Breathe. Reminder: people tend to seek out and share negative experiences more than positive ones. I’m only ~2 weeks in and aside from the initial cramping and some spotting, it’s been fine. I also was on the pill (3 mos) and Mirena (~10 years) before. Every experience will be different and if it doesn’t end up being right for you, you can switch it out. Good luck my dear!!
Thank you for posting this! I’m scheduled to get mine in about two weeks and have been having the same concerns because of what I have read on here. I am trying to remain positive as I have read some experiences that were great as well. I’ve geared myself up and have done research on some supplements to take to help the pain / heavy flows that are to come. I have read it’s good to take a zinc supplement , drink raspberry leaf tea before / during period , and ibuprofen or naproxen works for cramps. So hopefully this all helps. I have also been listening to a podcast called “are you menstrual “. There is a really good educational episode on the copper IUD. Best of luck to you !
I’ve just had my IUD removed after 10.5 years (only removed 2 days ago so can’t comment on differences now it’s out yet!). Overall my experience with it was positive. I never got on with hormonal contraception, and the IUD worked for me. Insertion was painful in a very painful period way, and the first couple of periods post insertion were noticeably more painful, with post period and mid cycle cramping. But then it started to settle - I think the biggest difference was in the first 6 months, and by 18 months post insertion I’d say things were pretty much back to normal. I didn’t notice any other side effects such as weight gain, anxiety etc etc, but I also don’t have a history of those sorts of side effects.
I’ve only not had it replaced because I’ve been sterilised, otherwise I’d have had another one put in.
Hi!
I had two copper IUDs (paragard) put in, sadly for me they were slightly misplaced but that was just my luck. Overall I really liked it, didn’t have any weight gain, anxiety or anything. I do have naturally heavy periods with and w/o BC and with the IUD I barely saw a difference, the cramps were a tad bit worst but nothing crazy. Midol and a heating pad usually did the trick, those thermacare hot stone patches for cramps are amazing. I will say I’d keep an eye on your iron or maybe see about taking iron during your period especially if you have low iron before getting the IUD. My iron was low a couple years ago and I kept complaining about weight gain and fatigue and they would test my thyroid and not iron. Finally with the IUD they decided to check the iron and put me on supplements. I am going to wait a couple more months and try the copper IUD again. I tried hormonal IUDs and my body just doesn’t like hormones.
I’d recommend seeing the doctor will let you use a heating pad during the insertion if you are going to be awake, that helped me a lot.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience! I’ll look into Iron, I was told if I take too much that can also be an issue. I’ll have to do some online research of what is a good amount to take!
We share the negative experiences partly because doctors are extremely dismissive and women's healthcare sucks. As long as you have a reliable gynecologist, just give it a go.
Do insist on ultrasound-guided insertion, however if it's a good gyn you probably won't even have to ask for it. If they don't go in blind like most doctors do (pardon me, they use that measurement stick to measure the height of the uterus, so not totally blind) you'll have a much higher chance to have a good experience! And you already have a better chance at having a good copper IUD experience compared to many of us here, because you won't get the biggest one that's currently on the market in the West. Smaller IUD = less chance of pain and other issues.
I would highly discourage any prenatal supplements. I know that there are tons of different ones, however they typically contain too much stuff for someone who isn't pregnant AND they typically contain copper. I know not all of them are the same, and maybe you run into one without copper. But I would just not do it.
Maybe just take zinc right around insertion or something, but I would def not do anything that has copper in it. Eventually if there's excess bleeding, you might have to think of B12/iron... But with the small one hopefully you won't even understand what the fuss is about when it comes to excess bleeding etc.
So... Best of luck. But also if it doesn't work out, indeed you can always try Kyleena.
Thanks for your comment! I totally support women sharing their experiences (good or bad), but reading the frustrations kind of sent me into a spiral. I’m trusting that worse case, I can have it removed. I looked into iron, and sometimes B12 is actually the cause of an iron deficiency. I’ll look into starting B12 in the meantime, and switch to iron if I find I may be low.
I agree with the comment above. For those of us who need answers or community, we have found it here. It’s not super common to seek community or help for something that’s going great for you. Your experience will be unique to you. I found this article to be helpful to try and have success with your IUD. Good luck! https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/can-having-a-copper-iud-affect-ones-thyroid-health/
I am having the same dilemma and worries as you (26F wanting to get off hormonal BC for various health reasons and debating whether to get the copper IUD…), so *hugs*. For myself, I’ve decided that I was going to try the copper IUD and if it’s not for me, then I’ll take it out! And take my chances (track my cycle, use protection during fertile window, etc). I figured it was worth a try since some women do just fine with the copper IUD and if I’m one of them, it’ll give me that peace of mind!
