Ash89, if you get Mirena and wind up being one of the 30% of wearers whose period disappears, you could check for the placement of the IUD (there is a string) to confirm that you are not pregnant. So you would not have the kind of a late period anxiety you had in high school.

I do not remember any pain from Mirena insertion, but I am in general very relaxed during well woman care appointments - I have never even a modicum of the kind of fear of a well woman exam that gets reported on this forum and a women's issues forum. If you are nervous, I can see how insertion might hurt. I have had three IUD's placed inside my uterus - Paraguard once and Mirena twice - and two IUD's taken out of the uterus. I do not recall any unpleasant sensations during those 5 times. I mean, getting the anesthetic shot being dental work is MUCH more "memorable" than IUD insertion.