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.

With you on the hysterectomy 5boyzsue! That's interesting because I bled for weeks too and nobody said anything about ti not being suitable. I just kept getting told to persevere that it could take up to six months to settle. Oh well no use worrying now - mine's is out too. Wonder if a sex change might be the answer???

I am so glad I found these posts! I got Mirena inserted at my 6 wk appointment after the birth of my second child (it was really more like 9 weeks after). I was feeling great at the time but soon started having fatigue issues, I have noticed I have anxiety/depression issues and most recently my joints have becoming more and more painful. Reading online I was fearing that I had developed Rheumatoid arthritis but now I am hopeful that this is all related to Mirena!!! I was lying in bed crying this afternoon and praying for help and suddenly (devine intervention I am hoping) it occurred to me that all my problems started after having Mirena inserted. I am calling my OB/GYN tomorrow to have it removed and I promise to post back and let you know if it helped. Just wanted to say thanks I was feeling rather hopeless until I read this chat.

Let us know how you get on Maxrabbit. It didn't take long for me to feel better when I had mine removed so hopefully you'll soon be back to normal.

Hi, I've just found this site, to be honest I wish I'd found it sooner!! I had a mirena coil fitted in September 2003, from the moment it was put inside me I suffered with horrible cramps, stabbing pains, mood swings, and weight gain. I decided to have the coil fitted as my gyne doctor told me it would be stop all the bleeding and endometriosis pain. I had to constantly beg the hospital to remove it, but the strings where lost which made it really difficult. My Gyne doctor put a camera inside my uterus but it was no good he could not see the strings, so he decided to put me on the waiting list to be taken to theatre for a laparoscopy to locate the coil. This took 7 months of waiting and finally I was taken to theatre. But when I woke from the anasthetic my gyne doctor told me the coil was no where to be found and he told me it must of fallen out!!! I have had plenty of laparoscopy's in the past, but this time I was really poorly, with severe blood loss, the hospital was baffled but kept a close eye on me. However, I was not convinced and I begged for an xray, I was told I could have the xray but was told I was wasting resources and I should beleive the coil had fallen out. I finally had an x-ray in september 2004 and the coil was inside me, but not in my uterus. When I was taken to theatre for a laparoscopy the camera was inserted through my belly button but it punctured a hole in my uterus and the coil has escaped!! I was then sent straight back to my gyne doctor with an urgent appointment, and I can honestly say he was not very happy at all!! By now I was in constant agony with pains on my right side. I was finally admitted into hospital in November 2004 and had to had a laparotomy to remove the coil, it was embedded in my stomach just under my rib cage and the strings where wrapped around part of my bowel. It was a horrible operation and I still cant beleive that I went through all that just to have a bloody coil removed!!!!! But I am on the mend and have since started to loose weight and my mood swings have changed.

Thankyou for taking the time to read my story, its quite an unbeliveable story.

Take Care

Melanie

Blimey, how horrific!

Pelter that is absolutley horrific - lots of hugs{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}. That must have been so painful. Has there been any lasting damamge done to yourself? I am shocked that they weren't going to x-ray you. Just goes to show that doctors can be wrong! Hope you are on the mend now though

Sounds horrible. Well I have to say Mirena has been out since Monday afternoon and I am not feeling much different as least as far as the joint pain. I am going to give it until next Tuesday to see if I feel better but perhaps this is some kind of arthritis or viral reaction. Doc said I could always try Mirena again if we determined that the joint pain was from something else. I was pretty happy with it until I suspected it of causing the joint pain. I'm sure the fatigue is related to the joint pain and all the other stuff could be attributed to post partum issues, perhaps I was wrong about mirena being the cause. We'll see...

I've only just read some of this and I'm horrified! I had Mirena coil fitted last january and I can honestly say it's one of the best things thats happened to me.I now get no periods (terrible flooding for days before) no cramps and best of all no pmt mood swings (which were pretty scarey before ~ just ask any of my family)and have been recommending mirena to everybody.personally it has given me a decent quality of life back.

Message withdrawn

I have had the marina since october and have found it ok after the initial impact. My periods have been really light and seem as if they have tailed off completely. My pmt has lessened and i havent had any weight gain, so at the moment i am hopeful. The last thing i need is to get pregnant thats for sure.

I'm like makealist. Will have had mine for 5 years later this year, so need it swapping for a new one.

Although I don't have periods, I still have PMT symptoms but if I take starflower oil regularly they're kept at bay.

