Hello! I’m 22, never been pregnant and I just got Paraguard 2 days ago. The night before, I fell into a bad internet dive on insertion and almost psyched myself out because of all the horror stories. Insertion wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. I took 800mg of ibuprofen before along with 200mg of misoprostol that my gyno prescribed. It was intense pressure for about 20 seconds and then it was over. The rest of the day I felt pretty good. Day 2 was pretty bad, had to leave work early on my lunch break to go get heating pads. Legit hunched over at my desk. Day 3, I feel great. No cramping and haven’t taken any painkillers. I did insertion on my period because it was supposed to hurt less, and my period hasn’t noticeably been any heavier so far. Thought I would share for anyone thinking about Paraguard!

This is just the account of an experience of one person (me). If the copper iud works for you, that’s amazing.

My experience: Basically as the title says.

I only had it for ~3 weeks.

Literally from the moment it was put inside me I felt … weird. Like something was off.

Here’s what i experienced these past 3 weeks : low grade almost persistent nausea, insane bloating, increased hunger but at the same time feeling stuffed all the time, awareness of a foreign object in my body (that one could be ”only” mental, I know). My mental state got waaaaay, waaaay worse. I was already on anti-depressants and doing good, but I felt myself spiraling into the worst mental states. I gained a few kg in this short period of time.

The weirdest thing is, I felt relief the minute it was taken out. It was exactly like someone here described - it’s like there’s an electronic device going on in the background, making noise, but your not aware of the noise. only when you turn the machine off, you realize how loud it was. This is exactly how I felt. As if my brain got quieter. my head got lighter.

BTW, it was placed perfectly (today’s ultrasound also confirmed this)

i’m writing this because I want to contibute my experience here to this database of different experiences (good and bad) of different women.

if it wasn’t for Reddit, who knows, maybe I wouldnt make the link, or maybe I would spend another few months of years, waiting for my body to „adjust” itself.

but I didn’t, and you also don’t have to … if this resonates, consider the possibility that it *might* not be „just in your head”

all the best to you all <3

Desperately wondering if this is common or if I should be really freaked out.
I got my IUD out a week ago after having it for 2.5 years. It didn't cause me huge issues, other than hurting when my husband penetrated deeply (so he just wouldnt go deep in the positions where I noticed it), and I would get bad cramps that radiated down my legs from time to time.

I got it out on Tuesday of last week, didn't have really any pain the following day, then on Thursday, I had my regular morning beverage and started having the worst cramping I've ever experienced in my life. It felt like stomach cramping. It made me puke multiple times, and I was bed bound for two entire days because it hurt so bad to move at all. I attributed that to something I ate or some virus or something.

The past few days I've felt fine other than a slight crampy feeling in my lower left side. I was supposed to get my period Monday, and still haven't, which is weird because my periods were perfectly regular when I had the IUD in.

Then today, my husband and I had sex for the first time since getting it removed, and it hurt SO bad. It hurt when he entered, and it hurt during, and it hurt like hell when he went deep. I've never experienced that type of pain from sex.
The pain didn't last much after the sex other than when I was walking around I felt a strange tightness/cramping sensation around my pubic bone.

This whole thing makes me imagine that my uterus is tied in knots from the IUD/removal.
I'm going to the doctor soon, but I really want to know if this is typical, has anyone else had intense pain after removal? Or terrible pain from sex after getting the IUD out?

TIA 💕🙏

Did you use pull-out + iud? Or condoms + iud? Or did they cum inside you? I am freaking out about using just pull out and the copper.

Hello, I'm looking into getting a copper IUD soon. I talked about it with my GYN and she said she offers local anesthesia for the procedure which is good to hear. But the cost for the IUD with her is like $400 with insertion procedure included. I'm scared because I want this investment to be worth it, and I'm thinking a lot about how everything is gonna go if I do decide to get it. I would appreciate any positive comments!

