06-01-2013, 06:21
I hate it when a perfectly good post vanishes into the ether! lol
To recap, IUDs are good when you:
Don't want to have kids for a while
Don't want to remember to take a pill or insert something; and
Are in a monogamous relationship and aren't concerned about STDs.
Insurers are delighted to pay for IUDs, because they're the next best thing to tubal ligations. Their failure rate is literally <1%.
Paraguard works by killing sperm via the copper wire, while Mirena releases hormones to thin the uterine lining. Paraguard is effective for 10 years, while Mirena is good for 5 to 7 years.
As far as Paraguard vs. Mirena, I thought Mirena offered several advantages:
Mirena makes your periods lighter to nonexistent, while Paraguard does the opposite;
Mirena releases progesterone into your uterus over several years, and actually lists breast enlargement as a possible side effect (yes!);
Mirena doesn't affect ovulation, so if you want to conceive, just have it removed.
Most docs won't tell you IUDs aren't really recommended for women who haven't been pregnant before. After a pregnancy, the uterus is slightly larger, making insertion easier. If you haven't ever been pregnant before, the insertion REALLY hurts. If you have, it's a little uncomfortable. Pop two Tylenol or Advil an hour before your appointment, breathe deeply, and you should be okay. I have, so I self-medicated, relaxed, and it was over before I knew it. I took a couple more pills about three hours afterwards, and that was it.
Some spotting after insertion is normal for the first few months. After that, everything should settle down.
I think that's everything.
To recap, IUDs are good when you:
Don't want to have kids for a while
Don't want to remember to take a pill or insert something; and
Are in a monogamous relationship and aren't concerned about STDs.
Insurers are delighted to pay for IUDs, because they're the next best thing to tubal ligations. Their failure rate is literally <1%.
Paraguard works by killing sperm via the copper wire, while Mirena releases hormones to thin the uterine lining. Paraguard is effective for 10 years, while Mirena is good for 5 to 7 years.
As far as Paraguard vs. Mirena, I thought Mirena offered several advantages:
Mirena makes your periods lighter to nonexistent, while Paraguard does the opposite;
Mirena releases progesterone into your uterus over several years, and actually lists breast enlargement as a possible side effect (yes!);
Mirena doesn't affect ovulation, so if you want to conceive, just have it removed.
Most docs won't tell you IUDs aren't really recommended for women who haven't been pregnant before. After a pregnancy, the uterus is slightly larger, making insertion easier. If you haven't ever been pregnant before, the insertion REALLY hurts. If you have, it's a little uncomfortable. Pop two Tylenol or Advil an hour before your appointment, breathe deeply, and you should be okay. I have, so I self-medicated, relaxed, and it was over before I knew it. I took a couple more pills about three hours afterwards, and that was it.
Some spotting after insertion is normal for the first few months. After that, everything should settle down.
I think that's everything.