Copper IUD side effects

[skylee]

I had a copper iud put in a little over a year ago after my second child.  I experienced the side effects I was told could happen, worse cramps and heavier bleeding.  I am fine with these because my choice for birth control is very limited because I get blood clots and cannot take the pill.  

However, I am wondering if anyone has experienced a decrease in thier sex drive becasue of it.  I am only 29 years old, married to a very wonderful and attractive man, but honestly I could care less about sex.  I have been this way ever since I had my last child, which is also when i got the iud.  I just assumed it was because I had children and was so busy with them (I have a 2 1/2 year old and one that is almost 1 1/2).  I am starting to think it could also have something to do with the iud.  

I am considering getting it removed to see if this changes anything.  If anyone has experienced anything similiar to this I would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks

[Nikky23]

I had the IUD in a year ago after my 3rd child and I have the same problem and could care less about sex I think it has a lot to do with the IUD and I get real bad back pains also I'm also thinking about having it removed.

[LollaB]

Thank-you soooooooo so much for sharing the URL about copper toxicity! You just helped finally convince me I am doing the right thing having this copper IUD removed tomorrow.

Since I had it inserted (extremely painful procedure - I thought I'd nearly faint despite having taken an anti-spasmodic and pain killers beforehand) I've had no end of cramps and varying pains in my abdomen, bloody vaginal discharge which smells really bad, not to mention periods from hell (blood clots the size of a table spoon, low blood pressure making me feel faint and of course plenty of pain). But just recently started to notice strange symptoms like pains in my joints, pain shooting down my left leg like sciatica which just came out of the blue. I'm wondering if these may be related to a copper imbalance. I've only had it one month, but can't wait to have it removed tomorrow.

As for sex, well I've never had so little as since I had it inserted! I've had too much pain and bleeding to even consider it. My partner is actively pushing me to have it removed. We're going back to condoms!

[luvleigh]

I am a 34 year old mother of two (14 & 8).  I have had a copper IUD for over 2 years now.  I have always been a very active, athletic, and sexually driven woman; however, as of 2 years ago I started to feel less physical drive, I would run out of steam at the gym, I felt like I was using double the energy to just go through out the day.  Also, my vision started to change, I have this constant haze over my vision.  I got my eyes checked and got glasses, it doesn't take away the haze.  I also was experiencing dizziness, headaches, fatigue.  I started breaking out on my face.  I thought it was from the gym, but it won't go away.  I also gained weight around my mid section, i thought either from being in a relationship or getting older, but we eat pretty good and i am only 34!! My new symptom, which makes me so sad, is I am loosing sensation during sex.  I would     have to use a vibrator to get off & now that isn't even working.  I feel like I  a going crazy sometimes.  Doctors say I am super healthy, but my body is  telling me different.  I am so glad I looked up sides effects for IUD!! I can relate with all of you.  I am considering taking mine out, then I will need alternate BC. But if I can feel like myself again, it would be worth it! --let me know your experiences after removing the copper IUD.. Thank you

[dunka_00]

does anybody fill heavy cramps

[meemermom]

COPPER IUD for 6 YEARS. Here's my experience (and sorry for being really blunt at times): My gyno - who I adore and respect - said she's not the biggest fan of IUDs but is thrilled that I have had a great experience up to this point. I'm 42 yrs old and have an 8 yr old son and a 6 yr old daughter. I had the copper iud inserted after last pregnancy. Not much pain having it inserted and didn't notice any major side effects - for the first year or so.  HOWEVER, as the years rolled on I experienced many things, some predictable, others just odd. And as a result I'm going to have the iud removed this month.  

PREDICTABLE SIDE EFFECTS: My periods have gotten longer, heavier. But now they have pretty much taken over my life! For the last year, 14 days out of my 27 or 28 day cycle are effected by my period. My breasts get so tender 7-10 days before I start my period. I mean really tender, like when I was pregnant and it hurt just to look at them. And then I'll bleed a little. And then I stop for a day or two and I'm wondering what the heck is going on. I'm bloated beyond belief and feel like I'm going to explode, yet I just won't bleed. Then one day I'll be kind of heavy and I'll think, thank God I'm actually starting to have a regular flow, and then I'll get light again. Then, when I'm about to kill someone because I'm so frustrated, I'll finally bleed so heavy for 2 or 3 days that when I wake up in the morning and have my first pee, bloods pours out of me. Then, after I've been dealing with all the on/off light/heavy nonsense for 8 or 9 days, I'll be so relieved to finally be done. But after only about 12 days of freedom my breasts will start getting tender again and I have to go through the process all over.  

UNEXPECTED SIDE EFFECTS: Odor, the whole bathroom has an unpleasant oder whenever I pee - and it gets progressively worse as I get closer to my period. And the blood from my period smells so rancid it makes me sick to my stomach.  I never had this issue pre-iud.  Also, now i get acne, like when I was a teenager. I'll get one or two really bad, ugly pimples right before I start my period.

But what happens to me during ovulation is even weirder. I have no problem achieveing O. In fact, they've never been greater. But my sex drive is peaked only when I think about other men. My sex drive with hubby is really low, but when I look at other men I feel like a teenager again and I am hyper-stimulated. I get VERY wet during ovulation and I am almost obsessed with sex... but again, not with my husband. And we've been happily married for a long time.  I had never ever looked at another man in over 10 yrs of marriage until I got the iud put in.  You might read something else into this, but I still love my husband and want so badly to desire only him, but the copper iud has definately effect my desires.

[anonomyssy]

I have a copper/paraguard IUD...I have always been very orgasmic, and very sexual...but also can get pregnant when my husband smiles at me...and have a hard time with the pill...sponge=baby #4, etc...so IUD seemed perfect...but

I have a hard time coming, I almost never come...like another poster said, I just can't seem to get there...(my husband could satisfy me before, so I don't think it's him, although for awhile I was really resenting him, and sex in general)...I'm 40ish so I thought maybe it was hormonal...but this happened right after the insertion, but right after a birth...by now my son is 4, I should be back to 'normal' whatever that is.  I desire sex, want to feel it completely  so badly, like I used to, but I just can't...(have tried more things than I care to share here)

Also I used to have a light period that lasted 4 or so days...now it's 6-7 days of a faucet...I have to buy the super, ultra hugest tampons I can find...and change them, on day 2, almost every hour...forget making it through the night...

AND I get those shooting pains others describe...sometimes if I move quickly I get a shooting pain from my uterus, down through my vagina...TMI..it goes away, not long lasting, but it's definitely there, it's easier than being pregnanat I guess...but I wish there was another choice other than surgery.  My mom had me at 50, so I'm not taking any chances with getting pregnant, but very frustrated.