ParaGard and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 4)

• All...
• January 30, 2020

For Birth Control "I got the IUD after having bad reactions to hormonal birth control. On paper, ParaGard sounded great: no hormones, no long term side effects... no problems. Immediately after insertion, I began having horrible lower back pain accompanied by excruciating menstrual cramps that left me curled up in a ball on the floor. My periods lasted for 2 weeks with spotting for a week after. Then came the insomnia, anxiety, and crippling depression. I totally lost interest in everything I used to like and found myself having suicidal thoughts, which was an absolute first for me. My doctor said there was no connection between the IUD and my symptoms, so I kept with it long enough to experience daily migraines, extreme joint pain, painful bloating, hair loss, constant exhaustion, and insane brain fog. After an entire year of misery, I finally got it removed. I am pretty upset with the lack of information available about this product. I would NEVER RECOMMEND this device to anyone."

• Nat...
• January 23, 2020

For Birth Control "I had ParaGard for 9 weeks. Insertion was the most painful experience of my life. I was in bed with severe cramping and back pain for the next 3 days after insertion. I took Tylenol and Ibuprofen for pain, but it didn’t touch it. My periods lasted 2 weeks and an additional week of spotting. The entire 9 weeks, I was bloated and constipated. I gained 7 lb during that time. I am very athletic, who exercises 5-7 times a week (yoga, pole fitness, Pilates, and gym). I am also vegetarian and keep the same diet pattern and the same weight for over 18 years. So I don’t want to hear that I gained weight because of overeating. As a matter of fact, my portions were smaller than usual because I was bloated most of the time. I started having migraine headaches 4 weeks after insertion that gradually increased to an everyday thing. I started to have heart palpitations and anxiety. I DON’T RECOMMEND ANYONE ParaGard. No one tells you about these side effects."

• Juj...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 23, 2020

For Birth Control "I've had ParaGard 3 times after having babies, and all 3 times I had the same side effects: horrible bleeding for 3 weeks after it was put in place and cramps. It caused me severe anxiety, depression, hair loss, weight gain, rage, and brain fogginess. When I had it removed the 2nd time to try to get pregnant, I wasn't able to get pregnant for 5 months, and this is abnormal for me. Every month, I got a positive pregnancy test, and then within a couple of days, it was gone. For some reason, they were not implanting correctly, and this was due to ParaGard. Copper increases estrogens and does impact your hormones."

• Msa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 1, 2020

For Birth Control "I hope this review helps someone make the decision not to get this. This birth control ruined the whole year of 2019 for me, and I still don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. It affected my hormones, gave me sinus problems, which led to ear problems. I was getting sciatica pain, restless legs, hip pain, brain fog, anxiety attacks. I gained so much weight, joint pain. A lot of these have gone away, some have diminished, and some I still deal with, even though it's been 6 months since removal. I had it for 2 years and 8 months, and I was in perfect health before this."

• Cla...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 24, 2019

For Birth Control "Absolutely horrid! 8 months and extreme nausea, depression, anxiety, terrible unstoppable thoughts, dizzy, constant infections since insertion. The list goes on. If you value your mental health, run far from this product!!!"

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 26, 2019

For Birth Control "Cannot wait to get this out of me. I have had horrible insomnia, fatigued and tired all the time, feel weak, headaches, sometimes get nauseous for no reason, I have HORRIBLE cramps, menstruating or not, I've had the WORST anxiety and depression issues, awful thoughts that worsen it, no libido whatsoever, hair is constantly tangly and dry, and I get these weird painful, rashy bumps on my face that stick around FOR EVER. I just don't feel like ME anymore and it all started after I got this IUD in Feb 2018. DON'T risk this."

• KGa...
• June 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I have been on ParaGard for 6 years, and initially, it was great. I always had difficulty with hormonal BC before, which is why I chose this method. I now have chronic fatigue, crippling depression for 2 weeks every month, anxiety, extreme irritability, and want to die for 2 weeks each month. My back pain is so severe that I have to deep breathe through it. I did not realize that ParaGard also has nickel in it, which I know that I am allergic to. I am having this removed next week and could not be happier about it."

• Kel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2019

For Birth Control "My doctor told me I was getting Skyla, but she gave me ParaGard instead. I decided to try it because my doctor said I might end up liking it better. I’ve had the ParaGard in for about a month now, and it’s been absolutely the worst thing. Insertion was so painful that I almost fainted in the office, and the first week I was in excruciating pain. I was taking almost 2000 mg of OTC pain medicine (I tried Tylenol and ibuprofen), but it did nothing at all. The cramps have since subsided, but only to be replaced with a plethora of other issues. I have headaches constantly, my depression has gone from mild/moderate to severe, my anxiety is through the roof, I’m extremely fatigued, and I feel very weak. I’m also having the worst, most painful IBS I’ve ever experienced in my life. I’m getting it removed next week, and it cannot come soon enough. I would never recommend this to anyone."

