When to give up on an IUD? (TMI)

[Deleted]

I got an IUD at the end of May. My gyn told me it takes ~3 months for the bleeding to stop. 

I bled until the beginning of September.  I had a 9-day period in September. My period this month has been 16 days so far. They are really, really light, but they have been so long. I talked to my doctor about it in September and he recommended I give it 1 more month and if I was still unhappy that he could remove it.

My periods pre-IUD were only 5 days. I think I would rather have a normal period than a super long light one. I am thinking about maybe giving it 1 more month and then getting it removed if things don't get better... but it hurt so bad to get it put in and I've hung on this long.

If you've gotten an IUD, how long did it take for the bleeding to stop? How long were your periods? When would be your breaking point

[UnderProtest]

I gave up on mine after 10 months. It was 3 months and several estrogen patches before the initial bleeding stops. Then I had digestive issues and I still had a period. I hated it.

[sessy]

What kind of IUD do you? I had the mirena put in in August. My periods have sucked these last few months and I still have random days of spotting.

[Deleted]

Oct 23, 2014 17:56:35 GMT -5 sessy said:

What kind of IUD do you? I had the mirena put in in August. My periods have sucked these last few months and I still have random days of spotting.

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I got Mirena. I originally was just going to go on the pill but I ended up going with Mirena because of the appeal of no periods.

[sessy]

I wouldn't give up yet. Everything I've read said 6 months. You're getting close to that, so hopefully the periods will disappear soon. I also got the mirena due to no period, I'm hoping that proves to be true for me.

[Deleted]

I personally would give up. This is precisely why I don't have an IUD. Some women have continued bleeding for over a year. IUDs are great for many many women, but damn the bleeding can be so unpredictable. I hope it stops or you can get it removed soon!

[mlvmd]

I had Mirena over a year and it just got worse and worse. Finally got it out and things went right back to normal.

[kateausten]

Dammit, I don't want to hear this as I'm getting one put in next week. My periods are so heavy and painful. I'd love to have no more bleeding and pain. I hope it doesn't make it worse. Ugh.

[Deleted]

Oct 23, 2014 18:12:48 GMT -5 @wandering said:

I personally would give up. This is precisely why I don't have an IUD. Some women have continued bleeding for over a year. IUDs are great for many many women, but damn the bleeding can be so unpredictable. I hope it stops or you can get it removed soon!

Damn. I can't believe everything I have put up with for this thing. At least it was free.

[imojoebunny]

Uhm... What are your alternatives? I have paraguard. It is just copper, no drugs. My periods often last 7 days. Sometimes can be really, scary heavy.

I am good with it, I am older and the risk of stroke with the drug based ones is to high for me to risk given my history. My IUD doesn't make the problems different.

Paraguard or not, I would likely have much heavier periods than I had on higher drug birth control. You may still be bleeding, but it might be much less than you would otherwise, and it might well stop in time. Lots of my friends have it and love it.

Good luck. There are lots of choices for birth control. None perfect, but some better for your situation than others.

[Deleted]

Oct 23, 2014 19:43:38 GMT -5 imojoebunny said:

Uhm... What are your alternatives? I have paraguard. It is just copper, no drugs. My periods often last 7 days. Sometimes can be really, scary heavy.

I am good with it, I am older and the risk of stroke with the drug based ones is to high for me to risk given my history. My IUD doesn't make the problems different.

Paraguard or not, I would likely have much heavier periods than I had on higher drug birth control. You may still be bleeding, but it might be much less than you would otherwise, and it might well stop in time. Lots of my friends have it and love it.

Good luck. There are lots of choices for birth control. None perfect, but some better for your situation than others.

I'd probably go with the pill. My doctor recommend Ocella but I don't know a lot about it. 

I started taking the pill in college but stopped after I started randomly bleeding. Then I tried Nuva Ring, which made my chest gigantic. I took a break from hormonal BC after I got married. 

[elocrates]

I've had my mirena for 1 3/4 years. I bled every day for a really long time after it was inserted. I don't remember exactly how long but it was several months. Then nothing for about a year (DS3 was still nursing). When I got my period back it was light but lasted a really long time. It has since gotten shorter and shorter (and has stayed light). So IME, leaving it in a while longer resulted in shorter periods. It might be worth waiting it out for a few more months.

[Deleted]

I have a Mirana and had bleeding/spotting for 6 months. Before my periods were crazy heavy and random, so this is still an improvement for me.

[awkwardpenguin]

I'd give it some more time, honestly. Light bleeding sounds like a sign your periods might be done soon. I guess it depends on how annoying the bleeding is to you. I gave my paraguard 2 years before I finally gave up, but that was for killer cramps and heavy bleeding.

[LoveTrains]

I haven't had a period in YEARs with my Mirena. And I'm on #2.

[Deleted]

I jhsbe up after 6 months of constant bleeding. Much heavier than I expexted for 'spotting'. And was poking DH.

[mcc]

I just posted something similar on SO. I went on Paraguard in April and the first two months I spotted and cramped then it was good for a couple more then I spotted for 6 weeks and past 3 months I thought I was dying on my period. I have an appt tomorrow and think I'm going to have them take it out.

