Who has a Mirena?

ales1979 · June 2011

WARNING!!!: THIS POST IS DISCUSSING FEMALE GYNAECOLOGICAL/ SEXUAL HEALTH EXPERIENCES!

Sorry, know this is the section for weight loss etc, but I want to ask you girlies out there who has had one of these 'coils' and how you've got on with it? I've put it here because I know that weight gain is a very common side effect of the Mirena (and I'm a daily logger on here too) so putting two and two together I figured this would be a good place to find out what I needed to know from REAL people, not just the 'glossed over' versions from sexual health websites and government run health sites.

I'm happy to read about the good, the bad and the ugly!

I'm seriously thinking about having one fitted in the next few weeks and want some 'real life' info and feedback if possible.Plus I'm on some other medications (anti-depressants included) and they say that no medications affect the Mirena, which is a brilliant thing!

I'm on the pill at the moment, have had different types of it for the last 15 years or so, but its just not suiting me anymore and I'm having pretty bad side effects, pain and very heavy flow.

I had the injections about 10 years ago, for about 9 months, my periods stopped (which was ok, but a bit scary too) and it was the start of my weight gain and skin problems. I KNOW the mirena has progestogen hormones too, but I have heavy painful and exhausting 'monthlys' as it is and I'm sure I can cope with a few small side-effects if it means I don;t have to spend 3 or 4 days of each month in my bed with terrible pain, very heavy flow/ flooding, migraines, lots of water retention (which has been as much as 7 to 10 lbs some months - not recently since I changed to my current version of the pill, about 12 months ago) and terrible mood swings!!!

Thanks in advance for any help/ personal experiences.

Also feel free to send me a message, if you don't want to post here (I understand it can be an embarrassing subject to talk about openly sometimes!) just use MIRENA as a 'subject' so I know what we're talking about

xx Ales xx

awbower76 · June 2011

I do!

One of the major benefits I've seen is that I don't have the super-heavy periods, nor do I feel like my uterus is falling out each month. Unfortunately, I still have spotting for up to two weeks a month. The spotting is minimal (nothing a regular tampon a day can't take care of) and I've only had it since November, so I am going to try to patiently wait it out!

I suspect that I may have some other issues going on that are stalling my weight loss that have not been verified, but I am finding it impossible to lose anything. However, I'm working on 5 vanity pounds, so I can't say for certain that it would be the same if you have more to lose. I do have friends who have lost 25+ pounds with no problem!

Good luck!

melzteach · June 2011

I had Mirena for five years but did not get a new one when it was time. Originally thought It would be great because I wouldn't have to remember to take the pill...at the same time...every day. I knew I didn't want to do the shots because I don't care for needles. Plus I didn't not have a period the whole time I had it...WINNING! I did not experience weight gain but for me I think I had issues with the hormones after I got it taken out...I felt like a crazy lady for about a year.
I did not do my homework though because I discovered that Mirena prevents pregnancy by not allowing fertilized eggs to attach to the uterine wall. That is not okay with me at all. I am pro life and do not believe in abortion and my husband and I decided that this was not the best option for us. Especially since I can get pregnant quite easily. The research might have changed since I last looked into it so my advice to you would be to do your homework so you know how the birth control you ar eusing works to determine if it s really right for you.

josavage · June 2011

I have had the Mirena for over 5 years and love it. I just had my second one inserted. It did not cause any weight gain for me. I do not have any of the side effects I had from the pill. My migraines went away and I just get a few headaches now and then. I do still get a period but it is very, very light. It was definitely the right choice for me.

Laura_beau · June 2011

Hey Ales

I have sooooo many similar issues to you. I have been on countless methods of birth control since the age of 12 to help with my periods, which have always been extremely painful, heavy, prologed, too frequent and just a plain joke really!!

I have tried about 8 different types of pill- often running them together for long periods of time (GP reccomended), I have also had the depo injection, the implant, the implant & pill at the same time!!!!!

My pain & bleeding never stop- despite the bc, so I demanded to see a specialist- and am now in the process of having some tests/surgeries to see if it is endometriosis.

