To ask for your mirena coil experiences?

[Afternooninthepark]

Posting on here for traffic!
I’m 47 and have (stupidly) put up with heavy periods for 20 years, I have always refused any hormonal medication for fear of them.
The last 5-6 years my periods have been horrendous with very heavy periods on day 2-4 with clots, flooding and basically being left almost housebound during those days. I have tried the basics like tranexamic acid but that upsets my IBS. After gynaecologist appointments and scans it was determined that I have uterine polyps which is making the problem much worse.
I was offered a Mirena but after reading the absolute horror stories online and being an anxiety sufferer I decided time and time again not to go down this route.
I asked for an ablation, under a local anaesthetic to which the gynaecologist agreed to and said it was fine but unfortunately on the day of my operation the anaesthetist refused to do it unless under a general (I suffer for a month or so from dizziness and feeling awful after a general so prefer to avoid if possible).
Anyhow, a few years later here I am still suffering but as it’s only for 2-4 days per month I keep putting things off but I have a gynaecologist appointment tomorrow and I know he will push for the Mirena again as there really isn’t many other options to shrink the polyps. I have had them removed twice in surgery but the have grown back.
I am put off by the things I’ve read like constant pain, bleeding, breast issues, anxiety/depression/mania, acne and gp’s refusing to remove it etc. There was a thread the other day where’s someone had said of the 100+ women she knew with the Mirena only 2 had had a good experience with it! Things like this put me off.
I appreciate that when someone has a good experience with something they tend not to take to the internet to tell people and just get on with life when it’s mostly people with negative experiences who will do this and I personally won’t know for myself until I try it.
Can I ask for your honest experiences with the Mirena? The good, bad and the ugly!

Got mine for heavy periods and it’s great. Only wish I’d got it done sooner.

I’ve had one for 25 years. Not the same one.

However, I say this kindly, BUT- why would you value the advice, opinions or experiences of MN when you have repeatedly refused the advice of your own doctors over the years? There is, quite simply no way any of us can predict how you will respond. It’s a very well tried and tested treatment for your type of issue and can be completely life changing.

Take their advice and keep an open mind. To be honest your primary medical complaint here seems to be anxiety which has left your gynae issues free to run wild.

Good luck and give it a try.

I have had two in a row with absolutely no issues or side effects, and my period went away completely. Honestly the idea of having a period sounds utterly barbaric to me at this point now that I've experienced many years without it, and I cannot believe there are women who continue to choose to use other forms of birth control when Mirena is available and so freeing.

I am like you very heavy periods and my body cannot cope with any hormones.
A few years ago I caved and had the mirena coil because the Dr assured me the level or hormones was so low Id feel nothing. I lasted 2 months: dizziness, sickness, headaches, stomach cramps.

Every woman is different so one woman's experience practically means nothing. However if like me, you are very susceptible to synthetic hormones I dont think this is the way forward.

Exactly what Matilda says - I’ve had a series of mirenas for 26 years and once past the first 6 weeks of spotting have not had a period since. Now on my last as part of my hrt.

But also as Matilda says, why are you willing to listen to us and not your GP? Do you really think The medical professionals would be advising Marinas if 98/100 people had a bad experience with them? Marinas are quite expensive, they wouldn’t recommend them if overall they found them having to be removed most of the time. And Mirenas have been around for 25+ years, there has been plenty of time for proper scientific assessment of their pros + cons.

I would far rather give the marina a try than have more surgery!

I tried it. It didn’t suit me, but like bonjourbonjour, I reacted to the hormones.
But I have several friends on it who love it and have been on it for years - I’m definitely in the minority amongst the people I know. I’m glad I tried it, just a shame it didn’t suit me. I’m on something else now that works well.

I've c&p from another recent thread, but it has been truly life-changing. I've got four days each month of my life back - on day one I couldn't leave the house/loo for more than 40 minutes without flooding and 'liver lumps' falling out of me. I've got tons more energy, don't feel weak and shaky with a need to recover for a week and no longer need to keep up energy levels with caffeine and sugar. I've lost weight, I can plan days out, holiday when I want to and even go to a friends for coffee whenever I want to - lifechanging.

I'd read stuff too, but decided that the doctors had read more than me and had even done study and exams and worked for 30 years so probably knew more than me - so I listened and got the coil and my life back.

I think I'v had mine for three years now, initally there was some bleeding, a bit like a 'normal' period - normal as in how most people change a tampon every few hours. This was for about 3 months on and off. Then a had very light bleeding occasionally - light enough that I could've used a daily liner type pad without changing it all day (obviously did change it, but tiny amounts). Has been nothing now for quite sometime. Bought new liners at the start of lockdown and haven't used one yet.

Really, really wish I'd had it years ago when first suggested by the GP, but sadly I listened to the negatives. A couple of months of 'settling' is a small price to pay for the freedom it gives, and yes, I'm aware that it sounds over the top, but it truly has been amazing for me.

I had my first one fitted a few weeks ago, so no long term knowledge yet, but I absolutely adore it.

Insertion was grim, not going to lie. And I had quite bad cramping and bloating for a couple of days afterwards, and some spotting.

Now on my second period since having it fitted and it’s so light I barely even need a pad. I used to have horrendous pains for the first 2 days and 6/7 day long periods. They’re now 5 days and no pain at all.

My mood has improved since having one, and no PMT which is a blessing! I can’t recommend it enough based on my experiences.

