ParaGard User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

• Wen...
• January 31, 2019

For Birth Control "POSITIVE REVIEW! So I have had ParaGard for just about 7 months now. First time having an IUD. The insertion process I will say was very uncomfortable. I had mild cramping afterward, and my cycle did get a lot heavier just during that particular time. I will say that having it, I don't get any of the symptoms that I have read in a lot of these reviews outside of my cycle went from being 4 days to now being 5 days. Some cycles are a little heavier than others, but not drastic of a change such as the insertion while I was on. I have had no negative side effects to this IUD since having it. Even during intercourse, it's not painful, and my partner only complained once of him feeling it, but I think that was more of his fault (adult humor)... outside of that, he doesn't feel it. I can honestly say that I am glad that I have it. Prior to this, I was really considering a permanent sterilization (I only have one child), but I feel this has been great for me so far."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2019

For Birth Control "I was really nervous to get the ParaGard IUD inserted after reading a bunch of scary reviews online. But I decided to go through with it anyway because I wanted a birth control with no hormones. The insertion was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be, just minimal cramping. I bled lightly for about a week after, and now I feel totally back to normal."

• Jes...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 12, 2019

For Birth Control "I have had one child before ParaGard insertion. I’m a 25 y/o very athletic female. I’ve had it inserted since 2015. My boyfriend and I have very, very regular sex, and it has worked so far. I usually forget it is there. My boobs and butt did get bigger, but my waist stayed tiny. I can only say that my periods have gotten heavier, and my libido is way higher. You couldn’t pay me to have this thing removed."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 27, 2018

For Birth Control "I can only comment on insertion at this point. I am 37 years old and have had 2 c-sections. I didn’t feel her inserting it at all. I will come back and review in a few months."

• KEM...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 5, 2018

For Birth Control "I had used so many other birth controls before this one. The Depo shot made me incredibly irritable and gain a lot of weight, Nexplanon made me bleed like crazy, and so did the Skyla. So I chose ParaGard because it was non-hormonal. Ever since, regular periods, no weight gain, no mood change, and happier than ever. Plus it lasts 10 years. I’m so glad I finally found something that works for me. The only thing I noticed was that my cramps were a little worse. Not the intensity necessarily, just the frequency."

• Sal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 4, 2018

For Birth Control "I've had the ParaGard in for almost 6 months, and wow, I love it. The insertion wasn't too bad, as I had it done on my heaviest day of my period when I was 'opened up' a bit more. It almost felt like a heavy bowel movement come back inside. There was a bit of pain for 10 seconds, and it subsided. I'm now on month 5, and I've never had any spotting at all. The cramps and the flow of my period have gotten stronger, but not to the point of where it's unbearable. When it comes to intercourse, my boyfriend can at times feel the tip of the string, but it's never been uncomfortable. I'd really recommend this if you're looking for an IUD but don't want to deal with the hormones."

• kai...
• October 31, 2018

For Birth Control "I absolutely have no negative review about ParaGard. I am 23 years old and have been on hormonal birth control (Tri Sprintec) since I was 13, up until 22, when I decided to get the Mirena IUD. Because I was sick of taking a pill every day and sore boobs, I decided to try an IUD. I hated the Mirena. Made me absolutely crazy, and I had a nasty brown rusty discharge for the 3 months I had it. So I got the Mirena out, then went back to Tri Sprintec for a couple of months and decided I wanted to be off of hormones, so I gave the ParaGard a try. I absolutely love it. Duh, the insertion is the worst, I honestly think it’s bigger than Mirena too, but it’s literally 30 seconds, so suck it up. Instead of bleeding a lot like everyone says you have, I have even had shorter periods than I’ve had in the past. They only last 4 days as opposed to a week. I also haven’t had any negative side effects such as cramps or copper odor. I absolutely love mine."

• Mma...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 30, 2018

For Birth Control "The insertion was more anxiety than anything. I didn’t find it painful, just a bit of pressure. Periods have become very, very heavy and pretty painful, but its purpose of birth control, ease of use, and out of sight, out of mind type birth control is unbeatable. Also, I switched to this method because hormones did not agree with me, and I couldn’t be happier. The positives outweigh the negatives. I’ve had it for almost 2 years."

• Fur...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 22, 2018

For Birth Control "I’ve been on hormonal birth control since I was 12 to help control endometriosis and then to prevent pregnancy after I had surgery to fix it. After I had my son at 29 (planned), I knew I didn’t want to go back to pills (emotional, remembering to take them is a pain, etc.), so I got ParaGard - IT ROCKED!! Unfortunately, 2 years in, I just had severe pain, so I went in and the doctor found it slipped and my body was rejecting it, so she had to remove it and now I’m going back on pills (such a bummer). I strongly recommend this IUD, it was hormone-free and GREAT!!"

