Mumsnet Talk

I signed up just to post on the mirena threads, It is an evil vile thing, roll on may 31st when I get mine removed, this will be the third attempt in a year and i'm having it done under anaesthetic at my hospital after two failed attempts one from my nurse and a horrific first attempt at my local family planning clinic. I have had it for just over 3 years and its been a nightmare, severe migraines, abdominal pain, massive weight gain, terrible mood swings (sorry to my 3kids&long suffering other half) lethargy, brain fuzziness,and general feeling of yuck. And yes i have had all bloodwork done and various other tests they all came back clear its not the coil mind you according to my dr what do they know they aren't me. I am now counting the hours until its gone. If you have a mirena and feel ill all the time get it out, if you're considering having a mirena do some research first and listen to what others have to say before having it inserted. thanks to all who have shared their experiences good or bad you've made me feel so much better that i'm not alone. Sorry its such a long one but it makes me angry these damn things are still in use and thers such a denial about the side effects. ok i'm done now.xx;)xx

For those of you having the Mirena coil removed after 45 years of age, especially if you have been period free, it is worthwhile getting your estrogen levels and LH levels checked. My doctors said I couldnt be menopausal, Im too young and that it is only the mirena stopping my periods. I was given the Mirena 18 months ago (2nd time)like a lot of you to control frequent and heavy periods, however I have been having menopause symptoms on and off for 8 years since my daughter was born. I insisted my doctor checked my levels and true enough I have the estrogen levels of the average man! (no wonder Im so grumpy lol). I am not just menopausal, I am post menopausal at 36 years of age. My Coil is coming out tonight and my GP has prescribed Ovestin cream and norithisterone tabs. The ovestin should help with menopause symptoms and prevent bone loss and the norithisterone will prevent the "crash". I will be weaned off them slowly.

The first Mirena I had 15 years ago when they were a "new" thing. Had no probs at all, prob cos I had enough estrogen to counteract it.

Listen to your body, don't take no for an answer with GP's and get your levels checked. Ladies! we were not born to suffer. If you don't feel right chances are your hormones are not properly balanced.

I am in tears reading this thread!

I had the MC fitted about 10 months ago, when my little one was a year old and I felt fully recovered from the pregnancy and birth. Since it was fitted my hair has halved in thickness to the point I am embarassed by how awful it looks and it really worries me. I've also had really bad mood swings to the point where my husband and I have been on the point of leaving each other as I saw everything in such a negative and angry way. Some weeks i just cry! My hips hurt, my legs... feels like the bones hurt. Thought I was getting arthritis... or had a DVT at one point. I have psoriasis develop on my chest. I don't want to socialise or talk to friends anymore as feel so hopeless and worthless. I have migraine like headaches that put me in bed to sleep off. I'm sooo tired and lethargic.

Had several trips to the GP suspecting it was the Mirena but was told it couldn't possibly be. Have been tested for Thyroid problems, anemia, diabeties etc. Was told it was most likely post natal depression and I was struggling to adjust after the birth... yet I was fine in the year after the birth until I had the coil fitted.

I adjusted my diet and started taking multivitamins and fish oil supplemnts as I thought perhaps my lack of energy was because I was so busy looking after LO that I wasn't eating properly but it made little difference.

Had an appoitment to get it removed but the nurse managed to convince me my symptoms aren't symptoms of the Mirena so still have it.

Have got another appointment today to remove it as I'm convinced the coil is causing all these problems! Just read about the 'Crash' here and can't believe that having it out may not be the end of it! Am soooo nervous : (

Jsl1966... did u stay symptom free after removal?

MsKittyFane... how did it go?

I have had an MC for 2 years and I love it. I initially had a couple of months of on/off bleeding but now I have no more periods, hurrah! I got it for contraception reasons only and it has been brilliant. No weight gain, spots or bloating. I do still feel a bit pmtish sometimes but certainly not any more Thani did before.

