Made an appointment to have my Mirena removed.

[solo]

Going to have it taken out on Tuesday next week.
Since having it almost 18 months ago I've gained 2 stones or more, have awful mood swings and heavy periods. No one else I know who has the Mirena has a problem with it. I've had enough though. Haven't told Dp yet and I guess that'll put paid to any small chance of a sex life I may have had with him.
Don't want to have the injections or implants as I might as well leave the IUD in as have those and I'm too old for the pill(I always lost weight on the pill). P'd off really.
Don't even know why I'm writing this down really...

[saramoon]

get the mirena OUT and get a copper coil instead. Heavy periods 4 bout 6 months but they do lighten up after that - a little!

I had a mirena in 4 18 months too and felt so much better when it came out.

[emma1977]

Just one thing to add:- Being on the pill is nothing to do with age, more to do with whether you are in good health, not overweight or a smoker. If you are healthy, BMI under 25 and a non-smoker, then you can retake it.

[solo]

I'm over weight now. I'm also fairly sedentary as I have ME so they may be unwilling to put me on it because of that. It took me over a year before I got regular periods with the Mirena and during that time I was constantly either bleeding or spotting, it was horrible. I don't think I want a copper coil, I've not heard great things about them tbh.

Thanks for your answers though

[GreenMonkies]

I am seeing my GP tomorrow about my mirena. I had it put in when DD2 was about 4 months old, and due to bf my periods didn't come back until she was about 18 months. My cycle has been really irregular, anything from 3-5 weeks apart and the last one went on for two weeks, also, aside from some minor weight gain, I have suddenly started having hideous PMT.

To be honest I would really like to just have it out and go back on the mini pill, as I had no problems with that at all.

Funny how you don't any of this stuff in the literature about it.....

[MrsThierryHenry]

I had similar weight + period probs with my Mirena. You're not alone, solo.

I also had mine removed by this man. Believe it or not, despite being a country & western semi-superstar, he's also a fantastic gynae!

I might go to one of his gigs one day - am sure he wouldn't recognise me till I lifted my skirt up!

[expatinscotland]

i really, really love the combined pill myself.

it had the added bonus of stabilising my moods.

[mawbroon]

I played at a festival with HW once MrsThierryHenry.

When he was out of the room, we all tried on his stetson!!

I still have the pic somewhere...

[MrsThierryHenry]

Ooooh, what do you play, mawbroon?

[mawbroon]

Fiddle. Trad scottish stuff

[mabanana]

You are definitely not too old for the Pill - no such thing. Smoking is the biggest contraindication.

[mawbroon]

That makes it sound like I played in his band. We were just on the same bill.

[MrsThierryHenry]

Solo - just wishing you luck re Mirena removal. I hope you manage to find something that works for you, and that you're able to shift the weight and feel better about yourself in general. You might even get some extra sex drive once those hormones get out of your system - DP might not mind wearing condoms if that's the case!

[MrsThierryHenry]

No, nononono - I'm impressed either way. You can pretend to me that he hand-picked you for your fiddling skills.

( Does that sound rude?!)

[expatinscotland]

BMI is, too, unfortunately, mawbroon.

And of course, hypertension (me), history of DVT/stroke/heart attack, diabetes, etc.

I'm hoping to get back on it if my bp stabilises after this one.

Cuz I love the combined pill.

[Spidermama]

I'll never forget the thread on here where someone told us how she was in the bath and she plucked out her mirena all by herself and felt great and liberated afterwards.

[MrsThierryHenry]

I suppose if the threads are long enough it's probably not as difficult as it might seem, if you don't have hulking great fibroids in the way like I did. But still,

[Spidermama]

I know. I remember partly wincing at the thought then imagining how liberating it must have been just slipping the thing out.

Mind you I have a thing about coils. I couldn't entertain a foreign body in my womb. Never ever ever.

[MrsThierryHenry]

Doesn't your LO count as a foreign body?

[solo]

Thanks all...stunned by so many of you answering tbh. I tend to feel like a leper on here usually...

I don't smoke so no worries there. Mini pill no good to me, I'd never remember to take it.
I'm still bfing so combined is out for now.
GreenMonkies, I had a three week one once, a day off then a further several weeks. Drove me mad!
My sex drive is fine, it's Dp who isn't interested.
I want to get back to my former figure which will enable me to feel better about myself. I'm wearing maternity trousers because I have nothing much that fits me(Dd 21 mos)and can't afford to buy anything...not to mention that I refuse to go to the next size up.
I wish I had the nerve to pull it out for myself. ^^

[solo]

Expat, is that family history of stroke, heart attack etc? I have got some of those things in my maternal family.

[emma1977]

solo, a personal history of DVT, PE, stroke or heart attacks is a lot more relevant than distant rellies. Having said that, if you had 2 first degree relatives with one of those illnesses (apart from DVT) aged under 50, the COCP may not be a great choice.

Regarding BMI, under 25 is ideal. 25-30 would be allowable for the COCP but you would be monitored closely. Over 30 would be ill-advised, but not impossible if you had no other risk factors and planned to lose some weight.

[GreenMonkies]

Solo,

Congratulations on bf for 21 months, brilliant!! I will do a quick check and see if the combined pill is ok now, I know it can impact on milk supply in the early days, but I'm not sure it would be a huge problem now. I'll get back to you if/when I get any answers.

[tb]

I had horrible problems with the Mirena. I had both heavy periods and an almost permanent 'sludge' as well. After being fobbed off for nearly 11 months, I was told that it was either an infection or that it wasn't suitable for me - and it would be best to take it out all the time being made to feel guilty due to the cost of the bloody thing!

[asicsgirl]

my doc was lovely about taking out my mirena. i only had it in for four days [wuss emoticon] as it sent me loopy. i felt bad about the cost but she was great and said 'hey, you pay your taxes don't you? and i get paid for putting it in, and paid for taking it out, so everyone's happy'

[GreenMonkies]

solo

I asked the BfN pharmacist and and she says;

"Beyond 3 months the theory says it shouldnt affect supply, sometimes it does. T be honest I havent heard from ayone where it didnt reduce - but I have a biased viewpoint from calls I get.

If there are valid reasons to change onto combined oc, give it a go but be aware and if you/the mother decide to stop again consider the risk of ovulation and use additional precautions"

So, after 21 months of bf it is worth trying the combined pill, but be aware that you milk may drop a little, I'm sure your LO would let you know!!

Good luck!