Vaginal ring vs Hormonal coil (IUS)

I was recommended the ring after suffering with irregular and heavy periods. I would describe myself as suffering PMDD before and now my moods are so much better. It's easy to insert, I never feel it, and easy to keep in (or briefly take out) when having sex. The ring is great and I recommend to everyone I meet.

The first few months weren’t awful, had regular side effects like nausea, anxiety & tiredness. The main function of the ring for me was to skip my periods & for the first 3 months it worked great. On my 4th ring a few days later I started to feel incredibly nauseous (I didn’t vomit) & the day after I started bleeding, I spotted every day for over a month & still spot every other day, I also had had a large sack of my uterus wall come out which is apparently a side effect when your hormones are unstable. My hips, pelvis, back and legs were aching to the point I struggled to walk. I removed the ring & had instant relief. The nuvaring has made it so I physically can’t have sex as it feels like my vagina is on fire as soon as anything’s inserted, when I took the ring out for a few days this went away & came back the second I reinserted it (it’s also irritated my partners penis). I don’t know if I’m just very sensitive down there or my body doesn’t agree with having a foreign body inside but this just simply hasn’t worked for me. It’s also difficult to get in the right position. My boobs have gotten bigger tho atleast but so has my tummy from the awful bloating!! Swapping to the patch today & hoping it works.

I have had the Nuva-ring for years. It's brilliant, no side effects, it gives the hormone dose at the point in my body I need it so I know less hormone is swirling around my body and going through my liver. Surely that's a good thing. I don't think GPs prescribe it here in the UK nearly enough as possibly more expensive than the pill? I was living in Europe after the birth of my second child, initially I was put on the mini-pill and immediately fell into a very low mood which I hadn't felt the weeks after the birth so knew it was the mini-pill that had effected me. I was taken off it straight away and it was suggested I avoid progesterone-only contraceptive as I am probably progesterone-intolerant (beware anyone on the Merina-coil - so many don't realise progesterone can give you depression). I was then given the Nuvaring which I have been on ever since. Oestrogen and me are happy bed fellows. I am also now on HRT which I can take with the ring. When my oestrogen levels dipped as I hit 50 yo the oestorgen in HRT once again lifted my mood. It's all trial and error but only we know what works and what doesn't.

I got the coil fitted to control heavy periods with contraception as a bonus. I’m aware I might be still in the settling down phase, this is my experience so far. Fitting was uncomfortable but I’ve had 3 vaginal birth so nothing touches that! Cramps for a few days but settled down. So far I have been bleeding most of the time since having it fitted, not heavy, light, but constant and irregular patterns. Very annoying. Low self esteem and low mood. Weight gain, despite being more physically active and eating healthily. Increase in headaches and migraines. Generally unimpressed at the lack of connection with healthcare professionals and Mirena coil users. So many women reporting poor experience yet doctors aren’t relaying this information. Will be having it removed. I choose control over my body over convenience.

First 6 months is an adjustment period so I had plenty of headache and feeling sick but after a while my body used to it and I am fine. 100% contraception effectiveness and no heavy period.

Insertion was definitely a little more than just "uncomfortable', it was incredibly painful and emotionally felt very invasive. Took about a day or two to get over the cramps. Felt very faint the first night after having it inserted. Have had experience with SA before though and after telling the nurses they were incredibly supportive throughout the procedure. Side effects wise I got on pretty well for the first year. My periods did stop after a few months, which I found to be a bit strange as I like to track my cycle and I found this a bit strange at first, as I could feel my other symptoms of my cycle but felt a bit off kilter when I didn't have my usual period. Not having to worry about condoms or taking a pill everyday is great though. But after about a year of having the hormonal coil I've noticed my mood and mental health take a bit of a dip. I feel a bit like my emotions are just sitting a bit flatter, I'm a bit more irritable, I don't experience quite the same amount of joy as I used to. I do have a lot going on in life at the moment, but I can't help but notice day to day, even on good days, that I'm not as cheerful or reacting to things in the same way I used to. Emotionally not feeling like myself I don't feel is worth this,no I'm going to seek advice on whether to have this removed or not I think.

So far I love the mirena coil! Insertion was definitely painful (not just “uncomfortable”!), but the pain was very brief. I had cramps for a couple of days, and then light bleeding/spotting for about a month. However since then I’ve had no periods, and don’t even know it’s there. I get a few more spots now but that’s from rarely getting any when I was on the pill, it’s not a lot. My weight has stayed exactly the same. I was terrified of getting it fitted but am so glad I did, if it continues like this then I will take 30 seconds of pain for 8 years of not having to think about contraception, no periods and no side effects!

Had the coil for just over a year and bled daily (although only light). Only had a few days a month not bleeding

Generally the Mirena has been great. Only noticed most of the side effects after 4 years having it in - and they’re still very manageable.

So I’ve had the kyleena put in just over 2 years ago. For the first 18 months it was great, there was no side effects and my periods were getting lighter and less painful! After that, I started noticing quite a bit of hair loss during showers and brushing, visibly making my hair look thinner. I’ve always had thick hair so this was quite upsetting and I put it down to the stress I had during college. Now I’m in a new job that I’m loving, the hair loss hasn’t subsided. It’s still falling a lot everyday so I’m deciding to get the kyleena removed in a months time. I’ve been to the GP and got bloods done in which everything came back fine. So hopefully once I’ve the kyleena removed my hair will slowly start growing back :(

Not 100% sure what to think yet. Enjoying not having to worry about administrating my contraception as it’s in there and working. However I am having unpredictable spotting, some emotional mood swings and often being bloated.

Overall this was a good option for me. The insertion was painful but momentary, and was nice not to have to worry about taking pills. The spotting occurred more at the end of the coil’s lifespan (I’m having it taken out this week after 5 years). I did notice vaginal dryness (most noticeable when aroused, needing lube etc). Ultimately I am coming off this contraception because of this. I have vaginismus and the dryness hinders my ability to get/feel aroused. I know this is because of the coil because I have felt the effects wear off as the coil gets to the end of its lifespan (in the last 6 months of my 5 year stint)

I had the worst time on Mirena. I had a bad experience from day one at insertion - I found the whole experience so much more painful than I imagined that it would be - no one really prepares you for this. From the first day I started experiencing cramps and everyone said that they would ease up within no time however they did not. Month after month I experienced endless painful cramps and times where I would be doubled over in two on dates with my boyfriend - never have I had anything like that. As a girl, we very much always shut up and put up and I always felt like I could just push through it but there were times when it was really bad and I almost got it out, but you’d forget about it the next day as it’s such a good feeling to not have to Take a pill etc and it is very convenient. But it’s also crazy I actually had it in for as long as I did. I have never really had that bad periods and my bleeding was longer, the cramping much more intense and honestly just a whole lot worse than it was when I was off it. I didn’t really notice anything kind of sexually or from a weight or ski. perspective but I know that the cramping and the bleeding was enough for me to never touch this thing again. The Doctors kept telling me to hold out and just wait to see if it would change and it just never did. I would really recommend if you are having these symptoms any time past two months they are not going to get better and you’ll just continue to suffer. At the eight month mark I went and got it out and honestly it was the best thing I ever did. As soon as it was out, I felt like I could actually breathe again and havent suffered another cramp like it ever since (thank god!). I have gone back onto the mini pill now which I’m much more happy with - it does have some side-effects but nothing like that cramping!