Running with copper IUD

My wife has it, she's much happier with it than pills. I'm guessing it's very challenging to predict.

Cal Barebacker wrote:

It can give you a severe case of creampies

Virgin^

OP, my wife runs daily and swears by the copper IUD. (But I thought Mirena was hormonal?)

yes Mirena is the hormonal one with less side effects. I am deciding between those two options. I'm glad to hear that other women have had good experiences and have not been limited by the copper IUDs

squidward wrote:

Do any ladies out there use a non-hormonal (copper) IUD? I am probably getting the paraguard or mirena IUD in a couple of weeks but am nervous that the non-hormonal one will inhibit my running. My doctor said it causes heavier flow and sometimes severe cramping. I am a pretty competitive runner (50-60 miles a week) and don't want my training interrupted every month. Any thoughts/experiences??

Here's an excerpt from the linked article about Sarah Brown:

"I would like to take this minute to point out that I used the words “had an IUD” purposely. Getting pregnant on an IUD comes with many complications. First, you have the fear that the pregnancy is ectopic, meaning outside the uterus. This is very dangerous and can be life-threatening if left untreated. Second, if the pregnancy is viable, then you must decide whether to remove the IUD or leave it in. Both carry risks of miscarriage. My husband Darren and I decided to take the risk early on and have the IUD removed once we learned that my pregnancy was viable. We felt this gave us the best chance of having a successful pregnancy from that point forward."

Have you considered Natural Family Planning (NFP) methods? These are fertility awareness methods which include the Billings Ovulation Method and various other sympto+/-thermal methods.

Not sure where it is best to investigate such methods but here is a start:

I think you have to try and see. I know a serious runner/triathlete with the (I think) copper version. We are not close enough to discuss periods but she hasn't mentioned having to have it taken out due to issues and she is still training and getting results.

But unfortunately like any birth control it's super individual and you don't know until you give it a go, good luck!

I'm so glad I'm not a woman.

I've had the Mirena IUD since December 2013, and I'm super happy with it. No periods after the first month, and it doesn't have any of the side effects that I had when I was on the pill (weight gain, bad skin, insane mood swings). Insertion was painful, but I'm sure you have already done your research on that front. I was able to go to class later that day, and I was running pain-free a week later. I did have cramping that ranged from mild to pretty severe for the first month or so, and sometimes I still spot after a particularly hard workout, but it's easily worth it for five years of worry-free B.C.

I would be a little nervous of the Paragard as a runner. I have heard way too many accounts of insanely long, heavy periods, and I'd be concerned about becoming anemic or just feeling too crappy to run 25% of the month.

My wife has a copper, non-hormonal IUD and runs probably 20-30 mpw with it. No issues so far, and she's had it for a few years. She's 38 and has given birth to two children (prior to IUD installation, obviously).

reader of the forums 2.0 wrote:

I'm so glad I'm not a woman.

ventolin, being a woman would be a blessing to you. They tend to just be crazy but not batsh*t crazy.

just use rubbers for real

Hi. It seems to be a very natural natural thing for women of fertile age to slough off their uterine lining monthly. Are you not scared of the absence of periods?

It's not scary if you don't even build up a lining in the first place.

Also, "naturally" you'd have so many pregnancies that you'd have far fewer periods than modern women do.

my wife hated the copper IUD.

She got severe cramping, sometimes it would come out of nowhere and she's just suddenly be crippled with pain. After trying for a year, she had it removed and has had no further severe cramping, but her cycles have remained heavier than prior to the IUD. That could just be age related; it's hard to know.

Anyhow I got a vasectomy so she needs nothing, and life's good.

Mirena seems to be the first choice for most serious athletes.

And to the dudes trolling this thread, rest assured you will die alone with no one to remember your name. God what a bunch of losers.

How hard is it to have a guy wear a rubber? He can even pull out as well for even more precaution. Everyone tries to make everything so complicated. And if you're even more worried don't have vaginal sex. Can't get pregnant that way.

Thanks for all the feedback! The "natural" side of me would like to continue having periods each month and just handle the cramps like many other women do. However, the runner in me would be thrilled to not have to worry about cramps or even having a period at all. It seems like there are split opinions.

Some men on this thread don't seem to understand that I am not asking their opinion on my method of birth control.

squidward wrote:

Thanks for all the feedback! The "natural" side of me would like to continue .

There's a school of thought that it's not natural to have as many periods as modern women have. Throughout history women have been pregnant or nursing a much larger percentage of their child bearing years. The increased number of menstrual cycles modern women have today are to blame for the increased risk female cancers (breast, uterine ,and ovarian cancer). So don't beat yourself up for not being "natural" if you get the Mirena. It MIGHT actually be more natural.

My iud feels so much better than condoms.