I have several friends who are big fans too. One friend is planning to have hers removed as she is not hapoy with it but she is a raging hypochondriac and blames all her health issues on the MC, even the same issues she had before it was fitted!

Just thought I would balance out the negativity a bit, I know when I first researched it I found it hard to find anyone with anything good to say.

I hoped i don't suffer the crash in 3 years time! Doesn't sound fun....Hope those who are going through it get through it quickly...

Scared to death reading this thread as had mine taken out yesterday!
Please don't let me crash!

Hi everyone ,

I'm single.. Recently divorced ,
I had mirena coil in for 5 years , had it renewed and was using for 9 years 2 months..i thought it was fantastic .. No periods & never thought i was having problems with it until i decided that I may as well get it removed as I'm single..
.
I was looking on internet to see if i would lose weight if it were removed .... I couldnt believe what i was reading and realised that i have had problems whilst having mirena ...Huge belly, that the mirena is probably cause of hair loss, thrush , smelly discharge , sugar cravings , eating loads , headaches...

Iwas petrified when reading about the possible crash after having Mirena removed ... I still went ahead though and had it removed.

I would like to join this thread and let everyone know my experience after having mirena removed ... Hopefully will help someone that is going to go through the same experience ...
Hopefully , I won't have to ask for help myself and will sail through it all....!!!!!!!

I had it removed friday at 4.30pm.. It took 2 seconds no problem..
I got home and felt a little light headed and dizzy, slight cramping and alittle bit of spotting.
As the night went by I was feeling better.... Happier , headache that i had for about 3 days had gone and felt wide awake...

I had quite a late night and spotting had stopped...
Got up saturday morning...and WOW... I felt euphoric , best I'd felt in a couple of weeks....and my scales said that I had lost 3lbs !!!!!....( Overnight )

The euphoric feeling lasted well in the afternoon...then i just felt really normal...no spotting , sometimes felt a little cramp as if it were period pain...

I don't watch much tv normally ... Actually had a normal night watching tv till late .. That really is unknown for me.. Better concentration perhaps ? I hope so

Will come back and let you all know whats happening very soon x

I've had my mirena in for 5 years and am due to have it replaced next week. It has been a fantastic success for me. I wouldn't use anything else now.

Hi,
I haven't had the coil removed yet, but it was due to be removed 3 weeks ago. And I have been experiencing similar things to you. My moods are constantly up and down I go from being fine to being really angry, to crying for no reason. It's really affecting my abilities to cope as a parent and also effecting my relationship. They really should warn you about these things

I am still trying to recover, and I only had the coil for about 2 months, but before that was treated with Sandrena gel, twice the dose you normally get. So I was on both for about 2/3 months, and on the gel for about 6 months... I am on ad and diazepam, and attending a counsellor... off work as well

I was a big fan of the Mirena. Had the kids late (@40 and 43) and persevered with condoms until my periods got heavy and too frequent. Had Mirena fitted Feb 08, so it has lasted 4 years. After some initial pain and spotting, my periods stopped entirely. Last few months, though, I've had general cramping and more spotting. Gyn advised having it out and waiting to see how my bleeding returns before deciding whether to fit another. Despite being 49, he says I'm definitely not menopausal. It came out last week.
I had no idea about the 'Mirena Crash' that affects so many of the people I've read on forums. Now, I'm normally very upbeat and busy. But I have had a hellish week of weeping, overall tiredness, depression and inability to get on top of it all.
One other thing. I'd always been 'large'. But the past four years have seen my weight creep up to beyond my full-term weight with No2. OMG. I put it down to work pressure/sedentary. Am now back at WW and lots of exercise. Hoping that one of the post-Mirena side effects isn't weight gain, or my WW leader will think I've been slack! Seriously hoping these overwhelmed feelings won't last, though.
Anyone had any success with multivitamins - and if so, which ones?

bump

HOw long before these blooming hormones get out of my body, I still feel awful, can't stop crying, instead of getting better, I feel I am getting worse???

twooter, I think you can get the strings shortened so that might solve the problem (rather than getting the whole thing removed)

I have had the mirena coil removed 9 days ago, but I am feeling so anxious, and so sick, no energy, can;t think straight. I am really frightened about my feelings, and am pannicky about getting back to work. I have been off sick with all this.... any help or advice appreaciated. I have lost 6 lbs in weight, through not eating, and I know I am drinking too much at night, as that is the only time I feel like myself...... so frightening....

