ParaGard and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 6, 2018

For Birth Control "I've had mine in for about two years. Over the last several months, I've noticed severe episodes of depression, up-and-down spikes in mood. I have had intense bleeding (going through three super tampons in one night). I've gained weight, which could be due to the lack of motivation for 7-9 days of my period, along with food cravings. I don't feel normal. I'm legitimately nervous for my period each month, knowing my mood will be so low and irrational. I've made an appointment to take the IUD out as that is the only thing that I have changed. I try to live a very healthy lifestyle."

• AWM...
• September 28, 2017

For Birth Control "I have had the ParaGuard for over two years. It has done a great job being a contraception. It has, however, created a lot of problems, which is why I'm getting mine removed in four days and will never use it again and warn my friends to do the same. My first symptom was migraines with the onset of menstruation. Within a year, I had gained 15 pounds. I had a rash on my face that my dermatologist couldn't diagnose. At 18 months in, I was diagnosed with severe depression and put on antidepressants. And, the entire two years, I had a week of bleeding before my period, extra discharge (I had to wear a panty liner every day), and painful mid-cycle cramps called mittelschmerz. I am amazed that this product hasn't been more carefully studied."

• Sie...
• July 29, 2017

For Birth Control "This has been the worst experience ever! I've had it for almost a year and will have it removed soon. The cramps all throughout the month alone are enough for me. Yet I also have the constant spotting and odd color discharge. I have gained tons of weight, and I've had BV constantly since having this placed. Who wants to have sex when your odor is embarrassing? Can't wait to have this thing removed."

• you...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 21, 2017

For Birth Control "Was it effective in preventing pregnancy? Yes. Did it make me miserable every day it was in there? Yes. Extreme pain in the cervix every two weeks, bright red, super heavy periods that would fill a cup in two hours when it's supposed to last 8-10. Weight gain and bloating. Extreme PMDD symptoms."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2017

For Birth Control "I got this IUD in Feb 2017, and I got it removed today, July 2017. As soon as I walked out of the doctor's office today, I instantly felt better. In those short months, I experienced extreme hair loss to the point where I had to vacuum my carpet every day because there were hairballs EVERYWHERE. I had extremely heavy periods with blood clots, bleeding through my maxi pads and almost used a whole pack in a day. My period lasted over half of the month, and after my period, I had a strong fishy odor. I completely lost my sex drive. Sex was not pleasing, I felt numb inside. I am breastfeeding, eating healthy, and exercising, and I have not lost a single pound. On the contrary, I gained weight. This contraceptive just wasn't for me."

• 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!"

• Rac...
• June 14, 2017

For Birth Control "Everyone has a different experience with birth control methods, and mine was terrible. I got ParaGard inserted on June 27, 2013, and had it removed on June 12, 2017. The insertion pain was terrible, I took way too much Motrin to help with the pain, and it did nothing. My periods became heavy, bleeding and passing clots. The bleeding was nothing compared to the pain. I cramped for a full week before my period would arrive. They woke me up in the middle of the night, I would writhe in pain. All four years, my periods were regular, until my most recent period was 6.5 weeks long. All testing was inconclusive. I gained 50 lb with no change in diet, and it's hormone-free. Not sure why. I began getting yeast infections."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 12, 2017

For Birth Control "I have had the ParaGard for about 15 months and have gained 30 pounds despite working out and eating well. My periods are so heavy I now take an iron supplement, and my hair falls out in handfuls every time I shower. Having it removed ASAP. The only good thing it has done is prevent pregnancy."

• Sjo...
• May 20, 2017

For Birth Control "Awful! Made me have heavy periods for 2 years! Painful sex, depression, weight gain, anemia, insomnia, caused my gallbladder disease and if not bad enough, embedded in my uterus and had to be surgically removed. Don't use."

• A...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 18, 2022

For Birth Control "I've had this device for 4 years, and for 4 years I've experienced symptoms that have kept me suffering more than any other period in my life. After my second child, the copper IUD was recommended by my gyno. The entire time, I have suffered from intense depression, extreme fatigue, uterine cramps, cervical pain, weight gain, hair loss on my head, excessive hair growth elsewhere, discharge, spotting, brain fog, and long, painful, heavy, clumping periods. I've been through several anti-depressants, on birth control pills simultaneously, and bio-hormones to address issues that I believe have been caused by copper toxicity and from the copper interfering with my natural hormone process. I could feel the device inside of me and my body begging for it to be removed on a daily basis. It's not as carefree and amazing as some people promote it to be. I'd rather be on pills than have another one of these things inside my body, blackening and rusting like the one I had removed was doing."

• Ns4...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 4, 2021

For Birth Control "2 years in, started ruining my life, lost my job because I couldn't get out of bed, developed high blood pressure, sleep apnea, endometriosis, fibroids, severe depression and suicidal ideation, weight gain, IBS, severe bloating, 2 weeks of bleeding and clotting, then 2 weeks of cramps and spotting, migraines, food intolerances. I could go on. Good luck trying to have it removed once it's in, it will take you months or you will have to find another way. The doctors swear the symptoms aren't from the IUD, but I have thousands of other girls that say differently."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 28, 2021

For Birth Control "My first 2 times having the IUD, I had no issues that I remember. 3 years ago, I was at my 10-year mark and got it replaced. Since then, I have had constant BV's, weight gain, and anxiety. After reading all of these comments, I am happy to know that I am not the only one going through this. I believe there was some change made over the years to the BC."