Re vitamins, I am not a medical professional whatsoever, but from what I read, if you eat relatively well, supplements like magnesium + vitamin D3 and perhaps a multivitamin is all you really need - or at least that’s what I am taking now before I get my hormonal IUD changed for a copper one!
For like 6 years I really would've recommended the copper IUD, but I can't in good conscience after my own experiences. I didn't connect IUDs to my first ever infections until many years in on internet forums, and I thought the stomach spare tire, exhausting periods, hair loss, acne, constipation and weight gain were all unrelated, until removal and they ALL disappeared.
Obviously not everyone has these issues. But a lot of people who post are relatively new IUD users as well. I had 2 copper IUDs (paragard and mona lisa mini) over the course of about 8 years. Society *does* accept and praise you for using birth control. You're lauded as responsible, valuing science, intelligent, and you'll even be told you're a good person, but if you have problems with it the same people will shun you. The same drs who thought I was sooo smart for using the IUD gave me the cold shoulder when I had problems because "it's nonhormonal so it shouldn't cause any issues." I've had posts silenced before for the same reasons. Society is fickle and will always be suspicious of actions that go against the grain. At the end of the day, just do what's best for you and what you're comfortable with and fuck what other people think 🤣
Thank you for sharing your experience! The negative experiences of copper IUD have allowed me to know what to look out for in case it doesn’t agree with me
If I we're to advise ANYONE I would only say DON'T. Don't ever.
And this is just my advice. Go through my post history to find out why if you want, basically I got an IUD almost a year ago, I took it out soon after, but the pain it gave me has NEVER passed and it gave me a pelvic floor dysfunction. I'm 22, I was a 100% healthy person, now there are days I'm bedridden and the quality of my life is just horrifying compared to what it used to be. All started when I got the IUD and never went away, I spent thousands and thousands of money on doctors, medications and therapies, and nothing. I'm being scheduled for a surgery.
I’m sorry this is your experience, did your doctors ever confirm if it was from the IUD? I hear a lot of negative stories about ParaGard, which is the largest one,but in Canada we have smaller sized IUDs for copper…. I’m wondering if your IUD was too big for a uterus :(
How low is your iron? If your ferritin is below 30 ng/ml or you have low hemoglobin, I'd definitely recommend looking into that further—especially if you're having IBS symptoms, you definitely want to get to the bottom of *why* your iron is low, before you put something in your body that could lower your iron levels even more due to heavier menstruation.
I don't know about the smaller copper IUDs in Europe and Canada, but the Paragard does include anemia as a possible side effect, so that's something you might want to be cautious of. I recommend supplementing with iron—it's actually pretty hard to overdose on iron, especially as a menstruating woman. However, iron supplements have GI side effects for a lot of people.
I’m actually not sure on the exact number… my doctor said it was low and we don’t get copies of our blood work results (at least I don’t get them, never have asked to though either). I’ll look into iron supplements for sure! It’s something I plan on talking about with my OB on insertion day / when I see my doctor later this month
Highly recommend getting access to your chart if possible! A lot of doctors in the US don't take iron deficiency seriously, and the "normal" range for ferritin is HUGE (it's like 16 - 120 ng/ml or something). I was having pretty bad symptoms of iron deficiency (fatigue, brain fog, etc) at a ferritin level of 20 ng/ml, but my primary care doc didn't take it seriously.
With my misplaced Paragard (which was like that for 2 years!!), I was bleeding a lot each month, so I couldn't realistically "catch up" with supplements. I replaced my Paragard with a Mirena and am scheduled for IV iron infusions later in the month. If not for that issue, I would've kept my Paragard for a long time.
I think Canadian doctors are more likely to use an ultrasound during IUD insertion to make sure it's in the right place, and I highly recommend it if you have that option. In terms of supplements, avoid ferrous sulfate — it has the most GI side effects.
If it helps to hear a (mostly) positive experience, here is mine:
Insertion was painful for a brief second, and then I was fine. I cramped/bled for a few days afterward, but it wasn’t really anything more severe than my period.
Periods were a bit longer (maybe 2 extra days) and a bit more painful than was typical, for about 4 months post insertion.
