MY IUD STORY
I got an IUD in Oct of 2022 and posted about the initial experience shortly after insertion. SO many people wanted to know which one I got, why I chose it, what it felt like, what the side effects are, how it’s going now... everything. It made me realize that this topic is something we don't talk about enough in our culture. Some people on this earth have the gift of being able to have children. That being said, having a child is a choice. I want to empower us to have these conversations more openly so that no one feels awkward asking questions about what their options are. Here's more info about my experience. Scroll down to get more info from the professionals in this space.
My story:
I wanted to get birth control because I don't want to get pregnant right now. I did NOT, however, want birth control that used hormones to achieve that goal. Getting a natural period every month is a HUGELY beneficial signal that I'm fueling myself adequately for the work I ask my body to do, and I don't want that signal to be manipulated artificially. Some forms of birth control that use hormones will cause you to not get a period /rarely get a period, or cause you to get one every month due to the hormones (rather than your body naturally going through that process).
Since not having hormonal birth control is my #1 priority, that really left me with one option for an IUD. The one I got is the copper IUD with the brand name ParaGard. The OBGYN warned me that my period will likely be heavier with this one and I might have more symptoms like cramping during my period. I understood that risk and was comfortable with it because I knew that if it was too much to handle, I could get it removed at any time.
The insertion of the IUD was WAY more painful than I imagined. I'm pretty dang tough, but this pain was so different, so deep inside me, that I actually almost passed out a few times afterwards and had to spend about 20 extra minutes in the doctors office eating crackers and sipping on water before I could stand up to leave. 🥴 No one had warned me about how intense that would be, so here is your warning!
I did indeed experience heavier periods for the first year. And not gonna lie, the first 3-4 months were pretty brutal during the week of my bleed. I was worried that if that continued any longer that I would have to get it removed, but I'm so glad now that I stuck it out because I think my period has largely gone back to normal.
It’s been over a year now and I love my IUD! I still get a period, I don't worry about getting pregnant, and I don't have any hormones pumping in me! My OBGYN said I can keep it in for 10 years, but can get it removed at any time! Win win win!
Further reading:
Well, there you have it. The whole IUD story. It may be obvious to some, but I do want to point out that this is my personal experience and that everyone is different. The DMs I got after my initial post prove that there are many different ways to go about this and different IUDs work for different folks, so you should absolutely discuss this at length with your OBGYN as well as with other friends who have IUDs to make sure you have all the information you need to make a decision.
I HIGHLY recommend reading this article by Dr. Stacy Sims called “The Contraceptive Conundrum” where she shares more scientific research about the effects of oral contraceptives on athletes.
I also found this article by Self Magazine to be really helpful as it breaks down all the different options, how they work, what the different side effects are, etc. That could be a good place to start your research.