For as long as I can remember, I’ve had very strong periods. It was something I thought I simply had to live with. Painful, heavy, exhausting, but normal for me. Then in my mid thirties things became significantly worse. My periods were not only heavier but much longer. Sometimes I would bleed for ten days or more and pass very large clots. It started to feel alarming rather than just inconvenient. Eventually I went to see a gynecologist and after some tests I was diagnosed with two fibroids. It was a relief to finally understand what was happening, but it also left me wondering what to do next.

The real problem was not only the severity of the bleeding but also the duration. Bleeding that heavily for that many days every month takes a toll on the body. Over time I developed low iron and anemia, something I have struggled with for more than a decade now and something I will write about in more detail in another article. Like many people facing a health issue, I tried many different things in the hope of improving the situation. Eventually the gynecologist suggested getting an IUD. At the time I was in a relationship and thought it might be worth trying since it could potentially help with both contraception and my heavy periods.

Before making the decision I asked a few friends about their experiences. The responses were very mixed. Some of them had the device for years and said it worked wonderfully for them. Their periods became very light or almost disappeared and they had no issues at all. Others had a completely different experience and spoke about strong pain or unexpected changes in their bodies. One comment that stayed with me came from my friend Ruby. She told me that after getting an IUD she had gained more than ten kilos. She eventually had it removed but said she had never been able to lose the weight afterwards. Ruby is only twenty one, so hearing that made me pause, but in the end I decided to try it anyway.

The first three months were very difficult. My periods actually became worse rather than better. I remember feeling frustrated every time my cycle arrived. When I went back to the doctor he told me to give it more time and said that things usually improved after the body adjusted. So I tried to be patient and continued with it. However, the improvement never really came. The bleeding did not change in any meaningful way and the symptoms that had pushed me to seek help in the first place were still there.

About a year later I started noticing changes in my body that surprised me. I realised that I had suddenly become a size fourteen, which had never happened before in my life. I had always been around a size ten or sometimes a twelve. I also noticed new weight around my waist and love handles appear overnight. I thought of Ruby. It felt strange to see my body change in a way I could not fully explain.

Looking back now, I can honestly say that getting the IUD did not help my situation. My periods did not improve and I found myself five to seven kilos heavier. Everyone’s experience is different and I know some people who have had great results with it. But for me it simply did not work, and I would not personally recommend it, especially for women approaching their forties. If you ask me know should I get an IUD, my answer is simple: Don’t! Unless you are trying to gain weight, which most women I know are definitely not.

Experiences like this are part of why I started Herb Ritual, a place where I share what I have tried, what worked for me and what did not. I wish I had listened to Ruby back then as I myself now struggling to loose the extra kilos when up to now it has always been so easy to do.

Good luck and please share your thoughts.

— Lana
Founder of Herb Ritual 🌿