Skyla and Cramps: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Chr...
• July 19, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm 29 years old, and I've been on birth control for 14 years. I have been on NuvaRing for maybe 12 years. I was very nervous to mess with my hormones. Reading other people's experiences with IUDs made me very nervous to make the change. I decided on Skyla because it is the smallest of the IUDs, and it was covered by my insurance. I had Skyla placed on July 5th, and since then it has been the best decision I've made. My doctor did prescribe me a medication to take 3 hours prior to the appointment that softened my cervix, which I am sure helped. I also took Advil 30 minutes before my appointment. The worst part of the insertion process was just the feeling of the metal clamp thing that they always use at every check-up visit. The first day was like I had my period: bleeding and cramping. I rested for a while in bed with a heating pad. Some light bleeding and mild cramping here and there for about 5 days after, and then things went back to normal."

• Chr...
• July 19, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm 29 years old, and I've been on birth control for 14 years. I have been on NuvaRing for maybe 12 years. I was very nervous to mess with my hormones. Reading other people's experiences with IUDs made me very nervous to make the change. I decided on Skyla because it is the smallest of the IUDs, and it was covered by my insurance. I had Skyla placed on July 5th, and since then it has been the best decision I've made. My doctor did prescribe me a medication to take 3 hours prior to the appointment that softened my cervix, which I am sure helped. I also took Advil 30 minutes before my appointment. The worst part of the insertion process was just the feeling of the metal clamp thing that they always use at every check-up visit. The first day was like I had my period: bleeding and cramping. I rested for a while in bed with a heating pad. Some light bleeding and mild cramping here and there for about 5 days after, and then things went back to normal."

• Mol...
• December 24, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm 23 and have never had kids. I was on the Depo shot for about 6 years and just got on the Skyla in August 2016. The insertion process was painful and extremely uncomfortable. I almost passed out, and I usually have a high pain tolerance. I thought I was okay to drive home, but the whole time I was hurling over my steering wheel in pain. I was in bed with medicine and a heating pad the rest of the day and honestly two days after. I'm on month 4, almost 5 now, and I've had terrible cramps but no periods. They are basically contraction-like pains. I get them almost every day. I don't know if I should get the Skyla removed or not. These cramps are unbearable. Only a heating pad and laying down helps."

• Tin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2015

For Birth Control "I am 24 and have no kids. I have had Skyla in for 4 months now. I took an Aleve an hour before the IUD was inserted and had some pain right after the insertion for 5 seconds. Afterwards, I had two days of cramps and spotting, but nothing unbearable. Since that day, I have had no issues. I have more intense cramps around the time of my period, but my period lasts less than 3 days. The second month, I missed my period altogether, which made me nervous, but my doctor said it was normal, and I had my period the following month. I have no spotting between periods. I also do not have any mood swings, depression, or weight gain, which were side effects for me with oral birth control pills and the NuvaRing. I would definitely recommend Skyla."

• Jes...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 11, 2016

For Birth Control "I am 23. I have had the Skyla now for the 2nd time. Every birth control is different for everyone, but my experience was amazing. Yes, the first 6 weeks you cramp like a regular period, and getting it put in sucks. All in all, though, it's not going to end your life like some people are posting that they passed out. That's probably from overwhelming yourself. I would recommend this birth control to anyone that doesn't want to take the pill every day, has bad periods, mood swings, a bad ache, and doesn't want to have children. It stays local, so you don't have the crazy hormone change like the pill and the arm insert gives you since it has to go through your whole body. The Skyla is right there, ready to fight!"

• Jes...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 11, 2016

For Birth Control "I am 23. I have had the Skyla now for the 2nd time. Every birth control is different for everyone, but my experience was amazing. Yes, the first 6 weeks you cramp like a regular period, and getting it put in sucks. All in all, though, it's not going to end your life like some people are posting that they passed out. That's probably from overwhelming yourself. I would recommend this birth control to anyone that doesn't want to take the pill every day, has bad periods, mood swings, a bad ache, and doesn't want to have children. It stays local, so you don't have the crazy hormone change like the pill and the arm insert gives you since it has to go through your whole body. The Skyla is right there, ready to fight!"

