Got My Period Again With Iud

The Uterus'south Fight: My Findings on the Copper IUD

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"Some people have side effects afterward getting their IUD. They ordinarily get away in about 3–6 months, one time your body gets used to the company in your uterus. And then if you can stick it out for a few months, there'south a good chance the side effects volition ease upward."

-Planned Parenthood

"The visitor". "If you can stick it out". "A good hazard".

Does this quote reassure y'all?

In hopes of finding an accommodating alternative to hormonal nascence control, millions of women — including myself — have turned to the copper IUD, known for having no subsequent side effects besides pain and cramping following insertion.

A copper wire coiled around a plastic "T" is inserted into the uterus and produces an inflammatory reaction that is toxic to sperm and eggs, preventing pregnancy.

The hidden truth is, because of simplified previous enquiry and the fact that we have no longitudinal nor cross-department data to support any of these medical claims, piddling is known well-nigh how side effects might change over time. So sure, IUD side effects can ease up — but they can also worsen and crusade ravaging effects, and we don't know.

So what other data is subconscious from us?

The relationship between estrogen and copper

Past result, having a copper IUD inside of your uterus — despite it being a non-hormonal method — nevertheless affects your hormones. There, I said it.

Elevated copper levels practice not necessarily translate into symptoms upon IUD insertion, merely rather over fourth dimension: several women take reported that while the initial painful side furnishings of cramping subtract over time, a multitude of other symptoms announced out of the bluish.

Why?

Copper & estrogen are intricately related. Copper is heavy metal required only in pocket-size amounts in the trunk while estrogen, in example you weren't aware, is the chief female sex hormone and regulator of the female reproductive arrangement. Estrogen is required to be in intricate balance inside the body for optional operation, every bit a lack or excess of has multiple health consequences.

Put simply, excess copper in the torso also increases estrogen in the body.

The more estrogen created, the harder information technology is for the liver and adrenals to detox the copper as the latter "clings" to the estrogen molecules — creating a kind of never-ending feedback loop. Having an excess of copper in the body has been linked to being one of the key underlying drivers of feet, estrogen dominance, dysmenorrhoea (painful periods), menorrhagia (heavy periods), irregular periods, mental wellness bug, and overall hormonal imbalances — in both men and women.

Copper, Mineral Deficiency and Aggravated PMS

Minerals such every bit magnesium, zinc, and B6 are nutrients that help reduce PMS symptoms and are also essential for serotonin production (known as our happiness hormone). All 3 have been shown to diminish when copper levels rise in the body. Studies take also clearly demonstrated that zinc deficiency resulting from increased copper occurs during the luteal phase of a adult female's menstrual wheel — when PMS symptoms occur.

Copper also increases sodium retention, which aggravates PMS symptoms and bloating. This would explicate why several women on the copper IUD report weight gain and month-long bloating after a few weeks of insertion.

As estrogen rises during the premenstrual cycle (PMS) or during pregnancy, copper rises. Many of the emotional symptoms of PMS are also copper-induced and further aggravated as estrogen fluctuates during the cycle. Estrogen will ascent until ovulation, at which point progesterone will take over as the dominant hormone and assistance in bringing the estrogen levels down. Nevertheless, when a woman is estrogen dominant (low progesterone) or has high copper levels in her body, the cycle's natural build-upwardly of estrogen will lead to an even further increase of copper (and decrease in zinc), along with its correlated emotional symptoms.

On that note, consider another scenario: hormonal changes during pregnancy crusade estrogen to increase dramatically, well-nigh doubling levels of copper retention. Postpartum, if the mother is not able to detox her copper load (either naturally through her liver or through chest-feeding) much of her elevated copper level will remain stored in her trunk — a direct correspondent to postpartum low and anxiety.

Post-obit below are the almost mutual symptoms of copper-induced estrogen dominance, sorted by category:

Physical*

• Cramping, heavy bleeding, clotting during menses
• Fibroids
• Endometriosis
• PCOS
• Chest tenderness
• Heavy, uncomfortable bloating (sodium retentivity)
• Rapid weight gain
• Osteoporosis
• PMS
• Faster heartbeat
• Headaches and migraines
• Fatigue and burnout due to adrenal depletion
• Hypothyroidism
• Nausea
• Hair loss and/or whitening of hair
• Acne and eczema
• Loss of sex bulldoze (heightened during ovulation)
• Anemia and iron-deficiency
• Sweet cravings (especially chocolate, known to be loftier in both iron and…copper)
• Allergies and mold sensitivity
• Lowered amnesty
• Insomnia*
• Increased PMS
• Constipation
• Infertility
• Hypoglycemia
• ​Headaches
• Reduced metabolism
• Candida overload/yeast infections
• Joint aches and pains
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• In extreme cases: drug resistance and potential various cancers such as chest cancer

Psychological*

• Mood swings
• Low (or symptoms of)
• A racing mind ("wired simply tired")
• Anxiety
• Panic attacks
• Brain fog/lack of concentration and memory bug
• Irritability
• OCD and Relationship OCD (ROCD)
• Emotional numbing/aloofness/despondence
• Ruminating negative thoughts
• Personality change
• In farthermost cases: pseudo bipolar disorder, balmy schizophrenia due to misperception of cocky or others

*Information cited from Fischer, R. (2014–2020). https://coppertoxic.com/

"Copper is known as the 'emotional mineral'. Information technology affects your energy levels, mood, reproductive organisation — peculiarly in women — libido, immunity, and thyroid and adrenal glands".