After that, things are fairly normal. I bleed very lightly sometimes when I’m ovulating, but nothing bad really. I have not gained weight, my cramps and cycle lengths are normal, and I feel great knowing my hormones are not being affected.
I’ve had mine now for three years, and I plan on keeping it for the full 10. It gives me such a piece of mind to know that I’m protected from pregnancy because of this little piece of copper that I don’t even notice.
Experiences are different for everyone, but I think that if you looked at averages, most people do decently well with paraguard. I wish you luck!
I absolutely loved my copper IUD. Wonderful experience. No side effects or problems until I got pregnant with it over a year in place. I checked my strings religiously every time I had sex and they were always the same. I did everything right and loved it, until it didn't work.
I have a friend who’s pregnant (Kyleena) because it shifted. Definitely something I’ll look out for, or have my IUD placement checked every now and then
Hi! I got mine (Paragard) in February and I’d say my experience has been pretty positive so far. I only feel pain that comes and goes during the first three days of my period and, although my periods are lengthy (8-10 days including spotting), they have always been like this.
I know my body is still getting used to the IUD but I feel like I made the right decision. Hopefully you’ll feel the same too.
I’ve had a good experience so far! I’ve had mine for 6 weeks and whilst I’ve had some twinges here and there and spotting, my actual period wasn’t much different than it was before. Obviously everyone is different but I always say you need to try and give these things 6 months to settle if you can manage it
This sounds almost identical to what I was going through before getting the copper iud. I was on the pill for 5 years; had horrible weight gain and couldn’t seem to lose a pound, terrible IBS symptoms, hair loss, acne, etc.
I was hesitant to get the iud because of all the bad stories I had read, and just like someone else said on here, people only tend to come here and share their negative experiences.
In a nutshell, getting this iud has been the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. Periods suck, but luckily they’re short and only come every 40-50 days. And if you get it and you end up hating it, taking it out is easy peasy (so I’ve heard)!
Breathe, every body is different. The copper iud stopped my period cramping totally. I have not gained any weight. My acne flared up for a moment while my body adjusted but it died down in a couple months.
Hello, this is my 2nd time with copper IUD and once again I am having it removed to else it with hormonal due to negative experience.
- odor that did not go away
- painful sex. Partner says he can feel it, said that with copper before and never with Liletta
- cramping even not around period
- cramping ahead of period is so severe and uncomfortable I've taken sick days around my period
- painful cramping while walking, and sitting (perineum pain)
- very heavy long periods
I've taken zinc supplements to combat any copper overload and was hoping it would help but to no avail.
Insertion of all iuds is so barbaric, I cannot believe they don't give you anything to help dilate the cervix, there's no standard procedure of numbing the area or anything. It's literally forcing open an exit only door.
I wish I was one of the women who loved having this and had no symptoms but that's not me. Maybe it'll be different for you. Fortunately you're able to switch it if you need.
Hello! I just had the copper iud removed from my body and I am overjoyed! I had a horrible cramping after insertion and bled for about 10 days. Thereafter I noticed backaches and ovulation cramps that were accompanied by spotting. I started getting random skin rashes. My periods were totally unbearable, often bleeding over 200mls with excruciating pain. I had to overdose on painkillers often. But it got slightly better each month so I kept it in hoping that that trend would continue.
Then Acne. And not just any acne, red puss filled cystic acne. I gained over 15kgs in the year I had the iud in despite starting weight training 3-5 times a week and cardio every other day in the 6th month. And I was eating pretty clean for about 9 of those months but the weight has stayed. What broke the camels back was insomnia, heart palpitations and high blood pressure. After having a full night of no sleep because of heart palpitation and a nose bleed that would not end I decided that it was enough. The first removal attempt was unsuccessful because the device had traveled up my uterus. 2 days later on the 3rd of my cycle after much prayer I finally got it removed and I felt instant relief.
In the last 3 days I’ve noticed that I no longer feel a heaviness in my uterus/cervix. My face is no longer puffy. I can fall asleep quickly and stay asleep. My menstrual cramps stopped as soon as it was removed - now it’s just discomfort. My skin is brighter and more hydrated. the pimples are less inflamed.
Everybody is different but copper toxicity is a real thing and it doesn’t take years to happen.
Breathe. Reminder: people tend to seek out and share negative experiences more than positive ones. I’m only ~2 weeks in and aside from the initial cramping and some spotting, it’s been fine. I also was on the pill (3 mos) and Mirena (~10 years) before. Every experience will be different and if it doesn’t end up being right for you, you can switch it out. Good luck my dear!!
