Now that it's been a year since I asked my question (thanks for finding the link, Mike!), I'm qualified to weigh in from the other side: it sucks, but not as bad as an unwanted pregnancy. And it's the only non-hormonal choice besides condoms/rhythm, so... it's the only real non-hormonal choice.

My cramps are considerably (sometimes debilitatingly) worse - I've had to take ibuprofen or Pamprin (acetaminophen + diuretic/antihistamine) for all but one of my periods since insertion, and I usually have to take it for a few days in a row. Before the IUD, I would sometimes have cramps bad enough to take something for one day. It's a huge difference.

The bleeding is much heavier - I can go through a pad every couple hours on a bad day, and tampons are a total joke if it's at that point. I also have spotting in between periods, to the point that I just wear a pantyliner every day in case (it's also more likely to happen after intercourse). I've had periods that lasted over two weeks, and my shortest was probably 6 days.

Like RM, I had near-constant yeast infections for months. The infection would clear up just in time for another 9+ day period, then return a few days after the bleeding stopped. I went to my doctor but she just ran some tests and prescribed me the same cream you can buy OTC. I ultimately controlled the problem through diet and taking AZO Yeast pills as soon as I notice one coming on, but it was awful before that stabilized.

With pain, blood, yeast, and more pain, our sex life suffered. We had way less sex in the year since the IUD than we did the year before it, even though I specifically got it to take the consequences out of sex and presumably make it more fun. Irony!

With all these complaints, the obvious question is: Why didn't I have it removed?

When I had it inserted, I promised myself that I would stick it out for 6 months no matter what, and if it was still so bad after that I would consider taking it out. And while it's still not great, the difference between Month 6 and Month 1 was dramatic enough that I wanted to stick it out a little longer... and now the difference between Month 12 and Month 6 is not as dramatic, but it is better and I'm still willing to stick it out. There are worse things than pain, you know? (Like babies.)

Different people react differently to IUD's, and you could be one of those lucky people who have a really easy go of it. If you're insured, I suggest trying it out for yourself, and giving it the same 6-month challenge I did. If you're not insured, and it would be hard for you to gather the money to have it removed in case it's unbearable, I would advise against it. I also hope that Planned Parenthood explained to you that IUD's are for people in monogamous relationships or who have very few partners and are very careful, because even a usually-not-a-big-deal STI like gonorrhea while you have an IUD can result in a massive infection and seriously fuck your shit up, to use a technical term.

Anyway, I hope you find this as helpful as I found everyone's answers a year ago (and be sure to check those out). I wish I had a more positive experience to share, because I feel really strongly against HBC and it would be easier to convert people if it were all sunshine and bunnies here on the non-hormonal side, but sadly that is not the case. I do feel very positive about a year of no pregnancy worries, so that's something. Please share your final choice with us, either way!

I took mine out (myself) after a few months. My body was rejecting it, and the pain, smell, yeast infections, and crazy amount of blood just weren't worth it. Some people LOVE theirs though, and for that I am insanely jealous.

i have similar issues with artificial hormones, and i'm allergic to common elements in spermicides.

i've had my IUD since 2004. i LOVE it. i had no increase in cramping; in the last couple years my PMS symptoms have been so mild that i could only identify them in retrospect.

best. birth control. ever.

I love mine, given the shitty alternatives. Insertion sucked, but it's bearable, and it's only once per decade (I actually plan to leave mine in for 20 years, per European practice). Cramps are much worse and periods are heavier (the Diva Cup has been a godsend). Haven't had any other problems with it.

I wanted no-hormones-at-all too, and was willing to pay the price physically, but do consider the Mirena. The systemic dose is TINY. Mostly it just affects your uterus, decreasing the menstrual side effects.

Being a girl is kind of lame sometimes, I gotta say.

I had the Mirena, which, while not the same as the Paraguard, was pretty close.

I just had it removed, after two years. I went through the whole "I'll just stick it out for six months" thing -- and then I lost my job. By the time I was employed again, it had been over a year. I had many of the same complications that the other ladies here mention: the most incredibly painful insertion process ever (I went into shock afterwards), periods that lasted ten days with spotting in between, very frequent yeast infections (I finally started inserting acidophilus pills at night, and that really, really helped), and crazy wicked cramps. And sex...well, sometimes it hurt like a mofo, sometimes it was fine. It took a loooooong time to work up to deep penetration after I had it inserted, and even then, my cervix would still get very tender.

The cramps were what made me finally decide to have it removed. Every other day or so, I would get agonizing uterine spasms which would cause me to double over in pain and breathe like a pregnant lady for a minute or so. The spasms would pass pretty quick, but one nearly caused me to veer off the highway; that was really what caused me to call the doc to have it taken out. I was also getting a sharp jabbing pain on one side, where, I'm sure, it was digging into the uterine wall, which resulted in back pain and other misery.
Anyway. Since I had it taken out two weeks ago, I've had no pain, no cramping, nothing. Yay!

So, like the others say, give it a go. If it works, it can be great and definitely the easiest, most effective birth control out there. But also be prepared for some super shitty side-effects, in terms of pain and discomfort.

Best of luck!

There are a lot of interesting experiences in the answers to Aislinn's question: What experiences have you had with IUDs?

I've had a couple of girlfriends who love their copper IUDs. In one case hormones were just not an option, in the other two they just didn't like the idea of hormones. From my experience, occasionally during deep penetration the stem that hangs down at the end of the device would stab me in my urethra, which was quite unpleasant. But it was a small price to pay for the laziness and spontaneity that the IUD enabled.

