Mirena coil vs copper?

[tulipali]

Hi! I'm coming off the contraceptive pill (cerazette) as the mood swings/weepiness are all too much so I want a contraceptive without too many hormones so I'm going for the coil and had an assessment today, the lady told me that although the mirena coil has hormones they're only affecting your uterus area and don't have any effect on your mood. However I've read totally different things online that it can still effect you like the pill does. So does anyone have any experience please? Any advice is greatly appreciated

Bump

I didn't want the hormonal coil so I had the copper coil but it made my periods crazily heavy. But I was apparently the unlucky 10% I have friends that it worked great for.

Yeah she did say that was a risk of the copper coil! But think I wanna give it a try as I don't want anything hormonal either

I’m on my 3rd copper coil as i didn’t do well with hormones so didn’t even consider the mirena to be honest. Wouldn’t consider anything else now. Periods took a while to settle down each time but worth it for 5 years cover.

I didn't want the Mirena for the same reasons. They said the same about effect being localised but I decided to go for copper. No problems so far, I love it. Expecting to have pain on insertion but I took paracetamol before as advised and barely felt it. Spotting for five days or so after then nothing. Periods have been painless and not too heavy (pre dc they were both painful and heavy). Definite thumbs up from me.

I had a copper coil in for 11 (possibly 12) years prior to getting pregnant with DC1. It worked for me - heavier periods and a bit of spotting at one point, but no significant issues.

I wouldn't personally ever get a Mirena. Everyone I know who's had one has had a rough time with it. And hormonal contraception and me don't go well together.

I started with copper coil about 8 years ago but bled constantly for weeks so had it removed after a couple of months for a mirena, am now on my 2nd mirena. I have tiny bit of spotting some months but no proper periods which is nice. I think I’m a bit heavier but don’t think the hormones have affected me

I had the Mirena coil fitted and had to have it removed as the hormones affected me so much. From the minute it was put in I was so weepy and anxious. It was like having constant PMT. I am very hormone sensitive though and know lots of people who are fine with Mirena. I had it removed and my symptoms disappeared straight away.

I had the copper coil fitted and it was absolutely fine with no side effects at all.

I love the copper coil! Have just had my second one fitted (last one saw me through 10 years of hormone-free, hassle-free contraception.

I use a mooncup so no problems with slightly heavier flow.

I would be seriously wary of a Mirena - the stuff about it being localised is just crap. I know sometimes we imagine stuff in our head, but i have definitely had issues with my skin and hair and with my moods when I first got it in. My weight gain probably can't be attributed to the coil, thats just me getting older, eating more and not exercising as much. Also I still had periods although once they had settled they were pretty light.

the lady told me that although the mirena coil has hormones they're only affecting your uterus area and don't have any effect on your mood.

That was not true in my case. I had a mirena for 4 years and at the start I was v pleased with it, a long period at the start, but then no periods again hooray! When my gynae changed it for a new one (I was living abroad, and they do it like that there) I gradually started to get very low moods, NO libido AT ALL, lost confidence, put weight on, I didn't know what was happening to me.
I read an article about the mirena and so asked to have it out.
Within a week I had changed. My energy and libido came back big time, much to the delight of my DH. My terrible moods were definitely due to the mirena as it all improved dramatically when I had it out.

You could try it and see. If you feel bad, even if it's years later, don't forget that it could be your contraception which doesn't suit you. We don't think of it when we're trying to find out what's wrong with us, especially with contraception which was fitted months or years ago.

Thank you all so much for your responses! They've helped make my mind up definitely, not going to be going for the mirena as I'm too easily effected by hormones! I'll give the copper coil a try and see how I get on

Thanks for posting this thread, I have the mirena at the moment and am considering changing it for the copper as I feel constantly anxious and down, have no libido whatsoever so reading this has also helped me make up my mind to book in to have it changed

My doctor(locum) gave me a copper coil when I had asked for a Mirena. It had to be removed after 6months and the nurse was confused when I asked her to take the mirena out and she pointed out it was copper. I was raging after 6months of horrendous bleeding and waiting for it to settle down I very nearly sued the doctor for malpractice. Had to change pads and tampons every 30mins to 45mins on the worst days and had to wear incontinence nappies with mattress pads at night whilst setting an alarm to get up twice. If you are heavy to begin with the copper coil could be a disastrous.