Should I get the mirena coil?

[Nouveaunew]

Hi there. I'm only in my early 40s but I've had perimenopausal symptoms for almost ten years. I really wish the menopause would just hurry up. I've had some symptoms of PCOS but I'm told my LH isn't high enough for it to be PCOS. I had bad hormonal acne for about 8 years that is just clearing now, thankfully.

It's driving me crazy to be honest. My periods have been excruciating since Day 1 and since I came off the pill ten years ago, the pain is back. Worse than that though and much harder to manage is the PMT. I had severe depression as a teenager which was hormone related and I was treated with the pill and other hormonal non-contraceptive concoctions before that.

I've never had a proper diagnosis of anything. I finally got an appointment with a gynaecologist and she suggested the mirena coil. She said it will stop my periods, therefore stop the pain and the PMT. Is this the case? Did this happen for any of you before you went into menopause? I'm at the end of my tether. Thanks.

@Noodle421

Thanks. I’m interested in hearing about people like yourself who had period pain beforehand. I’ve had painful periods since my very first period. I’m just worried it’ll do something in there and the pain will be constant. I was on the birth control pill for 15 years so I don’t mind taking HRT but I did like coming off it and finally being real … but it’s a bit too real!

I had terrible painful periods, used to vomit & everything. Mirena has been miraculous. No periods now

@Nouveaunew
Yes I had horrific periods I used to vomit with the pain and flooding that made me so anemic I had to have a blood transfusion. I had biopsies and a laparoscopy but all they found was a couple of small fibroids. I put off having a mirena for years because of internet horror stories but out of desperation gave in and it changed my life.

@Noodle421

Mirena coil worked wonders during peri-menopause when my periods became increasingly heavy, painful and PMT last 3 weeks out of 4. No more periods, pain or PMT. Fantastic. Took 2-3 months for symptoms and bleeding to settle after coil insertion. Was anxious after reading horror stories online but it worked for me.

This. Absolutely life changing for me too. Was 38 when I got mine and I'm never going back to having periods!!

I find it very good and have oestrogen patches with it too so have no periods and hrt! (Feel much better!)

Another happy mirena user here. My GP suggested it for my endometriosis, and it has been brilliant for me. Life-changing. My monthly cycle consisted of three weeks of pain and misery, one week dreading the next round of pain and misery.

It took a month or two to settle, but my periods stopped completely. Would still get the occasional 'breakthrough' of pain, but this was pain that was short-lived and responded to co-codamol. No breakthroughs for the last four years(of the ten years I've had a mirena), I'm assuming menopause has been achieved for which I am very grateful!

I've had a mirena coil for the last 6 years, and it's been brilliant, my periods completely stopped within a few months of having it put in. I've had it changed once which was fine. For 15 years or so before having children I had very painful periods, then post pregnancy, my periods were heavy but no longer painful (no idea why), so I can't comment on whether the mirena will stop pain, but if it stops your periods, then I think it will?

Mirena absolutely worked 100% for me. I had my first inserted in 1994 and just sobbed goodbye to my last at the ripe old age of 63 (post menopausal cervix said No to a new one).

6 weeks of random spotting then no periods, no PMT, no pregnancies. For nearly 30 years. Fan bloody tactic. Life changing.

My experience would say it’s 100% worth a try. What do you have to lose? You can always have it out if it doesn’t work.

@Nouveaunew my periods were very painful before. Not as bad as some of the women on this thread - no vomiting or fainting - but still pretty miserable heavy cramping. I felt like I had period cramps for about 5 days after having the mirena inserted but since then no pain whatsoever.

I have only read horror stories about it. I would certainly never consider having one. They sound quite dangerous to health and well-being.

I had the exact same experience as @Dotdotdotdashdashdashdotdotdot
Non-stop heavy bleeding for months - when the reason I had it put in was because they told me it would stop my periods!
And I could feel it, constantly. Painful everytime I bent over. It was horrible, the whole awful experience.

