Mirena Removal - Eliminating a possible cause of not being able to lose weight
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LittleNell107 wrote: »Hi - I had my Mirena removed on 13th February this year. I had many of the classic problems that seem to be associated with Mirena - hair loss, acne on my jaw line and boils on my neck, no libido AT ALL, bloating, puffy face and a ring of flab around my middle, (mmm - attractive!). I felt great after the removal (had read about the "Mirena crash" so I can't say I wasn't nervous) - about a day and a half after removal I had a severe bout of diarrhoea for two days or so (sorry - TMI!) and dropped about 3-4 lbs. I think this was related to the removal - I wasn't ill in the stomach 'flu sense and I hadn't eaten anything that could have caused the stomach "purge". The puffiness on my face and the "rubber ring" look around my middle disappeared immediately - my new efforts in exercising and eating correctly are, I think, gradually paying off (too soon to say really, since it's only a month since removal). Personally, if anyone suspects they are having problems with Mirena I would say get it removed - but I know it's great for a lot of women... it depends on the individual.
We're using condoms now as I realised I've had about 25 years of artificial hormones from various types of bc - so I'm hoping to let my body balance itself hormonally.
@esasse - Good Luck with your surgery!
I had the crash. I now encourage everyone who's going to have one removed to have bioidentical progesterone ready, and supplement with that until your body starts making its own again.0 -
If you were happy with an IUD, but not so much the hormones, there's always Paragard. It's a copper IUD. I am wary of Essure because it contains nickel, which is a metal that commonly causes sensitivities. (I get an itchy rash if my belt buckle touches skin, or a watch back that contains nickel.) I don't like the idea of the whiskers that come with an IUD. I suppose that since I have been denied continued prescriptions for the pill that I liked (and I have no interest in finding a new one - I've DONE that. The trial and error with hormones is killer!) that my best option at this point is having my tubes tied or removed. Or maybe a diaphragm. Do they still do those?0
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autumnblade75 wrote: »If you were happy with an IUD, but not so much the hormones, there's always Paragard. It's a copper IUD. I am wary of Essure because it contains nickel, which is a metal that commonly causes sensitivities. (I get an itchy rash if my belt buckle touches skin, or a watch back that contains nickel.) I don't like the idea of the whiskers that come with an IUD. I suppose that since I have been denied continued prescriptions for the pill that I liked (and I have no interest in finding a new one - I've DONE that. The trial and error with hormones is killer!) that my best option at this point is having my tubes tied or removed. Or maybe a diaphragm. Do they still do those?
Diaphragms are still available in the US, though I'm not sure about other countries.0 -
Amanda4change wrote: »autumnblade75 wrote: »If you were happy with an IUD, but not so much the hormones, there's always Paragard. It's a copper IUD. I am wary of Essure because it contains nickel, which is a metal that commonly causes sensitivities. (I get an itchy rash if my belt buckle touches skin, or a watch back that contains nickel.) I don't like the idea of the whiskers that come with an IUD. I suppose that since I have been denied continued prescriptions for the pill that I liked (and I have no interest in finding a new one - I've DONE that. The trial and error with hormones is killer!) that my best option at this point is having my tubes tied or removed. Or maybe a diaphragm. Do they still do those?
Diaphragms are still available in the US, though I'm not sure about other countries.
They are harder to find than they used to be, unfortunately.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I had the crash. I now encourage everyone who's going to have one removed to have bioidentical progesterone ready, and supplement with that until your body starts making its own again.
Hey Sabine - sorry to hear you suffered with the crash! I haven't noticed anything yet but I had been preparing myself with various supplements beforehand, although I don't have the bioidentical progesterone I had read that it might be needed.
