When I started getting my period, many years ago, I had absolutely horrendous cramps. I remember having to go home from school often and not sleeping for three nights out of the month. I frequently told my mom, who would claim I needed to go to the doctor, but would never make the appointment, because she didn't want to have to go to the gynecologist herself.
Because of her own cowardice, my medical issues were never addressed, and where they likely would have given me some form of hormonal birth control, I had to just deal with it, and not have anything as a backup to condoms.
So, when I got pregnant, and everything that came with that (a long story unto itself), I wanted to make sure it didn't happen again. My doctor wouldn't do a tubal, for stupid stereotypical reasons, and so I went scouring over my options, looking for what would work the best for me. I knew I wouldn't have a reliable schedule with an infant, and honestly didn't want all that many extra hormones with mine needing to level out after a pregnancy.
I came upon the copper iud in a pile of options. A short appointment that would give me birth control as reliable as a tubal, with minimal upkeep, and a decade of coverage without hormones seemed too good to be true. I read horror stories. People who had side effects, ranging from continuous spotting, to excruciating cramping, and more. Still, it looked like the best possible option.
A few weeks after having Squishy, I told the doctor I had wanted to get a Paragard. She asked some questions to make sure I knew everything about it, and was impressed with how much homework I had done. Two weeks later, I paid what my insurance wouldn't cover, and had it put in. I can only assume that everything hadn't quite gone back into place after labor and delivery, because I didn't feel a thing. I had no extra spotting, and very minimal cramps.
For nine and a half years, I had no side effects. My flow was no heavier than it had been, and my guess is that I've simply gotten used to the cramps, because they are annoying, but not completely debilitating like they used to be. It stayed in place, and my period stayed just as reliable as it's always been.
About a year ago, I tossed around the idea again of getting a tubal. I brought it up to my partners, looking for opinions, and help weighing the pros and cons.
Of course, because they are good boys, gave me no help, because they didn't want to feel like they were controlling what I do with my body. Because boys are silly.
Even just bouncing it off of them, it helped me decide that a couple short doctor's appointments with something we all agree works well felt better than an invasive surgery which has it's own slew of risks.
And, because the next few months all include a pile of holidays and obligation, I decided that after Pennsic, I would call an office, to get an exam and swap out the device a bit early, rather than risk going past that ten year shelf life.
I'm not going to lie, I was nervous. I hadn't had one removed before, and didn't know how it would feel having a new one put in with everything completely back where it belonged. I read varying things, so I had very little to go off of.
Welp, I've had the swap done at this point, and it was an incredibly simple thing. I took some ibuprofen before the appointment, but I don't think I would have needed it. The removal was done on an exhale, but was much faster than I had been prepared for, and so easier than I thought. The replacement was uncomfortable, with sensation you don't exactly feel often, so your body doesn't know how to process it, but that lasted maybe three minutes, and never felt truly painful. I had very minor cramping for two days, and was spotting for about three.
Just before Thanksgiving, I'll go and have the placement checked, but here's hoping I get another decade of the same good experience.
Because of her own cowardice, my medical issues were never addressed, and where they likely would have given me some form of hormonal birth control, I had to just deal with it, and not have anything as a backup to condoms.
So, when I got pregnant, and everything that came with that (a long story unto itself), I wanted to make sure it didn't happen again. My doctor wouldn't do a tubal, for stupid stereotypical reasons, and so I went scouring over my options, looking for what would work the best for me. I knew I wouldn't have a reliable schedule with an infant, and honestly didn't want all that many extra hormones with mine needing to level out after a pregnancy.
I came upon the copper iud in a pile of options. A short appointment that would give me birth control as reliable as a tubal, with minimal upkeep, and a decade of coverage without hormones seemed too good to be true. I read horror stories. People who had side effects, ranging from continuous spotting, to excruciating cramping, and more. Still, it looked like the best possible option.
A few weeks after having Squishy, I told the doctor I had wanted to get a Paragard. She asked some questions to make sure I knew everything about it, and was impressed with how much homework I had done. Two weeks later, I paid what my insurance wouldn't cover, and had it put in. I can only assume that everything hadn't quite gone back into place after labor and delivery, because I didn't feel a thing. I had no extra spotting, and very minimal cramps.
For nine and a half years, I had no side effects. My flow was no heavier than it had been, and my guess is that I've simply gotten used to the cramps, because they are annoying, but not completely debilitating like they used to be. It stayed in place, and my period stayed just as reliable as it's always been.
About a year ago, I tossed around the idea again of getting a tubal. I brought it up to my partners, looking for opinions, and help weighing the pros and cons.
Of course, because they are good boys, gave me no help, because they didn't want to feel like they were controlling what I do with my body. Because boys are silly.
Even just bouncing it off of them, it helped me decide that a couple short doctor's appointments with something we all agree works well felt better than an invasive surgery which has it's own slew of risks.
And, because the next few months all include a pile of holidays and obligation, I decided that after Pennsic, I would call an office, to get an exam and swap out the device a bit early, rather than risk going past that ten year shelf life.
I'm not going to lie, I was nervous. I hadn't had one removed before, and didn't know how it would feel having a new one put in with everything completely back where it belonged. I read varying things, so I had very little to go off of.
Welp, I've had the swap done at this point, and it was an incredibly simple thing. I took some ibuprofen before the appointment, but I don't think I would have needed it. The removal was done on an exhale, but was much faster than I had been prepared for, and so easier than I thought. The replacement was uncomfortable, with sensation you don't exactly feel often, so your body doesn't know how to process it, but that lasted maybe three minutes, and never felt truly painful. I had very minor cramping for two days, and was spotting for about three.
Just before Thanksgiving, I'll go and have the placement checked, but here's hoping I get another decade of the same good experience.
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