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Original poster

Mirena coil - experiences please?

36 replies

Lillamyy1 · 22/08/2015 07:51

I know there's a contraception forum but I thought I'd post here as well in the hope of getting as much info as possible.
I'm due to have the Mirena or Jaydess coil fitted in a couple of weeks, but I'm nervous as I've heard some bad things about the hormonal coils.
I have tried several pills in the past but they all sent me bonkers to varying degrees - it was like having extreme pmt constantly: very bad mood swings, paranoia, terrible anxiety, stress and irritability as well as quite serious depression. So obviously I was very reluctant to have anything else hormonal, but my doctor advised me that it would be worth trying the Mirena or jaydess coil as it only works locally and the side effects go away once
It's taken out.
I get bad pmt anyway and the doctor also told me that having the coil can help with this.
I just wondered if anyone else has had similar issues with the pill and then had a coil and if they had the same side effects or if it really is better?
Thanks in advance

OP posts:

littledafty · 22/08/2015 08:00

I had a coil put in two year ago for heavy periods. Had been in the pill before but didn't agree with me.
Didn't have a good experience with the coil, I can only describe myself losing my temper instantly like a red mist. No warning just straight to awful fury at whatever or whoever annoyed me.
I'm normally a very relaxed person so this was difficult to deal with.
My coil then started to move and I could feel it at the base of my back. I remember doing a supermarket shop and having sudden searing pain and having to lean over my trolley until it passed.
After a week of this I was admitted to hospital with intense pain and discovered I'd developed a pelvic infection. Never felt pain like it.
Coil was taken out, Dr who took it out said it had almost disappeared into my body and said we'd caught it just in time.
So my experience was pretty dire.
On the other hand I've got friends who have had theirs for years, no problems and love it.
I would say get it put in and see how it goes.

Twowrongsdontmakearight · 22/08/2015 08:01

Mirena was one of the best things I ever did! I'm on my second and haven't had a period in years. The beauty of it is that the hormone is local. It doesn't have to be digested and pass through the liver so I've had no 'hormonal' side effects at all.

nbee84 · 22/08/2015 08:07

I've recently had my 3rd one fitted. For me it's been positive, no periods and my pmt (though never got it bad before) has gone. I've had 2 negatives - I had one fitted that was wrongly positioned (return of periods and some cramping) so had to have it taken out and another put in and a reduction in my sex drive. It took me a while to realise the mirena had caused this as my relationship wasn't in a particularly good place at the time so put it down to that.

swisscheesetony · 22/08/2015 08:08

Absolutely no hormonal issues here either, in fact I've pretty much forgotten it's there. It was placed due to heavy bleeding and now I get light spotting once a month for a day. Horrendously painful to be inserted and I had to have a local anaesthetic.

Fluffy24 · 22/08/2015 08:10

Good experience with Mirena coil - fitted and forgotten about it. I understand that the very low levels of hormone act locally so shouldn't cause hormone issues.

snozzlemaid · 22/08/2015 08:16

I had a mirena fitted 3 months ago and all positive here.
It was painless being fitted. I had no cramping after either. I had light spotting every day which stopped a couple of weeks ago. Periods are much lighter than they were before. I used to have cramps and lose large clots but not had either since coil was fitted.
I've had no pmt either since and not had any other hormonal issues.
I'm so glad I had it fitted.

Twowrongsdontmakearight · 22/08/2015 08:22

Talked to friends last night. One loves hers, just like me. Another had lots of problems but hers was a copper coil which is quite different. Worth checking which type you're being offered.

bikeandrun · 22/08/2015 08:31

One of the best things I have ever done ( on my second, due my third next year). Internet forums can often present quite a negative view of mirena because it more common to post if you have had problems than if like me you have virtually forgotten about it. I have read some independent satisfaction surveys for mirena and the satisfaction rates are very high and repeat use is very high. This thread seems fairly balanced so far but don't get scared off by horror stories.

ButtonLoon · 22/08/2015 08:44

Mine didn't go well for me, I bled every day for six weeks and then six months later the damn thing started falling out and got wedged and had to be (rather painfully) removed.

Writerwannabe83 · 22/08/2015 09:32

I had a Mirena about 5 years ago because I can't use contraception where the hormone circulates my blood stream so the localised effect of the Mirena was perfect. It took about 20 minutes to insert, which was uncomfortable at times but not painful. I still had monthly periods but they were just very light spitting that lasted about two days. The only problem I had is that the strings got drawn back up into my womb which was picked up on USS following my 6 week post insertion check after the GP realised she couldn't see my strings. This of course made removing it quite difficult but I had it removed after two years as me and DH wanted to try for a baby. I was pregnant within 6 weeks of having it removed.

I recently had my 2nd one put in but this time it took about two minutes to go in and was really, really painful. I was grabbing on to the nurse's hand and even had tears in my eyes. However, once it was in I had no problems. I had some spotting for about 5 weeks but it then stopped and now I don't even know it's there.

