"i was on loestrin fe for two years and loved it; then i found out i have a genetic predisposition to blood clots, and my doctor recommended switching to non-hormonal birth control. so i tried paragard. the insertion was extremely painful, i cramped for a day, then was fine. and it has been absolutely 100% effective as birth control. but the side effects were debilitating. my periods, which were previously light for 5 days, became heavy for 7-8 days, with spotting for 4 days beforehand. my cramps severely intensified to the point of being unbearable, and i had two yeast infections in the two years i&#039;ve had it, compared to the none i had before. again, it worked as birth control...but the side effects had a huge impact on my life."