So far, the copper IUD has been a good choice for me. I have previously had negative experiences with hormonal contraception and its effect on my mood. The copper coil felt like an obvious option. The insertion procedure was not too difficult - a little uncomfortable but it was over quickly and feels worth it for the long-term benefits. My period has changed - for the first few months it became quite irregular and my flow became heavier, but settled back into a regular routine after about 6 months, and my flow seems to have settled down too. I previously had bad period pains before having the coil inserted, so was nervous about the possibility of this getting worse. Again - my period pains have changed, but I wouldn't necessarily say that they are worse. The type of pain has just changed slightly, and they are perhaps a little more regular. The most notable negative side effect I have experienced is hair loss. Around 9 months after I had the coil inserted, I suddenly started to experience heavy hair loss. There weren't many obvious causes, and even my doctors were unable to figure it out. I did some research and found that having excess copper (I have a copper IUD + a take a daily multivitamin with copper in) can cause a zinc deficiency (one of the symptoms of which is hair loss). I switched my multivitamin for a zinc supplement (with magnesium, vitamin D and calcium) and my hair loss stopped almost immediately. I would recommend the copper IUD to people who want to move away from hormonal contraception. BUT I would definitely recommend taking a zinc supplement to prevent zinc deficiency.

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