Combination birth control pill vs Hormonal IUD

I really enjoy taking this brand. It still feels like I am me at the end of the day and I’m in control of my emotions and not hindered by excessive hormones.

Omg the lower back pain and the leg pain was unreal. I thought something was very very wrong with me but when I stopped taking this is went away.

I went on this pill for pre-menopause symptoms that were driving me crazy (hot flashes, really bad sleep disruptions). It worked really well, but there was one side effect that I couldn't handle. I couldn't wear my contacts anymore, and my eyes were always really dry and itchy. When I tried to wear my contacts, they would get a film on them after only and hour or two of wearing, which would make it seem like I was looking through a mist, and lights had halos around them, which made night driving totally unsafe. If it wasn't for that I'd still be taking them. I really liked how much lighter and shorter my period was while I was on it, because my normal period was really heavy and and crampy and lengthy.

I've tried all the pills out there for BC, but my last resort was the hormonal IUD to stop me hemorrhaging every month. For the last 9 months, I've had 4 UTIs and constant pelvic pain. I've seen a urologist twice, and the hypothesis is that the IUD is drying out not only my skin but my vaginal tissues as well. I wish I could get it out to remove myself this constant UTI type pain, but I haven't bled a lot in the last couple of months. It's a very bad negative for a semi positive.

The insertion did cause me a great deal of pain, and the following days after I was cramping constantly. I am on my 2nd month of Kyleena and I do still experience some cramping in my day to day. It has made my period lighter but I have been bleeding for 22days.

No major changes but i started to have ovarian hemorrhagic cyst 3 times in the last 3 years. Got scared and now i am focusing on family planning technique, specifically measuring Basal Body Temperature (BBT). So super excited with this. Also using this amazing app called Cosia where I am not only tracking but also getting practical lifestyle tips to make my hormonal balance settle.

Absolutely loved my Mirena IUDs (I've had 3) compared to the other forms of birth control I've used. I did develop irritable bowel and didn't realize it was because of the IUD until I removed it and it went away (my doctor's also never suspected the IUD so I spent a lot of money and time with specialists only to find out it's a listed side effect in the insert). I've also had a steep decrease in migraines since removing my IUD, but besides the migraines and IBS, it was great!

Side affects can change as time passes. I noticed more side effects the longer I was on it.

I love mirena

Better than copper IUD. Similar in side effects to birth control ring except less effect on sex drive.

DO NOT GET

I initially thought I was having a positve experience, but after 3 months was diagnosed with Sebohrreic Dermatitis with an extremely itchy scalp and bumps on jawline. Within 5 months I started having noticeable hair loss. I have lost at least 50% density. It is now 11 months from insertion and still shedding drastically. 8 months after insertion, I started having cystic acne which Ive never experienced before. I use to have the Paraguard IUD and didnt have these symptoms

I’ve had the Mirena since 2022 and just got it taken out today. I will preface this with I do not do well with birth control in general and it’s a struggle. I did not realize the correlation between my Mirena and my side affects. I feel like my side affects got gradually worse. I already suffer from anxiety and depression but since the Mirena was put in I have had to add on another anxiety and depression medication. I’ve also had to get on an acne medication from the dermatologist because I was getting deep acne and my face chemistry had changed including a little more facial hair growth. Once on the medication I no longer had an issue the the hair growth or acne. Let me also point out that I’ve never had acne my entire life so this was new. Everyone’s body reacts differently to birth control. I just want to make sure that I said these things in case there is another person who thought they were going crazy. I had extreme exhaustion and this increased my depression and made things much worse. I am not the only one who has had these symptoms either so take comfort in knowing you are not alone.