Copper topical and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Jan...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 23, 2018

For Birth Control "Pelvic inflammatory disease. Ruptured uterus. Multiple abdominal abscesses. Emergency hysterectomy. Colectomy. Colovesical fistula. Postoperative stroke with seizure disorder. Seven months of IV antibiotics. Two open surgeries. 8-inch vertical scar. Depression. Anxiety. PTSD. Any other questions?"

• Suz...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 18, 2021

For Birth Control "I had the copper IUD inserted as I had been on the pill for 5 years and decided to try something hormonal-free. I got put under local anesthetic, so can’t comment on insertion pain, but omg, the cramps were so terrible and heavy periods I had never experienced. I decided to push through, as they say it gets better. The IUD turned me from a healthy, happy woman to depressed, anxiety-nearly bipolar-like-with symptoms like I’ve never had and panic attacks I’ve never experienced-so terrible! My sex drive was nonexistent, I was at a loss, as I would have never thought my “hormonal-free” IUD would be causing these issues until I came on this page! My doctor told me I was suffering from chemically imbalanced depression/anxiety?? I had my IUD removed the next morning after seeing so many women going through the same thing. My depression has now gone, and I haven’t had a panic attack since (removed 2 days ago). I cannot stress this enough-don’t get the IUD."

• IM4...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 15, 2017

For Birth Control "1 is the lowest score option, but the ParaGard actually deserves a negative rating. It did its job for birth control but wreaked havoc on me both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, I didn't make the connection between my ailments (extreme fatigue, anxiety, depression, digestive problems, just to name a few) and the IUD until many years after insertion. After spending a fortune on doctors, tests, etc., to find out what was wrong, I still had no answers, except to be put on a variety of medications to treat symptoms. I did some research and finally made the connection-copper toxicity from the ParaGard IUD. Years of my life had been sucked away from me and my family that I can never get back. Symptoms still persist a year post-removal."

• Liz...
• February 8, 2018

For Birth Control "Terrible! The insertion was horrendous. For hours afterward, my uterus contracted and tried to expel it. My periods got much heavier. I had to use a tampon and a pad so that I didn't leak through to my clothes. There are so many other side effects, though. There is a psychological component that isn't being investigated. You have a copper foreign object in your body. I had mine removed yesterday after two years. I struggled with the physical side effects and the emotional ones, too. Depression, anxiety, and then full-blown panic attacks and crying spells, brain fog, memory loss, cold hands and feet, heart palpitations, paranoia, feelings of doom, enlarged lymph nodes, chronic bacterial infections, discharge, fatigue, irritability, and bone spurs. Yes, it worked for preventing pregnancy, but it was not worth it to me. Not everyone has the same experience, but that was mine. I do not recommend it."

• Eri...
• October 24, 2018

For Birth Control "I do not recommend this product. I had the ParaGard for 2.5 years. During that time, I developed severe anxiety, lower back pain, and iron deficiency anemia from the loss of blood during my period. I had a hair tissue mineral analysis, which shows that I have toxic levels of copper in my system. I have also developed IBS-type symptoms. Now, I am trying the long process of detoxing the copper out of my body. Since removal 2 months ago, I have lost 15 pounds (back to my normal weight), and my mood has stabilized."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 3, 2022

For Birth Control "Absolutely horrible experience. I got it placed on a Monday, and the next day at work, I was having a random severe panic attack where I was near fainting, limp. Felt like I was dying. They had to wheel me off in a stretcher when the ambulance came. I've never had a panic attack or an anxiety attack in my life or any health problems. They ruled me out and said I was healthy, then sent me home. Then I got cleared to work for my doctor the next day. Then Thursday came around, and I went back to working within 5 minutes. I went to a full-blown panic attack, started shaking, got cold, and started fainting for over an hour. Same thing happened. Went to the doctor. It got so bad that I went to the doctor telling them to give me anything for my severe anxiety and panic attacks that I never had before. So it got so bad that one day I was living with constant anxiety day in and day out, it was the most horrible feeling. I always felt like I was going to go into a panic attack. I finally went and got it out!"

