ParaGard and Spotting: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Ang...
• December 30, 2015

For Birth Control "I've had my ParaGard for 5 months. I experienced spotting the following 2 days. So far, I haven't had any major problems. My periods are heavier on days 2 and 3. I don't feel the ParaGard at all, not even during sex. I am bipolar, so I needed a non-hormonal birth control. Hormones decrease the effectiveness of my medication."

• Mon...
• December 13, 2020

For Birth Control "Recently got the ParaGard put in after avoiding birth control for 10+ years. I didn’t want anything with hormones and was terrified of birth control altogether. I did a ton of research and asked my OBGYN a million questions before finally deciding on ParaGard. The insertion was WAY less painful/uncomfortable than I was led to believe. Minor cramping for about 30 seconds and that’s it. She warned me about a “pinch,” but I didn’t even feel it. Other than the first few days of bleeding/spotting, I barely remember it’s in there. No changes to my skin/mood/etc. I consider myself very lucky after reading all the reviews, but everybody is different. It’s worth a try to see if it works for you because at the end of the day, they can just take it out if it doesn’t work for you. The first few periods weren’t exactly pleasant, but what period is? I’ve read over time the additional pain/added days go away, which IMO makes this no-hormone option well worth it."

• ash...
• February 15, 2020

For Birth Control "I can say if you've given birth vaginally, for me it doesn't hurt as much as what people seem to make it out to be. I got maybe a mild cramp when the device was put in for the IUD, and when he took it out, I had no cramping. Over the past week, I had mild cramping, nothing that Tylenol couldn't fix. I did get spotting here and there, but when it comes to my cycle, I do not notice a difference. I too was skeptical about the reviews, but it's definitely been worth it for me. I do recommend it, but when it comes down to it, it's how your body will react to it."

• Kri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 8, 2016

For Birth Control "I had the ParaGard inserted two weeks ago. I'm 38 and have had two children. The insertion hurt, not really painful though. It took only a few moments. They gave me a pad to wear home, but I never even spotted. But the cramps were pretty strong. But nothing I couldn't bear. The next day I spotted a little, just wore a panty liner. Cramps lasted three days and the spotting a week. Then I started my period. No cramps, medium to heavy flow. I wore a super tampon for about two hours between changes. Period lasted a week. Finally stopped bleeding and had sex for the first time since insertion. No pain or cramps. My boyfriend didn't even feel the strings. So far, loving it."

• Tha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 11, 2018

For Birth Control "I got my ParaGard inserted on Dec 22, 2017, after being on birth control pills for 5 years. I had read the good and the bad reviews, and although I was scared to get it since I have never had any kids, I got it anyway. Went to my appointment expecting to be in a lot of pain. Getting it inserted was honestly very uncomfortable, but I took it, and after, I was cramping a bit on and off and began to spot. To not make this story longer than what it is, I pretty much started to bleed heavily for 15 days, which was apparently normal according to the nurses, and now it has completely stopped along with the cramps. I am super happy about not bleeding, and I have high hopes in this working for me and my partner. Will try and update soon!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 29, 2017

For Birth Control "I was hesitant to get the ParaGard after seeing some of these reviews, and I know everybody is different - so I'm here to share a positive one. I made the switch from being on the NuvaRing for 4 years. My gyno prescribed me painkillers to take for the insertion, so the procedure was absolutely painless. Afterwards, there was cramping and bleeding, but that was expected. I spotted and cramped until my next period, which was about 2 weeks. Yes, there was more blood and more cramping than I was used to, but nothing some Advil can't fix. After my first period, no cramping or spotting in between cycles, and my cycle is completely regular. With every period, the cramps and bleeding seem to get more tolerable. I'm very happy I made the switch!"

