Happy one year anniversary to me and my IUD! For many women, the question of which form of birth control they should take is something they’ll come across at some point in their lifetime. So, after 365 days of having this foreign object literally inside my body, I think it’s time for me to tell my story and experiences with this –quite invasive– form of birth control.
Starting off with some informational details, an intrauterine device, or most commonly referred to as an IUD, is a little one inch T-shaped piece of plastic that helps regulate hormones to prevent pregnancy and regulate menstrual cycles. The hormones that the IUD releases essentially act as sperm repellent. An IUD also helps alleviate period symptoms, like cramps. The hormones it produces thin the endometrium, the uterus lining, so there is less material to shed, resulting in a lighter and less painful period.
Now, for my story! An IUD was not my first form of birth control. I was on the pill for about a half year before I began to look into other options. The pill did help with regulating my period, but I needed something that I didn’t have to worry about on a day-to-day basis. The implant was a big no because of the surgery-like insertion and removal process. The shots were also a no because of my intense fear of needles — yikes! So, the most suitable option for me was the Mirena IUD.
Once I had made up my mind and committed to this form of birth control, it was time to set up an appointment and get it. The insertion process took no longer than 20 minutes, but it was much more painful than I had anticipated. First, they made me change into one of those awful, papery gowns before having me lay down in a medical chair to start the process. Most of the time, you can ask your doctor to numb your cervix to alleviate some of the discomforts, but at the time, I did not know you could do that. So, I laid there for a good 15-20 minutes singing along to a Taylor Swift playlist to distract myself from the pain and to entertain my doctors while they gifted me with the wonderful intrauterine device.
After the insertion was done, I did have intense cramping for about 24 hours. I mean curled up in your bed, heating pad, sweats, and toe-curling cramps. Not fun. However, the most fun part came in the transition period — obviously kidding. As my body became adjusted with the new hormones that I just put in my body, I had a heavy period for the next month straight. Non-stop bleeding for a full 30 days. So, I guess you could say the insertion and adjustment process was not the most enjoyable for me.
That was only the first couple of months, though, once I became accustomed to having this little piece of plastic inside of me it was smooth sailing from there. Ultimately, I stopped having my period altogether after that one month period of absolute torture following the insertion. Overall, getting an IUD has been a great choice and is going to give me peace of mind for the next 5-7 years.
Every IUD experience and reaction to this form of birth control is going to vary from person to person. I’m not a professional, and I’m not a doctor. This has been my personal experience as a young adult with an IUD, so take it how you will, and make sure to do your research when looking into the many forms of birth control to see which one is best for you. I am just one of many IUD stories!
Tell us about your experiences with birth control by tagging us @HerCampusSJSU!