Mirena IUD and Weight Gain

OraSabean

I have the Mirena IUD for almost 3 years now, and I love it. I was concerned about weight gain as I was also on Depo (the needle) and gained a lot with that, so I asked a OBGYN (who I happen to work for) and the Bayer rep. (company that makes it) and they told me that with any hormone form of birth control you can expect about 3-5lbs of weight gain, but anything over that really shouldn't be cause from the IUD. So I went for it and have actually lost since having mine put in so I'm not sure if the weight gain stories are true or not, but maybe for some people it does add those unwanted pounds or is it just something for people to blame?

For anyone considering the Mirena, all I can say if do your research and ask questions about any concerns you have with your doctor, and do what feels right for you. I would say give it a try and see, but it is very pricey and in todays world who can afford too.

GreenTeaForDays

Oh yes! and there is this awesome article from Wired Magazine that my boyfriend actually sent me.... It kind of explains why IUDs got a bad rep.

http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/07/ff_iud/

ruthio77

I've had the Mirena for almost 10 years now (im just due to change it for the second time).

During this time i have gained and lost and gained and lost about 30 pounds.

I can't really attribute this in any way to the IUD, each time i've put on weight it's been because of my lifestyle, and each time i've lost it it's because i've worked at it!

I know it's not for everyone, but it works fine for me!

I've not had a period for pretty much the whole time, which weirdly, sometimes i miss! I've been tempted to have it removed, just to see what it's like to have periods again, but there are so few non-chemical contraceptives out there that i don't really see the point!

JenniBaby85

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO dont do this! I know everyone is different but I got my period for 2 weeks straight EVERY month! I thought it would get better but it didnt. I had it removed in April and couldnt be happier, now only have my period for 4 days tops. Had a little extra weight gain that was also lost after i had it removed so it was a win win for me

THIS! For me the "paragaurd copper IUD" was the devil. I had bad periods before with an 8 day long consistently heavy period, and bad cramps. With the copper IUD It went from bad to worse! I was anemic with it, in such pain for 3 weeks out of every month, that I had to have people come to my house to take care of my first baby girl while I was laying down, praying that I wouldn't bleed all over the couch. My periods went from 8 days, heavy flow, to 10 days. And bad cramps, to what felt similar to contractions. Not worth it...at all.

That's my story with it

snykim2005

I got mirena about 6 weeks ago, about the same time I decided I wanted to start losing weight. so far Ive lost about 12 pounds, and other than spotting and some cramps , I really cant say anything negative about it. and it is great to not have to worry about taking pills or anything. I would recommend it!

knitterly

I had one for 2 years and put on 24lbs. I was also irrationally hungry all the time. Moody, low libido, gained 14 day periods with a 28 day cycle, couldn't think my way out of a paper bag, and on and on. I hated it. Now that it's gone, I've lost 15 of my 24lbs. And am a ton happier.

everybody's different, tho...

tikafly

I had a Mirena for 2.5 years. Not only did I gain weight, but I also developed ovarian cysts due to the IUD (haven't had a cyst since its removal). I had it removed, joined weight Watchers and lost 30lbs in 3 months.

Additionally, I ended up with complications with the removal. The string got sucked up into my uterus, and I had to have a hysteroscopy to have it removed. The first doctor who tried to remove it went fishing in my uterus with this hook-shaped tool - without anesthesia. I left that appt feeling abused and violated, so I switched doctors and had the hysteroscopy with local anesthesia.

There's no perfect form of birth control. Now, I track my cycle and know my fertile phases to preent pregnancy. No horomones, no weight gain related to birth control, no side effects. Have used the fertility awareness method for pregnancy prevention for 5 1/2 years. I have a regular cycle.

OK_Girl

What people say about BC not causing weight gain, is true. However hormones do cause emotions like PMS, can cause cravings, can cause the body to retain water, (little bit of weight gain there) and if you are a person who gets horrible side effects, every day of the month then I can understand how weight gain can occur. While it is not the device itself that causes weight gain- the device def causes intense cravings in some women.

BaileyBoo13524

I've had Mirena for 4 yrs and haven't gained any weight with it nor has it hindered my weight loss in any way.

Maria_T007

I never had weight gain at all..but I had bladder infections all the time.

trdepalo

I tried both types of IUD (Mirena and the copper one) and my body expelled both of them in a few months. Out of curiosity has anyone else had this problem? I really wanted to be hormone free but with being unable to use copper IUD or condoms (my bf is allergic to all of them) I can't find anything that could work (I'm on the pill now and I hate having my hormones regulated). Anyone else kind of like this?

amanda_ataraxia

I have had the Mirena IUD since August 2010. Every pound on that ticker below has been lost while still having it.