• Anonymous
• January 18, 2021

For Birth Control "ZERO STARS for this if possible. After having the copper IUD for six years, I got pregnant with the IUD in place! (I always checked the strings.) The IUD punctured my uterus. I had to have surgery-a medically necessary abortion (D&C)-and to have the IUD cut from my uterus. If the baby had been in my fallopian tubes, I could have died. The doctor was going to give me chemo to end the pregnancy if the D&C hadn't worked. Six years of birth control is not worth the physical and mental pain I have had to endure over the last three weeks. Please read about women's personal experiences before you get the copper IUD! Now that I'm reading them, I'm realizing I have been suffering from copper toxicity as well, causing increasing anxiety and depression over the last six years. My mental state is better every day now that my IUD has been removed. I'm starting to feel like my old self. I will never get another one. If you need a natural form of birth control, please Google Fertility Awareness Method."

• Lor...
• December 15, 2020

For Birth Control "I had the ParaGard IUD implanted 3 years, 10 months ago. I just had it removed yesterday. It wasn't until I was relaxing on the couch with my family after dinner that I realized my nightly panic and anxiety wasn't setting in as expected. In fact, I was, dare I say, my old self. I had my phone nearby, and I typed in a search put into the simplest phrase possible, not expecting results: Does a copper IUD cause anxiety? Google didn't have to think too hard before spilling article after article confirming it."

• Anonymous
• March 16, 2019

For Birth Control "Effective for not getting pregnant! BUT really bad side effects. I’m 24 years old, and I was the most happiest person ever! Always so energetic, laughing, etc. Got this thing put in and started having really bad cramping and EXTREME anxiety and depression! I’m now even on antidepressants. Always in a bad mood, crying, not wanting to do things. I just got this thing removed!"

• Cla...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 24, 2019

For Birth Control "Absolutely horrid! 8 months and extreme nausea, depression, anxiety, terrible unstoppable thoughts, dizzy, constant infections since insertion. The list goes on. If you value your mental health, run far from this product!!!"

• Aho...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 6, 2015

For Birth Control "I have had the ParaGard in for 3 years now. I had it put in at 21, no kids. The insertion was not that bad, I went back to work afterwards and was fine. Some cramping, but it was manageable. My first 4-6 months with ParaGard were a nightmare. I had previously been on a 365-day cycle birth control pill, so my body was used to having a ton of artificial hormones pumped into it 24/7. To go from that to zero hormones took a toll on me. I had severe anxiety, managed by anti-depressants. Once I got through the first 6 months, my body finally regulated. I no longer had to take anti-depressants. My weight actually leveled out nicely. I get awful cramps about every other month, but I still think it's worth it. I love my ParaGard now!"

• Kel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2019

For Birth Control "My doctor told me I was getting Skyla, but she gave me ParaGard instead. I decided to try it because my doctor said I might end up liking it better. I’ve had the ParaGard in for about a month now, and it’s been absolutely the worst thing. Insertion was so painful that I almost fainted in the office, and the first week I was in excruciating pain. I was taking almost 2000 mg of OTC pain medicine (I tried Tylenol and ibuprofen), but it did nothing at all. The cramps have since subsided, but only to be replaced with a plethora of other issues. I have headaches constantly, my depression has gone from mild/moderate to severe, my anxiety is through the roof, I’m extremely fatigued, and I feel very weak. I’m also having the worst, most painful IBS I’ve ever experienced in my life. I’m getting it removed next week, and it cannot come soon enough. I would never recommend this to anyone."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 10, 2020

For Birth Control "I decided to get the copper IUD a year and a month ago. I have been reading some reviews on the effects of the IUD and can agree with many of them, which I did not originally think was the cause at the time. The main one being extremely moody and unpredictable. Around the 6-month mark, I was feeling depressed, overly anxious, and paranoid for no apparent reason. It has helped tremendously when it comes to preventing pregnancy, as I already have one child and was not planning for other children anytime soon. Currently, I’m debating whether I will be removing it but am not sure what to do, as hormonal birth control methods do not really do well with me."

