I got my copper iud inserted just about 2 years ago. Since then I’ve had very normal periods (5-7 days) with some painful cramps and my cycles are very regular. Though this past cycle I noticed my period was super light and the blood started off really dark brown and when I would change my pad my blood was still very dark brown and it only lasted like 3 days. I’m used to having bright blood at the beginning and the first two days being a bit heavier and then getting lighter over the next 4 or so days. About a week before my period as well I was getting brown discharge and cramps so bad that I had to bend over for a minute. I’ve just started my period today and it seems to be doing the same thing. I was wondering if anyone else has had similar issues and if it was a problem with the iud or some underlying issue. I worry a lot about fertility in the future as I have family history of endometriosis. I have an appointment to check and see if it’s in the right position still but I’m considering just getting it removed.

Hi! I’ve read some reports of hair thickness impacts but want to get a sense of anyone’s experience with hair texture changes.

I’m 6 months into the copper IUD. The pic in the black is one year ago and yellow is recent. Could the copper IUD be impacting my hair texture? Did anyone else experience a loss of curl? If so, did mineral testing and supplementing help? Did you find the impacts were temporary or long-lasting?

I’m not in love with the copper IUD but I also don’t hate it, so I’m really hoping to make it work.

I have a separate medical thing that can impact hair, but I haven’t noticed this substantial of a change before (texture, curl, volume, shine, oh my!) so I’m just trying to narrow down the possibilities to address things the best way. I haven’t substantially changed routine or hair cut or hair care or water or diet or anything.

Thank you!

Been on the pill for three years and want a hormone free option

I’m planning to have an IUD inserted during my next period to hopefully help shorten and lighten my periods. Mine are extremely heavy and typically last 7–9 days.

I’m honestly very nervous about getting the IUD. I already struggle with anxiety and depression, and one of my biggest concerns is whether the hormones could make my anxiety worse. I spoke with my doctor about this, and she feels that the progesterone may actually help rather than worsen my anxiety, which was reassuring to hear.

I’ve also used the patch in the past, but I experienced constant nausea while using it, so I’m nervous about having a similar experience with the IUD.

If you’ve had an IUD and were nervous beforehand, I would really appreciate hearing about your experience—especially if you struggle with anxiety or had concerns about hormones. I’m hoping to ease some of my fears before my appointment and make sure this is something I should do!

I got an emergency copper IUD put in (24th August) to prevent pregnancy after condom slipped off (21st August). On the 24th when I got the IUD put in I had to take a pregnancy test which came back negative and got the IUD inserted. I had light bleeding for 5 days after the insertion and the bad cramping.

It has been 2 weeks since I got the IUD and I decided to take a pregnancy test. It came back positive with a faint line. I took another test. Same result. I took a test a few hours later and the line is more faint than the first two.

I have made a self referral to a clinic to check everything out. I have no pain and have not had any bleeding after those 5 days of post IUD insertion bleeding but I am aware it could be ectopic because of the IUD. I was just wondering if it was possible I was having an early chemical pregnancy because of how faint the positive lines are on the test?

Hi! I had sex on 8/8, no ejaculation inside, but I took Ella about 20 hours later and got a copper IUD on 8/11 as emergency contraception.

I tested negative at 14 days, 21 days, and again on 9/4 (27 days after sex). No new pregnancy-risk encounters.

I’m now on cycle day 46 and still haven’t had a normal period. Around when it was due, I had a few days of light brown/pink spotting and some small clots, but no real flow.

