Raupe - the old copper IUD's are the ones that made bleeding heavier but the new mirena is made from plastic and slowly releases a hormone, and in a lot of cases seems to lighten and sometimes stop periods all together. The only thing you could really "feel" and that was with your fingers IYKWIM lol is the two strings, much like fishing line that pass through the cervix opening to help keep it in place. My husband said he never felt it during intercourse. Your GP can put it in and it's much like having a pap smear, from memory the prescription was around $30 and if your GP bulk bills it works out to be a very low cost over 5 years.