Did you lose weight after having the Mirena taken out?

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Replies

  • annazmink
    annazmink Posts: 1 Member
    I gained 60 POUNDS after having my Mirena put in! No amount of exercise or healthy eating, that has proved to work in that past, worked! I could lose nothing. I had to fight with my insurance and doctors and have bloodwork done and log my diet for weeks to get my Mirena switched out for a Paraguard, the hormone free IUD. I finally had it removed after a year, June 17, 2016. As of this morning, I have lost 19.2 pounds!!!!! I will never again get a Mirena, I can't do the hormones.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    annazmink wrote: »
    I gained 60 POUNDS after having my Mirena put in! No amount of exercise or healthy eating, that has proved to work in that past, worked! I could lose nothing. I had to fight with my insurance and doctors and have bloodwork done and log my diet for weeks to get my Mirena switched out for a Paraguard, the hormone free IUD. I finally had it removed after a year, June 17, 2016. As of this morning, I have lost 19.2 pounds!!!!! I will never again get a Mirena, I can't do the hormones.

    exercise and healthy eating do not guarantee weight loss.

    Hormones are only related to max 20lbs I suspect, from water retention and cortisol from stress, rest is the food you put in your mouth.
  • hazellazer
    hazellazer Posts: 3 Member
    I will say that I gained quite a bit of weight in early 2016 because I was struggling with endometriosis symptoms. I stopped exercising and ate very poorly. I had a laparoscopy and had the mirena inserted.

    After recovery, I resumed exercising and controlling my calorie deficiency. I gained even more weight.

    So while I can say with certainty my calories out was more than my calories in, I was still gaining weight. I just had the IUD removed this week. Will continue my current exercise and calorie intake levels and see what happens.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    hazellazer wrote: »
    I will say that I gained quite a bit of weight in early 2016 because I was struggling with endometriosis symptoms. I stopped exercising and ate very poorly. I had a laparoscopy and had the mirena inserted.

    After recovery, I resumed exercising and controlling my calorie deficiency. I gained even more weight.

    So while I can say with certainty my calories out was more than my calories in, I was still gaining weight. I just had the IUD removed this week. Will continue my current exercise and calorie intake levels and see what happens.

    closed diary...so can't really say you are totally controlling your deficit...but

    new exercise
    new BC

    water retention....
  • hazellazer
    hazellazer Posts: 3 Member
    edited August 2016
    There is an NIH study which showed that while both copper IUD and hormonal IUD participants gained weight, LNG IUDs led to a higher percentage of fat gain, whereas the copper users had a lean mass gain. Granted it was only done on 76 people, but it does point to an effect on body composition.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22445431

    Or what about this one? 6.1 Adverse reactions - weight increase.
    https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=92231d6f-f4d8-43b0-aa95-f7cec1cc18c5
  • hazellazer
    hazellazer Posts: 3 Member
    edited August 2016
    Lastly, Stef, keep in mind that these standards of the studies may not really reflect the life of everyday people. It's like when you test of efficiacy vs effectiveness, what you see in a controlled study doesn't necessarily mean it's the reality beyond the bounds of that study.
  • Raspberrybullets
    Raspberrybullets Posts: 17 Member
    I have had mine in since January. I have had no weight gain or moodiness or anything that people are suffering with. I have been losing weight slowly and although its not really showing on the scales it is showing in my clothes. I am wearing size 14 clothes for the first time in 20 years.
  • karliwelhoelter
    karliwelhoelter Posts: 22 Member
    I got my Mirena inserted in December, and I was so excited because I thought there would be no side effects, that it wouldn't mess with my hormones, and on top of that I wouldn't even have to THINK about birth control for five whole years!!
    I've been consistently exercising for 2 years now, a healthy mix of weights and cardio, and I've always managed to keep my weight in the 124-128 range, at around 19% BF eating intuitively while balancing healthy foods with fun foods. I haven't had major problems with acne since I was 18, and I'm almost 24 now.
    A month after I got Mirena, I noticed I was breaking out along my jawline. I thought, no biggie, my body is adjusting from the pill hormones to the Mirena hormones. I was exercising and eating well, and a few months later I notice that I've gained a little weight on my hips. Ok, well, time to add more cardio. A month goes by...two months go by...NOTHING. No loss. I didn't think I had gained.... little did I know, I had crept up to 136. I got frustrated seeing no results, and I was feeling very lethargic at this point... with my acne only getting worse. I stopped working out and ate less well, but still not awful. When I weighed myself after not workout out for 3 months and eating maybe 50/50 well and indugling, I hadn't gained a lb. That's when I knew something wasn't right, paired with my ZERO sex drive and 9 month consistent acne at this point.
    I've felt insane for thinking that ALL of this could be related to my Mirena, but I just knew in my gut that it was.. and I literally cried when I found this thread. I'm sorry for everyone that's had to go through this, but I'm also so glad I'm not the only one. I'm making an appointment tomorrow to get it removed ASAP.