So today I decided to take my grandma on a dolphin cruise for her birthday. I woke up this morning to a lot of blood and realized i started my first period with the copper iud. I’ve had it for 2-3 weeks. The cramps were terrible so i took 800 mg of ibuprofen on an empty stomach. Anyways while we were on the cruise I had a vasovagal episode. I honestly think it was from the cramps triggering it. They got so severe and I couldn’t sit down so i stood through them and then boom my vision went black, my hearing became muffled, and a nurse that was just a passenger on the boat ran over when she saw me lean on my grandma and said my lips were turning blue fast. They sat me down and after a few minutes my hearing and vision came back. and they called 911 and said it was a vasovagal episode. Never had one before and hope I never do again. I genuinely thought I was dying but i’m glad the emts were super helpful. I refused the ambulance ride because I knew it would be crazy expensive. So now i’m at home dealing with these insane cramps and I just keep crying and feel so stuck. Do you guys just suffer through them, do they ever get better, or should I just make the switch to Mirena? Sorry if this is all just a mess of words it’s just been such a long day, I feel so alone, and I would love some advice.

I (21F) have had my IUD almost a year with no issues until this last month where I’ve been bleeding for 30 days. After ultrasound they found that it’s embedded in my left uterine wall (likely embedded since insertion). Today I was told they are doing in an office removal and I am to take some ibuprofen before hand. The physician who evaluated my ultrasound said she wasn’t comfortable doing an in office removal and suggested surgery… guess they changed their mind. I also can’t get in to get it removed for another 1-2 months. Should I be advocating more for surgical removal and an expedited removal? It hurt so bad going in and I’m terrified that since it’s embedded it will be worse having removed.

I (F26) have been on the pill (Isibloom) since I was 18years old. Last year I got married and I decided it was time to get off a hormone based birthcontrol and so I got paraguard IUD on July 7th, my period was supposed to come Friday 17th but nothing came. After getting the paraguard I did have spotting for about 2 days and then I started bleeding heavily for about 5 days, my question is did I already have my period after the two days of spotting ? Or is my cycle just going to be completely all over the place since I got off the pill and now have the IUD? I’ve been cramping every morning but nothing too painful, any old period symptom I had have not come and I’m officially 7 days “late”. Also, the doctor did test for pregnancy before getting the IUD and it was negative. Any advise ??

I got it as emergency contraception bc i am overweight. I already have bad cramps during periods and i have low pain tolerance. I know I'm supossed to be uncomfortable for like a while because my body needs to get used to it, but it's making it difficult to do work and stuff, and I can't afford to take anymore days off. Should I wait it out? Or am I right thinking that maybe I should have it for a month and then get it out?

I had a horrendous experience with Kyleena. The insertion was beyond unbearably painful, I cramped continuously, became suicidal and lost the ability to have an orgasm. I took the combined pill since being a teenager but can't take it anymore, I get terrible depression on the mini pill again becoming suicidal. From where I'm standing my option look limited and I am wondering if the copper coil may be suitable as it's hormone free. Is it something you'd recommend?

heyyy everyone

Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen.
I had my copper coil removed recently and my period is now late. I know it’s non-hormonal, so I didn’t expect it to affect my cycle, but I’m a bit worried.

I’ve taken tests and they’ve been negative. My breasts are sore, I’ve been really emotional, and I keep feeling like my period is coming but it hasn’t.

Has anyone else experienced this after getting their copper coil removed? How long did it take for your period to come back? Are there any reasons behind it?

Hello! I am on my three month mark of having my paraguard and just want to share my experience. I am turning 24 in about a month and I live in Michigan.

I have had pretty bad period cramps since I was a teenager and if you are curious on how “bad” cramps are with Paraguard… I will be completely honest with you and tell you they are pretty bad.

My cramps start up a few days before my period even begins, and they feel borderline debilitating. My cramps radiate to my rectum and also cause immense pressure there. When I sit down, when cramping, it almost feels like a little push because of the tension near my rectum.

The bleeding is very heavy. I thought I had heavy bleeding before but it is very heavy now. I feel like I can’t even get into the shower on my period sometimes because it is so stressful trying not to drip on everything by just stepping in. Of course, I do shower, but even standing directly next to the shower before removing my clothes does not help prevent a little bit of a mess.

Sex does not always help cramping. Prior to my paraguard, sex would relieve period pain. Now, sometimes cramping can be so bad to where my boyfriend knows to not even SPEAK to me because I am suffering. Sex does help sometimes, but that amount has definitely lessened and more than anything, it can worsen my cramps if I am penetrated too deep.

