Coil? Sterilisation? What to do?

[BusyCee]

I don't want to get pregnant again. Have been on the mini-pill, but having to take it within two hours proves stressful, and I wonder if it's responsible for my moodiness and lack of sex drive (either that or I'm just a moody cow).

I've thought about the coil, but hear horror stories about pain on insertion, heavy periods, constant spotting etc....and would prefer not to have anything hormonal, which leaves me with the copper coil (and possible v heavy periods).

Have also thought about getting tubes tied - but this seems a bit dramatic.

I know I'm throwing it wide open here, but what are your experiences/thoughts?

Watching with interest.
I have a mirena coil fitted, which is soon to come out. Had it 5 years, but have had 2 fitted at separate intervals due to an unrelated problem around the time of the first meaning it needed to come out. I had the second fitted soon after to replace it. Both fittings were horrendoues for me. I won't lie. That said, I have 3 friends who also had mirena and none of them had a bad experience with the fitting. I know from the first one that the removal will be fine.

I had no problems with the coil itself over the 5 years, aside from erratic moods for the first 6 months or so (and feeling really low at times) and low libido (but easy enough to get over that with a bit of will power). I would compare the first 6 months with trying out a new pill, similar issues that then steady off after a while. The last 4.5 years I haven't given the coil a second thought and on that basis I would recommend it, despite the initial moodiness.

Not sure what to do next though as I have decided not to have another fitted...

*horrendous

I've been sterilized, it's much better than my coil experience. About 4 weeks for the wounds to heal, which are tiny anyway, and no extra heavy and painful periods like with a coil.

I had the copper coil five years and didn't get heavy periods. The strings feel a bit weird for the first week then they soften and I had no ill affects.

I've not had a coil but have been sterilised. It's great not to have to think about contraception.

I have been sterilised. Don't regret it and it was the best choice for me.

I will also once again point out what my GP and the gyne confirmed sterilisation does not cause heavy and or painful periods. The majority of women before hand are on some kind of hormonal contraception and these mask period issues. They then get sterilised, stop the artificial hormones and get period problems, put 2 and 2 together and make 5.

Mirena coil here. I love it. It's the best thing ever as far as I'm concerned.

Fitting was uncomfortable but fine, nothing at all like the horror stories I read beforehand. Bleeding for a couple of weeks after it. Nothing since. Coming up for a year. No side effects whatsoever.

Obviously this is my experience, from what I've read/heard some women have had very different experiences.

I have a copper coil and it's the best thing ever! Don't believe the horror stories about insertion, it is a tiny twinge of pain for about one second...no worse than a tiny stab of a period pain. No heavy periods either. Regular as clockwork too. I'm on my second one as I love it so much!

I have had heavier periods since being sterilised and wasn't using hormonal contraception for 11 years before that. I was 37 when I was sterilised though so possibly due to perimenopause and not necessarily connected to sterilisation.