To ask your experiences of mirena?

[MynyddoeddEryri]

Posting here for traffic really. I'm having a mirena coil fitted at 9 am tomorrow and reading up on it there are some awful horror stories and I'm starting to doubt myself. I had one about 18 months ago and it ended up coming out. I'd had it for about 6 months and during that time it was fantastic, I had no periods and no adverse side effects. It was amazing, that is to say until the night it decided to come out and oh my goodness I have never felt pain like it!

I can't use other hormonal contraception as it really affects my moods and makes my depression a lot worse. I've tried the copper coil and my periods were so painful and very heavy. I feel like mirena is amazing but the horror stories scare me. I'm being stupid aren't I and it'll be fine. Also whenever I see my mum she keeps telling me about all her friends / acquaintances who got pregnant on the coil but she can never remember if it was copper or mirena - not particularly helpful tbh.

Please reassure me (or not) with your experiences of it.

My mirena is brilliant. On my third and wish that I had found it earlier.

I had one for a few months and didn't get on with it at all.

Having it put in was actually fine, but it seemed to effect my mood and exacerbate my rosacea, (I think, as having it put in coincided with my skin flaring up quite badly, and the gp said it could be to do with the coil). I also had very frequent periods.

A little while after having it out, I had what I think was the 'mirena crash' and I was really, really anxious and down for a good week and a half. I was crying a lot and a bit of a wreck tbh. I have never felt like that before and it was scary. My DH was asking me to seek help from a counsellor etc. It hasn't happened since.

I've vowed never to go near hormonal contraception again.

On the other hand my friend loves hers and has had no periods and no side effects.

On balance, I think it's worth a try, as it sounds like your experience was similar to hers (until the pain you had).

I had my first fitted 7 months ago. I still get periods every month and they are only marginally less heavy than without. I'm not sure why I bothered. DH has since had the snip but I coped so badly with the coil being inserted (youngest child is 3 so left it too late for things to be stretchy) that I cannot bear asking them to take it out!!

I've had 4 now and am due for a replacement in the next few months. I needed a hysterectomy initially due to scar tissue from 2 x c sections and was asked to try Mirena as a trial for the hospital. Within 3 months my bleeding had completely stopped, and I've had straight replacements. The last one was a bugger though, came out OK but GP couldn't get another one in. I had to go into gynae to get it done with ultrasound, the consultant did it in about 3 minutes! I'm due a replacement soon, and they have advised keeping one until I'm well past menopause which suits me fine. I've had literally no side effects at all from it. Having no periods is a blessing after suffering such awful blood loss and flooding - I used to be housebound 3 days a month before I had one put in and was terribly anaemic.

Made me horribly depressed and exhausted all the time. Most of my hair fell out. Feel a million times better for having it removed.

Seems to work really well for some people but not for others. If it doesn't work for you you can just get it removed. I will never put myself through that again.

Horrific experience for me also unfortunately. Fitting it was fine or they advised it was fine. Weeks passed and I was in agony. Went to the doctor who said it's normal. Was struggling to stand every day and left it for another month thinking it would settle down as my body had to get used to it. Was so unbelievably agonising I went back to the doctors and demanded they check it. Unfortunately it pierced through my cervix and that was why it was so painful. The day I had it taken out was a huge relief and the pain lifted instantly. It's very rare what happened to me to happen but it can happen. Hope it goes well for you!!