Talk me in or out of an IUD

[zarapipe]

Since DH just confessed he hasn't closed the door on a possible #3 (huh). I think I will temporarily hold off on hounding him to get a V.

So now BC is on my because I HATE HATE HATE condoms and it's doing a number on our frequency.

I was thinking mini pill but then maybe an IUD because it would be effortless. BUT I've heard so many conflicting reports on people loving/hating their IUD. I had an implanon and hated it and it side effects and that I couldn't just stop it. I lasted 18m before I made an apt to take it out. I don't want another situation like that.

[countthestars]

I loved/hated mine. Loved the lack of periods and not having to remember BC. Hated the 3 months of spotting upon insertion.

[Deleted]

I'd give Mirena a shot. Unless you're truly ok with an oopsie #3. While the mini-pill worked for me, I knew it wasn't that high on the reliability scale.

[cjeanette]

Love my mirena. I am on my second one.

[zarapipe]

@marshmallows it was mainly the lack of sex drive and acne

[suzubell]

I love my Mirena. Love it. I love birth control I don't really need to think about.

[Deleted]

Hunting up dosages, Implanon is about 40 mcg of progesterone a day. Mirena is 20 mcg. Mini pill is about 30 mcg. So dosage wise, Mirena is the lowest hormone hormonal method.

(I'm not 100% sure I'm comparing apples to apples.)

[osulori]

Love my Mirena. Like lovelovelove "why did I take BCPs for 10 years instead of getting one of these?!" love. No periods, no skin issues, no side effects other than the odd bit of cramping and a tiny bit of spotting here and there once a month or so for the first year (and it's been ages since I had any of that).

[robyn]

I've had 2 Mirena's, one for 5 years before I had it removed to TTC, and one placed at my 6 week PP appointment. I've never had any problems with either one. I have no period on them, and insertion for the one after DD was born was a breeze (insertion for the one before I'd ever been pregnant was very painful, but I knew it would be due to having never been dilated).

The one side affect I notice is a severe lack of sex drive. But I think that's a bad combo of breastfeeding, the IUD and just baby's first year stresses.

[pinotgrig]

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give my mirena a 7.

I love not having to think about.

The intermittent spotting is annoying, but better than a period.

I get occasional cramps and spotting every few weeks which is my biggest complaint. I've not been to my doc yet to see what the deal is, but it's the most annoying thing about it.

[gibbinator]

I love my mirena so far. The only thing I've noticed since getting it is a low sex drive, but it's probably a coincidence since I'm bf and sooooooo tired.

[xokell2]

Jun 30, 2015 14:42:50 GMT -5 osulori said:

Love my Mirena. Like lovelovelove "why did I take BCPs for 10 years instead of getting one of these?!" love. No periods, no skin issues, no side effects other than the odd bit of cramping and a tiny bit of spotting here and there once a month or so for the first year (and it's been ages since I had any of that).

This exactly. Life changing

[cleosprite]

Jun 30, 2015 14:38:16 GMT -5 @choco said:

Jun 30, 2015 14:37:09 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Hunting up dosages, Implanon is about 40 mcg of progesterone a day. Mirena is 20 mcg. Mini pill is about 30 mcg. So dosage wise, Mirena is the lowest hormone hormonal method.

(I'm not 100% sure I'm comparing apples to apples.)

Thank you, this gives me more to consider since I want to be on lowest dose possible. Dammit.

I have the Paraguard, so zero hormones. The first few periods were murder scenes, but it was also the first few PP, so not sure if they would have been different otherwise. Now that they've settled down a bit, I like it a lot. Although, I admit, I see people talk about no periods with Mirena and I do sometimes thing that would have been better...

[lindsaymg]

See my signature ticker brought to you by a dislodged Mirena. Ha.

[Deleted]

Jun 30, 2015 16:11:10 GMT -5 lindsaymg said:

See my signature ticker brought to you by a dislodged Mirena. Ha.

I have a really stupid question. So.if you become pregnant and it's still in, do you have to get it removed? How does that work?

@tooshort

[lindsaymg]

Jun 30, 2015 16:33:28 GMT -5 @awinter said:

Jun 30, 2015 16:11:10 GMT -5 lindsaymg said:

See my signature ticker brought to you by a dislodged Mirena. Ha.

I have a really stupid question. So.if you become pregnant and it's still in, do you have to get it removed? How does that work?

@tooshort

Once my uterus started expanding mine almost fell out. It felt loose enough and low enough that I removed it in the shower after a BFP. However, if it is in there solidly you have to choose to remove it or not. Removing can cause a miscarriage, not removing it can cause a miscarriage. It is a tough decision.

Hindsight--- we knocked it out of place during rough sex a few months prior so I don't think mine was solidly in my uterus thus removing some of the risk. I could feel it DANGLING that day, my doctor appointment was later that day and I couldn't walk without removing it so I did. My doc had a heartbeat and said "well that made that decision pretty easy".

[Deleted]

lindsaymg, that's what I thought. I could see it being risky either way at that point.

[Deleted]

Really really happy with my Mirena after 2 Paragards. I don't get a period at all. I might keep it in even if H does get a repeat V.

[Deleted]

Im jealous of all you guys who don't get a period with Mirena.

[mandapanda18]

Jun 30, 2015 14:57:43 GMT -5 pinotgrig said:

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give my mirena a 7.

I love not having to think about.

The intermittent spotting is annoying, but better than a period.

I get occasional cramps and spotting every few weeks which is my biggest complaint. I've not been to my doc yet to see what the deal is, but it's the most annoying thing about it.

This me exactly, I have had it in for 19 months. The dr said that part of the spotting had to do with breastfeeding (I nursed until C was 16 months old), and then my body regulating afterwards. I have had a couple of months now of no symptoms!

[pinotgrig]

Jun 30, 2015 16:53:28 GMT -5 mandapanda18 said:

Jun 30, 2015 14:57:43 GMT -5 pinotgrig said:

On a scale of 1 to 10, I give my mirena a 7.

I love not having to think about.

The intermittent spotting is annoying, but better than a period.

I get occasional cramps and spotting every few weeks which is my biggest complaint. I've not been to my doc yet to see what the deal is, but it's the most annoying thing about it.

This me exactly, I have had it in for 19 months. The dr said that part of the spotting had to do with breastfeeding (I nursed until C was 16 months old), and then my body regulating afterwards. I have had a couple of months now of no symptoms!

Interesting! G is just now starting to self wean. Hopefully my body will do the same as yours!

[lifeisinteresting]

Jun 30, 2015 14:23:56 GMT -5 zarapipe said:

Since DH just confessed he hasn't closed the door on a possible #3 (huh). I think I will temporarily hold off on hounding him to get a V.

So now BC is on my because I HATE HATE HATE condoms and it's doing a number on our frequency.

I was thinking mini pill but then maybe an IUD because it would be effortless. BUT I've heard so many conflicting reports on people loving/hating their IUD. I had an implanon and hated it and it side effects and that I couldn't just stop it. I lasted 18m before I made an apt to take it out. I don't want another situation like that.

One potential thing to consider is your view on hormonal iud and conception. An iud can prevent a fertilized embryo from implanting which of course prevents a pregnancy. Many people aren't comfortable with methods of bc that don't prevent fertilization.
Choose what works best for you but most of the chocked involve hormones and it seems you have some difficulty or side effects with those. Tough choices.
Fwiw I used the mini pill when breastfeeding and greatly disliked the side effects of dryness and the need to take at exactly the same time every day. I was and still am not good about timing.