After doing research on the various options for birth control, the idea of an IUD intrigued me. I have one person from my past who has had an IUD inserted but I haven’t spoken to her in years. I remember when she first got it she called me excitedly and said, “Do you know what this means?! No matter what I do, I can’t get pregnant!”
I think she took much pride in her child-free life and intended to remain that way.
I had never even heard of an IUD until she mentioned it and I wonder why more women don’t use them. Knowing that I didn’t want to find myself facing another unplanned pregnancy I decided to do the research to find something to help.
I didn’t want to do the pill. I tried those back in college and I could never remember to take them. I didn’t want to do the shot or the ring and honestly, all forms of birth control (except for condoms) were out of my scope of imagination because after every encounter with a man I vowed never to do it again.
Until I did.
I never see myself having to worry about becoming pregnant because I only have short term flings, one night stands or play sessions with men. But obviously no birth control is fool-proof so I need to double my precautions.
The IUD seemed like the right fit and after my miscarriage & D&C I decided to have one inserted. I chose to have the Mirena which is the hormonal IUD simply because the side effects include less menstrual periods and cramping over time. Since it lasts for 5 years I can actually have one inserted now, and once more after that. By the time I take that one out I should be going through menopause.
I read so many forums online where women boasted about how they love their Mirena. I asked the intake nurse what she had heard about it and she said most women do use the Mirena and rarely does anyone complain about it. She said that when the 5 years are up, most women come in and have another one inserted immediately because they love it so much.
INSERTION
Since I had the IUD inserted right after my D&C procedure for my miscarriage, I was already in place, legs in the air, open to the world. I did not feel a THING when she said she was inserting the Mirena IUD and when she said she was done, I still didn’t feel anything. It took 30 seconds, maybe.
I still don’t feel anything.
I know it’s there but I don’t feel it at all. I feel like I have a magic wand inside of me protecting me from evil sperm.
After The Ordeal
I got up from the table, got dressed and went to the recovery room. They gave me a tylenol and a heating pad because I was cramping EXTREMELY badly. The nurse promised me, “In 10 minutes you’ll feel 100% better.”
She was right.
15 minutes later I was walking out of the clinic and on to the bus stop as though someone had just renewed my lease on life. I felt so much better physically and emotionally. I felt relieved that this ordeal was over. I felt like a new person and it dawned on me that not even 20 minutes earlier I was on the table screaming in pain.
I haven’t had any cramps since then. I haven’t bled much since then. I haven’t been in any pain at all. My breasts are still a bit sore and I am nauseaus sometimes but my pregnancy symptoms seem to be fading away.
My Emotional State
Strangely, I find myself becoming less attached to my experiences as a human. I don’t know why this is happening over the past few years as I have taken very drastic measures to conquer my fears and create the life I have always dreamt of and I see it forming all around me.
I just don’t feel as excited about life as I used to. Nothing moves me anymore. I don’t feel emotions like I used to. The only time I feel any sense of excitement about being alive is when I talk to my sons, who live with their father on the other side of the country.
This whole thing- this whole episode where I got pregnant from a man I would not even be long-term friends with and then learning I’m pregnant with TWINS and then having a miscarriage and having to undergo a D&C without being sedated and dealing with all of this all by myself in a city where I have no friends, yes, yes it has impacted me.
It’s allowed me to see just how disconnected I am from everything. I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. I don’t know if this is a symptom of depression because I don’t feel depressed. I feel aware. I feel aware that this whole life experience only means as much as you WANT it to mean.
I don’t know.
I’m healing, I guess. Hopefully.
3 Weeks After D&C and Mirena Insertion
It’s been 3 weeks since I had my D&C after having a miscarriage. I immediately had my first IUD inserted to prevent any future pregnancies and I went with the Mirena. This is what I have noticed so far.
- Extremely horny for one week, Ravenous sexual appetite although I was not allowed to have sex for 2 weeks after the Mirena was inserted to prevent infections.
- Spotting for 2 weeks. By the 3rd week, no more spotting. No major bleeding.
- Headaches and earaches for the first 2 weeks. I took tylenol. It went away.
- No impact on my ability to be physically fit. I work out regularly and feel fine.
- I feel SEXY with my IUD in as though I am ready to conquer the world.
- Still uninterested in socializing or meeting new people but that may have more to do with me being an introvert than my Mirena.
5 Weeks After D&C and Mirena Insertion
- No pain
- Cramping (which is tough for me because before I had the IUD I never had cramps)
- I got my period for the first time, light but steady bleeding for 4 days. I wore a tampon
- I gained weight but it could have been because I stopped smoking and doubled my food intake. I noticed what I was doing, stopped overeating and my weight went back down.
6 Months After Mirena IUD Insertion
- No pain
- Mild to no cramps
- No periods, only spotting for 2-3 days and then nothing for the rest of the month. I don’t even have to wear a tampon.
- Feeling lucky and happy