    tldr; Mirena hormones do not do me any favors. Birth control is a hit and miss, everyone is different, don't feel crazy for thinking your problems are related to birth control if they seem out of the blue.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    hazellazer wrote: »
    Lastly, Stef, keep in mind that these standards of the studies may not really reflect the life of everyday people. It's like when you test of efficiacy vs effectiveness, what you see in a controlled study doesn't necessarily mean it's the reality beyond the bounds of that study.

    any studies I have read were not controlled at all...just woman using the BC...no diet control etc.

    I know how studies work and most of them unless controlled are not that reliable for anything other than does the drug do what it is suppose to do.....no double checks on the side effects people report etc...no controls....etc.
  • I had a Paragard for 10 years and just got it removed last month. I'm going through menopause now (just had 3 periods this year, and I'm almost 48) and my boyfriend had a vasectomy many years before he met me, so I don't need birth control anymore. I was always thin and even had trouble gaining weight when I got pregnant at 31, but within a few months of getting the Paragard, I started to put on weight. In the last 10 years, I've gained 30 pounds. Thank God I'm tall and can hide a lot of it.

    Even though Paragard has no hormones, it does something to your metabolism and body functions. Doctors can't even explain why IUDs work! I think it's pretty ironic that within a week after getting it removed, almost all of my water weight went away, the constant rash along my jawline disappeared (this is a common sign of copper toxcicity) and I lost almost 10 pounds without trying. I'm here to lose the remaining 20.

    Two places you can compare notes at:

    A Facebook group with a lot of info: https://www.facebook.com/groups/iudsideeffects/

    A bodybuilding forum published this: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drryan17.htm



  • karliwelhoelter
    karliwelhoelter Posts: 22 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    hazellazer wrote: »
    Lastly, Stef, keep in mind that these standards of the studies may not really reflect the life of everyday people. It's like when you test of efficiacy vs effectiveness, what you see in a controlled study doesn't necessarily mean it's the reality beyond the bounds of that study.

    any studies I have read were not controlled at all...just woman using the BC...no diet control etc.

    I know how studies work and most of them unless controlled are not that reliable for anything other than does the drug do what it is suppose to do.....no double checks on the side effects people report etc...no controls....etc.

    Stef, I don't believe that you have any place in this forum unless you are going to offer your own story of how an IUD did or didn't affect you. Everyone here is simply stating their truth, and they do not deserve to be harrassed by you telling them that they must not be working hard enough or eating correctly. Birth control affects everyone differently, and we are just looking for support here, not to be berated by you.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    edited September 2016
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    hazellazer wrote: »
    Lastly, Stef, keep in mind that these standards of the studies may not really reflect the life of everyday people. It's like when you test of efficiacy vs effectiveness, what you see in a controlled study doesn't necessarily mean it's the reality beyond the bounds of that study.

    any studies I have read were not controlled at all...just woman using the BC...no diet control etc.

    I know how studies work and most of them unless controlled are not that reliable for anything other than does the drug do what it is suppose to do.....no double checks on the side effects people report etc...no controls....etc.

    Stef, I don't believe that you have any place in this forum unless you are going to offer your own story of how an IUD did or didn't affect you. Everyone here is simply stating their truth, and they do not deserve to be harrassed by you telling them that they must not be working hard enough or eating correctly. Birth control affects everyone differently, and we are just looking for support here, not to be berated by you.

    This is an open forum and she's on topic, so she's allowed to comment. I actually appreciate when someone comes in here having read research on topics. She wasn't berating anyone, she was sharing the information that she has on the topic.

