Mirena Removal - Eliminating a possible cause of not being able to lose weight

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Replies

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    esasse wrote: »
    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!

    Fabulous news!
  • galooshka28
    galooshka28 Posts: 31 Member
    Since having my mirena removed in February 2014 I was unable to lose weight which had gained with the device. Also i still have the lactating breasts and my periods are all in a mess( one period every 3 month). Went to the doctor twice and my bloods are normal.I am completely clueless what is causing all of this when the coil is no longer present.
  • esasse
    esasse Posts: 17 Member
    So now that my body has reset and everything is doing what it's supposed to I feel amazing!! I am not snacking as often, I have more energy, I don't feel sedated all the time. I was given the go ahead to start working out again and I've lost 6 lbs in 10 days. I have had some bad days in there and the weight hasnt come rushing back like it did when I had the Mirena. I am so excited that my body is finally doing what it is supposed to!
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    esasse wrote: »
    So now that my body has reset and everything is doing what it's supposed to I feel amazing!! I am not snacking as often, I have more energy, I don't feel sedated all the time. I was given the go ahead to start working out again and I've lost 6 lbs in 10 days. I have had some bad days in there and the weight hasnt come rushing back like it did when I had the Mirena. I am so excited that my body is finally doing what it is supposed to!

    YAY!
  • wahoostampingirl
    wahoostampingirl Posts: 11 Member
    I got a Mirena IUD in Nov. 2013. However, it wasn't for BC. I was experiencing horrible periods that basically confined me to my house for 3 or 4 days every cycle. I became severely anemic from the heavy blood loss and it was making me miserable. So the Mirena has been great because I got my life back. I will say that I have a very hard time losing weight with it in, but that's always been the case for me, so I just have to accept that.
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    Goodness, I didn’t realize it made such a big difference. I went with a copper IUD and have had no problems whatsoever. Happy to hear everyone identified this as an issue and found solutions!
  • cosmo_momo
    cosmo_momo Posts: 173 Member
    LOVE my Mirena! I was on Depo before and switched because you are only supposed to use Depo for 2 years and I had been on it for 5...I've lost significant weight with both though. Just gained weight because I ate too much!
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    It's amazing how each woman responds differently to birth control! For me, the mirena was a godsend! I have PCOS so I don't get periods often but when I do they are killers! I bleed for 10+ weeks at a time and the bleeding is extremely heavy. After getting the mirena I spotted constantly for 3 months but nothing after that...no periods, no spotting! It did cause a huge decrease in libido but I'll take that over the side effects I've had from other birth control! I had my mirena removed back in January because my husband and I are ttc and I did not experience any crash at all. All other birth controls I have tried have been terrible for me....the depo was the very first I tried...I gained 60 pounds in about 5 months, had terrible mood swings and had suicidal thoughts/urges and I bled heavy the whole time I was on it. All the pills I tried continued to make me gain weight and I threw up constantly. I got pregnant while using the Nuva Ring. I liked the paraguard a lot but my periods were unbearable and I ended up anemic. When we are done having kids my husband WILL have a vasectomy!
  • esasse
    esasse Posts: 17 Member
    I agree. I think each woman has something different that works for them. I just thought back to what worked best for me before I gained weight and didn't struggle to lose it and the only thing that was different was when I wasn't on ANY birth control at all. That is why I chose to have my mirena removed and have my tubes removed. I will even admit there might be a "it's all in my head" element too since everyone is different. This is just what has worked for me. :)
  • LittleNell107
    LittleNell107 Posts: 71 Member
    esasse wrote: »
    So now that my body has reset and everything is doing what it's supposed to I feel amazing!! I am not snacking as often, I have more energy, I don't feel sedated all the time. I was given the go ahead to start working out again and I've lost 6 lbs in 10 days. I have had some bad days in there and the weight hasnt come rushing back like it did when I had the Mirena. I am so excited that my body is finally doing what it is supposed to!

    It's so great to hear your excellent progress and fantastic weight loss! Sounds like the removal was well worth it :)
  • dbienz
    dbienz Posts: 188 Member
    It's amazing how each woman responds differently to birth control! For me, the mirena was a godsend! I have PCOS so I don't get periods often but when I do they are killers! I bleed for 10+ weeks at a time and the bleeding is extremely heavy. After getting the mirena I spotted constantly for 3 months but nothing after that...no periods, no spotting! It did cause a huge decrease in libido but I'll take that over the side effects I've had from other birth control!