I had one fitted for heavy bleeding due to diagnosed fibroids. It was horrendous! Gave me period pains like i've never had in my life, i had spotting or bleeding more days in a month than I didn't, the bleeding was still unmanageable for a day or two a month even taking Tranexamic acid as well. I had it for just over a year, had checks to make sure it was in the right place etc etc and then it fell out during a particularly bad bleed!! I didn't know it had come out at the time but further investigations confirmed it had gone so that's when we assume it departed.
I think you're in a difficult position if you turn it down - you've already turned down a surgical option and there's not much else they can offer you.

Well that 2 out of 100 thing is just made up bollocks.

I've had two. Had endometrial hyperplasia all my life, so flooding all my life basically. I could have a period 2/3 weeks out of 4.

First one pinched me in my right side for the first couple of months, it was taken out and replaced in the same procedure and happy days after that. Didn't have any periods. Absolute bliss!

Took it out to TTC. Got pregnant 3 weeks later!

4 months after birth, got one back in. This time I had about 4 months of heavy bleeding. Not sure if it was because of being post natal and breastfeeding etc. I found it frustrating but told myself I'd give it 6 months as in fairness the leaflet warned about irregular bleeding for the first few months. It magically stopped one day and I haven't had a drop since. I have a year left on this and you can bet your life im getting it replaced!

Life changing.

Loved mine & only wish I’d got it years earlier when I had terribly heavy periods

I’ve had mine about 2 years, no issues at all and no periods, just occasional spotting.

I only know one other friend who has one, and she recommended it to me! Of course I probably know other women who have one, just they haven’t told me.

What’s the harm in trying it, given it might really help you?

I had it in and had a lot of spotting (which I would prefer to the symptoms you have to be fair).
I had a really bad flare up of chronic fatigue after a couple of months on it, including constant headaches so I ended up coming off it after a few months. I don't know whether it was connected or not but was getting desperate and would have tried anything so got it taken out. The doctor said it was unlikely to have contributed but not impossible. I found my hair regrew after I took it out so I'd been losing my hair like in pregnancy.

A couple of my friends are on it and absolutely love it. I know one person who had to have it out for low mood, but it didn't affect my mood at all.

If I was you I'd have it but get assurances you can get it taken out straight away if it causes symptoms that you don't like

Be very wary of endometrial ablation. Initially it seems to be great, but the longer term failure rate is rather high and that leads to necessary hysterectomy.
I’d go for the mirena, see how you get on. It’s reversible, ablation is not.

I had one for 18 months and I hated it. I got severe depression, to the point of feeling suicidal. Loads of my hair fell out and never grew back. And my periods were exactly the same as before I’d had the coil fitted, literally no change at all.

I’m on Mirena 4. I had 2 before I had my daughter and the first was quite uncomfortable to be fitted and I had about 2 weeks of period cramps and spotting. The 2 post birth haven’t hurt at all to fit and the cramps stopped within a day. Without my coil I have heavy irregular periods with a lot of cramping. With my coil I get ... nothing!

Having the coil removed is totally painless. My last one had strings too short for GP removal so I had to go to sexual health clinic but they removed it without issue.

I will continue with Mirenas until menopause.

A close family suffered like you with heavy periods, polyps etc.

She had a hysterectomy.

Never looked back....

I think you’re asking the wrong question to the wrong group of people (experiences here will be varied depending on reasons for having it, age at time fitting etc) and for the wrong reason.

You have agency here and you don’t have to sit back and accept all this as being done to you. Be your own advocate.

I’d also suggest that it might be worth asking for a review with an anaesthetist before deciding generals aren’t for you, as it may be certain types of drugs are the problem, rather than all GAs in general.

Additionally, you’re asking for feedback on a long term device which lasts around 5 years, with up to a 6 month settling in period. Your issues with GAs (for the ablation) last about a month. I think you’ve suffered with this for so long, and been round the houses so much that you’re tied up in knots. Every treatment option will come with cons as well as pros, and each one will come with some sort of down time and its own unpredictability.

You need to try take a step back and try to review the options objectively IMO.

Best thing I ever did - wish I'd done it years sooner!

Changed my life. One of the best things I've ever done.

I'm on my third one and I have no complaints at all. Before Mirena I had normal copper coil but the periods were horrendous. The doctor recommended Mirena over pills or implant. The first year I had irregular periods and random spotting but afterwards it settled and I'm period free for 8 years now😊 Haven't noticed any side effects so far.
I would recommend to try it for a year, you can always remove it if doesn't suit you.

I’m 47 and my mirena has been in for six years now. Had cramps on the day that it was put in but nothing since, no periods, no mood swings, nada. Sometimes you have to be firm with yourself and suck up a day or so of pain/discomfort in return for years of peace. I hope you can get something sorted for yourself.

Best thing ever and wish I'd had it before. Also allowed me to have oestrogen only patches when the time came.

Problem is, you're only going to get answers from people who either had a really good, or a really bad experience from it. Plus, you have to balance up what you are dealing with now against any possible side effects. I had the Mirena, but not because of any heavy periods - my periods were fine. The side effects were too much for me - I felt pregnant every single month, tired, sick, unbelievably bloated. I put on weight, and decided to have it removed. However, my period also stopped (which was unnerving given the constant pregnancy symptoms!) so had heavy bleeding been an issue for me, then this could have been a viable solution. I would just try it. You can always get it removed.

I love it. Yes, first six weeks were tough as I get a bit depressed with any hormonal contraception, but it went away completely and 2 years on I can't imagine how I accepted periods in my life!!

heavy periods all my adult life... Marina coil fitted to help .. after heavier bleeding for 8 months (all advice said it would settle down) I had to have it removed as my iron levels had gotten severely low.. I am older now and things have slowed naturally 🌺

I think my experience was rare and unlucky 🌺