Feeling At a Loss

[napalmtheory.livejournal.com]

I'm Erica. I'm a twenty year old college chick, and I feel like I am experiencing a loss.

Backbround info: I have the Mirena. I have had it since June. My period has slowed to some minor spotting.

I miss my period. Just when I found the IUD was an affordable and convenient option, I had aquired a Diva Cup and two sets of Luna Pads. I enjoyed my period and it was a deeply spiritual thing as I am a practicing Wiccan. I needed highly effective birth control that was hands off because I'm no good at pill taking and the blood-steam oriented hormones were doing crazy things to me. I found the Mirena was free to me under my insurance and took it. It's been a wonderful birth control method and I would not go back, but at the same time, I yearn for my period. There have been times where I would have thought myself mad for thinking so, but I've connected with myself as a woman and my period was one of my realizations.

I mourn my period. I don't know what to do. I feel like I've lost something.

Comments

[iworshipsatin.livejournal.com]

I got my Mirena August 9th and I am STILL bleeding and I have taken to using my sister's birth control to stop it. I'll trade you. :P
I have a really awful, heavy and painful period so you probably don't want to trade.

[napalmtheory.livejournal.com]

I spotted like mad for two months and cramped for a bit, but that was it. I'm 'lucky' I suppose. I think.

[iworshipsatin.livejournal.com]

I just started spotting this past week and a half. Otherwise it was like a heavy period. :(
I stop bleeding completely like clock workwork everyday around3-4pm and then I restart between 11am-12pm the next day. It is frustrating. I'd really like to "test" my IUD with my SO. My PCP went as far as scheduling me for a removal next week because it is making me so manic. If the blood finally stops I am going to cancel it and give it another period to see how it goes.

[napalmtheory.livejournal.com]

I'm rather fond of the convenience of the IUD, as I'm forgetful and I LOVE spontinaeity. It just takes a couple months to even out, kind of like the pill.

[iworshipsatin.livejournal.com]

I've never had a problem with the pill.
I do hate them though because I am too lazy to remember to take them.

[jennifer19.livejournal.com]

if you want to do hormonal still, try NuvaRing. It's conveniant (put it in for three weeks, take out for one) for people (like ME) that hate taking the pill cause it has to be taken everyday. I've been on it for two years or so. LOVE it. :-)

[jennifer19.livejournal.com]

EEK! that's actually a reason why i'm so terrified of doing an IUD. I actually love my period. It's taken me a long time to get to that point, but I like it every month. Also...i like the reassurance I'm not pregnant. Call me paranoid if you will...but it's good for me. ;-) I thought about the non-hormonal IUD but I heard that can make periods really heavy.

AND horray for fellow Diva users. :-)

[sagesseabiona.livejournal.com]

I have a non-hormonal IUD. My period is a little longer then on the pill and a little heavier but nothing my Diva cup can't handle! But I was a lucky girl with no cramping before my IUD and 3 days of light bleeding.
I also am very intouch with my bleeding times. And also pagan, so I can relate a little.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_last_serenade_/]

you might look into a paragard when your mirena term is up. i have a mirena as well and i love not having a period (i seem to have a short one every 3-4 months or so), but if you miss yours, the paragard is non hormonal and you'll probably still have a trackable monthly cycle. it's typically cheaper than the mirena too, so it's probably free through your insurance as well. just check to make sure you're not allergic to copper first. :)

[napalmtheory.livejournal.com]

The Mirena was free for me. Paragard, however, was not covered. Why? I have no idea.

[napalmtheory.livejournal.com]

Also, I need the hormones because it controls a rather violent cramping problem I had that manifested in some crazy nausea. Paragard won't afford that to me.