    I was on the pill for years but wanted something more long-term. I was newly out of a long-term relationship, young, and having some fun but wanted to be safe. I ended up getting a Mirena IUD and love it. After a couple months I stopped having a period. I have similar, light symptoms like tender breasts and food cravings but NO bleeding which is great! My periods came with horrific cramps, to the point of puking, so this has been awesome. I also was really bad at remembering to take the pill every day and I don't have to worry about that anymore.

    The downside for me is two-fold... weight gain and decreased libido. I was someone who gained weight after insertion. Now with more focus I've been losing it but its a daily struggle. As for the decreased libido, this is the worst side effect for me. I don't want to sound "easy" but I really enjoy sex and having that taken away has been hard. Sometimes my body doesn't even respond like it knows what's going on. Its made things difficult, embarrassing, and even painful at times. However, if it means avoiding an unplanned pregnancy I guess I'll have to accept it...
  • AwesomeSauceTN
    AwesomeSauceTN Posts: 27 Member
    I can't use any hormones so I use the copper IUD and I love it. It hurt like hell going in (I haven't had any kids) and I had horrible cramps for the 3 hours after insertion but since then.... no side effects, no weight gain, doesn't change my mood, no maintenance and it lasts 10 years!
  • LittleNell107
    LittleNell107 Posts: 71 Member
    Since having my mirena removed in February 2014 I was unable to lose weight which had gained with the device. Also i still have the lactating breasts and my periods are all in a mess( one period every 3 month). Went to the doctor twice and my bloods are normal.I am completely clueless what is causing all of this when the coil is no longer present.

    @galooshka28 - I'm sorry you're still experiencing post-Mirena problems... I'm still in the same boat a bit too! You're the first other person who has ever mentioned the lactating breasts - I had that too, but more so the left side. I think that has almost all gone now (I've only seen it once since removal, about a month ago). I still have on-going hair loss and complete absence of periods though... but overall I feel way better since removal.

    From my reading around, I think using artificial hormones, such as those found in BC like Mirena, can cause our endocrine systems to struggle to perform correctly and naturally regulate our hormones - so there can be a long gap before our natural hormone generation and balance recovers fully.

    So - fingers crossed for your full recovery :)
  • galooshka28
    galooshka28 Posts: 31 Member
    Thank you for mentioning the lactating breasts.I have both breasts lactating but more stuff comes out from the right one.I think mirena is to blame for messing up with the reproductive system and I am hoping that the body will sort itself out.At the moment I am awaiting on the ultrasound scan to check if I have developed any cysts.Fingers crossed nothing Is there just worried because of the absent periods.
  • Tweakfish
    Tweakfish Posts: 93 Member
    I have had Mirena for 5 years. I have never noticed it effecting my weight loss. I absolutely love it.
  • Jelaan
    Jelaan Posts: 815 Member
    Got a Mirena even though my tubes were tied because of incredibly heavy periods and anemia. All it did for me was lighten them slightly but make them last for 21 days out of 28 :(. So out that came after 9 months and I had an ablation. Unfortunately I wasn't one of the lucky ones and still had regular periods but at least they only lasted 11 days. These days I am doing the happy dance as I have gone through menopause and come out the other side and I feel great (other than the weight coming off at a glacial pace now).
  • belindagreenberg
    belindagreenberg Posts: 8 Member
    Had it for nine months and was dieting and exercising but gaining weight and extremely bloated - been able to lose over 2st since it was removed, still lots to go but moving the right way
  • theston412
    theston412 Posts: 47 Member
    I am on my 2nd Mirena device. I had the first one put in 6 weeks after my daughter was born, and had it for 5 years. I had my current one put in 3 weeks after the 1st one being taken out and still have it.

    I love that I don't have any periods. I love that I won't get pregnant.

    I never even thought to make a connection between losing weight and the Mirena, and the acne along the jaw line... I honestly didn't do much research. I just wanted something I didn't have to remember to take every day.

