Mirena & Depression - Five Fucking years of my life!! AIBU to have the rage?

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I've been depressed for 5 years now. I've had depression in the past and have learned how to manage it very well, I know what signs to look out for and how to look after myself etc. Or so I thought.

Then shortly after DD2 was born I became fairly depressed. Not PND, more a general depression. And it became worse once I stopped BF. This was also around the time I left my abusive XP. So I attributed the depression to be living with an abusive arse (and suffering from gas lighting, very abuse, emotional abuse and a bit of financial abuse for good measure for several years).

I did have a wee surge of happiness after leaving him, but generally the depression continued. It was different than I had suffered before - more of a flat line depression.

My self esteem was rock bottom. None of my usual coping/self care tactics worked. I've been feeling so damaged. I've had 2 lots of counselling - nothing has really helped or got to the bottom of it.

Before having DD2 I was in a very happy place in myself, despite my rubbish relationship and difficult pregnancy. It now occurs to me that the only times in my adult life that I haven't been using hormonal contraception, coincided with me feeling normal, myself, happy, in charge of my life and not depressed.

Just last week I had a penny drop moment after reading about the Mirena coil & it's link to depression. And I realised I started feeling this way shortly after having it inserted after DD2 was born. I didn't notice the connection - at first I was BF and had all those happy hormones, I believed the doctor who talked of "localised hormones" etc, my relationship was rubbish and home life difficult and it simply never occurred to me that my "wonderful contraception solution" was actually an evil fucker, messing with me from the inside.

I thought I was one of the people who had got along with it - I loved having no periods, no hormonal fluctuations etc. I thought I had no side effects.

So I've been doing some reading around and I'm pretty sure that the Mirena is contributing to or even causing my unliftable low level constant depression.

It's been like living with a rock around my neck for all my daughters life. What a fucker.

And I just had a new one put in a couple of months ago. I'm making an appt to get it removed asap. Not once at any stage of the process of having TWO Mirena coils fitted did any one mention depression. When I talked to my GP about my ongoing depression Mirena was not mentioned or questioned.

I have read many threads where women have had acute reactions with the Mirena.

But AIBU to think I am not alone in this and there are many other women with similar revelations after a period of time being otherwise happy with the Mirena???

AIBU to think there is no joined up thinking in healthcare?

Op that sounds horrible and I hope you feel better soon.

I have to say my merina has been a life saver and ended my relentless bleeding so you can't generalise.

I am a bit at a HCP refusing up remove a merina. They actually have no right to do this.

I have the Mirena and I don't seem to have any of the side effects people talk about. I may be one of the lucky ones x

Thankfully, most women aren't progesterone intolerant and are fine with any hormonal medications.

But for a small minority of women, progesterone really is poison.

YANBU! I went on the pill at 17 and wholeheartedly believe it was the cause of my depression at the time, although I know I'll never be able to prove this. I will never, ever use hormonal contraception again and I really hope that more research is carried out.

I have no idea how you could go about proving a personal link or if it's even possible.

I suspect most people are just delighted to be getting on with their lives feeling normal again. And occasionally sharing their stories like people have done here. And so most "evidence" is anecdotal.

Muddling hopefully 90% of other Merina users are like you.

Maybe I am one of the lucky ones too and there is no link to my depression. I really do suspect there is though.

Hopefully I'm not getting it out in vain. I don't fancy being pregnant at 49. And I was hoping to ride through peri menopause without any periods.

Anyone use a diaphragm?

I suffered with depression, weight gain and reduced libido for 20 years apart from when pregnant or breastfeeding - I've been on various forms of the pill, tried mirena and injections
In my mid thirties after divorce I started a relationship with someone who had had a vasectomy and therefore didn't need to bother anymore - it wad a lightbulb moment and I have not been depressed since (nearly 20 years)
Sadly my periods became so horrendous that I ended up having a hysterectomy before I turned 40, I realise that's not ideal or possible for everyone - but it was such a relief not to be held ransom to my hormones any more
I am currently going through menopause but that's not been too bad
Worst of all I see DD having exactly the same problems, but what are the options, she has horrendous periods, and risks pregnancy or has to deal with artificial hormones

It is outrageous that this can be an a side effect without being widely publicised. The consequences can be devastating.

I spent 17-23 on the pill with no adverse effects that I cab tell. Post children I went back on a different pill, microgynon (however it's spelt). I lasted 3 days.

The nurse advised me to finish the pack when I told her I had suddenly and very noticeably started to feel depressed. It was literally a black fog. I hated myself, I was scarily indifferent towards my tiny baby and 18 month old and just didn't care about life.

I ignored her and threw the fucking things out. Literally with a couple of days I felt normal again. This was nearly 6 years ago.

I refuse to touch hormonal contraception again. After an excruciating forceps birth no fucker is shoving a copper coil up there either!

Progesterone-only contraception can cause depression - tablets, injection, implant, mirena

The risk is much lower with Mirena because it mostly acts locally inside the womb, & not much progesterone gets into the circulation.

Risk of other progesterone effects like spots is less too.

Having said that, there are plenty of women who are still sensitive to the wider effects.

You will only know if your symptoms go after having it removed.

Healthcare professionals are heavily pressurised to offer long-acting contraception, all of which is progesterone-only.