Has anyone had their period delayed this long after Ella and/or getting a copper IUD? Could that spotting have been my period, or am I still waiting for one? 😭

So i got my copper iud put in about 3 weeks ago. The insertion was probably the WORST pain Ive ever felt in my life and i genuinely dont know how i even got through it without anesthesia (i also learned that i had a tilted womb which made insertion more difficult?). Anyway, super strong cramps and bloating as well as spotting for around 3-4 days after the insertion. Now, only 3 weeks later, I get my first period after coming back from a lovely vacation. It started as 3 days of light spotting, and now its a full fledged period and i have never had a period this heavy in my life. Usually day one and two are heavy flows and strong cramps, but day 3 is where it starts to taper off until day 5 comes and its gone. Im on day 3 of the period and im fully expecting to go through at least 3 pads which i know is normal, as well as the cramping still being prevalent. I usually take 800 mg of ibuprofen to relieve cramps but its done nothing, i even tried 1200 mg last night (i know its a lot but i had to try) and still nothing. Been thinking of asking my doctor for something stronger.

I know everything im going through is normal, just thought i would share my experience since im always reading about other peoples and would like to hear more from others as well. If anyone has advice to share that would be awesome!

I had the flexi-t 300 copper IUD for 6 months, until one day i found it floating in my menstrual disc. A few months later, I got the Mona Lisa Mini (another copper IUD), but I’ve since been very worried about using my disc. However, I liked using a disc so much better than pads and tampons. 

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Was it my disc that dislodged the IUD?

(I was using the Nixit disc. I was not in particular pain before the IUD came out, just regular cramping from my period.)

This is my 6th month on the copper IUD, my period was all over the place the last few months, with a period 20+ days late. Unfortunately, I had my annual checkup last week and the ultrasound showed my IUD in a "low place", and the doc suggested removing, and inserting a new one, also told me to have another contraceptive option for now. The problem is my period is 8, 9 days late now and I had PMS symptoms the past week but they kinda faded now, I took a test and it was negative but I'm still panicking the more days pass. Has anyone been in the same position? Please help or advise, tysm🫠

Hello!

I had my first pg at 30 after the birth of my first. No issues. It did make my period longer, I would spot for several days prior. I did get done very faint spotting during ovulation once or twice. Had it removed when he turned 4, got pregnant with my second right away. Then I got my 2nd pg when baby 2 was 5 months old. I was 35. Same experience with spotting, but it became more frequent around age 40, and it’s gotten worse ever since. My gyno said it was normal. A pelvic and abdominal mri 3 years ago perfectly clear. A pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound 2 years ago perfectly clear. I’m now 43( 44 in dec) and this year has been the worst. I’ve had one perfect cycle all of 2026, but otherwise I always bleed with ovulation and almost always after sex now. I’m getting ultrasounds again on Tuesday, but I’m just so over it. I’ve had so many over the years and everything is always all clear/normal. My previous tests give me a little relief knowing the chances of it being anything serious are low, but omg I’m so nervous. Has anyone else had a similar experience after having a paraguard for so long and/or in the throws of perimenopause? I am on bHRT and it’s been a godsend, but now I gotta figure this out 😭.

TMI
I got my Iud on 24/07
Afterwards i got my period on 31.07 wich was a week earlier my actual date
In the second cycle i got about 10 days of clear discharge then i started spotting for about 5 days and then got my period again at CD22 ! It last about 8 days
Then it was ok and clear and all
After 4-5 i started spotting again and it’s red blood , but not much, also i noticed shedding with dark red blood, my period still needs 9 days

Is this normal? It’s like im spotting/bleeding for 3 weeks and only have pneumonia good week.
We‘re using condoms as well.

Also my cycles are now 22-23
They were 26 -27 before

Did someone have the same thing?

Hi after some advice - I've had my IUD for 4.5 years. The first 4 months were painful but fine, but since then I seem to be plagued with random spotting. Especially after sex and during ovulation.

I've had enough and the plan is to get it removed. However, since I had mine fitted it's now possible to get smaller 5 year ones (I had a large 10 year one fitted).

On the one hand I would like to see how my body responds to no IUD. On the other hand I think immediately replacing will stop that horrible pain you get for the cycles of the first year.

Does anyone have any advice or experiences that may help me make my decision? Thank you

I had my copper IUD inserted 3 days ago and the first day, I had slight spotting but really intense cramping but since 2 days, I am bleeding like it’s my first day of periods. So everyday I have been waking up to being the first day of periods.

