ParaGard and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Nom...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 17, 2020

For Birth Control "Awful experience. Had ParaGard in for 9 years. Had major mood swings (which I never had, even when pregnant), high anxiety, hair loss, weight gain, and heavy, heavy periods (like can’t go through the night with a super tampon without changing it). Had it removed, and my bloating, fatigue, and anxiety disappeared."

• Anonymous
• January 18, 2021

For Birth Control "I got the ParaGard inserted Dec 2014. I was made aware of the heavy bleeding for the first 6 months. During the insertion, I felt faint, like I was going to pass out. I bled for months straight and was told this was normal. Year one passed, and I was still having heavy bleeding and bad cramps. I always had a very light cycle that lasted maybe 3 days. However, with the ParaGard, I was bleeding heavily for 6-7 days. Year two to 6, same thing. I went through boxes of pads and tampons. I often bled through my clothes, and I was anxious that it would happen every month. My anxiety increased, and it was so bad. I kept the IUD in for six years! I didn't believe in the other birth controls because of the hormones. Looking back, I wished that I had gotten it removed much sooner. I became anemic, and the bleeding was just horrible. Birth control affects everyone differently. If you're considering it, take a chance but don't hesitate to get it removed."

• Lwo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 11, 2017

For Birth Control "I just got the copper IUD removed after having it for 7 months. I am normally a really positive person with a happy demeanor, and I am convinced that the copper IUD threw me into depression and anxiety. I have NEVER had depression or anxiety, and every month my moods got worse. I would cry almost every day, I would snap at my bf or family for the smallest thing, and I felt rage almost all the time. I was trying to figure out if something else in my life was affecting me. I even went to my therapist and a depression care specialist. I finally read some reviews on the copper IUD and depression, and it seems pretty common. Drs will tell you it's not the IUD, but please trust your intuition. I also had a yeast infection & BV almost every month because of the IUD."

• Not...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 17, 2020

For Birth Control "I am planning on getting this removed tomorrow... despite recovering from a concussion. I want it OUT. Intense pain: over AN HOUR. The Drs gave me ice AND heat packs, and both helped. After March insertion: LIGHTER periods. November: they suddenly went from regular to coming every 2 WEEKS. Length of periods: okay, severity of periods: okay, mood swings: severe. I used to love attention from people, but now it feels like everyone is watching me. What was good: it decreased my frequency of yeast infections, but didn’t get rid of them altogether. Haven’t been myself since November: anxious and depressed. This has negatively impacted my studies. I recommend: hormones are better, but go to the gym often and eat plenty of greens/spinach to help iron levels if you have heavy periods. I wish I knew which hormonal IUD to switch to, to prevent mood changes and to help me prevent yeast infections, but I’ll see what the GYN thinks. Verdict: ParaGard is not worth it."

• Rod...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 4, 2018

For Birth Control "Got it right after I had my son (2 months after) and immediately regretted it. Terrible cramping. Painful periods. Excessive bleeding. I'd fill a super tampon and leak through to fill a liner within an hour. Then the hormonal changes started happening: mood swings, migraines, depression, anxiety, panic attacks. Fatigued. Anemic. So fatigued!"

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 2, 2017

For Birth Control "After 6 months with this IUD, I couldn't take it anymore. I had to have it removed. I have never ever in my life dealt with depression, anxiety, or panic attacks until I got the Copper IUD. Before the IUD, my periods were fairly light and 4-5 days on average. Light PMS. Some back pain. With the IUD, they were 7-8 days. So heavy I had to wear a pad and a jumbo tampon and change every 2 hours. Horrible cramping to where my only relief was laying in bed curled up with a heating pad. Midol and Tylenol rarely made a difference. Around my time of PMS, I would suddenly feel very, very depressed and so fatigued. And then my mind would race into a downward spiral where I would then panic I would feel this way forever. Glad to have this out and be me again!!!"

