Copper topical User Reviews & Ratings (Page 2)

• Nop...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 30, 2020

Copper topical for Birth Control "Worse health decision I’ve ever made. I’m 28 and had it for 6 years. My once thick hair fell out in clumps. Pain, bloating, and PMS symptoms all month. 12-day HEAVY periods. Just because it’s non-hormonal doesn’t mean it’s not going to affect your hormones, and just because copper is natural doesn’t mean it’s safe to shove into your uterus."

• Anonymous
• March 2, 2020

Copper topical for Birth Control "The side effect symptoms started 3 months after insertion of ParaGard, roughly when I started to wean from breastfeeding and my cycle returned. I got insane IBS symptoms out of nowhere, nausea, insomnia, and panic attacks. The symptoms lasted about 4 weeks before I made the correlation and decided to get the IUD removed. 3 weeks after getting it removed, I felt back to normal. I went back to my doctor to discuss other birth control alternatives, and she convinced me that the ParaGard did not cause my symptoms and convinced me to get it back in. I started to think that maybe my side effect symptoms had been from weaning from breastfeeding anyway. I agreed to have it replaced. 3ish weeks later, all of those same symptoms came back, in addition to a 10-day period, a metallic taste in my mouth, and acne. I got the IUD out yesterday and am waiting for the side effects to go away. Never again will I put anything made of copper in me."

• Dan...
• December 19, 2018

Copper topical for Birth Control "Had this IUD placed after 4 years of using nothing but condoms for contraception. Almost ended up in a mental hospital from copper toxicity. Knew something was very wrong but had no idea why because the side effects were not listed. Dark racing irrational thoughts that scared me, heart palpitations, unreasonable amounts of paranoia, extreme anxiety, severe personality shifts. Have read other stories besides mine of women going manic. Finally figured out what was going on. The rep on the phone for ParaGard told me, “Sorry that happened to you but the box says, ‘This is not a complete list of side effects,’ so sorry.” There is no complete list. Know the signs of copper toxicity so you can take it out early if you try this method. It will depend on your adrenal health and biochemical makeup, but there is no way to know beforehand. I don’t want to scare anyone, but I do want to share. I’m fine 1 year post-removal, but I lost everything and will never be the same."

• Rac...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 6, 2014

For Birth Control "If you are like me and do NOT want to be on any hormonal meds, this is for you! I've never had children and it wasn't that painful getting inserted. It's very quick, comparable to a pap. I was sore internally for maybe a day while my body adjusted. The periods are a different story: My first couple periods were extremely painful and lasted longer than normal. However, they are getting less severe every month. I'm going on month 6 and this month was like a normal period again. My advice is to deal with the pain for the first few months because it will level out."

• Ari...
• August 27, 2018

Copper topical for Birth Control "I had this IUD inserted two and a half years ago. At first, I had mild cramping, heavy periods, but I got used to that. Constant, copious discharge was inconvenient, but I wore panty shields every day. But after a while, I just found myself constantly ‘coping’ with the symptoms. I started to gain weight no matter what I did, still not suspecting the IUD until I started thinking back to when I began to have unexplained weight gain. I had it removed 5 days ago, and I’ve lost 4 lbs, no longer feel bloated all over, and my blood pressure is now back to normal instead of the unusually high reading on ParaGard. NEVER AGAIN! For those of you who think we are being mean for posting a negative review, it’s not meant to be harmful but helpful to other people suffering the same way. Everyone is different, just sharing my experience so other people are aware, as I wasn’t for 2 and 1/2 years."

• Can...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 30, 2021

Copper topical for Birth Control "Wow, all the reviews here are so weird. I'm a healthy 27-year-old who got this IUD a few years back and have had ZERO problems since. My body had to adjust the first couple of months, but after that, it's smooth sailing. Periods are fairly light after a couple of months into it, no cramps or discomfort, nothing. To the people for whom it didn't work, I can only assume they had a terrible doctor insert it, a faulty IUD, or it just didn't suit them in general. This is literally the best birth control I've been on, and I don't plan on ever switching from it."

