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.

Bluelush, sorry to hear you are feeling so miserable. You obviously need to see your GP but can I just say that imo the Mirena is not responsible for most of your symptoms. Prolonged bleeding can be an issue and usually stops after about 6 months. Weight gain and crying all sounds like deperession as the primary problem-I do hope you get a sympathetic reception from your GP.
The only other thing I will say , as a GP and Family PLanning doctor, is that NO METHOD OF CONTRACEPTION SUITS EVERYBODY and that you should make up your own mind based on information given to you by your own DR or Family Planning Nurse and not be too influenced by other's tales of woe.

I have had a MIrena for 18 months had 3 wekks of spotting bleeding when first put in, Insertion was no more uncomfortable than smear for me( was told this wasbecause soft cervix as only 12 weeks after having DS even thogh he was born by CS) period type cramps for 24 hrs.
Since then no periods at all.
I don't check my strings as they were cut very short( get them checked yearly by Dr) Have no awareness of it at all
Have been told progesterone is similar to taking a mini pill every other day!!

Good luck with our decision

'imo the Mirena is not responsible for most of your symptoms'

believe it or not, the progesten in the Mirena was DEFINITELY responsible for many symptoms similar to bluelush's in many of the posters on this thread.

bluelush, don't let them tell you the Mirena isn't responsible!

cuz it truly can be.

i have a history of ante and post natal depression and cannot tolerate ANY progesten-based contraception.

in fact, i have antenatal depression again and my consultant psychiatrist says he thinks it's due to elevated progesterone levels.

it just doesn't agee with some people.

sounds like you're one of those people.

hope you get it out and can move on from this part of your life.

you sound like you've been to hell and back.

It may not be the mirena but i was fine and happy person before i had it put in. I was told at the hospital that i would have no more periods after 3 months. I do think i am depressed because i am bleeding most of the time it has ruined both my holidays and obviously it is affecting my marriage, my hubby has been so pateint with me and blames himself for making me go to the doctors in this first place because of the heavy periods. I think it is not good for someone to bleed as much as i am with the mirena. The reason i have left it so long is i have never been to this doctors before as my other doctor made us leave because we were out of the area.

FWIW, blue, a consultant gynaecologist also ruled out Depo and Implanon for me to use because of the progesten levels in them and my history of depression.

It can exacerbate depression in people who have a history, particularly of hormonal depression like PND and antenatal depression.

have you asked for a referral to see a gynaecologist about your heavy periods?

if you're already tried the mirena, and it didn't work for you, and your heavy periods return, it's time to ask your GP to refer you to a gynaecologist to discuss some other treatments.

I was referred to a gynaecologist at the hospital, and went for a hysteroscopy when i was there i was told that during the procedure they would but a mirena coil in and it would solve all my problems. How wrong they were. My periods were that bad i use to go throught 20 super plus tampax a day plus towels and up 4 times a night. I am willing to go back to that rather than bleed all the time. I think i was just fobbed off rather than get to the route of the problem i was having.

you'll need to go back. first of all, and make it VERY clear that Mirena didn't work for you because it caused you to bleed and bleed for 8 months.

then unfortunately you'll have to chase them up to find out the cause of your heavy periods.

there can be a number of causes.

i think my depression is down to my marina coil, but my doctor refuses to believe me!

Hi
latest update....
I cannot go on Thurday for Hysteroscopy,Laparoscopy or Mirena coil fitted
reason being ! blood pressure still too high !
went docs this morning and he's finally given me something to lower my blood pressure....it was 170/100 today.I think that was high enough for him to realise there's a problem.
so sick of this!
have to wait until January now...

Well i went to see the doctor and she was brilliant she said she couldnt believe i had put up with the bleeding so long. She said i was very misslead about it taking 3 months for my periods to stop it can take over a year for it to work on some people. She said people can gain weight with it getting a bloated waist line like i have. She said she had no problem removing it but gave me some tablets to try and stop the bleeding and said if they dont work come back and i will take it out. I feel a lot happier and wish i had gone sooner.

Just thought I would post a message to say, I've had my Mirena for a year now and its the best thing I have ever had. Have gone from flooding periods, to no periods at all. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones, from some of the threads I've read on here.

