Mirena IUD Weight gain

angielautenbach · February 2012

So I got the IUD put in around August and have gained some weigh like 10lbs. Recently (3 weeks) I have completely changed my diet and workout style. I am only eating VERY healthy food and working out 30 min to an hour 5 days a week. I also stopped drinking pop and alchohal. I figured that I would be able to loose the weight that I gained if I eat right and excersized but cant seem to loose any weight. Does the hormones in the IUD also prevent you from loosing weight. Any one else have this problem???

sjwhite7 · February 2012

I gained weight and had lots of lower back pain with it in. My doctor said that I was wrong but I made him take it out. I finally was able to start losing weight and my back pain isn't nearly as bad. If you search Mirena and weight gain you will see that other people have that problem. I would diet and exercise and not lose a pound with it. I am so glad I did the research and had it removed.

sizzle92 · February 2012

I work in the medical field. I see many women remove their Mirena with all sorts of crazy side effects. Weight and mood being high on the list. I have the Paragard. I do not trust something in my cervix delivering hormones. I just don't. I don't recommend Depo Provera shots either. I have watched women blow up like a balloon on it with difficulty losing it.

I do feel it very well may be your Mirena IUD.

lucythinmint · February 2012

Mirena for 3 years strong. No problems, no complications. Didn't have any problem loosing weight either.

Everyone is different, I can't take the Depo shot because I have awful side effect with it.

sjwhite7 · February 2012

I think anything that messes with your hormones will have a negative side effect. It was nice not having a period but it wasn't worth the weight or the pain that I was in all the time that is for sure.

ishallnotwant · February 2012

I have the Paragard. no issues, it's really convenient and it is non hormonal.

angielautenbach · February 2012

I have the Paragard. no issues, it's really convenient and it is non hormonal.

I wish I knew about this when I got mine. Doctor never recommened it. I had a PE (pulimary embolism) 2 years ago and the doctor told me Mirena and Depo was the only choice I had.

tesahelena · February 2012

I have the Paragard. no issues, it's really convenient and it is non hormonal.

I wish I knew about this when I got mine. Doctor never recommened it. I had a PE (pulimary embolism) 2 years ago and the doctor told me Mirena and Depo was the only choice I had.

Hi angielautenba! I think it's really interesting that you posted this topic/concern because I just had my Mirena removed 2 weeks ago for the same exact reason. I am a student pharmacist and once we learned about the side effects of contraceptives, progestins in particular, and even more specifically levonorgestrel, the progestin in the Mirena, I decided that the Mirena had to be what caused my 8 lb weight gain and my worsened acne. Your doctor is right though, since you had a previous PE, you do not have many options for hormonal birth control. You have to ask yourself though, what is more important: effective birth control or losing some weight that you think you gained from the Mirena... The Mirena is over 99% effective in preventing pregnancy and does not come with the daily pill purden of oral contraceptives. If you're a mom (like me) it is one less thing you have to think about. The Paragard would be another option, but one side effect that the Paragard has is cramping (maybe those of you who have a Paragard can confirm or deny this). Depo Provera also has the side effect of weight gain. In my opinion I think that you will be able to lose weight with continued effort and with keeping your Mirena. It's only been 2 weeks since my removal, so I can't say if it has helped or not. I've been dieting and exercising religiously for 7 weeks now and have been able to lose about 2 lbs per week so far. Before having it removed, I had already lost 10 lbs. So, really, it's hard to say. Every woman's body is different. But the chemistry of the medication in Mirena is definitely one that could have caused your weight gain. Just my two cents. Good luck to you though!

BobbieLee1959 · February 2012

Please make sure you fully research the possible effects of your chosen birth control method thoroughly before choosing. I used an IUD when I was probably the age of many of you (23-27) and I regret it now. Mine was a CU-7 and was non hormonal, but had a copper spiral that kept my uterus inflamed to prevent pregnancy. I believe this is the cause of the condition I have today that is requiring a hysterectomy in two weeks and countless problems prior to this. Mind you, I am 52 years young, but if I could take it back and never have used this as a form of BC, I definitely would.

IUD's are harsh on the body, as are hormonal forms of BC. If you have a loving partner, there are countless other methods that will not have long term affects on your body and will prevent you from having a little one.

Best wishes to all in your journey to good health and weight loss!

rockerbabyy · February 2012

ive had mirena for almost 5 years now, and have no problems actually losing weight when i stick to my calories.
i dont know if it caused any weight gain, tbh when i had it put in i wasnt really watching what i ate or weighing myself at all..but i have a few issues that im thinking might be from the IUD - of course my dr told me its probably just PCOS but ive read a lot online about women who had similar symptoms (hair loss, facial hair, acne, mood swings etc) and they went away when they had their mirena removed. its been nice not having a period but i dont know if i care for the rest of it. ill be looking into something else when this is removed in june

elastar33 · February 2012

I've had mine for over two years and it hasn't contributed significantly to any weight gain. I've had success loosing a little bit of weight about 6 months after I got it by exercising and eating healthy (surprise!), but I think I had actually gained that weight before it was put in. Now I've gained a bit of weight in the year and a half I've been in grad school and I'm starting to work it off. Basically, I've had normal, minor weight fluctuations but they seemed more triggered by lifestyle then anything else.

When I got it put in, it was my understanding that it weight gain was actually less of a concern than with standard birth control pills (or the shot!) because the actual daily dosage of hormones is smaller since it is going directly into the uterus (which also means less of it is going to be circulating). This would mean that the non birth control side effects (weight gain, mood swings, ect) would be less and the birth control related side effect (less cramps, lighter periods ect) would be increased. I'm not a medical professional, so I don't know how accurate this is, but I certainly felt it applies to me. I've only been on the pill briefly before and found the side effects were more extreme.

Anyways, its not for everyone and people will react differently, but I've found it makes my life so much easier not having to take a pill at the same time everyday, plus my periods are about 10 times lighter (they used to be super heavy!) and I get less cramps overall. Hope that helps!

Mirena IUD Weight gain

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