I just had mine removed yesterday after 7 months. At first, I bled for 6 weeks everyday, then the bleeding stopped and I haven't had a period since. But I felt per-menstrual every day, and I had really bad cramps on a daily basis. I had the device taken out yesterday, and the ultrasound was normal apparently. I felt sick with the pain of having the ultrasound, but then this morning I started throwing up and feel like I have a terrible hangover (didn't have a drop to drink last night either). I have a headache, and it does feel like I am having some kind of withdrawal effects. Hoping this ends soon....

Got another mirena dilemma - my husband feels the threads during sex - says it's like being jabbed with needles, so he's not particularly enthusiastic, ahem, during sex. I've also have put on a bit of weight - or at least not lost what I should have, considering a dramatic increase in exercise.

I've been thinking about getting it out, but it has improved my pmt, and I love not having periods. Btw, I was on the copper coil first and my periods were ridiculous - I'd leak after two hours, even with a mooncup and fat sanitary towel ( sorry for tmi ).

I had no problems with mirena in other than strings disappearing! Worked well for me, very light occasional spotting, no mood swings, no weight gain. Since having it removed in Sept I'm like a bear with a sore head, mood swings, faint, tummy cramps, bloated, pains in arms and legs, nausea, depressed, little sleep, craving sweet food. Is this due to hormones?

I have had no problems with the mirena coil. I think it's brilliant. I don't know it's there, it has a better pregnancy prevention rate than the pill or condoms. I had it fitted straight after the birth of 2nd child & I lost all my pregnancy weight quickly so I have no issues with weight gain or bloating! My consultant said the hormones were unlikely to affect me as it is local & focused on the cervix rather than taken like the pill. The pill does affect me & the mini pill did (which I tried with my first due to breastfeeding) was so awful I came off it & immediately got pregnant with DD! I totally recommend the coil, so don't be put off reading the above stuff.

Ive had mine in since last sept, going to get it checked nxt week as think the string has got longer - has anyones actually fallen out? reading the leaflet it seems to suggest 1 in 10 can fall out!
had a bit of minor tummy ache at first, continuous light bleeding for first 3 months, now it's fine, I get migraines on the pill but not with my mirena, doc told me they prescribe it to people who get migraines on the pill as the dose is far lighter; havent really put on weight, I do feel very stressed easily though, not surer if thats due to the coil or a stressful life?

A lone voice here who LOVES the Mirena!
I have had a Mirena for 4 years now and will be having a replacement one when this expires.
I had ridiculously heavy periods for 20 years but put up with it as I knew no better. My periods were soooo heavy that I would use an extra heavy tampon, plus nightime towel but by the time I walked down the stairs I would need to change everything again--sorry if too much info!!.
It seriously affected my life, only got worse with having children, resulted in severe anaemia. I went for an internal scan,thinking I had fibroids and might need a hysterectomy.
Luckily the consultant suggested a Mirena. After trouble getting an appointment to fit the mirena---due to stupid appointment system at my GP practice which could not accomodate my 2 /3 weekly periods--I took the mirena to my local STD clinic and the doctor there fitted it without difficulty, I took paracetomal beforehand and barely felt it being fitted. I thought I could 'feel ' the Mirena for the first 2 days in my lower abdomen but after that I have honestly had no problems. 'Spotting' of blood for first 3 months when periods where due but then NO periods since--thats no periods for nearly 4 years.
I have had NO side effects what so ever, and am truly so pleased with the Mirena , it really did change my life.
I am not a Mirena sales woman-- but just wanted everyone to know that there are 2 sides to the Mirena and although some people obviously feel that the Mirena is responsible for many side effects, this is not the case for everone and every woman may react differently to it. Here's to my next Mirena!!

