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Original poster

mirena coil makes me feel like sh*t - anyone else ????

215 replies

lunachic · 31/08/2005 14:25

hello mners
had one fitted about 3 months ago and im slowly sliding down a wave of depression there are other factors too (not major) but im feeling cr*p and im putting it down to the coil as i felt great before - ready to deal with anything sort of attitude. i have a ds nearly 3 and a dd 16 months and what im feeling is deffo not pnd .
have breastfed or been preg for the last 3 years so i thought the mirena and no periods (ive nearly forgotton what they are !) would be an easy option (turns out its not )

i just wondered if anyone else had felt like this after having a mirena fitted ?

ps i would love another baby but circumstance difficult at the moment so hence coil

OP posts:
pinkmama · 31/08/2005 14:30

Sorry you feeling rough lunachic. I have no expeirence of mirena coil, but will watch this thread with interest as I am about to have a new coil fitted following birth of dd2 and gp thinks I should have mirena as it might help with the terrible PMS I get, but I suspect it could make me worse. Hope you get to teh bottom of it soon. Prior to this pg I had the normal non hormone coil fitted and think it is as safe. Maybe you could get it switched just to see.

Toothache · 31/08/2005 14:30

Lunachic - I had mine fitted in January when dd was 5months old and have been wondering this myself.

I have started having panic attacks and big mood swings again (had them with PND when ds was a baby).... but they didn't start until this Spring... about 3mths after having the coil fitted. Hmmmmmmm....
Also have bouts of real tiredness and nausea to the point that I think I've got morning sickness!! Definitely not pregnant though as I've done a few tests to check.

Also, my hair and face have become really greasy! My face was always quite dry.

I really hope it isn't the mirena causing all this coz it's a seriously convenient contraception for me.

Hope someone else can help more than me.

Original poster
lunachic · 31/08/2005 14:38

hello toothache
i thought it would be convienient too and i am sure that it is causing me to feel bad ive been on top of the world since i had ds 3 years ago dealing with the sh*t and getting through it .....

i will prob see my doc about getting the mirena taken out

pinkmama have you tried the 'ordinary' coil cause i am prob thinking of this as the next option -am woried about heavy periods but i dont think this happens to everyone ?

OP posts:
Original poster
lunachic · 31/08/2005 14:38

thanks pm too !!

OP posts:
GeorginaA · 31/08/2005 14:41

Have to say that I've been quite crampy (had mine about ... 14 months now?) and a bit mood swingy since having my mirena. Like Toothache it's such a convenient contraception, I can't decide whether the pros outweigh the cons. I don't like that I haven't felt 100% well in ages. I get the period cramping at odd random times, but next to no bleeding - would rather have had it the other way around, tbh!

My skin is also still quite itchy - but I'm not sure if that's remnants of obstetric cholestasis while pregnant, or a sign that my body is out of balance with this mirena or a combination of the two.

spacedonkey · 31/08/2005 17:10

I am wondering if I'm having a similar reaction to it lunachic. I had mine put in in January 2004 and frankly I've been chronically depressed almost ever since. There have been other factors, and I've blamed the depression on those, but I am starting to wonder if the coil is another factor I've been overlooking.

spacedonkey · 31/08/2005 17:15

Also I have gained about stone since having it fitted!

pinkmama · 31/08/2005 19:24

I have had the non hormone one and thought it was fabulous. My periods were a little heavier but then not sure if that was how they would have been anyway after 2nd child. My first period was really painful and I wondered what I had let myself in for, but after that I had no more pain than I did before the coil. I was only considering the mirena because gp recommended it for my PMS, but having read experiences on here I think I will just have the ordinary one put back in. As far as I know they both have the same level of reliability so really would swap if you think its at the bottom of your problems. Just as convenient but without the hormonal symptoms.