Annarose2014 · 22/08/2015 09:41

I think with anything that lives inside you, there are more potentials for it going a bit off,

I had one put in and whilst it cleared up my periods, I had cramping. I knew the placement wasn't right so after 6 months I got it taken out and a new one put in. That one was a dream - no sense it was there and I had virtually no period. Utter freedom.

I got pregnant the month after removal. I'd get it again in a heartbeat.

The Mirena can really improve peoples quality of life - it just has to settle in correctly.

Btw, mine were done under light general anaestethic in a day clinic.

PHANTOMnamechanger · 22/08/2015 09:45

I love my mirena.

I went on for very heavy periods, that left me virtually house bound for 4-5 days a month. At least I could not be more than 2 minutes from a loo. TMI!

With the first one I did get some cramping after it was put in, and I bled for quite a long time (like I do after childbirth - about 6 or 8 weeks)

I'm on my 3rd coil now, all have been easily removed and put in, no unwanted side effects, no problems for either of us during sex, and very reliable don't have to think about it contraception too! And no periods except occasional spotting.

Original poster

Lillamyy1 · 22/08/2015 11:00

Thanks everyone! Did anyone find the Mirena helped with pmt or did the opposite and made you moody?

OP posts:

bikeandrun · 22/08/2015 11:08

No periods so no pmt( yeah) As the hormones are localised rather than in the blood stream I am not sure the mechanism which would cause mirena to affect say mood or sex drive.These are very hard things to link to anything because my mood and sex drive have fluctuated widely over the last ten years and it would be easy to link the insertion or removal of a coil to this with no basis what so ever.

snozzlemaid · 22/08/2015 12:46

Only had 3 periods since having mine fitted, but so far it's improved my pmt. I'm now unaware my period is on its way whereas before I could tell as I was so irritated by everyone.

Theoldcauliflower · 22/08/2015 13:00

I had a brake down , I'm still on anti depressants. Still can't shift the stone I put on with it, and I'm on accutane for the acne it brought me out in! It ruined my life!

bikeandrun · 22/08/2015 13:08

I am sorry you had a bad experience cauliflower, but surely if your weight gain, depression and acne were caused by the coil these symptoms would go away after removal. The effect must be short lived if people can get pregnant within 6 weeks of removal.

jobrum · 22/08/2015 13:10

I had a mirena a few years ago (didnt have it replaced as was thinking of starting a family) and it suited me perfectly. I had no periods, occassionaly a very light bleed but I mean light, no pms, I had very few migraines, lost all the weight and water retention I'd gained from a pill that didn't suit and all the hormonal 'moodiness' (to put it mildly!) from that pill stopped within about a week of having it fitted.

I have a friend who had the oposite experience to me though and had hers removed after a year. I think like all hormonal contraceptives, if the hormone really doesn't suit you you will know about it! But having it removed took seconds. It was very painful having it inserted but I'd had no children - it would probably be much easier now!

DrGee · 22/08/2015 22:20

Hello! As you can see everyone's experiences vary, I had the coil for 6 years and it was amazing - bit of pain at the start after fitting but after that totally forgot about it and removal was super easy as was the replacement. Honestly if your GP says it's a good option to try then it might be worth it, I still had super light periods and a bit of PMT but generally no problems :) Good luck whatever you decide!

LemonPied · 22/08/2015 22:28

I loved my coil, I've had it removed now as ttc.

Insertion was uncomfortable, not painful, hot water bottle afterwards was lovely.
It took about 5--6 months to settle down, I spotted in and off, lightly, I wore a panty liner occasionally, other times I just wiped when I went to the loo and that removed it.
Once it had settled in I didn't have a period for 18 months, when I did it was light, lasted 5 days and then didn't rear it's ugly head again for 6 months or so.
Removal was easy, speculum up, quick cough whilst GP pulled the treads and out it came. Had a withdrawal bleed a few days later and now am back on with my irregular bleeds, which were my norm.

LemonPied · 22/08/2015 22:29

Oh and I had mine fitted due to irregular bleeds and pmt which was so horrible I needed antidepressants as it made me self harm!

Daphnedolittle · 23/08/2015 00:22

I am very wary of the coil. My mum got pregnant on it and she lost the baby, (due to the coil) very traumatic and she warned me off it.
Another friend got pregnant on it and the baby was fine, but obviously unexpected! I'm sure some people think it's great but thought I should share those experiences.

superram · 23/08/2015 00:49

I still have periods although very light, my hair fell out but did settle after about 6 months but I have terrible acne so thinking about having it removed.

passmethewineplease · 23/08/2015 00:57

I love mine, bit spottier but nothing I can't handle or cover up with some concealer. Periods are so light I barely notice them. So far so good, mines been in since February.

Wanderlust1 · 23/08/2015 09:13

Hi there, I had the non hormonal coil for 3yrs. It was great and never caused me any problems whatsoever. I Didn't want the hormonal one in case it did cause issues with periods, weight, blah blah blah.....
I'd recommend it. Easy to put in and was painless when I had it removed. One tip though, take some ibuprofen an hour before you have one fitted. It is a tiny bit painful and I wish i would have done this

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