Mirena Coil

[SwirlyS]

Hi,

anyone had a mirena coil fitted recently?

I have come to the end of myself with my hideous periods and have decided to give it a go. Only had it fitted yesterday, just wondering what people’s early symptoms were? And what to expect at the beginning. Have mild cramping and mild bleeding atm. I am literally due my period too so not sure how that will affect it? Thinking it may be horrendous when it’s starts with it only just being fitted.

Have read some really mixed reviews and wondering what anyone’s first symptoms were? Have weird metallic taste in mouth atm - hoping that will go.

Thanks!

l only suffered with mild cramping for a few days after, no bleeding, no other symptons. l am now on my third one, l havent had a single period in 12 yrs plus, (my periods were light but very painful before)
l am now 53, l assume l must be going through the menopause, no hot flushes, l am sleeping well, do not feel hormonal. It has been a godsend to me, but l know others who didn't take to it.

It works well for some people but not for others. The effects and time it takes to settle are very variable.

I had one from December 2019 - January 2021 and was extremely glad to get rid of it because I bled heavily for much of that time (the very problem it had been put in to solve). No sign of it settling despite continual entreaties by doctors to "just give it more time."

Other women find it stops or greatly reduces their bleeding. I'd say over the next six months or so you'll get a flavour for the way it is going to go for you.

I hope it settles for you.

Thanks so much for your replies and sharing your experiences. Just have to have patience I guess to see how it rolls.. hopeful but nervous, just because I’ve had enough of constantly battling anemia which has now made my hair horribly thin and so sick of being tired. I am just so done with them as I’m sure you were too.

I really hope it works and settles quickly, thanks again.

I had mine fitted on the 7th January for HRT (to work in conjunction with patches) I'm 50 and was still getting very heavy periods. I haven't stopped spotting/lightly bleeding yet which is annoying, but common.

Mine took 4-5 months to fully settle down but haven't had a proper period since

Need to get it changed soon which I'm not looking forward to - but as I'm close to peri menopausal age I think it's worth persevering with

Can I ask you folks 2 things... I know the hormone in the Mirena is levonorgestrel, right?

1. I used to take the levonorgestrel (Norgeston) POP when I was younger. I took it for 8 years and loved it. I would bleed very lightly about 5 days a month. But then I came off it for 5 years. I took Cerazette POP for a year, but hated it (no libido, felt flat), so I went back to Norgeston. SO the thing is - when I went back on it, it didn't work for me in the same way as before. I just bled lightly, constantly. After an entire year (I really tried), I switched back to Cerazette - which I've now been on for 7 years since. But - I hate Cerazette.

So - what I'm wondering is... Do you think I'm likely just to bleed constantly on the Mirena, if I bled constantly on levonorgestrel orally? Is there anything different about it being localised in your uterus or having the physical coil, which makes bleeding less likely? I don't want to try this and have the same problem and then need to get it taken out...

1. Are there any people who haven't had babies here, that have had the Mirena, and how has it been for them? I didn't have kids. Does that mean I'm likely to experience more pain getting it inserted or removed?!

Thanks!

I’ve had mine for almost 3 months. My periods have been longer (10-14 days rather than 7-10) but they have not been painful at all, maybe the odd cramp but nothing compared to needing painkillers throughout whole period and going to bed with a hot water bottle wherever possible which is what my periods were like before.

@everythingyouneedtoknow I have had a baby so might not be same for you but I went to sexual health clinic rather than gp as I have found that they are better at fitting/removing. Was mildly uncomfortable during fitting but really not bad at all.

I had mine inserted when I was nearly 57 and wish I’d done it about 15 years earlier.

Can I ask if anyone believes it affects their libido ?

My periods have always been heavy. Manageable on one pill which stopped working after I had DS/got older. Didn't bleed for about 4 days per month but either bled or horrible (old blood) discharge the remainder. Tried different pills, none of which worked (tried over about 3 years so 5 years of periods going haywire in total).

Had read dreadful things about Merina and went down that route as a very last ditch attempt.

So wish I'd done it when my son was born!

The discharge reduced but continued for about 5 months then... nothing. Nothing at all. No heavy periods or coloured discharge. No side effects. For me, it really has been life changing.

Not mine @anotherperson1

@AnotherFuckingUsername that's good to hear! Maybe there is hope for me yet. I think I also hate being dependent on healthcare providers and the idea that you need to go get it removed after 5 years and get another one fitted is a bit daunting. (Presumably they remove the old one and insert the new one in the same appointment? So it is like a double whammy!?)

@Lemongrass9 I think part of my negative associations with it, is that I was once waiting at a GUM clinic for a smear test and the person before me had to be stretchered out to an ambulance with paramedics and all - because they'd had a reaction to their coil being fitted. Something to do with blood pressure!? They did reassure me that it was incredibly rare. But it didn't help my feelings about it

Yes, it's done in the one sitting @everythingyouneedtoknow - I really don't mind the one appointment every 5 years for the huge positive impact it's had (I know it's not the same for everyone but so many scare stories online (that scared me) I feel obliged to speak up as someone whose experience has been positive). But it was a gamble at the time as who knew if it would work.

Re your questions:

1 - As well as being a coil, the hormones released thin the lining of the uterus so that over time it thins so much that there isn't much for the body to release (hence can bleed/spot for a while as it sheds then nothing or spotting).

2 - My sister (no babies) has one - By the sounds of it, hers was easier to insert (I've got a wonky cervix). Take painkillers prior and it's done in a few minutes.

That's great, thanks! Do they offer like Twilight sedation as in dentists' surgeries I wonder... or maybe I should just get really smashed

I'm in the same boat @SwirlyS, heavy periods with large clots.

Options are ablation or Mirena.

I'm scared of an ablation it sounds incredibly invasive. I also know that with 25 day cycles I cannot take having a full on heavy period for 4-5 days with cloth lethally falling out.

I had my first mirena fitted in 2994. Spotted and was moody for about 8 weeks then it settled - I'm now on my 6th. No bleeding no pms. Lifechanging for me.

@LaCompassion, have you tried Cerazette/desogestrel? That usually stops bleeding. I used to have heavy periods with large clots (I had endo) but Cerazette essentially stops all bleeding for most women. No idea if that would work for you.

(I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Cerazette though, because it totally killed my libido, possibly caused my migraines, and generally suppressed all my hormones too much, I think. The Mirena coil is very low dose and mostly locally affecting the uterus. I also know that levonorgestrel didn't do all this to me when I took it earlier in life even orally, anyways.)