• Ann...
• December 9, 2018

For Birth Control "DO NOT RECOMMEND. I just removed ParaGard after 2 years of having it. In the beginning, everything seemed to be fine, apart from heavy bleeding, which I was prepared for. Most of the days of my period, I had to have a tampon and a pad in order to stop the bleeding. In the past year, I had reoccurring yeast infections almost every month. I tried changing my diet, taking probiotics, without any change. However, the real problem was of the mental kind. Over the years, my mood swings and depression got much worse, with episodes of intense anger, anxiety, and sadness days before my period. It all culminated last month when I felt deeply depressed and suicidal for no apparent reason – I finally decided to have the IUD removed. The removal was terrifying because the ob-gyn couldn't find the device, so she had to use the ultrasound and apply 3 anesthetic injections to my cervix during the removal. I'm so happy that I did it, I feel so much better and calmer now."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 23, 2022

For Birth Control "I lost a baby last July. In August, I needed a DNC because there were remaining tissues, and I had already loved the idea of ParaGard being non-hormonal. I decided to have it put in right after the DNC, extremely painful experience, it took my breath away. Maybe due to my situation, I was extra tender. I felt great knowing I could basically have carefree sex with my partner. However, within a month, I started experiencing strange anxiety, like I just had to get outta wherever I was. Now, here we are 6 to 7 months into having the ParaGard, and I'm suffering overwhelming anxiety, fast heart rate, panic attacks, inability to accomplish something alone like an adult should, wretched acne, bad crampy periods, bad bleeding, iron deficient. Removed today, and I feel a sigh of relief! Copper toxicity was beginning, I do believe. I don't recommend this. I'm crampy upon removal. Research!! I discovered my symptoms were similar to those on here after I read into this. You're not crazy."

• Ali...
• July 28, 2017

For Birth Control "Insertion was extremely painful. Two weeks on painkillers straight after. Pains in lower abdomen and groin still after four months. Heavy periods. Two times BV, one time yeast infection. Loss of libido. Worst of all: mood swings, anxiety, depression, including suicidal thoughts. Taking it out next week! Too much copper is toxic and, unfortunately, not well understood yet. Google 'copper toxicity.' Also, a foreign object in the uterus still messes up your hormones. Please don't get one, ladies! Be careful with what you choose, all contraceptive methods for women can be dangerous, even this 'non-hormonal' one - was even worse for me than the pill!"

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 30, 2018

For Birth Control "I have had this in for a year. I am 46. I did not become pregnant while using ParaGard, so that part worked. I have, however, had thousands of dollars worth of blood work, lost sleep, damaged relationships because of mood and depression, 20 lbs weight gain, foggy memory, anxiety, panic attacks. My most recent blood work indicates low cortisol levels, and I started researching the copper toxicity, and I was shocked to see every single one of my symptoms listed here. Of course, it could be that I am old, menopausal, and tired... but I was energetic, active, and much happier before this thing went into my body."

• San...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 25, 2022

For Birth Control "I had this for almost 7 months, but it was my worst living nightmare. I got copper toxic! My hair came out in clumps, my nerves were twitching, constant cold, panic attacks, anxiety, manic thoughts, dark suicidal thoughts, insomnia... just awful! I don't recommend to anyone."