• sil...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 16, 2017

For Birth Control "My 1st ParaGard had to be removed within a few months because of a painful endometriotic infection. I had a 2nd IUD put in 2 years later, at which point I started getting low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) pap results, which have continued for the 10 years that I have had the device: I think the chronic inflammation caused by the IUD prevents my body from healing this. In the last 3 years, breast cysts began proliferating, some infected, which baffle the doctors because they associate them with taking hormones: copper toxicity can cause hormonal imbalance. I have had regular, off-colored discharge & frequent spotting. I have had an extra period (2 in 1 month) 3 times a year, & my periods last for 7 days (once 4 weeks). My migraines have intensified, & I often have cramping."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 21, 2017

For Birth Control "I had this placed when my third child was 2 or 3 months old. Some background: I had my first kid at 18 and immediately started pills after I had him, but managed to get pregnant when he was 5 months old. After baby #2, I did the shot and NuvaRing and got pregnant when #2 was 2 (the NuvaRing had fallen out prematurely)! I heard horror stories about ParaGard but decided to give it a shot, and it is amazing. Honestly, the insertion pain wasn't that bad. The speculum part hurt much more than insertion. I had cramps for a few days and super heavy periods for about a year and spotting in between periods for 3 years. I'm at 4 years now, and my period is super consistent and normal flow. Husband doesn't feel it at all, and neither do I."

• Yaz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 14, 2019

For Birth Control "Wanted to share my experience with ParaGard being inserted. It took maybe 2 minutes for the entire process. My doctor let me know what she was doing during the entire process. She warned me of a pinch that might happen (right before she did what she did). I didn’t feel much of anything. Then she told me, “Now here come the cramps,” a few seconds later, which I’m assuming was her actually putting the IUD in place. I did feel menstrual-type cramps. It lasted a few seconds, but taking deep, slow breaths helped a lot. I cramped for about 2 days, and I’ve been having spotting to low flow since. No complaints so far! Hoping this actually works well, considering I haven’t been on any form of birth control since I was a teen because my body and hormones do not mix! She also had me lay there for a few minutes after she was done to prevent me from feeling dizzy, and she told me to sit up slowly. I didn’t feel dizzy when I did get up. So far, I would definitely recommend this birth control!"

• Jen...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 7, 2019

For Birth Control "I got my ParaGard in 2017, and I was nervous because I had not taken any painkillers beforehand, but it ended up only hurting as much as a bad menstrual cramp (for reference, pap smears don't tend to hurt me). They gave some ibuprofen, and I went back to work the rest of the day. I had cramps the following two days, but nothing worse than my normal period cramps. The first 3 months, my flow became a little heavier, and I had some spotting after periods. Also, slightly stronger cramps. I also got a yeast infection and a UTI, but that might have been because I had started having unprotected sex with my monogamous partner, and I was not as careful about hygiene after sex (go pee and wash up every time!!). Since then, I haven't had any problems. Periods are still a little heavier, but not monstrous, and totally worth the benefits of carefree birth control. If you are experiencing problems, talk to a health care professional, but I would suggest waiting a year to see if symptoms level out."

• Ale...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 24, 2019

For Birth Control "I have had this ParaGard IUD for 9 months now. I am 29 years old and have never had a baby. I am very happy with this IUD overall. Insertion was painful, but nothing ibuprofen couldn't handle. My periods increased by 1-2 days, and the bleeding is heavier. Cramps are slightly more painful, but again, nothing medicine can't control. I love being hormone-free and that this will last ten years if I want it. I do have some random spotting here and there, but it never lasts more than a day at a time, and it is so slight sometimes I don't even notice it. I know there are a lot of bad reviews, and it seems scary, but I am so happy I did it, and I would recommend it to my friends."

• KSa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 19, 2019

For Birth Control "I had the ParaGard for 14 months, and I give it five stars because it did prevent me from getting pregnant, but the side effects were awful. First six months, it was just random spotting and heavier, longer periods, but after that, I got recurrent UTIs and BV. I had a period that lasted a whole month, which resulted in anemia. The amount of blood during my period was truly alarming. I would take all the precautions and still have “accidents” because the flow would increase out of nowhere. I always had to carry extra clothes during my time of the month. Also, cramps got worse with each cycle. I also had constant bloating. All of this ended when I finally had it removed, and I am so happy I did."

• Won...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 22, 2015

For Birth Control "The alternative, which was 5 months of back-to-back Plan B, followed by a surgical abortion, which was followed by yet another dose of Plan B. This is my first experience with birth control other than condoms. It's only been 2 months for me, but since getting ParaGard my sex drive is super high, and I'm really glad I did it. I spotted for 2 weeks after insertion. Then, 2-3 weeks later, my period came. My first period was long - 2 to 3 extremely mind-bogglingly heavy days, 3 normal days, and 5 extremely light days (spotting). No cramps, though. My insurance covered the entire cost. My only concern is I'll end up being part of the 0.8% that gets pregnant."