I gained weight because I love food. I ate more calories than I expended. Simple.

jensweighingin

8 years and on my second one. I initially lost weight, but have gained a significant amount. That's because I haven't put a fork down in a while not because of the Mirena..... I did lose 30 lbs on it, only to gain it back because I stopped watching and started eating. Love the Mirena, had initial bleeding issues, but now I don't. I've recommended it to people. But my gyn hated it.... Interesting. I did gain weight on depo because I was a bottomless pit of hunger and I was a hysterical *****. Good luck with your decision.

purpleipod

I don't see how Mirena could even cause weight gain. It's one of the lowest dose birth controls distributed in a very concentrated area. I'd recheck other aspects of your life before assuming it's that.

SMJ1987

I have a copper IUD since I don't tolerate hormones very well...I have enough of my own. Lol. I LOVE it. No weight side effects and it works great

sweetnessandlighter

You might consider looking into a copper iud like Paraguard. They are good for 10 years but can be removed at any time. No hormones to mess up your body. That's what I'm getting at my next appointment. I hate the pill and saw lots of people unhappy with weight gain on mirena.

I loved my Paraguard, EXCEPT for the heavy, long, and EXTREMELY painful periods. I just got Mirena.

bmoremel

I had Mirena inserted last October while I was still nursing my son and had no issues whatsoever - no period, no weight gain, nothing. At the time I was under my normal weight of 120 and exercising a few times per week while consuming more calories than usual (I have always felt super hungry while nursing).

Fast forward to the end of May when I stopped nursing and within a few weeks started feeling bloated, having night sweats, constant spotting and very strong food cravings. I didn't contribute any of this to the Mirena but went back to the gynecologist to investigate and had a bunch of tests done, all came back normal. After another month or so I noticed my weight creeping up and started having a period every two weeks, sometimes lasting as long as three weeks. I called the GYN and was told to wait another month or two to see if my hormones just needed to level out. I also cut calories and exercised very regularly - not a single pound lost, in fact I gained more weight. I mentioned these issues to a doctor friend and she said there may not be published scientific evidence but LOTS of women have negative experiences with birth control containing hormones. She herself had similar problems and switched to Paraguard.

In the end, the constant bleeding was what sent me over the edge. I had the Mirena removed last Thursday and the doctor conceded that there is lots of anecdotal evidence that some women cannot tolerate even low doses of hormones; the most common side effect she saw from Mirena was long and frequent periods with a close second to notable weight gain (10lbs in my case).

mellp9

I got mine in June and have not gained any weight.

Jmich1229

I'm almost at the end of my first 5 years using Mirena (Jan 2013). I didnt gain weight with Mirena, and my period is almost non-existent. I haven't had any side effects, so for myself, it's been great! I'll be getting another when it's time to replace the current one.

Kaya0xxxx

I got my Mirena in March, 8 months ago. For the first 4 months, it was uneventful. Yes, I spotted for the first couple months, but that gave way to a regular period, no lighter or heavier. Starting July however, my body very rapidly started to change.
1 - My breasts grew, I went from an A cup to a C cup.
2 - All my acne went away, within a week. (I've had mild-moderate acne since puberty, and even prescription meds didn't work this well in clearing it away. Thanks Mirena?) Now I would be through the roof with joy at the these first two changes if it were not for the third.
3 - I went from 110lbs to 125lbs. Now this is strange. I'm 21, and I've been the same weight for the past 6 years, no fluctuations more than a couple pounds. I've had no lifestyle changes since the Mirena, I've never been pregnant or tried any other forms of birth control. I eat, sleep, and exercise exactly the same. All the weight I gained were around my middle. It looks like I'm pregnant. I got so unhappy with my bloating and weight gain that I called my doctor, who wasn't much help. I was told that less than 5% of patients experience weight gain/bloating. The medical staff wasn't too concerned. Now I would have thought that maybe it was my teenage metabolism slowing down, but the breast growth and acne are associated with hormonal changes. I've tried to lose the weight, but it just doesn't seem to come off. I like all aspects of Mirena, and I did my research before getting it. But I hate the weight gain. I know that if I were to get it taken out, I wouldn't try other forms of birth control.

Has anyone who's gotten her Mirena taken out managed to lose the weight?

lovelyladyJ21

I'm on Mirena and I love it!

I've been on birth control since I was 9 (medical issues) and every pill, patch, shot that I tried I gained tons of weight!
I haven't seen any extra weight gain from the Mirena like I did the others!!!!

carfamily08

I had Mirena after my first. I had it inserted at 8 weeks post partum at 155 pounds in the middle of July. Was watching what I ate, staying active and I suddenly started having trouble fitting into clothes. Went back to my doctor in September and I'd gained 20 pounds. They ran a thyroid test (normal), I tracked my diet very carefully and didn't lose an ounce (despite having a deficit that would say otherwise). Around October I had weaned my daughter and went back on Adderall for my ADHD and as I've been in the past on Adderall - hardly had an appetite. Didn't lose an ounce. They ran another thyroid test. Still totally normal. I ended up having it removed in early December of that year and lost a good 10 pounds that month without changing a thing except having the Mirena removed (and if anything I was eating more because it was the holidays!)

