Getting the Mirena Coil taken out was the best thing I have ever done!

[Jigsawgirl]

Following reading lots of posts about the Mirena Coil, I just wanted to say that 9 months after I had it put it in, I had put on nearly 2 stone and despite running 4 miles a day and watching what I was eating I couldn't shift the weight. Looking at posts on Mums Net encouraged me to have it removed. I had it taken out on a Monday lunchtime, by the Tuesday morning my bloated tummy had gone down - my husband (and neighbour who is a nurse) were shocked at the visible difference. by the Friday I had lost nearly a stone in weight and over the next few weeks I had lost a further stone. 3 months on since having it taken out I feel normal and slim again. Thank you all the Mums netters whose threads convinced me to get the damn thing taken out!

[ShowOfHands]

It doesn't hurt having it out apparently psycho.

Nowhere in a 400 mile radius does diaphragms here. I asked a while ago. They aren't trained to show how to fit them (if they haven't fitted one for x no of weeks, they are no longer allowed or something) and it's stupidly hard to get spermicide for them apparently. I did ask for one.

[2old4thislark]

I have had 2 mirena's and am about to have my third one fitted so that's 10 years with the Mirena and happy! Had a regular coil before and that gave me heavy periods. Wit the Mirena i haven't had a period in 10 years!

Also it stopped my PMT and saved my marriage. It works for me.

I did put on a little weight though but it was a small price to pay and I'mnot sure how connected it is.

[psychomum5]

ok, thankyou mejon and SOH.

I need to book in once I am better from what is going on with me neuro wise, altho am pondering having it out soon to see if it makes a difference. Not that I for one minute think it is connected in any way, but it wont hurt either IYGWIM.

will see....see how brave I am



I will hold it against you tho if it DOES hurt

!

[sincitylover]

show of hands - it really annoys me that they push hormonal forms of contraception but won't allow a choice to those who want a diaphragm.

I got mine from local FPA and although I am mid forties they suggested all the hormonal ones.

I did take the pill from 16 - 26 and just don't want hormones in my body.

[emmabemmasmom]

I honestly did not have a problem getting my gp to agree to a copper coil. Then again he knew that I tried many kinds of 'pills' and could never find one that suited me. Falling pregnant on the pill twice may have helped his agreement though lol

I am going to ask about a diaphragm though now that I want the coil out of me...now!

[Kaloki]

I got really bad cramps and heavier periods with the mirena coil, the pill was much better for managing that.

[chocolatespiders]

i need to have mine removed this month.... but dont know what to use instead.. i dont know if it has affected my weight as i am overweight anyway... but would like it out to see if it helps me lose any weight..

just not sure on an alternative?

[tartyhighheels]

Didn't work for me - the first one I had removed itself and I pulled it out by accident and the second weirded me out so much i removed it myself (wasn't painful at all)

Really did not do for me at all.

[SparklyJules]

Glad I have read this thread - my GP suggests the mirena coil every time I go to get next course of pill (on Cerazette). I've refused every time and will continue to refuse because the anecdotal evidence is awful! Problem is, she has one and thinks it's wonderful! Surely though, if I've said every time I don't want it she should stop asking?

I know also the Cerazette pill can cause problems, but I've been lucky on it. Over a year now and no periods, bonus for me because mine used to be long and heavy. Only downside has been lack of a sex drive, but I'm sure that's actually more do with my having 2 kids, one of whom doesn't sleep through the night at almost 2, a job that exhausts me and a DH who doesn't lift a bloody finger around the house!

[emmabemmasmom]

choco I am sure that all of my problems are due to my coil. I have gained about 8 pounds since December and I have been dieting and working out like mad. Mine is just a copper one though so my gp thinks I am crazy. After lots of blood tests he can't find any reason for all of my problems. Interesting.

I want to pull mine out myself but the threads are all pushed up and although I can feel them I cannot grab them. Grrrr

[bobthebuddha]

emmabemmasmom, I had major problems with both Mirena and the copper coil...depression, weight-gain, back and hip problems with both, miserable lengthy periods with the latter, plus lots of lovely breast-pain and permanent cramping. Some people seem to do fine with them, but plenty have problems. Going back to diaphragms...

[emmabemmasmom]

bob I have all those issues too. Also, I am so bloated I look like I am about 5 months pregnant all the time! I am always tired too. GP has said it is probably stress, which ok fair enough. However, I was just as stressed in Dec and didn't have all this! I have been in to see him 4 times since then convinced I am dying or something...it is awefull. Maybe DH and I will have a fun Valentine's game of 'who can grab the threads' lol Ewww lol

[YoMoJo]

I had my copper coil fitted a bout 5 weeks ago now and been having a few
problems with it.

I googled "copper toxicity" & came across many of my coil problems. (although I also read that taking zinc supplement can help)

Think it is the pill again for me...

[bellissima]

Sparkly - there's a big push to increase the rates of IUD/IUS use - all to do with getting us to the same rates of use as Scandinavia etc. It's one of the things GPs get special payments for - insertions and related 'counselling' (which often seems to involve persuading women not to have them taken out, from the stuff I've read on here!). My GP also pushes mirena or a copper coil every time I'm in there. I've read enough on here to say a big fat no.

