Am I depressed or is it my Mirena

[Hormonehelp]

Hi all, just reaching out for a bit of kind advice and for others to reflect on their experiences as I’m on a daily battle of whether I’m depressed and need medication or whether I should try having my mirena coil removed….

General information- I have previously been on fluoxetine which worked well to some extent, although I do wonder if it masked symptoms caused by the mirena. You’ll ask why I stopped, mainly to see how I was without it, but also deep down I wanted to stop that and remove the coil to become more natural- but I didn’t end up removing the coil.

I love my coil for its positives, I haven’t had a period in two years. Easy and no need to worry about birth control. That being said I haven’t had sex in over a year. I can’t comment on sex drive.

My issues are I’m feeling generally very low, I know my triggers and I know what helps initially (such as seeing friends or a walk, outdoor activity) but I don’t seem to have the same enjoyment from it that I used to.

I feel like I have brain fog. I do forget words, or mid sentence my train of thought.

I don’t get the enjoyment or want to go and do things. I do make myself but again, I no longer do some of the things I used to enjoy (such as baking cakes for friends). I do the activities I love but I don’t get that thrill. I’d describe it in a strange way that I’m doing the fun activity but from behind a foggy window.

I have very low self confidence. I now even struggle to know what to wear - I own beautiful clothes but I’ll revert to oversized jumpers.

I don’t feel suicidal at all, but I have some days where I ask myself what the point of life is as I no longer feel “alive & happy”

I recently went on holiday & didn’t really enjoy it, which felt weird and I had guilt that I wasn’t enjoying it.

I feel genuine anger boil up inside of me from nowhere, I pride myself on being kind- everyone knows me as being kind and caring and I feel such hatred for myself if I get angry- I witnessed this only a few times with my ex (I got so angry over nothing) more recently with my parents, I was so angry I could’ve thrown something or screamed- and I feel this anger at work but I have coping mechanisms in place and wouldn’t dream of being unprofessional.

I do suffer from constipation which gets me down, again I manage it well dietary wise. (Mirena) I also know this gets worse on fluoxetine so I’m dreading that part.

I have gradually gained weight, llb by llb and am a stone heavier. I work very hard to lose it and do slightly, then poof three days to a week later it’s back again! Some have said this could be the coil.

I have got to the point now I am tearful very easily, I am utterly exhausted constantly, could sleep 10 hours then nap or sleep 14 hours a night!

Should I just go on fluoxetine again, and keep the coil in?

Go on fluoxetine and take the coil out?

Or remove the coil and wait 4 weeks and if not feeling more myself go on antidepressants.

I don’t feel able to make this judgement call myself.

I would ask the dr for a thyroid blood test first of all, many of the things you are suffering were the symptoms I had with an undiagnosed underactive thyroid.

How old are you OP? Sounds like peri menopause or menopause, perhaps you need estrogen?

Progesterone makes me feel awful, I take it cyclically as part of my HRT, so it's easy to track the low mood, extreme fatigue, constipation and overwhelmed feelings. My doctor wants me to have a Mirena but I'm not prepared to have progesterone in my body every day - I did have very bad PMT when I was younger, so my reaction to progesterone shouldn't have been a surprise really 🙄

I had mirena coil removed because I quickly started feelings of depression/PMS type symptoms. But I was symptom free beforehand so it was easier to pinpoint the coil as the cause. In your case, well, it may be the coil, or may not. Talk to your GP?

Sorry I should’ve added I am 32

I have had my thyroid checked by the doctor in February and privately via Thriva. It was fine.

I hope I am not pre menopausal

I could talk to my GP but I do know they’ll argue it’s not the coil and immediately prescribe antidepressants. I don’t mind taking them but worry that if it’s the coil I’m masking the issue .

Can you have it removed to see if your mood changes? I know when I took mine out the change in mood was pretty quick.

Fucking hated my mirena. Persisted for over 6 months and had it taken out. Weight gain, moodiness, constant breast tenderness. Feel much better on my copper coil now. Periods heavier than on the mirena, but no worse than with no coil.

Could be low B12 or iron? Some of the symptoms you describe such as feeing low, irritable/angry and so tired point to that. I would ask for blood test and thyroid check as a starting point x

Sorry just realised you have had thyroid done. Try blood tests!