    ETA: I gained all my weight pre-Mirena and lost it all while I had it in. I did two bodybuilding competitions with Mirena. I am very sensitive to medications and hormones, but had no problem losing weight when I weighed my food and was honest about my intake just like everyone else trying to lose weight.
  • Missiz_B
    Missiz_B Posts: 13 Member
    hush7hush wrote: »
    I've gotta say, I LOVE my mirena. I didn't gain weight because of it. I gained weight because I was a Fatty McFatFat and ate everything in sight. I also haven't had any problems losing weight. I love the fact that I don't have periods with it, too. I never worry about TOM weight/bloating. [:

    Same here! Lol

    I felt like that for a long time. But it took me a long time to realize it wasn't the mirena...it was the fact that I was overweight that made me feel that way. I decided to make a change, and I have stuck to it for the past 4 wks. I'm not dropping much weight, but I feel the difference in how my clothes fit and my endurance when I walk/workout. Best of luck to you!

  • I have had a mirena since 2009. On my 2nd one. My doctor recommended the first one to me because I had lost some weight, was planning to lose more, and didn't want a lot of hormonal effects.

    I gained that weight back (125 lbs :s )because I stopped everything I was doing at the time (WW). I was burned out.

    I've lost 200 pounds since the 2nd Mirena was inserted. Not saying it doesn't have any cons, but it's the best birth control I have ever used. Fix it and forget it for 5 years, basically. Just some weirdness here and there with cycles and the great fun of insertion, of course.

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    hazellazer wrote: »
    Lastly, Stef, keep in mind that these standards of the studies may not really reflect the life of everyday people. It's like when you test of efficiacy vs effectiveness, what you see in a controlled study doesn't necessarily mean it's the reality beyond the bounds of that study.

    any studies I have read were not controlled at all...just woman using the BC...no diet control etc.

    I know how studies work and most of them unless controlled are not that reliable for anything other than does the drug do what it is suppose to do.....no double checks on the side effects people report etc...no controls....etc.

    Stef, I don't believe that you have any place in this forum unless you are going to offer your own story of how an IUD did or didn't affect you. Everyone here is simply stating their truth, and they do not deserve to be harrassed by you telling them that they must not be working hard enough or eating correctly. Birth control affects everyone differently, and we are just looking for support here, not to be berated by you.

    @karliwelhoelter I used Mirena for 10 years...how is that for experience with it.

    I could go into how much I loved it and it worked beautifully and that any weight I gained was due to over eating because I love over 50lbs while using it...

    and how about you offer your story instead of bashing me for posting truths.

    If you had read my posts in total you would see that I agree some weight gain is expected due to water retention but that is not "true" weight...and if people are experiencing more than 10lbs then they need to be looking at the sdie effect of "increased appetite" for the reason...aka eating too much.
  • Motichoor
    Motichoor Posts: 1 Member
    I first got Mirena inserted about 13 years ago, just after the birth of my daughter. I was 33 years old then and although I didn't gain any noticeable weight at that time, I did lose a lot of weight (without even trying) just after it came out 5 years later. It even caused people to look concerned and ask if I was OK.

    Fast forward to April 2015, I was 44 and had occasional periods with very heavy bleeding or terrible mood swings. Also had a lot of acne. I got the Mirena since going by my previous experience, I'd loved it. Not so much now. I love the fact that my mood swings have disappeared, I'm much happier, my skin looks like it belongs to a much younger person, and of course I have no periods to deal with. However, this time, I have put on about 20 lbs from April 2015 to now. And, like the others, find it very hard to shift, no matter how hard I exercise or eat healthy. In fact, the weight keeps creeping up. I've tried all this while to tell myself that the benefits are worth keeping the Mirena in and I could always exercise. But I have realised now that the weight won't come off until the Mirena does. I'm getting it out at the end of this month and I can't wait. There'll be many down sides to it coming out, of course, but hopefully I will lose a few kilos.
  • yourfitnessenemy
    yourfitnessenemy Posts: 121 Member
    I had no weight gain but I thought it was contributing to my migraines so I had it removed. It wasn't. So I'm having a heck of a time trying to get insurance to cover a new one.
  • MichelleCerutti
    MichelleCerutti Posts: 1 Member
    I had my Mirena inserted in September 2015. In 18 months, I gained 25 pounds. I went from a size 4/6 to a 12. I thought perhaps it was because I was now 36 and maybe my metabolism was slowing down... But I have NEVER struggled with my weight in my life. Shortly before the Mirena, I was 35 and still had the same metabolism I had at 25. I could eat whatever I wanted and retain my slim and shapely figure with little to no effort. So I figured in mid-to-late thirties perhaps I had to work harder. So I started working out more. And not just little gym workouts... I run a lot. I ski uphill in the backcountry with a 30 lb. pack on my back. I swim laps. I skate miles and miles and miles at a time. I do HIIT workouts. I commute on my bicycle. I walk my dogs every night. I work in the garden... So I am always moving, the workouts and intensity vary... but no matter. Even after months of this, the weight kept coming on. So then, despite a pretty healthy/organic/from-scratch/non-processed diet, I gave up all white and added sugars and unrefined carbohydrates. I managed my portions. I thought with exercise and a sugar-free, processed-carb free diet, I would definitely see results. Many more months went by - no results except even more weight gained.