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 10, 2019

For Birth Control "ParaGard birth control almost cost me my life. I have dealt with the most depression and anxiety that I have ever had in my life and finally came to the conclusion it was my birth control after exhausting all other avenues. I was so, so depressed and in such a bad place. It made me really dive into what was causing my depression when my life is not bad and I hadn’t dealt with it prior to 4 years ago. I read a review that a mother lost her daughter to suicide a few months after insertion and realized that I have had enough."

• PGS...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 17, 2019

For Birth Control "Paragard side effects were painful intercourse, depression, constipation, bloating, severe anxiety, irritability, and change in the vaginal ecosystem. Worst, most miserable choice of my life. I am and have always been a very happy and upbeat person. I got the IUD removed and was IMMEDIATELY back to myself. Don't waste years of your life with this horrible device!"

• Sis...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 23, 2019

For Birth Control "I had my ParaGard for almost 4 years. I have been through a lot of trauma in my life and managed well for the most part. From the time I had my IUD placed on, I dealt with fatigue and brain fog like I've never experienced. My depression and anxiety were near impossible to manage. Copper isn't hormonal, but it still creates a hormonal response in your body. My body had a negative response that, had I been well informed, I would have found out if it could have been my birth control causing me problems long ago. But because of the way the information is presented to women, we go on thinking 'my depression couldn't be from my IUD.' The first day my IUD was out, I felt as if my brain fog had lifted. The second day, I had more energy, I could go on. I'm not saying this birth control wasn't effective. I just believe the side effects of this contraceptive should be reevaluated. There shouldn't be this much of an overlap in symptoms in women with the IUD. Ignorance isn't bliss for all of us."

• Coo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 19, 2019

For Birth Control "Severe allergic reactions-I'm talking anaphylaxis-like, carry EpiPens, anything and everything could set me off. Hives almost daily. Heavy and painful periods. Hair wouldn’t grow for over a year and is only now due to removal of the ParaGard. Chronic fatigue, extreme anxiety, and poor mood."

• Liz...
• January 31, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm so glad that it is a godsend for so many women, but I wish there were publicized research on the potential side effects. I have a history of depression, but had been off antidepressants for about a year without issue before getting my IUD in. Only 2 months after I got ParaGard, I was feeling anxious and suicidal. I went back on the medication I had been on, but my symptoms never resolved as completely as they had pre-IUD. I finally started reading stories from women whose mental health took a turn after the insertion of ParaGard, and will get it removed next week. What drives me crazy is that doctors refuse to acknowledge the POSSIBILITY that there is a relationship between the copper IUD and mental health. I know there are issues with how such research could be conducted, and I'm not surprised that something that boils down to self-reporting by women (dramatic! hysterical! unreliable!) isn't of concern to Western medicine."

• Dan...
• December 19, 2018

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."

• Ann...
• December 9, 2018

For Birth Control "DO NOT RECOMMEND. I just removed ParaGard after 2 years of having it. In the beginning, everything seemed to be fine, apart from heavy bleeding, which I was prepared for. Most of the days of my period, I had to have a tampon and a pad in order to stop the bleeding. In the past year, I had reoccurring yeast infections almost every month. I tried changing my diet, taking probiotics, without any change. However, the real problem was of the mental kind. Over the years, my mood swings and depression got much worse, with episodes of intense anger, anxiety, and sadness days before my period. It all culminated last month when I felt deeply depressed and suicidal for no apparent reason – I finally decided to have the IUD removed. The removal was terrifying because the ob-gyn couldn't find the device, so she had to use the ultrasound and apply 3 anesthetic injections to my cervix during the removal. I'm so happy that I did it, I feel so much better and calmer now."

• Eri...
• October 24, 2018

For Birth Control "I do not recommend this product. I had the ParaGard for 2.5 years. During that time, I developed severe anxiety, lower back pain, and iron deficiency anemia from the loss of blood during my period. I had a hair tissue mineral analysis, which shows that I have toxic levels of copper in my system. I have also developed IBS-type symptoms. Now, I am trying the long process of detoxing the copper out of my body. Since removal 2 months ago, I have lost 15 pounds (back to my normal weight), and my mood has stabilized."

• Bet...
• August 20, 2018

For Birth Control "This device has ruined the past two years of my life. I have had severe cramps, blood loss during just one day of my cycle of what should be the amount lost during the entirety of a cycle, and copper toxicity issues. I have had heart palpitations without any previously, and recently went to the ER due to those. I have had severe back pains and anxiety. I recently had the IUD removed, and these symptoms are subsiding. The back pain completely disappeared. It sounds like a great option at first, but prolonged exposure to copper can cause many complications within you. Copper also affects your adrenal system - which directly regulates hormones. So if you believe it is completely non-hormonal, it is still indirectly (and significantly in my case) affecting your hormones. Please do research on this device before you just place a foreign object in your body. I would not recommend it to anyone."