PS I went on the mini (birth control) pill, it works for me, amazing, no periods at all, no period pain or period headaches, love it.

My period stopped completely with the mirena coil. Best decision ever to have it. I didn’t know how much I was suffering with my periods. I just accepted it before.

Thanks so much. For those of you who it worked so well for, I think WOW! Why aren’t women shouting from the rooftops about this? A lot of my friends have a coil but they’ve never talked much about it. Maybe they didn’t get insane PMT!

I guess what I’m worried about is that if I need it removed, it could take a while (I did wait 3.5years for the gynae appointment) and I’m worried that while I’m waiting I’ll be in excruciating pain or if it makes PMDD worse that I’ll do something regrettable.

Did any of you gain weight on the coil? I can’t afford to gain weight and am finally a healthy weight.

I lost 2 stones as I had loads more energy so wasn’t overeating and started doing loads more exercise because there was no pain and flooding, and have kept it off.

No weight gain. It was transformational for me. Your GP ( do you have one with special interest in hormonal health ?) should be able to remove it in minutes if you want it out. No need for a gynaecologist

Your friends might be using it for contraceptive purposes only hence no need to link it to effective treatment of PMT if that is not an issue that is bothering them

I haven't gained any weight @Nouveaunew. I was worried about how I would get it out if I didn't get on with it. I made the nurse who fitted it promise she would remove it if I had problems. Anecdotally I've heard that some doctors are very quick to remove it if you say you want to get pregnant.

Thanks so much. For those of you who it worked so well for, I think WOW! Why aren’t women shouting from the rooftops about this?

I do on here. But it's a bit like tripadviser, those who have a problem shout the loudest and the majority of happy customers say nothing.

I had copper coils before DC but they tend to make periods heavier.
I had crippling pain and very heavy bleeding, clots etc.
With the Mirena I had a couple of days of spotting, that's all, so my periods didn't disappear entirely.
My GP said it was responsible for saving 1000s of women from hysterectomies.
The insertion was painful, I have an inverted uterus, but honestly that pain was so worthwhile for years of relief.
No weight gain, no side effects of any kind.
I think I had 3 over 15 years until I passed the menopause.

If I have gained any weight because of the coil then it has also enabled me to be active every week of the year - I used to be curled in a ball for a week each month

I always had terrible monthly pain but after the initial cramps when coil put in I was pain free for the 6years I had it. Couldn't believe it and had to check occasionally it was still there 55 when removed and Dr said as no more periods it pretty much got me over the worst of the menopause

Thanks. Gosh if it worked for me, it could save my life. Right now, life is ruled by my cycle. My ex used to advise me not to discuss anything important with anyone while I was pre-menstrual. When I get over the tension, confusion anger and high emotions of PMDD, it’s on to the physical pain and drain of an actual period….I’m relieved to know some of you were just like me and that it brought you out the other side and even allowed menopause to be bypassed.

I was going to ask gynae for a full hysterectomy; so I guess this is worth trying first.

@Greentime101

I so get that. Every good habit I start, every healthy routine i employ is destroyed by my cycle - be it for psychological or physical reasons.

Hi, hoping for some advice. I’m absolutely desperate. I’ve been having symptoms of peri menopause for about 3 years. Periods are very irregular, every 3 months or so. They are also very heavy and painful. It’s making my life an absolute misery. I’ve had scans and a hysterocopy. Blood tests which show I’m anaemic and peri menopausal. I’ve said no to Mirena coil before because I didn’t want it. Today doctor has told me it’s my only option. He wouldn’t listen to me at all and kept talking over me. Telephone appointment. This has been going on for a couple of years, every time I call the doctors they seem to take it as a single problem and I have to keep reminding them to look back at my notes. I’m at my wits end. I’ve actually registered with a different GP surgery today. Does anyone know if there are any other options. I don’t want to carry on the way things have been, but I also don’t want the Mirena coil. Are there other types of HRT? Patches or gels etc?

Yeah you could get HRT instead of the coil. Ask any GP about it. My GP thinks I should go on HRT.