Free Bleeding

Dear hormonal coil,

Since July 2017 you are in my womb delivering locally some hormones. Since I have my periods every 35 days for 3-5 days with no needs of protections just washing my underwear. Before that my periods was every 35 days but for 8 days and very heavy. I needed to change my protection multiple times a day and leak at night was frequent.

I like to continue to have my periods but this flux it's better for me.

thank you coil

Aurore, France

Managing Migraines

Dear migraines,

I was started on the pill at 15, and I had horrific migraines, I’d never had migraine before and I tried 5 different pills but they were all the same, some gave me a migraine the same day I took it, others would give me then after a week of taking it, the doctor said that I couldn’t take the pill anymore as it was increasing my risk of strokes or blood clots! So I got the hormonal coil, as the hormones are localised so don’t have to travel round my body. Interestingly though my migraines never stopped after not taking the pill anymore, they got much less frequent as in maybe 3 times a year, but when I got to university I’m my third year I was diagnosed with silent hemiplegic migraines and I had to stop drinking caffeine and eating chocolate. Luckily I’ve been almost migraine free for 2 years.

Emily, UK

Tried Everything

Dear Contraception,

Why can I never find the right contraception for me? I’ve tried pills and pills and pills. I’ve tried implants and injections and patches. My last option is a coil and this scares me half to death. I’m currently without anything (not sexually active either) and it’s hell. Just need something for these painful and heavy periods and nothing can sort me out without migraines or continuous bleeding or pain.

Anonymous, UK

Short Finger Problems

Dear Hormonal Coil,

I really appreciate the whole no kids thing and the few side effects, but would it be possible for this spotting to stop? It’s been 8 months and it’s getting a bit boring now, let’s change it up! How about some sore tits? Also, I have short fingers so let’s just hope you’re still up there while I can’t check, k?

Lots of love, my appreciative but mildly disgruntled uterus.

Georgia, England

The Ultimate Rejection

Dear my coil,

Thank you for eliminating most of my endometriosis symptoms. Thank you for allowing me to have pain free, enjoyable sex. But why did my uterus have to reject you. Why did you fall out after 1 year of being fine and cause unimaginable pain.

Mille, England

So. Much. Blood.

Dear Madam Copper Coil,

Thank you for the horrendous year of 2 week long periods and immense pain. There’s so much blood I don’t want to have sex. And because I can’t take you out myself, you’re still up in there causing havoc! It’s been a dream x

Anonymous, UK

Peace In Our Time

Dear IUD,

Thank you for changing my life forever. You set me free from debilitatingly heavy and painful periods which left me throwing up and missing work. I feel more comfortable in my body thanks to you, no longer at war with my uterus, and free to book a beach holiday or a swim session any day of the month. And for me and my partner sex is a lot sexier without condom smell!

Anonymous, UK

A Positive Review

Dear Copper Coil,

I wish I'd switched to you soo much sooner! After years of various pills/implants only to have irregular bleeding no matter what, I was going insane. I wish I'd seen more positive information about you so I could have felt more comfortable about you being an option. I feel in control of my life again thanks to you.

Jen, UK

Not What You Want at a Festival

Dear Copper Coil,

Thanks for choosing the first month to really go for it and bleed like crazy. Just what I needed at my first Glastonbury festival with no access to sanitation and limited knickers.

Erika, UK

A Love Letter

Dear hormonal coil,

I love you.

I love how secure you make me feel by protecting me from pregnancy (without any effort on my part). I love that the low dose of localised hormones don't seem to reach my brain and turn me into the ultra sensitive, will-cry-at-any-moment self that I was on the pill.

I love that I still get to have a distinct hormonal cycle and period with you. I have been tracking my experience with my hormonal cycle and have loved being able to work with and harness the power of it. I didn't really get to have a hormonal cycle with the pill.

Even though I like the feelings of release, reflection, and the opportunity to pause and focus on self care that comes with my periods, I appreciate that you make them so light and manageable for me.