• Jen...
• October 16, 2018

For Birth Control "I twice have had the Mirena for its full term and decided to switch to ParaGard about 45 days ago. I am so happy I did. A couple of the reasons I wanted to switch were: it's a longer-lasting IUD, it contains no hormones (I have hormone imbalance), and oddly-I wanted my period back. I know most women would enjoy not bleeding, but after 10 years, I missed it. I found I still experienced the depleted energy and heightened emotions of PMS, but I didn't bleed. Therefore, my bouts of tiredness and crabbiness couldn't be validated by getting my period, and I felt crazy. I know ParaGard is supposed to intensify your period and make it worse, and I was pretty worried about this. As a teen and young adult, I had rather awful menstrual cramps. However, I had a full period already with ParaGard, and I did NOT find this to be the case. Overall, I'm really happy I made the switch!"

• sho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2018

For Birth Control "I have never had children. Prior to the ParaGard, I had the Skyla IUD, which did not work for me. I have had the ParaGard for two months and am enjoying it! I make sure to take my multivitamins with iron to prevent anemia. My periods were slightly heavier, which were totally manageable with the help of OB tampons. I had heavy bleeding for 4 days and 2 days of barely existent bleeding (I had 10 days of bleeding with the Skyla, and 5-6 days is the normal duration of my period). I have not had any pain with this IUD other than right after the insertion. I love not feeling hormonal changes. I also did not feel breast tenderness prior to my period (? not sure if it's related). It's a good decision, I think! I also have not gained any weight and actually lost 2 lbs. No bloating either!"

• Aug...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 30, 2018

For Birth Control "A positive review! I have never had a child. I was on BCPs for 20 years and intended to get the Mirena implant, thinking the transition would be easier, even though I was interested in being completely hormone-free. I missed a pill before I went in for the procedure and was told I either had to wait, or I could get ParaGard because it functions as emergency contraception. I went for it, and I have been completely satisfied with ParaGard. I bled minimally at the time of insertion, once a day later, and since then it has been business as usual. I have very minor monthly cramping, just like I did before I took BCPs. I still only shed for 3 days and don't even need menstrual products at night. In fact, I had weird spotting for years on the pills, and that has entirely disappeared since getting this IUD a year and a half ago. I have never had many concerns with my reproductive health, so maybe these things make me a better candidate, but I hope this helps someone with their decision."

• Mam...
• September 28, 2018

For Birth Control "I have used ParaGard for 3 years now, and I really enjoy my life without hormones in my birth control. I wish I knew to take some painkillers before I installed ParaGard, as it would've helped with the cramps. Pros: - You never have to remember to take your birth control or worry about missing your pill. - Your period is regulated due to the fact you're not consuming additional hormones. - It's extremely effective. - You don't get any of those hormone-induced side effects; such is the case when you use other hormonal birth control methods. - You don't have to worry about replacing it for 10-12 years. - You can start having children as soon as it is removed. Cons: - Heavy cramping for the first several months. (I had heavy cramps for about 6 months.) - Discomfort during sex. (The discomfort vanished after a few months.) - Does not protect against STDs, but then again, a lot of other methods don't."

• Ang...
• September 25, 2018

For Birth Control "I know we all have individual experiences with ParaGard, and I’m sorry for those women that it did not work for. As we all look for what we think is best for our bodies, I was nervous when I finally had it inserted and had a heavy period for the first 4-6 months that it got my mom scared. To the point she begged me to have it removed. But I stood my ground and gave it the benefit of the doubt that this is the right contraceptive for me. And it is the right one! I have had it for 8 years now, and of course I have one day of heavy cramps for a day or two every cycle. But Imodium actually helped big time! I will finally be removing it next year as we are going to try for another baby. I will still get ParaGard after I give birth again."

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 20, 2018

For Birth Control "I got my first ParaGard about 14 months ago. It was an easy choice because of reliability and the lack of hormones. I have been getting very severe cramps for the past 18 years of having a period, the cramping during the dilation of my cervix was not more severe than that, although it did make me briefly weak. It evened out fairly quickly, and I have honestly felt less severe cramps since I have been on it. The bleeding is a little heavier but not markedly so. I use a DivaCup when I am on my period, and last month accidentally didn't break the suction when I was removing it, and this dislodged my ParaGard, so it had to be removed, and I had a new one inserted today. For the new insertion, the cramping did not last as long as the first time (I was able to head back into work within an hour)."

• All...
• September 12, 2018

For Birth Control "Just got it inserted this morning. Was honestly terrified because of all the reviews and doctors telling me it’ll hurt like anything to get it in, as well as the cramps afterward. The truth as of today: Insertion took about 10 mins. One pinch and one cramp due to the ‘sound’ measuring the length of my uterus. Another pinch and cramp when the IUD was inserted. That’s it! Maybe it was because I expected a lot of pain... maybe it was because I had 800 mg of Ibuprofen 1.5 hrs beforehand. Also, I’ve had very strong contractions ending in a miscarriage 3 months ago at 14 weeks pregnant, so I’ve known so much worse pain! 5 mins later.... left the doctor's office with a mild cramp not stronger than when you need to take a poo, lol. 5 hours in and I’ve already eaten, drunk, and worked out with 0 discomfort."