Glad to hear another positive message about the Mirena...
I have mine fitted soon on 3rd of Jan
My Mum has it,her friend too....and both swear by it.
hope you,ve all had a lovely Xmas

Mine isnt a good story about the Mirena, i had mine in july (O6)and at first i only had light peroids and weightgain , but as the months have gone on ,my whole personality has changed ,my weight won't go down despite exercising and dieting and my peroids are worse(have been on for a month now)this was after being on for 15days last month ,god the months just roll into one another ,hardly seem to been off.!!!
So it's coming out and im going to have my lining of my womb removed.

i had my coil for 3 years before i had it taken out in oct. Me and Dp had noticed that my sex drive had returned as i do feel wanting sex more as before i was happy to go without it for months!! !! and also my boobs arent tender anymore as they used to kill me literally all the time...even having a jumper over them hurts me!..

the good side about it i had no period for 2.5 yrs

Hi 45nanny
Please let me know how you go on with the womb lining removal {is it uterine ablation?}
because that will be my next course of action if the Mirena doesnt work....

My latest on the Mirena, as yet I haven't gained any weight, apart from the xmas choccies! Have not had a period since the middle of October, (hope i'm not pregnant!)
Sex drive pretty normal, boobs abit tender at times, but apart from all that, I cant complain. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL XX

Hello all
Well,finally had mirena plus 2 other procedures....
still a little sore after laparoscopy,and some trapped wind in my back and shoulders....but all went well.The nurses and anaesthatists were lovely and calmed me down.....and it was so surprising to see other woman with much worse problems.....mine seemed trivial in comparison.
Before being discharged,I was told,that everything looked fine,ovaries normal,tubes fine,etc....just a few adhesions on my womb,but nothing to worry about.
I dont have endometriosis,fibroids,lumps bumps,polyps or anything which has plagued my mind for months!
I,m just awaiting my biopsy results {from the Hysteroscopy} then I can fully relax,and know for sure I dont have the dreaded c word.
Just one little problem.....the strings from my Mirena are hanging out of my flu !!
looks like they need to be cut shorter.
I cant believe they didnt notice that.....or maybe its falling out...? is that possible?

Hi Miserymum, I also can feel that my strings are quite low, they are supposed to wrap around the bottom part of the cervix, I am going back very soon to get mine checked out, which after 6 months was told to go, so will let you know, but if yours is a problem dont hesitate to go back. x

Hi Tanzi
thanks,i will go back and get it sorted.
a bit worried that people have complained of low sex drive with the Mirena.....it was bad enough before,but I couldnt even drag myself out of bed ,some days I was so weak..... sex was definitely far from my mind!
with the hormone tablets and iron ,my blood count has gone from 8 to 14.6 !!
I,m really hoping for a new me! my Mum reckons I,ll be jumping through hoops soon! lets hope so.
just a bit of spotting at the moment.I dont care if I get that daily.....anything's better than what I was going through before.

Hi Miserymum
I cant say that i've had a low sex drive, get the ole man to spice up abit!!
As for the spotting thats normal, however I was spotting for about 5 weeks had a monster of a period after that and now nothing and its bliss!
Its ideal for me haven't had no problems at all, Best of luck xx

Hi - have just found this thread - does anyone now if you can have a smear tests if you already have a mirena coil fitted?

Hi jolofee
Yes you can have smear tests whilst having the Mirena fitted, everything still works the same!!

Hi Tanzi
thanks for advice.....with three kids its difficult....... eldest is in next bedroom and is like an owl!!
we could do with a night away in a hotel or something .....with a jacuzzi .....great idea if i say so myself !
i also had a laparoscopy done at same time....my stitches are supposed to be dissolvable but they are still there.....its only been 5 days though....when should they have gone? i,m having 2 /3 hot baths a day
i was told hot soapy water dissoles them,but they feel hard like dried string

Hi Miserymum, hope all is well with you now

Thanks Tanzi !
a week and a half later....I feel fine....just hope it lasts.
I,m sure the hormone which the mirena releases is giving some energy....I feel different already...or maybe its because my blood count is finally normal?
still only have spotting.The real test will be beginning of Feb {my next period} I dont mind a normal period,but if i flood out for more than a week again,i will be very upset....
must be positive