Coil dilemma - experiences would be helpful

[pinkmama]

Hi, not been around for a while, so forgive me for coming back with a long question.

I currently have a non hormone coil fitted, and had one between ds and dd2. I think the coil is fab and wished I had had one earlier. Anyway, with each successive child my periods have become worse, some of which I guess is age related. I now have quite heavy periods, which to be honest isnt the end of the world, but I do, and always have done, get terrible raging PMT. I get paranoid, grumpy and snappy, and also get a debilitating 48 hour migraine every month. DH is running out of holiday to help me when I have them and we have no family around, so its seriously impacting on our lives. I literally cant move when I have one.

I decided on teh non hormone coil as I thought I could do without extra hormones, I have never got on with them. Never found a pill that suited, go fairly mental in pregnancy, and beyond! However a couple of people have said they reckon it would be good for me, if its stops periods it should stop the other side effects.

Anyone any experience with PMT and the coil?

Apparently the Mirena coil works wonders on PMT and periods by stopping them completely.

I've not had it, though, b/c it is progestin-based and my body does NOT get on well w/progestin - painful cystic, boil-type acne that scars, constant bleeding, mood swings, loss of libido, etc.

Worth a try perhaps for you, though. Might try going to your local family planning clinic to discuss options, however, as they have lots more experience than most GPs.

wellll, I think this is a tricky one

When you say you never found a pill that suited was it because you were reacting to the hormones in the pill? because if so, the mirena may not be for you.

I have a friend who swears her PMT has virtually disappeared since she had the mirena fitted. However, I tried the mirena and although my periods were lighter, it caused more migraines and virtually a constant state of PMT for me.

It is so dependent on the individual but I would definitely proceed with caution if you have reacted to other forms of hormonal contraception before.

Hadnt thought of family planning. I was going to go and see my doctor this week. I suppose I have nothing to lose, if it doesnt work then I can have it whipped out and another one put in. Think major concern is I would quite like to do it this month as our summer holiday coincides with PMT and heavy period time, however if it disagrees with me I have a bit stuffed for the holiday.

I had mirena coild fitted for gynae reasons not cpontraception (though obviously i worked for that too!). My gynae always tried it before more drastic options and I have to say it worked a treat on me.

Didn't get PMT so can't comment on that but should certianly make periods much lighter - I had fairly heavy periods and in between used to bleed fairly coinsistantly. Took about 3/4 months to settle down then used to get very light periods for about 3 days.

Very low level of hormone as it gets absorbed directly into your uterous (much lower than taking orally so you make be OK).

I was resitance to having one so my gynae siad - "whats the worst that can happen - if you don;t like it, have it taken out".

Sensible woman - great decision, never regretted it.

I suspect I am probably going to find an equal number of people who its badly effects and those it is a marvel for.

Yes my reaction to pill must have been hormonal, I tried several and gave up. They either hightened my PMT or I had problems that I dont normally suffer with such as sore breasts.

DEFFO try a family planning clinic, pink. ours is staffed by real gynaes - all female - who truly do their best to get teh best option for you.

If there was a pill developed that sorted out heavy periods and PMT, I think there'd be a queue a mile long at the GPs because both seem to be a problem for a lot of people, especially after having children (and getting older) it seems.

I remember, a while back, there was front page news about a new pill that was being developed that was a progesterone antagonist (so probably good for expat and I who have progesterone reaction problems!) and it virtually eliminated PMT and was great contraception. Unfortunately, I remember reading that it was years away from being commercially available

i cannot use the combined pill b/c of my age - 35 - + strong family history of hypertension, heart attack and stroke. my bp tends to run quite high despite healthy lifestyle.

i liked it, but it's not an option anymore.

that post has so many typos that even I'm embarassed - hopefully you got the gist of it!

unfortunately pinkmama, I think the sore breasts is a progesterone problem (as I had incredibly painful breasts with mirena) but as expat suggests, prob better to discuss this all with a GP or a proper sexual health nurse to see what they suggest.

Although I did get all the progestorone related side effects, they all died down after about 3 months and had no side effects at all after that. SO I'm definitely one of the "marvels".

By gynae said Mirena should always be tried for heavy bleeding, that too many gynaes/GP's don't try it and women either suffer in silence or end up with hysterectomies.

there is a combined pill that has anti-androgen effects already on the market. it's called Dianette. i took it between dd1 and 2 and it was FAB! that was back when there was a brilliant locum GP at our surgery and she prescribed it to me when i developed painful boil acne all over my chest and back after having dd1.

but apparently it's not for long-term use and deffo not for someone over 35 w/a dad who's had 2 heart attacks, 2 bypasses, is on 4 drugs to control his bp and STILL has big issues controlling it. not to mention two of his brothers having mulitple heart attacks - one died - and a niece who died at 39 from heart attack.

oh that's good sue! I wish more women got to see gynaecologists - it seems to me that most GPs won't refer patients to them unless you completely force the issue (seeing period problems as trivial)

expat, I have similar family history + getting migraines now which has effectively ruled out the pill. I didn't know that about Dianette.

Flippin heck expat, thats some family history!

bring on the chop for your dh expat! you must be near the top of the waiting list soon!

I was very lucky foxinsocks, had a GP who referred me as I wouldn't stop bleeding and nothing she tried worked. When refered to gynae it transpired that the gynae condition I have makes cancer of uterus much more likely and I had all the symptoms. To cut a long story short, I had a nasty time for a little while but transpired that I was fine and the mirena was fitted to prevent further risk of cancer (keep uterus thin so very unlikely to develop cancer apparently).

Very lucky as another GP would not have referred me and I would probably have been in big trouble a few years down the line as my risk was very hugh.

I think it helped that both GP and gynae were women. Gynae said the number of hysterectomies we do in this country is a scandal but they're easy and lucrative for gynaes and they don;t have to bother keeping up with new developments!

poor you - thank goodness you saw a sympathetic/gynae aware GP

my risk was obviously not very hugh but very high!

Ironically I developed cancerous cervical cells and had to had mirena removed as they needed to slice off bits of my cervix and couldn't do it with mirena in place.

Totally unrelated, but talk about lightening stiking in the same place, unlucky eh!

Any more thoughts anyone before I head off to GPs?

i have a non hormone coil too and i get raging pmt!

what you describe sounds very familiar

2 periods ago this got to a head when i snapped at dh big time in front of his whole family

i got brilliant advice here on mn and i went to holland and barratt and got some super strength evening primrose oil and vitamin B6

i take these every day and i have noticed a difference the past 2 periods

hth

Thanks NP. I have tried loads of different things. Evening Primrose, B6, Magnesium, but nothing really seems to make a difference, or maybe I dont give it long enough. Glad it helping you so far.

I agree with foxinsocks. I wa on the pill with no probs from 18 - 25, then had a break, then a child, and went back on the same one at 28. Turned me into a raging PMT monster. Came off it, muddled along with condoms for a few more years, another 2 children, then had a Mirena. Became the SAME PMT monster, but this time with a bit of added water retention thrown in . Honestly, was in a filthy mood for about 3 out of 4 weeks a month. It didn't stop my periods either (did lessen them from v heavy to OK).
Have now had ANOTHER (final) child, haven't tried the normal coil because I can't risk my periods getting EVEN heavier. DH booked in for the snip next week .

So Mirena is great for some, but just as bad as the pill for others I think.

ps was on mirena for over a year - plenty of time for it to sort itself out.

when I'm not on anything I still get PMT,but for about 2-3 days beforehand (not 2-3 weeks!!)

thats a shame pinkmama

hope you find a solution soon x