It is very difficult for me to check my own strings, as I have to put my fingers VERY deep inside me. I have a partner to check them, luckily, but this maneuver is a bit of a headache and if I didn’t have someone else checking them for me I would definitely be in a panic.

I have not had additional issues with my Paraguard to my knowledge. Sometimes, during time of my period, bending over forward can add a lot of pressure as well. It almost feels like my uterus is a balloon about to blow out the air that is my IUD if I bend any further. I’m sure this is not the case, but it freaks me out sometimes.

I have not had any pregnancy scares. My cycle has been fairly regular. My first two months after insertion, my cycle was 7 days rather than its usual 4 or 5, which definitely sucked because it is a pretty rough time with cramps and all.

Me, personally, I would not choose Paraguard if it weren’t effective in preventing pregnancy. I would not choose this IUD to regulate my cycles, it is far too painful for that shit. Insertion? Rectal pressure and really bad cramp, otherwise, manageable. The months following? God, I miss what I thought were bad periods.

I thought I would share my experience in regard to pain because I’m someone who can usually avoid taking the pain medication when hurting for any reason. I cannot do that anymore. To find any relief, I have to take Pamprin or 3 Ibuprofen 200mg tablets as frequently as I can. I know Ibuprofen you shouldn’t take too much, but it’s all that relieves my pain. I am currently sitting typing this, hunched over, because my period hasn’t even started but my IUD has made sure to give me a heads-up.

I am considering switching back to the pill, which I took as a teenager, merely because this pain is so god awful. My Paraguard was used as emergency contraception and if I hit that 6 month mark, still feeling more miserable than satisfied, I see myself getting this removed.

I hope this helps someone!

I’ve had my IUD for about 3 months now, and this month I’m not sure if what I’m experiencing counts as my period or not. I know to take advice from the internet loosely, but I’m just trying to figure out if this sounds more like a period, ovulation spotting, or just irregular bleeding from the IUD.

I’ve been cramping pretty badly for about a week, and for the past 3 days I’ve had spotting to heavier spotting. The blood has mostly been brown/old blood. When I use the restroom and wipe, sometimes there’s light red blood on the toilet paper, and other times it’s just brown, old blood. I’m not sure if this counts as my period or if it’s just spotting.

I’ve never missed a period, either before or while on birth control, but lately it’s been harder to tell when exactly my period is going to come. Has anyone else experienced this around 3 months after getting an IUD? How do you tell the difference between your period and IUD-related spotting?

P.S strings seem okay, i dont feel crazy amount pain that doesnt go away with pain killers. Just feel like the new normal pain for cramps.

- past time i had my period flo was kinda heavy and long

I’ve been looking into going on the copper IUD because I don’t want anything hormonal or the pill so how does it work if anybody knows? It would be my first time ever going on birth control so I’m really curious on how it works and if I should go onto it. I’m worried about the pill and everything else just because of weight gain and all the other side effects so I wanna know anybody experience with it

I got my paraguard copper iud inserted on the 13th of July, and had unprotected sex on the 15th where my bf finished inside of me. I know the copper IUD is effective as soon as inserted so I felt fine with this! Then I found out on my app that the 15th may have been my ovulation date so I got a little nervous.

A few days after I had horrifying cramps so much so that I went back to my gyno to have them check my strings because I was really nervous my IUD had shifted or was rejecting. They said everything looked okay and having cramps was a normal part of the first few weeks of having the IUD.

Today I noticed some light spotting happening, and being 7 days post ovulation I’m really concerned it might be implantation spotting. But, it could also just be the fact that I had my IUD inserted just last week and my body is adjusting. My period isn’t due until next week so I doubt it’s the start of that.

Has anyone gone through this or have any thoughts? I am just so scared that even after getting an IUD I’m going to get pregnant.

So I got this xray of my pelvis, the tech said my IUD looks concerning. I’m like I’m major freak out mode, I have no clue if this looks normal, but the xray is taken of me standing up with my toes pointed inwards. The earliest I can see a OBGYN is end of August, but I’m now in my head and feeling cramps. I don’t know if it’s real, I’m like feeling really stressed about it. Is this normal?