Can I ask all you ladies that had the Mirena removed - did any of you suffer from hair loss and, if so, has it started to grow back since removal? The whole hair thing is really getting me down - mine is still coming out in handfuls with every brush/comb and wash. I know hair growth goes in cycles, but my ponytail is down to about half its previous diameter!0 -
Yeah the crash sucked. It was something probably similar to post-partum blues. I was weepy, tired. Not myself at all. I wasn't fully expecting it. But I recognized it immediately and took action.LittleNell107 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I had the crash. I now encourage everyone who's going to have one removed to have bioidentical progesterone ready, and supplement with that until your body starts making its own again.
Hey Sabine - sorry to hear you suffered with the crash! I haven't noticed anything yet but I had been preparing myself with various supplements beforehand, although I don't have the bioidentical progesterone I had read that it might be needed.
Can I ask all you ladies that had the Mirena removed - did any of you suffer from hair loss and, if so, has it started to grow back since removal? The whole hair thing is really getting me down - mine is still coming out in handfuls with every brush/comb and wash. I know hair growth goes in cycles, but my ponytail is down to about half its previous diameter!
I didn't have the hair loss issue. That sounds awful. Hope it resolves soon.
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Birth control sounds awful. Threads like these make me extra happy to be a lesbian, haha. Sorry you guys have to deal with all this.1
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stephdeeday wrote: »Birth control sounds awful. Threads like these make me extra happy to be a lesbian, haha. Sorry you guys have to deal with all this.
This just put the biggest smile on my face! How true. BC and side effects and with all the different options out there probably sounds like a horror movie series to those that don't have to deal with it. I truly believe hormonal BC reeks havoc on womens bodies...to the point they or their husbands have to have surgery to get away from it not have kids. So thank you for the smile!0 -
I love Mirena and have had it for 6 years now. It has not caused any weight gain at any point in time. In fact, I'm smaller now than I was before I started. It does, however, increase your progesterone levels - especially when you first insert it. For me, this caused some pretty severe hormonal acne that was easily treated with a mild androgen inhibitor for a few months.
ETA: it sounds like you have other great reasons for removing it. I just wanted to add my thoughts on Mirena for the benefit of anyone else who is considering it.0 -
stephdeeday wrote: »Birth control sounds awful. Threads like these make me extra happy to be a lesbian, haha. Sorry you guys have to deal with all this.
Haha I can share this sentiment! Though I've considered going on BC to help control my long, painful periods... but after reading threads like this, I'll just suffer for 1 week per month.
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I've had three Mirenas over the years, and have never had a crash after removal. But I was a happy customer the whole time I had them; no periods, no significant and obvious weight gain (that wasn't due to me eating too much). I didn't lose hair either, but those side-effects are usually quite short-lived, I think..?LittleNell107 wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »I had the crash. I now encourage everyone who's going to have one removed to have bioidentical progesterone ready, and supplement with that until your body starts making its own again.
Hey Sabine - sorry to hear you suffered with the crash! I haven't noticed anything yet but I had been preparing myself with various supplements beforehand, although I don't have the bioidentical progesterone I had read that it might be needed.
Can I ask all you ladies that had the Mirena removed - did any of you suffer from hair loss and, if so, has it started to grow back since removal? The whole hair thing is really getting me down - mine is still coming out in handfuls with every brush/comb and wash. I know hair growth goes in cycles, but my ponytail is down to about half its previous diameter!
I had my last one removed in January and just started my second normal period. So I guess it's business as usual in my uterus.
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christinev297 wrote: »I also hoped the weight would drop off after I had mine removed, but no - it's the same, slow, steady slog that it's always been.
Hope your surgery goes well. Is it a major op? I'm trying to get my husband in for the Snip, but he goes green whenever I mention it, so I'm starting to wonder whether I should get myself taken care of instead. (Don't really want to though. After 25 years of getting MY body messed around with, I feel like he should take one for the team...)
I booked my hubby in for the snip next month.. hallefrickanleauhlea :bigsmile: I'll drag him there by his ear if I have to!!
I went through 30 hours of pain having our 2 kids. He can go through a 20 minute procedure
Haha! Good plan!
