ParaGard and LARGE blood clots??? WARNING- not for the weak stomach

[drguruncs]

Ok, so I got my IUD (copper- hormone free) placed in 3 months ago. The first menstrual- hardly any cramping. Just the evening before. A relatively normal menstrual and lasted my normal 7 days. My second menstrual was a bit more cramping but still quite tolerable. Heavy bleeding but that was to be expected since that's how it was before I became a mom and wasn't ever on BC. I was just a heavy bleeder. This time it lasted for 10 days. I wrote off the amount of blood and length of time as it's just the IUD.

Today.... omg. Well... I cramped about two weeks ago and out of NOWHERE my uterus felt like it was a thousand lbs. I run and walk a total of 7 miles every evening and couldn't even run cuz my uterus felt just the way it did the day I had my son back in August, like it was still trying to get in place. So I cramped for a while. Then experienced swelling (I also have several kidney stones in both kidneys so I wrote off the swelling as I'm passing another stone). Then I felt like I got hit by a TRUCK! For a WEEK I could barely keep my eyes open for more than an hour at a time. I was just so beyond exhausted I could barely do ANYthing besides take care of my kids. I quit doing my workouts and evening run/walk beacuse I literally felt like someone just sucked the life right out of me. Then I get hit with being sick about a week ago... so I wrote off the exhaustion and so forth as my body just breaking down then fullblown cruds. But today.... I finally start my menstraul (almost 2 weeks late). I pass a large clot... I was like "that... is very strange. Maybe I miscarried, the egg did attach but just couldn't sustain...". Well, about 30 minutes later I just start passing clot after clot all between the size and shape of an egg to a golf ball and I bled HEAVILY and would soak right through a tampon in 5 minutes. I jump int he shower and tell my husband to go buy me the hospital pads cuz I thought I was just going to heavily bleed again. In the shower I passed more clots... and then I felt something go "bloomp" and then I hear it hit the tub bottom- it was a clot the size of a baseball. NOT even lying. I screamed and told my husband (hadn't gone to the store yet) to come look. After that I pass 3 more golf ball sized ones and one about tennis ball size. I passed a total of 9 of those golfball sized clots and 2 EXTREMELY large ones tonight. I called the ER and asked the RN what to do. He called the standby doctor who said to just wait til my appointment on Wed. unless the clots don't stop. Well, after that call was when I passed the second large one but since then they're smaller than golf balls but still big. So I decided to just wait since everything seems to simmer.

The wierdest part is I never felt faint. I never felt weak or anything as if I just lost all that but I swear on everything I own, my clots were that big and that many. I spent 4 hours tonight just constantly cleaning and running to the bathroom because I felt the clot about to come out. I bled right through tampons and super absorbant pads and I feel tired, but that's because I literally got 3 hours of sleep because my infant son has a bronchial infection. That's the only reason. No nausea. Nothing. The cramping was bad, yes, but surely not worth crying over or even moaning. I have a high pain tolerance, but still... I know this isn't normal. Has anyone else had this with their IUDs?

I just need to know someone can relate cuz It scared the everloving out of me earlier.

[eleutheromaniac]

