Coil - yes or no

[mandbaby]

I'm thinking of having the IUD Coil. Don't know whether to have the copper of Merina coil. However, my two closest friends have told me horror stories about both.

Please give me your experiences of the coil - good AND bad.

I'm on my 3rd mirena coil and I love it. I've not had a period in 14 years and it's kept my endometriosis away so I've been pain free for that long too.

I am in the hated it group for the mirena. Gave me horrific acne, my mood swings were hateful I couldn't wait for it to come out.

I had a copper coil fitted by then GP. He had issues inserting it and I bled for 3 weeks. Went along to a FPC to ask why and they said it has partly slipped out (great!) so they removed it.

Have had a copper coil for 15 years, on number 3 which will just stay in situ now as by the time it comes to the end of it's life I'll be safely old enough not to get pregnant. Obviously they don't suit everybody, but if it works for you it's a zero effort, low risk & long lasting method of contraception.

I'd be inclined to get it fitted at a family planning clinic rather than by a GP though as they do so many - often a pain to get an appointment, but since they last either 5 or 10 years depending on type, it's not really a frequent problem . . .

I've had a mirena coil for over 5 years and I love it. No periods. It was not nice having it fitted and the first two weeks had me in a lot of pain but compared to the awful monthly pain I was in, it was worth it.

I was going to have one fitted, but the stories put me off, having to check it's still fitted etc and so went for stetilization instead.

I had one. It caused me great pain... had every man and his dog looking up there and an ultrasound. It had to come out which was done by a woman who lived in my village.. when it came out I had my first period for about 6 having been on the injection previously. I then bumped into coil removing nurse outside the hair dressers and it felt like Aunt Flo had manifestered into a real person.
However the reason for my pain was because I have a very small cervix. The coil was just too big even though they used a smaller 3 year one for me

Has the mirena for 14 months now. I have pcos so have very heavy, painful periods, but I don't have any physical periods on the coil. Just an emotional period with back ache and mild cramps.

I cannot take any contraception as it throws my hormones out of whack and messes with my head.

The coil works for me.

I had the mirena for about 18 months. Insertion and removal no hassle. However, it gave me revolting mood swings and my libido was non existent. Drs tell you it uses less hormones than the pill but that didn’t seem to matter for me. Made me feel foul and I would never recommend to anyone.

I had a copper coil in for 12 years! Before i had children. A bit painful to insert and mildly heavier periods.
Was a brilliant form of contraception for me. And highly effective (got pregnant - on purpose - as soon as it was taken out)
I would go for one again, but DH has had the snip now.

I have just written this on a thread asking the same question so I have copied and pasted my response. The copper coil is a good choice if your natural period (so periods prior to all hormonal methods) is very light and non painful. Copper coils often make periods a little longer, heavier and more painful. If you have a history of painful or heavy periods then I would not recommend this method. Alternatively a Mirena coil (IUS) has a low dose of localised progesterone which keeps the lining of your uterus thin. For the first 6 months of having an IUS it is completely expected that you will have a degree of abnormal bleeding. This will usually settle and most women do then continue to have very light, infrequent periods or stop having them all together. As the method is localised to your uterus the side effects are often less pronounced than systemic hormones such as pills which get into your blood stream. There are side effects with all methods of contraception and you do need to allow your body time to adjust to these and they will usually settle. These can include breast tenderness, changes to mood, tension headaches and spottier skin.

I'm on my second Mirena and it's fabulous. Dsis has had them for 12 yrs too and she actually recommended it to me.

I'm very sensitive to hormonal contraception (makes me murderous) so I have a copper coil. On my second now after having the 1st removed to conceive DS. Can't recommend enough, 10 years of knowing exactly what my cycle is doing and not worrying about pregnancy!

My periods were always heavy and after the first couple of bloodbaths they settled down and have been fine ever since.

Im currently sat googling to find info about changing from mirena to copper. Ive had mirena since start of Oct last yr (3m post partum at the time).

In between by kids we didnt use anything as we new we wanted another. Prior to my eldest i used cerazette mini pill which stopped my periods completely.

Since having mirena in i have bled every day since, with the exception of 6 random days where i didnt have any bleeding. Its been ranging from a little spotting to full on bleeding through underwear and trousers. Its horrific.
I saw the doctor last month who has scheduled a scan for me next week. She also checked and said the placement was fine and my cervix looked healthy so its unexplained. She also put me on cerazette at the same time as the mirena to stop the bleeding which has done nothing in the last nearly 4 weeks of taking it.

After the scan, assuming they find nothing to explain my bleeding, i think i'll try the copper iud. I would rather have 1 period a month, even if it is longer or heavier rather than bleed everyday.

In terms of other symptoms on mirena i have been lethargic and exhausted but this may be down to constant blood loss/low iron so they have put me on supplements for this too.

My opinion is go hormone free where possible.