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Ok, so all of the side effects that have been mentioned here have not happened to me. In fact, the only side effect of Mirena I've had is very light irregular periods, which is not really a problem. I gained weight, but only when I was chowing down on a tonne of chocolate.
Are you all sure it's Mirena that's causing your weight/acne etc. issues? The hormones in Mirena do not enter your blood stream so should only affect the reproductive organs.
ETA: The reason I went for Mirena is because the hormones don't enter the bloodstream, as this would affect my epilepsy medication.0 -
I also didn't have the side-effects, but so many people report them that I do believe that some are affected. Actually, some people have real horror stories.mumblemagic wrote: »Are you all sure it's Mirena that's causing your weight/acne etc. issues? The hormones in Mirena do not enter your blood stream so should only affect the reproductive organs.
I guess you and I are just the lucky ones
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I have had weight gain and acne since i had my mirena in 2007. It has worked so well otherwise (i am on my second one) that i was willing to put up with it. I have been doing boot camp and logging my food on here and have lost 6kg and loads of cm in 9 weeks. (39kg to go) My skin is way better too. It is hormonal and pushing my body seems to be resetting it. Not willing to part with my mirena when i just need to continue getting a grip on the rest of my lifestyle. Good luck to you though.0
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mumblemagic wrote: »Ok, so all of the side effects that have been mentioned here have not happened to me. In fact, the only side effect of Mirena I've had is very light irregular periods, which is not really a problem. I gained weight, but only when I was chowing down on a tonne of chocolate.
Are you all sure it's Mirena that's causing your weight/acne etc. issues? The hormones in Mirena do not enter your blood stream so should only affect the reproductive organs.
ETA: The reason I went for Mirena is because the hormones don't enter the bloodstream, as this would affect my epilepsy medication.
Hi mumblemagic - yes, I'm sure the changes that happened to me were as a result of the Mirena coil! The degree to which the synthetic hormones enter the blood stream and are distributed around the body vary from person to person - this is particularly true for women who have not had children, as is the case for me. My GP agreed that the changes were due to Mirena - hence it was removed after only 19 months (not the intended 5 years!).
It appears that I am particularly sensitive to androgens. You are clearly one of the lucky ones, although I believe some women don't notice any side effects for several years. For me, it wasn't weight gain as such, just a few pounds - it was more like "shape change"... strange boating and puffiness, which disappeared IMMEDIATELY after the removal - for me the evidence is strong for a direct link to Mirena.
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For those who aren't aware, in Europe the Mirena is licensed for 7 years. My last one, I had for around that long. I would have kept it longer but the strings went missing and I had a bit of pain which made me concerned that it had migrated somewhere it shouldn't have gone.LittleNell107 wrote: »...not the intended 5 years!
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My understanding it isn't just the hormones that make you gain wait, it that the progesterone increases your appetite and that can never be satisfied that causes the weight or more accurately why there seems to be a struggle to lose that weight. Also I agree with @LittleNell107 that there is a change in shape, especially around the belly area.
Only 5 more days and I'll find out if it is related or if it's all in my head!0 -
I had the same procedure done in December. My tubes were removed because of my family history of ovarian cancer. I haven't had any rapid weight loss but it is coming off slowly. Good luck!0
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My friend mentioned an ablation. It gets rid of the lining of your uterus. It is used for those that have issues with your cycle. No hormones. You have to be done having kids though. I was going to do it with this but my insurance didn't cover it as much as I'd like.
I can speak about the ablation, as I had it done last fall. It helped a bit with the issues I had, but not as well as I had hoped. The research shows a 90% satisfaction rate, unfortunately, I am not one of them.