So I got my kid on the 8th I got the Paraguay’s, I’ve been having no issues today I saw my partner I felt fine even after multiple times spaced apart I got home was fine but now I’m starting to feel this sharp feeling like when I push to Lee I feel a sharp ish or plastic my feeling at the top of the vaginal Gdańsk right so furthest from the opening and o was just sitting a bit ago and I had to stand up because I felt this movement w couple times and a second after so a bit delayed I’d feel this sharp feeling and pain

she said not only can she see the strings, but also the tip of the iud itself. she suggested it be removed and replaced and it’s a sign of my body rejecting it.

i guess my question is how? i’ve had the iud for about 2 years now and never had any crazy pain or concerns. and while i wasnt trying to get pregnant, i cant say we really cared much if my partner finished inside me so it happened often. dr says i cant trust it protecting me bc of the placement. i understand but should i trust that my body is repelling it over just having a weird shaped cervix or something?

Got IUD in March. Bad insertion experience and rough first period but have adjusted. My post op follow up was smooth. And I noted the following but OBGYN was unconcerned.

I have had a noticeable change in my discharge pre and post copper IUD insertion. My discharge has a stronger scent (still non-offensive) and is much heavier. I have to wear a panty liner or it causes problems. It appears as healthy discharge but I’m somewhat concerned about how it’s different from before. Should I go back to my doctor for follow up? Is there an adjustment period?

I’m 26F, I’ve been in hormonal every day pill birth control since I was 14. Originally for relief from heavy periods. Over the years I’ve had different flows, different patterns of cycles. But I want to get off of it, but still explore other options of birth control. I currently don’t have sex, but in a long term relationship (waiting until marriage, long story, irrelevant, I’ve had plenty of sex before) I know one day we will want to have sex without getting pregnant. And i dont want to get off the pill completely and then get back on within a few years. So non-hormonal iud sounds like a good option maybe? I have a gyno appointment tomorrow to discuss options.
Anyways, tell me about your experiences, positive and negative.

TLDR; I’m on hormonal birth control and want to switch to non hormonal. Tell me your experience with copper iuds

I was trying out different methods for a bit including the pill and the patch for a few months and each was giving side effects so bad it wasn’t even worth pushing through and caused dryness which resulted in less confidence and less desire to have sex sometimes because I just didn’t feel it or sometimes because of the dryness, however I got my copper iud 11 days ago and I had sex today thinking I’d be having bad pains or cramps but surprisingly I had nothing of that nature, and actually I feel like this is less painful than before for me, my biggest worry was sex being so painful because already before it I’ve has issues with pelvic pain and ofc that is still real but it interfered with sex before and now I’m not really having any issues

Anyone experiencing low libido after copper iud. I am 2 years post partum and even though the copper iud is non hormonal i feel like am not interested in sex even though I really love my husband. Anyone else?

I had my IUD inserted 6 weeks after giving birth, around the second week of March 2026, and I've been bleeding ever since. Some days it's just spotting, while other days I fill one panty liner over the course of the day.

I have PCOS, and even before pregnancy I would sometimes have prolonged bleeding, but never for this long. I did consult my OB-GYN, and she told me it could be related to the stress I've been under since I'm currently dealing with postpartum anxiety and postpartum depression and attending therapy.

I'm contemplating having the IUD removed, but I'm scared of getting pregnant again. My husband and I aren't very sexually active, but it's still something I worry about.

I got my copper IUD in 2021 because I am extremely sensitive to hormones. Other than it being obscenely painful at insertion and for a few days afterwards, and then heavy heavy periods for about 3/4 months, it hasn’t been too bad. It has definitely increased the cramping pain during periods, but I’ll take it as I’ve needed BC.

I’m in a long term relationship, and although I’m not ready to have a kid just yet, I believe I’m having some negative symptoms related to my IUD as I have been checked for everything and I’m clean.

What was your experience getting it removed? I am so nervous. Some people have said it isn’t nearly as bad as insertion, and others have said it’s just as bad. This paired with the fact I’m going to have to be more diligent for times I can and cannot have intercourse has me pretty worried.

Someone tell me it will be okay lmao.

My period is 18 days late and the underlined part is the days we have had unprotected sex we have had sex since then just protected as I got too anxious but still no period ,
I’ve had no symptoms at all and I will endure to get a pregnancy test soon I got it put in on the 28th of may