I was on it for a little over a year, until I married a guy with a vasectomy and figured, why have the extra 12 hours of heavy flow a month (one heavy day went up to one and a half with the IUD). I plan to get a new one after I give birth in August, too. I don't like hormones either, and I want something without daily hassle, so the paraguard is perfect. I could do a diaphram but the idea of reaching up and grabbing that thing all full of seed is kinda yucky. As for the insertion of the IUD itself, right when you open your mouth to tell the dr never mind, it hurts too bad, it's over. It's one poke/pinch and then it's over. Getting it removed isn't much worse than a pap smear.

It isn't right for me, but I stumbled on a product called Essure [http://www.essure.com/], and it looks like it might be good for you. No hormones, outpatient procedure, non invasive ... but you do still have a period. Since I have endometriosis, I need my periods to stop, so this isn't right for me. Best of luck to you!

Charlene

has anyone had any problems with the paragard if your man ejaculates inside. im so worried that i could get pregnant easily. we just had our daughter 2 months ago someone please answer this question for me..... thanks: Jessica

I've had my Paragard IUD for just over 2 years. While I love that I can be spontaneous in the bedroom (or out!), there are a few things folks should know that aren't being embraced by the medical community.

Initially I had pretty nasty PMS symptoms, cramps and discomfort along with really impressive heavy bleeding, using up to a tampon an hour at times and it stretched my nice 3 day period into something closer to a week. I never had a lot of PMS before, so that was a new development. I can definitely tell when it's coming now because my breasts ache, I have cramps and I have one day (about 5 days from bleeding) where I could happily rip the head off anyone who gets near me and eat it for lunch. I call those my praying mantis days and I try to avoid people.

My scalp and skin turned oily almost overnight. I would bet I noticed it within the first month and it hasn't gotten any better.

I have experienced major edema in my legs, ankles and hands.

I've gained 20-30 lbs while actually improving my diet, switching to nearly all organic and mostly fresh vegetables, nuts, fruits and less protein. I've upped my fiber intake. I now exercise regularly and am heavier than I've been in my entire life. The weigh seems to have settled around my abdomen which tells me there are issues with my liver.

I now have a monthly chin hair and a couple on my neck, those are attractive. I get a monthly pimple on my chin, too! Love that-SO SEXY!

I had about 8 months of intense, horrifying mood swings and anxiety attacks. I was definitely suicidal at times and could swing from that to complete RAGE within minutes. It cost me one major friendship and very nearly my relationship. I was embarrassed and humiliated at work because I could not stop crying. I would weep tears on my desk all day long, without explanation. I would burst into tears during meetings without provocation and I am NOT THAT GIRL. I have always been emotionally stable, I'm not in the habit of sharing my vulnerabilities with anyone but my closest friends, and I swear I could not control it. I felt like a complete idiot.

Along with mood swings came insomnia. So all day I'm dealing with this insanely sad version of myself and at night I'm incredibly angry because I can't seem to get to sleep until 3 or 4 am and then I can't get up for work. My doctor wrote me a scriipt for Prozac and told me there was no way it was the IUD. I went and got St John's Wort and Valerian and Hops instead and got some sleep. Now when I do sleep, I need about 10 hours of it to feel rested when 7 used to be fine.

Probably the biggest kicker though...every time I have sex-the ODOR is horrendous afterwards. I mean 3-day old, out in the sun mahi-mahi sandwich horrendous (pardon the graphic description please). When I was fitted for this thing, my boyfriend was working out of town so I didn't see him for awhile. When I started having sex again and THAT was the outcome...guess what MY initial reaction was?! Right. Figured my guy had some extra-curricular interests while out of town and had caught himself a case of something that was giving me BV. Went for a culture, came back negative. Was sure there was a mistake, called the lab, was assured that there was no mistake, everything was good. Still didn't believe it until today when I found the same problem on another forum with 502 posts on odor alone: http://www.topix.com/forum/health/birth-control/TNE8UMI762T1PF60C/p8.
Or google: copper iud smell. When I haven't had sex, I smell something like 'meat' and sometimes like ammonia. I'm a clean person, this is really disturbing and humiliating for me, it makes me feel self-conscious and dirty and nasty and not good about myself as a woman so it has to go. I'm just not sure what to do about BC then because I'm not willing to go back to anything with hormones again.

My cousin also had the same IUD fitted and HER doctor (bless her!) actually gave her a timeline on the insanity part way through this process, so at least I knew it was going to get better at some point and it did. She said to expect 3-9 months of moodiness while your body adjusts to the IUD and your hormones try to rebalance themselves. Took me about 8 months to stop wanting to staple peoples' reports to their foreheads and start wearing makeup to work again (because I wasn't crying it off). It took her about 6 months.

As appealing as this option sounds, I would be very careful about exercising it. If you're not at a point in your life where you're very sure of everything and everyone around you, I wouldn't recommend it, because it's going to try all of your relationships and make you emotionally miserable for awhile. If you're willing to do that to yourself, read up on copper toxicity and see if you can afford to do it on a health-related note. I think I'm going to have mine removed. :/

I am a man but my lady friend got one a year or two ago and she fucking hates it. She's always had bad cramps and it amplified them a hojillion times. Or maybe it was that The Pill helped calm them? I'm not sure. I'm not a girl. That was pretty much the only reason though.

I used to work for planned parenthood back in college and the paragard was recommended to me too, so I had one installed.
Yikes! The worst cramps ever, followed by the heaviest flow of my life.
I don't recommend it. No no.

The Mirena sounds a lot better and it's progestin which is a natural hormone your body creates.

Good luck