• Liz...
• January 31, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm so glad that it is a godsend for so many women, but I wish there were publicized research on the potential side effects. I have a history of depression, but had been off antidepressants for about a year without issue before getting my IUD in. Only 2 months after I got ParaGard, I was feeling anxious and suicidal. I went back on the medication I had been on, but my symptoms never resolved as completely as they had pre-IUD. I finally started reading stories from women whose mental health took a turn after the insertion of ParaGard, and will get it removed next week. What drives me crazy is that doctors refuse to acknowledge the POSSIBILITY that there is a relationship between the copper IUD and mental health. I know there are issues with how such research could be conducted, and I'm not surprised that something that boils down to self-reporting by women (dramatic! hysterical! unreliable!) isn't of concern to Western medicine."

• Sis...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 23, 2019

For Birth Control "I had my ParaGard for almost 4 years. I have been through a lot of trauma in my life and managed well for the most part. From the time I had my IUD placed on, I dealt with fatigue and brain fog like I've never experienced. My depression and anxiety were near impossible to manage. Copper isn't hormonal, but it still creates a hormonal response in your body. My body had a negative response that, had I been well informed, I would have found out if it could have been my birth control causing me problems long ago. But because of the way the information is presented to women, we go on thinking 'my depression couldn't be from my IUD.' The first day my IUD was out, I felt as if my brain fog had lifted. The second day, I had more energy, I could go on. I'm not saying this birth control wasn't effective. I just believe the side effects of this contraceptive should be reevaluated. There shouldn't be this much of an overlap in symptoms in women with the IUD. Ignorance isn't bliss for all of us."

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 10, 2019

For Birth Control "ParaGard birth control almost cost me my life. I have dealt with the most depression and anxiety that I have ever had in my life and finally came to the conclusion it was my birth control after exhausting all other avenues. I was so, so depressed and in such a bad place. It made me really dive into what was causing my depression when my life is not bad and I hadn’t dealt with it prior to 4 years ago. I read a review that a mother lost her daughter to suicide a few months after insertion and realized that I have had enough."

• PGS...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 17, 2019

For Birth Control "Paragard side effects were painful intercourse, depression, constipation, bloating, severe anxiety, irritability, and change in the vaginal ecosystem. Worst, most miserable choice of my life. I am and have always been a very happy and upbeat person. I got the IUD removed and was IMMEDIATELY back to myself. Don't waste years of your life with this horrible device!"

• Wor...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 4, 2018

For Birth Control "I had an IUD placed back in 2009 since I knew I did not want to get pregnant until I had finished college and was married. Well, life happened, and I ended up losing my brother early in life and going through an extended grieving period. I am now 36 and ready to make babies, so I went to have the ParaGard removed, and a piece of the IUD was missing when it was taken out. The removal was not painful, so I am thinking that it broke some time ago and I didn't know. I have been dealing with fatigue, anxiety, and depression and am now wondering if it was related to the copper all along. I have had two trans-vaginal ultrasounds, an X-ray, and a hysteroscope performed with no results. That little piece of plastic is still embedded in my body, and I am not sure what it will take at this point to get it out. DO NOT GET THIS IUD if you want to have children and/or avoid future surgery."

• Cra...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 31, 2017

For Birth Control "I have had 2 ParaGard IUDs. Took the 1st one out to get pregnant, got the 2nd after my daughter was born. Both times, I had heavier periods, but it seemed better than hormonal birth control that makes me crazy. After 2 and a half years, I started having strange side effects. Lots of acne, dry skin, swollen lymph node, anxiety, depression, trouble sleeping, hopelessness. My doctor said that my swollen lymph node is associated with the liver. My acupuncturist said she thought I had liver congestion. I researched excess copper in the body. ALL. MY. SYMPTOMS. Had it removed within 2 days. Felt immediately better. My acne started healing within a few days. Not feeling depressed anymore. It was great until it wasn't."

• Don...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 5, 2022

For Birth Control "I’ve had my ParaGard for 9 months, and I developed severe anxiety/nausea from it. I felt depressed/panic attacks for a week before I realized it was this! I was put on medication to help, and nothing worked! I still felt the same. Get it removed before this happens to you. :( Praying for anyone who is currently going through this. It took a mental toll on me."