    The OP mentioned having to have surgery to have her IUD removed. When I had mine removed, my OB/GYN just ripped it out. Is this not normal? lol
  • ElizabethKalmbach
    ElizabethKalmbach Posts: 1,415 Member
    I removed my own Mirena because I had all the symptoms of ASIA (auto-immune response to silicone - definitely worth looking up, if you don't think your symptoms are due to the hormones) and just ditching my silicone contact lenses wasn't enough. The hormone delivery of Mirena depends on a silicone oil - which exacerbates the problem of having a silicone implant if your body doesn't like the silicone. I was sleeping 15 hours a day, had dry eye, persistent gut problems, and weight gain. All of it ended within a week of taking out the Mirena. (I have also switched to plastic contact lenses, and found that I like contacts much better when they don't make my eyeballs so irritated.) I have lost about 12 lbs without much effort beyond my usual lifestyle since January.

    After all that, condoms seem down right convenient.
  • harpsdesire
    harpsdesire Posts: 190 Member
    Good Luck with the surgery!

    Adding my two cents, I gained a lot of weight with 'the pill', and my doctor told me Mirena wouldn't have the same effects. So far it seems like I can lose weight more easily since on the IUD vs the pill.
  • harpsdesire
    harpsdesire Posts: 190 Member
    theston412 wrote: »
    The OP mentioned having to have surgery to have her IUD removed. When I had mine removed, my OB/GYN just ripped it out. Is this not normal? lol

    Normally the doctor just sort of pulls them out by the strings.

    I think the surgery OP was referring to was for her tubes. (And if they took out the IUD at the same time while she was under for the surgery to spare her the death-cramp, then I think she is a brilliant planner :) )
  • theston412
    theston412 Posts: 47 Member
    theston412 wrote: »
    The OP mentioned having to have surgery to have her IUD removed. When I had mine removed, my OB/GYN just ripped it out. Is this not normal? lol

    Normally the doctor just sort of pulls them out by the strings.

    I think the surgery OP was referring to was for her tubes. (And if they took out the IUD at the same time while she was under for the surgery to spare her the death-cramp, then I think she is a brilliant planner :) )

    ahhh ok. Guess I missed that part.
  • LittleNell107
    LittleNell107 Posts: 71 Member
    theston412 wrote: »
    The OP mentioned having to have surgery to have her IUD removed. When I had mine removed, my OB/GYN just ripped it out. Is this not normal? lol

    Normally the doctor just sort of pulls them out by the strings.

    I think the surgery OP was referring to was for her tubes. (And if they took out the IUD at the same time while she was under for the surgery to spare her the death-cramp, then I think she is a brilliant planner :) )

    They can get stuck!!! I had to have surgery to have mine removed... my GP and the consultant both tried the normal "grab and yank" approach, but it was unbearable agony because mine was stuck. They do get lodged in the wall of the uterus sometimes :(
  • galooshka28
    galooshka28 Posts: 31 Member
    I finally found the cause of my weight gain.The ultrasound showed a 4cm cyst on my left ovary.It will be monitored by my doctor.The ovarian cysts do trigger weight gain and it's harder to lose weight if you have one.
  • summerkissed
    summerkissed Posts: 730 Member
    I have mirena and it's been awesome!! No periods, no mood change, sex drive is great.....I had it put in 3 weeks after my last comp I was on levlen.ed while competing, the mirena is also the same ingredients but on a much lesser dosage....I put on 5kg but wasn't training either that was 3 years ago I'm now wanting to get back into it but I CANT LOSE WEIGHT!!! Tried everything! I don't want to have it removed as I love the freedom of it! I wanted my tubes done but a friend had hers done and bleed and bleed and bleed till she hit menopause....8 years!! She ended up having to go on many medications to stop her permanent period! I've tried other birth controls but this has been the best by a long shot apart from not being able to lose weight!!! Don't know what to do now!
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    I think you're doing the right thing. I tried an IUD and had to have it removed after three months, what a disaster!
  • rrcoffey
    rrcoffey Posts: 72 Member
    I think this might be the first thread that I've ever read the entire way through - LOL! Everyone's experiences and stories are so interesting to read. Thank you to everyone for sharing!

    I'm on my 3rd Mirena . . . had 1 after my daughter was born, removed to TTC, then a 2nd inserted after my son was born, and had that one replaced after 5 years . . . the current device is about 1.5 years old. I haven't had a period since 2008 nor have I had any significant issues, so I've always considered it a win. But, some of the side-effects ya'll attribute to it I've experienced and never considered could be Mirena related. I've spent thousands of dollars over the years in treatments and dermatologist co-pays for acne (my entire face, but my jaw-line is susceptible) with no real improvement, but the "neck boils" really caught my attention. I have 3 healing at this very moment . . . and I usually get at least 2 at a time. I thought the hair loss was associated with the fact that I've grown my hair longer over the past year and wear it in a ponytail for the gym almost daily . . . and it may be, but maybe it's not? The weight . . . I've been stuck within the same 3-5 lbs for almost a year now, despite changes in my work out, playing with the diet (more calories, fewer calories, no carbs, no sugar, etc...). The belly bloating/pooch may or may not be related . . . I had c-sections, so it's possible it won't ever go away entirely, but who knows?