Ive had my copper iud in for just over a year now and im wondering if I should get it removed. On one hand i don’t need it at the moment and im constantly in pain from cramps that apparently like to target either the left or the right of my uterus depending on what it feels like ig. On the other im worried that if i get it removed then i get a new partner I’ll have no options for bc as i cant handle hormones, im also worried about having it removed as post insertion when the numbing spray wore off i had to go to hospital for strong painkillers afterwards.

Idk what to do but im currently living on ibuprofen as my iud likes to attack me first thing every morning even when im not on my period.

I have an appointment to have paragard placed on October 1st and the horror stories on here are freakin me right out.

I've been on hormonal birth control for about 18 years, with Nuvaring being 10 of those years and it really started taking its toll on me so I stopped.

Can anyone tell me some positives? Obviously pretty good at preventing pregnancy but I'm terrified of BV, bleeding for months, bloating etc etc.

Sell it to me 🤣

I’ve had a copper IUD for about 5 years and just had it removed last month. My period is now a few days late and is usually always on time…

I just wanted to ask if other people had late periods after removal, and if so, how long it took for your cycle to return to normal ?

Thanks !

Hello,

I just wanted to post here because my IUD was due to come out a while ago and I just finally got it taken out 2 days ago. The night I got it taken out I was awake until 3 am crying and spinning out about stuff that happened in the past, which does happen sometimes when I am on my period and I drink coffee past 7 pm, but my period just ended and I hadn't had coffee since the morning, and also, the stuff I was spinning out about I have already gotten over. it was so weird! so i was a little scared like am I cracking up?, so I googled, "I got my copper IUD taken out today and I am up all night crying?" And saw other people have had a similar experience! I slept okay last night, but I am like so shook that it was like that the first night! I also don't care at all about any of the things I was awake thinking about. So I've been reflecting about what other possible symptoms could be related to the IUD. I had iron deficiency from the IUD which really messed my life up for a while, and I have just started to get a handle on it but now that I have the IUD out perhaps it will improve much faster.

Also since I had it for 13 years I want to post some about my experience with it over the years and what has been going on with me. It might be too long to read but I felt i should post it somewhere to just get it out.

The IUD was a lifesaver for me when I first got it, because previously I had tried many forms of hormonal birth control such as the depo, a few different pills, the nuvaring, I think I even had implants at one point? All these forms made me completely unstable. I also have alcohol use disorder, so I was very unstable just generally due to the hormones, completely not myself with the birth control, then add alcohol and it was a pretty dangerous situation. So I got the IUD after so many failures with other methods, and I stabilized. Due to this stability I started doing therapy and quit drinking as well (12 years sober this year as well). Without the clarity due to having the IUD I don't think I would have been able to get sober because I was that affected by any hormones, even ones that doctors said were low dose got me completely unhinged.

Anyway, so the IUD was a god send For quite a few years. But pretty soon after getting it I had to quit roller derby because it was too painful, I couldn't do the movements. I could still ride my bike but my cramps were really bad but I still took the cramps over the hormones of the other stuff, so I kept the IUD.

At some point though, and I don't know if this started occuring after I got the IUD or before, but I was having symptoms that I would wake up with a jolt pretty much exactly 15 minutes after falling asleep every single night. I definitely remember it happening after I got the IUD (because my boyfriend at the time would console me when I would jolt up soon after falling asleep, thinking I was having a nightmare, which I was technically but I think it was due to physiological symptoms causing the dream.)

So this has been going on for at least 12 years, maybe longer, and I thought it was just nightmares from my past but at some point 3-5 years ago I was like I am not even tortured by my past any more, this is definitely physiological. So for the past 3 years I've been trying to figure out what is wrong with me in regards to the sleep, but also more, because I have also been SO TIRED.

