Cap or diaphragm vs Hormonal coil (IUS)

I’ve enjoyed using the cap around my fertile window but struggle to feel 100% confident I have inserted it correctly. When removing the cap I notice a lot of discharge but not after use, only when removing. Way better than the pill or condoms for me.

Apart from the issue I'm currently dealing with (it getting stuck inside of me), I LOVE the diaphragm. I found out I wasn't never fitted (which is why it kept getting stuck upon removal), so my new, awesome doctor actually sized me. It's easier than popping in a tampon once you learn how to do it and then ya pop it out the morning after sex. No side effects, no hormones, no emotional hangover. It's very hard to find though. Pharmaceutical companies don't want women to buy one silicone object that lasts for the rest of your life, so finding the right size and actually getting it has been a challenge. My mom used it and only got pregnant to have me (her only child) and I've been using it for 5+ years with no issues.

I've used Caya several times over the past couple years (they last up to 2 years- due for a new one now). I use it on the edges of my fertile window (with fertility awareness) and/or combined with withdrawal or condoms to boost efficacy during the fertile window. Always use with Caya/Contragel- they come with an applicator to re-insert the gel into the vagina, as you need to reapply the gel each time you have sex. Watching the YouTube instructions on how to put it in (plus the instruction manual in the box!) helped me understand how to use it properly and to have an idea of how it was inserted properly.

While I had my Levosert, I liked it. I had mood changes, and cried a lot more than usual, but mostly just leading up to my period so it was manageable. I had recurrent thrush with it, and actually ended up having a prescription for monthly fluconazole tablets. In the end, after around 2 years, my coil slipped into my cervix, and it was incredibly stressful. I had no symptoms that it had slipped down, except my strings were a bit longer than usual. A doctor mistakenly told me it was fine to keep using, but when I later had it checked at a different clinic with ultrasound, they were alarmed that I'd had no symptoms as it was pretty much almost out of my body. I'd essentially been unprotected for about 8 months, and this led to a big pregnancy scare.

The mirena coil did effectively reduce menstrual bleeding and prevent pregnancy. Due to thickening vaginal discharge I found I was more prone to thrush and also that this had an impact on arousal. I was an advocate for the hormonal coil until I changed to a non hormonal birth control and found that this had elevated my anxiety certain times in my cycle. I am epileptic without seizure control and this was my reason for coming off hormonal methods. Female hormones can trigger seizures in women with refractory epilepsy!

Positives: lighter pain free periods, no anxiety over remembering to taking a pill everyday, no changes to mood skin weight etc. Negative: it moved after 11 months and I fell pregnant

I was on the Kyleena IUD for 10 months after being on mirena for 5 years. Kyleena has had a terrible impact on my mental health and the reason I got it removed was because increased hair loss.

Have only had the coil for 2 months (although feels like much longer) so will give it a bit more of a chance, I also acknowledge that everyone reacts differently and my side effects seem to be less common, however in my experience and at this point in time, the negative side effects FAR outweigh the positives. My GP talked me into trying Mirena for managing my PCOS and the excruciating pain I would experience on occasion from burst ovarian cysts, as well as the birth control aspect. I’ve gone from an abnormally long (but fairly painless) cycle to an even longer one, bleeding and in moderate-severe pain almost daily. If my stomach doesn’t hurt, my head will be, or both. I’m not joking when I say I look pregnant from abdominal swelling on top of it all.

It was a very positive as i was having irregular heavy periods And personally I had a much better libido When in the past, bloods tested low in testerol levels of 7.5 i II wish this had been aware of of this before bow, i thought there was something not quite right as apparently 12 or above is the better level of testerol for women

I've had the Mirena coil for about 10 months now, my doctor recommended it to stop uterine polyps from reappearing. Prior to the coil I had very heavy, extremely painful periods and pretty bad iron deficiency, but now my periods are super light and not painful at all!! The insertion was painful but not worse that the period cramps I used to get before; I spotted for 3 months straight but after that I started having semi-regular periods. I noticed that I had much more energy (probably because my iron levels were back to normal), my libido increased and I lost weight. I am really really happy with the coil.

Awful experience having it fitted, very painful. I’m convinced it triggered vaginal atrophy (I was already menopausal)

Recurrent abdominal pain and pressure in my lower tummy. The only positive thing is that it has stopped heavy periods

I swapped to the coil as I started getting migraines on the combined pill and wanted a longer term solution GP advised to give the coil 6 months to settle in but during that time my skin has gradually got worse with bad acne, I still have periods which are lighter granted but lasting 8-9 days, much worse periods cramps than on combined and then for last 2 months spotting almost everyday and bad period like cramping. GP thought these symptoms suggested coil displacement but USS confirmed it was in situ and these must just be the side effects I personally get from mirena. The cramping and constant spotting and acne is affecting my sex life and general mood day to day so trying to get the coil removed and tempted to try the copper coil (although I went for the Mirena as I’d read you can get the symptoms I’m currently having on the copper but only time will tell!)