Mirena coil

[Lizzer]

Hi all, after my treatment (see smear tests) I am wanting to have the Mirena coil fitted. I've read the blurb but don't actually know anyone who has one. Really I'm interested more in the fact that it often changes / stops periods because of the small amount of progesterone in it, and was wondering how this affected people. Also I was told there is a lot of breakthrough bleeding when first inserted? I was under the impression that you can't feel it at all, but wondering if that's true? I've never had a coil fitted before so hope it is the right decision for me. My GP told me it was as affective a contraception method as man having a vascetomy!! Which sounds great for me at the moment... Any comments welcome.

I think she was worried because they have to cover their own backs and tell you all the options before they remove it. She did say she wouldn't refuse to do it but she was really pushing for me to wait a few weeks and see a doctor. She also didn't want to do it if the only reason I was having it removed was because of bad skin.

Your reasons for having it removed are also none of her business.

She's there to remove it and have you sign a form saying you received counselling about alternative birth control.

Not pass her own judgements onto you.

Complain in writing.

greenmile,this happened to me too (im quite young with 2 children already).she refused to take it out,point blank.(birth control,why did i need more children,etc,etc)so i left the clinic crying.i went to my (male) doctor and told him,he told me how to complain.i did,and i got another appointment with a different nurse,who removed it without any questions.i would complain.

I'll tell you now, if the doctor refuses to take mine out next week she'll have WAR!! I think after all this I'll probably write a letter about it anyway. Especially if all my symptoms improve and I can be sure they were all related. I now seem to be developing tingling in my fingers and toes.... anybody else had that? I feel like I'm a hypochondriac all the time! The other thing I wanted to ask was whether or not it needed to be a certain time in your cycle for them to take it out? I barely have any sign of my period nowadays so don't really know where I am in my cycle. xx

I can't believe a dr can refuse to take it out! Isn't it up to us what sort of bc (or not) we want? We chose to have one put in, surely it is only our choice (ie not the dr's) to have one taken out as well?

I've only had mine for about 6 weeks, and so far no problems (apart from getting wound up at my 2.10 DS and yelling at him) but if I thought I was having problems I would certainly expect the dr to take it out if I asked her to.

Shaking my head in disbelief...

i have had my coil in for almost a year now. at first i felt dreadful, bled every day, and so on, then that started to improve but then i noticed discharge instead, again almost every day so i had to start wearing pantyliners (nice.. not!). but i could put up with all that if it were not for the other problems... pain mostly, ovulation pain but at any time or any day and equally as bad as before. cant sit down type of pain. and period cramps, only a day or two and not too heavy a loss but again no pattern to it. and also recently pain in my toes and feet - assumed it was poor circulation due to my smoking. now though i am wondering if its the coil. the point is i had this coil to treat endometriosis not for birth control. before my symptoms meant out of every month i would be either confined to the toilet or in severe pain for perhaps 8 or 10 days in total but at least i knew when those would be. now i never know if i am going to wake in pain, be swollen in my tummy and in pain, be having discharge, be having a period, there is no pattern at all and i reckon i am having these problems for 20 out of every 28 days! so i am trying to get the nerve up to go and have it removed. i need the nerve as it was a battle royale to get treated in the first place as endometriosis is frequently fobbed off by so many GPs in my area anyway.
it took me years and years to get any help and now i am saying take it out...
i am 43, mother of 3 all under 11, and i have had enough. the coil has to go.
does it hurt having it out? i had to have it put in at hospital with a local as the practice nurse couldnt get it in...
anyway, reading the posts just makes me thankful i am not the only one having troubles with the coil.

I had mine out last Tuesday. I made an appointment at the GPs because I was feeling progressively worse (pains in legs, tummy pain increased weight etc and it had been in for 4 yrs).

I went in expecting to make an appointment at the clinic where they put it in. She said up on the couch, asked me 3 times if I was sure. 3 times I said yes, she took it out (no pain at all), did a swab and an internal exam and sent me away - after asking if I had condoms in the house!

2 days after i bled for 4 days and now it has stopped. I feel a bit down but I'm hoping that will pass as my hormones settle.

Mine was out on Tuesday. It's only been a couple of days, so I haven't noticed a huge improvement in any of my symptoms yet. I am having a 'normal' heavy period, which started 2 days after I had it removed. Things like stomach cramps & discharge, I will probably won't notice until my period has finished whether this has improved. My acne seems to be getting better, although not a huge difference at the moment. Stomach is still fat and I haven't lost any weight (but only been 4 days!). But I am sticking to my slimming world plan and hopefully I will lose a couple of pounds by Wednesday. I usually put on a couple when I have my period anyway.

It didn't hurt at all having it out. I had a few cramps for the next couple of hours, but nothing worse than I was getting with it in anyway. It was really quick and took only a few seconds. Nothing like the horrendous pain when I had it put in.

I'm really looking forward to getting mine taken out on tuesday and to see if I feel any different or not. I'd be happy if I only got some energy back and some relief from the mood swings!! I am a bit worried about what to do about birth control though... 2 dds already and am nearly 38 so not really up for any more. I did have the copper coil a few years ago. My periods weren't too bad but I did have thrush symptoms on and off for the whole 14 months I had it! Also have read stuff connecting it with an increased risk of cervical cancer. Anyone any other ideas? xx

Just had my coil out today. It took a matter of seconds and I didn't even realise it was out. I didn't feel a thing! I also have to say that the doctor who did it was absolutely lovely about it all and very understanding. Mind you she did offer me the option of keyhole surgery first to investigate further before taking it out... which I found a bit alarming!?! I just hope I get an improvement in all my symptoms now. greenmile: How are you finding life without yours? How long did you bleed for afterwards?

had coil fitted 6months ago been to the docs today and said couldnt take it out they have wrote to gynea, feeling really low,spotty,moody, what experiences have others had when it comes out

I'm new here but thought I'd give my (brief) story too. Had the mirena fitted on 30 Oct (of all nights!) and it was extremely painful. The worst of the pain lasted all evening and it was a bit sore the next couple of days. I suppose it's like childbirth though - you forget about the pain afterwards! I would strongly recommend that you don't drive yourself to the appointment though if it's your first fitting and you've not had babies.

