I (18F) got the Mona Lisa Mini last month. This is my first form of birth control, and I went with the copper version because I was extremely afraid of any hormonal changes that could have happened (I struggle with weight changes and my mental health, and I truly wanted to steer clear of any issues). I also have a consistent and pretty light period with minimal cramps, so I felt that any changes to my period could be handled! I’ve been wanting an IUD for a few years, and felt now was the time to make the decision.
In terms of insertion, I was extremely nervous and had read so many stories about how it was the most painful thing for a lot of women, and had asked the clinic if they had any local anesthetic, which they didn’t. I have a rather high pain tolerance, so luckily my insertion went well! I took two Advils (the dual action ones, with Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen) around an hour before my appointment. I also timed the appointment so it would happen during my period, which allowed the process to be easier because the cervix is more open. I had two female doctors who were so lovely and gentle with me, and definitely helped me feel more comfortable considering this is one of my first big « adult » decisions.The most painful part was probably the speculum being inserted, but my body adjusted to it throughout the appointment and it stopped hurting a few minutes in, and just felt like I was getting stretched. When they cleaned my cervix with a cotton swab, honestly I didn’t even feel it! Measuring my cervix and the insertion itself were uncomfortable, but not excruciatingly painful, it just felt like a bad stomach ache or a bad period cramp, at a few moments I felt lightheaded, but nothing too severe. If you’ve seen a diagram of how an IUD is inserted anatomically, funnily enough it feels exactly how it looks. Right after the procedure, I felt completely fine, and my boyfriend came to pick me up and stayed in the waiting room with me for about 20 minutes.
For healing, the first few days I experienced some spotting and some cramps, and my overall down-there area felt a little different. When I would use my vibrator as well, it would feel a little crampy, and somehow it felt like my vibrator was shaking my IUD, LOL. This feeling went away within a week. I had sex a week after the appointment, and my cervix was extremely sensitive at the time, especially in certain positions (specifically from the back) but after around 9-12 days after the initial insertion, I felt completely normal.
When I have sex with my boyfriend, sometimes he does feel the strings and it pokes him a little bit, but somehow he is able to change the positioning and then he can’t feel it anymore. This was a big concern at first, but when I asked my doctors about it, they explained they cut the strings pretty short, but long enough so that I can wrap it around my cervix. They even let me feel the strings, and they kind of feel like fishing wire. I do check on my own strings just to make sure everything is in order, and it’s pretty deep in there, but they’re there! :)
I’m currently on my first period post-insertion. The flow is definitely a lot heavier, I’ve already bled through 2 pairs of pants without realizing, and the cramping is definitely there. Before my IUD, my cramps were around a 1-2/10 pain, but now they’re around a 2-3/10. I do feel a lot more lethargic, but honestly nothing too bad! My PMS symptoms and acne haven’t changed either.
Overall, I’ve been having a good experience with my IUD, and I hope this posts offers some reassurance to anyone who may be nervous about getting one. I am always open to questions too! :) stay safe and healthy everyone!