• HQa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 9, 2020

Copper topical for Birth Control "I've had ParaGard implanted for a year and a half now. I absolutely love it now, but getting through the first six months was patchy. I'm glad I stuck with it though because my period is not as irregular. My mind doesn't feel as cloudy or crowded. The cramps come and go, with some period cycles being more painful than others. But overall, I'm glad I made this choice."

• KRI...
• March 9, 2020

Copper topical for Birth Control "I have the ParaGard for almost 10 years now. It was a while ago, right after I had my son. During my six-week postnatal check-up, I believe that it was inserted. I don't remember it hurting at all. The only complaint initially was a heavy period, which sometimes lasted 14 days, longer and longer. That eased up about 4 to 5 months in. I haven't had any issues, regular period cramps, but not each month. Strings are there every month, no pain, no infections, no weight gain (aside from what laziness produced), nothing serious at all. My son is 10 next month, so it works."

• All...
• July 12, 2014

For Birth Control "I wanted to share my positive experience with the copper IUD. I got the Paragard inserted about 2 weeks ago, and I LOVE IT. It was my best option since I never did well on the pill. I haven't had kids, and the insertion, I'm going to be honest, hurt unlike anything I have ever experienced, BUT it only lasts a few minutes, and it is NOTHING you can't handle. I got my period on time. It lasted heavily for 3 days and spotted for 4. I had mild cramping the first week after insertion, but now I'm back to myself 100% and feel great (no cramps or spotting). Sex and orgasms are still great. Every woman is different, so I hope this helps you make your decision that it can be right for you. I gave it a 9 because time will tell if it is still this great in the future."

• Pea...
• November 27, 2019

Copper topical for Birth Control "Inserted ParaGard 1/2006, immediate mental health issues started, felt like a zombie, severe depression, worthless feeling, unmotivated, mean, dark thoughts, gained 30 pounds, thinning hair and loss, back pain, joint/body aches, heavy periods, cranky, low libido. Vaginal odor, bacterial infections despite celibacy, insomnia, brain fog, forgetfulness, unable to lose weight. Removed 11/11. Lighter periods, able to sleep, lose weight, depression lessened, no more vaginal odors or infections."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 23, 2019

Copper topical for Birth Control "I've had my ParaGard for about 2 months now. I have had 2 children, and my 2nd child was 5 months old when I had it inserted. Insertion was no big deal to me, it was painless, and I had no problems. Took about 2 minutes! I do understand that is largely due to the fact that I've given birth twice and within the last year. I had light spotting for about 3 days, which was expected. I had some mild cramping the day after, but nothing that bothered me. When my period came, it was heavier than normal, which is the only reason I rated ParaGard lower than 10. After the first week, I basically forgot I even have it. It's been a blessing for me. Birth control pills and any other form of birth control that uses hormones affects my emotions A LOT, as well as some severe and long-term spotting. I highly recommend this IUD for anyone who has experienced similar reactions to birth control. (Also, take into account that satisfied users are less likely to leave a review than ones that have had a problem!)"

• Mar...
• September 15, 2019

Copper topical for Birth Control "I had my ParaGard placed 8 weeks ago. Prior to insertion, I took 800 mg Advil, and it did nothing. I swore like a sailor and fought hard not to throw myself off the exam bed! But once placed, I felt okay for about a month. I came here looking for similar experiences once I started having really depressing dark thoughts. I have no history of mental illness, but have been battling hopelessness, self-hatred, outbursts of screaming anger, overwhelming sadness with inconsolable crying, and irrational irritability. I’m not myself. Additionally, I have increased heart palpitations, periods of breathlessness, overall dryness, scratchy throat/raspy voice, yeast infection, abdominal pressure and bloat, lower back pain, nausea, loss of appetite, feeling light-headed, shakes, night sweats, fatigue, headaches, brain fog, tingling around my lips, dull pains when sitting down fast or twisting/reaching, and who knows what else anymore! I plan to call Monday for an appointment to pull this $1100 disaster out of me!"

