When I had my first one done, they told me to pregame with 800mg Ibuprofen. Which helped exactly as much as you would expect for a procedure that may have to manually dilate the cervix.

When I got the replacement, I demanded something stronger under the promise that I would have another person drive me to and from the appointment. They gave me xanax, which, while def not a pain reliever, did actually help in that I cannot remember the insertion process of IUD #2. I do still remember the painfulness associated with IUD #1. So the Xanax did something at least.

While these new guidelines are encouraging, I would also like to encourage all women to actively advocate for themselves and their own medical treatment. I was able to get better relief just by asking/insisting. You really have nothing to lose if you try; all they can do is tell you no.