ParaGard and Mood Swings: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Col...
• June 11, 2017

For Birth Control "Good, but it's like the first car. It needs a redesign that is more flexible. Pros: It's nice to not worry about pregnancy or condoms with my SO. In a way, it allows for more intimate sex without the conversation of BC. I have had the ParaGard for 4 years after trying other hormonal BC. Cons: I traded mood swings for pain. Right from the start, it is trouble when the nurse tells you to take an aspirin before the insertion, but she should have prescribed a real painkiller for the procedure. There have been a few times when I almost had it taken out. I never had cramps before this. Every month, I take a minimum of 600 mg of ibuprofen. There are cramps after ovulation in the middle of my cycle, as well as more intensely before and during my period."

• BKa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 6, 2017

For Birth Control "33 y/o with 1 child, ParaGard (copper IUD) over 2 years now. Originally chose due to non-hormonal option (had extreme nausea on the pill.) POSITIVE: had immediate nausea relief, no daily pill, no mood swings or weight changes. NEGATIVE: long, heavy, painful periods like never before and did not improve over time. 1-2 days became 7. Super Plus tampon each 45 minutes and lots of stained clothes. A simple tampon change on a 'ParaGard period' can make your bathroom look like a scene from Dexter. Hubs felt IUD string poking him until the doctor tucked it farther up inside the cervix. It served its purpose for a season of life, but now I'm willing to give hormones another try and switching to Mirena."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 22, 2015

For Birth Control "Only rated a 9 because I haven't had it in for long! I got the ParaGard yesterday, and it was not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be! Don't be scared out of getting it from the bad reviews! It hurt getting inserted and when my cervix was clamped open, but the pain only lasted about 5 seconds and it was only a little bit worse than a regular period cramp. Definitely take some Advil before you go in to the doctor to get it. Day two, I haven't taken any painkillers and the pain isn't worse than a regular period. I didn't experience any cramping or lightheadedness immediately after insertion. I had bad mood swings and depression/anxiety from hormonal birth control, so this is a great non-hormonal option for me! & it lasts for 10 years!"

• Rag...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 15, 2019

For Birth Control "Well, good for 10 years, effective for 10 years, hormone-free - sounds fantastic, right? HA! That's what I thought. I had this godforsaken IUD put in after my second daughter (around Feb. 2018). From the get-go, I've had very painful cramps, ovarian pains, mood swings, higher anxiety, more depression, SEVERE UNCONTROLLABLE RAGE AND ANGER OUTBURSTS, very, very heavy bleeding with clots, spotting between periods as if pregnant, very long periods, back pain, bruising and anemia, increased thirst, migraines, extremely itchy legs with some small blisters (just like it did when I was pregnant), vaginal odor like copper. I'm planning to have this THING removed soon. Which sucks because I can't take hormones due to severe migraines. Condoms it is again. P.S. I also know someone who got pregnant and gave birth while on ParaGard."

• Bas...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 23, 2017

For Birth Control "I have had a ParaGard for 2 1/2 years. It has completely changed my life for the better. I had outrageous PMDD and unbalanced hormones that nearly destroyed my life for the entirety of my 20s. Traditional birth control did not help me over the years as I was super sensitive to the hormones, and it was never successful as birth control (its main function). After the ParaGard was inserted, my hormones proceeded to balance out, and my cycle really didn't go under any major changes. I am childless, and the insertion process wasn't difficult, and I was back to my life the next day. Being able to experience sexuality without the heavy burden of pregnancy is a life changer. 100% satisfied with my ParaGard experience. :)"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 5, 2022

For Birth Control "Just wanted to reassure any ladies thinking about this type of contraception. Personally, I’ve tried all different types of hormonal birth control, and all have made me emotional, depressed, and gain weight, plus giving me acne. I was expecting the worst pain ever considering these bad reviews, but I felt nothing, it was over in minutes, and I’ve not even had kids. So they said fitting my coil could be more difficult. I’m so happy that I no longer have to worry about getting pregnant, especially while I’m trying to study at uni! Take these reviews with a pinch of salt, remember different bodies react to things in different ways. I feel like I’ve been saved from a life of side effects being off hormones. I'm forever grateful."

