian tubes of women with IUD's in after intercourse. I haven't noticed any difference in the way I feel with the hormone in the mirena...it's supposed to be a very little amount that does not make it into the blood stream (though I am going from memory here so that may not be 100% correct). Anyway I have had this one in for 7 months and just have spotting for about 5-7 days once a month. Since I don't do well with pills, depo (I wish it had never been developed), or natural planning (my thyroid fluctuates so I ovulate different times every month making it hard to stop in any decent length of time). I refuse to do permanent anything on me or my hubby so it's what's working for us.