I can't take the combined pill (any more) for medical reasons and dh asked me to stop taking the mini-pill as it turned me into a straightlining unemotional being and he prefered to cope with the highs & lows that he associates with living with me.

I'm really sorry to hear that some of you have had a bad time with it, I hope you find a more satisfactory solution. xx

Just found this thread and wish I'd looked sooner!!!

After being on the depo for 7 years with no problems at all (Ihad been ensured that this was totally safe) I moved to a new area and was told by my new doctor that thdepo was suspected of causing oesteoperosis and harming development of spinal cords. After waiting 2.5 years for a bone scan to confirm that all was well I decided that enough was enough and came off the injection.

I had the Merina fitted in Oct04 I was told that this was ideal for me. What a mistake I have suffered from constant bleeding, weight gain, depression and unbearable pain. I also, as mentioned earlier pass lumps of my womb.

I definately beleive that what works for one doesn't work for another and the only way is to try but please, please think carefully before comitting and research these things yourself using websites like this as our doctors can't always be trusted and we are often used as guinea pigs.
x

I have for so long now, had so many conflicting information snippets about endometriosis, the mirena coil and fertility. That I am very grateful to have now stumbled onto this web site.

I have had the mirena coil for six years now, just turned 28. I was diagnosed with endometriosis when I was just 21, after a long hard struggle getting the doctors to fully examine me. As I was 'brushed off' and supplied with muscle relaxants (which caused more pain as they were fighting with my bodys' own responses) as I fitted the typical age bracket of an IBS sufferer. Apparently young women do not eat enough fibre as typically have bad diets??!! (Weetabix and brown bread every morning for me) Then as it progressed and got worse it was suggested I had appendicitus, then rumbling appendix and eventually late on a Saturday night five years from when the pain had started (which was age 16-17).I was finally taken to theatre for a laparoscopy which diagnosed endometroisis.

My experience with the marena has been good, I have had no endo pain since it was fitted, weight has been normal fluctuations. My only complaint is bouts of acne. Hormonal type lumps on the jawline. These were regular but occassional now. Although originally I did believe this was down to the tablets and zoladex injections I had had as part of the endo treatment to essentially remove, then replace hormones within the body. But since reading others mirena messages, it has got me wondering ....

After having the depo for five years previous to the marena coil, I would add it has worked better for me. As the depo caused huge weight gain and continous untimely spotting, whereas marena abolished all periods very quickly. (this was something I had to be assured was normal)

My worry now is since I have now had the marena removed two weeks ago trying for a baby with long term partner No sign of period yet... does anyone know how long the body takes to get back to normal? Also I am dreading it in case endo returns along with heavy painful periods . But most of all will I fall pregnant??? Cos I have read such conflicting stories whether marena good with endo, some good, some bad reports... Besides the scare that endo affects fertility.

Sorry to ramble just grateful to be in touch with people that may have had first hand experience instead of doctors who have quite honestly confused me with all their opinions..

Thank You

I wish I'd found this site sooner!

have had a two merinas in the last few years (the first one fell out) and I've been on prozac on and off for over a year which is also the only thing that keeps my weight from going up and up! Also have had terrible, terrible headaches and back pain ... I can't believe it's all been due to the coil. Just had it out as would like to conceive but the blood is flowing like a river now!!!!! Headaches already eased off and hopefully I can reduce/eliminate the prozac too. Thanks everyone - it's been like reading my own diary!

hi new to site ive had mirena fitted for 3 years now and this last week ive had some bad pain in the neck of my womb like the coil is slipping down when i go to the toilet it`s like im having a contraction everytime i wee, the coil is still there i can feel the threads but the pain is irritating me,anyone else had this?

Hi I have a Mirena fitted and have had no problems for a couple of years. Recently though, I have started having periods that are more like proper periods rather than the half hour of very (and I mean very) occasional spotting I got before.

