I had an IUD for 3 months in 1997 - that was as long as I could stand it. I felt like I was hemhorraging (9-10 days of full-on flow). I'd always been heavy, but NOTHING like that. And the cramping was unbelievable.

My partner didn't have problems with it, but the cord that's left out to check that it's still where it belongs kept disappearing. Apparently (according to the OB/GYN), it kept moving around - which didn't make me feel very comfortable with its effectiveness.

So I had it removed the day I had a tubal ligation performed (I'd already had my children) and it was the best decision I ever made.

I've never had an IUD, but given everything I've read about them, it seems incredibly unnatural. I don't think all the problems that women have with them are a coincidence. How can sticking a foreign metal object in your uterus be a healthy choice? I just don't get it. I don't even use tampons, because I don't believe it's what nature intended, and it's asking for trouble.

I'm not sure what sort of IUD you got but I got a Mirena IUD under the recommendation of a nurse practitioner (I know i should have gotten a doctors oppinion) because I have fibroid tumors and have an excessive blood loss during my menstrual cycle. This IUD was SUPPOSED to slow my menstrual flow and perhaps aid in shrinking the tumors. What did it actually do? I had an EXTREMELY heavy flow from May 11 (day of implant) until July 15 (day of extraction). I was lightheaded and dizzy and experienced sharp pains in my abdomen and a pulling in my rectal area all as a result of that IUD. I was told after I couldn't take it anymore and INSISTED they remove it, that my uterus has become too enlarged from the fibroids for the IUD to do what it was supposed to have done. HELLO DOCTORS!!!! DIDNT YOU LOOK AT THE SONOGRAM PRIOR TO THE IMPLANT!!!???!!!

As I replied to one of the messages on the forum I had the second IUD till January this year for 3 years. My first IUD was in for 11 years with absolutely no side effects.
I do think there are 2 things that're important besides of blah-blah how different we all are:
- Doctor's professionalism and expertise ( mine both were awsome OPERATING ob/gyns)
- Type and material of IUD. My first was Finn and had no strings by the way.