Mirena Coil

[DoddleOddle]

Has it worked for you? What was the insertion and aftermath like?

I've booked in to get one next week (4 weeks postpartum with my third and final baby) and I'm a bit nervous. All I've heard are horror stories from friends so I thought I'd cast the net a little wider for personal experiences! I know what works for one may not work for another so I'm willing to give it a shot, I just want to go in with my eyes wide open.

Thank you!

I've had one for years (about 15 years in total).

I haven't had a period in years.

Enough said.

it's uncomfortable, a bit pinchier than a smear, but no drama here.

My last one was fitted at the local Sexual Health clinic by a GP and I think generally you are better to go there here they do many many coils rather than the local GP who might not be so proficient.

I had a right going over when i was last in....coil out, smear, poke about for womb lining, fibroid snipped and the new one in all in half an hour! I am a new woman!

I’ve had one in for a few months.

Fitting was a bit ouchy but fine. I have had some v limited spotting since but I’m hopeful that I’ll end up with no periods.

I haven’t had any other side effects. I was previously on Yasmin for years.

I've tried a lot of contraceptives from Microgynon (I can't be trusted to take pills with IBS), depo (my periods didn't return for 14 months after one injection and I was constantly paranoid about pregnancy once I was off it) and both implanon/nexplanon which worked for two years before pretty much constant bleeding in the last year of both of their cycles. I'm hoping mirena will be 'my one' and bonus points that it's a five year non-worrier that can't be affected by IBS.

Mines been in six months now and I’m still bleeding most days. Am going to give it til the new year to see if the bleeding settles down.
Fitting it was fine, bit more ouch than a smear test, but the discomfort lasted seconds and was just a bit achey for a couple of hours.

I had one for the full 5 years and I loved it! Insertion was a doddle (though I know everyone is different) and I didn't have a period for the full 5 years.

I've recently had it removed as I don't want extra hormones in my body anymore (trying to get my libido back and my periods have returned to normal, though I haven't had proper periods since I was 15 and went on the pill....

I did try the copper coil after DD was born but found it horrendously painful and would bleed like a stuck pig for weeks on end, it was truly horrific, but then some people say the same about the Mirena and find the copper one suits them - I think its a case of trial and error and see what works best for you

Is it so bad you can't have sex @Faster or spotting?

Worst contraception I've ever used, although it did technically work. I had it done at a clinic rather than the doctors and echo another PP that they are probably better/more used to it.

I had it for 5 years, for 5 years I had terribly unpredictable periods, sometimes for weeks at a time, some months no show at all. Each month though I had almost psychotic, suicidal PMS, usually with no 'release'. It also made my acne worse (was told it would clear it up) and my hair fall out. That being said, my sister has had it for 10+ years and loves it.

I've had one in for a couple of months. Bled non stop for near enough the first month after a fairly straightforward insertion where I didn't bleed for a few days. I had one bit of spotting the other day and now it's stopped. I've felt a bit hormonal and irritable at times but no worse than the normal pms I used to get. I'm useless at taking pills and have a fear of putting on weight and was told this would be the best thing for me. I'm also anemic so no periods appealed (after the initial bleed)

Had two over a 10 year period. Can't rate it highly enough. Stopped my horrendous flooding and felt like a new woman as I wasn't constantly in and out of bed during the night.
Insertion was less painful than a smear the first time (during my 6 week post baby check)....replacement was a little bit more achey but agreed that a trainee could do it so less experienced. Only stopped when it had to be removed and blood tests showed I had gone through the menopause due to chemo.

Also had one for a few months. I had one period after fitting, and now I get a few days of spotting a month, but that’s about it really.

I'm on my third mirena now, apart from some uncomfortable cramps after the insertion, I've had no problems (and no periods, yay) at all.

@DoddleOddle some days are lighter than others so I’m happy to get it on on those days. I’m still having periods and it’s almost like the last light few days of my period all the time interspersed with a proper period iyswim

I've just been offered to have one inserted when they do my c section. I've heard good things so I think I'm going to go for it.

I love mine. No periods for the 4 years I've had it in, I don't remember it being particularly painful to insert or bleeding much afterwards, and I don't have to do anything to remain pregnancy-free.

Best form of contraception I've ever had!

It wasn't very painful going in. And it's done the job. In fact I have had it 11 years! (I do realise it's probably not much cop as a contraceptive any more but I still like only having very light periods.) I don't really want to have it taken out ever!

I just bled all the time with mine - well over a year. I had to really insist on having it removed.

I'm due to get my 2nd one in in a few weeks.. but I was told I had to wait till 12 weeks after baby was born.

It worked brilliantly first time round no period had it in almost 4 yrs before having it removed to convince 2nd dc. Hopefully works aswell this time round

I'm on my second and due to be fitted with my third next year. It's definitely worked for me. Fitting was relatively straightforward (I definitely agree with the advice to go to a sexual health clinic), much the same as a smear. I had minor spotting for a few weeks and then just one or two days of spotting each month (sometimes nothing). My periods had become increasingly heavy and it is just such a relief not to be bothered with them. I'm getting pretty close to the menopause now, and I'm not sure how the mirena will affect that. Presumably they will whip it out at some point but I'm hoping it might help avoid unpredictable bleeding in the run up.

I think I was one of the first women to have a Minera. I had the first one for much longer than suggested then kept the next until I was pretty certain I was post menopause. A total of about 20 years. Absolutely brilliant.

I am now in my 19th year of having a Mirena. I'm 55 next month and will be having it removed at the end of this month as I am post menopausal. I had my first one when I was 35,it was quite uncomfortable having it inserted as it was 16 years since I'd given birth,and the doctor said my cervix was 'very tight'. With the first one I went from having a week of heavy,painful bleeding every month to a very light monthly bleed with barely any pain. The main reasons I'd had it was for the heavy bleeding and pain that were starting to interfere with my life. When I had the second one 'installed' 6 years later,it was much the same story. I had the one I have now put in 6 years ago,when I was nearly 49,and apart from quite heavy bleeding and a bit of cramping in the first 48 hours afterwards,I have had no bleeding at all since then. I would say that the Mirena was an absolute god-send for me,it literally transformed my life.

I had three taking me from 40 to 55. Without doubt the best thing ever. Yes they were a bit painful to insert but after that bliss. No huge floods and clots, in fact nothing more than a tiny spot once a month.

fadingfast I am post menopausal and have had my Mirena in for the duration of my menopause. To be honest,I barely realised that I WAS going through the menopause,the only symptom I had were occasional hot flushes. I have not experienced any of the other troubling symptoms I have frequently read or heard about. The only way I knew I had definitely been through the menopause was because a blood test result indicated it. Whether my experience was due to having the Mirena,I don't know!

I'm currently in hospital waiting for an emergency examination after my GP tried to fit a Mirena. The first one fell straight out so she tried again and then couldn't find the strings so packed me off to hospital. Think l'll try to convince DH to get the snip. Sigh!

I've had one for nearly 10 years. After the first one was inserted, I had light bleeding for some weeks. After that, no periods. Ever.

Before that, I had to set an alarm in the middle of the night to change sanitary towels.

I've had no problems. They are a miracle IMHO.