Heavy period - is mirena the answer?

[52with2under4thenewdementia]

I am nearly 53 and suspect I am finally headed for the menopause. Night sweats have started but until earlier this year that was only symptom. Last 2 periods have been 40+ days apart and stupidly heavy. Doctor is suggesting Mirena as the solution but have found lots of negative comments about them when I googled (don't normally google health issues as too scary but I succumbed). Had preliminary appt with nurse this morning and she seemed very positive about them. Does anyone have any experience to share? Thanks

I think it's a case of trying to see...

my gynae is very keen on them as part of HRT regime used with oestrogens instead of tablets, but I do know women who have had side effects. On the other hand i can name 2 friends who think they are the best thing ever.

You could try it for 3 months and see how you get on.

I use taxanemic acid which greatly reduces my periods - miraculous. I'm 40 so might have different options to you but could be worth asking?

I'm 49 and have had a Mirena for two and a half years now. My periods are almost non-existent (although they weren't heavy to start with anyway). Some people get on with a Mirena, some don't. IMO it is worth considering.

1000mg evening primrose oil each day has worked wonders for me.

I have had a good experience with Mirena Coil, although it has taken about 15 months to get to the stage where I can say my periods are non-existent. I had been suffering very heavy periods and, like you, had googled and learnt that it can have the opposite effect for some (although I think problems are more common in younger women and those who haven't had a vaginal birth?), but I decided to try it and I am so glad I did. My periods were much better from the very first month (manageable with just a towel) and now I just use panty liners and some months I hardly even notice my period. Like others have said, it's worth a try and there are other solutions if it doesn't work out. Whatever you do, don't keep suffering the heavy periods, life's too short. I do get side effects from the coil; sore boobs and niggly headaches, but so much better than the hell of living with heavy periods. Good luck.

I have to say te Mirena is a Godsend for debilitating periods. It's not perfect, but it's great for me, I couldn't be without it.

I had heavy periods, fainting, anemia, no energy, and bad pains and after tests I ended up with a mirena coil.
It has made a huge difference to my life. I have no periods now (it did take a few months to settle down) and no period pain. It had got so bad that i was passing out at work which wasn't much fun. The anemia also made me confused and feeling like I was swimming in custartd most of the time.
The only downside is that I have put on a few extra pounds but I don't know whether that's down to my age anyway. Not a great deal, just gone up a dress size, from 8 to 10.

Mirena is great. Don't google it--you will only get people ranting about problems with it. Happy customers tend not to go on the internet to say how great it is. You will get a very skewed sample IYKWIM.

Thank you all for the advice. I will give the coil a try. Good point pharmgirl,people are far more likely to complain than praise and if it doesn't suit me I can always have it removed. That'll teach me to google!

I have Mirena due to very heavy and frequent bleeds. It took a couple of months to settle, but it has been brilliant.

There was a very positive thread on this recently here.

Hi there im 52 and have suffered heavy periods aneamia tiredness etc for years , the merina coil was good for about 3 years keeping periods to a manageble flow. I then got infections maybe from this, but i have now had ablation of the womb, a not painful op under general that just leaves you with normal period pain for a week and apart from one small show no periods!!! Only good if you are definately not having more children.
I want all women who are not having more children to know there is an answer to the terrible floods, periods i ve put up with. It works in about 80% of women!
It cautaurises the lining of the women so should but not guaranteed either way make you unabled to get pregnant.
Plus save loads on sanitory pads ; )