I had a mirena coil fitted last monday, I cannot say how painful it was during insertion as I was under general anasthetic (I was having other stuff done at the same time). I've ahd pretty bad pain/cramping since- but it's probably a combination of my usual pains + the surgery I had.

I will keep you posted (You are already one of my buddies) on any side effects/ weight changes/ pain issues.

My consultant did say that this is probably the best option for me re: weight loss, as the implant, pill & injection have much higher doses of hormones.

Good luck hun, I know how awful gynae issues are xx

Daffydilly · June 2011

Hi, I've had the Mirena for about three years and it suits me fine. It took about 8-9 months to settle down, during which time I had irregular bleeding and thought it would never improve. However I can now say that I only have a tiny little 'show' about once every couple of months, and that it's so light that I don't really need to wear a tampon or pad.

Previously I had super heavy periods, which had started suddenly about 4 years ago. I would frequently flood right through and it seriously hampered my work, family and social life. I don't regret having it fitted at all.

Regarding weight, I was overweight to start and have gained some since having it fitted but can't say whether the Mirena is to blame.

Hope this helps!

girlinahat · June 2011

Have you thought about the implant? I have one, my periods have pretty much stopped apart from a little bit of spotting and I have not gained weight from it (although was warned to watch that).

One of the reasons I ask is that a friend had a coil fitted (not sure if it was the Mirena or a hormone-free coil) and because she had never given birth it was EXTREMELY difficult to fit, took several attempts and was quite uncomfortable.

I know that doesn't answer your question but it may be another option worth considering - I chose the implant over the injection because it was slow-release and could be removed if side effects became too much (unlike the injection which you are stuck with)

TayJoMama · June 2011

I got Mirena last Feb. for the same reason as you, terrible cycles. My sister has has it for years no and her cycle completely stopped. So I gave it a try. I just got rid of it this January. It was not a good experience for me. I continued to have a cycle the entire time. Instead of my usual dull painful cramps, I started having sharp painful cramps. My cycle was lighter but enough that i had to use pads. I kept thinking that if I get to a year that I would finally have the experience my sister was having. No instead my camps would get worse. I went for my yearly check up and asked my family doctor about it and she told me this is not right, I've given it more than enough time and that it just wasn't working for me, so I got it taken out and my cycle just returned to exactly what they were before. To make matter worse, although there's not a lot of hormone in it,there was enough to give me the pregnancy mask. I recognize this from when I was pregnant with my last child. So my cycle is back to normal, but now i'm trying to get rid of the discoloration on my neck. I did notice I was on a weight loss plateau for a couple of months before I took it out and lost a couple of pound the next week. I think everyone reacts different to it. Hope this helps.

aryaw · June 2011

I had a mirana in for almost 5 years - it was perfect for me with the exception of not losing the baby weight and then gaining another 30lbs on top of that - but looking back it made my extremely heavy periods non-existent for about 2 years and then slight spotting for the rest of the time. When I had it put in it hurt but that's because my uterus was tilted and the doc kept hitting the outside of my uterus (owie) - When it was taken out no pain but I had 3 miscarriages before getting pregnant with my now almost 8 month old little girl.

It was good at the time but I wouldn't do it again - which is why after I had my little girl I had a tubal because I was done. (4 was enough for me).

clementine66 · June 2011

I have a Mirena too! I was on the pill for years and just about 2 months ago got the Mirena. I was having alot of problems with bleeding due to fibroids. So far I have not gained weight and I feel better overall not being on the pill anymore. But the bleeding issues are not better. I still have very heavy periods and spot/bleed all month long. Its very frustrating. My doctor seems to think the fibroids are not being affected by the Mirena and thinks I should have a hysterectomy. I have also had a novasure procedure and that didn't help either. But as far as the Mirena goes, I think for some people its probably great. I feel really good, getting it put in was kinda uncomfortable, but not painful. I don't have horrible cramps anymore, but still have heavy bleeding!
Good luck with your decision.

