Mirena & Depression - Five Fucking years of my life!! AIBU to have the rage?

[BeMorePanda]

I've been depressed for 5 years now. I've had depression in the past and have learned how to manage it very well, I know what signs to look out for and how to look after myself etc. Or so I thought.

Then shortly after DD2 was born I became fairly depressed. Not PND, more a general depression. And it became worse once I stopped BF. This was also around the time I left my abusive XP. So I attributed the depression to be living with an abusive arse (and suffering from gas lighting, very abuse, emotional abuse and a bit of financial abuse for good measure for several years).

I did have a wee surge of happiness after leaving him, but generally the depression continued. It was different than I had suffered before - more of a flat line depression.

My self esteem was rock bottom. None of my usual coping/self care tactics worked. I've been feeling so damaged. I've had 2 lots of counselling - nothing has really helped or got to the bottom of it.

Before having DD2 I was in a very happy place in myself, despite my rubbish relationship and difficult pregnancy. It now occurs to me that the only times in my adult life that I haven't been using hormonal contraception, coincided with me feeling normal, myself, happy, in charge of my life and not depressed.

Just last week I had a penny drop moment after reading about the Mirena coil & it's link to depression. And I realised I started feeling this way shortly after having it inserted after DD2 was born. I didn't notice the connection - at first I was BF and had all those happy hormones, I believed the doctor who talked of "localised hormones" etc, my relationship was rubbish and home life difficult and it simply never occurred to me that my "wonderful contraception solution" was actually an evil fucker, messing with me from the inside.

I thought I was one of the people who had got along with it - I loved having no periods, no hormonal fluctuations etc. I thought I had no side effects.

So I've been doing some reading around and I'm pretty sure that the Mirena is contributing to or even causing my unliftable low level constant depression.

It's been like living with a rock around my neck for all my daughters life. What a fucker.

And I just had a new one put in a couple of months ago. I'm making an appt to get it removed asap. Not once at any stage of the process of having TWO Mirena coils fitted did any one mention depression. When I talked to my GP about my ongoing depression Mirena was not mentioned or questioned.

I have read many threads where women have had acute reactions with the Mirena.

But AIBU to think I am not alone in this and there are many other women with similar revelations after a period of time being otherwise happy with the Mirena???

AIBU to think there is no joined up thinking in healthcare?

[IceBeing]

I very much hope that having the coil removed will help your mental health - but it is not a given yet. I would withhold the rage until you have proof...

The other thing to say is that a lot of what you are feeling right now (rage and misery wise) is likely still a byproduct of depression. I made myself very unhappy railing against the fact I was depressed for my DD's first 4 years...I hated myself for the lost time and opportunity...I felt like nothing would ever replace that time.

Once I stopped being depressed, all that evaporated like mist in the sunshine. With depression you have to remember that you aren't seeing the world the way it really is. Yes you have been ill but that doesn't mean you haven't been amazing at the same time. When the darkness lifts you see the past as it really was, not what you feared, imagined, thought it was in your altered mind state.

I hope you feel the same way I do did once I came out of it.

[ageingrunner]

I was offered the mirena and it was only because I didn't quite trust the GP that I googled it. You know when someone's speaking and you can tell they don't quite believe what they're saying? I already have pms, which I believe is due to progesterone, so decided that I didn't really need a source of the same hormone living inside me. It's absolutely shit and scandalous that many women are medicated for depression while simultaneously taking hormonal contraception that may well be causing it. Thankfully I'm single now and in no need of contraception. I hope having the mirena removed solves your depression

[IceBeing]

oh and obviously yanbu to have the rage if potential side effects weren't explained!

[Felascloak]

I had mirena induced depression. I can't take any hormonal contraception at all as it messes me up. So YANBU. The amount of gaslighting by HCPs around contraceptive side effects is terrifying.

[BuggerMyOldBoots]

It might not be your mirena, but fwiw I felt like that for two years when I had the implant in. I also had some difficult changes in my life which I attributed it to. I know what you mean re: flat line depression - it was weird, I wasn't even unhappy per second, just.....muffled.

I will never go on hormonal contraception again. I should have known really- none of the women on my maternal side can use it, we all have the same sort of gynae issues and hormones don't help it

[Birthdaypartyangstiness]

I'd wait and see when it comes out before building your expectations up.

[BeMorePanda]

Ice thanks for your kindness.

I don't recall side effects being discussed beyond there may be some cramping, bleeding, headaches etc- none of which I have. Mind you I had a 6 week only baby, a toddler, and a horrible relationship so I'm not that sure where my head was at.

I do recall being told a couple of times about hormones being localised and this was a major advantage of Mirena.

I believed them

age thank you - you made a really good call I think.

I sucks that pretty much all contraception sucks!! I really thought the Mirena was something of a miracle - but if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

[PlumsGalore]

This has shocked me, I had the Mirena coil for 6 years, I thought (and still do) it was amazing. No periods, no pain, no mood swings, no weight gain, certainly no depression.

I only had it removed because DH had the snip and I had done my fair share of the contraception. Had I known how horrendous my periods would be in the following years I would have had another one fitted.

