Mirena - 6 months on and I feel awful

[queenrollo]

I resisted this thing for so long, despite my GP pushing it for contraception and then peri-menopause.
I went private in the end to see a Gynae for a proper discussion about using it, as I am sensitive to progesterone. (I was ok on Utrogestan but very ill on norethisterone)
I was told the likelihood of negative side effects were minimal but now I am questioning whether the way I feel is being caused by the Mirena.
I am SO anxious that I can barely function. I'm managing the school run but my poor DH has had to step up with almost everything else as I can't face leaving the house. I am angry and the most depressed I have been in a very long time.
These are not new mental health issues for me, but prior to having the Mirena put in they were all under control and in fact I was probably the most well I had ever been.
I have had only two weeks in the last 6 months when I have not spotted or bled, and when I am having a heavier bleed (which is obviously a period) the PMT/anger/depression is off the scale.

I know if I go to my GP surgery they will deny the Mirena is behind this and want to give me antidepressants, but I spent years in therapy and got off SSRI's and in my heart I know it's the coil causing all this.

I don't even know what i want from this post. I just feel so desperate this morning that I need to write this down and hopefully someone will come along with some advice that will help me.

I want to be happy again.

I just read that back and should probably add that I am on oestrogen patches alongside this. The combo of Evorel/Utrogestan was working quite well for me but I was finding the Utrogestan difficult to take because of the need to have 2 hours between eating and taking it before bed. The Mirena was sold to me as the solution to this.

I also have absolutely no libido, and my DH is wonderfully understanding about this. But it is a big change for me as I previously had a high sex drive.

I had a mirena a few years to help with heavy bleeding (it didn't but that's another story) but it definitely triggered mental health issues and made me bleed more than I didn't.....which may have also resulted in me feeling down and angry all the time.

I tried the Mirena a few years back and it exacerbated my anxiety to the point where I was a danger to myself.

My GP tried to push me back on another one when I needed HRT but I refused. Have patches and pill combo instead and it works great.

I know the Mirena works brilliantly for some people, and that's great. From many other threads on here though, it's clear that when it affects someone negatively, it can be really quite serious.

I would have it removed as quickly as you humanly can. Do not accept No for an answer from the GP.

I wish you all the best.

Dear GP, I would like my mirena coil taken out. End of story.

I tried it twice in my 30s and GP took it out both times no questions asked within the week.

Thank you for sharing. I think I need to make an appointment with the Practice Nurse to discuss having it removed and going back to the HRT regimen I was on before it went in.

But I will need to think about contraceptive, as I had my copper coil out to put the Mirena in and I have no chance of getting it replaced. The Family Planning clinic has closed their waiting list at the moment....

I had mine taken out at a family planning clinic as my GP was being difficult. It didn’t agree with me either and suffered it for nearly 5 months.

I felt very depressed with it and had it out.

Sounds like the mirena ought to be coming out. It's a shame as they can work well for many. Life is too short to suffer.
As another poster said

" Dear GP, please remove coil asap"

I'm really sorry to hear that @queenrollo . Have you tried increasing your estrogen dose? I have the Mirena and I feel dreadful if my estrogen dose is too low but totally fine on a higher dose. I'm on 100 patches. Might be worth adjusting estrogen if you haven't already.

I had a similarly horrendous experience where I was angry and depressed and crying every day with the Mirena. I hated it. My GP had pressured me into sticking with it but I couldn't bear it any longer and just insisted she take it out.
I felt different almost immediately. It was such a relief. OP, get that thing out.

just updating this. It's OUT.

I saw the Practice Nurse this morning who dismissed my concerns, and this makes me cross because I have lived with my anxiety and hormone changes for 20 years and I know what is normal for me. I cried, I was bloody-minded and just said 'it's not working for me. I'm not justifying it to you. Either you take it out now, or I will go home and remove it myself'
At which point she softened considerably and said that it was obviously the best option for me.

I'm now back to patches and Utrogestan - of course the pharmacy don't have any of the latter!

Good for you OP. I hope it helps.

good riddance to the mirena!! Well done for standing your ground!

Interested in this as I've felt more anxious since having mine in recently. Glad you got it out and hope you feel better soon

@Celia24 I've really persevered with it because I know it takes times to adjust to any new medication. But for me the anxiety just became too intrusive on my daily life and was completely unresponsive to any of my usual coping strategies. For me this is how I knew it was the coil and not just my 'usual' anxiety being out of control.
This, added to the very many other issues that have all either got worse or newly presented since September make me certain that my body just did not like it.
I know on other threads people will sat get it out as soon as possible, but I think unless your anxiety/any other symptoms are really debilitating then it's worth hanging in those few months to see if your body settles.
I am also lucky that my DH is very on board with supporting me in all of this and has been quietly observing the changes. He agreed that the changes in me from the months prior to having it fitted have been shocking and upsetting.

I had some spotting the day after it was removed and then lots of cramping that night. Woke up to a full flow period with quite a lot of clots. I've bled like that until today, it now seems to have stopped.
I have slept so much better, no longer waking at 3am flooded with anxiety.
I felt really tired on Friday though and unusually for me I fell asleep on the sofa at 7pm. My DH woke me at 9.30 and I basically crawled into bed and slept right through until 8the next morning. I dragged myself through errands yesterday feeling SO tired and fell asleep early again last night.
This morning I met a friend for a walk - this is a BIG change. I've been to anxious to leave the house for months. I didn't hesitate this morning, even though it meant driving.
My DH gave me a huge hug this evening and said he can't believe how much calmer and happier I seem already.

Another update. Two weeks tomorrow since removal. My anxiety has pretty much disappeared. My hip pain has gone.
My libido has returned!

@queenrollo great news, although why would the mirena cause hip pain I wonder?

@Runaround50 to be honest I had lots of joint pain prior to going on HRT. It all settled down when I was on the patch/utrogestan combination but during the months I had the coil in it all came back. My elbows, wrists and hips were all affected with the hips being so painful that I had to stop doing certain exercises at the gym.

In all honesty I think the mirena causes lots of issues in a very small percentage of women and no-one in the medical profession seems to want to admit it.
Personally I am just happy to have it out and be feeling so much better.

@queenrollo yes I totally understand your relief.

I had a mirena fitted last May and about 6 weeks later,developed weird dark patches on my face ( like hyperpigmentation) . I'm reluctant to have it out because it's sorted my bleeding issues out and allows me to use oestrogen only. However, I'm not impressed with my skin!

@queenrollo plus I think you are right, it does cause more issues than the medical profession would like to admit!

I've got an appointment soon with the meno clinic, so will have to decide what I want to do. I would hate to bleed again though.

@Runaround50 I developed hyperpigmentation on my face with the very first lot of HRT I was given (was the tablets in a little disc) That was a few years ago now and they did fade a little but are still noticeable.
I would say if that's your only issue with the coil then keep it in.

I never fully stopped bleeding with the Mirena and my periods were not so bad before anyway so I don't mind going to back to the patches/utro

Yes I am wondering whether it's the oestrogen causing the hyperpigmentation, rather than the mirena. It is the only issue I experience to be fair.

Glad you are feeling better anyway.