I've had the usual stuff - IBS type tummy cramps for a couple of weeks, intermittent bleeding (which has since almost completely stopped) and spots but these things have progressively improved if not gone completely. A bad effect is that I've been very irritable although I'm not sure if that's attributable to the coil or not. However I decided to have it removed due to a loss of libido coinciding with a sticky period with my partner. I couldn't decide which was cause and which the effect so have had it removed anyway. It's a pity as I'd have liked to wait a while longer.

The removal took two seconds and was completely pain free. I have returned to the pill and just finished the first packet and apart from more spots it all seems ok.

Perhaps more people with good experiences could share them on this site as I came across it when I was considering having the coil fitted and most entries are negative and scary. (My sister has endometriosis and had a mirena fitted 3 years ago and it's been fantastic for her).

Well said Helen 06, I agree with you. I've had my Mirena for 5 months now, and my life has improved 100% and I wouldn't be without it. I have posted positive things on this board about my Mirena but it seems most people are only negative about it.

I had the mirena fitted in September and experienced similar initial symtoms to Helen. It was VERY painful on insertion - I required a little local anaesthetic (I have had 2 sections) I felt very woosy afterwards and extremely uncomfortable that afternoon but from then it was fab. Didn't have any bleeding, no periods, no period symptoms, in fact no negative side effects at all. My mood has lifted and I think it was the best thing I have done for a long time - but clearly not for everyone.

Mirena is fantastic. I know lots of people with them who are very satisfied. Pain after insertion was like a mild period pain, lasted few hours, went with paracetamol. Yes, breakthrough bleeding on and off for about 3 months, but more like a bloody brown discharge. Periods since then are very light and painfree. Excellent contraceptive, I will have another when this runs out.

I have been trying to get on with Merina for the last 10 months and am now feeling abit desperate with it. My main problems are with painful ovaries - particularly my left - during ovulation. I get really bad tummy ache and cramps for 3-4 days with bad indigestion and wind and find i often can't sit down. I also have really heavy discharge throughout the month which drives me mad. My mood is very irritable and anxious, and my sex drive is zilch - although I'm not sure if that is down to Merina, or just that i am so fed up with the symptoms. My weight has not gone up but down as i often don't feel like eating due to the bloatedness. I feel like I don't know what to try next as i've tried the combined and mini pills - think i'll go back on the combined pill as this is just causing me too many problems. Feel quite depressed with it all.

Sallysunshine... Check out the curezone.com website for more chat about the side-effects of the Merina coil. There are around 1,500 entries many of them describing side-effects like the ones you've mentioned. Mine's been out for 2 days now and it's such a relief! I'm sure I already feel calmer and less 'foggy' and I haven't had any shooting pains or bloatedness since, so fingers crossed. Good luck x

After reading this i am now definatly going to get mine removed! posted on here a few months ago about major mood swings and loss of libido after mirena fitted.

HOWEVER in praise of the mirena

My mum & her friends who are all in their 50's - 60's say that it is supposed to be great for menopausal/ post menopause women as it can see you through the change with fewer simptoms and not as drawn out as hrt.

Lubielou - still bleeding and I had it out 9 days ago. Worst thing is that I had just had a 2 week period before it came out.

Not noticed any real improvements since it's gone though.

More spots than ever, still hungry and fat. Perhaps slightly more energy but nothing really noticeable. I guess I won't know if the discharge and stomache cramps have truely gone until I stop bleeding.

Hello there -

I had the Mirena IUD fitted in October and had it removed after a month because of side effects. I had it fitted for prolonged and heavy bleeding (I am now experiencing normal cycles since the Mirena IUD) ... can anyone tell me how long it can be before you recover from the side effects of the Mirena? Could I possible be having side effects after all this time?

Any comments welcome --

This is quite spooky.I can't have the Mirena coil,because I have had an ectopic pregnancy in the past,but do take Cerazette- a mini pill.

Does it contain the same sort of hormones as the Mirena?Because since taking it I have suffered hairloss,facial hair,bad skin,greasy hair,loss of libido,depression & anxiety,stomach cramps & a metallic taste in my mouth.My mild IBS has become worse too.

Until I read this thread,I didn't connect changing my pill to my symptoms,they sort of crept up on my one by one.I think I'm going to stop taking it,it seems more than co incidental.

Thanks for getting me to see the light.

Hello

I've just done a search on the mirena coil as im thinking of having it removed and came across this thread. i didn't realise sooo many people had the same problems as me after having had the mirena fitted. i have had it for 2 and a half years now and the only reason i kept it in was fear of getting pregnant again. however now my partner and i have decided to try for another i am going to get it removed, horaay!!!. the only thing im worried about is wether it will hurt, to be honest im petrified.
xxx

It wont hurt at all. I hardly felt a thing...you'll be fine...

Had my coil out 8 days ago. My back ache has gone (after being a more or less permanent fixture for the past 12 months); Im no longer getting shooting pains in my tummy and down my legs; I've lost 3 lbs without trying; and I definitely feel I have more energy. Let's hope it continues!!

i've decided its definatley coming out.i made an appiontment yesterday to have it removed. can't wait til next wednesday!!