• Kar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 28, 2023

For Birth Control "I have had the Skyla IUD for almost 5 years. The pain after getting it placed was quite severe. The first year wasn’t bad. I was told I wouldn’t have a period, but I spot multiple times a month, and my period symptoms are worse than ever. Severe cramping and back pain. I have also gained almost 120 lbs since switching from the pill to the IUD. I will be getting this out as it will expire soon, and I will not get it again. Remember, this is just my experience and may not be the same for everyone. I did not get pregnant, so that is a plus, but the weight gain alone has made me more depressed than ever."

• Pet...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 24, 2016

For Birth Control "I've had Skyla for a year and three months; the insertion was painful and uncomfortable. I had some VERY light spotting, cramping, and a bit of nausea the first day, but by the following day, I was absolutely fine. All in all, this has been the BEST decision I've ever made in terms of birth control. Prior to Skyla, I took pills, and they wreaked havoc on my body and libido. After almost three years, I was fed up with the side effects, so I opted to try something new. I would recommend this IUD to anyone reconsidering their current method of BC. The simplicity and joy of not having to remember a pill every night, emergency prescription runs, and the improvement in the overall feeling of my body is incredible and well worth one day of discomfort."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 13, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm writing this review for all of the women skeptical of IUDs (since I was one of them). I became pregnant in November of 2015 after a condom failed for my boyfriend and me. We were not in a place to have a child and terminated the pregnancy (which was something I NEVER thought I would do, so please don't judge). We decided we needed a better form of birth control (had been on the pill with bad side effects) and chose Skyla. The insertion happened the first day of my period and was a BREEZE. A slight pinch and that was it! I've had period cramps that were worse! Slight cramps the first two days, but ibuprofen took them away. It's been great since! PLEASE don't let reviews scare you away! They almost did for me, but I'm glad they didn't!"

• Ivy...
• April 30, 2015

For Birth Control "I got my Skyla inserted last Thursday, April 23, 2015. Today, it's been a week after insertion. Placing the Skyla was intense pain for me. Lots of cramping and pressure, which was very uncomfortable. After the insertion, I had cramps-very mild, but cramps-for the first few days. Three days after insertion, I had really bad cramps, and I had to take medication to relieve the pain. Today marks a week I've been spotting nonstop, which is annoying, but w/e that's a common side effect. The only thing I can say is that as soon as they inserted Skyla, I've lost my appetite completely. I spend hours without eating, and I don't get nauseous or dizzy, which is very uncharacteristic for me. I force myself to eat because I know I have to."

• Hai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 22, 2016

For Birth Control "Ok, so it's been about a week since I got Skyla inserted, and I have to say, it's one of the best choices I've ever made. My boyfriend doesn't feel it during sex, I checked my strings today, and they're in the correct place, and my period has been normal. I will say that the cramps actually got pretty intense, and I was taking crazy amounts of ibuprofen for like 4 days, but now everything is fine. I would TOTALLY recommend this to any woman looking for reliable birth control."

• MAR...
• August 26, 2019

For Birth Control "Well, I’ve had this product for over a month now. The insertion wasn’t so bad as I thought it would be. I took some ibuprofen an hour before, and it was uncomfortable, like a bad period cramp. I was a bit dizzy afterward, but that was it. I did get some cramping for the first 2 days, but I took some ibuprofen, and that was it. I did get it like a day before my period, so it did kickstart it as soon as I got it inserted, but this period lasted longer, about 12 days, or then I was spotting off and on. I did have sex with it, but I don’t think I’m pregnant. The week of my expected period, I got cramping, and then I started spotting lightly for about 2 days, and now I’m having darker red blood still, a steady flow, but it’s light, I don’t have to wear really heavy pads. I’ve had a couple of breakouts, but nothing that my skin routine can’t fix. I’ve actually lost 2 pounds ever since I got it. Other than that, I don’t have any problems as of now. Would recommend."

