Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Did you have a positive or negative experience of Mirena Coil?

50 replies

Clockface222 · 08/09/2025 08:50

I am having issues with the progesterone content of my HRT and my GP wants me to try the Mirena Coil. I am however a bit worried about all the horror stories I read online about it and wonder how representative they are of women's experiences. So please tell me if:

IABU - it was fine and has helped me
IANBU - it gave me bad side effects and I had to have it taken out

OP posts:
FiloPasty · 08/09/2025 08:57

My doctor recommended to me and I told him I was very wary due to some horror stories and the fact that I always find smears painful.
He said that he could refer me to the local gynaecologist team that comes to another local surgery (we are fairly rural) where they would use anesthetic. I said ok, was still wary.
They called me as they had a cancellation and again I was quite nervous to commit but the nurse was very reassuring.
Im not going to lie, dr said their is a reason I’ve always had painful smears, also my cervix was very tight and even with the anesthetic is hurt but it was over within minutes, the dr (female) and the nurse were so lovely.
Sorry this is so long, it’s been a game changer, first couple of months I had some light spotting and mild period pain. 6 months on I have no pain and no periods, so for me I definitely think it’s worth it. The dr told me to book in again with the gynaecological team when I need the replacement. I hope that helps and good luck x

SweetPenelope · 08/09/2025 08:59

I got the mirena at 45 when I got too old for the pill. I completely stopped having periods, which was great. I didn't have to worry about pregnancy. I was pretty much unaffected by the menopause. I had two mirenas and had it taken out at about 55. I'm 58 now. No mood swings or weight gain. I know it's not like that for everyone, but it was great for me.

astronautseatapples · 08/09/2025 09:01

Mixed results for me. I have PMDD, and it has neither helped nor hindered that situation, but not having periods is absolutely amazing!!

i was also nervous because my understanding is that the type of progesterone in it is bad for mood problems, and that it is better to use a body-identical progesterone.

Lifebeganat50 · 08/09/2025 09:01

I had my first mirena in 1999 for contraception and I think I could be a poster girl for it!
My periods stopped immediately, no spotting or anything. I then had it removed in 2001 to plan a pregnancy, I had 1 period then was pregnant, had another one inserted post natally. Again no issues. I now use it for HRT, amd have had no issues at all. My sister has had an indentical experience

AmpleLilacQuail · 08/09/2025 09:01

I had one inserted during a laparoscopy for endometriosis and it has changed my life. I had an awful time on the pill but no side effects with the coil. Hardly any bleeding, minimal pain, no nasty PMS moods and I’m not anaemic any more!

morellamalessdrama · 08/09/2025 09:03

I’ve had one for 12 years due to super heavy periods. No issues with it at all during that time.

olderbutwiser · 08/09/2025 09:05

my first went in in 1994 and I had them one after another until my menopausal cervix snapped shut a few years ago. Lifechanging for me - I think 6 weeks of spotting then not a single period after that, and it was part of my HRT for a few years. I wanted to keep my final one and gold plate it but the gp thought I was joking and chucked it away.

Mutability · 08/09/2025 09:05

I have one for HRT. It has completely stopped the catastrophically heavy bleeding I had; no issues with it whatsoever.

HansHolbein · 08/09/2025 09:06

I managed a year in the end. Constant spotting and terrible cystic acne. It was horrible.

Endofyear · 08/09/2025 09:13

I've had two, been brilliant for me. No side effects and no periods, it's wonderful. Slightly uncomfortable to have them fitted and removed but nothing that a couple of paracetamol afterwards doesn't fix.

overthinker001 · 08/09/2025 09:13

I’m currently sat next to my 7 month old that came out holding my coil…

OmLidia · 08/09/2025 09:13

Horrible experience, stopped sleeping, terrible mood swings, swollen, not myself had it removed despite gyno saying my side effects were not possible …. Got better when I removed

BendingSpoons · 08/09/2025 09:17

Great for me. Fairly uncomfortable briefly on fitting but not as bad as things like a sweep when pregnant. Stopped my periods completely for several years then some light spotting. No need to remember to take the pill and worrying e.g. if I was unwell or that I'd forget to pack it of going away.

