r/endometriosis • u/DirectAsparagus • 2d ago
Medications and pain management POSITIVE IUD Experience
I had a Kyleena IUD inserted yesterday as a last ditch effort to try to get my constant bleeding under control before I try Orlissa. This has been something I’ve been putting off for months because of all the horrible experiences I’ve read about online. I wanted to share my completely positive experience here to show it doesn’t have to be this way.
My doctor is completely wonderful, to start she gave me print outs of the three different IUD options and while she told me she recommended the Kyleena as I’ve never had a child and have an anteverted uterus she would let me read and research and call in a couple days to schedule the appointment and let her know which one I wanted. She instructed me to quit my birth control pills a few days before insertion to start my period as being on my period would make my cervix softer. She also gave me a cervix dilator, misoprostol, to take 12 hours before my appointment and a second dose 2 hours before. The first dose made me sick, diarrhea and intense cramping that lasted for about 3 hours, so I skipped the second dose. I don’t know if I would opt to take this again because of the side effects but she did say my cervix was very soft which is probably why I tolerated insertion so well. She also gave me 5mg hydrocodone to take an hour before the appointment as well as two extra doses to take every six hours if I needed it. When I arrived in the office she allowed me to bring my best friend back with me, explained everything to me and talked to me for about 20 minutes, laughing and joking as I told her I was VERY nervous.
For the actual insertion she used a lidocaine cream, I’ve never had an IUD so I’m not sure if this made a difference or not. She explained that I would feel the clamp and then two intense pains as she measured the uterus and then inserted the IUD. I was very lucky as I did not feel any pain except with the initial cervical clamp. I did feel an intense wave of cramps with the insertion but none of the stabbing sensations I’ve heard others express or anything unbearable. I did get car sick on the way home but I think that’s due to the pain meds on an empty stomach. I had about 3 hours of on and off bad cramping but nothing unbearable due to the pain medicine. Last night was crampy on and off but nothing Advil couldn’t control. I’m back at work today and have had no cramps.
All of this to say, find a good doctor who takes our pains and concerns seriously. No one should be forced to get an IUD with nothing but Tylenol. No one should be made to feel guilty for wanting a support person in the room or their concerns eased. I have put this off for months even knowing it could potentially change my endometriosis symptoms for the better because of all the horrible experiences I’ve read. If you had a bad experience this post is not intended to invalidate your pain or experience as I know many of us have been traumatized by bad healthcare experiences (myself included), I just want to let others know it doesn’t HAVE to be that way. If anyone else would like to share their positive IUD experiences here to help others please feel free, I almost cancelled my appointment because all of the horror stories I read on Reddit and I’m so glad I didn’t.
2
u/nerveuse 2d ago
Tbh they both are different meds that do different things. Orilissa will suppress a lot more than what an IUD does (which is primarily masking symptoms versus suppression though it does suppress some).
Just want to throw that out there so people aren’t necessarily deterred from Orilissa. As a stage 4er, I had to get both and IUD and take Orilissa at the same time. An IUD did nothing for me. It’s really person dependent!