It's been a good 3.5 years so far, here's to many more!

With love,
Holly

Holly, Australia

Go With the Flow

Dear hormonal coil,

It's been a bumpy ride so far. I wasn't prepared for how you wouldn't settle for the first 6 weeks or that my body would do new things throughout the month according to my hormones (your friend, the pill, had left me without periods for 3 years). We had big cramps at first and changes in breast tissue which seemed scary, but we seem to be settling and learning how to be with each other now.

I wish that more people talked about you and women's bodies in general, you're such a mystery and taboo.

Despite the uncertainty, you've taught me a lot - how to be patient with my body, go with the flow (literally!) and seek help when I was unsure of what changes meant. I know my physical and mental body more deeply because of you.

Here's to a being more hopeful in our partnership and that it endures.

Ellie

Ellie, UK

The Christmas Nightshift

Dear IUD the 1st,

Its been four years but I still haven't forgiven you for falling out during a Christmas nightshift which lead to me having to have a last minute gyno appointment. Nothing will beat the cringe I felt lying with my legs up, listening to East 17 on the radio, in my work uniform. Thankfully my current one has been no where near as badly behaved and we are very happy together!!

Hannah, UK

Home

Dear Body

Thank you, although I’ve put you through so much, you’re my home. Although I now have an IUD I still know my cycle, the sudden influx of whiteheads and that random irritability at physical touch, I’ve learned your rhythms. It’s taken 22 years and a lot of work, but I’m happy in my home. I promise to take better care of you.

Zoe, England

No Worries

Dear the hormonal coil, the best IUD

Thank you for SAVING me from 8+ days of incredibly painful and heavy periods that made me wish I was a man. I no longer worry about being pregnant from having a 40+ day cycle too. It’s taken a huge load off my shoulders, pun intended.

Anonymous, Puerto Rico

I <3 My Coil

Dear coil,

Thank you for giving me the other three weeks of the month to me. Stopping the migraines, tsunami blood flow and saving me so much money in tampons and pads, (because I had to change both every hour to avoid the tsunami). I’m not sure how I got to 33 without you. My boobs only hurt a little bit now, and my painkiller taking has gone down. I was on strong painkillers, which clot my blood enough that I could use a menstrual cup and a pad. Now I only need a night time one at night, and normal middle ones for day time, only needing to empty the cup three times a day.

Since I had you inserted I have been able to have a light coloured bottom sheet since I don’t bleed out in the night. I keep running through pms, my period (always had to have a week off for that) and the weeks recovery without injury as I couldn’t feel it due to the drugs.

I only get the odd cramp, and my diarrhea is solved.

I have a few extra spots, but nothing as bad as when I ate cheese and milk and ice cream and store bought cake. Or soya. Or monosodium glutamate.

And have I gotten a little chunky due to quarantine or is it you? We shall never know.

There’s no going back now. How did I drive to work when my vision was swimming? How am I alive!

Sincerely
I<3my coil

Anonymous, UK

I Am Strong

Dear copper coil,

I still vividly remember how painful it was to get you, the following 24 hrs where it was hard to stand and I wanted to be sick. My periods got longer, bloodier and so much more painful. Yet I fought to get you. Doctors told me it wasn't advisable as I'd never given birth, I'd had bad periods before which meant I would probably not have an easy time with you. But I was determined to try.

I had been on the combined pill, my first contraceptive, for a year and I felt so relieved that my periods had finally become predictable. They still hurt but they were short, less bloody. It took a long time for me to realise my mind was affected instead. The doctor said my depressive feelings were only a result of Masters year stress, not the pill. I had to wait to till the year was over. I believed her. It didn't get better. I returned and requested a new method of contraceptive, one that didn't make me a ball of anxiety if I took it half an hour late. She suggested the implant, a progesterone-only contraceptive that would go in my arm and last for 3 years. Perfect I thought, it was a year and a half later as I fell into a depression related to work pressure that I discovered through my own research that progesterone is linked to low mood side effects. I had periods that lasted weeks, I became anaemic and my hair thinned. It took months to get the implant removed.

