Mirena - get rid of it?

[pawpawgingins]

Thinking about removing mine after hearing two horrible stories in the past two weeks from two different people.
GP said it would function as HRT but I see no difference.
I don’t need birth control.
47 years old, got Mirena a year ago.

I’ve had mine for years and thinking about getting it removed, what horrible stories have you heard?

I had a Mirena for at least 15 years for heavy periods, I absolutely loved it and had no problems. I don’t know much about the value of it in terms of HRT, I suppose it gives you progesterone? I didn’t even know I’d been through the menopause as it stopped my periods completely. I had a blood test to show my menopause was over , coil out and off I went . No problems at all.

infection and breast cancer

Are you thinking of not using HRT at all?
If you’re not continuing HRT & you don’t feel it’s benefiting you, then remove it.
If you do want to stay on HRT then utrogestan & combined patches can have a whole heap of side effects. So it’s weighing it up really.

I still get periods but much lighter and shorter

The only menopause symptoms I have is lack of energy but not even sure if it is really related tbh.

Is true thal all HRT increases risk of cancer?

I dont have menopause symptons really and would like something more natural.

My lifestyle used to be a lot better so maybe I need to work on that.

Op I had a few pelvic infections but overall little bleeding 3rd coil. If you feel its not right.. for me it suits well. We all different

Once I read a story about a lady who got a soft fruit pip stick in a tooth cavity without realising. According to the story, it grew and caused immense pain and difficulty in her jaw until they figured it out and operated to remove the plant in her head.

All sorts of things can happen - if you listen out only for the horror stories you will live a life based on totally inadequate risk assessment

Do some proper research, find out the actual risks, don’t just base your decision on a sample of two.

PS my Mirena has been fine for the past four years, it has been absolutely life changing for me (I’m 47).

@Sahara123 im nearly 51 and have been taking the Mini Pill for two and a half years so am also on progesterone and ive seen different opinion on blood tests like hormonal contraception will skew the result. Started this thread recently https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/menopause/5045164-pharmacist-says-i-dont-need-mini-pill-any-more?page=1

Mirena not for me. Tried for a year. Only felt better once it was out.

Well, if it's annoying you then absolutely. But you might well find it's controlling mood swings and you will notice when it gets taken out.

I love mine as its stopped me bleeding and I can use it with oestrogen for my HRT.

Also don't use it for contraception.

I didn't feel like myself when I had one . My emotions were just "flat" within 48 hours of it being removed. I was my normal self. Enjoyed the no periods though !

Do you think you felt extra tired on Mirena for no particular reason? ie: same ammount of activity and work but a lot more drained?

I couldn't say as I had just had a baby at the time, so I was permanently tired 😴

Stop that. Provide clinical causation for breast cancer, or take this thread down.

I have had Mirena coils for more than 20 years now.

Mirena works as HrT as the progesterone part of combined treatment (oestrogen and progesterone). You would need to have it alongside oestrogen to experience any benefit. (it’s the oestrogen that treats the symptoms, and the progesterone offsets some of the risks of the oestrogen). However if you don’t have any symptoms then you don’t need it.

I've had one for four years and have got on with it ok, apart from being a bit spotty when I first had it and still get periods but very light compared to what I had before. No horror stories here.

I dont have the ability to take the thread down so you can report if you want

I’m just repeating what my acquaintance said about her breast cancer

Mirena coil has been fantastic for me. What rumours are you peddling OP? You've not linked to any research? If it works for you, why would you have it removed?

Think you've misunderstood OP - sometimes if you've had breast cancer, you are advised not to take HRT/hormones as it increases the risk of it returning.

https://www.nhs.uk/contraception/methods-of-contraception/ius-hormonal-coil/who-can-get-it/

@pawpawgingins have you reached the stage of needing HRT, or was it just something your GP mentioned in passing?

Severe perimenopausal symptoms hit me like a freight train at 45, and I was glad that having the mirena coil meant that I just need to take oestrogen... it's been life-changing.

Weigh up the pros and cons for you of having a mirena, by all means, but don't make big decisions based on one or two bad anecdotes.

Do your research! www.themenopausecharity.org/2021/10/21/hrt-and-breast-cancer/

I've had one off and on for 25 years! Love mine and never had a bit of trouble with one

Mirena is only useful for the progesterone part of HRT. And progesterone's only purpose is to protect your womb lining so you don't get womb cancer while on HRT.

You need oestrogen to stop the menopausal symptoms.

There is a very small increased risk of breast cancer if you are on combined HRT. There are conversely lots of health benefits of HRT such as reduced risk of osteoporosis.

Oral HRT increases risk of blood clots so gel or patches is usually prescribed first.

You can read about this on the NHS website:

www.nhs.uk/medicines/hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/benefits-and-risks-of-hormone-replacement-therapy-hrt/#:~:text=HRT%20can%20slightly%20increase%20the,and%20the%20older%20you%20are.