Anybody have an IUD?

[Kanoa]

hey ladies! so my two biggest triggers seem to be sleep deprivation and hormonal changes... I usually get an OB every month around my period and I'm SO over it. Taking antivirals completely eliminates them, but I'm not sure which I dislike more... having an OB or taking valtrex every day. My doc brought up IUDs to me a few months ago... not in regards to herpes, just as an alternative form of birth control, but she mentioned that they sometimes cause cycles to stop. I'm wondering if that were the case, whether it would mean no hormonal fluctuations and no monthly outbreaks. I've been researching skyla and am going to be discussing it with my gyno in a few days but wondered if any of y'all have any experience with any sort of IUD, either positive or negative, and whether it ended your cycles... and, if that was a trigger for you, whether it eliminated the monthly OBs as well. Any other info (side effects, complications, etc) would be appreciated as well!

 

There's a lot of horror stories re IUDs on the web... but, you can find a lot of horror stories for just about anything you look up.

[Peachyogurtisawesome]

I have had mirena since 2011. I know I've seen some commercials about suing them and asked my gyno about it but he said that if i wasn't havimg problems with it not to worry. i know a few months of having it put in my monthlys went away. in the beginning though i don't know if it had to have time to adjust or what but sometimes ivcould feel the strings from it. the mirena is vaginally inserted and the strings aren't like soft. it felt like metal strings. However after a while it got to where i didn't feel a "poke on my vaginal wall from the two strinbs anymore. 2012 2013 and now I've still had no problem with it. i aquired hsv back in march of last year. I've had 4 total outbreaks down there. I don't take antivirals i drink lots of coffee. but i never got back to back outbreaks. Other than the freaky string thing in the first couple of months wih mirena i havnt had any problems with it. it lasts 5 years before i have to have it replaced and sounded more desirable than what my other usual form of bc was which was depo provera which is a shot you take every 3 months. I know most definitely the shot also stopped my mohlys. but not having to go in to doctor for 5 years for bc beat every 3 months. never have been a big take a pill everyday kinda person as i forget. Which if i ever get with an h- partner ill have to change that forgetfullness quick lol

[Starsinhereyes]

I have had Paragard for a year and i LOVE it. I did cause some pretty bad cramping and hard periods at first, and it took 6-8 mos for them to even out, but it's great. I never worry about being preggo and I don't have to remember a pill. Insertion was terribly painful, but it was all worth it for me.

[Sparklepony]

I have a Mirena. Ive had it about a year now and in that time I've had one extremely light period. I got it right as I finished breastfeeding so I think that's why I had no "adjustment periods". I had no pain or discomfort during insertion or right after, but I had also had a baby 8 months before and I'm sure that made it easier. I highly recommend it, for most people it stops periods all together so if that's a huge trigger for outbreaks for you it might be worth a shot. As previously mentioned, the strings aren't soft. They do feel like metal but I'm assuming that's to make checking for them easier.