"i was on the pill for years.  they made me emotional, killed my sex drive completely, and dried me out so sex was incredibly painful. i finally gave up on it and relied on condoms, but i wanted something more reliable.  plus condoms are kind of a kill joy and, well, just aren&#039;t the same. the only thing left was paragard.  yes, like many others, my periods started out horrendous, but eventually evened out over a year.  cramps, expect to take some ibuprofen and then maybe some acetaminophen. but again, they lessened with time.  for me it was totally worth it.    i have an amazing sexual relationship with my husband.  totally worth all the cramps and heavier periods.  for me i felt like it gave me my life back."