4 ms·

I have known several women with non-hormonal IUDs, and they all have reported the side-effect of mild-to-extreme aggravation of menstrual cramping. When the bod

by enduser 15y ago

I have known several women with non-hormonal IUDs, and they all have reported the side-effect of mild-to-extreme aggravation of menstrual cramping. When the body is trying to clear out, it just doesn't like having a foreign agent that won't budge. No silver bullet.

jes5199 15y ago
well, non-hormonal IUDs function by stimulating the uterus to produce hormones (prostaglandins) - So they can actually have more significant side-effects than hormonal IUDs.
schiffern 15y ago
>No silver bullet. My partner and I use Implanon, which has no associated cancer or heart risk. See my post: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3774010 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3774010 It's not perfect, but the side-effects are small and it's the most effective form of birth control besides true abstinence (as opposed to "virginity pledges," et al). Works for three years, nothing to remember, no risk of uterine perforation like IUDs, and none of the nasty estrogen side-effects.
- mahyarm 15y ago
  Implanon is hormonal birth control, how does it avoid the general problems of hormonal birth control?
  - mjdwitt 15y ago
    Looks like schiffern answered that an hour ago: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3774010 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3774010
    - gcb 15y ago
      In a very uninformative, and only regarding cancer. Most issues with hormones is that they do all sort of stuff on yourbody. not only one controlled thing
      - schiffern 15y ago
        I also mentioned heart problems, but I limited my response to only those side-effects Lazare mentioned in order to stay on-topic. Side effects of Oestrogen-containing contraceptives that don't seem to be caused by Progestin-only contraceptives include: Increased risk of cancer Increased risk of heart disease Bone density reduction Blood clots / Stroke Increased sensitivity to UV (and associated skin cancers) Reduced breast-milk production. This isn't very detrimental to one's own health, but does effect the health of the child. The only down-side of Progestin-only pills versus Oestrogen-containing pills is that it is extra important that it be taken at the same time every day for full efficacy. Obviously the implant doesn't suffer from this drawback.
        gcb 15y ago
        I know every geek here research the hell out of everything... and so i don't trust even my doctor when he/she can't show (or i can't find later) pertinent and well controlled studies before messing something in my body. i'm pretty sure you did your research, but those articles and discussion here shouldn't be taken as 'proof' of anything as the comment i replied to sounded to imply. also, i have a paranoia that no hormone/protein/enzyme does less then a few things in your body. if they list only one or two effects, it's because they have no clue what else they do. prolactin was believed to only affect the milk production in mamals for a long time (and water-salt control in fishes). now there's some other dozen effects on the body including neuron fiber formation.
  - schiffern 15y ago
    And those would be…
rada 15y ago
From personal experience with both hormonal and non-hormonal contraception (Pill vs. copper IUD), I suspect the reported aggravation is due to the fact that the Pill reduces said "aggravation", and once you are off the hormones, you feel like it's worse but it's really just back to normal. In general, when the IUD is installed correctly, the body does not perceive it as a foreign object or try to reject it or move about and puncture holes or increase the levels of copper in the blood or [insert another myth that seems to make intuitive sense but has no scientific or observed basis]. (There is one myth that has near truth to it. The common misconception that you have to have been pregnant to get it. This is not true either - the uterus just has to be big enough to house the IUD comfortably and and it's virtually guaranteed that a post-pregnancy uterus is. However for most pre-pregnancy women this not a problem either, and a size check is the first step during the installation process). The benefits on the other hand are real, and huge. Reduced risk of hormone-associated cancers, noticeably increased sex-drive, better hair, nails, and skin, not having to take a pill every day, less money, statistically better protection from pregnancy, the list goes on.

by enduser 15y ago

jes5199 15y ago

well, non-hormonal IUDs function by stimulating the uterus to produce hormones (prostaglandins) - So they can actually have more significant side-effects than hormonal IUDs.

schiffern 15y ago

>No silver bullet. My partner and I use Implanon, which has no associated cancer or heart risk. See my post: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3774010 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3774010 It's not perfect, but the side-effects are small and it's the most effective form of birth control besides true abstinence (as opposed to "virginity pledges," et al). Works for three years, nothing to remember, no risk of uterine perforation like IUDs, and none of the nasty estrogen side-effects.

mahyarm 15y ago
Implanon is hormonal birth control, how does it avoid the general problems of hormonal birth control?
- mjdwitt 15y ago
  Looks like schiffern answered that an hour ago: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3774010 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3774010
  - gcb 15y ago
    In a very uninformative, and only regarding cancer. Most issues with hormones is that they do all sort of stuff on yourbody. not only one controlled thing
    - schiffern 15y ago
      I also mentioned heart problems, but I limited my response to only those side-effects Lazare mentioned in order to stay on-topic. Side effects of Oestrogen-containing contraceptives that don't seem to be caused by Progestin-only contraceptives include: Increased risk of cancer Increased risk of heart disease Bone density reduction Blood clots / Stroke Increased sensitivity to UV (and associated skin cancers) Reduced breast-milk production. This isn't very detrimental to one's own health, but does effect the health of the child. The only down-side of Progestin-only pills versus Oestrogen-containing pills is that it is extra important that it be taken at the same time every day for full efficacy. Obviously the implant doesn't suffer from this drawback.
      - gcb 15y ago
        I know every geek here research the hell out of everything... and so i don't trust even my doctor when he/she can't show (or i can't find later) pertinent and well controlled studies before messing something in my body. i'm pretty sure you did your research, but those articles and discussion here shouldn't be taken as 'proof' of anything as the comment i replied to sounded to imply. also, i have a paranoia that no hormone/protein/enzyme does less then a few things in your body. if they list only one or two effects, it's because they have no clue what else they do. prolactin was believed to only affect the milk production in mamals for a long time (and water-salt control in fishes). now there's some other dozen effects on the body including neuron fiber formation.
- schiffern 15y ago
  And those would be…

rada 15y ago

From personal experience with both hormonal and non-hormonal contraception (Pill vs. copper IUD), I suspect the reported aggravation is due to the fact that the Pill reduces said "aggravation", and once you are off the hormones, you feel like it's worse but it's really just back to normal. In general, when the IUD is installed correctly, the body does not perceive it as a foreign object or try to reject it or move about and puncture holes or increase the levels of copper in the blood or [insert another myth that seems to make intuitive sense but has no scientific or observed basis]. (There is one myth that has near truth to it. The common misconception that you have to have been pregnant to get it. This is not true either - the uterus just has to be big enough to house the IUD comfortably and and it's virtually guaranteed that a post-pregnancy uterus is. However for most pre-pregnancy women this not a problem either, and a size check is the first step during the installation process). The benefits on the other hand are real, and huge. Reduced risk of hormone-associated cancers, noticeably increased sex-drive, better hair, nails, and skin, not having to take a pill every day, less money, statistically better protection from pregnancy, the list goes on.