Nervous about Paragard insertion

Anonymous
Getting one today. I'm 3 months postpartum, 2 kids but no vaginal births. Breastfeeding (no idea if that's relevant!) Doc said to take 600mg Motrun beforehand. Stories? Tell me it wasn't that bad?
Anonymous
Did you have planned c-sections or did your cervix have a chance to dilate? I had an IUD before getting pregnant and one after, and the insertion after giving birth was a million times easier and less painful (but I gave birth vaginally). Will you be on your period during insertion? That is said to help a lot, too.
Anonymous
OP here - cervix dilated the first time, 3 years ago. Haven't gotten period back yet..
Anonymous
I haven't had it myself but friends have said it wasn't as bad as expected..
Anonymous
Yes, take the Motrin but it won't be that bad. I had one put in 10 years ago and am due for another soon. The most painful part for me was the 'sounding' of the uterus to measure the depth of your uterus. A tool is inserted that looks like a crochet hook but with a ball at the end, not a hook. Deep breaths and you'll be fine.

I was also around 3 months postpartum and breastfeeding. When my periods returned around 9 months PP, it was heavy but that is my only complaint. Good luck!
Anonymous
I have a Mirena, but the insertion is the same. I will say for me it was pretty painful - more than I thought it would be. I was also dizzy for about 1/2 hour after the insertion and quite crampy for about 2 hours after that. Now, 3 1/2 weeks later, all is good! I have two kids, both vaginal births, and I had my period at the time of insertion. Sorry, OP - maybe it won't be bad for you.
Anonymous
I am on my third Paragard and insertion has been pretty painless, but I do get some strong cramps for 2-3 hours afterwards. I always take the Motrin, I am sure it helps.
Anonymous
I had a paragard inserted before ever having kids. They told me it would hurt more, since I had not given birth. Honestly, it was pretty painful (but, I've felt much worse pain in the past, like with kidney stones) - felt like a really intense cramp, but it only lasted like 2 seconds, and there was zero pain after that. Since it was so quick, I really didn't think it was bad at all, and I was very happy with it up until I had it removed to start having kids. I will definitely be getting one again after I give birth to my last child later this year.

Getting the Paragard was one of the best decisions I made, I loved it.
Anonymous
It was not as bad as I expected. It felt like really bad cramps, but dissipated quickly. I had a child before I had it inserted but it was a planned c section and I never dilated so I thought it would be awful. I did have it done while I had my period.
Anonymous
I had a Mirena and the insertion was painless. Take the Motrin and don't be anxious in advance.
Anonymous
OP here - so, it was a disaster. Doc (very experienced surgeon Fwiw) couldn't get cervix to open appropriately. Extreme pain - tried local anesthesia, no better. Seems my uterus is drastically tipped back - she likened it to going at a 75 degree angle vs straight up to insert. Even if we try again, risk of perforation etc is much higher than typical and getting it out could be an issue. Back to the pill I go, I guess. Anyone heard of something similar?
Anonymous
Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that. I'm one of the PPs who said insertion wasn't that bad. But what I almost said, but didn't so I wouldn't be Debbie downer, is that I later had mine taken out. It gave me all sorts of weird discharge and totally messed up my periods. I did not think it could do that since it's non hormonal, one of the reasons I picked it, but the problems went away immediately when I had it taken out. That's a long way of telling you that it isn't great for everyone and maybe the pill isn't so bad.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that. I'm one of the PPs who said insertion wasn't that bad. But what I almost said, but didn't so I wouldn't be Debbie downer, is that I later had mine taken out. It gave me all sorts of weird discharge and totally messed up my periods. I did not think it could do that since it's non hormonal, one of the reasons I picked it, but the problems went away immediately when I had it taken out. That's a long way of telling you that it isn't great for everyone and maybe the pill isn't so bad.


Not OP but I have been going through this too (second IUD for me). Random bleeding and recurrent BV -- finally ended up with PID. If this last round of antibiotics didn't take care of it, I will be getting mine removed as well.

OP - I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. I had a retroverted uterus before I had my baby, but they were still able to insert the IUD. It was excruciatingly painful and I spent three days in bed after it was inserted, but it was pretty great after that. Now that I think of it, I know someone else who wasn't able to have one inserted. Maybe you dodged a bullet!
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:OP here - so, it was a disaster. Doc (very experienced surgeon Fwiw) couldn't get cervix to open appropriately. Extreme pain - tried local anesthesia, no better. Seems my uterus is drastically tipped back - she likened it to going at a 75 degree angle vs straight up to insert. Even if we try again, risk of perforation etc is much higher than typical and getting it out could be an issue. Back to the pill I go, I guess. Anyone heard of something similar?


Yikes. Are you done having kids? If so, I really would consider vasectomy.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP here - so, it was a disaster. Doc (very experienced surgeon Fwiw) couldn't get cervix to open appropriately. Extreme pain - tried local anesthesia, no better. Seems my uterus is drastically tipped back - she likened it to going at a 75 degree angle vs straight up to insert. Even if we try again, risk of perforation etc is much higher than typical and getting it out could be an issue. Back to the pill I go, I guess. Anyone heard of something similar?


Yikes. Are you done having kids? If so, I really would consider vasectomy.


We are 95% sure we are done (this is OP). Youngest is only 3 months so may wait a bit to decide for sure. DH not really open to vasectomy now but hoping he will come around. The whole thing is a bit crazy..
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