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My surgery went well. It's actually a good thing I had it done because they found some endometriosis. They were able to remove it while they were in there. Even though I just had surgery I feel good. I'll keep you updated on how it goes from here.0
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Good to hear. Hope your recovery continues to go well.0
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i've never tried IUD was worried about side effects and uterus perforation. after my 2nd kid i went on nuvaring. i gained 15 lbs in about 2 weeks, was an emotional mess, and was borderline suicidal. i took that out and felt much better in a couple days and lost the weight i gained in about a week. I actually realized then that nuvaring caused me to gain about 40lbs when i first started using it before i has my first kid. we use condoms now, and i track my cycle and avoid sex around my fertile time. still trying to get hubby to get snipped. we have 3 kids and i'm definitely done. i need to lose a significant amount of weight before i get my tubes tied. i know i can get it done at this weight, but i'm thinking that at a smaller weight there would be less complications.0
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I also hoped the weight would drop off after I had mine removed, but no - it's the same, slow, steady slog that it's always been.
Hope your surgery goes well. Is it a major op? I'm trying to get my husband in for the Snip, but he goes green whenever I mention it, so I'm starting to wonder whether I should get myself taken care of instead. (Don't really want to though. After 25 years of getting MY body messed around with, I feel like he should take one for the team...)
Same for me...and the V is a much safer procedure for him to go through. Hubby is a surgeon, and is adamant that he will get the snip when we're done having kids rather than me.
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I take bc pills right now. When I went to get my prescription renewed this week I talked to my doctor about getting a more permanent form of birth control. She recommended Essure, which doesn't involve surgery and takes about 3 months to set in. I'm seriously considering it so I don't have to continue to take bc pills until I hit menopause.
Please don't get Essure. I'm 30 years old and just had a hysterectomy to have it removed. Almost killed me. Please do something else! www.facebook.com/essureproblems0 -
@jkal1979 I would do a lot of research about Essure before you go that route. I'll be honest the information that is out there scares me. Part of why I am wanting to do a tubal is to get the foreign objects out of my body. So I would just say do a lot of research before you go that route.
@Vune Yes we have gone over it. It will be laproscopic. Two holes about the size of a pen. He will then remove the mirena and both tubes, check around for any abnormalities and close me back up. I was also going to get an ablation but the insurance didn't cover very much of it so I changed my mind.
@LittleNell107 That is really good to know and makes me feel better that I'm not the only one. I want to get as my body as close to naturally regulated as possible and feel this is the best way to do it. I have a good workout schedule of about 45min - 1hour 6 days a week. I eat pretty well..could be better. That's part of why I am doing this, so that one cheat day doesn't undo a months worth of work, which is what's been happening. Keep me updated with how it's going for you.
You are so right to be scared of Essure! NOT a good product! Killed one of my friends in January and almost killed me! Thankful I no longer have it! Even if it caused me to have a total hysterectomy at the age of 30...worth it.
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sdonovan96 wrote: »I take bc pills right now. When I went to get my prescription renewed this week I talked to my doctor about getting a more permanent form of birth control. She recommended Essure, which doesn't involve surgery and takes about 3 months to set in. I'm seriously considering it so I don't have to continue to take bc pills until I hit menopause.
Please don't get Essure. I'm 30 years old and just had a hysterectomy to have it removed. Almost killed me. Please do something else! www.facebook.com/essureproblems
Thanks for the info. I'll make sure to look into the risks involved. I'm making sure to take my time to look into all my options along with the pros and cons for each before deciding what to do. I will admit the thought of permanently putting a foreign object in my body kind of freaked me out.0 -
I just had a tubal last week. It was quick with about a day or 2 down to rest after and done. No waiting 3 months! Essure has A LOT of bad press out there, plus the painful HSG you have to have to make sure the tubes are blocked. I'm super happy not to have any foreign objects in my body. And with 4 kids...I'm done!0
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Yeah I just had mine done Monday and I felt great the next day. I went back to work yesterday and felt great, and I feel even better today. I have already noticed my appetite has decreased. I feel like my head is clearer and I am able to keep my temper. My skin even feels softer. I am excited to get back to working out soon!0
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