Copper coil

[princesspeppax]

Any experience/ advice on the copper coil ? Been recommended it as it has no hormones in it but keep finding total horror stories about how sore it is getting put in ?

I have a copper coil as I found hormone contraceptives were upsetting my cycle. Tbh I found it more pinchy than painful, few deep breaths and you will get through it. Did get the shakes after I sat up which was due to a little bit of shock, but that's understandable as they have to open your cervix and the body is not expecting it. Had cramps for the rest of the day and felt a little tender. I get a bit of cramping when ovulating and quite heavy periods but they only last 4 days now which is bliss compared to the hormone ones.
Well worth getting it as it's quick a quick thing to fit and can last 5 or 10 years

Quite a quick even

No pain at all having it put in (I've had 3 dc which probably helps). Periods much heavier than before but not painful. PMT worse too but only the day or so before. Hormonal contraception literally sends me crazy. My gp was happy to refer either me or dh for sterilisation but we are both too chicken to do it. Condoms resulted in dc1 so I'm happy to suffer the heavy periods as a compromise!

I have two DC and have had two copper coils. Both extremely fine going in. I didn’t even know they had inserted it.

First time I got the 10 year one which caused painful cramps every month. Second time I got the 5 year one and the cramps are much less. I was told this was because the 5 year one is smaller than the 10 year so I’d go for that one.

I've had the copper coil, it's really fine having it fitted and I've never had a vaginal birth.

However, I had to have it removed due to unbearably heavy periods, I was flooding through my clothes. Also, god my PMT was off the scale! I was awful.

I've had the Mirena coil fitted and it's great, no periods, no fuss. Perfect!

Painful putting it in and then unknown to me 2 years later it fell out resulting in DC3 so I can't entirely recommend!

Although DC3 is a delight and very much loved now!

I had one fitted 2.5 years ago and my periods are far heavier / longer, and my pmt is hell on earth. I just couldn't get on with the pill, though looking back now it was probably less problematic than this!

And it hurt going in, but it was ok, only a split second of a severe pinching pain and then done!

Mine is a five-year one. It was briefly painful going in but not too bad really; it was fitted by a very experienced gynaecologist, with a really experienced nurse on hand who made distracting small talk at exactly the right moments, at the GUM clinic. (The gynaecologist told me though that the first time she’d ever had one inserted herself, she’d fainted on her way out of the clinic!)

My periods were much heavier for several months afterwards, then levelled out a bit. I didn’t mind; hormonal contraceptives used to affect my skin and mood, and I was happy not to have those worries any more.

These days my periods are again quite heavy, but I’m 43 so I reckon age/perimenopause is playing a part.

I’m completely happy with the copper coil. I like the freedom of not having to think about condoms (as I’m in a long-term relationship) or remember to take pills.

Not too bad having it fitted. Couldn’t feel it for the first 24 hours then the bleeding started and continued heavily for the next 5 weeks until they eventually agreed to remove it. Pain reminded me of labour. Was told I was having mini contractions. Treated 3 times for PID. 6 months after removal and still in a lot of pain. Gynaecologist keeps making appointments and then cancelling them for various different reasons ( just get a different coil and it will fix it, just go to your GP about pain management, all of this is completely normal). GP and family planning have both said it’s the gyny I need to see so after multiple letters from both she has arranged another appointment for June. GP thinks PID from coil has left scarring hence leaving my infertile .... cant say I’d recommend it ...

I found it pretty quick and painless only got it fitted about 10 days ago. Was very crappy first few days and had a real increase of discharge but nothing major. I'm breastfeeding my 10 week old so still don't have periods do not sure how they will be affected when they return mine are normally pretty heavy so probably not the best but Iv had enough of hormone contraception. Oh and I got the 10yr one so that's a bit bigger supposedly so my dr said 🤷🏻‍♀️.

Jesus honey I'm so sorry, that's bloody awful.

I have one and it was fine being put in. It is a tiny plastic thing, roughly the same as the mirena. The copper part is minuscule- it's not a big copper spring as I used to think!

