Did you lose weight after having the Mirena taken out?

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Replies

  • MrsBAT
    MrsBAT Posts: 31 Member
    Oh my gosh, I could rant about that hellish device for hours. It totally wrecked my body while I had it, but I won't go into all the issues I had and I'll just stick to the weight issue.

    Basically, I gained about 35lb while pregnant (preeclampsia) . By week 7 post partum, I'd lost about 25lb and that's when I got the Mirena. By week 15 I had gained back 10lb MORE than what I weighed the day I gave birth. I went through hell for months and my OB wouldn't even see me and told me on the phone that none of my symptoms were related to the Mirena (even though they didn't start until I got it).

    Finally, after 8 months of wanting to die, I found someone who would remove it without charging me several hundred dollars. Within a week I was almost totally symptom-free and I lost all the weight I'd gained within about six weeks without even trying. I was eating more, moving the same amount, but the weight just melted off.

    I know a lot of people who love it, but getting it was the single worst mistake I've ever made. I'm really sensitive to hormonal birth control anyway, but that one was the absolute worst I've tried. Even the shot didn't mess me up that much.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    MrsBAT wrote: »
    Oh my gosh, I could rant about that hellish device for hours. It totally wrecked my body while I had it, but I won't go into all the issues I had and I'll just stick to the weight issue.

    Basically, I gained about 35lb while pregnant (preeclampsia) . By week 7 post partum, I'd lost about 25lb and that's when I got the Mirena. By week 15 I had gained back 10lb MORE than what I weighed the day I gave birth. I went through hell for months and my OB wouldn't even see me and told me on the phone that none of my symptoms were related to the Mirena (even though they didn't start until I got it).

    Finally, after 8 months of wanting to die, I found someone who would remove it without charging me several hundred dollars. Within a week I was almost totally symptom-free and I lost all the weight I'd gained within about six weeks without even trying. I was eating more, moving the same amount, but the weight just melted off.

    I know a lot of people who love it, but getting it was the single worst mistake I've ever made. I'm really sensitive to hormonal birth control anyway, but that one was the absolute worst I've tried. Even the shot didn't mess me up that much.

    side effect to Mirena is increased appetite.

    In order to gain weight you have to eat more than you burned...
    In order to lose weight you have to eat less than you burn....so the bolded statement is scientifically impossible...
    10lbs maybe in water weight...max 20....but not 45lbs...you have to eat more than you burn to gain that extra 25lbs.
  • ekpmymail
    ekpmymail Posts: 4 Member
    edited July 2016
    This is actually not categorically true. Hormone imbalances (specifically too much estrogen) can cause increases in thyroxine-binding globulins. Thyroxine is the prohormone to T3, which constitutes a tremendous amount of what we think of as metabolism. So if you have undetected thyroid issues, you can eat more, move the same amount AND lose weight, if you get rid of whatever was previously causing thyroid issues.

    The trick being that what we are supposed to be burning (the "how much we move" part) vs what we actually burn are often very different.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    ekpmymail wrote: »
    This is actually not categorically true. Hormone imbalances (specifically too much estrogen) can cause increases in thyroxine-binding globulins. Thyroxine is the prohormone to T3, which constitutes a tremendous amount of what we think of as metabolism. So if you have undetected thyroid issues, you can eat more, move the same amount AND lose weight, if you get rid of whatever was previously causing thyroid issues.

    The trick being that what we are supposed to be burning (the "how much we move" part) vs what we actually burn are often very different.

    then what I said is categorically true.

    CICO...CI>CO gain...CI<CO lose.
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    I *personally* don't recall my weight changing with Mirena removal...
  • manicautumn
    manicautumn Posts: 224 Member
    I gained about 20 pounds while on Mirena, lost 30, gained back the 20.

    I mean, the initial gain did line up with having it put in. But, whether that caused increased appetite or perhaps the initial cramping reduced my will to exercise... I don't know. All I know is that, regardless of the impact of the Mirena on me, I've been able to gain and lose weight depending on the choices I made.

    When I cut back drinking, I went from 145 to 135 without trying to lose weight over a period of 5 months. When I exercised and controlled my calories, I went from 135 to 115 during a summer semester. When I got seriously depressed and then started grad school (lol, drinking), I went back up to 145 relatively quickly.