I had the ParaGuard inserted about 1 year ago. I had never been on any birth control prior to that and have never been pregnant. My normal cycle did include a few heavy days in the start, but still within normal limits.  I hadn't had bad cramps since I was a teen, so I'd forgotten how much they sucked. After doing a ton of research, I decided the copper IUD made the most sense for me and the old belief that IUD's are only for those who have had at lease one pregnancy is no longer the accepted golden rule.  Anyways, the day I got it, the insertion hurt...but was comparable to getting a cartilage piercing...or one of those immunizations that leaves you a little sore for a day. I felt ok right after, and had planned on going back to work but got a call from my best friend who was checking in on me. She advised me to go home based on her experience...apparently she passed out 30 minutes after she got hers.  I got kind of nauseous about an hour later, went home and started feeling some cramping, so I got in bed and used a heating pad on my pelvis which helped a TON...by evening my cramps were the worst I'd ever had in my life and I felt like throwing up every time I sat up.  Still..everything I had read about IUD insertion prepared me for this, so I wasn't totally freaked out. That week I bled a bit, but not as much as my regular period.  The following week, I had one of the heaviest flows I had ever had...and passed a clot the size of my fist.
Again, I wasn't too panicked...I had actually gotten ParaGuard partially because it was my BC of choice, but also because I had unprotected sex a few days prior and it can be used as a super effective emergency contraceptive within 5 days of intercourse (I also took Plan B the morning after), so I just figured my body was freaking out because of all the new exposures. For several months after insertion, my periods were irregular...sometimes only 2 weeks apart and very heavy....and the cramping sucked for the first 2 days.  The first time my boyfriend and I had sex after insertion, I bled a little and it freaked us both out.
Over the past 12 months, my periods have become regular...normal time frame, moderately heavy on day 1 and 2, with cramping starting 2 days prior.  It's not debilitating...a little annoying, but predictable.  I started using the Spot On app from Planned Parenthood which helped me track my cycle which was a great help in understanding my body and it's adaptation to the IUD.  Long story short, the heavy blood clot early on and the heavy cycles sound like they are within normal expectations for some people...but I definitely recommend doing your homework and using any tools available to track your body's changes just in case something really doesn't feel right and you have to get medical advice.

[Moni47moni]

I have a slightly different story... I got a paragard iud about 5 years ago and yesterday it came out after a very long heavy period. I dont have any kids so my doctor said it would be a good fit for me and I had a less likely  chance of it falling out. When I first got it nothing changed my periods were short and medium bleeding like always,but sometimes they wouldn't come for 45 days. After about a year and a half I started to get painful cramps during my period and I wrote it off because I remembered the doctor saying it would happen. Around the 3 year mark I started bleeding very heavy. I would wear a super tampon and a pad. I had to change both after and an hour to an hour and a half. But I was still only getting my period about 45-55 days apart and it was only 3-5 days. Year 4 was by far the worst I started passing clots. At first they were grape size but as the year passed they got larger up to about the size of an egg. I could feel when they were coming and I was scared. Unfortunately at this time I was only working pt and didnt have insurance so I was freaking out. But read things online and it seemed pretty common and my clots werent as big as other women's had been. Then late in the year I started spotting and it was a dark brown and smelled awful I checked the calendar and it was around the 30 day mark since my last period. I spotted for a week and then my period lasted for 3 weeks it was heavy one day and light then with large clots on the heavy days and I was in a crazy amount of pain and I wasnt sure what to do. I was worried and turned to the Internet for help. I was surprised at how many people had gone through this. And I made the assumption my body was rejection the iud and the heavy clots and painful cramps were to push it out. I was expecting it and checked my clots for the iud but it never came out. And my period went back to heavy 5 days the occasional clot. I figured maybe it had moved and thats why I went through all that. Its been about 15 months since then and I got that dark spotting again I was worried and it happened again large clots heavy flow for 10 days and spotting for 2 days then super heavy flow with med large clots and slightly painful cramps for 8 days. I was sleeping on a towel at night it was so bad. I felt like a faucet when I woke up and yesterday I passed a very large clot and felt a sharp pain and my Iud was in the middle. I just had some spotting the rest of that day. I havd a doctor appointment in a few days and I hope to hear good news...

The paragard lasted for 5 out of the 10 yearsand Im glad I had it but I recommend to anyone that has it not to disregard any odd feelings you have and go see a doctor right away if something is wrong.

[tina1201]

I had Paragard put in about six months ago, my first  period afterwards was very different, lasting almost two weeks with very heavy bleeding. I called my Dr. and she said it's normal after Paragard and it'll get better over time. Every month following actually got worse, the periods only last 4-5 days but the cramps are worse and the clots are like nothing I've ever seen before! My Dr. told me this is still normal and she'll prescribe me an Iron supplement if I feel weak or dizzy. I don't know what to do, should I wait and see if it gets better or remove the Paragard. It's really my only non-hormonal option since I get migraines and can't take anything with hormones. I liked the idea because it's not permanent. I guess I'm asking anyone who had the same problem if it got any better over time?

