I love Mirena. I am 33 had it for a year. No weight gain or mood swings. Also, haven't had a period since after the first month (nor no spotting!)

I would recommend Mirena. I have it and know of two close friends who also have it without any issues, besides the 6 months of spotting post insertion. No weight gain, mood swings, etc. The best part about it is 5 years of no periods!

I love Paraguard. I hated the pill and don't want hormones. After 6 mo, my periods were pretty close to the same as before I got the IUD and regular as clockwork. Just got my second Paraguard last week after having baby.

Don't do the Mirena, especially if you did not tolerate the pill. They are lying to you when they say the hormones are only local.

I had it twice. The first time I was fine, but I had it removed after 2 1/2 years. I had one put in again after my second child and did not experience any side effects until 3 and 1/2 years in. When I did, they were HORRIBLE. I have lost the last 7 months of my life to terrible side effects. I am still detoxing and may face up to 4 months more (although I am starting to feel better already). My physician said that women nearing 40 years old are more susceptible to the nasty side effects. You may want to try the Paraguard.

Love my Mirena- it's been almost three years. I had the typical post placement bleeding / spotting for 6 weeks then only two to three days very light bleeding (i.e. panty liner only) with each period (fairly regular monthly). Minimal cramps (like maybe 5 minutes ! each period).

No weight gain or bloating.

I know some people love Mirena but I hated it. I felt worse on Mirena than on bc pills. Also, I had a friend who's Mirena got lost in her body and she had to have a surgery to get it removed.

I decided against paraguard because I'd heard it makes cramps worse and periods heavier. Since I was already dealing with nightmarish periods, I was looking for a way to calm things down a bit. Mirena did that. It's not perfect-- there's annoying random spotting (still, after two years) and my PMS is unchanged or maybe a tad worse. But my periods are much more tolerable now, so on balance, it's pretty good.

Any issues with Paraguard? Thanks!

I agree. I had a Paraguard for years. It was great. I can't tolerate hormones either.

What about Paraguard? Same concept, no hormones.

I am a 36 year old mother of one child who does not plan to have more children. My OB/GYN has suggested Mirena for me, but I'm reluctant after hearing so many horror stories. I've never been able to tolerate the pill because of mood changes, weight gain, and bloating. Is anyone willing to share their Mirena experience? I'm specifically interested in side effects. I think Mirena is the best semi-permanent option for me since I'm not ready to close the fertility door permanently. Thanks for any insight!