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

• PTN...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 25, 2019

Copper topical for Birth Control "I had this in for 8 months after my first baby was born. Initially, things were okay, and I thought the spotting would stop, but it never did. At the end, I looked like I was 3 months pregnant, irritable, noticed hair loss, and even constipated. I had it removed last night, and the bowel movements went back to normal almost immediately, and I expect more side effects to go away. Just not worth it!"

• Fai...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 23, 2014

For Birth Control "I was on Loestrin FE for two years and loved it; then I found out I have a genetic predisposition to blood clots, and my doctor recommended switching to non-hormonal birth control. So I tried Paragard. The insertion was extremely painful, I cramped for a day, then was fine. And it has been absolutely 100% effective as birth control. But the side effects were debilitating. My periods, which were previously light for 5 days, became heavy for 7-8 days, with spotting for 4 days beforehand. My cramps severely intensified to the point of being unbearable, and I had two yeast infections in the two years I've had it, compared to none I had before. Again, it worked as birth control...but the side effects had a huge impact on my life."

• Sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 25, 2019

Copper topical for Birth Control "I had this inserted 6 days ago. Insertion was much more painful than I expected (and this is from a mom who had a drug-free birth nine years ago!), perhaps because I had not taken any painkillers in advance. I literally cried out at a certain moment. I am trying to be optimistic about the benefits, but the last two nights I’ve had severe cramps - like labor contraction cramps that leave you doubled over. I’ve also felt extremely bloated and hyper-conscious of a weight/pressure/presence in my lower abdomen. There has also been constant discharge and spotting. Will see if these symptoms get better in the next months and curious to see how my period will be. Will then decide whether it’s worth keeping it in."

• 3...
• July 15, 2016

Copper topical for Birth Control "I'm 34 years old with 2 kids. I had the ParaGard IUD inserted 3 and 1/2 years ago, shortly after the birth of my 2nd child. The procedure was quick. I experienced a little discomfort, but nothing unbearable. Fast forward to 2016, I requested my GYN remove the ParaGard IUD today. It took all of 30 seconds to remove but did leave me spotting. My reasons to remove included the following: 1) shortly before my period, I would spot for approximately 3-4 days and then proceed to bleed for a minimum of 9 days, 2) constant vaginal discharge, which resulted in me having to wear a panty liner daily, and 3) since its insertion, my cravings for sugar have tremendously increased. After 3 years, I finally just had enough of dealing with these side effects."

• aln...
• December 13, 2014

For Birth Control "I typically don't post, but I thought I should share. If you have cramps on your normal menstrual cycle, the cramps only get worse. Much worse. I have a decently high pain tolerance and have been a whim for 2 days now. I have only had Paragard for 1 month, and they say it gets better over time, so I am hoping that it really does get better, but those are the only symptoms I've had other than spotting during the month. Workouts haven't been suffering, nor has my weight changed much at all. I do bloat from time to time, though. Hope this helps."

• Ang...
• December 30, 2015

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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."

• RAD...
• July 10, 2015

For Birth Control "I had Paragard inserted 3 months ago. 34 and never had children. I did a lot of research and looked up reviews online to fully know what to expect. As far as insertion, pretty on point. The major cramp started and lasted about 5 minutes. I had someone take me and drive me home. So glad I did. The cramping got worse but stopped after a short nap, and I felt mild cramping throughout the rest of my cycle. My periods have been a bit irregular and have had spotting almost daily since my insertion, but I read that it is expected. My flow seems normal so far. So far I have no pain, not discomfort, just the light spotting and irregular periods. All seems to be good so far. I will update in a few months!"

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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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

Copper topical 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."