Just getting started after having Mirena IUD removed

Options
I had the Mirena IUD put in a little over a year ago (July 2012 to be exact), and since then I've gained about 40 or so lbs. Prior to having it put in I was 190 lbs and still losing post pardom weight. I had my daughter in May of 2012. Slowly but surely I started packing on the weight. I was eating exactly the same if anything I was eating less (busy new mom problems!). Well now here we are, October 2013 and I'm up to 225 lbs. I went from wearing a size 9 in pants to a size 15!!! I should also add that I lost 3/4 of the hair on my head because of this thing. I'm allergic to progestrin (synthetic progesterone, the main ingredient in Mirena).

So I'm a newbie. I'm trying to get back to at least 190 lbs. I'm almost 5'10, so 190 as a female thats not too terrible. I'd like to get to 160 (my pre pregnancy weight) but thats going to take some time. I'm planning on getting married in Oct of 2014, so hoping with a little hard work and determination I can get to my goal. Anyone who would like to give me tips and tricks, has had the same problem with Mirena, or is simply looking for someone to chat with, please feel free to send me a message or comment on here:)Thanks!

Replies

  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
    Options
    Hi

    hopefully this link may help you

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    good luck in your journey
  • Shanrock08
    Options
    Thanks!
  • beernpizza2
    beernpizza2 Posts: 553 Member
    Options
    I had the same problem with the mirena in Oct 2009 after having my daughter. I gained 15 lbs and ould never lose it no matter what I did. I took it out in March of 2010, and the majority of the weight fell off. I got still had some weight to lose, but I was a lot easier once I had that mirena out.

    Just had my 2nd daughter 9 weeks ago and didn't even think for a second about getting another IUD. Pill works just fine for me.

    Good luck!!
  • Shanrock08
    Options
    I had the same problem with the mirena in Oct 2009 after having my daughter. I gained 15 lbs and ould never lose it no matter what I did. I took it out in March of 2010, and the majority of the weight fell off. I got still had some weight to lose, but I was a lot easier once I had that mirena out.

    Just had my 2nd daughter 9 weeks ago and didn't even think for a second about getting another IUD. Pill works just fine for me.

    Good luck!!

    I've come to the realization that I'm allergic to all birth control. Anything progesterone/progestrin based like Mirena makes me lose a lot of hair, gain weight, and be a moody nut!. Currently I'm 3/4 bald, but it stopped falling out once Mirena was removed! Anything Estrogen based gives me migraines. The type of migraine I get has what they call aura, in other words my vision gets blurred, I see spots, and I get all disoriented. I found out when I mentioned this to my OB that I shouldn't be on anything with estrogen because when you get aura, theres a greater risk of stroke via estrogen based bc. In other words I can get paraguard, or I have nothing but condoms. I'll stick with condoms and hope they work lol. The removal of Mirena was horrible for me. My strings were lost so they had to play search and find in my uterus, and lets just say it wasn't something that felt nice! I would've labored my baby girl out naturally again vs that pain, it was AWFUL! Anyway, after that I decided no more hormones and no more devices that go internally!

    I actually already fit back into a size 13 from a tight size 15 in a week. It was like I dropped 5 lbs just from being my normal self again. I'm loving it!
  • Mady1911
    Mady1911 Posts: 90 Member
    Options
    Hi, there! I had Mirena too but had different side effects. I was bleading 14-17 days out of a period cycle and after 4 months my doctor removed it as an emergency intervention. I was pale and always tired, no weight gain! It's horrible what they can do to u. I'm currently on contraceptives and no side effects.
    Welcome and wish you the best of luck. You can add me, I'm here everyday, I've made logging on Mfp my second nature. Bet we can help each other through this! :-*
  • christineellis
    christineellis Posts: 296 Member
    Options
    Good luck to you! I had the Mirena put in at my 6 week appointment after my son was born (1 year after having twins, so we were paranoid about another pregnancy!). I kept it in for about a year - had horrible spotting, weight gain, mood swings and backaches. I really don't do well with hormones either, so had it removed. We were completely done having kids, so hubby got snipped, but then I started having heavy periods so tried ablation.