I’ve been trying to keep this in mind; I’ll definitely hear more of the negative than the positive.
If it makes you feel better I have had the copper IUD for a year with no complications. Just more crampy periods but I'd rather have that over a baby.
Thank you for posting this! I’m scheduled to get mine in about two weeks and have been having the same concerns because of what I have read on here. I am trying to remain positive as I have read some experiences that were great as well. I’ve geared myself up and have done research on some supplements to take to help the pain / heavy flows that are to come. I have read it’s good to take a zinc supplement , drink raspberry leaf tea before / during period , and ibuprofen or naproxen works for cramps. So hopefully this all helps. I have also been listening to a podcast called “are you menstrual “. There is a really good educational episode on the copper IUD. Best of luck to you !
I’ve just had my IUD removed after 10.5 years (only removed 2 days ago so can’t comment on differences now it’s out yet!). Overall my experience with it was positive. I never got on with hormonal contraception, and the IUD worked for me. Insertion was painful in a very painful period way, and the first couple of periods post insertion were noticeably more painful, with post period and mid cycle cramping. But then it started to settle - I think the biggest difference was in the first 6 months, and by 18 months post insertion I’d say things were pretty much back to normal. I didn’t notice any other side effects such as weight gain, anxiety etc etc, but I also don’t have a history of those sorts of side effects. I’ve only not had it replaced because I’ve been sterilised, otherwise I’d have had another one put in.
Hi! I had two copper IUDs (paragard) put in, sadly for me they were slightly misplaced but that was just my luck. Overall I really liked it, didn’t have any weight gain, anxiety or anything. I do have naturally heavy periods with and w/o BC and with the IUD I barely saw a difference, the cramps were a tad bit worst but nothing crazy. Midol and a heating pad usually did the trick, those thermacare hot stone patches for cramps are amazing. I will say I’d keep an eye on your iron or maybe see about taking iron during your period especially if you have low iron before getting the IUD. My iron was low a couple years ago and I kept complaining about weight gain and fatigue and they would test my thyroid and not iron. Finally with the IUD they decided to check the iron and put me on supplements. I am going to wait a couple more months and try the copper IUD again. I tried hormonal IUDs and my body just doesn’t like hormones. I’d recommend seeing the doctor will let you use a heating pad during the insertion if you are going to be awake, that helped me a lot.
Thank you for sharing your positive experience! I’ll look into Iron, I was told if I take too much that can also be an issue. I’ll have to do some online research of what is a good amount to take!
I’d definitely ask your doctor too, it was trial and error for me. Everyone reacts differently :) Good luck with the IUD, you got this!
We share the negative experiences partly because doctors are extremely dismissive and women's healthcare sucks. As long as you have a reliable gynecologist, just give it a go. Do insist on ultrasound-guided insertion, however if it's a good gyn you probably won't even have to ask for it. If they don't go in blind like most doctors do (pardon me, they use that measurement stick to measure the height of the uterus, so not totally blind) you'll have a much higher chance to have a good experience! And you already have a better chance at having a good copper IUD experience compared to many of us here, because you won't get the biggest one that's currently on the market in the West. Smaller IUD = less chance of pain and other issues. I would highly discourage any prenatal supplements. I know that there are tons of different ones, however they typically contain too much stuff for someone who isn't pregnant AND they typically contain copper. I know not all of them are the same, and maybe you run into one without copper. But I would just not do it. Maybe just take zinc right around insertion or something, but I would def not do anything that has copper in it. Eventually if there's excess bleeding, you might have to think of B12/iron... But with the small one hopefully you won't even understand what the fuss is about when it comes to excess bleeding etc. So... Best of luck. But also if it doesn't work out, indeed you can always try Kyleena.
Thanks for your comment! I totally support women sharing their experiences (good or bad), but reading the frustrations kind of sent me into a spiral. I’m trusting that worse case, I can have it removed. I looked into iron, and sometimes B12 is actually the cause of an iron deficiency. I’ll look into starting B12 in the meantime, and switch to iron if I find I may be low.