• Lau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2018

For Birth Control "Just had it placed. Was so scared because of people's reviews, but it didn't hurt at all. My whole appointment was 8 minutes, and it took less than a minute to set it, literally. And I have only had very slight period-like cramps. My doctor would only place it while I was on my period to help with placement discomfort because the cervix slightly dilates while you're on your cycle."

• Squ...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 17, 2018

For Birth Control "I love it! Do not get this if you already have a heavy cycle!! I went from a 3-day period, no cramping, light flow, to a crampy normal to heavy flow! If you already have a heavy flow, it will make it much worse! I love it though! The cramps are unreal some days, but nothing medicine can't kick. If you can tolerate hormones, definitely look into the hormonal IUDs too, but I can't do hormones, and this is perfect! Hope this helps!"

• Jan...
• August 16, 2018

For Birth Control "For starters, I’ve never had children, and I am a 22-year-old petite 5’0 small-framed woman. I went through every birth control option I could possibly go through, leaving me depressed, nauseous, sleeping all day. I finally went with ParaGard after 2 years off hormones, and it was the best decision I’ve made. Insertion was the scariest part, I took 750 mg of ibuprofen. It feels like your cervix is 80% numbed and being stabbed while they stick a cold probe in. It also feels like a giant period cramp. Afterwards, I was in extreme pain for 2 days. Like really bad pain where I couldn’t do anything, and ibuprofen wasn’t helping. I recommend if you have an insertion to have a weekend off. Otherwise, I’ve been normal since insertion. It changed my 3-day period into a 5-day heavy period. I was afraid my first period would be painful, but it felt just a little more crampy. I feel a lot of these bad reviews are from people who got off hormonal BC and went straight to ParaGard."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 27, 2018

For Birth Control "Did have heavier periods for the first year, but now have much lighter periods."

• Mag...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 25, 2018

For Birth Control "ParaGard has been great for me. The transition from the pill to the ParaGard took a while, but everything is great now. Hurt like anything going in, but I feel so much better off of hormones. My periods were heavier for the first two months, but went back to normal at month 3."

• May...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 13, 2018

For Birth Control "I got the IUD ParaGard! THIS IS THE BEST form of birth control I have tried so far!! I was on the pill for about 3 months and gained 8 pounds from it. Had the IUD inserted a week ago, and it was NOT painful at all!!!! I have not gained any weight from this birth control, and that is one of my biggest pet peeves and something I truly have a concern about. I recommend an IUD to anyone who wants a contraceptive that doesn’t interact with your hormones or screw them up. When I was on the pill, I was acting so wacky and forgetful all the time, it was insane!!!!! After getting it inserted, I didn’t go to the gym for about two days, keeping my activity to a minimum and being cautious. I do fear the risks that involve IUDs, but it is something I am willing to take. I did have some bloating for about two or three days after insertion, but nothing since then. I haven’t gotten a period yet since the insertion, but I am due to have one any day now, so we will see how that goes!!!"

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 8, 2018

For Birth Control "I have had the ParaGard for about a year and a half. I love it so much! I used to take the pill, but it caused my sex drive to go down to practically nothing... and even if I did want it, certain things wouldn’t get wet enough... if you know what I’m saying. With ParaGard, there is absolutely no issue. No weight gain, a healthy sex drive, moisture in all the right places. I haven’t given birth control a second thought in a year. It’s amazing, seriously consider it!"

• Arr...
• July 7, 2018

For Birth Control "Got IUD placed 6 weeks after having my baby in 2010. I took 2 ibuprofen an hour before and felt a painful but short pinch during insertion (3/10). I was crampy the rest of the day and had more crampiness than usual during my period for a few months after once it finally came back—completely manageable with ibuprofen. This was the only long-term option for me because I have a history of clots and can’t take hormonal birth control. I’ve had it for 9 years and will get another, especially now that insurance pays for it. Worth it to not worry about getting pregnant, and I like not having to fumble around with birth control when I am with my husband."

• Abb...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 6, 2018

For Birth Control "Had ParaGard inserted at my six-week checkup postpartum. Took ibuprofen as instructed before insertion. Had minor pain and spotting but was fine after a day. Had no effect on how heavy my periods were once they returned, but I do think I had more cramping the first six months. I have had this IUD for 9 years with no problem, and I will get another to make it to menopause. I can’t use hormonal birth control due to the risk for clots, so this was the most fail-safe, cost-effective option available. At present, if you have ACA-compliant insurance, it is covered (was not when I got mine, but it was worth every penny). Great choice for birth control, especially if you have already had a child (easier insertion)."