Copper IUD - my experience

[ShadowWeaver]

Hi, I thought I'd write a bit about my experience with the copper coil. I had it inserted on Thursday (3 days ago) and here's what happened. I have quite light periods (1 day heavy the 3-4 days light) so am hoping the copper coil will not make them unbearable.
So firstly I had an appointment with a nurse at the local family planning clinic. She took my blood pressure/weight and asked me questions about my health, past pregnancies etc. She showed me what the coil looks like and told me the pros/cons of them both. Once we were both happy with the choice I booked in for an appointment to have the coil inserted in about a weeks time (just after my period finished)

On Thursday I went in to my appointment (I had taken 2 paracetamol an hour before) and was introduced to the doctor and nurse. I was asked a couple of questions then told to take my pants off and lie on the table, ankles together knees apart. The doctor took one look and asked me to put my fists under my bum as I have a tilted uterus (I was going to tell her but she beat me to it!).
Then came the painful bit, and I have to say I think it might have been worse as she was not talking me through it. When I've had smears in the past the nurse will tell me what she is doing so I'm ready for it, but this doctor just kinda went for it. There was some pain, felt like v painful cramping then 30 seconds relief while she got the IUD then more pain (bit worse) but it was over in like 60-90 seconds. I felt fine afterwards and got ready (put on a pad for the spotting) and left. My brother who I had taken with me to drive incase I had a bad reaction joked about whether they had used a catapult I was in and out that quickly! Lol.
So the rest of the day saw mild cramping with the odd more painful twinge and a bit of spotting, nothing too bad.
Next day cramping had pretty much gone but spotting continued. It had turned into a red watery discharge. A panty liner was enough though.
This morning I woke up with slightly more spotting, but that might just be because I'd been lying down so it's accumulated? Not sure. No cramping.
I'll try to keep this updated as time goes on for anyone who is thinking of getting an IUD put in, as there wasn't many real life experiences online from beginning to end when I was researching.

[wickedfairy]

Hi,

I'm thinking of one for period control, I don't need it for contraception as DH has had the snip.

2 friends have it and have said periods lighter. Information online says it could make periods heavier, which is definitely not what I want, as am prone to flooding.

Don't really want hormonal as I don't actually need the contraception bit, just less bleeding!!

[ShadowWeaver]

The copper coil is meant to make periods heavier, it's the Mirena (hormonal) that stops/makes them lighter.

My spotting stopped yesterday (3 days after insertion) although I can feel a crampy feeling if I sit/lie a certain way, it's not painful, just there iyswim. So far so good. Hoping my 1st period isn't as bad as others online have experienced. Due the 17th normally (pretty much like clockwork).

[ShowOfHands]

I had mine put in under general anaesthetic!

They don't make periods lighter, Shadow is right. That's the Mirena. The copper coil usually makes things heavier.

I didn't get on with it and my periods were long, heavy and painful. I lasted 5 months with it and had to have it out (quick and painless).

Friends have had no problems with it at all. Hopefully, you will get on fine with it.

[CurbsideProphet]

I tried the copper coil twice. I expelled the first one after 9 months and had the second one removed after 9 months, as I had months of agonising cramps. I can't have anything hormonal, so I'm really annoyed that it didn't work out for me!

[originalusernamefail]

I love mine! Painless insertion (gp uses local anaesthetic on cervix) and nothing to worry about since. Periods now regular. I consider them heavy but I have a pituitary condition for years which meant I didn't get them so they may just be normal.

[ShadowWeaver]

I've had a few more than normal headaches, but that might be because it's the school holidays. Also had a bit diarrhoea which was probably because of the cramps, that only lasted a day or so.
I did lose 3/4lb in 3 days which was weird as I didn't do anything different, think I've put it back on now after today though

[MySecretToTell]

I had mine in for just over a year before having it removed to ttc.

I loved mine but there were two downsides for me...

1. my periods lasted longer and were heavier. I'd always had 8 day periods from the first brown spotting to the last. With the coil they went to about 10 or 11 days and the heaviest day from pre coil was transformed into a heavy 2 days.
   
   
2. Pain. I'd only ever had the odd twinge of period pain before my coil but once it was inserted every month was spent with about 3 days of intermittent awful pain. I can only describe the feeling as the coil screwing itself out of my cervix for a few minutes of three days every month, obviously it wasn't but that's how it felt.
   
   Despite my two issues with the coil I would recommend it to anyone. No need to remember to take your pill away on holiday with you, nothing to insert during sex, no hormones making me feel rubbish. It was the best method of contraception I've used even if there were a few downsides.

[GherkinSnatch]

I've had one for about 2 years. Periods are definitely longer and heavier. I've had endometriosis since having it inserted too - which is fun.

DH and I refer to day 2 and 3 of my period as my once a month "I want to go back on the pill" wobble. Just have to get on with it really though.

[ShadowWeaver]

My periods are only 3/4 days with 1 heavy day, so I'm hoping if they have to get heavier that they go to about 5/6 days with possibly 2 heavy days (wishful thinking?!) Before kids they were heavier/longer so I'm accustomed to them.