    So. Yeah. Maybe it caused a little weight gain in terms of messing with my body's general status quo- but the long term losses and gains are all related to calories in and calories out.
  • ekpmymail
    ekpmymail Posts: 4 Member
    So, I see what you're saying, and yes, your exact words are true. It's an old adage.

    But you're negating what the other woman said, that she moved the same and lost more. The old adage about calories in vs out is true yes, but it is absolutely possible to do the same things (eat, move the same way) and lose more (or less!). Her statement "I was eating more, moving the same amount, but the weight just melted off."

    Totally plausible.

    You can use tools to estimate calories out. MFP has plenty of them. But estimates become unreliable when your body chemistry is abnormal. So two people of the exact same weight and height, etc, can move the exact same way and amount, and if one has undetected metabolic issues, that person will burn less (or more depending on the disorder). At the height of my Graves' disease I was a sedentary teen, ate like a college frat boy (sans beer) and lost 30 lbs.

    TLDR; Calories out is not always determined by how much we move, or easily estimated. Individual body chemistry is important. This lady's experience is just as important as anyone else's, even if it's not representative.

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    ekpmymail wrote: »
    So, I see what you're saying, and yes, your exact words are true. It's an old adage.

    But you're negating what the other woman said, that she moved the same and lost more. The old adage about calories in vs out is true yes, but it is absolutely possible to do the same things (eat, move the same way) and lose more (or less!). Her statement "I was eating more, moving the same amount, but the weight just melted off."

    Totally plausible.

    You can use tools to estimate calories out. MFP has plenty of them. But estimates become unreliable when your body chemistry is abnormal. So two people of the exact same weight and height, etc, can move the exact same way and amount, and if one has undetected metabolic issues, that person will burn less (or more depending on the disorder). At the height of my Graves' disease I was a sedentary teen, ate like a college frat boy (sans beer) and lost 30 lbs.

    TLDR; Calories out is not always determined by how much we move, or easily estimated. Individual body chemistry is important. This lady's experience is just as important as anyone else's, even if it's not representative.

    yes calories out is always determined by movement...it might not be easily estimated but that is not Mirnea doing it....

    It is always cico...and regardless of if she said she didn't change anything no proof...just random ramblings...
  • eshults89
    eshults89 Posts: 45 Member
    Yes I did! I did not do well with it. I felt constantly bloated with it and was alwayssss bleeding! (Opposite effect on me) when I took it out it was such a relief!
  • ekpmymail
    ekpmymail Posts: 4 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »

    yes calories out is always determined by movement...it might not be easily estimated but that is not Mirnea doing it....

    It is always cico...and regardless of if she said she didn't change anything no proof...just random ramblings...

    Alrighty, well, I guess I can just ignore what my doctor, with her four years of medical school, four years of residency, two years of fellowship, and tenured professorship at the state's medical school says about my Mirena having affected my hormone balance and thus metabolism.






  • annazmink
    annazmink Posts: 1 Member
    I gained 60 POUNDS after having my Mirena put in! No amount of exercise or healthy eating, that has proved to work in that past, worked! I could lose nothing. I had to fight with my insurance and doctors and have bloodwork done and log my diet for weeks to get my Mirena switched out for a Paraguard, the hormone free IUD. I finally had it removed after a year, June 17, 2016. As of this morning, I have lost 19.2 pounds!!!!! I will never again get a Mirena, I can't do the hormones.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    annazmink wrote: »
    I gained 60 POUNDS after having my Mirena put in! No amount of exercise or healthy eating, that has proved to work in that past, worked! I could lose nothing. I had to fight with my insurance and doctors and have bloodwork done and log my diet for weeks to get my Mirena switched out for a Paraguard, the hormone free IUD. I finally had it removed after a year, June 17, 2016. As of this morning, I have lost 19.2 pounds!!!!! I will never again get a Mirena, I can't do the hormones.

    exercise and healthy eating do not guarantee weight loss.

    Hormones are only related to max 20lbs I suspect, from water retention and cortisol from stress, rest is the food you put in your mouth.
  • hazellazer
    hazellazer Posts: 3 Member
    I will say that I gained quite a bit of weight in early 2016 because I was struggling with endometriosis symptoms. I stopped exercising and ate very poorly. I had a laparoscopy and had the mirena inserted.

