Comments on: Rather Random Question

by: Stacie

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

My sister-in-law is currently very ill from her IUD becoming inbedded and infected. I have never heard of a good story from any of the people I have know that had one.

by: Christie

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

I’ve always been under the impression that IUD’s are never a good choice.

by: Kate

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

My sister was on the IUD for awhile but it messed with her depression. I don’t recall her getting an infection but I also don’t remember her having anything good to say about it.

by: Louise

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

I am, and I’m fine… email me if you wanna

by: Louise

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

… although you’d better use my gmail addy, seems my cow-dog/jeez-louise email isn’t feeling well today and have refused to come in to work

by: cat

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

i have had a couple friends use it and not have a good time with it. One became pretty ill. I have never used it. A friend is currently on the patch and she likes that.

by: Chaeriste

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

I have never used the IUD, b/c I figure it’s not a good idea to have something foreign floating around my uterus. However, last year I had the BRILLIANT idea to switch from my completely-functioning birth control pill to the friggin’ patch and had nothing but problems for a 3-week period. It irritated my skin. It fell off. I felt it all the time. It got dirty. It got snagged when I put on/took off my clothes. I put it in the wrong place (trying to find a place I didn’t feel it or it didn’t get snagged by my clothes), so I thought I’d comprimised by birth control and spent 2 excruciating weeks waiting for my period. the company’s explanation? ‘you can’t use any soap or products with moisturizing agents in it or the patch will fall off. The best method of application is to make one room in your home a clean room… that means no humidity, no dust, no lint… and after you get a Silkwood Scrubdown from the CDC… ‘ Yeah, right. After the 3rd one fell off less than 24 hrs after application… in the shower, I said ’screw this’, called the doc and got him to call in a script for the pill to the pharmacy, peeled off the friggin’ patch, and went on about my life on the pill. No problems since. My friend also went on the patch after having no problems with the pill but felt the need to simplify her life after having her first child. She is expecting her 2nd child in December. Let that illustrate my point.

by: frecklegirl

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Unfortunately, I cannot use the pill, ring or patch because I have had migraines and may have had a blood clot from using the pill… so all the estrogen methods are out.

I have been using Depo Provera but am concerned about not getting enough calcium, espcially with a family history of osteoporosis. (depo restricts your calcium absorption)

So I don’t have many options left to me besides barrier methods (condoms, diaphrams- yuck) and the IUD.

by: Melissa

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

I used to work for NARAL and so can spout off statistics like mad: the IUD is the most common form of birth control worldwide; since the 1970s Dalkon disaster IUDs are much improved (smaller).

If you can’t use hormonal b.c. you’d be looking at the Paraguard T, right?

I talked to my gyn about an IUD. I haven’t had any truly dangerous side effects from birth control but I have had the usual headaches, moodiness and weight gain. My doc said that IUDs aren’t a terrific option for nulliparous women - we are more likely to reject the device. Still, she said that she was willing to give it a go if I wanted to try. I declined and now use NuvaRing which cut down on side effects for me.

Whatever you do, I would make sure you see a gyn that is very familiar with implantation of IUDs. A doctor that has many patients using an IUD is more likely to be up-to-date on side effects, new models, etc.

Oh, and personal anecdotes: Two former bosses of mine have used IUDs exclusively since the birth of the children. They both say that the minor side effects (increased bleeding time/amount, increased cramping) are nothing compared to what they experienced on the pill.

Good luck in your decision making. Email me if you think I could be helpful.

by: Redpanda

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

I had been having circulatory-related probs with “The Pill” too. I went to my OB/GYN to get an IUD, and she STRONGLY recommended against it. She said that the risk may be small, but that it is there and that I wouldn’t be happy if I came to see her in a few years unable to conceive because of a problem with the IUD.

I decided against it. She wanted to fit me with a diaphragm, but I’m allergic to nonoxynol-9, so that was out. So, what did I do? Well, I am still on “The Pill”–but on the progestin-only minipills (they contain zero estrogen). The difference is that you take a pill every day; there’s no break. And your cycle isn’t regulated by it, so you if you’re like me you’ll be lots less regular.

I’ve been on it well over a year and have had zero problems. When I went for a follow-up with my OB/GYN she was eager to see what I thought of it, and mentioned that she is constantly surprised by how few women consider this method. For some reason, you don’t hear much about it. But like I said, I love it thus far.

That was my comment-novel. Any questions, feel free to shoot me an email.