    At my wits end, and after doing some research and finding others with this similar problem -- and just inherently knowing my own body and that what was happening to me was not natural -- I went with my gut and had the Mirena removed. So, just over two weeks ago (18 days ago), I had my Mirena taken out. In that time I have already lost 9 pounds. It literally just fell off of me. No changes to diet or exercise. Now that my exercise and no-sugar diet have both become totally habitual, I can't wait to see how my body looks after keeping up this regime without the Mirena!
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
    I had a mirena put in 3 weeks ago and I've been bleeding ever since. Normal?! Sometimes just spotting, sometimes heavy enough for a tampon.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I had a mirena put in 3 weeks ago and I've been bleeding ever since. Normal?! Sometimes just spotting, sometimes heavy enough for a tampon.

    I did not bleed at all after I had mine put in until the 4 year and 6 month point when it was near the end of it's useful life....

    for either one...are you in pain? if not give it another week or two and if still spotting etc I would chat with the doctor...
  • cldb77
    cldb77 Posts: 33 Member
    I had the mirena fitted two years ago on the advice of my GP because of fibroids and heavy periods. I have already been sterilised so was very reluctant but thought I'd give it a try. My weight had always been relatively stable and I did little exercise. However, over the last couple of years it started creeping on so I started going to boot camp 3 times a week and eating more healthy but it still crept on as I would have the occasional binge. The last year it's piled on and despite numerous workouts and diets it wouldn't shift and I'm now two dress sizes up and heavier than when I was full term with twins. In addition I started loosing more hair, getting a lot of spots and could cry at the drop of a hat as well as having absolutely no sex drive. I'm 39 with a very patient husband who has for a long time said my moods haven't been right since having it fitted. Anyway, I finally had it removed a month ago and I must say I feel tons better, my GP didn't seem surprised by my reasons to take it out and didn't try to pusuade me out of it which I found surprising. I feel like my brain is working again rather than being in a hazy mist, my skin has started to clear up and I've had a few comments at boot camp that I'm looking slimmer( haven't weighed myself yet). My periods are back with a vengeance but I definitely won't be having the mirena re fitted. I have friends who have never had a problem with it so I suppose it just all depends how each individuals body reacts to it. I wish it worked for me but sadly it didn't.
  • bfanny
    bfanny Posts: 440 Member
    edited April 2017
    I don't really know, I had Mirena for 2 years and gained when I overate but lost when I really tried, lost my last 10 lbs then I got my tubes removed almost 3 months ago and I'm gaining, 4 lbs already, it's like I'm going crazy and bingeing out of frustration...What's wrong with me???
  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I had my mirena over 7years ago, due to heavy bleeding and sorry to say I have had it removed 3 months ago. I went back after 5yeaRS for removal in case it went gammy in my womb. they said unless it is a problem they do not like to remove it. So I left it for 7 which honestly can say it was the best time as my bleeding a=had stopped. After the removal 4months ago my body has changed so much. good and bad.at 1st still not bleeding but still having cycles (mucus) this lasted 2 month, then the light period and now the 4th month back to normal. heavy clotted blood (almost looks lke liver), weight gain =3 stone in 7ears

    - very heavy liver clotty blood passing, this is why I had it in the 1st place.
    I have notice weight reducing as I am sure it used to make me binge eat all day, I don't think of food quite as much, lost 7lb 1 month without diet.
    I know this may have nothing to do with this but also my depression which I had worsened, I got snappier paranoid and felt suicidal at time. some days I was so lost with myself. I now have just gotta sort out what I can di with these horrendous bleeds any ideas ladies

    shirley

    Sorry but this post makes no sense...Mirena is removed after 5 years as that is how long it lasts...for a doctor to leave it in for 7 years wouldn't happen. The hormones run out after 5 years per the package and any information on it and it is replaced.