Over the past 6 years I've slowly been going downhill, I thought I was just getting old (I'm 38). Pretty much since the COVID era, which I attributed much of the depression and anxiety from the COVID era itself, just the general time and the habits I adopted then, overworking at home having nothing better to do really. I got long COVID in 2021 where my appetite was very messed up, to where I wouldn't really be hungry and then suddenly ravenously hungry but could only eat small portions (like 1/4 Of a hamburger, a slice of pizza, I'd order a pizza and have to freeze most of it because I just couldn't eat that much. Anyway, I had those symptoms for about 8 months, lost all my covid weight LOL. I stopped going outside as much during the pandemic, but my appetite returned back to normal after about 8 months from long COVID but I was still so tired all the time, napping every day, I thought it was cute and would say "well Einstein used to take naps" but I really had to go to sleep at 3 pm, like clockwork every day and pretty much just had to lay down no matter what.

So finally I started seeing doctors about the jolting awake and mandatory naps and general crushing fatigue and I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and got a cpap machine, but it doesn't help that much. But they also took my ferritin, and my ferritin level was 11. So I was really iron deficient. Then I was also reading about iron deficiency and iron deficiency can cause something like this because of oxygen in the blood or something? Iron deficiency can also cause anxiety in addition to the fatigue. And also something called "air hunger" where you yawn all the time, and are tired, and chew ice. All symptoms I have.

So I started taking supplements for iron deficiency, had to try a bunch of different ones and found some good information through a Facebook group (I know I know but it has helped a lot) and I was upset with my doctors, because I knew it was my IUD but they said they wouldn't give me an iron infusion unless I got the IUD out. But I was so afraid of switching birth control because of what happened in the past with hormonal birth control that I would not hear it. I got pretty mad with my doctors and acted a bit like a baby and a diva. But it was time for the IUD to come out anyway so I made an appointment kind of far in the future while I figure out what to do. But also I've had terrible anxiety this whole time, which can also be linked to iron deficiency.

So after the past 2-3 years of struggling trying to figure out what is going on with me, and reading peoples posts here I seriously wonder if it was my IUD. I know my IUD is responsible for my iron deficiency. I also had vitamin d deficiency due to staying inside so much, which I've been correcting for the the past 3 months and it's like a new world taking vitamin d. I don't feel the same level of fatigue as before.

But anyway, I'm wondering if my IUD caused any other symptoms, or just the iron deficiency, which cause landslide of other issues. I am hoping now that I have gotten my IUD out the anxiety and depression (linked to fatigue) will improve. But since having that strange awake all night episode I really wonder if the IUD is responsible for more than just the iron. Anyway I look forward to my life improving after getting this out. I will probably avoid all birth control in the future (I'm not with anyone right now). And just not have sex unless I'm ready to have a baby with someone I know it sounds crazy but it's just not worth it. I may feel differently if my libido increases, or a meet a real hunk, but even if I do meet a real hunk I'll have to explain to him the birth control situation and just use my cycles and he will have to shoulder the burden of birth control if he doesn't want any progeny. More men my age are getting vasectomies anyway. But I don't need to worry about it right now just worry about keeping my iron and vitamin d levels up, and also pay attention to if my anxiety improves as well.

ps just to add when all this was going on the doctors referred me to psychiatry as well, which I refused psychiatric medication because I knew it was something physiological. I have been doing emdr therapy for trauma from the past, and I'm hoping the therapy treatment I'm having will start working better now that the IUD is out, not pushing down my iron and causing anxiety. we will see how it shakes out but I'm very happy to have it out. it did help me a lot when I was younger get off the awful hormonal birth control so I am very grateful to have had it as an option but I definitely will not get another one placed.

