To be scared of getting mirena coil?

@LostittoBostik a few hours after I had it inserted I started to get powerful labour like cramps. I called 111 and they advised to go up to hospital. The hospital couldn’t find the coil….an x ray a day or so later revealed it sitting high up in my abdomen…

it was almost amusing tbh - they told me I could have won the lottery due to the odds - but no - lucky me got a womb perforation not the lottery win. 🙄

How did you find out about this? Were you in pain?

Yes, I have both. My prolapse is from the bladder, so it’s much lower down than the cervix. So the two can co-exist!
I’m very happy with my mirena coil, I’ve had it about 6 years now. It was inserted by a GP who is a coil specialist, it was mildly uncomfortable for about 30 seconds and then it was done.
I did go back once to have the strings shortened as they were poking down a bit too far, but that’s an easy 2 minute job for them to cut them off a bit higher.

Thanks for this thread - its interesting to read everyone's experiences. Does anyone have any experience of using Mirena if you have a prolapse?

I’ve had Mirena for nearly 11 years. It’s been brilliant for me. Yes there are horror stories but personally it’s been excellent. Given I have endometriosis I hate to think how bad my periods would be without it.

For me it was literally life changing, in a good way. I went from severe pmt and pain so bad I hallucinated, to just 2 days of slightly low mood, a few hours of mild cramps and 1-2 days light bleeding. I had 2, for around 4 years each, and it's the best thing I ever did.

Awful experience. The first one got stuck in my cervix and that was with a specialist inserting it. Another specialist managed to insert a new one. He gave me antibiotics because he'd had to inject anaesthetic into my cervix which was very unpleasant. I was so battered about that he gave me antibiotics to counter any infection. I do have a difficult cervix and never had a natural delivery so I may just have been unlucky. The Mirena did work but the hormones, the ones that are meant to be minimal and local, meant I was in tears constantly. I had it removed and thanks to private medical care booked in for an ablation. It turned out I had a hidden fibroid which didn't show on scans so that was removed and I had the ablation.. It solved the problem. They did seem to be easy to remove. I'd vote for a GA if possible.

I used to get terrible migraines when I had my period, so was out on the Mirena coil to stop them.

It was the best thing ever and I had no problems!

Same here Dulra with having mine inserted under general. How are you feeling about having the next one removed and inserted whilst awake? Won’t lie - I’m petrified.

I haven’t read the whole thread but I don’t want one and have been on the mini pill to control heavy bleeding and clots associated with lupus and find that works really well for me - yes it did take about 6 months for the bleeding to completely stop but now I have no bleeding whatsoever (I’m 43 and have been on it about 8 years now). I’m now menopausal due to autoimmune issues and take HRT alongside the mini pill with no issues.

Mines a horror story I’m afraid. It perforated and ended up near my abdomen and I had to have it removed via keyhole surgery. Never again.

I am on my second. No problems getting either put in. I hardly felt it. First was a dream. No period for 4 years. Second annoyingly took about a year to fully settle but is now great.

No but I’ve had it 9 months and been on the mini pill for the last 4 months, before then it didn’t settle at all and basically spotted / bled every day. I need to try coming off the mini pill soon to see if it’s okay on its own … hope so 🤞

I had a Mirena for about seven years. I could never find my strings so couldn't check it. I didn't have any of the awful side effects thst some people get, and I didn't have a period during all the time it was in place. I had the coil changed once, and although it was excruciating, it was done very quickly and the pain stopped immediately. However, it didn't cross my mind to check if there was any suggestion of a link between using a Mirena coil and breast cancer, and when I received my cancer diagnosis a couple of years after the coil was removed, my surgeon and oncologist both told me that it was likely to have been a contributory factor.

Had copper and mirena coils, they are both great in my experience.

I would say that is advisable. I watched it being done before and it isn't something that should be done without anything like that.

As for strings, check regularly as if they move then you risk a pregnancy.

This is useful to know. Are you still waiting for it to settle?

This sounds amazing!

I have a few friends with similar stories. I'm not sure what's putting me off, given that I really must try something to tackle my flooding and to ease me through perimenopause (I'm 42, flooding and v regular periods plus some other minor symptoms)

I’m 47 and have had a Mirena since my 20s with only a few years gap to conceive and have my DD. The first one was uncomfortable to be fitted and gave my period like pains and bleeding for a few weeks (but I’d not given birth prior which really helps open the cervix). The 3 I’ve had fitted since DD have been great. I’d happily have more but no need after this one. I’ve most of my life period free and I’m a fan!

I wouldn’t be scared but I would say expect to spot / bleed for a long time. It’s have to go on the mini pill to settle mine.

I didn’t find the fitting of the coil itself too bad, but I had biopsies taken at the same time and that was painful tbh.

Ive heard once it settles it’s great so I would go for it if it’s what they’ve suggested.

I was really scared too. Put it off for years. I finally took the plunge a few years ago and I'm so glad I did. It stopped my periods entirely. No negative effects for me other than the pain of getting it fitted.

If you're still here... what were those six months like?

I'm actually having it under a GA as I'm also having fibroids removed.

So it's not the procedure I'm anxious about but the side effects and (minor) risks

I need to do something though as my periods are every 22 days and 5 days of flooding. I have to wear tena pants rather than sanitary protection to be safe to leave the house. It's miserable and I'm very anemic,

Ask for sedation. No one should have something like that done without it being an option. They never would do something like that to men without there being that option.

This is an old thread, but I'm having one fitted in a fortnight and getting anxious. But I managed to take the pill for over 10 years (three different brands in that time) so not sure what I'm so worried about. I think it's the risk of real horror stories like perforation

Can I ask, for those who have it, how often do you check the location of your strings and how easy is it to do that?