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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder about the Mirena...or is it just me...

34 replies

TattyDevine · 20/12/2010 15:52

Sorry to post this in AIBU, I know its not really, but I want high traffic to get a better (and quicker) idea of whether I need to do something about this

Had a Mirena fitted last January, about the 4th so it really is nearly a year - which is why I am reviewing it.

Bled a fair bit for the first few months but have noticed very little bleeding lately, which is a bonus.

But I think its giving me mood swings - I have a "bad week" once a month (I think its once a month, I should keep a better diary of it) not necessarily right before I bleed but during this bad week I am absolutely vile. Everything annoys me. I manage not to take it out on my children, JUST about, anyway, though I am aware that a fair bit of the time I might have a bit of an arsey tone or be talking through slightly gritted teeth. Everything is an effort, everything was designed specifically to piss me off during this week!

I had it last week then the mood just lifts...suddenly things are fine, dont seem bad, I'm chilled and pleasant. I have a pretty easy life at the mo, so in theory little to stress me apart from kids (yeah I know!) so really - its odd.

I never suffered from PMT before which makes me think if I had it removed then I wouldn't have this problem anymore. But then I think, I've done a year, should I just wait a while longer and see if it gets any better?

I think it used to be worse - I think I used to get sad too and sort of flat - but now I'm just a seething festering ball of bile - I've never been depressed in my life.

Has anyone experienced the mood swings side effect of the Mirena but persevered to the extent that they found it did eventually fade away sometime in the second year?

I either have to keep it in and put up with it for a while longer, or have it taken out and get on with my life but I think I need to know its not all about to get better to justify doing this and somehow find different contraception (groan - abstinence is sounding pretty good at the moment - which is possibly another side effect - lack of libido!)

Sorry to post in here, I hope I''ve not pissed anyone off. (If so, I dare you to take me on in about 3 weeks time )

OP posts:

pawsnclaws · 20/12/2010 15:54

I lasted exactly a year with the Mirena, a real shame because it sorted out my nightmare periods .... but I just couldn't face being a witch the entire time. Within a few days of having it out I was back to normal. Not so much mood swings for me, I was just in a foul mood the whole time.

Suzihaha · 20/12/2010 15:54

I've had mine in for almost a year and I haven't noticed any mood swings. Lack of libido though......another matter!

Jins · 20/12/2010 15:55

I did a year too. I had mood swings, depression, lack of libido, weight gain and my own personal favourite - constant cystitis

It is the devil's own contraceptive device

pawsnclaws · 20/12/2010 15:56

Yes to the lack of libido too - bizarre given it's pretty much the only time in my adult life I've had almost 100% reliable contraception!

backwardpossom · 20/12/2010 15:57

I suspect, like any other hormonal form of contraception, it's not for everyone. I have a mirena fitted and I get on great with it. No PMT, a day of spotting for a 'period' and well, I'm not pregnant which was kind of the point.

If you're finding that it's not working for you, it would definitely be worth speaking to someone to see if something else would be better for you. Hope you get something sorted!

Original poster

TattyDevine · 20/12/2010 16:08

Its like I've been waiting at the bus stop for so long, that I may as well carry on waiting, because the bus must be along in a minute and if I hail a cab, it will come 30 seconds later.

If that makes sense. For instance, they say the bleeding thing gets better after a year, and after a year, most people dont get a period of any real description.

Which sort of implies the hormone dies down a bit after a year, perhaps, and the side effects with it.

I guess the only way is to wait and see.

Which means I've sort of answered my own question - give it 6 more months. Or even 3 more. And I'll keep a proper diary, giving each day a score out of 10 for mood and reasonableness

I'd LOVE to hear from anyone who had these symptoms but stuck it out beyond a year (not that the previous posters were drop-outs, mind!) and hear if the symptoms did die away.

Seems a shame for a chilled out bird like me who's ever had PMT in her life to suddenly get it now. If that's the case and its not going anywhere I need to get it out and get my life back - life's too short to spend about a quarter of it in a foul mood...

OP posts:

ilovedjasondonovan · 20/12/2010 16:13

I've had mine almost 2 years and have noticed that for a few days before my 'period' I get really really bad depression. I've never had PMT in my life, and this is really horrible. I feel just awful and take it out on everyone. Then the next day I wake up and its all fine.
I would give it up but I don't want any more babies and DH is refusing the snip.

I think its quite normal, sadly.

Original poster

TattyDevine · 20/12/2010 16:15

So didn't lift after a year for you luvjason

DH wont get the snip either.

I reckon I might give it till Easter in that case and then scrap it if I'm still a bitch.

OP posts:

Olifin · 20/12/2010 16:34

I'm with Jins I'm afraid; didn't get on with it at all. I had exactly the same symptoms except for the cystitis. As a delightful alternative, I had constant thrush and a couple of bouts of something utterly hideous named bacterial vaginosis which I'm convinced was also thanks to the Mirena. So I only lasted a year too.

Fo me, the infections were more of a dealbreaker than the mood swings since I've always had some degree of PMT anyway and also had depression and anxiety during the last 18 months so I'm never quite sure where one stops and another begins!