I am sorry you are suffering from depression, my own personal experience has been nothing but positive.

[ageingrunner]

I think I was lucky Panda. I would have had it if it wasn't for the way the GP seemed unsure. She obviously didn't care enough to share her knowledge or admit that she didn't know enough about it though

[Pickled0nions]

Hey,

I had the combined pill after I gave birth and I got really depressed, like the type of depression where you wake every morning and wonder why you exist.

I decided to actually stop taking it one day, I don't know why, I also stopped taking my anti depressants as well so think I was having one of those spur of the moments.

Anyway fast forward a week and I feel normal again I suddenly realised that the combined pill was making me feel awful mentally.
I'm not on the depo and that's progesterone only. It works much better for me except now I get vertigo and sudden severe headaches, which my doctor tried to dismiss was the depo causing it, until he looked up the symptoms and realised that it probably was causing it.

My point is, contraception DO have side effects. They're synthetic hormones which will mess with your body both physically and mentally.
It's whether those symptoms outweigh getting pregnant again.

[BuggerMyOldBoots]

Anecdotal I know, but my cousin was on the point of leaving her husband the year she had the mirena in. Previously loving couple. She was always crying, angry at the smallest things, didn't know what she wanted any more. Her sil actually said "get the mirena out first". She did and that's exactly what it was. Saw her a week later,she looked alive again, said it was like a fog had just lifted

[Pickled0nions]

Sorry that was meant to say that I am on the depo.
I realise this isn't to do with the Mirena either but I hope you get the gist that they can cause you to feel low. It says so in the side effects of these drugs.

[BeMorePanda]

It might not be my mirena - and I won't know until it's out.

However it is different from depression I've had before , which was more of a rollercoaster emotionally. This is like a long slow train to nowhere interesting at all :)

[EllsTeeth]

I suffered terrible depression while on oral contraceptive pills. Not once did any GP, psychiatrist or psychologist think to mention there might be a link. I came off the pill for other reasons and this coincided with me beginning to feel much better. It was only when a friend told me about how awful she felt when she started on a particular pill that I even started to think there might be a connection. Of course I don't have definitive proof that it caused my depression but I'm angry too that not one medical professional even mentioned it as a possibility at the time.

[IceBeing]

wow, not such an isolated case - I was actually thinking of going this route too...not any more!

Double thanks to you Op

[BeMorePanda]

It only occurred to me typing up the OP that the time in my life for a couple of years before having DD1 up to having the Mirena inserted after DD2 was such an awesome time in my life and I felt so ME - and that time I had no hormone contraction.

[BeMorePanda]

the thing is it is otherwise bloody wonderful!

[Hippee]

Oh no - I was hoping to swap to a Mirena, but will rethink now. I have a copper coil and my periods have become so heavy that I am now anaemic. Hope it is the cause for you, though, OP - and that it is quickly resolved.

[AutumnMadness]

I hate who women's concerns about hormonal contraception are constantly being dismissed by medical professionals. It absolutely gives me the rage. Any evidence is always treated as "anecdotal", any side-effects (unless they are blood clots) dismissed as caused by something else, and all women are treated as robots who have exactly the same system that is affected by hormones in the same way. I can't wait for legal action in this area. Years of depression is a steep price to pay for someone's refusal to listen to you.

[AdoraBell]

I haven't used a merina coil, but did used to use the pil. Also never made the connection until I saw it on the news recently.

Not criticising anyone who does/did use it, or trying to imply that anyone should put up with periods, but I can't see how something stopping the body doing it is supposed to do would be good.

[AdoraBell]

Pressed post too soon, sorry.

What I mean is the stopping periods. Clearly good if you have sever periods, but changing the balance of hormones to the extent that periods don't happen can't be good in the long term.

We've been told it's okay but why hasn't medicine messed about with everyone's hormones if it's okay? Why haven't they come up with something to inhibit sperm production in men by messing with the balance of hormones?

[BuggerMyOldBoots]

At university, a lot of my friend went on the pill/other contraception for the first time - away from home and all that. Cue depression, weight gain etc- put it down to the fresher's 15 and being away from home for the first time. One of the girls went off it for other reasons, and was amazed at how much energy she had again and how her libido improved- this being a 21 year old girl. Lots of others followed suit and I remember us having a big discussion about it one night and how most of us felt there was a difference in mood when on the pill compared to off it. Of course as young women at uni, most went back on it again because what else can you do?

[Littlefluffyclouds81]

Had a mirena for 18 months until July this year. I had extreme exhaustion and terrible depression. Had it removed and 3 months on I am feeling so much better. It does take a while for the hormones to work their way out, I'd say at least a couple of periods. So don't despair if you don't feel better right away, it take a while. Evil thing. Never again.

[RNBrie]

I was suicidal on the mirena. Hair loss and insomnia as well. Three days after taking it out myself in the middle of the night, I was back to normal.

My GP wouldn't take it out because she didn't believe it was the cause of my symptoms.

[ageingrunner]

It's outrageous that GPs refuse to remove coils/implants if the woman is asking them to do so. Whatever the reason and whether it's right or wrong no one should be forced to have something in their body that they don't want to be there