Does getting an IUD hurt? And what HELPS?

Does getting an IUD hurt?? Is it as bad as giving birth? And if it does suck - what can you do to make it better? Watch as Dr. Lincoln breaks down the facts and tells you how to have the best IUD insertion experience possible!

0:00 Intro
0:28 What is an IUD
1:22 IUD insertion basics
1:55 Pain statistics: what do people feel?
2:35 Explaining what you might see on social media
2:56 My IUD experiences
3:52 The science behind managing the pain
4:38 What can help make the insertion better
7:50 What about complementary treatments??
8:38 What helps ANXIETY?
9:31 Wrap up: 5 top tips for making IUD insertion better

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DISCLAIMER: None of this content constitutes direct medical advice or constitutes a patient-doctor relationship. Views expressed here do not represent the views of Dr. Lincoln's employer. For personalized medical advice, consult with your doctor.



Music: Red Mountain
Musician: Winter Foe

#IUD #birthcontrol #OBGYN #gyno

[tresmagnifique]

I wish doctors would share those statistics about pain before the procedure! I felt like my doctor and a lot of medical resources online said “IUD insertion is not painful, but may be slightly uncomfortable.” At the same time, people online who got an IUD said it was the worst pain of their lives. It honestly feels a bit gaslighting to be told it’s not painful when for me it really was and sows a lot of distrust in medical providers for me. Knowing that all of those experience are real and 1 in 5 people said it was severely painful makes me feel a lot better

[aiyanavergo]

I got the copper IUD and it was one of the most painful experiences of my life, including surgeries I've had and all my tattoos and piercings. I felt like the room was spinning and I was going to through up, but the nurse practitioner walked me through every step, gave me breathing exercises, And brought me a drink and a snack afterwards. She made the whole experience bearable and positive.

[shakerrabursey]

I just got my MIRENA IUD put in yesterday. The procedure went well it didn't hurt. My doctor talked to me about what she was doing as she was doing it. I also took 400mg of ibuprofen and ate something 30 mins before my procedure. I did have mild cramps after and spotting. So far getting the IUD is worth not having to worry about getting pregnant within 5 years!

[sallywright]

I found insertion of the iud very, very painful indeed. I took a couple of painkillers beforehand but they didn’t help, nearly passed out with the pain. As they say, no pain no gain. Periods stopped straight away, cramping subsided within 24 hours. No problems for five years, totally worth it!

[nicolewilson]

I feel like if this was a man having something inserted into his penis that (could be extremely painful or so painful some people actually pass out) they would at least be put under Twilight Anesthesia. I truly think it's inhumane to expect women to potentially go into this procedure and be put through extreme painfully awake without numbing. I don't understand even from reading the comments why women are expected to endure this kind of pain to get an IUD. While not everyone has a bad reaction (my sister worked out after hers), from reading the comments, enough women have significant pain to warrant a more effective numbing or treatment. This is yet another case of women's health falling short because people care less for women's pain. Like just because we're supposed to have babies doesn't mean we should have to endure the extreme pain some women describe having to get an IUD. They've got to come up with something better than this!

[somebread]

I think I’ll get one, I really wish you were my doctor though 🥺

[alexandreabellman]

Alright well the verdict is in…. I got my iud yesterday and honestly I must say it wasn’t painful, but more so uncomfortable. I guess I am part of the 60% who feels like it is about as crampy as a period. That’s literally what it felt like to me… as if my doctor had a button to trigger my periods cramps. I will admit there’s some pressure and you can kind of somewhat feel that they are sticking something up there because it’s kind of cold but it’s not painful (at least for me it wasn’t). My insertion was also a little problematic and my doctor had to keep measuring my uterus because my cervix wasn’t fully dilated. She tried at least 3-4 times before she finally got it. With all that being said… it was still fairly quick and it was not painful at all.

