Appointment to have Mirena fitted tomorrow - am petrified

[eleflump]

The nurse practitioner at my GP's has been great in response to my request for HRT for my perimenopause symptoms.

She recommended the Mirena coil and oestrogel - I read up about it on here and it seemed to be ok and my appointment to have the Mirena fitted is tomorrow.

She did mention to take a couple of ibuprofen before the appointment 'for the cramping afterwards'.

However I have now read the current thread in AIBU on the pain caused by having a Mirena fitted and I am absolutely petrified. I don't know whether to go ahead and have it fitted or to request a different form of progesterone such as the Utragestan?

Can anyone please reassure me that their Mirena fitting was ok, and that the benefits afterwards were worth it?

Yes I too was petrified. I had a NP for support and GP fitted it. I did heavy breathing all the way through like I was in labour and it really helped.

It wasn't painful just very uncomfortable like a smear test that goes on for 15 minutes.

I was embarrassed about making such a fuss an apologised. The GP said not at all and I had done really well. I now see from other thread that I got off lightly.

I did take ibuprofen 30 minutes before and my GP did say repeatedly I could stop at any point and have a patch etc.

Good luck OP everyone I have spoken to has had no problems.

Well I've had two. If it was that bad i guess i wouldn't have gone for a second.

Uncomfortable. But not agony. And it takes seconds. So is bearable.

But everyones thresholds and experiences are different i guess.

I didn't think it was too bad and have had a few. Just go to your happy place

My experience was that it was uncomfortable, not painful.
Positives: no periods since it was fitted over 3 years ago.

I had one fitted at age 49 for heavy periods/clotting. I had fibroids. Had a d&c or whatever it's called now - basically a clear out of the inside of the womb under general anaesthetic- and coil was fitted whilst I was out cold. Woke up shortly afterwards, no pain of any sort whatsoever, then or after. Completely sorted the period trouble out for good. Sailed through menopause. Was it the progesterone or luck? Dunno. Coil was removed six or so years later by GP, again completely painlessly. I've read the horror stories about Mirena coils, but my experience was nothing but positive. If I needed one for periods/menopause/contraception, I'd definitely have one fitted again.

Have you had a vaginal delivery? It's apparently not as bad if you have.

I had one fitted and barely felt it. The worst bit was the cervical clamp and speculum but even that was no worse than a smear (and hurt more for me because I was breastfeeding at the time and apparently that makes it more painful).

Forgot to add - my periods stopped straight away too. Menopause was confirmed by blood test.

@Third Elephant yes the GP did say that as I have had three cesarean sections.

I am on my 3rd and will hopefully get my 4th Mirena fitted during the summer. Fitting is uncomfortable, like a smear test, but not unbearable. I usually have a bit of period pain like cramping afterwards for a few hours. Take a pad as you might spot a bit afterwards. You’ll be fine.

Ugh horrendous pain constantly until they took it out again. I’d cancel the appointment! Looks like I’m in the minority though, odds are - you’ll be fine.

I was expecting it to be horrific but it really wasn't. A little uncomfortable at best. I took a couple of paracetamol in advance and had no discomfort after the fitting.

Thanks so much everyone - you're making me feel a bit calmer now. I stupidly hadn't even considered what the insertion process might involve - I think I was presuming it would be something like putting a tampon in, so this talk of clamps and speculum is a bit disconcerting!

I have had 2 vaginal deliveries and DS2 was 10lb 6 so am now hoping if I got through that then maybe tomorrow wont be too bad.

Just hope to God it is worth it and that it relieves some of the peri symptoms.

Oh god @Lokdok - have just seen your post!!!

I went in freaking out after reading horror stories and it wasn't that bad. It was more uncomfortable but the doctor did say mines went in quite easy so maybe I had an easy ride of it.
I took paracetamol about 30 mins before I went just to be sure.

I had a c section and have had 2 mirenas fitted. Uncomfortable but ok

I took paracetamol before going to have mine fitted, and I didn't find it too bad. Very similar to a smear test when it was inserted, and then cramping like with period pain later in the day.

I've had one vaginal birth and one section.

I'll definitely get another one, its by far the easiest method of contraception I've had.

i think a lot depends on who is doing the fitting. My first was the local GP who had done a proper "How to" and used to get all the coil fittings from far and wide... that was uncomfortable but just like an iffy/prolonged smear test

second was at the family planning/sexual heath place and she was even more proficient

Minor cramping and spotting after both, second time around that went on for about three months but it had been replaced to deal with some really excessive flooding and hefty bleeding so i think it was a last hurrah on part of my shrivelling womb!

Combined with the Oestrogel I am new woman so I really do recommend that regime!

I'm on my 2nd with my 3rd due to be fitted in a couple of months. Personally I had no issues at all - I think smear tests are worse.

I've had 3x vaginal births - not sure if that's made a difference but I've not taken any pain relief for any of the mirena fittings nor when the first was being removed.

I'm a big fan of the mirena coil.

I've had 2, both fittings were fine. But you should approach it with the expectation of some discomfort- like you would having your legs waxed.

It should settle down quickly; I've had 1 that did and 1 that didn't.

I've had three coils fitted, and you definitely can tell the difference between someone who does it a lot (family planning clinic) and someone who doesn't (non-specialist GP - I had to insist mine stopped, and I took myself off to a specialist. Afterwards I had no problem at all. Great method of contraception when I needed such a thing, and a very good way of getting HRT.

Op. I have a Mirena for the same reason. It didn’t hurt and it is the best thing I’ve ever done. It shut down my cycle and my very nasty perimenopausal Symptoms evaporated days later. In fact I ditched the gel and now just have the Mirena. 2 years on and I’ve not had a menopausal symptom since.

I'm on Mirena no 6.

It's fine, undignified maybe and a little uncomfortable at times but never painful. Sorry but there are some very dramatic people on that other thread. Our practice nurse always uses local anaesthetic first.

The only thing about it the hurt for me was when she got the clamp caught in my pubes 😨

Smear tests don't hurt me either though so I'm aware probably in a minority.

Periods nearly non existant since tho so that's a massive plus

I've also found it's made a huge difference to my peri menopause symptoms. I was really struggling 2 years ago when I had it fitted, and it's been amazing.

Mine was fine. There was a brief sharp pain (like a sharp period pain) as she put it in but I didn't have any cramping or issues afterwards. I didn't take any pain relief before going either.

It's been well worth it too, I had terrible heavy flooding/irregular periods and now I have none!