AIBU to be scared of the Mirena coil?

[Baffledandbewildered]

Have always had heavy periods and I am severely anemic .last year I needed blood transfusions as my iron count was down to 3.6 this is v bad apparently. So the doctors answer is a mirena coil to be fitted when polyps are being removed .I have a blood and injury phobia......hate all things medical and I am just so scared have been given sedatives already!!! Should I go ahead ????? Is the mirena coil bad or good what have been other people experiences please advise. Thank you

Baffled You'll be fine x

Look, if you don't want a Mirena then you don't have to have one. Just tell them to change the procedure to a polyp removal rather than a removal and coil insertion. It sounds like the hospital has put a bit of pressure on you to have a coil (eg booking you an appt for you to have one fitted, which you thought was an appt for something totally diferent) which really isn't on.

Let us know how you get on, and good luck.

thank you zombie it is a bit like that!!!

Mardy i will let you know when are you supposed to be having it fitted??

Got to have scan first before fitted. Like I said on earlier post I've been having some problems (even when not having period) which they want to check out first. Hopefully just fibroids which they found when I was pregnant. Trying not to google other stuff as I'm sure I will just scare myself.

Well this has inspired me to go back to the doc for a little "chat". I read somewhere recently that women in their 40s actually benefit from hormonal contraceptives (I suppose it's a sort of early HRT), and I'd be interested to know how the Mirena fits into the equation.

I would certainly love to see the back of my periods - they were never this bad pre-DCs.

I don't know about others, but as I said before I literally did not have a period for 11 beautiful years!!!!!

I'm having one put in tommorrow morning under GA at the same time as loads of other horrible invasive slicing things. Absoloutly bricking it at the though of someone actually doing those things to that part of me and then doing it again when it's time to come out!!

I haven't really got any choice in actually having one, have bled heavily every day for the best part of the last 4 years and everything else makes it worse.

Plesae let me know how it goes for you. xxx

The mirena coil has transformed my life!

I suffered from severe endometriosis for years -dreadful flooding once a month and heavy bleeding mid cycle. I had the coil fitted to treat this and I don't have periods at all now. No side effects just all positives.

Have just had mine replaced as I had had it in for five years. Just had some mild cramps for a week and now I feel normal again. Mine was done under general aneasthetic so can't comment on whether it hurts or not.

I was one of the ones who had some problems with it. Certainly reduced heavy periods but I was in a permanently bad mood on it, and when they changed it to a new one my body didn't settle and I bled continually (lightly) for four solid months, which was Not Fun. It suits some, it doesn't seem to suit others.
The insertion is not nice so anyone planning to have it done at the GPs, take every painkiller you can safely take and get someone else to drive you home again.

I got pregnant with one in, so I can't recommend them.
It is rare apparently, but still, it happened to me.

I had a Mirena Coil fitted in Sept 2010, I had been bleeding constantly since July 2010. I still carried on bleeding until January and I haven't bled since !! Woo Hoo !
There were two problems I had, I wish that someone had told me to take some painkillers before it was fitted as I had the copper one taken out and the Mirena Coil fitted and it hurt like hell ! The other one was that I got an infection in the womb a week later but apart from that I am sooooo glad that I got it fitted

Had it about a year. Good points: v light period every six to eight weeks, little bleeding in between for me, and barely need a pad even when I do bleed. No fuss contraception. Bad points: Incredibly itchy - hands, ankles among other areas (which i didn't expect), more vaginal wetness/clear fluid discharge all the time. I'm not diagnosed anaemic but I think I am mildly, and I don't think it has helped yet. I got occasional moody outbursts during the few months after having it fitted i.e. wanting to throw chairs around the room which is not really like me. But it calmed down.

I had a mirena coil fitted when they first came out in 1998 after my first DC and it was fine at first I had it in for 3 years my periods stopped completley but the pain I got for a fortnight every month got worse and worse I eventually asked for it to be taken out and the pains stopped and my periods slowly went back to normal wouldn't want to scare anyone and I'm sure they have probably made vast improvements since I had it fitted but I would nevr have another fitted

Still haven't had this done as now they want to put in a tvt sling as well ( down below obviously knackered)!!!! So it just all seems to get worse has anyone had all these things done together before or am I a freak lol

Hi baffledandbewildered
just wondering how you got on. I've been reading this thread as I've been recommended the Mirena for heavy bleeding (i'm 50) and have heard about side effects like weight gain, increased body hair, lack of libido, all of which I struggle with already! If anyone knows of any good research material about the Mirena I'd be glad. Thanks.

I'm on my third, my first was taken out to conceive DD, second just because it was due changed...

I know this isn't massively relevant if you're getting it in at the same time as other things being done, but it's no worse than a smear, crampy for the rest of the day - like a bad period type crampy.

when I get a new one in my periods dwindle down to some spotting after a couple of months and then stop altogether after another couple, no PMT - which I do have normally but didn't realise how much until it was gone, lol.

No other side effects that I know of - I've occasionally felt a bit like you do when you're first pregnant or your periods due, tender breasts and what have you, but only for a couple of days. I've gained weight, but I also lose weight if I diet, so I'm pretty sure it's about eating the wrong things and not exercising enough, lol.

I had my first one in 2001, aged 16. GP refused to insert it as I had never been pregnant and tried to fob me off with the injection or implant, so I went to Brook and the Dr there inserted it in the office. Like another poster said, it's comparable to having a smear test but just takes a little bit longer. Spotted on and off for 3-4 months after insertion then had about 4 light periods over the next year and no periods at all after that. Before Mirena I had 7-day long heavy periods from hell (super maxi tampon plus pad lasting about 2 hours).

Replacement Mirenas also inserted in Drs office rather than the hospital, minimal bleeding for a few days then back to no periods at all. Removal doesn't hurt at all. I occasionally get sore boobs, but none of the other side effects like bad skin or moodiness. The hormone dose in the Mirena is low because it goes directly where it's needed, unlike the implant or injection which have much higher hormone doses. I am now on my third one and after 5 years will be getting a fourth. It's the best thing since sliced bread IMO :)

Personaly I would never have any coil, as they cause an abortion/termination if you do get pregnant, however saying that the Merina doesn't. I'd not have something shoved in my fanny though thanks very much.

I had the mirena coil in for nearly 5 years and it was great. I had no periods, some cramping pain when it first went in but most of the time completely forgot it was there. In your situation I would be very seriously considering it apart from anything else you will save a small fortune in sanitary protection.

My periods were a bit heavier for a month or two after it came out but for 5 years of no periods or period pains it was more than worth it.

On my second. Had a break after the removal of my first after 5 yrs. Wish to God I hadn't, had it re-inserted at the earliest opportunity. It's truly wonderful for me.

Oh and it did not hurt at all when it came out. The nurse did a smear test at the same time and I didn't even notice she'd removed the coil, I stayed there legs akimbo after she'd finished the smear and asked if she was going to take the coil out now and she had to show it to me to prove she already had

A balanced view as always, Fabby.

"I'd not have something shoved in my fanny though thanks very much."

Noone's offering, Fabbychic. Thanks for letting us know anyhow.