[eyeoresancerre]

I had mine inserted 4 months ago. Bit of a crappy first few weeks and slightly heavier periods but it is lovely to not have the pill hormones in my system. I feel calmer and more in control than I have done in all the years of the pill. Insertion was a painful but over in a minute and worth it for 10 years of contraception.

[squirreltrap]

I've had mine for 5 years and had no issue whatsoever. Not sure it's made my periods heavier, they just seem normal - 3 to 4 days and I don't have any pain

Hormone free is what swings it for me. You get the highs and lows of the menstrual cycle but it feels natural. Hormonal contraception didn't have the highs and lows (in fact made me quite blasé about life) but I love my monthly oestrogen rush (best natural drug ever) as much as I hate the PMS. Adds a certain variety to life

[wickedfairy]

Ah, I must be getting the coils mixed up! My friends must have the mirena then. Definitely not cooper for me then - am prone to flooding as it is; that's why I'm looking for options to reduce heaviness. Thanks

[ShadowWeaver]

Quick update: no more spotting since last post. I think I ovulated a few days ago as got a cramp on my left hand side, I do usually get ovulation cramps but this was a bit more painful. Then I've been cramping on and off over the last few days again more painful than before (in fact I never really got cramps) I'm assuming it's because the uterine lining is thickening and the coil is pushing against it? I'm not medically minded but that makes sense to me. I keep wearing pads incase I start early (due 17th) as I've heard it can be very heavy and I'm not always near a loo.

[orangefolly]

Shadow hang in there. I had two copper coils over the course of 10 years or so, and I definitely got more cramping and heavy periods for the first couple of months after insertion before it settled down and improved.

[ShadowWeaver]

Thanks orange I'm doing ok. I used to get cramps before kids but they were pretty much non existent after (lucky I know) so they're just about the same as pre-kids. Nothing I can't handle so far.

[NotCitrus]

I had mine nearly 5 years ago and my periods did get lighter and have gone from terribly painful to practically painless. Previous MN threads have shown I'm far from alone, so while stats show they often get heavier, there's lots of variation.

The insertion of mine was painless - she did a smear while there - though there was a bit of mild cramping and bleeding over the next 2 days, but very minor compared to a period.

[GiGiraffe]

Just wanted to say thanks so much for this! I have been dithering about getting a copper coil (don't tolerate hormones well) and it has made my mind up. Am going to just do it!

[farfarawayfromhome]

I've had one of these for years, actually on my second one.

Barely hurt on insertion...my consultant scanned me first to check my womb and inserted it in day three of my period so my cervix was slightly open. Literally bit my lip,for three seconds and it was over.

I had my first removed to get pregnant, didn't even feel the removal. Pregnant 12 days later!

No crazy periods, no ill effects, absolutely love it!

[ShadowWeaver]

NotCitrus was that the copper coil?
GiGiraffe it took me years to finally decide on this as I don't really like putting stuff into my body that's not needed, but this seemed the lesser evil of all the other options.

I'm not sure whether it's all playing on my mind, but I keep dreaming I'm pregnant and feel sad when I wake up that I'm not (if things allowed I would have liked another baby). Hopefully the dreams will die down soon.

[PaintingByNumbers]

I had mine changed 3 months ago. My periods have gone a bit off track - first one was 2 weeks after insertion, then 3 weeks later. Thats pretty much it.

[abigailgabble]

ooh shall i do this too!

i had my coil inserted about a month ago when my baby was about 3mo. i too cannot tolerate hormones but i've always had reasonable periods, very regular, not mega heavy, more sickness than cramping. never taken pain killers or anything (probs why i was soooooo blasé about labour 😳).

so i can't comment on my periods yet as i'm EBF and do not know when we will see them again...

insertion was ok, it's v disconcerting having someone rummaging around in there and it was uncomfortable. but it was nothing on having a baby obv. i did feel quite sick and faint afterwards but i am extremely squeamish - it really wasn't that bad.

i've had a few odd twinges since then, so I'm a liiitle bit nervous of it. had one yesterday that was somewhat reminiscent of a contraction. but then it was gone just like that. there are times when I am certainly aware of it.

overall though, so far so good.

[NotCitrus]

Shadowweaver - Yes, copper coil. After a bad experience with cerazette I didn't want any extra hormones thank you.

[ShadowWeaver]

I had a bit sporting yesterday and started my period today 4 days early. So far it's been pretty run of the mill. I'm using a mooncup and only had to empty it once today. (Got a pad on too just in case)
Had a couple of severe cramps leading up to it where I had to stop what I was doing, but they didn't last long.

[ShadowWeaver]

I started my period the day after I last posted. It was about 30% heavier (had to change mooncup every 2-3 hours) but only lasted 24 hours then pretty much normal. I'm still slightly on but I'm using just pads now as it's not much at all. So pretty pleased it hasn't been like a massacre after all!

[ShadowWeaver]

Oh and cramping has been almost non-existant since starting.