MrsLopez77 · June 2011

I had the Mirena IUD inserted after having my one (and now only) daughter. While using it I didn't have any periods nor did I have spotting which was great, though it did have a tendency to "poke" my fiance during intercourse (even after having the two small strings shortened, they are similar to fishing wire). I had no issues with weight gain or loss while it was in place but I just so happen to be the very lucky one in a million who had the pleasant experience of having my uterus preforated and the IUD traveling about my abdomen causing adhesions and scar tissue i did not know about until it was so bad that i had to have a full hysterectomy at the ripe old age of 26 ... so naturally the IUD is not my first choice in birth control though I know this is a rare case, just another thought to consider. best of luck to you!!!

smith18aj · June 2011

I've had a mirena for just over a year after being on the pill for 4 years. I LOVE IT. I haven't had a full blown period since I got it, spotting occasionally usually I just wear a liner. However I still have PMS or other menstrual symptoms (but nothing that bugs me enough to stop using it). I've never had a baby and I'm sure that's what made getting it put in really painful. It was awful. but only lasted about a day. I don't think I've gained weight from it, and I've lost 25 since January with just normal lifestyle adjustments no crazy regimes or anything. It doesn't affect medicines, my boyfriend has no complaints about feeling the strings (though I've heard of it happening) and I have absolutely no complaints. It also can come out easily if you decide it's not for you. Another bonus, since my insurance covered it, it only cost 2-3 copays of $20 for 5 years of coverage. In the 4 previous years of the pill I spent nearly $500. So even at a cost comparison it's awesome. I've also read that if you don't have insurance/they don't cover it a lot of places (read planned parenthood) will let you pay it off monthly.

cammons · June 2011

My husband and I decided to go the Paragard route (it is the IUD that uses copper instead of hormones to prevent pregnancy) and loved it for a year or more until my body started to do strange things that led to removing the IUD, which are not common that long after "installation". With the Paragard we learned a few things about how my body reacts to hormones and there is no way we're going back to hormone based birth controls....my understanding is that Mirena is a very low dose which wold have been nice but my body needed a break from all the hormones, the Paragard was also cheaper (important since we had to pay out of pocket) and is effective twice a long as the Mirena

As Metal_beau mentioned....holy cow was the insertion painful! Plan to have someone handy to drive you home afterward and take the day off just in case, you know if you plan for an easy day you won't need it...I should not have been allowed to drive myself home (no anesthesia but the cramps were so bad I could hardly focus on the road.)

Best wishes.....once you get over the insertion, I'd bet you'll love it!

kailyamie · June 2011

The Mirena is at the very tippy top of my *kitten*-list. My midwife encouraged me to get it after I had my now 3-year-old son... so I did. I have never done well with hormonal birth control, so I guess this was her solution. I had that sucker taken out after 18 months. My mood changed, I was like depressed. I was agitated all of the time with everyone. I gained weight, despite actually trying to lose some after baby. I suspected that the Mirena had to do with some of these things b/c being depressed is not normal for me. When I had it taken out, I got this bizarre sense of clarity. It reminded me of when you have a cold and your head is all clogged up, then a few days later your ears finally pop and you suddenly can hear clearly again even though you had gotten so used to not being able to hear very well that you didn't even notice it anymore... it was like that, except in my brain. It was so weird. Also, my blood pressure dropped tremendously after having it removed, and though my GNY claims that the two were not possible linked, my PCP doctor thinks otherwise. Anyway, since having it removed in January 2010, I have had irregular cycles, constant bleeding and now PCOS... issues I NEVER had before the IUD. We've been trying to have another baby with no success. It's awful. My OB tries to link all of these issues to my weight, but I was overweight before and never had these issues... had 2 very healthy pregnancies with no complications, no irregular cycles etc..... not until I got the IUD. And, I NEVER had a cycle with the IUD. Not once the entire 18 months... which might seem like a good thing... but that's not normal, I'm sorry. The female body was designed to do certain things and stopping those things cannot possibly be good in the long-run. So... sorry this was long-winded, but I am totally anti-IUD after my experience. I hope others don't have to deal with I did.

