"i just had the mirena inserted and although there were about two 30second moments of intense cramping it wasn&#039;t that painful at all.  i think there are a lot of misleading experiences on the web.  just remember that those who have had a very bad experience with a product are more likely to report it. experiences are different for everyone. there will be a feeling of having pms cramps for awhile afterwards, so a heating pad + aleve has been my best friends, and it is really manageable. plus it is good for 5 years! i am very pleased with this.  i had to change because i developed a deep vein thrombosis on a long flight and was no longer allowed to take estrogen. i liked the pill too though, except for that experience."