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Family planning

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Original poster

Mirena coil or copper coil

20 replies

bellbaeu · 13/08/2020 12:59

Not sure which to go for.
Anyone who's been on these could you please tell me good and bad points please?

OP posts:

Original poster

bellbaeu · 14/08/2020 12:49

Bump

OP posts:

MummyDummyNow · 14/08/2020 12:54

I'd be interested to know too. Came off the pill for a while as was effecting my moods etc but do need some form of birth control! Don't know a huge amount about either coil apart from a few horror stories. Would be good to hear more about them.

Friolero · 14/08/2020 12:56

I have the Mirena, am on my second one now. I've been very happy with it, no bad side effects and don't really know it's there.

When I first had it put in, I had a few months of erratic bleeding / spotting before it died down, but since then have had virtually no bleeding at all including when I had it replaced after five years.

I've never had the copper coil so can't compare.

SpuriouserAndSpuriouser · 14/08/2020 13:04

I have a mirena coil and it’s great. The main benefits for me are the really light periods, less period pain, and I don’t have to remember to take the pill. Like a pp I also had irregular spotting for the first couple of months, but they warn you about that and it stopped pretty quickly. The insertion wasn’t too bad either, but obviously that varies and I know some people do find it very painful.

The main reason I choose the mirena over the copper coil is that the copper coil tends to make your periods heavier, which isn’t something I wanted to deal with.

SausageSimon · 14/08/2020 14:03

I have a copper coil, I've had it for around 6 years now and it's been great. I didn't want to have any hormones involved as I worry about the effects especially in terms of mental health and weight so opted for the copper on that basis, I've heard a lot of people say it makes your periods heavier but mine only were for the first few periods then it settled down. I remember my GP saying she thinks some women think they make them heavier because they've moved to it from a type hormonal contraception that was making their periods lighter

I'd definitely recommend it!

Branleuse · 14/08/2020 14:07

Ive had both and realised over the years that im.quite sensitive to hormones, particularly progesterone, even in low doses, so I actually got on better with the copper coil, despite the fact it made my periods last slightly longer.

paap1975 · 14/08/2020 14:11

I have a copper coil because didn't want to have the hormones and because I'm mid 40s so will be able to know when I'm heading towards the menopause. Periods are a bit heavier than on the pill, but by no means crazy and it's great not to have to worry about anything contraception-wise

ElephantLover · 14/08/2020 16:06

Copper here too. Periods are definitely heavier. I was not on any hormonal pill before (used condoms). Periods had become lighter since having children. I would say now there is 1 extra day and it's the heaviest. Other than that zero issues. Also in mid 40s so won't need to change this until menopause (hopefully) as it's the 10 year coil.

TheLovleyChebbyMcGee · 14/08/2020 16:14

Mirena here, on my 2nd and I love it!! No, or extremely light period, it was a little uncomfortable getting it fit, but settled with paracetamol.

NotGenerationAlpha · 14/08/2020 17:21

I have the mirena and on my second one. I love it too. I had acne for a while after my first one, but that settled down. I don't have any periods except very light bleeding occasionally.

morefun · 14/08/2020 17:58

I've only had copper, three times:

1st one: great! Hardly knew it was there and conceived the month of removal. Had it for about a year.

2nd: I had spotting and light bleeding for 7 months as well as big heavy periods - had it out

3rd: longer but lighter periods, was happy with it but was advised to have it removed after a smear test showed some actinomyces organisms - this was after it has been in for 8 months.

GCITC · 14/08/2020 18:15

On the mirena and had it in about 16 months. It's definitely had a detrimental impact on my mental health (and sex drive) , but that's been the case with all hormonal contraception. I seem to suffer all the side effects of a period just without the bleeding. The cramping I get is pretty bad.

I'm not a fan if I'm honest and have thought about getting it out numerous times in favour of the copper, though I don't like the thought of heavy periods.

Sometimes it feels like all our options are crap.

Haybo26 · 14/08/2020 18:18

I'm on the Mirena. Very happy with it and I no longer have periods with it.

LipstickLoves · 14/08/2020 18:19

I've got the copper coil and love it. I was breastfeeding when I went on it (8 years ago) and was keen not to have hormones but soon realised how much hormonal birth control had affected things like my mood and sex drive! I won't go back to hormonal birth control now.

I think it felt like my periods were heavy to begin with but totally normal now.

Corneliusmurphy · 14/08/2020 18:25

I had the Mirena, but the hormones really didn’t suit (weight gain, mood swings) despite no periods still felt as though I should be having one iyswim (bloating, spots etc) it all calmed down just in time for a new one to be fitted and the side effects returned with the new one.

I had it removed (eventually- it was really hard to get the drs/nurses to agree) and now use the copper coil. I don’t have heavy periods but I never have done so am probably just lucky in that respect. Will be sticking with the copper one, plus it lasts ten years.

hobag82 · 14/08/2020 18:37

I have had 2 mirenas and now have a copper coil. The first Mirena I had no periods at all, the second 1-2 days of light bleeding per month. Some cramping around the time but no other affects that I would blame on the mirena as although I gained weight, I also gained an addiction to junk food and an allergy to exercise 🙂

Decided to try a copper coil as it lasts for 10 years and wanted to have a break from hormones. Now have 5-7 days of bleeding which feels heavy but I think it's because I am used to no bleeding at all or very very light.

If I were to have another I would go for the mirena as I had forgotten just how inconvenient periods are. I wouldn't ask to have the copper coil removed and swapped though, I would just choose a mirena once the copper has run its course.

Both felt the same on insertion although the copper is bigger and both caused cramping for the first few days

thethoughtfox · 14/08/2020 18:48

Copper coil =mega periods for 5 years.

ElephantLover · 15/08/2020 19:50

@morefun - do you mind saying why you had the smear test after #3? Was it routine or specific to any coil issues?

Wondering if I need a smear now due to my copper coil

morefun · 15/08/2020 19:52

ElephantLover I didn't have symptoms of anything. Last year I'd had a smear which showed HPV. So this year they did another and found the organisms as well as abnormal cells 🙁

ElephantLover · 17/08/2020 10:47

@morefun Thank you. I hope you are in the clear now.

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