• Sky...
• September 2, 2017

For Birth Control "After reading dozens of horror stories about IUDs, you have to realize that the majority of people do perfectly fine on them. After 6 mo. on ParaGard, I absolutely love it. Pros: Stress-free, full protection for 10 years, no maintenance, no hormonal changes, and NO WEIGHT GAIN. Cons: intermittent spotting for 5 mo. (avg is 4-6 mo.), heavy periods during that time, some chance of UTI or BV in between periods, my pharmacist recommended daily Acidophilus, which worked great. Definitely worth the small inconveniences. Don't listen to the small fraction of people who are very vocal on the internet. I gained 16 lbs on hormonal birth control and lost it all within 2 mo. with ParaGard."

• Bla...
• January 28, 2020

For Birth Control "Got IUD inserted on 01/22/20. In June 2018, I had been pregnant and just had a miscarriage. After that, I got on the pills, Norethindrone to be exact, suffer from migraines, so this pill was recommended as it is less hormonal - IT WAS A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE. Gained over 40 lbs, relationship was bad due to mood swings and crying. I heard about the IUD, never knew ParaGard existed. I did research and also spoke to a few friends that have it, they got mixed reviews and reading here kind of scared me still went for it. Day of appointment, took 800 mg Ibuprofen. I was on my last day of menstrual cycle so cervix was open. A bit uncomfortable felt like a contraction for a second while she measured me, then after, didn't feel anything. Overall, I had small cramps the same day and spotted until Friday. Friday I stopped my pills and I guess because of that, I started heavy bleeding Saturday night which went on until Monday morning. I'm now spotting again on and off. No cramps as of yet. Tomorrow will make 1 week since I had it placed. I just been suffering from the changes of stopping pills. I will update in 2 months."

• No...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 13, 2017

For Birth Control "So it's been 6 days since I had ParaGard inserted, and let me tell you, I'm doing a helluva lot better than day 1. The insertion was a pain I'd never felt before and had me thinking it's been placed incorrectly. I had chosen to get the insertion 4 hours before I was due in for work, but inevitably ended up calling out. I laid on that table for over an hour trying to get the room to stop spinning so I could make the drive back home. Once I could finally stand, I went straight home and curled up with a heating pad, ibuprofen, and a glass of wine. I spotted the next day, which led to me bleeding heavily for two days. The bleeding has now pretty much stopped. I was able to have sex with my partner with no worries or pain. So far, so good (:"

• Dre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 16, 2015

For Birth Control "I've had the ParaGard in for a month. I read the reviews and was royally freaked out about insertion. In real life, the procedure was quick, mildly uncomfortable, and as soon as the IUD was in, I got a dull, period-like cramp that stuck around 'til that night. That's it! The next week: light spotting. I was also freaked out about my period being horrific, BUT I've always had heavy/painful periods, and I suspect most of the reviewers complaining about this side effect had easy-peasy periods pre-ParaGard. On the IUD, mine lasted a few extra (light flow) days, and only on one of them did I need painkillers for cramps -- normal for me! The IUD affects every body differently; so far I'm really happy with it as an effective, non-hormonal method."

• Liz...
• September 1, 2015

For Birth Control "I've had the copper IUD for only 4 days and want to share my experience with insertion. I too made the mistake of believing the reviews about how horrible it was supposed to be. I was nervous and anticipated a lot of pain. But it really was not that bad. The pain felt like a strong cramp and lasted for about 3 seconds. It only hurt when the clinician measured my uterus, the insertion of the copper IUD wasn't bad itself. She did it wrong the first try, so she took it out and put a new one in. It was painless! However, for a few minutes after, I felt dizzy and nauseous. They let me lay there for a while and gave me Midol. Cramping and spotting lasted for 2 days, now I don't feel it. Just random small cramps, but that's all."

• meg...
• May 5, 2017

For Birth Control "I wanted to write a review because so many people have skewed the idea of this insertion process and how miserable it is. It's not miserable, you won't pass out, and it's super effective. I went to Planned Parenthood in NC and got this inserted on 5/4, and the process took less than ten minutes. They explain before you get it inserted its side effects/possible complications. Weigh them out, is it worth it? The process consists of feeling how far back the cervix is, and then dilating it (feels like a pinch) and holding it open (pressure), and then bam, he/she puts it in and you're done. You'll experience spotting, no vaginal insertions for 3 days, but if you're like me and hormones ruin how you feel, the 10 minutes of uncomfortably is worth it."

