Mirena coil and bleeding

[Clearinguptheclutter]

Had Mirena Coil fitted 7 weeks ago. After a few days I had a period, the most painful for years, the bleeding then subsided but I’ ve bled every day since then, though not recognisable as a period. Often it’s not a lot, more like dark brown discharge, but more than “spotting”. I have to wear a tampon or panty liner every day, I don’t generally at night though. No pain at all since the period.

anyway just wondering if this sounds typical and if there is any chance it will peter out completely or if this is what I should expect it to be like long term. It’s manageable generally but sex is messy (sorry if tmi!)

eta am 47 and had it fitted for very heavy periods

It is not unusual to have prolonged heavy spotting. Mine went on for about 6 months which was unusual, and very annoying as the benefit of a mirena is supposed to be that you don’t get periods! It stopped just before an appointment to have an ultrasound scan to check everything was ok, of course. 🙄 Everything was ok btw.

After that I got the occasional spotting which was cyclical, so a mini period - your hormone levels are still going up and down, just more erratically, but for the last year or so, nothing. Maybe the odd bit of pink or brown discharge but nothing more than that.

Do go back to your gp if you are worried or have any pain. I don’t think they’ll investigate until it’s gone on for 6 months or so though.

Thanks for responding yeah I figure gp will be unhelpful unless the bleeding is significant which it isn’t

pleased it eventually stopped for you. Sounds like it did suddenly rather than tailing off?

weird I think that I’ve not had anything resembling a 2nd period since having it

I had the Mirena fitted for heavy bleeding too at the same age. I also had about 6 months of spotting and thought it would never stop, but then one day it did and now I haven’t had anything at all for almost a year. I’m so happy with it, although I do get more bloated than I used to, but a small price to pay for no periods.

Hopefully your bleeding will also stop at some point and you’ll get the relief of being period free. This is the only thing that has stopped my bleeding. The progesterone only pill did nothing and I also tried the HRT combined patches, but this has been like magic. Fingers crossed for you.

Even if it is not a lot of volume but does go on and on beyond 6 months then it is worth getting things checked out. I was on too much oestrogen for a while more recently (Evorel patches) and got some heavy spotting and ended up getting an ultrasound which showed some thickening of the endometrium. A reduction of oestrogen sorted it out though.

I spotted for 6 -7 months in and off and it gradually petered out.

I had one fitted for post menopausal bleeding. I then bled more than before for a while. It settled after about 12 weeks.
I had a brief check by the nurse to check that the strings were visible.

interesting to hear, I am also on the same evorel patches

I had one due to a thick endometrium (biopsied and normal tissue). I had it in just over a year and there was a lot of spotting but the heavy bleeding and daily significant spotting that I’d had before stopped immediately. Then I had a couple of more like period bleeds in the course of which what looked like the whole endometrial lining came away with the mirena neatly embedded in it!
so that was a pain but I went back to the clinic and they put another one in whilst also rebiopsying (still normal). That’s been a different story, far less spotting. And now 18 months in I can’t remember the last noticeable bleed. When I went back they did say that if it goes in to a thick lining it’s harder to thin it down than if it goes into a normal lining. So if your periods are heavy it may have a lot to do. The second coil for me I think was just going in to a better setting.

I had about three months of spotting until it settled down. I’m coming up four years with it now and still get the odd bleed with I suppose is breakthrough bleeding, but it’s nothing like my actual period used to be. I use it with oestrogen gel for HRT. Is it five years it lasts for HRT, does anyone know? I don’t think I could go through the fitting again!

Sounds good
yes 5 years for us
not looking forward to that either!

My coil is due for replacement (I must make an appointment!) and I’m hoping it will be less annoying with spotting than the first time.

6 months of spotting here too! Then it settled right down all of a sudden and I didn't have period for years, until my fibroids started troubling me as I approached 50. Once they were treated I had another Mirena fitted and now I just get one day of spotting monthly - that's my period. It's been a lifesaver.

I had months of spotting after my coil was put in. Really normal but if you’re worried, talk to the nurse at your practice x