ales1979 · June 2011

Thanks for all your replies ladies!! Theres a real 'mixed bag' there, which is exactly what I wanted so I could get some perspective

Can anyone else shed some light on their Mirena experiences?

xx

jrreed1 · June 2011

I had one for about a year, then DH and I decided to have another baby. I loved the Mirena for birth control. The only other BC I have been on is the pill and I definitely did not have the side effects with the IUD I did with the pill. No problems with getting pregnant again after having it removed. I am one of the users who would recommend it for BC.

tladame · June 2011

I used the Mirena, but only for a short time (just a few months). I originally had the ParaGard, which gave me really heavy bleeding and awful cramps. After about 9 months, I switched to the Mirena. During that time, I had no side effects, and cycles were very light. I only had it removed because we wanted to try for another baby...then I hit menopause. Dangit!! Anyway, the Mirena worked fine for me.

ajh2011 · June 2011

I have one too and I love it. I have had it for about 3 1/2 years. It feels weird at first , like you can really feel it up there but that soon goes away (couple of months). I do not have periods at all. Occassionally, I will have a day where I may experience spotting but usually just on the toilet paper only. I do have some depression but I haven't blamed that on Mirena because I have a family history of it. I have been on here since January and have lost 38 lbs so I wouldn't say that it is preventing me from losing weight now that I cut out the bad stuff out of my diet:). I would highly recommend it solely based on my experience with it. Good luck:)

Jaradel · June 2011

I have the Mirena IUD; I was fitted with it over two years ago. It was slightly uncomfortable at first but now I can't even feel it. I still have some spotting, but I wear a pantiliner every day anyway (stress incontinence from my pregnancies), so it's not an issue. I can't say that my weight gain is because of Mirena; I did lose weight a while after having it inserted, and I gained some weight back, but I blame my crappy eating habits, not the IUD. I can't attribute any behavioral changes to the Mirena, either; I'm pretty much the way I was before it was inserted. YMMV, of course, but I would highly recommend it based on my personal experiences. The convenience of it, and the fact that my insurance covered it after a $25 copay, make it a winner for me.

bellinachuchina · June 2011

Lost ALL my weight (110 lbs.) with mine in. Had it over two years, been maintaining my goal weight for over a year now!

Everyone is different, but the hormonal dosage in Mirena is very low, so effects on weight, etc. aren't usually prevalent.

sandrinamsilva · June 2011

I have had my Mirena for about 15 months. I love it. Yes insertion was a little bit painful, but not so much I couldnt drive myself or go back to work. Everyone is different though. I did bleed on and off for a long time but within the last couple of months I can pin-point exactly when it will begin again. They are heavy periods actually very very light compared to what I used to get with nothing. I used to be on the depo shot before, and had a terrible attitude problem. Not with Mirena, I fell pretty normal again.
I have lost weight since having Mirena.
Hope this helps

JennsLosing · June 2011

i dont have anything bad to say about it...other than i bled for about the first month non stop that it was in. Ive had it now for 7 months, and i get a VERY light period once a month that last 3 days tops.

ales1979 · June 2011

all of this info is absolutely brilliant!!!

thankyou so much ladies!! you're all little super-stars

:drinker:

xx:flowerforyou:

zeeeb · June 2011

i have one and love it. i was fat, and i didn't notice a big weight gain from the mirena... but i was fat and overweight already anyway...

love it love it love it.

i don't get periods, and if i do they last for about 2 days and are ridiculouly light, so i just love it.... who wants a period anyway, they are gross. i'm done having kids, so i was going to get my tubes tied after this first mirena, but i'm so loving not having to deal with periods, that i'm going to get the mirena again because i'd hate to have to go back to having regular periods again, they are just something i don't want or need in my life anymore.