A new doctor, a new combined pill, this had a lower dose of progesterone and my periods came back under control, I even hoped my mood was a little better. However, I was badly depressed, going to counselling and taking antidepressants, I was desperate to do anything to lighten the strain. I started looking at non-hormonal contraceptives.

Condoms only terrified me, I never want to be pregnant. That left the copper coil. I was advised toward the hormonal progesterone coil, "It's a low localised dose, fewer side effects, like only taking two pills a week". I was unmoved, I knew my body now. I got almost every side effect on the progesterone implant, I knew this meant the hormonal coil wouldn't lessen my periods, so what benefit was there if it continued to add to my depression? I had to know how bad my mental state really was, free from hormones.

So I got you, the 5-year copper IUD, and they had not been sugar-coating the insertion pain (next time, I want stronger pain medication than two paracetamol). But I'm functioning better, my depression is still here but I have only had one panic attack in the last 3 months since I got you. The mental space dedicated to fear of missed contraceptives is now free. My periods suck but I'm taking the physical pain over mental pain joyfully. I've got prescription pain killers as of my fourth month of coil periods, something I should have asked for as a teenager when I missed school due to period pain.

So, dear copper IUD, thank you. You showed me I could stick up for myself, that my mental health was a valid factor and it's ok to ask for help and a second opinion until a better solution is found. There are no medals for crying in pain so I kicked my pride out the window and asked for painkillers that would actually do something. In an odd way, you taught me to stop punishing myself, even if you do hurt like f**k.

Thanks for showing me I'm strong.

Anonymous, Northern Ireland

Empowerment and Mood Swings

Dear copper IUD,

It's been 2 years now since we were introduced, and although we've had our ups and our downs, I have to say you make me feel so empowered. I think you made my mood swings worse (boo) but you've helped me enjoy sex more (yay) - all in all, I think we're pretty good together!

Emily, Sweden

150 Days!

Dear my hormonal coil,

Thanks!! Thanks so much for 150 days now of no periods and no pain. Plus, it's lovely having a great and spontaneous sex life with my boyfriend.

It was weird at first, the idea of having something new inside me, and it did require an afternoon in bed when you were put in. But I'm so grateful!!

Love, Hannah

Hannah, UK

Is it Because My Body is Weird?

Dear IUD,

I really hoped we would last longer than we did. You were such a good help with the horrible pain, but twice you tried to leave me and the third time I had to let you go. Now I'm trying to find a replacement, but it's hard to find a match like you were. Luckily the pain isn't as bad anymore, if it's because of our short friendship or just because body is weird, I'll never know.

But I sure do miss you.

Sara, Norway

Diagnosis Party!

Dear period,

Here we are. About 9 years after my first period. It has been a wild ride so far. Over the past years we have dealt with so many irregular periods, horrible cramps, pregnancy scares and so much more. I have always felt that there was something a bit off about you. I never knew what and I was never encouraged to figure it out. Never. I was actually advised against figuring out what was actually wrong. I felt helpless, scared, frustrated and so much more. Until I was done with all of that and decided that I needed to know what was wrong. We have dealt with 3 types of different birth control pills, broken condoms, an implant, coitus interruptus, fertility awareness methods to finally come to the hormonal coil. Because the other methods weren't especially helpful with regulating you and giving me the security I needed to feel safe, I came down to the decision to get a hormonal coil. Not using any other birth control except condoms was not an option because my partner didn't feel safe enough. So I came down to a coil. But not after I went to multiple doctors to insist a examination about PCOS. I had read so much about this hormonal disorder that I was certain that this was it. And it was. Finally after all those years of not knowing what was happening, I finally do. And it brings me so much joy that I don't have to question my period every time it happens.

Love Sophie

Sophie, Netherlands