i am basically here for some help...i have been on the nuvaring s...

I just wanted to give you a little bit of info on my experience with the IUD. I was on this site also looking for the effects on the nuva ring b/c I just started on it today.

Since April of 07 I had a Mirena IUD. I loved it. It was so convenient and I didn't even have to think about it. All was well until about two weeks ago. I had just had my period the week before and out of nowhere (and I mean at the park with my kids nowhere) I started what I thought was the WORST period of my life. It wasn't even that heavy after I had my children. So I got a little nervous b/c I was going through about 3 super-plus tampons in an hour. My hubby took me right to ED. He told them that I had an IUD b/c they were thinking that I was pregnant. At that point we didn't think it had anything to do with the IUD, They sent me home with a tapering dose of BC pills. That was Saturday night (Sunday when I got home!)

Anyway I went to GYNO on Monday and when she came in she said that she was thinking about it all day since she saw what I was coming in for and she decided that she was going to take my IUD out b/c she was sure it was contributing to this insane bleeding and clots. After 20 minutes of "fishing" for it and making me cry, she gave up and said she couldn't find it. So we did an ultrasound. Nope, still didn't see it. And I didn't like the answer of "I guess it just fell out and you will start to feel better in a couple of days". So I called my PCP who is also a family practice.

I went there the next day. She looked and didn't see it but was convinced that something was not right about it. So she sent me for a CT scan. Still NO IUD!!!!! I was frustrated. So she said it came out, and when looking at my insides on the CT scan, it kind of ripped things when it came out. So since the clots were so large she says it probably came out in the first on and I wouldn't have seen it. 1 in 1000 chance!! Go figure. So she said to come back in 10 days when I finished the tapering BC and we will talk about what I want to do from there. We talked about a tubal, but I am only 22. I do have three children but I have all boys and REALLY want to have a girl later on down the road. So I was a little leery and shared my concerns with her. It’s just so permanent. She responded with the fact that when Mirena came out it may have done permanent damage which would keep me from conceiving, or carry a baby to full term. This was AWFUL. I took the Nuva ring and went on my way. But I can't tell you how much the Mirena ruined my life. The real effects of the Mirena will never be known unless I actually try to get pregnant again.

So, I know that everybody reacts to every drug or birth control method differently. I am not saying don't try it. Just do your homework on it. I have found MANY women who have had the same, if not worse experience than mine. Some people had it perforate out of their cervix and into the intestines damaging their bowels. That is pretty serious. If I was properly educated about it before hand, I may not have made the same decision. Please think carefully about the Mirena. I also had a Periguard, which I personally didn't hate but my body really hated it and it almost seemed like I had an allergic reaction to it. If you were to go with the IUD, I would recommend the Periguard (copper and last for 10 years; no hormones)
I hope that my experience helps you in making your decision no matter what you decide. Feel free to e-mail me at Ashley_Brown@URMC.ROCHESTER.EDU and good luck to you!