Mid cycle bleeding

[NoMoreStickers]

I'm waiting for my gynae appointment for this at the start of August and of course I'm driving myself wild googling my symptoms every two minutes.....

I've always relied on copper IUDs for contraception. I had a break when ttc and when I had my twins. I had trouble with my first new IUD after I had the kids as it tried to work its way out. I had a scan to check it and then a scan to check the new one that replaced it.

That was about 6 months ago. My last 3/4 cycles I've had increasingly long periods of mid cycle spotting.

It's old blood, bits of old matter, like the last day of a period. It's getting so I'm wearing a pad almost every day. I'm also getting more discharge.

My GP examined me last month and said there was a fair bit of bloody mucus up there but my cervix looked healthy. All my swabs came back clear. She referred me to local community hospital just to follow up, 3 weeks to go til the appointment.

The hospital sent me for another ultrasound, I know sonographers don't always give much away.... She just asked if I had a copper cook, when my period was and if I had these problems since I had coil.

I'm so sick of feeling unclean and 'periody' and am worried sick there's something more wrong than ' just my coil' as the symptoms are increasing.

Another treat is that the strings have disappeared out of sight as well so I'm concerned they will never get it out!

Anyone has similar?

[AprilLoveJ]

By 'periody' do you mean typical pms symptoms? Bloating, fatigue, increased appetite, water retention, mood swings, etc?

Although the copper IUD is a non hormonal contraceptive, it still has an indirect impact on hormones. Bleeding/spotting inbetween periods is not uncommon with this contraceptive either, particularly in the first 6 months.

You say you've always relied on the copper IUD - there may be a possibility of copper toxicity but from the sounds of your symptoms it seems unlikely.

The 'periody' symptoms indicate hormonal problems to me. Typical estrogen issues. Try not to over think things, and force yourself to stop googling as this will only raise your anxieties further. We've all done it, it's so easy to read a few sites and suddenly become consumed by the doom and gloom of a situation. Ironically stressing yourself out will make your symptoms worse (stress drops progesterone/raises estrogen.) Avoid googling until your August appointment if you can.

Hopefully posters with personal experience of copper IUD can come along and ease your mind a little.

[NoMoreStickers]

Thank you April.

Oddly enough I rang the hospital yesterday and they got me a cancellation appointment. My scan was clear and gynae seemed to think it was a hormonal issue. We've swapped the copper coil (which was a brand I'd not had before so maybe that type didn't agree with me) for a mirena.

Gynae seemed to think it was a hormonal issue caused by stress, weight gain etc

Fingers crossed things improve once the mirena settles down.