Thank you for your replies everyone. I think perhaps I’ll have the coil removed- seeing as I am not needing it for contraception. If things don’t improve I guess I know it wasn’t the coil.

I will also get blood tests

Mirena did almost exactly the same things to me. Had it removed and replaced with a copper coil and symptoms decreased dramatically.

There are lots of threads on here about it - it works brilliantly well for many people - but those who it affects negatively seem to really suffer.

IMO, if you already have any existing MH problems, it can often heighten them.

And another thought- have you had Covid at any point?

Long Covid can also cause all of the problems you are describing.

I haven’t had Covid no.

I did have these symptoms previously before covid. I went on antidepressants. They improved but didn’t disappear.

This time round I feel much more in touch with my body, know my feelings, know what triggers me etc.

I’m also single, whereas before I was in an unhappy relationship. So feel I can judge better

It looks like you've already eliminated other causes. If you don't need it get it out. They do seem really reluctant to remove them for some reason.

Having it out this afternoon. Wish me luck that things improve.
Very apprehensive that I’ll just feel the same in a few weeks and have my period to boot !

Good luck! Keep us all posted on how you're feeling. Hopefully by the weekend you'll feel like a new woman.

Hey @Hormonehelp following with interest so do let us know if you begin to feel differently x

How are you feeling OP?

@Rina66

How old are you OP? Sounds like peri menopause or menopause, perhaps you need estrogen?

Progesterone makes me feel awful, I take it cyclically as part of my HRT, so it's easy to track the low mood, extreme fatigue, constipation and overwhelmed feelings. My doctor wants me to have a Mirena but I'm not prepared to have progesterone in my body every day - I did have very bad PMT when I was younger, so my reaction to progesterone shouldn't have been a surprise really 🙄

I was on progesterone for very painful periods(endometrial cysts) and the 10 days a month i was on it was awful. Gp wanted me to have a mirena, no way was i was having progesterone in my body again. Wont have HRT because of it either, not that i needed it anyway

I had the mirena fitted… almost immediately I felt a fog/veil over me, gradually getting worse. Similar feelings to you.
It took me a few weeks to make the link but I removed it (myself… it was a 6 week wait for an appointment!) and the veil quickly lifted. I now have the copper coil and no issues (except slightly heavier periods).

Personally, what have you got to lose. I’d get it removed and replaced with the copper coil. Fir me anyway, it was like a switch.

I haven’t read the whole thread but I can answer with confidence that I think it’s the Mirena

I had my implant for 4 years and I can only describe everyday I had it in felt like I had a black cloud raining over me constantly. No matter what I did - I couldn’t shift the depression. One day I started to put two and two together and realised this feeling only started around the same time I had my coil fitted. I decided I wanted to remove it and see how I felt afterwards (I wasn’t in a relationship or having sex anyway) and I honestly can say the same week I had it removed I genuinely felt better in myself. The cloud was gone and although it took me a while to feel back to being ‘Me’ - I definitely didn’t feel as down as I felt with the Mirena.

This is my personal experience and I’m not sure if there are scientific links to depression and the implant but I truly know my depression was brought on by the Mirena.

I’m so glad you made this thread because at the time I started to question the implant I couldn’t see anything/ anyone else experiencing what I was feeling. Reading this thread fills me with reassurance that it wasn’t just me.

Thank you

I just wanted to add that this happened to me almost 10 years ago (so pre covid) and I was in my early 20’s (not pre meno) and no health problems and healthy thyroid - so again for me it was clear the problem was the Mirena

Just wanted to update everyone that I didn’t originally have my Mirena removed as the clinic practically laughed that I wanted it out. I chose not to and chose to ride it out.

I decided in March to bite the bullet and have it out, see how I felt.

Single best decision ever. I feel like I’m actually alive again, that my mind is level, I feel real emotions and no longer pure rage in certain scenarios.

I lost 6llbs in the first week. And have since then lost 6 more. My periods have returned but a very light pain free version and they’re regular (every 28 days).

anyway thought people would appreciate this update. I won’t ever have the Mirena again (probably won’t have any form of contraception which is hormonal).