• Cel...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 20, 2020

For Birth Control "I had it for 9 years. Insertion left me in the worst pain I’ve ever felt for a few days. Bloating continued for months after. I became prone to infections and had many throughout the years. I started seeing vitamin deficiencies along with being significantly weaker, fatter, and had more pains. I started having premature greying, cystic acne, and ovarian pain. Year 9 it worsened. I also had fibromyalgia, diarrhea, low back pain, and trouble staying asleep. The doctor did verify an ovarian cyst but still didn’t suspect the IUD. A friend did. I got it out, rebalanced vitamin deficiencies, and cut dairy. It has been 8 months post-removal and orgasming is easier, there’s no pain during sex anymore, period blood doesn’t smell, taste isn’t off, bowels and sleep are normal. No more ovarian cyst. I still have some issues, but they are improving. I would have never done this to myself if I had known how it does affect hormones and health significantly."

• 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."

• Vic...
• February 8, 2020

For Birth Control "I had a copper IUD inserted after breast cancer rendered hormonal birth control no longer an option for me. I would not recommend it to anyone. Insertion was painful. I was on bedrest for about two days. I have a very high pain tolerance, and I was miserable for the first six months. I got my period twice a month, for 7-15 days, and I would get cramps so painful that I couldn't stand up straight, and I was bleeding so heavily that my menstrual cup was overflowing every few hours. Usually, I have to empty it once a day. Since then, things have only gotten moderately better. The bleeding has eased up, but my cycle is still very irregular, and the cramps have not gotten any better. I was in fantastic shape when I got my IUD. Since then, I have put on a considerable amount of weight because the pain I am in for what amounts to about two weeks out of each month is preventing me from keeping as active as I would like. I'm considering getting it removed."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• December 10, 2019

For Birth Control "I received this after having my son on 12/15/17. I started having mood swings, and my weight gain was horrible (I’ve always been small). Then I started having really bad headaches, and my hair was falling out in globs. Eighteen months after having my son and going through all these side effects, I started bleeding badly. My husband took me to the ER, and they gave me a pregnancy test (it’s required). It came back positive. They sent me down for an ultrasound to get some more info on if the ParaGard was still there or not. Come to find out it was still there, and I was five weeks pregnant. They took it out and told me there was a high risk of a miscarriage. We went back two weeks later to see if they could see anything or if I just had an empty sac. They found a yolk sac. I am now luckily 27 weeks pregnant with a healthy baby boy (our miracle IUD baby). I would not recommend ParaGard for anyone as a contraceptive, as it didn't work. I would mark zero if I could. I have stressed my baby this whole pregnancy due to some “supposed to be 99% effective.”"

• Faw...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 14, 2019

For Birth Control "I had the copper IUD for 18 months. Recently, I just had it taken out because of a considerable amount of side effects due to copper toxicity. I experienced brain fog, weight gain ('40 lbs' to be exact), body aches, headaches, ZERO ENERGY, stomach issues, very bad cystic acne, and my mental health declined. Also, I became severely anemic. My periods consisted of a lot of blood clots and heavy bleeding. I would not recommend this birth control because it took away my happiness for 18 months. I am excited to see improvements come now that this birth control is out of me. NEVER AGAIN will I put a foreign object inside my body."

• Che...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 24, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve had the copper IUD for 2 years. For a year now, I’ve not been feeling well: fatigued, weight gain, joint pain, back ache, struggling to walk far, insomnia, depression-the list goes on. In April, after a scan, I was told it wasn’t in the correct place. I’ve had three doctors/gynaecologists try with no success, now waiting for an operation for removal. I now struggle to work. I’m in the UK."

• Man...
• June 14, 2019

For Birth Control "Look up copper toxicity. On ParaGard I gained weight, had tons of bleeding and non-stop periods. Along with all the symptoms of copper toxicity. Do not get this IUD! Right after removing it, I dropped 5 pounds. I’m sure I’m going to lose more too."

• Sis...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 5, 2019

For Birth Control "I will say I started off loving ParaGard. Insertion was easy. My first one expelled within the first month, which is common, but I got a new one placed. I loved it for about 2 years, then I learned about copper toxicity. I can account some of my SEVERE disabling mental illnesses to this device. The first 6 months, cramps were worse but manageable, and ever since, my PMSing has gotten horrible. I basically have flu symptoms for 2 days before every cycle. My breasts grew practically overnight somewhere between 16-18 months with the ParaGard. Before, I was barely filling out an A cup, now I’m a D cup. Nonhormonal my ass, it influences hormones. I’ve had stomach problems, UTIs, yeast infections, smells from down there, pain with sex, chronic fatigue, bloating, allergies developed, memory issues/brain fog, and skin problems (acne and persistent eczema that I’m just finally getting to clear up). I’ve gained weight and overall just feel like garbage. Please avoid this device."

• Ray...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 5, 2019

For Birth Control "I was poisoned by the copper in the Copper IUD. It caused neurological issues, shooting pain down my arms, joint pain in my hands/feet, or numbness. Two weeks before I got it out, I developed tremors in my hands that occurred every couple of days. All of that completely went away after removal, but now what I am left with is thyroid problems, hormonal imbalance, low energy, and weight gain of 15 pounds in a matter of 6 months. I had it for a year, I started with super heavy periods and blood clots for 4 months, then my period went away completely. I had my thyroid, blood work, etc., all done before insertion, so I know how my body has changed. I had my copper levels checked after removal, and that's how I found out I had copper toxicity. Be very wary and do your research, I wish I had."