    Not true. I had an expired one in me for almost two years. I regret going in and having it changed. As soon as it expired, I started losing weight rapidly. I was still getting the benefits of having very little of a period. Then I got a wild hair and figured it should be replaced. I gained 30 lbs in less than 4 months.
  • AmandaEdwards1
    AmandaEdwards1 Posts: 46 Member
    I have gained about 15 lbs on Mirena recently but I also haven't been doing anything to curve the weight gain. I started my dieting yesterday and hope to at least lose that 15 lbs by end of summer. I also turned 30 around this time so I can contribute a little bit of the gain to just getting older and my body changing.

    I have a love/hate relationship with Mirena. On one hand, I know I am covered. But I have mild cramping and spotting. And sometimes I notice a smell and its awful but it's not always there.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Libby283 wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I had my mirena over 7years ago, due to heavy bleeding and sorry to say I have had it removed 3 months ago. I went back after 5yeaRS for removal in case it went gammy in my womb. they said unless it is a problem they do not like to remove it. So I left it for 7 which honestly can say it was the best time as my bleeding a=had stopped. After the removal 4months ago my body has changed so much. good and bad.at 1st still not bleeding but still having cycles (mucus) this lasted 2 month, then the light period and now the 4th month back to normal. heavy clotted blood (almost looks lke liver), weight gain =3 stone in 7ears

    - very heavy liver clotty blood passing, this is why I had it in the 1st place.
    I have notice weight reducing as I am sure it used to make me binge eat all day, I don't think of food quite as much, lost 7lb 1 month without diet.
    I know this may have nothing to do with this but also my depression which I had worsened, I got snappier paranoid and felt suicidal at time. some days I was so lost with myself. I now have just gotta sort out what I can di with these horrendous bleeds any ideas ladies

    shirley

    Sorry but this post makes no sense...Mirena is removed after 5 years as that is how long it lasts...for a doctor to leave it in for 7 years wouldn't happen. The hormones run out after 5 years per the package and any information on it and it is replaced.

    Not true. I had an expired one in me for almost two years. I regret going in and having it changed. As soon as it expired, I started losing weight rapidly. I was still getting the benefits of having very little of a period. Then I got a wild hair and figured it should be replaced. I gained 30 lbs in less than 4 months.

    https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/archives/fdaDrugInfo.cfm?archiveid=12313

    If my doctor left mine in for that long I would sue for malpractice....even the manufacture says it needs removed after 5 years...

    I suspect anyone who has it in for longer than 5 years do so at their own choosing not because a doctor said to.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Libby283 wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I had my mirena over 7years ago, due to heavy bleeding and sorry to say I have had it removed 3 months ago. I went back after 5yeaRS for removal in case it went gammy in my womb. they said unless it is a problem they do not like to remove it. So I left it for 7 which honestly can say it was the best time as my bleeding a=had stopped. After the removal 4months ago my body has changed so much. good and bad.at 1st still not bleeding but still having cycles (mucus) this lasted 2 month, then the light period and now the 4th month back to normal. heavy clotted blood (almost looks lke liver), weight gain =3 stone in 7ears

    - very heavy liver clotty blood passing, this is why I had it in the 1st place.
    I have notice weight reducing as I am sure it used to make me binge eat all day, I don't think of food quite as much, lost 7lb 1 month without diet.
    I know this may have nothing to do with this but also my depression which I had worsened, I got snappier paranoid and felt suicidal at time. some days I was so lost with myself. I now have just gotta sort out what I can di with these horrendous bleeds any ideas ladies

    shirley

    Sorry but this post makes no sense...Mirena is removed after 5 years as that is how long it lasts...for a doctor to leave it in for 7 years wouldn't happen. The hormones run out after 5 years per the package and any information on it and it is replaced.

    Not true. I had an expired one in me for almost two years. I regret going in and having it changed. As soon as it expired, I started losing weight rapidly. I was still getting the benefits of having very little of a period. Then I got a wild hair and figured it should be replaced. I gained 30 lbs in less than 4 months.

    https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/archives/fdaDrugInfo.cfm?archiveid=12313

    If my doctor left mine in for that long I would sue for malpractice....even the manufacture says it needs removed after 5 years...

    I suspect anyone who has it in for longer than 5 years do so at their own choosing not because a doctor said to.