I get spotting for a couple of days, then a normal period for about five days and then one or two very, very heavy days. My cycle is also short- 23 days or so, so the long periods are a bit of a pita as I really only have two weeks of no period before the spotting starts again.

PMS- I get this badly but I always have, I'm not sure if the copper coil has an effect on the severity. Does anyone know how that works? Given no hormones in cc.

Yes had to have it removed and wouldn't personally recommend to a friend, for the reason of long and heavy periods it caused me. Sounds like not such a big deal, but the reality is I felt physically weaker due to Iron levels etc.

I had a 10 year one fitted just over a year ago. I didn't find the insertion of it painful as such, just weirdly uncomfortable, like when I have a smear.

My periods were a bit heavier than previously but that settled down within 6 months. They do last a bit longer now though but overall I'm happy with it.

I’ve had one for about 18 months.

No problems having it put in. A few cramps on the day itself. I now get cramps for a couple of days around the beginning of my period and occasionally random cramps at other times of the month. My periods usually last for about five days and are very heavy for the first couple of days. I don’t know whether this is down to the coil as I had an implant for 9 years and was on the pill before that, so I don’t really know what is “normal”.

It’s OK. I preferred the implant but I like not being full of artificial hormones.

I’ve got one. No problems getting it fitted at all. Periods are slightly heavier, but nothing terrible. Im really happy with it.

Thanks everybody for your responses its the thought of getting it put in and the heavy periods that are putting me off

@princesspeppax the heavy periods are pretty easy sorted with removal though.

Have you had children? I had the mirena fitted before babies and it was more painful than my recent copper fitting after 2. The pain on insertion is quick and you can take as strong a painkiller as you can get your hands on half an hour before and they use numbing gel which helps a lot. It's the period cramps for the 24/48 hrs after that are a bit crap but not unbearable. Get it done in the morning or a late evening clinic and either have the day off and sleep or go home to bed.

@Mustang27 i do have 2 kids but i am such a cry baby and hate the thought of pain, i only got my first smear 2 months ago after building up years of courage to go for it as was terrified it would be painful (feel silly now though since it was a breeze) i already have heavy periods which i find a bloody nuisance and i cant imagine how much more annoying it would be with them even heavier. I have made an appointment tommorow for the health clinic and hoping to speak to the nurses and get more information on wether it is the best option for me. Thankyou

Snap on the heavy periods and pretty much can't go anywhere my first 2 days of my periods as they are so heavy. I can fill a moon cup in 15 mins . The dr said I'm likely not to notice as they are so heavy but I'm bf and my cycle hasn't returned yet, she did say when it does if I notice any major change that they can remove it super quick and then look at hormonal or sterilisation if I prefer. So I can't really report yet on that front.

It's sort of like the smear but a little extended and a teeny bit sore.

Good luck with the nurses I'm sure they are really informative. It's so rubbish we don't have more hormone free contraception options though .

Thank you i am glad that is doesn't seem many people find it agony going in which is what i assumed since my friend told me it was much worse that giving birth i just want something with no annoying side effects even though that seems near impossible maybe in an ideal world one day there will be such a thing

until they eventually agreed to remove it

Do they resist if you ask for it to be removed?

It's really not much different to a smear- and I have a tilted uterus and a prolapse. They don't really like to remove them until they'll had a chance to settle in.

Fine having it fitted, had it years with no problems. These horror stories are by nutcases, don’t look at them.

Thanks all, i had an appointment yesterday in which this doctor has recommended that i go for the mirena rather than the copper because my periods are heavy and she reckons the mirena will settle this, bit worried with hormones/ side effects etc but going to at least give it a try. Getting it fitted in 3 weeks time, doc said she uses numbing gel of some sort so hoping that makes it easier

They don't really like to remove them until they'll had a chance to settle in.

How long do they deem that to be?

I'm prone to terrible PMS and the thought of being out of control and unable to stop it, is scary to say the least.