    That didn't work because of the shape of my uterus, so went on Bioidentical Hormones to try to fix it. A year or so later, I quit those as well because my uterine lining looked odd on an U/S and I had some ovarian cysts that wouldn't resolve. Now my doc wants to put me on birth control pills to suppress my ovaries and see if that resolves the cysts. NOT excited about that and concerned about more weight gain after I have worked so hard since June!
  • klroden
    Options
    I am glad I found this board, I have had Mirena for two years and just got it removed yesterday. I know it will take time for my body to get back to normal but I am so ready to loose all of this weight that I have gained with Mirena in. I will never go back to something like Mirena and I am nervous about all birth control now. I am excited to see how people do after having the Mirena removed because just in a day I feel a lot better.
  • kp306308
    kp306308 Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    I also had a horrible experiance with Mirena! The doctor approved for me to get it even though I haven't had any children. I don't blame her for that, I asked for it because at that time I wanted a "sure" thing that I wouldn't get pregnant. A little over 2 years later my husband and I (mainly my husband!) decided we want to try for our first child. I really wanted to see how my body would react without the added hormones from birth control. I've been on birth control since I was 15 so I was really hoping for more stable moods, etc.
    Getting the Mirena put in was sheer HELL.
    While it was in I had no bleeding whatsoever for the 2 years. Didn't really gain weight either that I can blame on Mirena. While it was in all was good.

    Getting the Mirena out was more HELL than having it put in!

    When I went for removal it was lost in the uterus somewhere. So made another appointment for the next week for "ultrasound removal". That was AWFUL! I could feel her scraping my uterus trying to pick it up. For some reason, layer grew over it, whatever, she was literally scraping in there to get it. On her "last try" for that day she finally got it! Pulled it out dripping blood and proudly showed me with literally 10-15 observers watching (who needed the experience because this was "so rare"). I was mortified and in the worse pain of my life! Also I don't see how it's so damn rare! I've heard a lot of women after the fact who had theirs "lost in the uterus" too.
    (sorry for the graphic detail!)

    So now I am basically terrified of any birth control besides condoms.

    Removal was in May, and this is October. I didn't have any weight loss and I do feel more emotionally stable. A month or so after removal my hair stylist found a bald spot about the size of a 50cent piece. I have absolutely no idea how I hadn't found it myself, I guess because I have a ton of hair. It was very very scary and completely bald spot. Like shaved bald or something. Now I have little hairs in there and thankfully they are coming back in dark and not gray or something.

    I really think Mirena is a bad bad thing :-(
  • leaaa92
    leaaa92 Posts: 164 Member
    Options
    Oh My Gosh! :frown: I'm so incredibly scared to get my Mirena removed after reading all these posts! I've been wanting to take it out for a while since I've had it for like three years, but I've just been putting it off. When it was put in, that was the most uncomfortable feeling I have ever endured! I'm so scared to see if having it removed (searching for it, scraping around) will be worse. Oh God, give me strength! :cry:
  • jamiesillimandunn
    jamiesillimandunn Posts: 270 Member
    Options
    I never had the merina IUD ....but had trouble with birth control always ...I was prescribed it as a teen to stabilize menstrual cycles I was obese then so I don't know if that contributed or not, but I was EXTREMEMLY moody on birth control and decided to never use it ! And I didn't up until. Had my first child at 22 and it got so bad my husband couldn't stand me lol...I gained fifty pounds throughout my pregnancies in four yrs, three of which I was pregnant ! I now have my tubes tied and have lost 38 pounds with about another 38 to go ...feel free to add me ...
  • youngmommy2
    youngmommy2 Posts: 71 Member
    Options
    Wow. so sorry that you had to go thru all that. I became sensitive to other forms of birth control after my daughter. I highly recomend paraguard! I've had it for 4 years now and no issues. my doc also gave me a numbing shot when she placed it so I didn't feel a thing.
  • kittenful
    kittenful Posts: 318 Member
    Options
    I had Mirena for all of two months. When I gained back all of the baby weight that I had so far lost (and finally noticed it!) I had it taken out immediately. It took a loooong time for me to shake off the depression that followed (3 & 1/2 years, to be exact) and start getting back to me. I've recently shed the the excess Mirena weight, and am now working towards pre-pregnancy weight again. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't really hard, either.

