So I got a Mirena IUD installed a few months ago and thought I'd write up a little review for any ladies out there who might be considering the various birth control options for long-term travel.

Background: I'm 30 yrs old, married, no kids, have only been on the pill til now. Starting next summer I'm planning to be traveling with my husband for a year, and I've been seriously doubting whether I would be able to find the right sort of pill on the road. It took a lot of trial and error for my doctor to find a dosage that worked right for me, so I wasn't feeling confident taking whatever I could find in random pharmacies. I'm cool with that method for cold meds, not so much with birth control. I was also not thrilled about the alternative of paying for and carrying a 12 month supply.

The Consult: My primary doc referred me to an ob/gyn, who did a consultation with me first. She talked with me about all the various risks and possible side effects, and then scheduled me for the procedure. IUDs are not popular in the US, and they are usually contra-indicated for women who have not had children, so I wasn't sure if I'd be able to get one, but she didn't hesitate. She did warn me that the insertion would be more painful for me since I've never given birth, but otherwise, no issues.

The Procedure: [guys, you may want to avert your eyes now] I have to say my doc was right about the insertion. It was painful, no doubt about it. Start to finish it only took maybe 5 minutes, but for about a minute of that it felt like my body was trying to turn itself inside out, and yowzer, that part was intense! I had arranged for my mom to drive me home after, and I'm glad I did, because while I walked out to the car feeling great, once we were driving I started to feel really nauseous. Once I got home I laid down for about an hour and the nausea passed. My uterus was super pissed at me for the rest of the day, but otherwise I felt fine. The next day I felt kind of crampy and tired, but that's it. My monthly cycle stopped that same day and I haven't seen it since.

Overall Rating: Two Thumbs Up! There's been no pain, no horrible scary side effects. My doc says it's quite likely I won't have any monthly activity from here on out. And this is good for five years, woohoo! My insurance covered 100% of the cost after a $40 co-pay. My only regret is that I didn't do this earlier! If anyone out there is on the fence about the idea and wants to ask about details, feel free to PM me.

Two thumbs up!

I have had a Mirena IUD for approximately 4.5 years. I'm now 27, never had children. The insertion process is, indeed, painful... but!
(1) No need to worry about pills/ condoms/ diaphrams/ etc for FIVE YEARS;
(2) My out-of-pocket cost was $50 at Planned Parenthood;
(3) I have extremely light spotting for 1-2 days every 35 days and no "real" period.

I couldn't recommend the Mirena more highly. Actually, THREE of my female friends have gotten a Mirena on my recommendation! I will be getting a new Mirena before I depart the U.S. early next year.