5 Important Things to Know Before Getting a Hormonal Coil

After reading Klara's post about the coil (linked here), I decided to get a slice of the action myself, and post about my experience with the Mirena coil. I had mine fitted at the beginning of September, and thus far have been very pleased.

A few things to note: the Mirena coil is supposed to be used for women who have had children, and since I have never been pregnant, it is likely that some of my symptoms were worse than for those women who have, particularly the insertion. Also, it is 99% effective (according to the Mirena website) and suitable for people like me who cannot take the combined pill, as it only contains progestrogen. There are some health risks, so talk to your doctor first!

1. It fucking hurrrrrttsssss. Seriously, had I have known how much, I might have not gone through with it. It also will hurt for a while afterwards, but almost three months in and I am having absolutely no pain or cramping.
2. Prior to the Mirena, I had horrific periods, and had previously tried a range of things, from Mefenamic Acid to the mini pill, with no success. For me, the IUD has sorted everything out, but this may not occur for all people.
3. You might stop your period altogether, which is completely normal, and I'm personally very very glad about. Don't worry, you're almost certainly not pregnant!
4. You might want to get the string length shortened, even if you're not having sex. You're supposed to be able to feel it, and it's important to keep it long enough that your doctor can remove it at the end of the 5 years, but if you're concerned about it, go get it cut a little shorter. Not only this but they do soften a lot after the first couple of months, and often curl up, especially if you use a tampon.
5. If you're susceptible to things such as UTIs, you may want to choose a different contraception type, as there's a link between the coil and increased urine infections.