Who has or has had a Mirena coil and what did/do you think of it ??

[IllegallyBrunette]

My gp wants me to have one fitted in the hope that it will stop my periods, meaning that I no longer get the hideous period pains I get, where I end up curled up in aball on the floor .

Gp said that in 80% of women, it does completely stop their periods.

I have said I will think about it.

So, opinions on it please. Gp said that in 80% of women, it does completely stop their periods.

Thank you all, this is all really helpful.

The fertility issue is interesting. When talking about it today, my gp said 'this is often the best thing for women who have had all their children but don't wish to be sterilised'.

She is obviously under the impression that I won't be having anymore children, and I know it is actually what she would advise given my
previous pregnancies, but I am not yet ready to give up on the idea of ever having another baby.

I got pregnant within 2 wks of having mine taken out. (Planned pregnancy). Am now 11wks and hoping it doesn't end in miscarriage. Have heard of people having miscarriages after the mirena but usually earlier on around 7-8 wks - but then who's to say they wouldn't have an miscarriage anyway - it might be nothing to do with having had a mirena.
All well with me so far anyway [fingers crossed}

I have had a mirena coil in for about 3 years now - and it's worked really well for me. My gynaecologist recommended it because of my heavy periods, and I too was told that in 80% of women it completely stops their periods.

It took at least 6 months to settle down, but by the end of the year, I had pretty much stopped having periods - I now get the odd small brownish bleed - like the very end of a period, iyswam. I don't get period pains either.

I would definitely recommend it, IllegallyBrunette. Whatever you decide, I hope that something works for you soon - things sound much worse for you than they were for me, and it must be so hard to deal with.

Hugs
sunnygirl.

Thought I'd add this in because I'll bet not many of us know this...

Went for my scan today(Mirena still in place, but threads are half way up inside my cervix)and the sonographer said that I have no cysts on my overies.. She said that it is unusual for someone with the Mirena not to have a cyst on an overy. Now that ought to be told to every woman considering having one fitted surely? I wasn't told anything about mood swings, weight gain ~ nothing.
One of my friends has developed polycystic overies since having the Mirena fitted. This lack of information is appalling IMO.

Well I still haven't decided, but at the mo am swaying towards not having one.

There is no great rush for me to decide as I am still on the pill at the mo, and am not even in a relationship anyway.

That is exceedingly interesting, SolosWhompingWillow - because I have had an ovarian cyst in the past. I'd had several bouts of excruciating pelvic pain, and had had general and gynae investigations, and my gynaecologist put in the mirena coil during that time (though after the first two bouts of pain). I had exploratory (general) surgery which found no reason for the pain, but an ultrasound revealed an ovarian cyst, which I was told was too small to be causing me so much pain.

However, the pain has now returned - I have to take painkillers to sleep and am waiting for another scan to see if I have another cyst.

No-one ever told me about this potential side effect to the coil. Up to this point, I thought mine was a great boon - now I am less sure.

SolosWhompingWillow - is your friends' polycystic ovaries a direct result of having the Mirena?

Just wondering..

Hmm, the Mirena can cause ovarian cysts in people who are susceptible because of the progesterone content. The mini pill is far more likely to cause ovarian cysts because the progesterone content is much higher than in the Mirena. Am sceptical about this sonographer's claim that it is unusual for someone with this type of coil NOT to have an ovarian cyst. After all, cysts are not often asymptomatic, are they? Maybe most people that the sonographer sees have cysts, but the majority of people with a coil don't need to go for a scan...

Have had one for 2 years. Got it after getting very heavy and painful periods after having dd (never had problems before).

HIGHLY recommend it. Periods have completely stopped and no pain. Tbh, I don't even think about it and have experienced none of the side-effects some people seem to get.

Yes, you do get it fitted when having a period. IME, it was like having an uncomfortable smear, but no worse.

Best advice is to get it done by someone who does it a lot (my GP in my case).

I loved it, stopped my periods straight away, no hormone side effects. I say go for it.

im still having heavy periods 6 weeks later..non stop bleeding from when it went tin and ive never had heavy periods in my life..went to have a scan to see if it was in the right place[it is] so basically it looks like the hormones are playing havoc and my body cant cope..plus ive put on 4 kgs in 6 weeks!!i regained my pre pregnancy weight straight after having a baby and a year later hadnt put on weight but within 6 weeks 4kg!!!seriously not worth it plus i`m feeling depressed which has never happened in my life before ..if something bothers me ill feel down for a few days but always bounce back..not this time!!!! im going to have it taken out but only other option for me is sterilisation!!cant get on with any pills

I'll let you know in a few weeks, IB.

Mines going in on the 17th

I have no idea about any of this, I just wanted to pass on this little gem because if it is a problem, then I think it best to know about the potential problem before having it put in. My friend didn't have polycystic overies prior to having it fitted. She naturally had twins after falling pg easily. She's gained a huge amount of weight too...it surely can't all be coincidental?
I'm sure sonographers must see a fair number of women with abdo pain/lost coils etc and perhaps in talking to women during the scan (which is what I experienced ~ a chatty lady asking questions about the Mirena, my periods, lots of info), they must gather information whereby they come to conclusions that(perhaps)the Mirena often causes ovarian cysts.
I wont be having one again. I'd rather go back on the pill...