• Men...
• December 12, 2019

For Birth Control "After reading these reviews, I'm realizing all of my side effects are because of this. I made my 10 years with ParaGard in September. The only good thing is I did not get pregnant considering I've gotten pregnant off of 2 different types of birth control pills, patch, and NuvaRing. So this was the last option. Now everything else is on the bad side. This IUD has intensified my migraines to the point that I was admitted to the hospital. Heavy bleeding, bad cramps, mood swings, depression bouts, and BV plenty of times. I think the hardest one for me is the hair loss. I literally lost my edges due to this. Currently, this IUD is still in me, but next week it's coming out. For the last 3 weeks, I've been bleeding excessively more than usual. Literally, 1 overnight pad and super tampon every 2 hours. I've been incredibly weak in the mornings. The only reason I tolerated the 10 years is because I really don't want anymore kids as I have 3 (as I said earlier, I've gotten pregnant 7 times while using some form of birth control) as of today I'm totally done with this birth control method."

• Lau...
• August 25, 2019

For Birth Control "ParaGard did protect me against pregnancy for the full 2 years I was on it, but at what cost... I didn’t want to have it removed because it’s “non-hormonal” and I can’t take hormonal BC. At first, it was great, I didn’t mind the really long and heavy periods and cramping. I started developing severe PMDD and cystic acne, which I’ve never had before. About 2 weeks of the month, I was an emotional, paranoid, dysfunctional wreck with heart-palpitating anxiety, on the verge of panic attacks constantly. I blamed this on hormonal imbalance from the mini pill. I more recently started to get really bad headaches, nausea, brain fog, and dizziness. I even passed out at work one day, even though I had breakfast. I thought I was becoming anemic, so I had blood work done, but my results were “fine.” I thought people who claimed this IUD gave them copper toxicity were quacks at first, but I truly believe it was ruining my body."

• Ram...
• June 24, 2015

For Birth Control "I LOVE my ParaGard. It's the only form of birth control I've ever tried, and the only one I would ever consider. Make sure you have a doctor that is familiar with inserting this particular type of IUD. The first OBGYN clearly didn't have a clue what she was doing. It was the most painful experience of my life, and I ended up having to get it taken out a month later. The second doctor took five minutes to get it in, and I felt no discomfort whatsoever. Yes, for the first six months my period was a lot heavier and unpredictable, but it's gone back to normal. No hormones for 10 years.... why not?? again... NO HORMONES."

• Que...
• November 18, 2017

For Birth Control "The ParaGard is bad. The insertion didn’t hurt, but the side effects of copper toxicity are hell. Hair loss, brain fog, anxiety, depression, fatigue, mood swings, headaches, nausea, and the list goes on. I hate this thing, and every time I think about it, it makes me sick. I can’t wait to have mine removed. I’ve been begging my insurance and doctor’s office for over a year now to take it out. My second child is 2, and I feel like I haven’t been able to thoroughly enjoy her for living in hell."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 21, 2020

For Birth Control "I got the ParaGard - due to having the hormonal IUD that caused me to gain weight, have extreme anxiety, and have terrible mood swings. Insertion was pretty painful, but it really just depends on how good you can handle pain. The next day after my insertion, I barely had any cramps. Anyone needing reassurance about the Copper IUD due to issues with the hormonal IUD, I would say go for it! Everyone’s body is different. Some people can’t handle pain like others."

• don...
• March 1, 2019

For Birth Control "DON'T DO IT! I had ParaGard for a full year and thought about/researched IUDs for a few months before getting it. Yes, it's nice not having to take a pill every day or worry about getting pregnant, but the negative side effects FAR outweighed any benefits. I'm only fully functional half the time since having this IUD. At least two weeks each month, I experience emotional mood swings, anxiety, fear, and cramping that makes me double over in pain. Then I get my period, where I am bedridden and depressed for 3-4 days. I feel terrible - cramping, bloating, lots of pain. I usually feel so bad that I don't eat properly, shower, or take care of myself. Also, the strings do not soften. My boyfriend gets poked by them, which is painful for him, and it has made our sex life very stressful, uneventful, and infrequent - SPECIFICALLY because of this device. I would NEVER EVER recommend it to anyone. I cannot wait to have it removed and feel like myself again."

