I've been writing articles for around a year now and something I have never done is be so open and bold with my topics. Typically, I stay away from articles relating to topics of politics, government, religion, and other "taboo" topics that a lot of people consider to be very personal things. These topics aren't something I've ever felt like sharing, but I've recently changed my opinion on speaking out about some personal things because I've realized just how helpful my experiences can be for others.

So let's talk about something I consider to be very personal; my choice of birth control.

A lot of women are using some form of birth control and there is a lot of talk surrounding the topic. For me, birth control just never felt right. I'm someone that doesn't even like to take Advil when I'm getting a headache, so the idea of having to take a pill daily, that would give me a daily dose of hormones, made me feel really uncomfortable. Because of this, I chose to never put myself on birth control, and my boyfriend and I used other forms of birth control, like condoms.

But let's just be transparent and frank for a second; using those types of birth control can get frustrating, especially if you're in a long-term of a relationship as I am (7 years this month!). Judge me for saying that if you want, but if you've been in a long-term relationship, you know what I'm talking about.

For the last year or so, I've been tossing around the idea of getting a prescription for birth control, but once again, I have a hard time taking medicine and I didn't want to take a hormonal pill that just felt...risky. I was worried about complications when it came time to try to have a family, and the things I've heard people say about being on the pill just didn't seem worth it to me. The pros didn't outweigh the cons.

Enter the IUD. If you've never heard of an IUD, also known as an intrauterine device, it is a small, t-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus. They're nearly as effective as sterilization, but guess what? As soon as you remove it, you're able to return to normal and your fertility isn't affected.

So let's get into what you're really interested in hearing about. What was the insertion like? Did it hurt? How long does it last?

I got the IUD (for me, the Kyleena) inserted at our College's health clinic. I was really scared when I made my appointment because I did exactly what I would recommend you NOT do, and I googled videos and articles about it. Let's just say, I was scared shitless.

They gave me a shot in my lower back for pain, and after I sat for twenty minutes for it to kick in, they took me into the exam room. I got undressed waist down, got on the table, and waited for the OBGYN to come in. She came in with two nurses and got me prepped. Once it started, she said I would feel some cramping, and she inserted the "insertion tube" and then she said I would feel a little more cramping (which I did) and that was it. We were done.

It took three minutes. I timed it on my phone.

It was incredible. Three minutes of some slight discomfort and I would be good to go for five years! Everyone keeps asking me if it hurt. I think I have a higher pain tolerance, but on a 1-10 scale, 10 being the worst, I would put it at a 4.5. Not a big deal at all.

Two days later and I've had a little spotting and a little cramping as well. Both of these are totally normal side effects. I did have two side effects that I wasn't prepared for. Right after my appointment, I went to class and I had floaters in my vision. As someone that's never experienced this before, it was definitely scary. This was probably my fault because I think I should've gone home and went to bed. I also have had a little shortness of breath, but that could be because it has made me a little bloated.

Overall, I'm having a pretty good experience. Nothing too serious has happened, and I have been in very little pain. I've only taken Ibuprofen once.

Take my advice and don't automatically Google "IUD Insertions" if you're considering getting an IUD. There aren't many good videos or good articles on the topic and what you see are the absolute horror stories. Maybe I should make a Youtube video about my own experience and put it on my Vlog channel.

Take it from someone that has been through this and has lived to tell the tale.

IUDs are not as scary as the internet makes them seem.