Bear in mind… I am 23, hate needles, have a low pain tolerance, never had kids, nor vaginal sex, and I also am used to experiencing really bad cramps every month with my period, so bad to the point where I feel weak and faint sometimes so this was basically nothing new to me. My doctor gave me misoprostol to enter vaginally before my appointment and I took 800mg of ibuprofen. The problem with this procedure is that (at least for me) the cramps don’t really go away even with the ibuprofen. It sucks but, to me it is worth it to not have to worry about pregnancy for 5 years and the possibility of not having a period. I got Mirena. 😇

My take away: If you want to do this…. Don’t hesitate! A lot of people do not post their good experiences. Also… bring a snack for after the procedure and a heated pad so you can have some relief. The heat seems to help soothe the cramps. And definitely schedule this appointment on a day where you are not working because you will want to stay home and lay in bed. If you can get someone to drive you, do that as well. I had to wait 20 min before driving off just to feel comfortable.

Pro-tip: If your car has heated seats it will help with the pain.

Sorry this was long guys but I really hope this can help someone. Don’t be afraid of such a great birth control method!!! 😇💙 I’m willing to answer questions as well. 💁🏽‍♀️

[arunasridhar]

I'm getting my IUD tomorrow. I'm 48 with no kids so nervous and anxious. Will update once all done. I have severe menstrual cramps and heavy bleeding so dr. recommended this.
Update: Got the IUD done few hours ago without any numbing and no pain meds. It was little uncomfortable but the mantra is to: relax, relax relax. Hope this procedure helps to reduce bleeding and pain.

[Athena]

I had no expectation of pain and experienced a traumatic level of pain, causing me to faint multiple times in the 30 minutes following the procedure. I would say actual insertion was a 9/10 and for at least next 30 minutes it was an 8.5/10, causing me to profusely sweat and as I already said, fall unconscious multiple times. I have a little above average pain tolerance and this made top three most painful experiences of my life. It was the mirena and after two years of spotting almost continuously and having painful cramps after orgasms, I got it removed. Thankfully hubby got a vasectomy so I am free from the birth control dilemma.

[shalleeanonical]

I’m a high anxiety person who, surprisingly had a baby. I pass out during blood work! I am going in for an IUD insertion tomorrow and have watched your video several times. Thank you for explaining this procedure step by step. I do have some heavy meds to take before my procedure and my OBGYN (who’m I love dearly), is making sure I am getting everything needed to make this experience a good one. He will be numbing my cervix and making sure I am comfortable. You’ve made me feel a bit more relaxed and I greatly appreciate you taking the time to explain both pre and post on what to expect regarding the pain.

[jesshatchette]

I had my first IUD inserted today. I have many friends who also have an IUD and did not ever complain about it being painful. However, when I got in there the provider told me that it appears my cervix has scar tissue that may have been a result of childbirth, and it was very difficult to have it inserted. It was also extremely painful… 10 out of 10. I went in thinking that this was going to be a five minute procedure, and I haven’t been able to get up all day because the cramping is so bad. I’m definitely in the 17% category, and I wish I would have taken a pain reliever or some thing to soften my cervix before going in. I’m also shocked that I wasn’t sedated for this procedure because of the extreme pain.

[justAlittleNobody]

I’ve had hip surgery, dislocated my elbow, along with several tattoos and piercings (I’ve done multiple 11 hour tattoo sessions btw). But omg my iud experience was so painful! Trumped all of those other experiences in terms of discomfort. However, I wasn’t prescribed any medication prior to my appointment nor did my provider use any topical numbing to my cervix, which I highly encourage both for those of you thinking about getting one! Seems like the people who have had those had a much better experience than me. And oh definitely have someone come with you to drive you home in case you’re in a lot of pain

[taylorhughes]

I'd like to share that I happened to be one of the 17 percent that had severe pain. That wasn't helped by the fact that I wasn't informed about medication or options for pain relief. I also wasn't informed of the proper side effects and had to do my own research. I also happen to be one of the few that a year later am still dealing with seriously severe cramps and being told it's normal. So please question your doctor, please research, and please get more than one opinion because anything can still happen. When I say I've been through 3 major surgeries and I would go through all 3 again before ever doing this to myself again. Be safe and find the right doctor.