I've had similar experiences on other hormonal birth control. My body started to do the same thing on the pill after my 2nd child. So after baby #3 I have a paraguard and it is so much better. I've had my period back for months and it's perfectly normal and light and I've lost almost 20 pounds

My story is very rare. My doctor says she sees it happen occasionally but that most women won't gain much weight if any, but given my history of weight gain on hormonal birth control it just wasn't a good fit for me. Other than the weight gain it was great - short/light periods and no mood swings or acne!

Icanredefinemyself

God Bless You for posting this thread!! I was hoping this would be a topic!
I got mine in July 6 wks after birth. About a few weeks after this I found my energy dropped like a rock, I was (like Knitterly posted) zero sex drive, almost lethargic sleepy, very moody irritable, nervous. I visited my doctor, not thinking it was anything to do with the Mirena. Thought it was just post-birth hormones and such and she thought so too. By October I'd hadn't had one period (since the birth in June!) and I thought omg I must be pregnant... My weight had escalated by 20 pounds in 2 months (combination of my decreased energy and activity etc). I visited a clinic, had a negative EPT, talked to the doctor and he said some women (me!) experience the list of symptoms I was complaining about on the Mirena. He encouraged me to allow the Mirena a few months to work these fluctuations out and see if things will level out. I decided on my own that I would focus on my diet and exercise to see if I can "fight the Mirena effects" that I am seeing.
What's difficult in my case is that I cannot decipher which of these issues is simply my body adjusting after a c section and just normal post birth changes, or what I can attribute to the Mirena. I will say that I think despite the challenges, I am going to let it be and see if I can live with this. It is indeed very handy to not have a monthly. My doctors say this is as effective as female sterilization. You can't beat that.

annieissocool

Hi, I am in the same boat. I have had my Mirena for a little over a year and gained 20 lbs. I have been unsuccessful in losing weight no matter how hard I am trying it just will not come off.

emmalousmom1

Great advice, the copper T IUD, i loved it, no hormones at all:)

tlmacinnis

I train for triathlon and couldnt lose my baby weight after getting the mirena. Now, I did let myself gain whatever I wanted while I was pregnant, I went from 130-199. I dropped back to 155 in 3 or 4 months then got the Mirena. However, having been into fitness for years I know how to eat and how to work out. ANd I could not get anywhere while I have had this IUD. I just took it out 2 days ago. My weight went up 15 lbs after I got it to 170lbs. So, its April 23rd,2013 and I will get back on track working out more and see how it goes this time around. If i lose the weight Without it I'm going to have to say I agree that it can cause the weight gain. If it doesn't then maybe I will have to make more changes. But seriously when you can run 25k a week and ride 40-60 and add swimming too and not lose weight? On a properly adjusted calorie intake 1200-1500/day depending on activity level, something has to be affecting your body, doesn't it?

JenAndSome

I've had the Mirena for years after I had my youngest son six years ago. I lost all of my baby weight (70 lbs) plus some while using it. Of course then I gained weight back with poor choices and a lack of physical activity, so here I am. I'm still on the Mirena but I'm paying attention and putting forth effort and that should take care of the weight.

barbaramarie26

I had the Mirena inserted about 7 months ago. My weight immediately started slowly creeping up until I was 10lbs. heavier. My weight has always fluctuated by 3lb up or down but never more than that. I have always been able to loose a few lbs. of weight gain by eating healthier. I literally tried everything to get this 10lbs. off. The doctor Oz 3 day detox. I did this three days a week for three weeks. I gained one lb. I was also getting up a 6:00 am and working out. I cut out refined carbs and only drank water and green tea. I think all of these things I was doing is why I only gained 10 and not 30lbs. My doctor assured me it wasn't the Mirena but I wasn't convinced so I had it removed. Two weeks later and I have already lost 5 1/2 lbs. So for me having the Mirena removed was the best choice. I went back to the Nuva Ring and haven't had any problems. I would seriously consider Mirena being a big possibility of why you may be gaining weight. It certainly was for me.

tanetti

I am two years into my second Mirena and haven't seen any weight gain, aside from when I'm eating like it's my job.

letsridebikes

Just got my Mirena taken out after 4 years. The first 3 years were fine, but since then I have gained 50+ lbs and despite dieting and exercising religiously (and seeing a dietician, etc, etc, etc) that weight refuses to budge.

Two of my sisters have had Mirenas for almost the same amount of time, and we are all having this problem, though I think I've gained the most weight of the three of us.

I'll miss my new boobs, but am crossing my fingers that this will finally help me be able to get my body back.

I'll let you guys know how it goes.