Sorry OP, this doesn't really help, I realise. Hope someone else can answer your question though. If you decide to stay on it for a while to see if the moods even out, you could try taking evening primrose oil and B vitamins (if you don't already) as they're good for helping to level out wimmin's hormones and wot-not. Good luck!

MumNWLondon · 20/12/2010 16:51

I think all contraceptives have pros and cons. You just have to work out whether pros of mirena cancel out cons.

gothelen · 20/12/2010 17:07

I've had a mirena off and on for 11-nearly-twelve years since DD was born. 3 different ones though, not the same one for 11 years obviously. My most recent one went in around 2 years ago after DS was born.

Libido is non existent, can't say I'd noticed mood swings but then I'm generally a mardy cow anyway My hair is also very thin these days which I've read can be another side effect. It's almost annoying enough that I'm thinking of binning it. It's the thought of periods and condoms again that stops me. Plus the fact that our agreed contraceptive route is a vasectomy for DH if we decide we're done when it comes out which is all a bit final isn't it?

Might try out some of the vitamin suggestions from in here. See if they help at all.

bramblebooks · 20/12/2010 17:17

I am lying in bed with two hot water bottles having just had mine changed after 5 period free years. I hope this one does just as well. I do have trouble getting them on. Last time took four goes and a GA. Today was less scary, but did involve injections. Hope all settles down! Still much preferable to heavy periods though.

JamieLeeCurtis · 20/12/2010 17:46

I have had mine for 7 years altogether. I do get PMT, but it's better than it was before I had Mirena. Mine took 6 months to settle, and I was on the verge of having it taken out because of the constant grumbling pain and spotting, but I'm glad I persisted because having no periods is worth it for me (mine were very painful). I was depressed for the first few months of having it as well, but I put that down to having a baby and a toddler.

So, I'd say, for me, it was well worth persisting. The only alternative for us would be vasectomy (I can't take combined pill, don't want to take mini-pill due to breast pain and lower reliability, would never have sex at all if it was down to condoms - hate them....). Not ready for that yet ..

JamieLeeCurtis · 20/12/2010 17:48

Just to make clear - I have no periods - ie no pain or bleeding, but I think I am still ovulating because I have a little PMT

NormaStanleyFletcher · 20/12/2010 17:53

I put on weight. Had no periods after relatively short amount of time.

Got PG with it still in place mind, so it didn't really work as a contraceptive for me

JamieLeeCurtis · 20/12/2010 17:56

Norma - mind if I ask what happened? And presumably you had been having bleeds before you got pg?

carocaro · 20/12/2010 17:59

It's been my savior, no periods, tiny bit of PMT, higher sex drive, maybe because I know I can't get pregnant (more or less!) and not bit enormous big chin spots the size of a 10 pence!

classydiva · 20/12/2010 18:09

Is it not possible it has affected your hormones to the point that it now gives you PMT? Because that is what it sounds like you are suffering from. You could try Evening Primrose Oil, apparently it works.

JamieLeeCurtis · 20/12/2010 18:17

Also - I do wonder if I am peri-menopausal...

NormaStanleyFletcher · 20/12/2010 18:19

JLC - Had stopped having periods a few months before getting PG, had no symptoms so didn't find out until I gained some very specific weight. DD is now 4.

Consultant most amused said "oh - I haven't had one of you before" though he had had afew copper coil PGs, including one where the baby came out holding the coil in it's hand . Joked that the same could happen with me.

It didn't, and we never did find the blasted coil (it had been spotted on my first scan at 18 weeks)

Actuallawyer · 20/12/2010 18:23

I thought perhaps it was a car until I got to the bit about bleeding

Spinkle · 20/12/2010 18:57

I've had a mirena for about 9 months now.

It has changed my life for the better. Rather than having the worlds heaviest and longest and most erratic periods I have very little bleeding and pain. I can leave the house all month!! There's no fear of leaving a red puddle (imagine that at work - am a primary school teacher - explain that)

But yes, I do notice a marked downturn in my mood once a month.

It is, however, a price I am more than willing to pay.

NormaStanleyFletcher · 20/12/2010 19:18

Spinkle - that is one thing I really miss about the mirena. I have flooding for the first couple of days. Mooncup plus pad lasts an hour at best sometimes.

TheFowlAndThePussycat · 20/12/2010 19:33

I'm now into yr 2 of my mirena & the mood swings are still marked, I tend to only really notice on the day it lifts actually & realize it is me that has been a pain in the arse for 3 days, not everyone else!

However I have always had terrible pmt when on hormonal contraception. I have struggled with the mirena from day one, pain, dizziness & nausea, all of which have stopped now but now I have the constant thrush problem. This really is the last straw, I'm having it taken out after Christmas. It's sad because it seemed the perfect solution but now dh will have to go for snip.

Olifin did the thrush stop as soon as the mirena came out?

JamieLeeCurtis · 20/12/2010 19:37

Norma , but obviously also congrats on your "miracle baby"

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