Patch vs Copper coil (IUD)

Breast tenderness and headaches

First few months were GREAT- my skin and hair looked amazing, breasts looked the best they'd ever looked, periods were regular and only negative side effects I had were nausea and breast tenderness. Did not have big issues with the adhesive, even though I have sensitive skin, and was not bothered by the lint that stuck to the edges of the patch (I stuck it to my tummy or my bum so it was hidden by clothes anyway). Thought it was a blessing for the first 4 months on it. Started having issues further in, due to the high levels of oestrogen, where I began having extremely heavy and longer periods and went on to have daily pelvic pain after about 8 months on the patch... now on the waiting list to see if I have endometriosis. The patch itself did not negatively impact my sex drive and it did not worsen my anxiety (I did cry more and have some brain fog though). I only gained a small amount of weight and my body looked the best it ever has. Overall, it didn't work for me and has potentially worsened endometriosis (high oestrogen can feed endo), but it has prevented pregnancy and it is so convenient and harder to mess up than taking a pill every day.

Having tried 12 birth control pills previously that nearly all had intolerable side effects for me, mostly making my IBS worse, I decided to try a non-digested birth control method and settled on the Patch. It took me a few tries to get used to applying it correctly and for the first 2 weeks I had very light daily spotting. Now having been on it for 4 months, I am so happy I tried it. I have gained weight and I have definitely noticed an increased appetite but for me the lack of other side effects is 100% worth it. It has had no impact on my IBS, my skin is the clearest it's ever been and I love the convenience of using it weekly. I currently use it continuously because I've always had heavy and painful periods. Every 2 months or so I do have a few days of spotting/ bleeding but it's not heavy or painful and then I have no bleeding for another few months. I did notice a little increase in my Anxiety but I take antidepressants so I can't say how much it affected my mental health. My boobs have gone up a cup size but not that noticeable as I was only an A cup before. Overall I couldn't be happier with my experience so far, it's definitely the best I've tried yet. definitely recommend if you're sensitive to the pill/ digested birth control.

I have possible adenomyosis and this coil was only temporary as emergency contraception to then get switched to the mirena but my second period has been lighter and much less painful than before so I'm considering waiting to see how this goes. I don't get hormonal migraines either

Amazing option for non-hormonal contraception. Yes it does hurt a lot to insert & my period is heavier but i think it outweighs any mental/physical changes other options have. My biggest & only issue is thrush! I get it every single month and no one warned me. Looking to get this sorted because it’s become a challenge and so frustrating.

I wanted to get a contraception that was hormone free as I’d been on the implant since I was 18 and by the end of it my mental health had definitely taken a toll (my anxiety was unpredictable and awful!), as well as experiencing regular spotting. I went for the copper coil and the experience was pretty straight forward - I didn’t take painkillers beforehand because it was 9am (would not recommend getting the coil fitted at this time haha) but the lady gave me a numbing cream of some sort without me even asking which I appreciated. The pain was pretty bad but in an achey way - when she inserted it I could feel my uterus cramp up. I could barely walk home because it felt like the worst period cramp in the world and I got home and took some painkillers and cried it out for a few hours. I wouldn’t say this deterred me though and honestly I would recommend what the GP told me which is a mix of ibuprofen and paracetamol the day you’re getting it inserted. After this day, it was fine and an amazing decision. My hormones go up and down when they’re supposed to and I follow my cycle pretty accurately which is fun for a change! My periods are heavy on one day out of four or five that I’m bleeding, but nothing I can’t handle!

As I was reading these reviews before getting mine inserted I thought I’d give back by sharing my own experience also. I am writing this while very fresh in mind and I have only had it for a few days, so I cannot comment on long term effect yet. As I was mentally preparing to have it inserted, I was quite scared due to the many comments on how painful it would be to have inserted. What was not clear to me was the difference in terms of whether you have previously given birth or not. I could truely barely feel it at all and had no pain relief. I have given birth 2 times, and as late as 9 weeks ago. Wanted to share this as my physician also informed me that (here, Denmark) we only give pain relief to those who have not yet given birth. Other than that I experienced a little bit of slight bleeding for 1,5 days. Another thing worth commenting on is that you can feel the copper strings after insertion, so you can self-check that it is sitting right and in place. Hope my experiences also gives some comfort to someone else 😊

I had my copper coil for the full 10 years. I had always had slightly heavier periods before my coil however after having it fitted I suffered for years with extremely heavy periods that were painful and I would leak every time. They say it doesn’t make you gain weight however I gained 5 stone whilst on it. It came time to remove it and I was going to just have another fitted however the doctor couldn’t get it out i was bleeding everywhere and in intense pain. Was sent for emergency antibiotics for PID went through a week of feeling awful on strong antibiotics just for all tests to come back negative. Spoke to dr she thinks the coil was causing these issues. Had it removed eventually (thank god!) decided against having another one! When the dr took it out, my coil that was supposed to still have a few weeks left had 0 copper left of the coil! So was completely ineffective at this point! Terrible experience!

From very heavy periods to light and now basically non-existent this has been a real blessing. Didn't suffer much from mood changes prior and hasn't affected me there either. Cramping on and off occurred for around the first month. Feel a lot freer

After many years if suffering from side effects from hormonal contraception, I have decided to swotch to copper IUD and couldn’t be happier. The insertion was unpleasant but not painful. My period is a bit heavier and cramps a bit stronger but nothing dramatic and I never have to think about contraception. I am really happy with it and can only recommend getting a copper IUD.

I used the Lowdown to choose the coil and true to some of the reviews, my experience of insertion was painful. My periods for the first three months were much more painful and heavier than previously. Month one was so bad I thought to remove it but I persevered and it got easier with every passing period. Now it is settled and is a brilliant contraception method! I highly recommend. My periods are heavier and longer but I think it’s worth not having other side effects.

On the whole the coil has been a good method of contraception. It was a little painful when getting fitted but cramps only lasted a few hours after. Mine was meant to last 10 years but I had to get it removed early as I was in a lot of pain and my period had gotten a lot heavier. I managed to get an ultrasound which showed my coil had slipped down and was no longer a reliable method of contraception.

Getting the Gynefix fitted was surprisingly painful but probably could have been less painful if I took some painkillers before the appointment. My first couple of periods with the coil were bloodier than usual but they quickly normalised. I had absolutely no side effects or symptoms with the Gynefix for 5 years, it was simply brilliant. Although I did experience a few chemical pregnancies and ended up doubling up with condoms for the final 18 months of having the coil. I was particularly concerned about the removal process but surprisingly it didn’t hurt too much at all. In conclusion I would absolutely recommend the Gynefix as a fantastic pain-free, hormone free contraception method.