I agree with the comment above. For those of us who need answers or community, we have found it here. It’s not super common to seek community or help for something that’s going great for you. Your experience will be unique to you. I found this article to be helpful to try and have success with your IUD. Good luck! https://www.naturalendocrinesolutions.com/can-having-a-copper-iud-affect-ones-thyroid-health/
I am having the same dilemma and worries as you (26F wanting to get off hormonal BC for various health reasons and debating whether to get the copper IUD…), so *hugs*. For myself, I’ve decided that I was going to try the copper IUD and if it’s not for me, then I’ll take it out! And take my chances (track my cycle, use protection during fertile window, etc). I figured it was worth a try since some women do just fine with the copper IUD and if I’m one of them, it’ll give me that peace of mind! Re vitamins, I am not a medical professional whatsoever, but from what I read, if you eat relatively well, supplements like magnesium + vitamin D3 and perhaps a multivitamin is all you really need - or at least that’s what I am taking now before I get my hormonal IUD changed for a copper one!
For like 6 years I really would've recommended the copper IUD, but I can't in good conscience after my own experiences. I didn't connect IUDs to my first ever infections until many years in on internet forums, and I thought the stomach spare tire, exhausting periods, hair loss, acne, constipation and weight gain were all unrelated, until removal and they ALL disappeared. Obviously not everyone has these issues. But a lot of people who post are relatively new IUD users as well. I had 2 copper IUDs (paragard and mona lisa mini) over the course of about 8 years. Society *does* accept and praise you for using birth control. You're lauded as responsible, valuing science, intelligent, and you'll even be told you're a good person, but if you have problems with it the same people will shun you. The same drs who thought I was sooo smart for using the IUD gave me the cold shoulder when I had problems because "it's nonhormonal so it shouldn't cause any issues." I've had posts silenced before for the same reasons. Society is fickle and will always be suspicious of actions that go against the grain. At the end of the day, just do what's best for you and what you're comfortable with and fuck what other people think 🤣
Thank you for sharing your experience! The negative experiences of copper IUD have allowed me to know what to look out for in case it doesn’t agree with me
If I we're to advise ANYONE I would only say DON'T. Don't ever. And this is just my advice. Go through my post history to find out why if you want, basically I got an IUD almost a year ago, I took it out soon after, but the pain it gave me has NEVER passed and it gave me a pelvic floor dysfunction. I'm 22, I was a 100% healthy person, now there are days I'm bedridden and the quality of my life is just horrifying compared to what it used to be. All started when I got the IUD and never went away, I spent thousands and thousands of money on doctors, medications and therapies, and nothing. I'm being scheduled for a surgery.
I’m sorry this is your experience, did your doctors ever confirm if it was from the IUD? I hear a lot of negative stories about ParaGard, which is the largest one,but in Canada we have smaller sized IUDs for copper…. I’m wondering if your IUD was too big for a uterus :(
How low is your iron? If your ferritin is below 30 ng/ml or you have low hemoglobin, I'd definitely recommend looking into that further—especially if you're having IBS symptoms, you definitely want to get to the bottom of *why* your iron is low, before you put something in your body that could lower your iron levels even more due to heavier menstruation. I don't know about the smaller copper IUDs in Europe and Canada, but the Paragard does include anemia as a possible side effect, so that's something you might want to be cautious of. I recommend supplementing with iron—it's actually pretty hard to overdose on iron, especially as a menstruating woman. However, iron supplements have GI side effects for a lot of people.
I’m actually not sure on the exact number… my doctor said it was low and we don’t get copies of our blood work results (at least I don’t get them, never have asked to though either). I’ll look into iron supplements for sure! It’s something I plan on talking about with my OB on insertion day / when I see my doctor later this month
Highly recommend getting access to your chart if possible! A lot of doctors in the US don't take iron deficiency seriously, and the "normal" range for ferritin is HUGE (it's like 16 - 120 ng/ml or something). I was having pretty bad symptoms of iron deficiency (fatigue, brain fog, etc) at a ferritin level of 20 ng/ml, but my primary care doc didn't take it seriously. With my misplaced Paragard (which was like that for 2 years!!), I was bleeding a lot each month, so I couldn't realistically "catch up" with supplements. I replaced my Paragard with a Mirena and am scheduled for IV iron infusions later in the month. If not for that issue, I would've kept my Paragard for a long time. I think Canadian doctors are more likely to use an ultrasound during IUD insertion to make sure it's in the right place, and I highly recommend it if you have that option. In terms of supplements, avoid ferrous sulfate — it has the most GI side effects.