• IUD...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 10, 2021

For Birth Control "I had the IUD, and it was almost the end of me. I had it for just 2 years. Currently, I have side effects of nerve damage, insomnia, chest pain, high copper toxicity, body pain, hair loss, cystic acne, UTI, weight gain, brain fog, depression and anxiety, blurry eyes, deafness, metal taste, nausea, migraine. I can go on and on. It did not work for me because it's toxic to women. There is no benefit for this."

• ano...
• December 7, 2020

For Birth Control "When I had the ParaGard inserted, I literally cried from pain (might have been tight, he was surprised). Then I had horrible, painful cramps for about 3-4 days after insertion, like the worst period I ever had, and then they subsided slowly but continued to be crampy with flare-ups in between periods. I got my period on a regular schedule, but with painful cramps for about a week leading up to my period. The cramps got less intense over the course of 6 months, and the intermittent cramping reduced, but is not totally gone. I still get cramping where my uterus feels like it's swelling and contracting all of a sudden and with no warning. (I have not been able to find a pattern in when the random cramping occurs.) But it does leave me with anxiety because they can be pretty painful, although fleeting. In summary, it’s been 6 months since insertion, and I still have bad cramping around my period and enough random cramping throughout the month that I am frustrated and hoping this reduces to none soon."

• chl...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 14, 2017

For Birth Control "ParaGard was inserted July 2016 and removed June 2017 (almost a year!). The first week after it was installed, I had debilitating cramps for three days straight and constant bleeding. Every month, my periods were twice as heavy, twice as long, and 10 times more painful! I was told this would calm down after 6 months, so I persevered. If anything, my periods got MORE painful to the point where I couldn't leave the house in case I'd be hit by a wave of contractions. On a side note, I felt anxious, depressed, introverted, alone (I'm usually so social and confident!), worthless, and I experienced social anxiety for the first time! I also gained 20 lbs, which is definitely not due to a change in diet/exercise. If anything, I was eating better!"

• chl...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 14, 2017

For Birth Control "ParaGard was inserted July 2016 and removed June 2017 (almost a year!). The first week after it was installed, I had debilitating cramps for three days straight and constant bleeding. Every month, my periods were twice as heavy, twice as long, and 10 times more painful! I was told this would calm down after 6 months, so I persevered. If anything, my periods got MORE painful to the point where I couldn't leave the house in case I'd be hit by a wave of contractions. On a side note, I felt anxious, depressed, introverted, alone (I'm usually so social and confident!), worthless, and I experienced social anxiety for the first time! I also gained 20 lbs, which is definitely not due to a change in diet/exercise. If anything, I was eating better!"

• Kat...
• July 26, 2017

For Birth Control "I had my ParaGard removed today. I had it for about 17 months, and maybe 3 months after the insertion, I started feeling really bad-first just depression, insomnia, and an overall feeling of not being well. Then I developed bad anxiety followed by panic attacks, my heart beating like crazy from the minute I woke up. I was a wreck, not able to get myself to work and be productive, I was drained, exhausted, and unhappy. I was not able to enjoy anything, day after day. I had my blood and urine tested, and everything seemed fine to my PCP. They wanted to treat me for mental issues because I really thought I was going crazy. I went to my gynecologist for a check-up and mentioned my symptoms, they said nothing... Now I am dealing with copper overload!!"

• BeB...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 18, 2018

For Birth Control "It was more of a mental problem for me than physical. Never had any cramping or pains, maybe a little discharge problems between periods, but the main concern for me was feeling depression, anxiety, isolation, tiredness all the time, mood swings affecting my marriage! I never suspected my IUD to be the problem, but it all started after I had it put in about 2 years ago and slowly progressed to being very noticeable now; it had me considering going on anti-depressants!"