— Dr. Lawrence Wilson is a The states-based nutritionist who'due south been treating and writing about copper imbalances for more than xxx years.

Vegetarianism/Vegan Diets and Copper Overload

The vegetarian/vegan diets) volition put one at a higher run a risk of accumulating excess copper. This volition depend on how long one has been following a plant-based diet, the effectiveness of their detox pathways, their life stressors, and the presence of extra sources of copper in their lives — such every bit the nativity control pill or the copper coil IUD. Almost across the board, through HTMA information looking at the tissue level of copper, scientists tin annotation that copper toxicity patterns are typical in the long-term vegan/vegetarian person.

Broken down simply:

• Zinc is required to keep copper in check; without plenty zinc, copper volition accumulate.
• The more absorbable amounts of zinc are found in meats. Without this zinc, backlog copper builds up in tissues and interferes primarily with the liver and digestive system. Remember, it's not almost how many milligrams of zinc or potassium ane eats, but how much is absorbed. Vegans and vegetarians often require extra zinc supplementation.
• When the body is nether stress or suffering from adrenal weakness (often ensued past the body's attempt to rid excess estrogen), the zinc level can drop even further — allowing more than copper to accrue.
• Copper levels are tested through tissues and hair strand tests for the all-time results. Blood work profoundly undermines bodily results and does non depict authentic levels. HTMA (Pilus Tissue Mineral Assay) is a rubber and non-invasive test that measures the levels and comparative ratios of nutrient and toxic minerals constitute in hair.

Recommended Daily Allowance

The RDA of copper for women is 1.2mg per mean solar day, which is what nosotros approximately consume through a counterbalanced nutrition. However, the average copper IUD contains an exposable surface of 0.38 mg of copper, which is approximately already 1/3 of the copper I'd need per mean solar day, without having consumed whatsoever food or water.

If 1 solar day, I ate only 4 squares of dark chocolate while wearing my IUD, I'd already accept consumed my copper RDA for the day. Not to mention that depending on your municipality and home pipe, excess copper may be found in your tap water.

Paraguard, the only copper IUD available in the USA (also currently facing multiple lawsuits), contains 176 mg of coiled copper wire along the vertical stem and 68.7 mg on each side of the horizontal artillery. While their website claims only 0.38 of this copper is exposed to the uterus lining, it must be understood that at that place is still a whooping 313.4mg of copper hanging out in your uterus, 24/vii.

Final Word

I joined a Facebook group last week where over 3500 women take been sharing their difficulties with the copper IUD, including before and after photos of their excessive bloat and breakouts, testifying their mood swings, listing gastrointestinal symptoms and much more.

I listed my symptoms in a mail service (many are listed in the bullet points to a higher place) and it took about 5 seconds earlier a menses of messages and comments came my way, confirming that I am non crazy : I am near probable experiencing the effects of copper overload.

At this signal, the kickoff 2 words that come to mind are angry and exhausted. I feel at a loss with my nascency control, as if I am fighting confronting something that cannot trounce. Unable to find a method that doesn't leave me riddled with side effects, I am also upset that I was led to believe I should not be experiencing side effects with my copper Mona Lisa IUD — when I go on getting these signals from my body that something is definitely upwardly.

In conclusion, I'd like to make the signal of specifying that loads of research confirm the safety of all electric current market place-canonical nascency control methods, including the hormonal and copper IUD.

My goal here is not to argue falsification of those cases; my goal is to remind you that medical practitioners are instructed to tell yous that the copper IUD has no hormonal side effects, which I accept now come up to sympathize as a flat out lie. Without my diligence, without paying attention to my body'southward signals, and without having the head on my shoulders to conduct my own valid enquiry, I would never take gotten the reply I need.

I simply want to advocate for our right to take informed choices and receiving full disclosure — not just a shrug and a "that's not possible, the copper IUD has no hormonal side effects", fifty-fifty when all my signs and symptoms point to hormonal imbalance.

I remind yous, anybody reacts differently. I remind you that I am not suggesting anyone nutrition nor any form of supplement over some other as information technology is non my area of expertise. Nigh of all, I remind you that awareness of potential pitfalls is what will help us avoid them down the route, and information technology is our duty to speak out.

With awareness, intelligent supplementation, adequate inquiry, and awareness of the truth––the risk of copper toxicity can be reduced.

Author'due south notes:

• I am in no means a medical professional. Please do non substitute my research as advice from your general practitioner.
• The use of the term "woman" in the text above is used with the intention of englobing all persons of the female gender.

Resources:

Fischer, R. (2014–2020). https://coppertoxic.com/

Hubacher, D., Chen, P. L., & Park, S. (2009). Side effects from the copper IUD: exercise they decrease over time?. Contraception, 79(5), 356–362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2008.11.012

Including all embedded resources within the text.

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Source: https://medium.com/musings-by-m/the-uteruss-fight-my-findings-on-the-copper-iud-74c2b1242fab

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