[michelleduckett]

So glad you have these videos and shared your experience. Had Mirena placed today. It was so fast. Couldn't believe it. It was slightly uncomfortable but not painful. Anxiety way worse than actual insertion. Cramping now but heating pad helps a great deal. If anyone is considering an IUD, but afraid of placement, please do not let that deter you.

[themakeupvvitch]

I got my IUD removal and 2nd reinsertion today
The whole procedure only took about 5 minutes for me and I couldn’t believe how quick my doctor was
The pain wasn’t very bad for me. I just felt minor cramping
The worst bit for me was the speculum but I was a bit tense and anxious
My first IUD I had under general anaesthetic
I will definitely do it again in 5 years as the IUD has been great for me
Don’t let anyone’s bad experience change your mind . There is not enough positive IUD stories on YouTube and social media

[Jorythebest]

IUD insertion has been the most painful thing I’ve EVER experienced. I have multiple tattoos, deal with horrible cramps, had my 4 wisdom teeth removed and didn’t take pain meds for it because they made me sick so consider myself to have a high pain tolerance but this was so bad. I almost fainted, I couldn’t deal with the pain, even after. My experience was so painful that when it came time to take it out and insert another one I refused to get it again just because of the pain. I loved it while I had it but it’s not worth it for me to go through that pain again. Removal wasn’t as bad but still BAD! Lucky those who had minimal pain.

[littlechery]

Well… after numerous research and negative stories and YT videos I’ve watched, I finally mustered up the courage to make my appointment….

[doubleJmag]

Hi!! I just wanted to say that I was really struggling with deciding on getting the Paragard or not and your video really helped me come to terms with the fact that experiences are a spectrum and not all of us are the same! :) I decided to be brave and do it because my first Nexplanon was great, but the second one was causing a ton of hormonal issues.

I got my copper IUD today and it was honestly the most painful thing I've experienced. However, it went away within a couple of minutes or so, and then it was just cramping. Afterwards, I felt weird from the whole thing but now I'm hours after and feeling great! :)

TBH, I feel like Wonder Woman after going through that LOL

[lizytaveras]

I got my first IUD today, the Mirena. I’m only commenting this to share my experience, like said in the video; everyone’s experiences are different. I got the procedure done at 12:10PM. The only medication i had taken before was ibuprofen, and i’m 180lbs (18 with no kids). Everything was smooth sailing UP UNTIL i got that “pinch”. It almost felt like the pain gradually got worse the more time my cervix spent opened. I was already leaking sweat, soaking my clothes and having a tingling sensation in my arms and legs almost like pins and needles. I nearly fainted. I had to ask them to speed up the process because they were willing to stop the whole procedure lol. Afterwards, i focused on my breathing and i laid on my back this all helped distract from the pain, and after getting up the pain did feel a lot more lighter but i was still feeling a horrible pain. The awful cramping/pain didn’t stop until 4PM for me. I even threw up and took a violent shit after (I have a reverted cervix that’s why). I’ll update this comment with my experience with it after having sex, if i feel any pain or discomfort and also appetite/weight loss or gain.


UPDATE: One month with Mirena, I’ve had sex for the first time with it recently and there were no problems, it was normal. I still get cramps here and there but i’m more used to them now. I got my period but didn’t bleed, just had spotting for a couple days, I wore a panty liner and that’s it. The ongoing cramps are the only problem for me now but that’s it. I’ve seen myself be more sensitive emotionally than I was before but it’s hard to pin that on just the Mirena. Everything’s good though so far! I reccomend it.

[archanasathish]

Got my IUD inserted yesterday, I was terrified after reading the below comments but let me tell you my experience with IUD insertion was not at all bad, I took pre- precautions suggested by my friends and mom, took 1000 mg of ibugesic one hour before appointment with good lunch and lot of water, which helped me a lot.... The whole process just took 5 min I only felt discomfort but no pain at all, hope this helps the once going throught it