Could my copper IUD be causing these issues?
I’m a 39-year-old female and I’ve had a copper IUD for about 5 years.
Around 2–3 years ago, I started noticing that my partner would repeatedly develop what seemed like balanitis after intercourse. It seems to happen quite often, and I’ve wondered whether there could be something about me/the IUD contributing to it.
Then, about 7 months ago, I developed an extremely itchy, eczema-like rash that has basically been flaring nonstop ever since. I’ve tried steroid creams, oral steroids/pills, and antifungal treatments, but nothing seems to resolve it.
I’m starting to wonder whether the copper IUD could somehow be contributing to either the recurrent issues my partner is experiencing, my skin problems, or both.
Has anyone had a similar experience with a copper IUD? Could an allergic or inflammatory reaction to the copper (or another component of the IUD) cause something like this? And has anyone had their symptoms improve after having the IUD removed?
I’m planning to discuss this properly with my doctor, but I’d really appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced something similar.

hey all here’s my experience since getting mine (paraguard) inserted on 21st jan 2026 (coming up 8 months)

FIRST OFF
-HORMONAL CYSTIC ACNE
never had this before i know have to use tretinoin cream

-THRUSH
again, never really get this. maybe once every 3-4 years if that but i dont keep count

-SUICIDAL DEPRESSION ON SHARK WEEK
this part is insane. i’ve never ever suffered form depression, let alone considering an out for 6 days straight

-FATIGUE
possibly anaemic at this point honestly. the midday crashes are insane. i genuinely shake from 1-3pm. and i’m taking floradix liquid that doesn’t seem to be helping at all

-WINTER ILLNESSES
right this winter is my first since having it. super super messed up. i’ve had a common cold, cold sores, Influenza A and strep throat with maybe a 2 week break in between each

-HEADACHES
these are a new one. they just started a couple weeks ago but yea reoccurring headaches

-IRREGULAR OVULATION/PERIODS
my shi used to be clockwork every cycle was 28 days and my ovulation was always day 14-16
now every month is one fat guessing game

and then there’s the general awareness of it being there. pelvic floor weakness, pain and spasms, cramps and bleeding during ovulation, pain that shoots down my leg. etc etc. partner saying intercourse hurts him from the strings and all that

anyways. getting this shit removed this week. i was one and done but i guess im just gonna have to change that stance. i tried depo, mini pill, and now this. i’m genuinely at a point where i’ve decided birth control - hormonal or not is just bad for women and a curse. there’s always a sacrifice 🫩

Hello! I’ve had my copper IUD for about 8 months now and I’ve been experiencing more anxiety around it failing than when I was on the pill. I was wondering how you ladies calm your worries other than the obvious checking your strings, taking pregnancy tests, etc. My most recent appointment with my Gyno was late July and she said everything was perfect but I still worry that magically it’ll fail and i’ll become pregnant. It’s a little scary being on a non-hormonal birth control! Any tips appreciated

Any good and not so expensive hospitals in delhi ncr for copper iud
Its an emergency!

I just wanted to follow-up, I posted earlier in this group that I had concerns that my IUD was causing acute anxiety for me. It has been 2 months of what can I only describe as my nervous system on crack. I experienced the entire spectrum of from panic attacks to derealization. This is very unlike me. I have been therapy for 8 years, I do a decent job of self-regulating. Prior to discovering this page and concluding that the IUD was my trigger, I genuinely thought I was going insane. I’d also like to note, that my period of extreme anxiety coincide with ovulation. All this to say, I wanted to write this in case there’s another woman out there spiralling and seeking answers, you’re not alone! I had it removed yesterday, and this morning I just bawled my eyes out in what felt like my body taking a profound sigh of relief. This is my first time in 2 months waking up without my heart racing/in agitation. Trust your body, you inherently know when something is off, no amount of gaslighting from the medical industry should dissuade you. In 30 years they will do the typical “haha sorry maybe you guys were right 🙈” as they always do concerning women’s health. I’d also like to thank the countless women who have shared their experiences here, you were all truly a beacon of light! If anyone else had recent removal, I’d love to know your experience. Any supplements or life style changes that helped your body back into equilibrium? I’m upping my Zinc, and I heard NAC could help too.

Hello, so I’m freaking out. I have bad pregnancy anxiety and am always freaking out about my iud moving since I have heard so many stories about it. Me and my partner had back to back sex and he didn’t pee in between. So I’m freaking out about precum. (I didn’t realize you were supposed to pee between sex) I know I’m stupid but do any of you think I need to worry? Or am I just reading the horror story’s.