• Jer...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 1, 2018

For Birth Control "Severe constant cramping. Heavy blood flow - two super plus tampons an hour. Anxiety, depression, relationship issues... had it for two years. So yeah, it stopped me from getting pregnant, but at the risk to my health."

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 30, 2018

For Birth Control "I have had this in for a year. I am 46. I did not become pregnant while using ParaGard, so that part worked. I have, however, had thousands of dollars worth of blood work, lost sleep, damaged relationships because of mood and depression, 20 lbs weight gain, foggy memory, anxiety, panic attacks. My most recent blood work indicates low cortisol levels, and I started researching the copper toxicity, and I was shocked to see every single one of my symptoms listed here. Of course, it could be that I am old, menopausal, and tired... but I was energetic, active, and much happier before this thing went into my body."

• MBa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 30, 2018

For Birth Control "I had severe cramping and bleeding all the time. I began to get really bad hot flashes and anxiety, was tired all the time but couldn't sleep. I was only 34-36. The bleeding and cramping got so bad I couldn't move, and my doctor didn't know what was causing it. Finally, after passing large clots and filling pads up every 30 minutes, I was rushed in to get an ultrasound. My IUD had moved and implanted into my uterus. I had it removed, and my doctor confirmed that it had probably been like that the whole time I had it in for over a year. I also had copper toxicity."

• 31Y...
• July 23, 2018

For Birth Control "I had the copper IUD for about 3 weeks, and I finally got it removed this morning. First, I got it inserted, and the first week I was having contractions and bleeding blood clots. Very heavy bleeding. It was so bad that I would get chills from the pain. Second, I started to have panic attacks, and my anxiety felt off the charts. Third, my brain felt super foggy. My brain felt like I was off on a cloud, and I couldn't focus at work. Fourth, I felt depressed and moody. It was like my emotions were up and down, and I couldn't help it. Fifth, I felt bloated and fatigued. I was told numerous times that this IUD didn't have hormones, but it sure had something in for me to get symptoms like this. I know that every woman is different, but with my experience, I would recommend the Mirena IUD over the ParaGard IUD ANYTIME. I had both, and by far, Mirena is better. For now, I'll stick with the old school birth control - 'The Pill.'"

• Jan...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 23, 2018

For Birth Control "Pelvic inflammatory disease. Ruptured uterus. Multiple abdominal abscesses. Emergency hysterectomy. Colectomy. Colovesical fistula. Postoperative stroke with seizure disorder. Seven months of IV antibiotics. Two open surgeries. 8-inch vertical scar. Depression. Anxiety. PTSD. Any other questions?"

• Val...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 18, 2018

For Birth Control "After my second child, I decided to get the IUD copper, but once it was inserted and time passed, I had pelvic pain every time I menstruated so bad it hurt to walk. Caused high anxiety, no sex drive, bad depression, always tired, ate healthy and exercised, but weight didn’t change, brain fog, couldn’t think straight, it was a mess! I thought this was my postpartum depression, so I took care of it like my firstborn when I had issues with postpartum before, but nothing helped. Not knowing it was the IUD, I thought I’m just a struggling, stressed-out mother. My doctor removed it and I told him if these symptoms had to do with the IUD, and he said, oh no, no hormones. This is probably postpartum. Three days later, I feel like myself again for the first time in ages. This wasn’t postpartum, this wasn’t just a new life as a mom - it was this IUD. So many women struggle with this and it made me realize I wasn’t alone."

• lil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 15, 2018

For Birth Control "Paragard is terrible! Five years of living hell! Brain fog, anxiety, depression, personality shifts, cramping, week-long heavy bleeding, racing heart, adrenal dysfunction, food allergies. The worst! Copper and estrogen are tandem, so think twice! It will raise your estrogen levels! And cause copper toxicity in most women! Do your research."

• Mim...
• June 29, 2018

For Birth Control "Got the IUD after my daughter was about a year and a half. At first, everything seemed normal. I was stressed out, of course, being a new mom. About 2 years later, I noticed how crazy depressed I would get before my period. I would also lash out at everyone. I was extremely emotional. I ignored it. But several months later, I started getting panic attacks and anxiety. I used to get attacks when I was a teen, so I knew exactly how to cope, but it kind of started making me stressed out. Then, I started getting odd thoughts that didn't make sense and brain fog. It was creeping me out. I started Googling and realized I had Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), which is severe PMS. I had no idea why I would have this. I tried working out and eating better. Nothing worked. Then one day, I typed in copper IUD and PMS. A thousand articles showed up. Women telling the same story as me. I called the doctor and had it taken out immediately. It's been 3 months now, and I feel better. Research birth control. The human body doesn't understand foreign objects."