I am a 40 year old woman, no kids, and I had been on the depo provera shot for years...........but wanted a change, and wanted to use a birth control method whose side affect, like depo provera, was the absence of bleeding..........EVER. (Love not getting my period............duh)

So I decided on the Mirena IUD. Went in to have it inserted yesterday..............HOLY OUCH. I do have a high threshold for pain, but this was extreme. He first used a device to "open" my cervix a bit, since it was completely closed because I have not had children. That was tolerable. But then when he tried getting the Mirena up into the uterus (through the cervix, of course) I screamed in pain and flew about 2 feet backwards on the examining table.
He then decided he would try numbing my cervix...........so a long needle went up into my vagina to numb the cervix............that was tolerable. He said "now we will wait a minute" and I said "how about we wait TWO minutes?" and he did, the doctor I might add was a real trooper. After the numbing, he attempted again, with success.
Good lord after all that, I never wanted to have SEX AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But as a helpful hint to those of you considering this procedure, a word to the wise...........If you have not had children, just ask to be numbed first. It would have saved at least 20 minutes of my time and the doctors. If they need to try to "stretch out" your cervix first with the little tool, chances are you better just get numbed and get on with it.
Cramping was severe for about 3 hours, but am fine today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Time will tell as far as all the other side affects..........................