• Sav...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 13, 2014

For Birth Control "Before I got my Paragard put in (two days ago), I was psyching myself out. I had heard that for women like me who have not had kids, having an IUD put in was super painful and awful. Oh please. Ha. If I said it didn't hurt, I would be a big fat liar, but it didn't hurt even half as bad as I was expecting. If you are thinking about going with this, just know that all it feels like is a severe period cramp. Don't let that freak you out, it's uncomfortable, and honestly, it is painful, but not anything a woman can't handle. That's coming from someone who has a LOW pain tolerance and is a total wimp. I am on day three of having it in, and I love it. The day it was put in was the worst, cramps are pretty bad, but it gets easier and easier."

• Nis...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 23, 2022

Copper topical for Birth Control "I got my coil removed 4 days ago after 4 years. For years I’ve suffered with backache, headache, foggy head, not enjoying sex (feeling like something was hitting a brick wall inside), bleeding after sex, cramping 3 weeks out of a month, and constantly tired. Basically showing every sign of cervical cancer, having scan after scan, convincing myself this is it, something really is wrong. Everything at scans normal. Got the coil out even though the doctor was hesitant, and after 3 canceled appointments by them within an hour, my back did not hurt anymore. Day 2, the brain fog wasn’t there when I woke up. I woke up with ease, didn’t have to force myself, headaches gone. Day 3, I began to get my sex drive back, and I enjoyed my partner for the first time in ages. Day 4, absolutely no discharge, which is something I’d been suffering with on a daily basis for a while. I knew 2 weeks prior to removal that I had copper toxicity. Please, please reconsider it, it’s ruined the last 4 years for me."

• Jan...
• September 10, 2020

Copper topical for Birth Control "I've had ParaGard for 3 years. I love it. Absolutely no changes or side effects. That's why I love it, because it's non-hormonal and doesn't affect you mentally or screw up your bodily functions. It's just copper. Insertion was quick and easy. The only difference is my period comes more often now and is heavier than usual. But I don't mind because it's worth it for having the best hormone-free, most effective birth control that lasts for 10 years."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 25, 2020

Copper topical for Birth Control "Before I got the copper IUD, I came on here and read all the reviews, even the bad ones. I still went along with my insertion, and at first, it was great. Then, after a month, I started to bleed with no pain. This continued for the next 4 months. I went for an ultrasound, and the doctors told me it shifted, so I would just have to get it replaced. I did exactly that. (how dumb of me). After I got the replacement, I bled for another 3 months, straight, no pain at all. I got it removed in May 2020, and let me tell you, I've never felt better. Birth control is not for everyone, but be careful! It’s scary what doctors don’t tell you. If you read these negative reviews, it’s for a reason! Trust yourself!"

• Pea...
• March 10, 2019

Copper topical for Birth Control "Let me start by saying I'm 64 and no longer need to use birth control. (Lucky me.) I do not have experience with ParaGard. I do have experience with the copper T's given to women in the 70s. I loved it for two months when I was 18, and then the odyssey began. I developed a PID which spread through my fallopian tubes (damaging them severely), blew out into my abdominal cavity, causing peritonitis, which nearly killed me. I still have occasional pain from it 46 years later, had a lot of trouble conceiving in my 30s. I have adhesions - some attached the tubes to organs, some surrounded my liver and diaphragm. I caution all women about putting copper in your bodies, it's not worth the risk of lifelong pain and fertility issues. Spend time looking into the companies that manufacture these products and look at the history of rejection. They love to deny the ill effects until there are enough deaths and lawsuits that inevitably come their way. Please be careful."

• Jes...
• January 9, 2023

Copper topical for Birth Control "The copper IUD has caused me horrific side effects. I got copper toxicity. I now experience panic attacks, anxiety, vitamin and mineral issues, floaters in my eyes, feeling emotionally numb, brain fog, and constipation. I also experienced severe hormonal jawline cystic acne. Thankfully, that cleared up after removal. I also had pain during sex and chronic inflammation in my uterus that took a long time to go down after removal. DON'T GET THIS. It can cause a severe hormonal imbalance caused by the copper overload/toxicity."

• Cri...
• February 4, 2021

Copper topical for Birth Control "I got pregnant after almost 4 years of use of ParaGard. Waiting to get the results of my ultrasound to see if it's a regular pregnancy or an ectopic one. Do your research, the percentage of women getting pregnant while using it correctly is higher than they want you to believe it is."