[jc2002]

i'm so encouraged to read your posts. i had my paragard inserted 3 weeks ago. I had cramping for a few days and some bleeding. Thought i was doing okay until my periods stated 4 days ago. I have never bled so heavily in my life even after childbirth( have 2 kids) i have been passing quarter size clots for the last 3 days but today the clots got so much biggger. They look like pieces of liver! no kidding! the size of a tennis ball. I was extremely scared until i read these post. about ten minutes ago, i went to the bathroom (have been going every 10 Minutes) and the clots were almost the size of two tennis balls, very scary, i know this is gross but when i started to wipe myself i felt stings of my IUD and just got it out. I wonder if this is normal, or if there was improper placement. Today is Sunday and i will not go to the ER, i was thinking to before i read your posts. i'm scared to use the bathrom because i feel like i'm about to die.

[ZiNeb]

Am on bc I had my second baby a year ago I was on bc while a breastfed and when i stopped which was October my obg put me on a different one little stronger that's when it all started am bleeding through out the month l mean like a heavy period with clot sorry it gonna sound gross but like raw liver not big I went to my doctor they changed the pill and told me to take 2pills a day for the first 2days the bleeding stopped for a week and started again so am having my period while am taking the pill when am suppose to have my period it stops my gyn said it was k butbthe bleeding won't stop I asked to have bloodwork done  and vaginal ultra sound everything came up normal so my gyn switch to higher dose bc first two days no bleeding than it started again so I figured I have nothing to worrie about it just my taking along to adjust to bc well today I sat on th toilet and a golf ball size blood clot came down of me no cramps but I have had lower  back pain and I been on the edge a bad temper ...am thinking to stopp the bc pill ....any advise... thanks

[alexsgirl20]

yeah i got the Paraguard removed sept15, i had so much problems on it, hair loss, sex drive, didnt want to do nothing, always stressed, bleeeding heavy all the time on my period heavy blood clots and all, felt pain alot and so much smelly discharge..their was so much problems and had to get rid of it.. long story and very sad, then my doctor told me i could try Miearia IUD that would help my heavy bleeding and all,, and got  Miearia IUD in so i love it and everything is great its been almost 2 months next month, nov.15th since i been having it, and no problems or nothing i feel alot better, but the thing is, i dont know if its what im eating, or body changing or what but i notice i been constipation alot latley and i dont know if its from the Miearia IUD or something im eating or something? because i never had this problem before, myabe its my body changing i dont know, but i just got the Miearia iud and so far love it and no problems, but i need to know does anyone know what could be wrong? can Mirearia IUD really cause us to be consitpated? and if it does will it go away?

[dolsie143]

I have been having a similar problem.I had the paragaard put in on the 20th of september and its now mid october.I have been bleeding on and off very lightly and when I thought I stopped would bleed through my panties because I would start again.Well now 4 weeks later I dont know if I have started my period or what the deal is because last night I stood up and literally felt like a focet was on down there.I ran to the bathroom bleed right through my pad and pants then when I sat down blood kept flowing scared the daylights outta me.I looked in the toilet and have never seen that much blood or clots.I called the nurse and she said it was my period,that is not normal to me.Now today everytime I get up blood comes puring out and the blood looks like red jello.Its so gross and scary.I also have backpain and cramps.Im getting this thing removed as soon as I get into a doctor.

[alexsgirl20]

my name is christina, and i just got the paraguard in on friday june 25, and after i got it in, i have been bleeding so much with big blood clots and that isnt good, i been going through like 3 or 4 pads a day, and this isnt good. so im going to call up my doctor and see if i can get in soon as possible, i heard having blood clots and expeally big blood clots arnt good. you need to call your doctor, she told me some people are good with it and some people arnt. and i guess i am one of them that doesnt do well on it. :( and thats a shame. im bleeding to much every day, with white stuff, and small and big clots. so i recommand before u get it read more about it, like i did, anda ll before u get it, because their is alot of stuff that can happen. i thought this would of been great for me, but my body i guess isnt taking it so good. i also had a baby girl she will be 3years old in aug. she was born 2007. so its better when u had a child already. but for me i guess its not taken it well, i need to go get checked my doctor said alot of bleeding , and going through alot of pads, and clots, or even big clots arnt good at all, it could of moved or something could be wrong, or my body or who ever body not taken it. so please check with your doctor if u have these problems.

