My IUD Experience: One Year After Insertion

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It’s been one year since I made the decision to try a different kind of birth control. This year has had some major ups and downs which has made my experience a unique one. I finished up my initial post 2 weeks after my insertion, so there is quite a bit to share. Here’s how the year after IUD insertion worked out for me.

The First Few Months

The first “period” I got after having my IUD inserted was probably the worse period of my life. I had some pretty bad cramping, to the point of curling in a fetal position and just crying. Luckily, I have a mom who works in a hospital full of doctors and nurses, so I called her to have her ask if it was normal. We found out that some people do have a painful first period after insertion, mostly because your body is still getting used to having a piece of plastic where it shouldn’t be.

After that, I started having cramping in my lower belly. I went to my primary care provider in late November to get her opinion. It wasn’t a constant pain or cramp, so we felt it wasn’t my IUD. Instead, it was sudden take-your-break-away cramping. She diagnosed me with constipation and told me to increase my water and fiber intake. She also sent me home with a prescription to help when I would get these cramps. I went home and did as she said. I focused more on eating better and drinking more water. This helped for a little while, but the cramping came back, especially when I was stressed. With this information, my mom came to the conclusion that I have IBS, but in order to actually be diagnosed you must present with symptoms for 3 to 6 months.

I had my follow-up visit with the nurse practitioner that inserted my IUD after 3 months. I told her about the cramping and she assured me it is a normal experience, although not the most common. She showed me how to check for my strings to make sure the device hasn’t moved out of place and I was set until my annual visit in August.

My IBS Journey

I had to go through the next 3-6 months before actually being diagnosed. Of course, COVID decided to hit right around that 3 month mark, so I had to wait until July to finally get the diagnosis. I was managing with the prescription my doctor gave me, but there were days when it wasn’t helping.

There was one day where I took my medicine a few times and it had very little effect on the cramping. At that point I was worried something was wrong. I called my nurse practitioner’s office and made an appointment. At first we were concerned with pregnancy, since I was active around that time and used the IUD as the only protection method. A quick pregnancy test showed that my IUD was in fact still working and no baby had been conceived (WOO-HOO!!). The strings were visible and nothing felt like it was poking, but an ultrasound was ordered.

My First Transvaginal Ultrasound

I know, some people may be thinking, this is about to get gross and too personal. However, I promise it won’t! I wasn’t expecting a transvaginal ultrasound so it caught me off guard. but let me tell you, it was probably the coolest procedures I ever had done.

I showed up for my appointment and went to the technician’s exam room. She had all the equipment set up. She had me empty my bladder and we were on our way.

I had never seen the device used for a transvaginal ultrasound before and it honestly looked like a dildo. It was a little weird and there were some times where I felt some uncomfortable pressure during the procedure. The thing that was most interesting to me was the fact that I saw my uterus, ovaries, and other organs on a screen while the technician was taking the necessary measurements. She showed me where everything was and told me she had never seen more textbook IUD placement.

My nurse practitioner consulted me after the ultrasound and agreed that my IUD looked perfect. This was great news, but it was also very frustrating to hear because I knew the pain was real, but there was nothing wrong that would be causing the pain.

The Diagnosis: Going Gluten-Free

I had my annual physical 2 weeks after my appointment with my nurse practitioner. I told her about the cramping and how I had made sure the IUD was where it should be. That was when she finally said those 3 letters that I had been waiting for: IBS. There was finally a reason behind my pain. She advised me to try limiting things in my diet to help with the cramping caused by constipation and/or diarrhea, as well as my acid reflux.

One of the first things my doctor told me to limit was my gluten intake. Being from a family who often has bread at every meal, this was hard to just cut back without finding some alternatives. I started buying gluten-free bread for sandwiches and checking my cereals. I noticed that when I didn’t eat gluten my bloating would go down and I wouldn’t have as many cramps. That was when I made the switch, which I will tell you more about in a future post.

One Year After IUD Insertion

Now that I have the cramping figured out for the most part, I am loving my IUD. Most days I forget I even have it! It is so nice to not have to worry about taking a pill everyday and getting routine blood work done to make sure the estrogen from the pill isn’t causing any blood clots in my body. I almost wish I didn’t have such a bad experience having it inserted because I love the freedom I feel having it. Right after I had it inserted, the FDA extended how long users can keep it in to 5 years. This means I shouldn’t have to worry about it again until I am out of pharmacy school and in my first year of residency!

Wrapping Things Up

Of course, I will try to keep you updated on my IUD journey as much as possible. Although I am hoping I won’t have to post about it again for another 4 years, things happen. I hope this post has helped anyone considering getting an IUD. As a reminder, my experience is mine alone and everyone has their own experience. Also, although I am going to pharmacy school, my experience is not intended to, nor should it, replace talking with your doctor to find what options are right for you. I am just merely here to share one experience that you may or may not also experience.

As always, if you like this post and want to stay up to date, follow me on Instagram (@averylivinglife) and Pinterest (username: averylivinglife) for news and updates on my adventures!