    And even then, it's not like the hormones magically expire or run out at 5 years to the day after insertion. Just like any drug, there is some level of residual activity that may remain, but it's just not been validated beyond that.
  • Libby283
    Libby283 Posts: 288 Member
    edited April 2017
    Exactly. My doctor said it was no harm leaving it in longer and that they are proven to work much longer than the five years.

    I should have left it well enough alone.

    And to sue for malpractice it would have had to cause me bodily harm, which it did not.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I really just have to shake my head at this...I can't imagine using an expired drug...wow ladies you are really taking chances with your health aren't you to what avoid weight gain that is due to increased eating.

    Funny how people wouldn't dream of eating a food after it's best before date but think nothing of using expire drugs...might as well start ignoring expiration dates on other things too.
  • suburbiagirl1
    suburbiagirl1 Posts: 1 Member
    tl;dr: I gained 22 lbs in the last two of the three years I had it in. I had it taken out two days ago and since then, I lost two lbs, the belly bloat and strange consistent hunger is gone, but my libido and acne seem to be back. I'll let you know in a few weeks.

    I'm 5'2". My normal weight since high school until the age of 30 was 115 lbs. 3 years after insertion, I now weigh 135..

    I realize this is a dated post so sorry for re-surfacing this. This is my first post so be nice please. I had the Mirena inserted August 2014. During the first year (I didn't realize this until the 3rd year) but my sex drive slowly diminished, otherwise everything else seemed fine. During my 2nd and 3rd years, my sex drive was almost non existent (I was forcing myself to feel aroused just so I could be with my boyfriend although I loved him and still find him attractive) and I slowly gained 20 lbs. I definitely blame myself as I was the only one to put all that food in my mouth but I did it because there was something wrong with me that I couldn't control. My hunger. After the 1st year of having it in, I started to have this insatiable appetite, I would eat and eat and be full for an hour and then feel hunger again although I was still bloated and full from the food I just ate. During the 2nd year, I tried different exercise methods (combinations of jogging, weightlifting, OrangeTheory, etc) thinking that if my body needed more food, then I just needed to work it off but that only made me hungrier and for some reason I wasn't maintaining, in fact I was still gaining. I tried reducing my portions or holding off on eating until a few hours after I felt hunger but that was causing me a lot of mental stress and anxiety. Imagine not being able to think about anything else other than the next time you are going to get to stuff your face. I hadn't experienced this before, I didn't know why it was happening to me and initially I was thinking that I must not be trying hard or that I was not good enough as many of the posters on here believe. I always eat healthy, I'm not the type of person to eat junk food, I just wasn't brought up that way. I love eating healthy. All of my life I ate salads with a little olive oil and vinegar, vegetables, fish, chicken. During my time with the Mirena, I tried Keto, low carb, intermittent fasting, juicing, and ultimately even Alli pills which I didn't agree with, but I still gained. Finally, it occurred to me that I have literally tried everything I considered healthy enough to try and that there must be something wrong with me at which point I started thinking of external variables including lifestyle changes (moving in with the boyfriend, change of jobs, etc) and the Mirena. I figured the easiest variable to address was the Mirena. Two days ago, I saw my gyno (different than the one that inserted it) to have it removed and he asked why I wanted it taken out and I said that I was just tired of gaining weight. He asked, "From the progesterone?" I said, "I think, yea". He didn't push back and seemed he understood what I was going through as we spoke about long term plans. I told him I was going to give myself 6 months to see if I lose or gain and if I lose weight then I'll look into other methods of long-term birth control but will use condoms for now. From what I've read, I think the hormones stay in your system for a few weeks to months therefore I am skeptical of this but my bloat is gone and I am able to feel what it's like having an empty stomach and not have to think about food, I haven't been able to feel this in a long time. It could just be the excitement of having it removed but we'll see.

    Oh, and my face had really cleared up in the last two years I had it in, and then as soon as I had it removed two days ago, I immediately had two large blemishes. Again, it could just be the excitement or anxiety of having it removed.

    I just want to point out that I'm noticing a common theme in many of these posted experiences, slow weight gain while on Mirena and therefore one starts to eat healthier and work out but gains even more weight. I realize this does not occur to all women and I wish I could be so lucky, but I am grateful for the women that noticed what was going on with their bodies and felt strong enough to post their experiences with us and share awareness to those of us that were not aware.