I originally wrote this post a few months ago with the cheeky headline “I Think U Should Get an IUD.” It was a look at my journey with birth control and why the IUD has been the best option for me, despite how painful the insertion process was.
Can you tell I didn’t know what photo to use?
But then with recent stories and news and new guidelines, I wanted to dive deeper into the realities of my IUD experience, in the hopes that we can talk honestly how it feels to educate women about what their reality may be.
Let’s go back in time and get real, as we do here on LC.
When I first started looking into birth control back in the day, I knew I wanted to do something without hormones. My mom has had cancer 4 different times, and I try to stay away from hormones and pollutants as much as I can. My body is also sensitive, and side affects associated with hormonal birth control did not seem like they were for me.
After experimenting briefly with the Nuva Ring and a couple of other options, I got my first copper IUD around the age of 26 or 27. Since then I have sung its praises to everyone I know- I think it is an exceptional tool! The fact that I did not have to think about my birth control and it is just there and working is incredible. And with the copper one, you know there are no hormones. And just to state for the record, not everyone experiences major pain upon insertion.
But my first IUD was placed not far enough into the correct position leaving me cramping and bleeding and I had to have it taken out and reinserted.
For those who ever never gotten an IUD placed it may sound like I’m describing what it’s like to put a tampon in…that’s kind of what I thought too before I got one. But the pain I felt during my insertion was blinding. It felt like someone grabbed a raw nerve somewhere in my body and twisted. I screamed. I doubled over. I was told by the male doctor to take Advil if I felt uncomfortable. Advil.
I recall so clearly talking to the women who were working in the office who told me that the pain had been worse than childbirth or that I should prepare to take the next few days off work. The conversations with my doctor made me feel like this was something I could schedule during lunch. But that wasn’t my experience- my experience was of crippling pain.
So when my algorithm started showing me news stories that the CDC is starting to explore pain management recommendations when an IUD is being inserted…WELL ITS ABOUT EFFING TIME!
As a lady who likes to help other ladies, I took it upon myself to tell everyone or anyone that was thinking about getting one to prepare!
To know what they were getting into. I am still seeing so much misinformation and options that were just not how it went for me, so I think it’s important to share wthis side.
One gyno on the internet I follow said that she was taught the cervix has almost no nerve endings to it’s a painless procedure. This floored me. It’s 2024 and I think it’s clear, no one is coming to save us. We need to get louder and then get louder again.
Women’s health has been so heartbreakingly under researched and one of the ways we can change that is to keep talking about our experiences. Social media was key to getting the attention of the right people so this discussion around pain management can start to happen. Women go through so many fucked up things when it comes to health care. We are gaslit about symptoms. Told everything can be solved by weight loss and often have to become full time medical advocates for ourselves if we actually want to find out why we feel bad.
Also, we aren’t two horned pink alpacas, we are women. Half of the earth’s population. The stats on research for our bodies are sad, let’s demand more.
Breaking up the mood with this cute pic.
In case you were wondering, right now I’m currently not using any birth control- the time was up for me to take my IUD out, so I did. I’m considering getting another one. As I have discussed, I am child free by choice, and I don’t want a surprise kid, lol.
What have your BC experiences been? Let’s talk about it!
xo
Katie
I took hormonal birth control for almost 10 years before a pulmonary embolism almost took me out in 2017. A simple blood test revealed that I have a genetic disorder that causes blood clots when my estrogen is increased. Why couldn’t my OBGYN done some blood work before prescribing me those pills when I was 18?
After my PE i knew I needed a non-hormonal option, so I also went with a copper IUD. I had asked around and gotten a lot of similar stories to Katie’s; the pain is crippling, take time off of work, etc. I took a sick day for my appointment. I was terrified. My then boyfriend (now husband) was out of town and I was starring down the barrel of this appointment alone. Thankfully, a girlfriend called to ask what I was up to the night before. I told her how nervous I felt. She took the morning off work, picked me up and drove me to my appointment and held my hand during the procedure. I’d describe the insertion as not as intense as others have had it, but certainly not something I’d want done everyday!
When i returned home after, my sweetie pie had stocked our apartment with comfort food snacks for me, and laid out a heating pad on the couch for my recovery. For the next few days, it felt like a very intense period. I was uncomfortable, but it was manageable.
I think what led to my more positive experience with my IUD is exactly what inspired Katie to write this newsletter: SPEAK UP! If i hadn’t told my friend, if i hadn’t voiced my fears to my boyfriend, if I hadn’t asked others for their experiences, this would have been a traumatic memory instead of one that fills me with gratitude for my community.
SO glad you put that out there. I'm on my 4th one since my daughter was two. I LOVE this method of BC, but had geared myself up for the intense pain every time. Each dr making it seem like it was no big deal. I justified the pain because they made me feel like I was overreacting and I'd tolerate it once every 5-7 years for the luxury of the BC that was best for my body. This last time, the dr couldn't find the strings to pull it out. After literally digging around in there for 20 mins, she finally suggested anesthesia. A 2 hour visit to the hospital from check in to check out and the old IUD was out, the new was in (probably placed better) and I had no pain because I was completely knocked out. Insurance paid 100%. It shouldn't take a complication to get that level of care. In 5 years when I get my next and final IUD, I'll be pushing for that same procedure.