I've never used hormonal contraception - taking any medication long term just isn't going to be good for your health. We've always used condoms and now DH has had the snip so once he's had the all clear we're sorted :)

Twerp the latest research suggests the link between depression and Mirena is stronger than with either the combined or progest. Only pill.

Copper coil is the way forward. Very heavy bleeding for the first few months then when it settles down, very mild painless periods, dosn't interrupt sex and it no bother at all. Love it so much! Will never do hormones again!

I hated the Mirena - it took me months to link it to how awful I was feeling- had it out and feel like "me" again!

I was one of those people that raved about how wonderful mirena was. No periods or PMT, no remembering to take a pill or week off. Then we decided to try for another dc so I had it removed......and suddenly the world seemed a whole lot brighter!! I wasn't depressed, at least I don't think I was, but I was generally a bit low but I put that down to being a busy working mum. It was so obvious, even dh noticed and commented.

I've not used hormonal contraception since.

malificent the copper coil isn't a wonder cure for everyone either! I had it for 10 months after DD, and my periods never settled down! Without it periods lasted 3 days and were very light. By the time I had my copper coil removed I had 3 days of spotting leading into a 7 day heavy period, then spotting over ovulation. I spent more time bleeding than not.
Again, my experience with that never got recorded. The nurse at the family planning clinic put down reason for removal as wanting to conceive, as otherwise she'd "have" to give me a hormonal contraception as per their policy

From a medical stand point, I think that if you don't want the mirena, then it's the right thing to have it removed.

However, I am guessing some of your reading has been around the recently published (and much quoted) Danish study linking depression and contraceptive use. If so, I would point out that this is one paper and the results are not undisputed and some significant methodological issues raised with regard to the conclusions drawn from this study. There is debate regarding the correlation = causation conclusion that has been drawn from this study by some commentators in the media (and perhaps more robustly than the authors stated).

I am not saying that there is no link between depression and contraceptive use, I just wanted to point out that this study is one piece of the picture and we should interpret it with some caution.

I think everyone is different. I went utterly batshit crazy on the implant for a year and now I have mirena (20 months) I think it's causing my periods to come every other week and I'm getting it out because I hate it but I was depressed before it and it hasn't changed anything. I hope having yours out works for you

I agree with that of copper coil too. I had that and after 5 years became very anemic, which resulted in low mood etc. Also Google copper toxicity. Fact is our bodies aren't meant to biologically have other chemicals floating round.

Timely post for me ...getting mine removed in two weeks time. Have given it 18 months, no periods has been great but I've had awful hair loss (which stresses me out so much that I often dream about it!) , constantly sore breasts, libido has dwindled to nothing , low level depression & so short tempered The final straw was a blazing row with my mother over very little when she accused me of not being myself ...I suddenly realised she was right! My doctor has been sympathetic to be fair , I just have to use condoms for two weeks before they remove it (didn't have the heart to tell her I definitely wouldn't be having sex anyway due to total lack of interest!!) Looking back the pill,which I took throughout my twenties, had the same effect on my sex drive, and also made me fat & anxious.

I had a horrendous case of thrush on the mirena coil. The medical professionals were sure it couldn't be related but I am certain it was. I had had thrush twice in my life before using the mirena coil. Once when I first got together with DH - we treated us both and it went. The second time was the week I got pregnant with DD1 (so possibly hormone related) - again, one treatment and it went.

On the coil it just wouldn't go and I ended up going for weekly treatment at the STD clinic (with a 12 month baby in tow), surrounded by a load of teenagers. After 3 months of treatment (4 months with the coil), I lost it and demanded the thing be taken out. The thrush cleared up within 2 weeks of removal, and I haven't had thrush since (DD2 who arrived about 10 months later is now 9!).

Jacks the recent study isn't the reason WHY I want it removed.

But it did get me to think that perhaps the Mirena might have something to do with it. I had believed the "localised nature of hormones" spiel. It never occurred to me before.

After reading the article I thought a lot about my own experiences, timelines etc. I know for sure the pill had caused me problems with depression many years ago. And then I realised I feel the same way with the Mirena. And then the penny dropped that the times in my life when I have felt fantastic, felt like me, have been (rare) periods when I have been hormone contraceptive free.

So the recent study is a catalyst. But not the reason.

If I'm wrong I'm wrong, but I'm certainly going to try going without. I've really had more than enough of feeling like this. Getting my periods back will be a small price to pay.

Hubble our experiences sound all too similar.

Hubble progesterone is known to cause hair loss. Supposedly the progesterone in the Mirena is totally localised, so barely any gets into your system...in reality it does get into your system.

Not a problem for most women. But if you're sensitive to progesterone the Mirena is likely to cause you problems.

I'm on my third (and last, due to my age) mirena coil. I started using it after having my second child and following years of being on the combined pill. For me, it's been great. No side effects apart from stopping my periods and great not having to think about contraception. One of the pills I was on made me feel like I was going mad.

It's worked for me and a couple of my friends but we are all different and there is a lot of stuff online from people who are very unhappy with it.

Anyone who has had hair loss with the mirena, did your hair improve after removal? Mine's been out 3 months now, and I'm not losing hair anymore (there would literally be clumps coming out every time I washed it when I had the coil). But my hair is horrible and straggly and thin now. Hoping that's not a permanent thing?