    Welcome to the club, doll. You can do it. ^_^
  • kp306308
    kp306308 Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    sorry I don't want you scared! If you (or doctor) can still find the strings then its not lost and removal wont be nearly as bad. I'm sure a lot of people get them removed with no problems. But I would say get it out soon if that's feasible for you!
  • MParab
    MParab Posts: 4
    Options
    I also had weight gain issues with Mirena. Had it inserted a little over 3 months ago, and gained in the vicinity of 15-20 pounds in the first 2 months I had it. I also started getting migraines far more frequently than before, so I wanted it out. I made an appointment and during the week between making it and actually getting there, I had 8 migraines! In 6 days! There was no way I could keep it in, especially since it also made me feel like a cow! I was at my highest ever weight outside of pregnancy despite eating better and exercising more and actively trying to lose what I thought originally was "holiday weight". It was 2 days ago when I had it removed, and I already feel and look less bloated, and am actually down 2lbs when I weighed myself this morning. I know that could be anything, but I like to think it's because I no longer have that little devil of a device inside of me! I'm hoping it becomes easier to lose weight now, I was at a complete stand-still for 2 1/2 months of trying hard to lose. I never have trouble dropping pounds when I make even small changes to my diet and exercise. So I joined myfitnesspal for the community aspect, and for tracking calories to make sure it's not actually my diet and lifestyle that's making it so difficult. I know deep down it's not but this is a good way to find out for certain. Side note, I have no intentions of eating less than 1700 calories a day, 1200 is ridiculous. In my experience I will still lose if I eat the right foods and won't be hungry. Hunger gives me migraines! Also want to add that getting it out isn't bad at all, or wasn't for me at least! For me, a pap is worse, I didn't even know it was done when she said "It's out!". Best thing I heard all week!
  • Knewman4899
    Options
    I had this same issue with weight, I had my IUD put in in June 2014 and removed last week. From June to Nov2014 I gained 25 pounds and I changed nothing to make this happen. After removal 2 days later ,y husband asked me if I lost weight???!!! The bloating went away in a day! I still have weight but I am not uncomfortable anymore....
  • rbfdac
    rbfdac Posts: 1,057 Member
    Options
    For those reading this who might be thinking "oh crap, I don't want the mirena!". I just want to offer my side- I had the mirena put in six months ago. I had my son nine months ago. I decided to start my weight loss journey 46 days ago and have easily lost 25 pounds with minimal exercise and no starvation. I didn't gain a single pound after getting the mirena, only maintained my weight. The ONLY "down" side was the initial bleeding for three months, but since then, it has been awesome, with only occasional spotting. I love it. Sidenote- I've heard many plus size ladies talk about how awful Mirena is for the larger framed woman, they've experienced issues, etc., but for reference, I got the mirena inserted at 317 pounds.

    Sorry all of you ladies have had bad experiences :( Good luck to each of you in your journey to lose weight and become healthier!
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    Options
    Wow. so sorry that you had to go thru all that. I became sensitive to other forms of birth control after my daughter. I highly recomend paraguard! I've had it for 4 years now and no issues. my doc also gave me a numbing shot when she placed it so I didn't feel a thing.

    I have a paragard too. It's okay--actually started taking a pill in addition because I was bleeding so much that I was extremely anemic.