[probono]

Emmabemma I wonder if you did have a mirena put in.. Doctors get a bonus apparently for Mirena coils. Are you able to check?

[probono]

Zinc helps to reduce copper levels. As we get older we're less able to manage our copper levels anyway and some researchers think there's a link to Alz.

Mirena gave me an orange sized ovarian cyst.

[emmabemmasmom]

I wonder that as well probono. I had surgery and they did it at the same time so I was knocked out. Although I did say and sign for a copper one, I still wonder. I don't know how I could check as GP says it was a copper one other than taking it out to see!

I am going to see him this week and I will ask again to have it taken out.

[bichon]

Glad i joined mumsnet to see the reviews on the merina coil.
I got it fitted 9 weeks ago, i work out and walk everywhere but still managed to put on a stone in weight. I went back to the clinic and the doctor told me it would settle eventually and there was no link to weight gain, yet the nurse whispered to me on the way out that weight gain is very common.
After reading reviews mine is coming out for sure!!

[Nettiespagetti]

Gosh and here I was thinking it was just me bring a miserable beeatch and that spotting was completely normal.

I thought I'd have a look. Had MC fitted earlier this year. First one fell out! This one been in since and think this is the first quite heavy period I've had! I've also had recurring thrush about 4 times this year and dr said very bad exzema on vagina too. Problem at the moment is the wires are hanging outside and poking me! Quite painful. Also no libido, grumpy shortempered but it could just be me

[BelleDameSansMerci]

I had mine removed for all the reasons above and was pregnant within two weeks (oops!). That was a while go (nearly four years now) and I absolutely wouldn't have another mirena. With mirena I gained weight; bled every two weeks; was grumpy; etc. Didn't affect my sex drive though.

Like others in this thread, I have a real problem with hormonal contraception and also have a diapgragm. Having said that, I've got an appointment to talk about sterilization in a few weeks but I am ancient compared with most of you!

[tb]

I had a copper-7 coil in my late 20s with no problem. Unfortunately some man decided they caused fertility problems and this particular one disappeared.
I then got a graviguard-t which was awful. At the time I went to the gym 4 times a week and the day after I went I used to have spotting for about half a day.

After I put on loads of weight due to an untreated underactive thyroid I had the Mirena fitted. I probably put on more weight, but I bled continuously for a year, too much for a pant liner, but not quite enough for a mini-tampon. My GP didn't want to take it out because they are expensive, but eventually I'd had enough. I then had it taken out bliss emoticon.

I think it's one of those things that it either suits, or it doesn't.

[vnmum]

i had a mirena fitted after my first child was born and had it taken out a year later to ttc. during the year it was in i was diagnosed with depression, either PND or situational, no one could actually decide because DS was 9 months when i was diagnosed. in hindsight i would say it was the mirena. After DC2 was born i was talked into the mirena again as i was breastfeeding and i hadnt made the link between the coil and depression. after recent research i think the GP shouldnt have recommended it to me as i had a history of depression and i was seeing CPN during my second pregnancy and was put on anti depressants 4 weeks before mirena fitted. anyway after being like a woman possesed who was short tempered and angry at everything, miserable and no interest in touching DH let alone sex i had it taken out after 18 months.

when i discussed my options after removal with my GP i wanted a copper coil so it was non hormonal, but GP said because of a history of painful periods i shouldnt have it and put me on yasmin pill instead. I took that for 2 years and was a miserable cow, with no interest in sex and looking back i had symptoms of depression again. it had got so bad that DH admitted he wanted to leave but couldnt bring himself to leave the kids, and that he no longer loved me.

By chance i stopped the pill coz id taken about 3 packets on the run for various reasons and was feeling like i needed a break so i stopped about 7 days into a packet.

well what can i say, its been about 2 weeks since i stopped and im a different person, im happy, no longer short tempered, actually want to do stuff with DC,s instead of just shout at them, and im horny as hell, tmi maybe .

DH has now told me that he cant beleive the change in me and he is falling back in love with me again as im like i was pre children. he doesnt blame me for making him miserable for the past few years as we have both realised it was the bloody hormones.

I would never have hormonal contraception again and DH doesnt even want me to have the copper coil so he is waiting on an appointment for the snip.

Sorry its a long post but i just want to warn people that the hormones can cause things you might not realise they are until you actually get back to nature. if id continued on the pill i probably would be a single parent in the near future but now we seem happier than we have been in a long time

[Nettiespagetti]

I've made my appointment to have mine taken out! Let's hope I don't turn into a quivering mess and the dr talks me into keeping it. I'm almost at 18m of having it in.

vn your dh is brave mine would never agree to that!

[vnmum]

yes he is, i have offered to have the copper coil and put up with any extra pain as abit of pain every month is better than me being depressed all the time but he was having none of it. he says ive done the contraception long enough and he doesnt want me putting anything else in my body.