RnB · 31/08/2005 19:26

Message withdrawn

cod · 31/08/2005 19:26

Message withdrawn

MascaraOHara · 31/08/2005 19:29

Sorry bit of a hijack.. I enquired bout a coil and my doctor advused against one, is this Mirena coil something different? Also were any of you advised against one?

pinkmama · 31/08/2005 19:33

What was Gps reason for not recommending it Mascara? My Gp was positive about it and had one herself apparently.

expatinscotland · 31/08/2005 19:39

Why do they push the coil so much here? I don't get it. It's not an issue for me personally, b/c DH is having the snip - his choice - but I wouldn't want it anyway and there don't seem to be a lot of other options to it besides the Pill.

cod · 31/08/2005 19:40

Message withdrawn

expatinscotland · 31/08/2005 19:42

How is 'better for you'? It's a friggin' foreign body in your organ. I worked in a women's clinic for a while and - I DO NOT mean to frighten anyone and that is NOT my intention at all - but they can migrate and it's a real PITA when they do.

Loobz · 31/08/2005 23:21

I had a mirena coil fitted to help with very painful periods and it was an absolute nightmare. I had weight gain that I could not shift but worst of all were the mood swings to the point where I was having suicidal thoughts. I eventually had the thing removed and since then I have lost weight and my mood has improved so much. I have to say though that I received absolutely no support from my GP - she laughed at me when I asked if the symptoms could be related to the coil. It was only after I spoke to others (on mumsnet) that I found it wasn't just me, that others had experienced similar problems with this type of coil.
Pity too cos I loved not having any periods!

princesspeahead · 31/08/2005 23:28

lots of people have problems with the mirena, do a google search.,
I didn't get on with mine either - weight gain, bad skin and worse than normal pmt.
dh is having the snip after this baby. If I can persuade him...

MascaraOHara · 01/09/2005 08:47

My GP told me he didn't recommend them for women who may want to have more children as they can cause infections/problems with your tubes etc which can lead to infertility and/or make it harder to conceive.

I'd not heard of this before so I just wondered if anyone else had.

Toothache · 01/09/2005 09:11

MascaraOhara - I was specifically told the opposite!!!!!!!! I really don't think they would offer it willy-nilly like that if the there was a significant increase in the risk of infertility. I was told that it would not effect my chances of having any more children..... and I specifically asked as I'm really keen to have a third.

I really didn't put my mood swings and panic attacks down to the coil. I just thought I was slipping back to the way I was after ds was born. But these feelings only started in Mar/April 2 or 3 months after having the coil fitted!!!! I think I'll take a wee trip to the GP and ask some more questions. It really is convenient though.... but I get random cramping pains too! Never as bad as my normal period pains.

MascaraOHara · 01/09/2005 09:15

Well I'd not heard of it before either Toothache - I went specifically to ask for a coil rather than pill but he was quite firm about. Apparently they can move as well and then you can become pregnant.. was telling my mum this and she said that she'd known someone this had happened to and when she gave birth the coil was in the placenta!

Miaou · 01/09/2005 09:16

For those wondering about having a coil - don't dismiss it out of hand. Like cod I had one fitted in between dd2 and ds and intend to have another one fitted after my six week checkup. I got on very well with it, better than any other form of contraception I have used.

Personally I would say try it if you want to, just be on the lookout for any negative symptoms. You can always have it removed. Or it might be the best thing since sliced bread!

MascaraOHara · 01/09/2005 09:19

The annoying thing for me is I want/wanted a coil

Toothache · 01/09/2005 09:19

MOH - Are you sure it was the Mirena Coil he was talking about?? That one has hormones in so works in much the same way as the mini-pill.... so even if it moved slightly, the hormone would still be released. My Mum had the copper coil fitted years ago, but she had a bad reaction and her body eventually expelled it..... grrross!

MascaraOHara · 01/09/2005 09:26

He didn't speak specifically only about 'the coil'/coils in general

bootsmonkey · 01/09/2005 09:36

I have had a Mirena for 3years, fitted after my DD was born. For me it has been great, but recently (last 6mths) I have developed horrendous PMT, mood swings, anxiety, depression etc., to the point that I feel I am really dangerous at times. Originally I put it down to moving house, but it hasn't got any better. Could it be down to the Mirena?? Why would it suddenly come on after 2.5yrs? My only thought that was having suffered PND for the first 12-18mths, I just didn't notice before....Or, could it be my own hormones settling down and ganging up on the coil (long shot that one...!) or could the coil hormones be running out?? Any advice/thoughts gratefully received!

I love my coil, but I can;t go on like I am!

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