[scoot]

I got one in July and am still trying to figure out if I like it or not. I didn't have the continual bleeding, but I get annoying spotting and cramps (which are really bad about half the time) anytime I do something active and I have constant breakouts now when I never had them before. I think I had to deal with spotting/light bleeding for a month and then it slowly tapered off to just when I'm active now.

If I was you, I would give it another month (so you hit the 6 month mark) and then talk to your doctor.

Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one who hated having it put in! My doctor said I was an extreme case, but it hurt a lot and I almost fainted afterward. They made me hang out for about an hour until I felt better.

[ssmjlm]

I got my mirena out after 10 months. It was great in the beginning, but then I started having 2+week periods with horrible cramping, that now after childbirth, was seriously like labor pains.

[cosmowife]

Oct 23, 2014 19:43:38 GMT -5 imojoebunny said:

I am good with it, I am older and the risk of stroke with the drug based ones is to high for me to risk given my history. My IUD doesn't make the problems different.

What do you mean by this? I thought it was only the estrogen that upped the risk of blood clots, which isn't in the Mirena.

[Deleted]

Oct 24, 2014 11:32:32 GMT -5 scoot said:

I got one in July and am still trying to figure out if I like it or not. I didn't have the continual bleeding, but I get annoying spotting and cramps (which are really bad about half the time) anytime I do something active and I have constant breakouts now when I never had them before. I think I had to deal with spotting/light bleeding for a month and then it slowly tapered off to just when I'm active now.

If I was you, I would give it another month (so you hit the 6 month mark) and then talk to your doctor.

Also, I'm glad I'm not the only one who hated having it put in! My doctor said I was an extreme case, but it hurt a lot and I almost fainted afterward. They made me hang out for about an hour until I felt better.

For the first 2 months, my cramps were awful anytime I worked out. You aren't alone there!

I'm surprised your doctor said you were an extreme case. It was my understanding if you haven't had a kid that it is pretty painful. After the insertion, my doctor told me to lay on the exam table for a bit before I tried to get up.

[carolinagirl831]

that sounds horrible. I don't understand the benefit of this at all. It sounds like so many people hate it. Not worth it!

[scoot]

Oct 24, 2014 12:20:27 GMT -5 cuadrado said:

For the first 2 months, my cramps were awful anytime I worked out. You aren't alone there!

I'm surprised your doctor said you were an extreme case. It was my understanding if you haven't had a kid that it is pretty painful. After the insertion, my doctor told me to lay on the exam table for a bit before I tried to get up.

That's good because when I looked online I couldn't find much about exercise and cramps past the first few days with the IUD.

I'm not sure what my doctor was thinking... she said that she almost never has issues with anyone getting the IUD, regardless of if they had kids or not. I actually did lay down for a while, felt okay, got dressed and then start shaking/thought I was going to faint. Maybe all her other patients are super-humans or something? Idk.

[Daria Morgandorffer]

I had the Paraguard inserted last month and I've not had any issues aside from the intial extreme cramping for a couple of days. Now I'm a little afraid for my period to come...ugh.

I do cramp when I do kegals though. It's annoying.

[WinterWine]

Thanks for posting. I've been considering getting an IUDS but was hesitant given my history of nonstop spotting on Depo. Given these antidotes, I think I'll just stick with the good old fashioned pill.

Hopefully the spotting ends soon for you one way or another.

[ringstrue]

I had Mirena for about 3 years and did really well on it. My "periods" were 3 dats of light spotting.

If it's really only spotting I agree I'd give it one more month.

[polarbearfans]

On mirena my periods were super long, but very light. Without mirena they are very heavy and painful, but only a few days long. I had my mirena 5 years.

[LoveTrains]

Oct 24, 2014 12:21:17 GMT -5 carolinagirl831 said:

that sounds horrible. I don't understand the benefit of this at all. It sounds like so many people hate it. Not worth it!

I love my mirena. I don't have to remember to take a pill every day or swap out a patch or a ring. Also, there is some research that indicates that the pill isn't as effective for women that are obese. 

Mirena is one of the most effective forms of birth control, and its like set it and forget it. Plus for me, I don't get my period anymore. It's glorious.

It's not for everyone and the insertion was a bitch, but I am glad to have it. 

[Deleted]

Oct 25, 2014 21:18:56 GMT -5 LoveTrains said:

Oct 24, 2014 12:21:17 GMT -5 carolinagirl831 said:

that sounds horrible. I don't understand the benefit of this at all. It sounds like so many people hate it. Not worth it!

I love my mirena. I don't have to remember to take a pill every day or swap out a patch or a ring. Also, there is some research that indicates that the pill isn't as effective for women that are obese. 

Mirena is one of the most effective forms of birth control, and its like set it and forget it. Plus for me, I don't get my period anymore. It's glorious.

It's not for everyone and the insertion was a bitch, but I am glad to have it. 

Yeah, it is definitely the most convenient birth control ever. I only know 1 other person who has Mirena but she is on her 2nd one and hasn't had a period in 5 years. I'm jealous!

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. I will give it 1 more month and see how I feel then.