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.

Mirena doesn't 'act as HRT' but it acts as the progesterone part of HRT which you need if you still have a womb.

It's oestrogen that actually deals with symptoms of menopause.

If Mirena isn't bothering you, then it is the ideal progesterone bit of HRT as it's the lowest dose, no cycles and very very little risk of additional breast cancers.

If you don't want HRT that's fine but be prepared to change your mind! I was all 'I'll see how it goes, think I won't need any medication' - few months of hot flushes wrecking my life and I'd changed to 'give me all the drugs NOW'

You mean I misunderstood what I was told?

She was talking about her breast cancer and I asked if there was history in her family. She said no, Mirena caused it and the doctors confirmed her cancer was due to hormonal increase (Mirena in her opinion).

But I’m just repeating what she said. I dont have experience with cancer and she is the only person I know of who has suffered from it.

Err, right, I'm sure one person's experience/anecdote outweighs all the wider research. You do you.

Breast cancer is very very common. Most women who get it will not have a hereditary cause - the main cause is 'unknown'

My experience as a doctor is that many patients will tell me 'I think x caused my illness' - usually stress, another serious illness or a medication. At the time they are telling me, there is very little point in disagreeing or arguing. I am sure they go away and tell everyone 'the doctor said it was stress'. Actually I didn't know the cause but it is not a productive conversation.

The NHS has a clear webpage on the causes of breast cancer which makes it clear that for most women the benefits of HRT outweigh the disadvantages.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer-in-women/causes-of-breast-cancer-in-women/

@AnnaMagnani Thank you