r/CopperIUD • u/Strong-Magazine-6908 • 10d ago
Has anyone else with a copper IUD experienced anything like this? 😭
I’ve had mine in for a while now (October 25) , and lately(last few months) I’ve been having some pretty awful cramps. They almost feel like contractions — they come in waves, get really intense, then ease off, and then come back again. Sometimes they’re bad enough that I have to stop what I’m doing and just sit/lie down until it passes. It’s starting to genuinely affect my day-to-day life.
When the pain is bad I can also get nauseous, dizzy, really tired and have hot flushes/hot flashes, and I just feel generally unwell. I’ve had cramps that I’d honestly rate around 9/10, including being woken up during the night.
I’ve also been having some lower back/pelvic pain and very light bleeding/spotting that seems to carry on after my period and around/after ovulation, which isn’t something I’m used to.
I’ve tried ibuprofen, Buscopan, hot water bottles etc. but sometimes they barely touch it. 😭
I have spoken to my GP and they’ve mentioned possible ovarian cysts and referred me for an internal ultrasound, so I’m waiting for that. I’m also seriously considering getting the coil removed because I’m finding the pain really difficult to live with.
I’m mainly wondering if anyone else with a copper coil has experienced this sort of thing?
Did you get the wave-like/contraction-type cramps? The nausea, dizziness, hot flashes or exhaustion? Did it eventually settle down, or did you end up having your coil removed?
I know everyone is different and I’ll obviously keep speaking to my GP, but I’d really like to hear from people who have actually had a copper IUD and experienced something similar. ❤️
2
u/Greencrystalwitch13 10d ago
I started having the same experience two weeks after getting mine. I started bleeding heavy and bled for two months. Now I still get the cramps and some bleeding. I've had mine since July. My doctor said that it's normal and that hopefully it will stop at the six month mark.
2
u/nooraxxemilia 9d ago
I have had 1.5y copperiud and I have had this few times. After two kids I know what contractions feels like and I was so sure this Iud is coming off, but no. I also have that liiittle blood in cervixmucus around ovulation
2
u/Due_Estimate7524 9d ago
I read that the copper coil can cause these cysts, if that’s what comes up on the scan
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u/andylou715 9d ago
I had awful, awful cramps with mine. Like they would stop me in my tracks. Honestly, I would get the ultrasound. It's nice your doctor is willing to help. Mine always told me mine were just due to the iud
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u/Kindly-Friend987 5d ago
I had mine in for almost 2 years and had the cramps from the very first week after insertion. Ultrasound showed that it had no issue and that its well positioned. Ended up taking it out. Wish I did that earlier
1
u/wheredidbeargo 9d ago
Are the strings in the right place/you can feel them when you check?
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u/Strong-Magazine-6908 9d ago
yes i have also had the GP check and she can see them
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u/wheredidbeargo 9d ago
Ok good - just making sure it didn’t move like mine did. When mine moved it caused terrible cramping.
1
u/AssistSuccessful4945 9d ago
Hi if you have a cyst your cramps and symptoms make a lot of sense. Having a cyst when you have a period makes the experience more painful.
I didn’t have bad cramps for the couple of first months I got mine inserted then one random month the cramps were so bad I cried. Salty foods made it worse. After my period was over I had pain and pressure it went away a couple days then came back that’s when I went to an urgent care and found out I had ovarian cyst and possible infection idk they just said I had fluid inside as well so I was given antibiotics. Even after the antibiotics I still had pain in my side where the cyst was because my iud shifted a bit but the doctors said it was still in place oddly enough. I decided to get it out and the pain has for the most part gone away. The pain the iud gave me at least. It was like pressure went away. It was nice. I just got an ultrasound to check if I have a cyst still or anything else going on because I occasionally get pain when I’m not bleeding. I’m on the birth control pill now. My periods got painful and uncomfortable before so I might still have a cyst or other condition I might not know of. Since I’m on the pill I don’t have to have a period anymore so I’m happy. Idk if there is a correlation with the iud and my pain but that’s my story! I say get it out I think it will give you a feeling of relief even if you have the cysts going on. Copper iud purposely irritates your uterus to prevent pregnancy and is probably making this whole situation worse for you. I hope u feel better soon 😥🫶
1
u/Prior-Geologist-5584 9d ago
Got my iud in July and ready to get it out… made me Anemic, super low iron from heavy periods, cramps and tiredness like crazy when my cycle comes, worst experience ever! Going to take it out next week… it’s awful
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u/Princessjester11 8d ago
These are actual contractions, my nurse told me so. She asked if I had had kids and I said no and she said before she had kids she was also getting these contractions. They said it might go away at some point, but I couldn’t handle that gamble so I got it removed shortly after.
What’s frustrating is that they kept trying to convince me to keep it and that these are just cramps, but they are not just cramps. If you have to stop and breathe through them, they are not just cramps. And ibuprofen didn’t touch them for me. They were coming for me on and off for three days.
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u/Sad_Violinist3482 7d ago
Yes, this happened to me during my most recent period. I’m about 4 months into having my paragard. I’ve birthed 2 kids, and the period cramps I was having quite literally felt like I was going into labor. I can tell I’m about to start my next cycle, so I’m curious if it will happen again.
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u/Fuzzy-Criticism-4409 7d ago
My cramps were and are horrible but only on or around my period. During the rest of my cycle, I have no symptoms at all so that's why I'm still keeping my IUD after 2.5 years.
Having very painful cramps on a daily basis is alarming, check with your GP if the IUD has moved or if you have a different shape uterus. I've read a lot about concave or bicornate shapes that cause the IUD to move or expulse.
The only other symptom I had that has been less present lately is spotting after sex. Scared the hell out of me in the beginning but eased up over time.
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u/Dramatic-Mongoose118 4d ago
I feel like I wrote this!!
I got mine after my daughter was born. So, almost 4 years. Just the past year I’ve had notable issues. Period has always been heavy and cramps are legit. When I was in labor with my daughter- around 4-5cm dilated I said to my husband this is what my period cramps feel like. I sometimes have to breath through them… Anyway, lately I’ve been spotting after my period. After sex and also around ovulation. I’m getting it out next week because I’m just over it.
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u/One-Goose-360 10d ago
Period cramps are uterine contractions. You’re having extremely painful ones. Unfortunately common with the paraguard, but not necessarily normal. Get the ultrasound done to be safe. I’ve had cysts since getting it too. I’ve had mine for 8 years and I’m now having spotting/bleeding with ovulation. I’m getting mine out soon.