• bba...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 29, 2018

For Birth Control "I had ParaGard for about 5 years, and during that time, the device did what it said - prevented pregnancy - but also a great deal more. From the beginning, my periods worsened, and my face broke out for about 6 months in a hive-type rash on one cheek. From there, the symptoms kept coming, such as headaches after exercise, lowered libido, increased PMS, which finally built up to full-on PMDD during my luteal cycles. Please understand that copper, while not a hormone itself, does affect estrogen, which leads to a slew of emotional issues, not to mention bone loss and possibly increased cancer risk."

• Jes...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I've had the copper ParaGard in since 2012. I'm now 7 years in, and I'm starting to get mean, emotional. My period or bleeding has been going on since July 2019. I don't know when I'm on my menstrual cycle because it will go away and come back 20 minutes later. I use a full pack of pads and a box of tampons when I usually use 10 pads and maybe 5 tampons. I went to the E.R. and was told everything was fine, IUD still in place, but I just know something is wrong because it just started. I have made an appointment to get it taken out. Will not recommend to anyone."

• Sun...
• March 15, 2018

For Birth Control "I got ParaGard after my third child. The non-hormonal IUD and not taking the pill was a huge plus in my eyes. I immediately felt bladder discomfort, I thought it was just because I had a child. The PERIODS. Don’t get me started on that. Lasting for two weeks. A year into it, I started developing horrible acne. Year 2, it became cystic. I just never felt like me. Always in a fog, horrible periods, my face was awful, severely depressed, having to go to the bathroom ALL the time, and my hair thinned out. I’m Italian, that just doesn’t happen on its own. After 9 years of constantly feeling it, it was time to remove it. I felt euphoric upon removal. I didn’t have to go to the bathroom every hour, and my mood swings stopped. It’s only the beginning, but I can’t wait to get back to normal! Most of these people saying they love it are a couple of months in. You don’t just get over 1,000 women saying the same thing after getting ParaGard. I feel like I have my brain back now."

• Ale...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 4, 2017

For Birth Control "I am 26, no children or previous pregnancies, have been using a variety of hormonal birth control pills since I was 14 years old. Suddenly my insurance stopped paying for my pills. I made a few phone calls and found out that ParaGard and the cost of placing it would be 100% covered by my insurance ($20 copay). I had only one friend who has the ParaGard, but she said it didn't hurt a bit and was great for avoiding mood swings associated with hormonal birth control. I have never been one to claim anything against my birth control pills, but after switching, I absolutely noticed a huge increase in my energy level! I also noticed my sex drive went up! I have had it for about 8 months. The placement was the most painful thing I've ever felt - but it gets better, and it works!"

• Tha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 5, 2017

For Birth Control "2 years with the ParaGard IUD. Side effects progressively got worse, and eventually, unbearable. Heavy menstrual cycle, severe irritability, mood swings, depression, anxiety attacks, anger issues. About a year and a half into ParaGard: severe headaches behind eyes every single day, extreme fatigue. Listed symptoms progressively got worse. Sex -- only good part: the ability to have sex when I want without the hassle of having to remember and constant protection against pregnancy. However... I had no sex drive. Very painful."

• Amy...
• January 11, 2018

For Birth Control "The insertion was extremely uncomfortable, but quick. I experienced discomfort and pain in my ovaries, instead of my regular period cramping. My periods began lasting over two weeks, and I would bleed through super plus tampons and liners. Severe ovary, back, and leg pain. The psychological symptoms: I felt out of control, enraged, sad, exhausted, lifeless. After 6 cycles, I had it removed. I now have a normal cycle (26 days), 5 days of normal bleeding, no ovary pains, minor cramps, very little back and leg pain, no headaches, no major mood swings. All psychological symptoms are 'normal,' I'm slightly emotional and a little anxious, but I feel like myself."