hi im new on here..just wondering if anyone had pains after having the mirena coil removed. Yesterday i had the coil removed, had it in since october 2009.(didnt hurt at all) not as much as putting it in....(that felt like i was in full blown labour, i was curled up on my bed for nearly a day), i had no problems with it at all....periods stopped had slight spotting for about a day per month...nothing major. But since having it removed my womb feels like its being stretched....have to take it easy sitting down getting up....coughing...and breasts are a bit tender.....not sure if this is normal?? sorry to hear some of you have had a bad time.

I have never posted on a forum before but I feel I really must as a result of this evil contraceptive called the Mirena Coil.
Thankfully, I only had it in for 8 months & to think that in that time, it turned me from a happy person into a monster, who was starting to think there was nothing in life to live for (bearing in mind, I am a mother of 3 wonderful children!).
As well as depression, which I had never suffered from, i gained over 1 1/2 stone in weight - which no matter what I did could not be shifted due to a monstrous appetite for sweet & sugary food.
I had a constant bloated tummy, which led a parent at my kids school to ask when I was expecting child no. 4!
Complete and utter loss of libido, to the extent that I thought I no longer loved my husband & might therefore have to consider divorce!
The last straw was when I started to suffer from debilitating back pain - such that I couldn't get out of bed without being in agony or get into the car, without my son lifting my legs in.
I only connected all these ailments to the coil after only accidently coming across posts, through researching what was causing the back pain.
In my opinion, there appears to be what could be termed a conspiracy by GPs refusing to believe that in some women the coil produces some distressing & debilitating side effects. I was practically bullied by my GP into having the coil inserted in the 1st place & then he refused to remove it when I asked him to - I had to bypass him by getting the nurse to remove it!
Have only had it removed for 4 weeks now, but already bloatedness has gone, feeling happier, although sex drive still low, not eating as much & my back within days of having the evil thing removed, started to get better!
Ladies, for some the MC works fine, for others like myself, it can become a living nightmare - all I ask is if you are thinking of having it inserted, that you at least be aware of its potential side-effects & are not caught unaware. I didn't read the info leaflet given to me after insertion - in fact I threw it away as I did not expect something recommended by my GP as safe to cause me so much pain & heartache.

Please, we are intelligent women, who know our bodies better than anyone, doctor or no doctor, so lets listen to it, when its not happy!

Ohh MY!!
Everyone makes it sound awful!
I had mine removed after nearly 5 yrs on Friday!! feel fine up to now!just light bleeding! Had no problems with it while in either and always had a monthly period! just lighter! Just hoping all goes back to normal quickly! so can start trying for second

Beware the copper coil!! I had it for 6 months last year and it was HELL! First of all, expect very long and heavy periods: they literally take over your life! But the really horrible side effect I experienced was that, for about ten days before my period was due, I got severely depressed, felt hopeless and even hallucinated a couple of times! I normally have mild PMT but the copper coil made it, like, a thousand times worse!! I know some might things that something else was causing the depression, but apart from those premenstrual days, I was a very happy bunny!!! If you want my advise, steer clear from the copper coil. The Mirena is marginally better in that it doesn't send you loopy but there are annoying side effects such as migraines and weigh gain

I had the Mirena out in Feb. PMT has returned worse, the first period was very heavy but since then, they have been normal. I haven't managed to lose any of the weight I gained and my boobs are still 2 cup sizes larger than before!! But I think my hair isn't falling out as much. Wish I had never agreed to the damn thing!