• Nuk...
• January 18, 2021

Copper topical for Birth Control "I personally feel as though there isn’t enough research on the ParaGard Copper IUD to make some of the claims that they made when mine was inserted 4 years ago. I believe it wears down in the body and causes a chemical reaction as your bloodstream intakes more copper than it is supposed to. A lot of my symptoms lined up perfectly with copper toxicity, and I have been better since removal and treatment. The whole experience was excruciating every month, and periods became a 3-week-long ordeal (between mental health issues and pain that wouldn’t let up and pain that caused me to feel unable to sit comfortably, due to its severity and spotting for a month and skipping my period for months). I felt kind of dumb for having left the ParaGard in for so long when I found out how many women usually make it at most 1 year with it. No thanks. Just because it was non-hormonal doesn’t mean it didn’t keep me feeling completely unbalanced and in complete pain with a lot of mental health issues."

• bob...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 2, 2014

For Birth Control "Insertion? Awful. I haven't had kids, so of course my pain tolerance is going to be low. The pain doesn't last long - basically, if you want a good hormonal birth control, just suck it up. For me, the day I got it, I had pretty damn bad cramps, but by the next day they were nonexistent. About a week before my period, I was getting cramps here and there - nothing Tylenol couldn't take care of. Now I just got my period, and I'm going to be honest, it is heavy. I do have some cramps with it, but nothing like I have experienced in the past. I have lost weight since getting off the pill. My mood, it's stable for once! Sex is still great, I feel great, boyfriend loves it too! Especially the no hormone part! I highly recommend it."

• Gan...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 1, 2021

Copper topical for Birth Control "I had the ParaGard in for 5 years and experienced a severe mental health decline that I couldn't figure out. Recently, my sister sent me a couple of articles that she found regarding women who experienced mental health symptoms similar to mine, but attributed to copper toxicity from their ParaGard IUD. With little risk of pregnancy in my life at the moment, I made an immediate decision to have mine removed. I literally had an appointment with a psychiatrist for next month. I was about to begin a journey of medicating myself for my depression, anger, and anxiety. I've been without the ParaGard for 2 weeks now and I feel like I have a new brain. I feel younger, more energetic, less foggy, and I can't find the anger inside me that used to control me. I feel free and I want to tell everyone! This is just a cautionary tale. Please don't go on psych meds before you examine your birth control. It did however keep me from getting pregnant, so I guess it worked."