• Kri...
• September 5, 2017

For Birth Control "This was the worst decision of my life. I have been dieting and exercising, cut over 1000 calories a day and gained weight. ParaGard may not contain hormones, but it creates an inflammatory response that leads to water retention, inability to lose weight, and mood swings. My fingers are so swollen I can't get my rings off, and I bleed and spot 3 weeks out of the month. I am miserable and have an appointment for removal in a week!"

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 19, 2017

For Birth Control "Sharp pains randomly through the cycle. Prolonged periods up to 13 days of bleeding. Excessive blood loss led to fatigue, emotional instability, dry, flaky skin and scalp, brittle hair, as well as hair loss, and I'm only 22. Reoccurring yeast infections almost every other month. Stopped pregnancy, but wasn't worth the side effects. Had it just over a year."

• Sar...
• May 29, 2018

For Birth Control "This IUD was my only option because hormones apparently give me blood clots (not fun!). I went to the gyno during my period and after taking the uterus softener pill, and she put the device in. The process is very crampy, but not what I would describe as painful. It's also SUPER quick, so you have those cramps for 1 minute, then nothing. So, I waited a couple of days, had sex, and my boyfriend goes, 'Ow! It poked me!' Well, when I went to follow up with the nurse, she said it had slipped partially out. She inserted a new one then and there (no softener pills, no period, but still only slight cramping), and I have been good to go for a year! I haven't seen any difference in my period, I didn't have any weight gain, no mood swings, no side effects at all. I cannot recommend this enough now that it's fully in (and trust me, we could tell when it wasn't). A quick 5-minute process for 10 years of no babies? 100% worth it."

• Mom...
• February 19, 2018

For Birth Control "I got the ParaGard IUD inserted 6 weeks postpartum. My periods were normal but slightly more painful, especially during ovulation. There was cramping after sex that went away after 6 months. I started to notice at 8 months with the ParaGard that I had severe acne. I changed my diet, I drank only water because I felt so ugly. Nothing worked and now I look crazy as hell, my face is disgusting. I started thinking my PMS was getting out of control. I found myself in these crazy mood swings at least twice a week in the 9th month. The last straw is here in this review because I'm too embarrassed to admit the thoughts that have crossed my mind in the midst of what could be undiagnosed psychosis because of a hormonal or chemical imbalance caused by the copper. I know I'm not crazy, and my doctor is claiming none of these side effects can be possible because the IUD doesn't have hormones. This birth control could be poisonous. Don't ignore the signs if you have them, it could be dangerous. 1 year."

• Anonymous
• May 19, 2017

For Birth Control "Was effective, but was the worst thing I've done to myself. Gained 30 pounds, mood swings like crazy, many other reactions that the doctors swore weren't because of it. I've had it out for three months, and I finally feel normal again!"

• She...
• August 8, 2017

For Birth Control "I am 23 years old and have not had any children, and I believe this is a lot of the reason why Paragard wreaked such havoc on my uterus and body. I gave Paragard a shot because I was told it was one of the most 'natural' forms of birth control, and I have never met a pill that I could tolerate. I thought the no hormones involved with the Paragard would be the answer for me. I had the IUD in for a year and was miserable the whole year. Here were some of my symptoms: chronic lower back pain, which made it uncomfortable to sit for long periods of time, sharp pain in my right hip area, which traveled down my leg to my foot, 2-week long periods with heavy flow and painful cramps, lightheadedness when exercising, anxiety, mood swings, irritability."

• Ala...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 1, 2018

For Birth Control "I respect all of the stories shared here and have no doubt that some women have issues with it, but I’ve had ParaGard three times and always go back to it. Hormonal birth control turns me into a fruit loop of emotions and causes me to gain weight while killing my libido. ParaGard just gives me a few extra days of bleeding. I’d say my period is 5-7 days versus 3-4 like it used to be. If you’re prone to anemia, you will most likely not respond well to it. If copper toxicity is a concern, then take a methylated folate vitamin. All birth controls have pros and cons. You ultimately have to find one with pros and cons you can tolerate. A lot of women here are complaining of side effects that occur when you stop using hormonal birth control (PCOS, acne, moods, etc. can start when you change what you’re taking.) I also believe that the experience each woman has also depends on how good the provider is who placed it. For me, it’s the best option I have found, but not perfect."