Advise on choosing the copper coil

[cazzyal]

I have been on the pill (Rigevedon) for 3 months now and it has recently clicked that this is when I started feeling down and not myself. I used to be bubbly and enthusiastic but have felt I have lost this. I met my boyfriend just before I started on the pill and am worried that I have changed from the person he was originally attracted to. I have been looking at the Copper coil and wondered what experience others have had with this as I just want to feel like 'me' again. Or as I have only been on the pill for 3 months I just need to give it longer.

Thanks

[cazzyal]

I am visiting the nurse just wanted some advice from experience before being potentially ignored by the nurse.

[lellyh99]

hi, I am just back from the nurse after having the horrid thing removed!
I lasted 8 months with it, tried to persevere but to no avail, it's brilliant if you get on with it, no hormones, no remembering to take pills, nothing to worry about...however, I'm pretty good at dealing with terrible crampy pain but the blood loss was horrific 10-14 days of heavy heavy heavy bleeding leading to anaemia and now on iron tablets and have low blood pressure...yikes! back to the drawing board for me.
I'm investigating the patch leading to eventual sterilisation if possible (already have kids and am 45)
Good luck!

[SingSongSlummy]

I had my copper coil put in about 5 months ago after having the implant and I'm really pleased with it. I feel like myself again, no hormones giving me headaches. No constant bleeding, just 3 days a month now. The first two periods were heavy, but nothing too bad and now they have settled down. I'd definitely recommend it.

[LettuceLaughton]

The copper coil has been great for me, have been using them for 6 years now with none of the heavy period / cramp problems that some women have. My periods are in fact lighter than they were before and between DC, although that may well have nothing to do with my coil.

I don't tolerate hormonal contraceptives any more, they make me fat and very depressed so I consider myself very lucky to get on with the copper coil.

IIRC from my days of the pill 3 months was the recommended trial period when trying a new one.

Good luck

[WhoNickedMyName]

I LOVE my copper coil, had it in for about 4 years now, I've got the 10 year coil and it was the best decision for me. No hormones flooding your body, periods are ever so slightly heavier but mine were very light in the first place anyway so now nothing drastic. Having it fitted took 2 minutes, no pain, no cramping. I wouldn't ever go back to hormonal contraception.

[JC74]

I am on my third copper coil. I am unable to use hormone based contraception so my options were limited but I have never had any issues at all.

[Blowninonabreeze]

Have you had children OP? It's not a deal breaker but coil insertion is easier in women who have had children.

I have a copper coil. It was inserted post dc3. First 3 periods were very heavy (but they were also first periods post arrival of dc3) but I've now settled down to what was normal for me.

Very happy with it. It's long term. No hormones. Very pleased.

[cazzyal]

Discussed it with the nurse and she was very encouraging for me to have a coil, possibly trying the hormonal one, I'm going away for summer so she suggested for me to go on a lower hormone pill until I'm back just in case something goes wrong! So relieved can't wait to get back to my normal self.... thanks for your positive comments :D

[WhoNickedMyName]

I'd give the hormonal coil a huge swerve tbh and insist on the copper.

[cazzyal]

what are the issues with the hormonal WhoNickedMyName?

[WhoNickedMyName]

same as the pill, you're putting hormones into your body, when you don't need to. I tried the mirena coil, stopped having periods which was great, however my sex drive nosedived, I gained weight, got spotty, moody, irritable, had the greasiest hair ever, it was a nightmare trying to get it removed (my gp point blank refused) and I ended up taking it out myself.

hormone free all the way from now on for me!

[LettuceLaughton]

I'd echo that exactly^

The hormonal coil is (AFAIK) more expensive than the copper one and GPs in the uk seem very, very reluctant to removed them when the side effects are too much to handle.

If hormonal contraception is giving you a hard time then it's best to avoid it if you can. Save any remaining tolerance for some unforeseen circumstance where you might NEED it.

It might, maybe, be worth trying one of the 'new' generation pills - Yasmin et al - but in my case they were as bad as the older ones.

[Whatabout]

I fell pregnant on the copper coil, I had to have a termination as it caused issues. I'm one of the unlucky ones. I'd had a couple of good years out of it before. I must say I'm quite fertile, both my son and current pregnancy were one shag wonders and I fell and miscarried on the pill.
I think for most people they are a good solution, but my experience varied.

[Starbelle]

Just had the copper coil fitted and so far am on day three of cramps but they're nothing terrible now and have eased quite a lot. Hot water bottle, chocolate and buscopan!

I had a pulse of 109 beforehand because I was so nervous. The fitting was slightly uncomfortable as my cervix is tiny apparently, (and I'd already had a failed insertion so think I was more tense) but I had an injection (which felt like a smear test) and then with lots of chats about travel and good films from the nurse, it was done. Very little pain, more just discomfort. A bit of asking me to laugh and cough to make sure it was in and staying in, and all fine. The doctor made me stay lying down afterwards just to check my pulse rate wasn't still 109 (it wasn't) and then after lots of asking me if I was okay, I wandered out.

My womb feels crampy but happy, don't think there'll be any issues with this method and after awful reactions to hormonal methods I'm crossing my fingers!

Star.