Did you lose weight after having the Mirena taken out?

Ps. Look into it online some more. I read so many articles and forums. They say something like 10% of women have adverse reactions like weight gain from the hormones in it.

I am so, so glad I saw this thread. I had the Mirena put in about two and a half years ago. Shortly thereafter, I started getting cystic acne breakouts all over my face, specifically on my jawline. I have had clear skin my whole life, so to start breaking out like a pubescent teenager was a shock. I searched for what could be causing it, and the only thing that made sense was the Mirena. I tolerated the acne for about a year, since the other benefits of the IUD seemed to outweigh the negatives, but then I started noticing scarring along my chin from the acne. I went to my doctor and asked to have it removed, and he got snippy with me because he didn't believe it was causing the issue (I no longer go to him). Less than two weeks after removal, the acne had completely cleared. Unfortunately, there is not much information about the side affects of Mirena out there, which was another reason I waited so long to have it removed - I figured it must be something else causing it. I still have a few scars, but I'm glad I took it out when I did. It's vindicating to see so many other women who have suffered with the same issues.

I didn't notice any of the other side effects mentioned in this thread, but I was also studying for my CPA at the time and might have attributed anything else to that.

I had a Mirena for 5 years, had it taken out when it 'expired' and did not get another one placed. BUT, my youngest child was 11 when I got it, and I was 40 so no "post childbirth" perspective. I had also heard stories that the Mirena doesn't make you GAIN weight, but could slow down or otherwise inhibit weight loss. That has not been my experience. When I work the logging and exercise program like I know I should, I lose weight. When I don't, I don't.

Been losing steadily with mirena. When I ate too much I gained.

Sex drive is still roaring lol so good that way too (saw a few mentions of it diminishing in others)

So far only good has come from mine (super light periods)

Revealme wrote: »

Well I promised an update and here it is. I had the mirena removed on April 21st...today is May 5th so exactly 2 weeks ago. I have only lost 1lb. Also I never experienced the "Mirena Crash" that I read about so that's a good thing. Only had 2 days of a period and now back to a blank slate. Although I have not lost the significant weight I was hoping for at this time, my stomach has deflated quite a bit. I am still hopeful and will continue to see if I lose weight over this month and then I will know if it was the mirena causing the weight gain...for now all I can say is it was the mirena that made me look like I was pregnant though!

Yes there can be some bloat associated with it...but it wasn't mirena that caused the weight gain...it can cause some gain due to water retention but that's false weight imo.

It will increase appetite so if there was actual weight gain it was due to excess calories...but remember pms can cause increased appetite...

I discovered after a few years that birth control with hormones in did not suit me after trying them all weight gain, depression, making me into a short tempered evil witch! So eventually I had a iud that contains no hormones fitted and have zero problems since.
If you suspect the same don't drag it out, get it changed ASAP and regain your normal self!

The fifth article reports a 46% incidence of weight gain, and the sixth article lists weight gain, along with irregular periods and pelvic pain, as the main reason for discontinuation. The sources don't say it's more than 10lbs but they also don't say it's less than that, and they don't describe any mechanism for the weight gain. The 10-25lbs max figure is unfounded, as is the idea that such is the case for "the majority," as is the claim that it's all due to water weight. 9% of Mirena users experiencing weight gain is still thousands of women.

Anecdotal evidence about the Mirena is insignificant in suggesting that the IUD can or cannot have a large, small, or nonexistent effect on weight. Whether one person or another on a forum has had positive or negative experiences with the Mirena is completely irrelevant to the next person's experience. Any individual person gaining weight or not has no significance on the statistics for the general population, and vice versa.

As with any birth control (indeed as with anything a doctor can offer), some people will experience side effects. Nevertheless, the IUD is a magnificent piece of technology, and I recommend that every woman of child-bearing age who doesn't want to get pregnant should try getting one inserted, if her doctor thinks it is medically appropriate. IUDs can be very cheap with health insurance. They are superior to other forms of contraception in many ways, they are highly effective and safe, and the risk of serious side effects is minimal. If there are unpleasant side effects, get the device removed. If not, keep it in. Everyone's body will respond in a unique way, and making any kind of sound judgement on the experiences of people whom one has never even met is next to impossible.

I didn't read through all of these comments, but I just wanted to chime in here and leave my 2 cents.

I had Mirena put in after the birth of my daughter in 2010. I had it in for five years and I gained a little bit of weight. I never really had any issues with my Mirena. I was in surgery when I had it taken out because I was having Essure put in at the time, and my OBGYN said if I hadn't been under anesthesia at the time, he wouldn't have been able to take it out because it was lodged in my uterus and he basically had to yank it to get it out. He bombarded my mom with a ton of questions because she was with me during surgery, and asked her if I was having any issues with it. It freaked me out of course but I never really though too much about it until after I started having issues with my Essure.

I won't go into detail on that, since mfp isn't too friendly with these sort of posts about IUDs and side effects...but I will say I almost died and had to have a hysterectomy as a result, and I never EVER encourage anyone to put any sort of foreign device inside their bodies.

Yes all women are affected differently, but the risk, to me, is just much to great to support anyone I love potentially harming themselves.

Hi all—I just came from my doctor's office (MD, not a naturopath or anything woo like that). My experience with Mirena has been mixed but I am getting it out. I want to say that I am solidly pro-science, and fought tooth and nail to see any other reason for the issues that my doctor has pinned on the Mirena.

I have no thyroid function due to radiation post Graves disease and I am on Synthroid daily to replace my thyroid hormones. Prior to Mirena my weight and Synthroid dose had been stable for 6 years. One month post-insertion I developed cystic acne, the solution to which was spironolactone—an anti-androgen (signals hormone imbalance!). 6 months later my thyroid slowed. I have been in a spiral of weight gain and increasing dosages (dosage is weight-based to some extent) ever since.

My doctor has, after 35 lbs of weight gain, cystic acne and galactorrhea (lactating without being pregnant or having ever had a baby) , concluded that the Mirena is to blame. Some people are sensitive to hormones and her theory is that my estrogen to progestin levels are off. Extra estrogen (re: estrogen dominance, which I was surprised my mainstream internist actually mentioned! I thought it was only the faux docs on the internet who bought that.) binds the thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism and would have been responsible for sending my thyroid into a tailspin. I don't think the weight will fall off, but I have a feeling my 1400 calorie diet will be somewhat more effective post-removal

I eat really well and am active. I will update some time after my removal Tuesday.

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 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.

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 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...

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.