Marmite1992 · 08/09/2025 09:19

The insertion was horrendously painful but then I didn't have periods for 5 years and it was amazing! Other people didn't have as painful insertions so it's different for everyone. I had no side effects whilst it was in

HelpMeUnpickThis · 08/09/2025 09:21

Hi @Clockface222

I am nearing 2 months with mine in and I hate it - sorry!!! I have already asked to take it out buy my GP who i trust implicitly said I should try to hang on a bit longer.

I have been bleeding non stop for the whole time it has been in. I am so over it already.

To be fair I never wanted it in the first place (doing it for HRT) so I was never likely to give it a 5 star review.

R0ckandHardPlace · 08/09/2025 09:21

I became a raging hormonal basket case on Mirena, but I have lots of friends who swear by it. I think positive experiences are more common than negative. You won’t know until you try it.

LittleGreenDuck · 08/09/2025 09:22

I had my first fitted about a year ago, after suffering horrendous flooding and clotting periods, rendering me housebound for two days a month.

Getting it inserted was brutal. Apparently my cervix is on the wonk (three vaginal births and that's the first I've heard of it!) The nurse fumbled away for ages before having to summon the GP, who yanked my cervix so hard, I thought she'd pull it out. Got it in, but it actually felt quite traumatic and I'm usually pretty stoic about this stuff.

Once in, I bled constantly for six months. Not loads, but enough to need a pad. Since then I tend to have two weeks on and two weeks off. Again, fairly light bleeding, but it's there. It has stopped the flooding and clotting, so overall it has made life more bearable, but it's not been the miracle I was hoping for. Everyone else I have spoken to seems to have no periods, so I feel a bit cheated!

Pinkmagic1 · 08/09/2025 09:24

I had one for a couple of years and it caused horrible discharge, irregular bleeding and UTI's. I honestly thought I had contracted some awful STI, but all tests came back negative and then within fortnight of having it removed the symptoms disappeared.

NuovaPilbeam · 08/09/2025 09:25

Overall positive:
But the first 3 months i was pretty unsure. I had a lot of cramping like period pain and I basically gained a load of weight - easily half a stone.

Its settled down and now easy - no periods whatsoever (I'm 40).

DrinkFeckArseBrick · 08/09/2025 09:26

I found it ok to put in but shortly afterwards I had bad headaches that lasted months. Every other cause was ruled out. They started getting better a month or so after it was taken out (which no one wanted to do). My doctors said it couldn't be linked because the hormones were localised but wasn't what I experienced

pastaandpesto · 08/09/2025 09:26

Mixed bag but generally positive for me, a year on. Mine is to address very heavy periods that were repeatedly leading to anaemia. Like you I was not keen but it got to the point where I had to do something.

It's definitely helped a lot, but I still get quite a lot of spotting and occasional light periods, which is annoying because most women seem to stop bleeding completely. Not a huge issue.

I was very wary about the possible impact on mood, but I haven't had any issues at all and if anything I'd say I feel calmer and better regulated. I did have a week of appalling sleep after it was first fitted but fortunately that settled down quickly.

Downside for me is weight gain. I put on a few kilos almost immediately and cannot shift it. Having been the same weight for around 30 years I am convincing it was caused by the Mirena.

IfIHadAHeart · 08/09/2025 09:26

I’ve only had mine in for a fortnight so can’t speak for the long term effects. They used a numbing spray for the insertion so I felt no pain, although I could feel some tugging. I imagine it could be painful without the spray, but it worked well for me.

I had some very intense cramping in the hours afterwards, and about a week of mild period pain afterward (not constant). Other than some light bleeding after insertion I’ve had no spotting or other bleeding and no other noticeable effects.

Cosyblankets · 08/09/2025 09:29

Insertion and removal was extremely uncomfortable for me. It's worse when you've not had kids. Other than that no issues. It was a game change for me

WhereAreWeNow · 08/09/2025 09:30

Better than fine for me. Improved my life. Stopped my periods. Stopped my horrendous pmt. It also means the progesterone part of my HRT is sorted. It's a god send.

RidingMyBike · 08/09/2025 09:31

Had one put in last year due to heavy periods and womb lining getting too
thick. It was put in under general anaesthetic during another procedure so no insertion problems.

It has been life changing. I was very worried beforehand as I knew about 20% of women it either falls out or there are problems but it was that or something really drastic like an ablation or hysterectomy.

The first few months I did bleed continuously, but it was light and far easier to deal with than the previous flooding uncertainty causing problems at work. Since then it has settled down. I still have periods but they are incredibly light and not at all painful. I feel like I have a lot more energy too.