Questions about Coils

[BlueberryPancake]

I want to go off the pill, but don't want to have another baby - and not ready for drastic measures so coil looks like a good solution. I don't know anyone who's got / had one. If you've had/got a coil, could you please talk me through the process? Types? Benefits? Disavantages? Your experience good or bad welcome.

Many thanks!!

[Babbity]

I have a non hormone coil:

pros: quick to put in, and lasts for 5 years
no hormones
effective

cons: painful heavy periods, and painful ovulation
some people find insertion v painful (although I didn't)

I'm considering having mine out actually, and a mirena coil put in

[fruitymum]

the family planning association will have some good info - there are a few different types ...

[Nettee]

I have a copper coil that will last me 10 years. Not too bad to have put in (not great though to be honest) heavier periods for a while and now no problems. I would recommend it. (I did have one come nearly out and have to go for scans and things and then have another one which was a pain but I think that is probably rare).

[JohnnyTwoHats]

I hated my copper coil. Long, heavy, painful periods, horrific acne and mood swings. I ended up taking it out myself in desperation (not advisable). The abortifacient aspect of it freaked me out more than I thought it might, too. No experience of Mirena, sorry, as I can't take hormonal contraception.

[Nettee]

Do you think it caused the acne and mood swings? I think that mostly the copper coil works by killing the sperm before fertilisation (let me go and look this up.....)

[Nettee]

here we are from Net Docter:

How do IUDs work?
They sit in your womb and prevent you from getting pregnant. They do this in three main ways:

they prevent your partner?s sperm from getting through your womb and into your tubes
they alter the secretions (mucus) in your cervix, creating a further barrier for sperm
they affect your womb lining ? making it less likely to ?accept? an egg.
Pretty well all family planning doctors and nurses say that the IUD does not work by ?causing an abortion', as some people have alleged.

so yes one of the three ways is not so ethical depending on your view of a fertilised egg before implantation

[holdingittogether]

I have Mirena coil, the one with hormones in. It's fab. Minimal bleeding, can forget about it for 5 years apart from an annual check up. I was warned that you can get irregualr bleeding which can take 6 months to settle down. This wasn't the case for me. Some people get no periods at all. I find i get a few days of spotting every now and then. I don't know how regular it is as I never bother to note the date. Have heard quite a few scare stories about people getting pg with one in but fingers crossed it's working well so far.

[JohnnyTwoHats]

I think it did cause the acne and mood swings, yes. (I do react to copper jewellery etc too though). Both symptoms cleared up quickly when I removed the coil, and have not returned (it's been a good few months, maybe five)

[AnnieLobeseder]

I've got a Mirena coil, which had been great. Very light periods, can mostly forget it's there. I had the implant before which made my periods very irregular, which drove me nuts, but I seem to be on a regular 28 days with Mirena.

Having it put in was less than pleasant, but still nicer than the implant!

That being said, I could't find the strings recently, and had to go back to clinic for a check-up. It was worse than having a smear done - very unpleasant! And since the doc couldn't find it I had to go for an internal ultrasound, which was better than the internal but also not something I'd suggest for a fun morning out!

I think my doc cut the string a little short when she put it in, though, cos I've always only just been able to feel them. So I don't think losing the strings is a common thing.

Otherwise, I'm very happy with it. No remembering to take pills, no nasty condoms, light periods, all very simple!

I do worry that the suction of my mooncup will pull it out, though!!

[JohnnyTwoHats]

Oh and, recurrent thrush, that was the other one.

[BlueberryPancake]

OK so who put it in? Your GP? a family planning clinic? A specialist nurse? There are no family planning clinic at my GP so I'm not sure where I'll end up, but where did you go?

Thanks for all the info, this is great.

I want to stop the pill because of the hormones, so should I go for a coil that does'nt have hormones, or do they work completely differently from the pill and a coil with hormones is 'better' than a normal one?

[clarej80]

I was in the same boat as you last week, i decided on the copper coil he one with no hormones, as being on the pill for 9 yrs wanted to give my body a break from hormones. Had it fitted on Thursday, was painful going in i must admit but was over in 5 mins which was good and i now have 10 yr protection :D. I have had period pains for he last few days on and off but only had spotting on the thursday after it was fitted. Strings are very hard to feel, and only found them this morning!! Just hoping now the periods are ok but so far so good thumbs up from me

[MamaMuesli]

Had mine for ages and loved it, then a few months ago it came out, had it replaced..and its just come out again. Dr was suprised as it doesn't happen often (she doesn't know about the second one). Pros, you can just forget about it. Didn't have any side effects - though have had acne, didn't think it was connected, not for same time period as have had the coil.