Thread: Essure or Paragard - Will you please share your experiences

I am considering either permanent birth control (Essure) or Paragard for birth control. I have had several problems for years from taking BC with hormones - weight gain, moodiness and nausea. I was wondering from women who have used either Paragard or Essure to please share your experiences with me. Thanks!

I had paragard, and had a really bad experience with it. I bled and had cramping for a whole month after insertion (was told this is normal). My periods were also super intense and full of heavy clots and over a week of bleeding. They were so bad the first couple days of each month, that I would have to take off of work on the first day or two because the pain and bleeding were so intense. The only thing that I can compare it to is how the early stages of miscarriage felt for me... not fun. Later in the year, I developed a staph infection because of the IUD and had to have it removed and had to take a series of strong antibiotics. Sex hurt both me and my partner (the strings poked him). It worked as birth control in that it made us never want to have sex. I'm glad I got rid of the IUD. We've been using family planning now instead (I can't have hormones and I tried a diaphram, but it was uncomfortable). I used to be skeptical of family planning and charting, but after using it, I've changed my mind. Right now we're trying to conceive, so family planning has transitioned us over to that nicely. With this method, I'm able to figure out when I'm ovulating, so that we can either use a condom or abstain around those days or we can try to conceive. I used family planning successfully for a year before we started trying.

Oh my! That sounds horrible! I am done having children, I love my little girl and she is enough. I may just get my tube tied then.

I'm the poster child for Paraguard - have had it for 8 years...sporadic spotting for a good many months, but that's it. No cramps, no heavy bleeding, not a thing. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

I've also had Norplant twice [in case you're not familiar- low dose implanted bc, was good for 5 years. Again, no problems. You might also consider the newer implanted versions. MUCH better than the pill for me, which I used in between my two children. Hated it, but not for any reason other than I'd forget to take it, then freak.

I had a paragard for a few months. Insertion was painful and I experienced heavy cramps and bleeding for the first few days. I had it in for about a month or two before it had to come out. My uterus was too small and the plastic end of the device was sticking out of my cervix.

I did love it while it was in, but unfortunately my body rejected it. They were really good though about letting me return it and get all of my money back. I would absolutely get it again, maybe after I get pregnant and my uterus is larger.

I've had Essure for.... is it three years now? Looooove it. Wish I'd done it years before I did. (I do miss my pill because now I don't know exactly when my period is coming and can't skip if I want, but I sure don't miss taking it, refilling it, or the slightly-lower success rate.)

Somewhere on Livejournal I have extensive writeups of my procedure, and the hysterosalpingogram they use to confirm occlusion; I can send you links if you'd like.

I don't have personal experience with either Paragard or Essure (actually, this is the first I'd heard of Essure - sounds awesome!) but my understanding was that, if you already have heavy or painful periods, Paragard is not a good choice. I do have a friend with Paragard who absolutely loves it.

Though you have had trouble with hormonal contraceptives in the past, don't automatically rule out Mirena. It's very low dose progestin-only, and it acts locally, so you are less likely to have the weight/mood/etc problems that OCPs cause. I have a Mirena and I love it. Many women even stop having periods on it (I chose it over Paragard because I did have very long and heavy periods, which immediately became significantly shorter and lighter and are now almost gone after a year).

Tube-tying and Essure really really ought to be considered irreversible. I, personally, don't think I could take that step.

Usually the irreversibility is the whole point. :)

Originally Posted by Kat144

Usually the irreversibility is the whole point. :)

Yes, I realize that. But I've also read that the rate of regret is up to 25%.

The only thing I worry about Essure is the allergy to nickel. I think there are some really nice jewelry pieces that I have that turn my neck red because of the nickel and underwire bras leave a red mark that last for days when I wear them. Why is this such a pain in the butt for women!

Originally Posted by Reinaa

The only thing I worry about Essure is the allergy to nickel. I think there are some really nice jewelry pieces that I have that turn my neck red because of the nickel and underwire bras leave a red mark that last for days when I wear them. Why is this such a pain in the butt for women!

I asked the Essure rep about that when I had mine done, because of course some people spontaneously develop nickel allergies over their lifetime. He told me they've had successful placements in women who didn't know they were allergic to nickel, and that they were expecting to downgrade the warning at some point. I don't know if they ever did so, though.