    This thread, though, has really inspired me to do more research and possibly consider making a change. I work hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle and it would be really disappointing to discover this device has been sabotaging it all along :(

    To the OP, glad to hear your surgery was successful, on all accounts!
  • sdmunsch
    sdmunsch Posts: 3 Member
    @essase - I am interested to hear how your weight loss has been recently, as it looks like your last post was April.

    I have also gained weight on Mirena. I got it right after a 4 lb weight gain from vacation (which is TOTALLY normal...lol.) But in addition to not being abe to lose that 4 lbs, I have gained an additional 6, and it's only been 1.5 months. I also have the bloated belly, which some days makes me look 3-4 months pregnant. I work out 5 days a week... SUPER hard workouts: bootcamp, HIIT, Tabata, etc. And some days I even run 2 miles before I take my class kind of as a warm up. My diet hasn't been perfect, but I am usually around 1,400 calories. Not bad at all. I haven't changed my diet, so the Mirena is the only thing that I can think of. I am wondering if I should give it a little more time or just have it removed now. It stresses me out, and is making me depressed. I mean, when you work that hard to maintain your weight and still see a gain? UGH!!!

    Anyone have ideas on BC that does NOT have weight gain? I am using it for BC, but also for my super heavy periods that are debilitating. (I can't leave the house at times...it's only about a day that it's like that still enough.)

    I have read on Mirena's website that the weight gain side effect only happens in "up to 5% of women." How is that possible when I keep seeing threads like this all over the internet?!
  • ColinsMommaOC
    ColinsMommaOC Posts: 296 Member
    Thank you guys for sharing this. I have had mine in almost 5 years, and have scheduled an appointment to have it removed at the end of this month. I have experienced the hair loss (large chunks of hair every time I brush, wash, or even just touch it) and breakouts on my jawline like others have had. My GP also said that it could be the reason my weight went up so quickly (100 lbs in less than 3 years), as opposed to the steady increase I had from over eating in the years before I got it in. Not sure if she is right, and I was still just over eating either way, but it made me stop to think. I had never heard of the Mirena Crash before reading this, does anyone know about how long I should expect it to last if it does happen to me?
  • carolbeths
    carolbeths Posts: 2 Member
    edited September 2015
    I gained 5 lbs within a week after my Mirena insertion. It may not sound like a lot, but I have always been very small, and as a percentage of my overall weight, it certainly made a difference. My clothes stopped fitting (perhaps should have left a bigger margin) and the people in my life certainly noticed the change. The weight is entirely in my belly, and I look a few months pregnant most of the time.

    I went back to my doctor several times, but to no avail. Got a lot of questions about whether I was sure that I wasn't just eating more (I wasn't eating more; besides, what would a person have to eat in order to gain nearly a pound per day?). My doctor encouraged me to wait a few months to see if the weight gain and other side effects subsided. When they didn't, I had my Mirena removed after about 3.5 months. This was in May 2015 (insertion in February 2015, right before turning 31).

    Fast forward another 3.5 months, and I have not seen ANY improvement. I cut 500 calories per day out of my diet and increased exercise. I weigh myself almost every morning on the same scale under the same conditions (pre-food or drink, pre-shower, naked) and my weight will fluctuate each morning by as much as 3 lbs from the previous day, which leads me to believe that at least some of this is water/fluid. I have hired a personal trainer/fitness coach so at least I will have some kind of witness to my effort and lack of results. He has reviewed my food diary and says it is unimpeachable. I have stopped menstruating altogether, which my doctor now thinks may be related to how little I am eating. But one would think that if I have restricted my caloric intake so severely as to cause amenorrhea, I would also be losing weight -- no luck. I am at a loss!

    I have to believe it was the Mirena, because the timing lines up perfectly and the gain was sudden and immediate, with no other changes to lifestyle. Blood panels have returned normal metabolic function and thyroid. So I am astonished that things haven't improved since removal. Has anybody else taken this long to reset post-removal? I am beyond frustrated and terrified that I will never return to normal.
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