Has anyone else had this problem? Periods stopping and then starting again later after the coil has been fitted a few years? Im worried that it might have come out or that maybe it's just wearing out faster than it is supposed to

I am desperately seeking your help!
I appear to suffer from all the popular symptoms, from the Mirena coil - weight gain, painful boobs, bloating etc. But I have also found my asthma has flare considerably since I had the coil fitted. Has anyone experienced the same thing please.
I need some help in convincing the medical profession that the coil has played some part in this, despite the fact that my asthma had been quite stable for 16 years.
Many thanks

Hi Everybody
Just joined because guess what having the merina fitted. Doc thinks it is brill but I am glad of the unbias advise from this site I know what to watch out for. Dh is worried in case it is a glorified mouse trap Anyway getting fitted in 2 weeks hopefully the end of periods from hell
Talk Soon

I had coil fitted (not the mirena) but can't remember the name of it but I know it has no hormone in it as I didn't want that. Brilliant in terms if contraception but my periods are pretty awful. I get pain with no bleeding one day then next day no pain and very light spotting. The day after this I have light normal bleeding. Then the day after this I have such heavy bleeding that I flood the biggest size tampax you can get after only 2 hours. This lasts for two or three days and then I spot for a day or two before stopping.

Anyone else suffer like this? If this carries on like this then I would seriously consider having it out but I just know if I did that I'd be pregnant at the drop of a hat!

Message for bunnykins. I had my first mirena fitted september 2000, it took a GOOD few months to settle but eventually my periods were greatly improved. In July 2003 I had it removed to try for a baby. After seven months of trying I fell pregnant but sadly had an early miscarriage, however I then fell pregnant two months later and now have a gorgeous baby boy. So in my experience it may take a few months for your body to get back to normal but you'll get there eventually. I've just had another mirena fitted and am persevering with the constant spotting and bleeding - how 'bloody' annoying! am hoping it will eventually settle again like last time.(Am going to give it a good six months or more) Hope this gives you some reassurance.

Hi All

My GP has recommended that I have the Mirena fitted as a 'possible' preventative for pre-menstrual migraine, which I have suffered from for 14 years. I get a 1-2 day migraine mid cycle and one either 2 days before or 2 days after my period starts. This is guaranteed like clockwork every month and after trying several preventative and actute treatments, we are now working down a list that my neurologist gave me (this was after harrassing my GP to refer me for god knows how many years!!). My GP has this theory that if I don't have a period, I won't get the symptoms, but surely there are still hormones still raging inside somewhere, surely they don't just disappear?!

I have a copper IUD fitted at the moment and have had 2 of them, one before having my twins (now 5 years old) and one after. I don't actually need it in now at all as hubbie has had the snip. My GP felt that as I have to have this one removed as it has been in just over 5 years, I might as well try it.

The appointment is in 3 weeks time , if I was to say 'what shall I do' what would be your answers???

Thanks in advance

Wendy
xx

wendy, my personal feeling would be that as you are going down a list of possible solutions, you might as well try it!

I know some people who have the mirena who love it - for a few of my friends it completely sorted out their PMT and mood swings. However, for me it was an absolute nightmare - I became very nauseous and had terrible mood swings (something I have never suffered from before). I only lasted around 2 months with it in. My doctor said it is very rare to suffer as badly as I did (and raised the possibility that I was actually allergic to the hormone in the coil as I had had a similar reaction to a type of combined pill) and was at lengths to point out that the hormone amount in the coil is tiny.

I was told it can take at least 6 months before you see the benefits (shorter, less heavy periods) but I know with some people it can work much quicker. Good luck and I hope it works!

the only problem that i have had with mirena so far is the weight gain.. when my daughter was born 10 months ago i weighed in at 236, through countless diet and excerise programs i still weigh this much after 10 months. The one thing i can say is that as far as birth control i give 100% on doing the job. Although it is a shame that you have to go through what you do. Lastly many of the symptoms from the other stories on here have happen to me as well.

Looking for advice. I got mirena fitted 5 months ago to stop painful heavy periods. The good news is that bleeding is now very light. Although the period pain is reduced significantly, I get more cramps than I did before, I now have painful breasts, bloating, mood swings and spots, none of which I had before. Can someone please tell me if after 5 months, these symptoms will lessen as I am getting really fed up and considering having it taken out. Id rather put up with a couple of days severe pain a month and 7 days heavy bleeding than all these other symptoms which seem to run from one week into the next bleeding

oldbuzzard, I don't know if or when they stop. By the time I had mine taken out (mainly because of the terrible nausea), my boobs were SO painful, I felt like I couldn't roll over in bed at night (they felt just like they were engorged when I was breastfeeding over 3 years ago!). I also had spots (all over my chin and forehead). The symptoms did clear up around 2-3 days after I had it taken out but since then, I have developed dreadful PMT - something I never ever suffered from before (the sore boobs, spots etc.). I'm convinced the mirena has kick started some awful progesterone sensitivity in me.