Copper IUD = heavy periods ??

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2003
Copper IUD = heavy periods ??
3
Sat, 10-02-2004 - 11:20pm
I'm looking for an effective non-hormonal birth control solution. I really don't want any more children. I'm even considering tubal ligation, but that's surgery.

I absolutely can not take hormones of any kind. The Mirena IUD sounds appealing, but I know I can't take hormones. The last two times I tried different BCPs, I got so sick and depressed. There is no way I want to risk that again.

The copper IUD sounds good, except I'm afraid of having increased periods. Are your periods heavier the whole time you use the copper IUD or do things straighten out? My periods are kind of heavy already and last for 7 days. I wouldn't want it to be any worse than that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-09-2004
Sat, 10-02-2004 - 11:56pm
I have had my copper IUD for about 2 months now. To be honest with you, I really haven't noticed that much of a difference so far. My periods started off light, went to heavy and then back to light before the iud. Now they start off heavier and then just taper off. The patterned changed, but not the amount of the flow if that makes any sense at all. The length hasn't really changed at all for me. I'm a 7 day person too.

For me personally, knowing how my body reacts to anything hormonal, alittle bit heavier period was the least of my concerns when getting the IUD. I didn't want to do anything permant yet, but wanted something that would be easy for me and be effective.

I will add that it takes a few months to get everything straightened out and to re-establish your cycle after you body gets used to the IUD.

I would check out the webpages for both the merina and the paraguard IUD's. My midwife swore up and down that the hormones in the merina one would not affect me like bcp's did. Personally, I wasn't brave enough to try it and I really like the idea of 10 years on the copper one.

The sites are:

www.paraguard.com

www.merina.com (I think that one is correct...oops if not)

I hope that helps in your decision!



iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2004
Sun, 10-03-2004 - 12:49am
If you're thinking of sterilization but are afraid of surgery, there's a new method out there that not many women have heard of yet. It's called Essure and it's non-surgical. You can read about it here:

www.essure.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2003
Sun, 10-03-2004 - 8:44pm
Wow, thanks so much for both of your responses!