• Gre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 9, 2016

For Birth Control "I was a little skeptical at first, given the fact that I went in for a regular Pap smear and walked out with an IUD. Overall, the insertion was painful, but tolerable. It was really fast. I never cramped before Skyla, so the cramps are my only complaint; but nothing Tylenol can't fix. After the insertion, I cramped for a good 12 hours. I got it a week before my period, so I got my period a week later; everything was normal except the bad cramps for about 10 minutes the day I started my period. After that, everything was normal. No spotting, no emotional moods, no weight gain. It is as if I am not on anything. No babies! Which is the ultimate goal. So far, I am happy. Periods are lighter, and sex drive is through the roof."

• Gre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 9, 2016

For Birth Control "I was a little skeptical at first, given the fact that I went in for a regular Pap smear and walked out with an IUD. Overall, the insertion was painful, but tolerable. It was really fast. I never cramped before Skyla, so the cramps are my only complaint; but nothing Tylenol can't fix. After the insertion, I cramped for a good 12 hours. I got it a week before my period, so I got my period a week later; everything was normal except the bad cramps for about 10 minutes the day I started my period. After that, everything was normal. No spotting, no emotional moods, no weight gain. It is as if I am not on anything. No babies! Which is the ultimate goal. So far, I am happy. Periods are lighter, and sex drive is through the roof."

• Ang...
• October 4, 2016

For Birth Control "I'm a 23-year-old female with no children. So far, I had my Skyla for 6 weeks. One of the best decisions of my life! The insertion was painless during my period, and I have a low tolerance for pain, but I did take ibuprofen and Tylenol at least 30 minutes before the procedure. I did experience deep cramps for an hour, and my period vanished. I do spot on occasion, nothing a thin panty liner can't take care of...but I did notice I was very emotional this week than usual...I'm not a crier, but I found myself shedding tears 4 out of 7 days this week, and my sex drive is through the roof sometimes, and sometimes it's very low (I've always had a low sex drive), plus I've been sleeping a lot this week. I have my 6-week check-up this week, so wish me luck!"

• Ame...
• April 21, 2015

For Birth Control "Overall, I've had an amazing experience with this so far. It's been effective, and I haven't experienced any body changes like I did with the pill. Insertion was uncomfortable, and the cramping lasted for the rest of that day (worst cramps I've ever had). Bled a lot in the first 3 weeks, now I just occasionally spot throughout the month (I've had it in for 2 months now). I highly recommend."

• Cou...
• June 20, 2015

For Birth Control "DON'T LET THESE STORIES SCARE YOU!!! I am 20 years old and have never been pregnant. I read all of these reviews about how terrible the insertion process is, and I'll tell you my fear of this procedure was far worse than the actual procedure. It literally took about a minute, and it felt like my normal period cramps but just a bit intensified. It was SO QUICK and so easy. Pain was minimal. I'm on day two, and I have slight cramping and light spotting. No big deal. I'm happy I made this choice."

• how...
• September 5, 2016

For Birth Control "Before my procedure, I had researched IUDs extensively. Basically, all I was seeing was negative reviews. If you're the same, seeing if this is for you, this is a positive review for you to read! First off, the insertion. The worst part, by far, is when they clamp your cervix. I screamed Bloody Mary and cursed. The pain stopped once it was inserted. However, I did almost pass out after the procedure. I got VERY hot during the insertion and started sweating like a whore in church. After laying down for a while, I was alright to drive myself home. Two days post insertion, I've had little to few cramps and only some spotting. If you can get your head past the insertion, GO FOR IT! So far, I love it."

• haz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 14, 2016

For Birth Control "I did not think the insertion was painful. I took 800 mg of ibuprofen beforehand and chugged a beer before I went in, didn't feel a thing. Some spotting afterwards, nothing much. Been in for 5 months and no issues yet. I get some pain in my right ovary. I think it's when I would be having my period, but I don't get them anymore. Just mood swings, sore breasts, and ovary pain, but no bleeding."

