IUD success story

Hello! So yesterday I got my IUD. I'm writing this to share my experience. Unfortunately, there are a lot of horror stories, so I wanted to provide some reassurance for others. I was initially pretty scared of the procedure because of all the bad experiences people have had with IUD insertion. Another factor that made it intimidating was that I have very little experience with anything foreign being inserted into me (ex. I have never used tampons and up until very recently I have been a virgin).

I had the Paraguard IUD, with the main appeal being the non-hormonal option of birth control and 12 years of effectiveness. I went to planned parenthood, and I was fit into an appointment for that very week. I was told the Paraguard would likely make my periods heavier and more cramping. However, I have very light periods normally, and I only seem to cramp on the first day of my period, so it's not very concerning for me.

My boyfriend went with me, which was very comforting, and I recommend having someone go with you because once the procedure is over, you may experience cramping and drowsiness. I also took 2 acetaminophen an hour before.

The entire procedure was pretty fast, roughly 10 minutes in total. The nurse inserted a clamp to open me up. This was probably the most uncomfortable feeling. I wouldn't say it was painful, just very uncomfortable being open like that. I also received a shot of local anesthesia to the cervix area. This was a small pitch, definitely uncomfortable but not very painful. It numbed the area, so after that, the most uncomfortable thing for me was just being clamped open while I waited for her to insert the IUD. I could still feel some things going on in there, but none of it was painful. After the entire procedure, I felt very drowsy, probably from the shock. They gave me water, snacks, and an ice pack and told me I could wait until I felt ready to get up. Afterward, I experienced what was essentially period cramps and some spotting. Today I feel great! It feels like I am on the last days of my period but without the bleeding, just light spotting when I go to the bathroom.

The procedure was wayyyyyyyyyy less horrible than what I imagined it to be. Little to no pain. It's just highly uncomfortable. Please don't be scared to get this procedure done! I'm very glad I went to planned parenthood so maybe going to one in your area is the best option. My clinic had a 3.4 star rating, which was slightly concerning for me at first, but it was mostly for the wait time and not the actual staff. I hope this helps some people who are intimidated by the whole thing.. I know I was! Just be brave and imagine how much worse it could be if you were pregnant, lol

Edit: I'm at day 4 since getting the IUD inserted. I've been cramping more today and bleeding like I'm on my period. Prior to this, I've been fine just spotting, but no cramps. I will keep updates until I feel completely back to normal from the procedure. I know it's pretty normal to experience this the first days/weeks of insertion!

Edit2: Happy to give an update! The cramping and heavier bleeding stopped (roughly 3 days after the last update). Sometimes, I get a small cramp or some spotting that I only notice once I go to the bathroom. It seems like my body has finally gotten used to the IUD, so that's been really great!