• Cal...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 7, 2015

For Birth Control "I'm 23 and have never had children. I got my ParaGard IUD a year ago. The insertion hurt a lot less than I thought it was going to and was more uncomfortable than anything. I had mild cramping and spotting for about a week after and no cramping since. My periods have been more irregular and heavier with the ParaGard than previously, but overall I'm very happy with it."

• S M...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 28, 2016

For Birth Control "I am a 21-year-old, no children. The insertion was mildly uncomfortable, but with labor breathing techniques, bearable. I had spotting for a week after the insertion. My period for the first year was very heavy, up to 15 days. Cramping was mild throughout. After one year, my period has calmed down and is now back to the 7 days as before I had the IUD. No other side effects. I would definitely recommend the ParaGard to anyone who wants a hormone-free IUD. But be prepared for the heavy periods, as it takes time for the IUD to settle in your uterus. I was close to giving up, but finally, my period has returned to normal, and boy, am I happy."

• Lys...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2015

For Birth Control "After reading negative reviews before my procedure, I wanted to share my positive experience in hopes of reassuring girls thinking about getting ParaGard. I took 800 mg of ibuprofen and an anti-anxiety pill 1 hour before because I was nervous. The actual insertion took about two minutes. There's one cramp when holding on to the uterus to keep it in place, and one more cramp to measure the uterus and insert the device. That was it! The cramp felt exactly the same as menstrual cramps. I've experienced some spotting and cramping since, but not too bad. I'm managing that with pads and ibuprofen. No remembering to take the pill, no hormones making me sad, moody, and depressed, and I have one of the most effective and easy birth controls out there!"

• Fir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 17, 2019

For Birth Control "I had ParaGard inserted 8 weeks after giving birth. I had read reviews saying it could be a painful process. Honestly, I barely felt it. My doctor told me I would feel a pinch, and then cramp-like pains because he needed to open my cervix. I kept waiting for the initial pinch, and then he said, “Okay, we’re done here.” This could be due to time since I’d given birth; it could also be pain tolerance. I took the recommended 800 mg of Advil beforehand, so I’m sure that helped. I recommend taking what you know of your body and pain management style and using that to determine what you can expect. I didn’t bleed much afterward (you can have spotting for 3 months), but instead, it tapered off into what I would compare to a normal pre-period discharge. I love the fact that it’s non-hormonal so it won’t mess with my body in that way. The other IUDs had a risk of ovarian cysts which wigged me out. Bottom line: this product works. Very pleased with the process and product."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 7, 2015

For Birth Control "I have had the ParaGard IUD for 6 years now, and I love it. I have had no big issues with it. I got it 6 weeks postpartum and didn't feel anything when inserted, but I did have some spotting. Changes I've noticed since I have it: heavier periods and heavy cramping. I have spotting up to a week before my period and cramps that are really strong. I have had more vaginal discharge, like every day almost. And the vaginal odors are more noticeable, but not horrible. BUT all this is worth it because there are no hormones, and you don't have to worry about forgetting to take a pill."

• Lis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 23, 2019

For Birth Control "43-year-old woman with MTHFR gene mutation, which causes pregnancy problems; one miscarriage, no live births. I have used no birth control aside from condoms over the last ten years. My periods come every 26-31 days; the 2nd day I bleed the most, and it tapers off by the 6th day. I seldom get cramps. The ParaGard IUD was inserted on November 26, 5-6 days before the start of my next period. The doctor explained everything as she inserted the IUD. I took no pain meds prior. She told me when I'd feel the cramping, and it only lasted a good 30 seconds, and then it was over. The next day, about noon, I got excruciating cramps. I took some ibuprofen and was fine within minutes. Later that day, I started spotting and continued to spot until my period started that Sunday. My period was no different; no excess cramping, bleeding, or number of days of bleeding. December 16, I ovulated, and I started spotting. My period is due anywhere between December 25 and December 31. I have given it an 8/10 so far, only because the spotting is annoying."