• Anonymous
• June 9, 2017

For Birth Control "After looking at almost every horror review of IUDs, I thought I would share mine! I'm very petite and have always been VERY sensitive to hormones. I have NEVER been able to take any birth control without awful side effects and terrible GI ones. I ended up having surgery to remove endometriosis and had to choose a hormonal treatment to keep it from growing back. I chose Skyla due to it having the least amount of hormones. I did have pretty bad cramping up until my first cycle, but it helped with my PMS (had A LOT of bad symptoms) and could function with my cycles (endo made them debilitating). I didn't have any issues besides the cramps! You just really need to stick it out through some cycles. Hope this helps someone!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 28, 2017

For Birth Control "I just had the Skyla IUD inserted a little over an hour ago. It was not as awful as I was expecting. The whole process took about 5 minutes, the actual insertion takes about 30 seconds. When the IUD is being inserted, it feels like a sharp period cramp for a whole 30 seconds, and then it's over with. I have not gotten any cramps since or bleeding. I was very scared going into the process and actually canceled my appointment twice due to horror stories I was reading online, but I am very glad that I went through with it because it was not half as bad as people were making it out to be."

• Roc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2016

For Birth Control "I got Skyla inserted 6 months ago, and it's been a nightmare since then. I'm 25 with no kids. My friend got Mirena when she was 21 and said it was amazing, so I figured I'd try it. Insertion was pretty painful, and I had cramps for a week. I went back and got an ultrasound to check the placement and was informed I had an irritated cyst and that it would go away. Here I am, 6 months later, every 2 weeks I get insane cramping and a week-long period. Before Skyla, 3-4 day long periods and no cramps. I told myself if, after 6 months, I'm still in pain, I'm getting it out. Obviously, my body is not going to adjust, and it's not worth the pain! I've also gained 20 lbs in the first 4 months and noticed more zits, anxiety, and my hormones are crazy."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 3, 2015

For Birth Control "So I decided Skyla was the option for me because I recently got diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder, and the hormones from birth control pills were too much to handle. I'm 21, and I've never had kids before, so I didn't want to do Paragard or Mirena due to the size. The insertion process was not the best, but it was not the worst it could have been. I definitely psyched myself out thinking the absolute worst was going to happen due to all the reviews I read on here. As long as you take 800 mg of Advil or ibuprofen about a half an hour before the procedure, you will be fine. I can describe it as poking in places I've never been poked before, a little bit of lightheadedness, and you're done. Had some cramps, but I'm happy with my decision."

• Meg...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2015

For Birth Control "I got my Skyla put in 4 weeks ago. 23 years old. I am writing on here because I thought many reviews I read were very misleading, and I was very nervous beforehand, which I realize was not necessary. First things first: everyone's body is different! Some people are bound to have different experiences - so take every review with a grain of salt. Insertion felt like a pretty severe cramp for about 5 minutes, but nothing that bad. Take ibuprofen an hour before. I spotted for 2 weeks after, nothing serious. I have been getting random stomach pains/cramps -- maybe 1/2 times a week. Nothing too severe, it's just caught me off guard. I will write again in a few months, but as of right now, very happy with it."

• amr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 6, 2019

For Birth Control "I am a type 1 diabetic, so finding a birth control that wouldn't give me terrible side effects was necessary. I have previously been on 4 different BC pills, and each time ended up terrible. So I went to my gyno, and we discussed the IUD. I even discussed it with my endo (diabetes doctor), and both recommended I try this. I LOVE IT! I have only had it for a week, but it's enough time to see how my blood sugar levels are doing. My 'procedure' didn't hurt AT ALL (I have a high pain tolerance). I talked the entire time I was getting it done. There were mild cramps afterwards, but it felt like regular period cramps. I haven't had any spotting, which I was nervous about. Overall, don't let people's negative reviews stop you from trying different methods. Some do well, and others don't, but you will never know until you try it out."