• A_l...
• September 17, 2015

For Birth Control "My complicated experience with the insertion of the copper IUD. It was 'one of the most difficult & complicated IUD insertions I've had in a very long time,' quoting the words of my gynecologist, MD. Now, I have not been sexually active for over a year and a half (by choice) & I've never had kids, so that, for one, was a concern for my doctor since she said I might be very tight & feel pain. Anywhom, I am 23 and recently decided to date again & wanted to have a convenient birth control that won't affect my weight or cause acne since acne has recently been a new battle for me, so my first step was hitting the Internet for options. After reading many reviews for multiple birth controls, I decided on the copper ParaGard, which is for 10-12 years. Now, I went to my doctor and had a screening for STDs & HIV, which is protocol for any birth control procedure. Then pregnancy tests were taken a few days before the insertion and the day of the insertion. After everything came out negative, I was ready for my IUD. I was scheduled to go in on Tuesday, September 1, 2015, so I went in with anticipation of pain, and I was very nervous. Mostly because it was something new for me to have a speculum inside me since I just had my first Pap smear ever, two weeks prior to the IUD insertion. As my doctor placed the speculum, I had some discomfort, she had trouble finding my cervix. After some time, she had everything positioned right and began to try and dilate my cervix. Right when she started, I began to feel extreme cramping. My doctor could not get her tool that she used to dilate my cervix to stay in, I was too tight due to the fact that I've never had kids, so it wasn't easy, my cervix kept pushing the probe out. She attempted a few more times until I couldn't take the pain anymore because the cramping became so severe I began to cry. Now, I know I sound ridiculous crying, but I have a pretty high tolerance for pain & I never understood how many women couldn't take the cramping they had when on their period because I don't experience cramping on my periods, at least until now. I now have so much more sympathy for those who do have this pain every month. My doctor gave me other birth control options because she wasn't successful in inserting the IUD, but she knew I didn't want others, so she offered to use an anesthetic on my cervix to help with the insertion (which is not normally a part of the procedure, but since I had a special case, she offered this option to me). I was not happy with the fact that I had to have a needle inserted in my cervix, but this was the birth control I wanted, and I was going to do whatever to get it. I was in too much pain that day, so I had to come back the next morning. So here I go, Wednesday morning, into my doctor's office, laying down, ready to get a needle inserted into my cervix, which terrified me because I already knew how painful it was, but I didn't feel a thing when she put the anesthetic. I was told I would feel a slight sting and some burning sensation, but I didn't feel anything. It took her about 15 minutes to position the IUD correctly, she had to dilate me 8 cm to get a good view and make sure I had a successful insertion. I felt NOTHING, and then she was done. Right after, she had me lay down for a few minutes, then had me slowly sit up, I felt like I was going to faint. The MD said my eyes were not focusing on her, and I was so pale. At that point, my whole face and hands were numb. She stayed there with me until I regained full blood flow to my upper body. FYI, my doctor said some women actually faint after the procedure, and in some rare cases, they even have seizures because the pain of dilating the cervix is so intense. I was lucky to not have any cramps because my cervix was numb. Eight hours later, the numbness began to fade, and the pain started. I got prescribed 600 mg Tylenol, which helped a little. I spotted the next 3 days, I had to use panty liners. Then my period came 1 week early, just 4 days after I got my IUD placed. It was very heavy the first 3 days with medium cramping, and my period lasted 5 ½ days. My usual periods post-IUD were 4 days with only 1 heavy day. I have now had my IUD going on 3 weeks, and I have little spotting every day, so I use liners all the time. Now, the part that I was most nervous about was the whole 'me checking if I can feel the IUD strings.' It’s something I'm a bit uncomfortable doing, mostly because I've never done it before, so the first couple of times I tried to check for the strings, I couldn't feel anything, so I began to freak out and rushed to my doctor's office after my unsuccessful attempts. She said to wait until my first period was over and then to try again. I tried again after my period, and I still couldn't feel anything. Then I found a way to check that best fits me since I have small hands, so I'll share my wisdom with you guys lol. I check in the shower every morning, I lift one leg as if I'm going to shave, then I insert my pointer, and I squat a little, which helps, and I'm able to feel the tip of the strings. I have not had any cramping since my period, and my discharge has reduced. I'm very happy with my IUD, and I plan on using it safely and responsibly, as I have heard many women have gotten pregnant with the IUD. I still plan on using condoms because of STDs, and I got the IUD as a backup just in case. I plan on keeping it for the full 10 years unless there are any complications. Sorry for the long story, but I, for one, would have loved to hear the entire experience someone had, so I decided to share mine. Hope it helps at least one person."

• Hea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 25, 2020

Copper topical for Birth Control "I love this birth control so much. I've had it almost 11 months now and can't say enough good things about it. No weight gain, regular periods, moods are normal, and I feel great and pregnancy-free for almost 11 months now!"

• Ste...
• July 7, 2021

Copper topical for Birth Control "ParaGard was the worst thing I've ever done to myself, and I deeply regret it every day. Copper toxicity is real and not talked about by OBs or mentioned in the packaging. I got my IUD at 17 years old and have had it for 2 years. I started having copper toxicity signs like fatigue, IBS, insomnia, depression, severe anxiety, and panic attacks. Doctors just want your money. Stay away from this if you want to be happy. It creates a hostile environment in your uterus to prevent pregnancy and affects your vaginal microbiome, causing me regular yeast infections and BV. It's been 7 months and I haven't been able to have pain-free sex. Please consider other options. Copper isn't a hormone, but it influences your hormones. There is no way of preventing pregnancy without hormone manipulation unless you use only condoms. Listen to your bodies! ParaGard ruined my life, and I wish I learned sooner."