[Aishee]

i experianced the same sort of thing when i had my paragard in i was bleeding so heavy it even leaved through the sanitary towel my knicker and my trousers i had to cahnge all 3 four times in less than an hour wen i passed the huge clot i thought the coil had come out i went 2 the emergency room they just told me i had 2 go see my gp as they could do nothing they just gave me meds to contol the bleeding two days later i went 2 my gp she told me it the iud was still there it had just moved a little so she took it out ive been with out it for two months and feel so much better i say have it taken out all these contraceptives are no good to our short and especially long term health i say use natural family planning that way theres no harm to you and if you accidently get pregnant theres no harm to the developing baby either

[amyjo11883]

Oh, and not to mention, I conceived while on the Implanon and had been on this bc for a year at the time of conception (its supposed to last 3 years).  Implanon and Norplant according to all the drs I have talked to is not a bc route anyone should take, so people beware.  Not to mention when they removed it from my arm, they made a tiny incision but the scarring is terrible.  I do not recommend this form of bc to ANYBODY!

[amyjo11883]

I am in my 8th month of pregnancy and have passed 2 golfball sized clots in the last two weeks.  Today I went to the hospital for monitoring and testing because I passed a clot the size of a tennis ball.  Extremely horrific let me tell ya.  I have placenta previa and this is my third child, I am 27 years old.  The dr didnt seem too worried about it and ended up sending me home on total bed rest.  The baby they said seemed absolutely fine and my blood count was normal.  Would like to know though what may be causing these clots and why I am still having them, especially sooooo big.  Not to be gross or anything but this clot literally looked like a kidney and felt like a raw piece of chicken in my hands.  I just don't understand.  

[juni888]

This is not normal!
if you are bleeding through a hospital pad in an hour you need to go the emerg strainght away, same goes if you have even one golf ball sized clot!
it means you are hemoraging ot miscarrying.
did you get that checked? what did they say?
also i found that evening primrose is fantastic for cramping (and i'm a very heavy cramper, especially after i got my iud) and and my doc recommends tha one  should be on iron supplements if you bleed longer than four days (heavily). you may find that your periord may even get shorter

[steff2007]

i too have had my experience with baseball sized blood clots. I was on the shot and about two weeks before it completely wore off i had the worse cramps of my life. so bad i went to the er. I garrived at the er and i had to wait a few mins then i felt like something was coming out of me!!! i ran with my legs pressed really close together. this is gross...but i sat down on the toilet and a baseball sized blood clot came out. I had no clue what it was. I knew i wasnt pregnat, i hadnt been sexually active in six months, and iwas only wearing a size three so if i was 6 months i would have been huge. so i ran out of the restroom told the doctor what happened they immediately gave me an ultrasound i wasn't pregnat. The best info they could give me was that the shot was too strong for me. It was my first time on the shot or any birth control. After that my doc put me on a low dose of avianne and i have been fine since.

[hmilby1989]

i had the miren iud put in and before i found out it dislodged itself while on my period, i bled horribly, i would have to change my tampon every 10 minuets, and i was passing blood clots like crazy. i went to the ob/gyn today, and as soon as he seen me he said, i looked horrible and sad and exhausted. i told him i havent even been able to do anything other than give my daughter a bath, and put her to bed, because i felt so tired. when he done a pelvic exam, he said i was bleeding so bad that he wanted to take a cbc count, because i had lost so much blood in 3 days. but he still hasnt called me with the results. he said if my cbc is low that he is goin to send me to the ER right away to have a blood transfusion. All over, a Mirena IUD birth control. But now i am on the Paragard IUD, and so far my bleeding has began to slow down and i still have clots but not many and not as big as before. But i still have headachs and cramping.

[drguruncs]

the thing is I can't take anything with hormones in it. The NuvaRing sent me strait into the ER for chest spasms over and over again and all the other pills would make me vomit uncontrollably or bleed for more than 3 weeks strait or give me really bad jitters. So I really have to stay hormone-free.

I go in today for my pelvic exam to see if there are any cysts or tumors.

[msniki412]

Maybe you did miscarry? I never heard anybody passing clots that big before. Maybe you should get off the IUD and try regular bc pills. Did you ever go the doctor??