    After recovery, I resumed exercising and controlling my calorie deficiency. I gained even more weight.

    So while I can say with certainty my calories out was more than my calories in, I was still gaining weight. I just had the IUD removed this week. Will continue my current exercise and calorie intake levels and see what happens.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    hazellazer wrote: »
    I will say that I gained quite a bit of weight in early 2016 because I was struggling with endometriosis symptoms. I stopped exercising and ate very poorly. I had a laparoscopy and had the mirena inserted.

    After recovery, I resumed exercising and controlling my calorie deficiency. I gained even more weight.

    So while I can say with certainty my calories out was more than my calories in, I was still gaining weight. I just had the IUD removed this week. Will continue my current exercise and calorie intake levels and see what happens.

    closed diary...so can't really say you are totally controlling your deficit...but

    new exercise
    new BC

    water retention....
  • hazellazer
    hazellazer Posts: 3 Member
    edited August 2016
    There is an NIH study which showed that while both copper IUD and hormonal IUD participants gained weight, LNG IUDs led to a higher percentage of fat gain, whereas the copper users had a lean mass gain. Granted it was only done on 76 people, but it does point to an effect on body composition.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22445431

    Or what about this one? 6.1 Adverse reactions - weight increase.
    https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=92231d6f-f4d8-43b0-aa95-f7cec1cc18c5
  • hazellazer
    hazellazer Posts: 3 Member
    edited August 2016
    Lastly, Stef, keep in mind that these standards of the studies may not really reflect the life of everyday people. It's like when you test of efficiacy vs effectiveness, what you see in a controlled study doesn't necessarily mean it's the reality beyond the bounds of that study.
  • Raspberrybullets
    Raspberrybullets Posts: 17 Member
    I have had mine in since January. I have had no weight gain or moodiness or anything that people are suffering with. I have been losing weight slowly and although its not really showing on the scales it is showing in my clothes. I am wearing size 14 clothes for the first time in 20 years.
  • karliwelhoelter
    karliwelhoelter Posts: 22 Member
    I got my Mirena inserted in December, and I was so excited because I thought there would be no side effects, that it wouldn't mess with my hormones, and on top of that I wouldn't even have to THINK about birth control for five whole years!!
    I've been consistently exercising for 2 years now, a healthy mix of weights and cardio, and I've always managed to keep my weight in the 124-128 range, at around 19% BF eating intuitively while balancing healthy foods with fun foods. I haven't had major problems with acne since I was 18, and I'm almost 24 now.
    A month after I got Mirena, I noticed I was breaking out along my jawline. I thought, no biggie, my body is adjusting from the pill hormones to the Mirena hormones. I was exercising and eating well, and a few months later I notice that I've gained a little weight on my hips. Ok, well, time to add more cardio. A month goes by...two months go by...NOTHING. No loss. I didn't think I had gained.... little did I know, I had crept up to 136. I got frustrated seeing no results, and I was feeling very lethargic at this point... with my acne only getting worse. I stopped working out and ate less well, but still not awful. When I weighed myself after not workout out for 3 months and eating maybe 50/50 well and indugling, I hadn't gained a lb. That's when I knew something wasn't right, paired with my ZERO sex drive and 9 month consistent acne at this point.
    I've felt insane for thinking that ALL of this could be related to my Mirena, but I just knew in my gut that it was.. and I literally cried when I found this thread. I'm sorry for everyone that's had to go through this, but I'm also so glad I'm not the only one. I'm making an appointment tomorrow to get it removed ASAP.

    tldr; Mirena hormones do not do me any favors. Birth control is a hit and miss, everyone is different, don't feel crazy for thinking your problems are related to birth control if they seem out of the blue.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    hazellazer wrote: »
    Lastly, Stef, keep in mind that these standards of the studies may not really reflect the life of everyday people. It's like when you test of efficiacy vs effectiveness, what you see in a controlled study doesn't necessarily mean it's the reality beyond the bounds of that study.

    any studies I have read were not controlled at all...just woman using the BC...no diet control etc.

    I know how studies work and most of them unless controlled are not that reliable for anything other than does the drug do what it is suppose to do.....no double checks on the side effects people report etc...no controls....etc.