• OGL...
• November 29, 2018

For Birth Control "I decided to get ParaGard in September 2018 because hormonal birth control causes me to have severe anxiety. The insertion was a lot easier than I thought. It felt like a very intense period cramp for 5 full seconds. My doctor, thankfully, was very fast and kind. My cramping that night got worse, and I was bedridden for the next two days. It slowly got better, and after a week, I forgot I even had it, even during sex. My periods have intensified, even though it is non-hormonal. My breasts get more sore, my periods last a week, and the cramping starts a week before my period until about day 3. The first period was terrible, but Tylenol with ibuprofen and a heating pad helped with the pain. The second period was less debilitating, but still tear-jerking. I am now on month 3 of having ParaGard, and my cramps are already so much more tolerable. So far, everything has been worth not worrying about pregnancy. My partner can sometimes feel my strings, but it’s never painful for him."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 21, 2018

For Birth Control "I would rate ParaGard a 0 if it were an option. Having ParaGard in for 3 months was a nightmare. My hair was falling out, my skin became discolored, my chest broke out in painful cystic acne, the bleeding and cramping were extremely unbearable, my anxiety was much worse, my libido disappeared, and my boyfriend also got cut from the strings whenever we had intercourse."

• Anonymous
• March 1, 2022

For Birth Control "Insertion was extremely painful. I fainted and ended up vomiting. Afterwards, it felt like moderate period cramps for a few days and some spotting. My periods have always been irregular, but with this IUD, it’s like I barely get one. When I do get one, the bleeding is very light and there’s not really any cramping. The only thing I’ve noticed is that I started getting cystic acne on my chin, and my anxiety has worsened. I got this IUD because hormonal birth control made me super depressed. This IUD has worked for me, and I don’t have many complaints."

• The...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 23, 2017

For Birth Control "After receiving my IUD 6 weeks after my daughter was born, I was just relieved I could not become pregnant and I was still able to happily breastfeed. Periods were not an issue other than breakthrough bleeding around ovulation time. My biggest issue with this IUD is the toxic reaction I had due to the copper. I am diagnosed with anxiety, but I had never felt anxiety so bad in my LIFE than on this thing. I avoided all and any social situations, I was unable to work and cope with life. I was placed on extreme anti-panic attack and anxiety meds that I could not wean off from. I went from being healthy and fit to gaining 50 lbs. After feeling frustrated, I looked up my birth control and sure enough this is COMMON!!!!!"

• MsL...
• May 20, 2016

For Birth Control "I have had the copper IUD for close to two weeks. Unprotected sex with my boyfriend and long-term birth control are the ONLY pros. Cons include: acne, anxiety, low sex drive, fatigue, weight gain (4 pounds in one week), cramps, random shooting pains. I am a thin woman with a high metabolism and have found it impossible to lose the weight. I look puffy and feel horrible. I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone. I'm getting it removed today."

• Gra...
• September 28, 2017

For Birth Control "This IUD doesn't work. My daughter is 8 weeks pregnant after having it put in over a year ago. The doctor's acting so surprised! In an attempt to remove the IUD, the damn string broke off. No idea what the outcome will be. But this has caused an extreme amount of stress for my daughter. The stats on the effectiveness of this IUD need to change."

• Ril...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2017

For Birth Control "Always do research before putting anything in your body. My doctor said it was safe with no symptoms except heavy periods, which were crazy heavy! The actual procedure isn't bad. However, I had extreme hip pain for weeks afterward. My stomach was always bloated, and depending on how I moved, I would get a sharp pain in my lower stomach. I had extreme anxiety and depression. I couldn't sleep, and I was tired all the time. I had to take sleeping pills. And holy mood swings! I cried because I ran out of hot water in the shower... The worst part was my hair falling out in clumps! After 2 1/2 months I was done. I've been off of it for a month and I feel so much better. My mood is better, no pain, and I'm able to sleep without pills."

• Lis...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 4, 2016

For Birth Control "So far, so good, but there have been more than a few times I 'hands down' just knew I was pregnant, but I never am... (thank goodness). I don't know why this happens, and it is quite scary. I get moody, have tender breasts, and get fluffy around the middle. It's so odd! And thank God I'm not a betting woman because I have been so sure I was expecting that if someone asked me to bet all of my money, I would have. I'm having one of those times now, and I still have 2 weeks to go for Aunt Flo... UGH! I give ParaGard a 9 just because of the anxiety I get from occasionally assuming I am expecting."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 31, 2016

For Birth Control "I had a copper IUD for approximately 1 month before I had it removed. Symptoms included anxiety, panic attacks, and nausea mostly. It's not for everybody!"