mheightchew · June 2011

I have had two Mirena's for a total of about 8 years. I spotted for the two weeks when the first one was put in but then didn't have anymore periods. I have suffered from PCOS since my teens and have horrible periods, so I loved this. I am not one to remember to take a pill every day (my daughhter Breanna is a miraculous exhibit A) so this worked really well for me. I have to be honest though, after reading the other replies I am a little concerned. I have always had issues with my weight, but this became worse in the last few years. I have also had depression/anxiety issues that have progressively gotten worse over the last few years. Now I am wondering if there is a connection. This is still a better option for me though than anything else they offer at the moment.

sassyfit04 · June 2011

Hi, I had a Mirena inserted about five years ago. Although I went to the ER for pain the day after having it inserted, they only gave me pain meds and sent me home. They didn't even check for the strings, so I was unaware it had perforated my uterus. To make a long story short, I got pregnant but I had a hole in my uterus so I lost the baby and prolapsed my uterus. I have had to have a hysterectomy due to all my complications.

I hope you have better luck than I did!!

ktspac · June 2011

i've had mirena for about about 15 months. haven't had a period in almost a year now

i think 3 times in the last year i had the faintest spotting - usually after bragging about how wonderful mirena is, no period, no cramps, no babies. then i get the spotting that night. so i'm sure it will happen tonite now :P

i tried to get it at my 6 week post partum check - for whatever reason it hurt way too bad & i made doc stop. i finally got brave enough to try it about 6 months later and there was no problem then - like bad cramps that's it & it's mainly when they measure the depth of the uterus.

no probs with strings - neither of us can feel them.

i love it - didn't have the guts to have my tubes tied after #2 but pretty darn sure we are done so this seemed to be the easiest route - have been on the pill or the ring for years and years.

i didn't notice any particular weight gain with it either

kimtpa1417 · June 2011

I had the Mirena for 4 years and LOVED it. I still had my period but very light and very random. I had it removed last September after i developed a Hypothyroid with tumors (may or may not be caused by the mirena) I gained over 20 lbs and started getting extreme pain in my kidney area. Since I had it removed I never get the pains anymore. Although I am now stuck with these tumors on my thyroid that have to be biopsy every 6 mo to test for cancer, I am glad I removed it. I miss the light periods and not having to worry about protection.

seatern · June 2011

I've had a Mirena for 2 years and also love it. So much easier than having to take a pill everyday, way less hormones and I only get one day of spotting every few months.

Of course everyone is different, but as far as birth control goes the Mirena tends to fix things that mother nature gave you (like heavy periods) without giving you the side effects that many other forms do (i.e. weight gain, mood disturbances, heavy periods.... all these things are POSSIBLE with the Mirena but just much less likely).

The biggest downside is the pain with insertion and the upfront cost but overall I think it's the best form of contraception out there.

mags911 · June 2011

I have had both the copper and the mirena iud and before that birth control pills. From my side mirena is the best-no having to remember pills every day and it is good for 5 years. I went off birth control and got pregnant with my first son after that my doc suggested an iud and I chose copper thinking more natural well I bled pretty heavily but kept it in for a year and a half until we decided to go for number two and had no problems getting pregnant. After my youngest son was born I researched the heavy period thing and decided to go mirena and haven't looked back. I love it no periods at all. Fabulous! I will tell you insertion after a baby is soo easy I hardly felt it but after replacing iud after 5 year lapse and no baby is a different story. I reccommend the strongest pain killer you can get and maybe ask about a medication that helps dialate you a bit for easier insertion. I am hypothryroid and have been since I was 18 so birth control to copper to mirena no difference. As for weight gain I have gone up and done over the years all on my own. Good luck and best wishes.

sandrinamsilva · June 2011

Hi, I had a Mirena inserted about five years ago. Although I went to the ER for pain the day after having it inserted, they only gave me pain meds and sent me home. They didn't even check for the strings, so I was unaware it had perforated my uterus. To make a long story short, I got pregnant but I had a hole in my uterus so I lost the baby and prolapsed my uterus. I have had to have a hysterectomy due to all my complications.

I hope you have better luck than I did!!

So Sorry you went through this.

Who has a Mirena?

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