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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask your honest opinion on the Mirena coil?

84 replies

Potatoskin · 17/01/2019 21:04

I have Pcos, but my symptoms have recently flipped from no period for over a year, to bleeding heavily 3 weeks of the month. My gynea doctor thinks I need both hormonal and non hormonal treatment so has prescribed mefenamic acid and tranexamic acid, and the mini pill.

He did warn me that the mini pill is linked to weight gain and I'm currently mid weightloss so want to avoid it. He told me that the Mirena is probably my best option over all however I have heard alot of negative things recently. What are your general opinions/experiences on it (and is it painful)?

OP posts:

BlackCatsRule88 · 17/01/2019 21:11

I’m on my second and I find it brilliant, although I know that experiences can differ. I didn’t suffer from heavy periods or PCOS or anything like that, so can’t comment on having it inserted for that reason and the impact it can have. My periods have stopped completely. For me, I would describe insertion as maybe a tad worse than a smear test - uncomfortable but not particulaly painful.

Parkingshmarking · 17/01/2019 21:12

Mine went awol & had to be removed which was very painful so i would say not a good experience & i woukdnt recommend it

Mabelface · 17/01/2019 21:14

I'm on my third and I love it. Not had periods for years and it's kept my endo at bay.

SweepTheHalls · 17/01/2019 21:15

It's great. No worries and no periods. Win win.

DramaAlpaca · 17/01/2019 21:15

I love mine. It was a complete life changer for me & stopped my heavy, irregular, perimenopausal periods completely. I can't comment on having it put in because I had mine in under GA because other gynae stuff needed doing so they put the coil in while I was under.

Goldenphoenix · 17/01/2019 21:16

Hated it, am convinced the hormones sent me a bit mad! Never had anxiety attacks until it was put in, was a really black time. Things looked up after they took it out though

MrsBungle · 17/01/2019 21:16

I love mine. I found it fine being put in and I like having practically no period.

GassyAss · 17/01/2019 21:17

I have friends who love the Mirena but I had a terrible time with it and had it removed after 8 months. I had constant bleeding and it completely killed my sex drive. It was also agony to have it fitted - my cervix went into some sort of spasm. It was more painful than childbirth!

Auntiepatricia · 17/01/2019 21:17

I got its little sister the kylina (sp). Bled for 3 months straight but it’s settled now and have steady stable periods. Wouldn’t know I have it to be honest.

LordEmsworth · 17/01/2019 21:20

On my second. Hated having it put in, but I couldn't go back now...

CandidCat · 17/01/2019 21:21

My first one disappeared. The insertion was bad and I was in pain for a week and had very heavy flow ongoing constantly, eventually going anaemic over 6 months. They have scanned my uterus and swear it must have come out during heavy bleeding. I never saw it come out and they're not tiny, so I am terrified it may have migrated but they assure me that won't be the case.

They put in a new one which has been great, no periods after the first couple of weeks. Been in two and a half years now, smear test nurse assures me it's still there (I can't reach the strings to check myself).

My friend is on her second and delighted with both. My SIL had it removed at 6 months as it didn't agree with her at all.

So... I don't know if I'd recommend it. When it works it's great, but if it's badly positioned, ugh. And the person who put my first one in was a female health specialist gp, so you'd have thought she could do it if anyone could, but it turned out she'd badly placed lots and she was let go from the practice!

Seline · 17/01/2019 21:22

It's okay. Wasn't particularly painful to fit. But I still get the side effects like headaches and anxiety so won't be using it again.

EatSleepRantRepeat · 17/01/2019 21:23

I'm on third - first was expelled by a huge clot, second was in for a few years and just been replaced by a third. It's ok, I've not had the weight gain or the other experiences people talk about, the main issue I've had with it was that it had to be put in under general anaesthetic, my cervix just wouldn't open enough under local to insert it!

However, I was having completely godzilla periods and enormous fibroids for years so it didn't help much with that sadly. Have they given you an ultrasound to check out the cause of the bleeding?

If you find that mefanamic and tranexamic aren't working, you could try norethisterone - it's hormonal and pretty strong, it did interrupt my periods for a while. I've had 3 fibroid resections followed by a fibroid embolisation which finally sorted the bleeding out - the pain was horrendous from the embolisation though so definitely a last resort option!

blueskiespls · 17/01/2019 21:23

I'm on my 2nd. Been fine. No periods is. A massive bonus.
Have had spells of mood swings, irregularly. But it's better than anything else I've tried!!

EatSleepRantRepeat · 17/01/2019 21:24

@candidcat that's so strange, even when I was having huge clots I could feel it on the way out, it felt like I was passing a 50 pence coin!

Elephantina · 17/01/2019 21:26

I'm on my second, haven't had a period in 8 years and no problems after it settled down.

I did have somd pain and bleeding for the first 6 months, excruciating iating for the first month in fact, but I couldn't bear the idea of having it removed so just gritted my teeth. It all calmed down and I've never looked back!

Insertion and removal is not the most fun to have with no knickers on, but it's bearable if you're reasonably stoic, capable of deep breathing through the discomfort and are not squeamish about it. I had one done mid-migraine, it was grim but I survived!

Give it a try.

Pics · 17/01/2019 21:26

Brilliant. I bled lightly for quite a while for the first 3 months, but am now on my second and have hardly any periods at all - they are just super super light . Hardly need a light pad most of the time.

Since2016 · 17/01/2019 21:26

Loved mine. Changed my life. Had three and have gotten pregnant twice between them. Never had periods, never had pain.

Never had an issue with weight gain - lost weight v effectively on it.

Ozziewozzie · 17/01/2019 21:29

I was prescribed the same medication as you but it felt horrible shoving all those pills down my throat, plus I still had bleeding.
I’ve had more a coil 3 times in between babies and for me it’s heaven. Virtually no bleeding, no pain. It’s bliss.

CandidCat · 17/01/2019 21:30

@EatSleepRantRepeat that's interesting. I had huge clots and felt pain passing them. It could have come out with one? But I did usually collect and check them (sorry for TMI!) as it was obviously a concern, being my only birth control. The gynae ward staff who scanned me said it probably came out with a clot and I just didn't notice.

LincolnOceanVictorEdward · 17/01/2019 21:30

I am on my third. The only side effect is a random spot now and again. Plus no periods. I would recommend it.

SummerStrong · 17/01/2019 21:32

I had a terrible experience, developed acne & it imbedded itself into the lining of my womb and had to be surgically removed.

GrumpyInsomniac · 17/01/2019 21:33

On my second here and it's meant no more gushing periods and a real reduction of migraines related to the hormonal fluctuations.

Insertion first time was fine with a local. On the replacement I'd moved house and thus doctors and they didn't give me a local. Felt a bit wobbly from the insertion then but soon recovered: I was able to drive home 15 minutes later.

Anyway, it's been life-changing for me.

Disfordarkchocolate · 17/01/2019 21:33

No problems with fitting (twice) or removal. First time settled periods in a couple of months, second time was 10 years later and took about 8 months to settle and that was very annoying. GP said it can take longer to reduce periods when you are older because the lining of the womb can be much thicker. Fine now, great infact.

BriocheBriocheBrioche · 17/01/2019 21:36

Following with interest.
I need my copper coil replacing and the Gynae recommended the Mirena instead.

I’m just concerned about putting on weight and having worse headaches/migraines as I’m already prone to them.
However I also really want to have lighter periods. She said we’ll trial it for 4-6 months and it can be taken out again if needs be but I don’t really want to put my body through that!

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