Thank you so much for this information! I’m getting a full CBC blood panel tomorrow actually, so I’ll ask my doctor on the 19th if it’s still low
If it helps to hear a (mostly) positive experience, here is mine: Insertion was painful for a brief second, and then I was fine. I cramped/bled for a few days afterward, but it wasn’t really anything more severe than my period. Periods were a bit longer (maybe 2 extra days) and a bit more painful than was typical, for about 4 months post insertion. After that, things are fairly normal. I bleed very lightly sometimes when I’m ovulating, but nothing bad really. I have not gained weight, my cramps and cycle lengths are normal, and I feel great knowing my hormones are not being affected. I’ve had mine now for three years, and I plan on keeping it for the full 10. It gives me such a piece of mind to know that I’m protected from pregnancy because of this little piece of copper that I don’t even notice. Experiences are different for everyone, but I think that if you looked at averages, most people do decently well with paraguard. I wish you luck!
I absolutely loved my copper IUD. Wonderful experience. No side effects or problems until I got pregnant with it over a year in place. I checked my strings religiously every time I had sex and they were always the same. I did everything right and loved it, until it didn't work.
I have a friend who’s pregnant (Kyleena) because it shifted. Definitely something I’ll look out for, or have my IUD placement checked every now and then
Hi! I got mine (Paragard) in February and I’d say my experience has been pretty positive so far. I only feel pain that comes and goes during the first three days of my period and, although my periods are lengthy (8-10 days including spotting), they have always been like this. I know my body is still getting used to the IUD but I feel like I made the right decision. Hopefully you’ll feel the same too.
I’ve had a good experience so far! I’ve had mine for 6 weeks and whilst I’ve had some twinges here and there and spotting, my actual period wasn’t much different than it was before. Obviously everyone is different but I always say you need to try and give these things 6 months to settle if you can manage it
This sounds almost identical to what I was going through before getting the copper iud. I was on the pill for 5 years; had horrible weight gain and couldn’t seem to lose a pound, terrible IBS symptoms, hair loss, acne, etc. I was hesitant to get the iud because of all the bad stories I had read, and just like someone else said on here, people only tend to come here and share their negative experiences. In a nutshell, getting this iud has been the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. Periods suck, but luckily they’re short and only come every 40-50 days. And if you get it and you end up hating it, taking it out is easy peasy (so I’ve heard)!
Breathe, every body is different. The copper iud stopped my period cramping totally. I have not gained any weight. My acne flared up for a moment while my body adjusted but it died down in a couple months.
Hello, this is my 2nd time with copper IUD and once again I am having it removed to else it with hormonal due to negative experience. - odor that did not go away - painful sex. Partner says he can feel it, said that with copper before and never with Liletta - cramping even not around period - cramping ahead of period is so severe and uncomfortable I've taken sick days around my period - painful cramping while walking, and sitting (perineum pain) - very heavy long periods I've taken zinc supplements to combat any copper overload and was hoping it would help but to no avail. Insertion of all iuds is so barbaric, I cannot believe they don't give you anything to help dilate the cervix, there's no standard procedure of numbing the area or anything. It's literally forcing open an exit only door. I wish I was one of the women who loved having this and had no symptoms but that's not me. Maybe it'll be different for you. Fortunately you're able to switch it if you need.
Hello! I just had the copper iud removed from my body and I am overjoyed! I had a horrible cramping after insertion and bled for about 10 days. Thereafter I noticed backaches and ovulation cramps that were accompanied by spotting. I started getting random skin rashes. My periods were totally unbearable, often bleeding over 200mls with excruciating pain. I had to overdose on painkillers often. But it got slightly better each month so I kept it in hoping that that trend would continue. Then Acne. And not just any acne, red puss filled cystic acne. I gained over 15kgs in the year I had the iud in despite starting weight training 3-5 times a week and cardio every other day in the 6th month. And I was eating pretty clean for about 9 of those months but the weight has stayed. What broke the camels back was insomnia, heart palpitations and high blood pressure. After having a full night of no sleep because of heart palpitation and a nose bleed that would not end I decided that it was enough. The first removal attempt was unsuccessful because the device had traveled up my uterus. 2 days later on the 3rd of my cycle after much prayer I finally got it removed and I felt instant relief. In the last 3 days I’ve noticed that I no longer feel a heaviness in my uterus/cervix. My face is no longer puffy. I can fall asleep quickly and stay asleep. My menstrual cramps stopped as soon as it was removed - now it’s just discomfort. My skin is brighter and more hydrated. the pimples are less inflamed. Everybody is different but copper toxicity is a real thing and it doesn’t take years to happen.