Mirena coil causing anxiety?

[Whippet79]

Has anyone experienced an increase in anxiety since going on the Mirena coil?

At 45 the doctors encouraged me to go on the coil as my periods became very heavy and I was getting strong mood swings - the feelings of rage was unreal.

so I went on the coil and had numerous side effects (headaches and bleeding on and off for several months) but in the last few months I’ve had a sudden massive increase in anxiety symptoms.

I’ve always suffered with anxiety and so this is not a new thing but usually I can put it down to me worrying about something. Now my heart is racing and I can hardly function at times and there is nothing happening in my life that i can think of that is causing this but it being down to hormones. I’ve had the past few weeks off work as just the smallest thing is spiralling me. I really can’t function like this for much longer.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I'm on HRT (started a couple of weeks ago) but these symptoms have lasted longer. I think I want to come off it but then I’m back to heavy periods/strong mood swings. I know the docs will try and talk me out of it but I need to do something

I haven't experienced this. Maybe give the HRT a bit longer to work because the coil only gives you progesterone the hrt will top up the oestrogen so the two working together is needed.

Yeah bit the anxiety is so bad I can’t go day by day like this. However, by the time I get a doctors appt it will be a few weeks time and so will be a sufficient time to see if it benefits

Yes, I've definitely experienced this. I had one fitted less than a week before it made me really anxious and tearful, which is very unlike me generally. I had it removed quite quickly and was back to my old self a few days later. I know that some people love the Mirena, and it really suits them, but medics rarely warn women of the risks associated with them. GPs actually get extra payments for fitting the Mirena, so their advice is not unbiased as they have a financial motivation.

Yep, if you have a Google you'll find lots of stories like this. I had mine in for 4 months and felt completely insane. GP refused to remove it and said I should wait till 6 months to see if symptoms settled down. I was so convinced it was the mirena, I took it out myself and told the GP it had fallen out. Felt much better after a couple of weeks.

My sister has used the mirena for over 20 years and swears by it.

The problem with all these hormonal things is that it might be related or it might not be... and medically it makes no sense that the mirena causes extreme reactions because it's fairly low dose so GPs seem to be quite skeptical.

I also couldn't take HRT as its prescribed in the standard way because the progesterone made me crazy and went privately to figure out my options. I seem to be super sensitive to progesterone...

Can I ask the HRT the oestrogen part is it gel? Are you applying 1-2 pumps of gel? Has the anxiety come about since adding this into the mix.

Reason for asking is that the gel and oestrogen can cause a histamine reaction that has the symptoms you describe, if using gel can you switch to a patch and start with small amounts. You may find you are having a reaction as the gel spikes daily, where as the patches are a more gradual dose.

Could you stop the gel for a few days take some antihistamines and see if the anxiety settles?

Failing that it could also be the progesterone causing this but I’d rule out the method and volume of oestrogen first before removing the coil.

if you do remove the coil don’t forget you can take non cyclical progesterone as tablets to avoid the coil. (Mini pill essentially)

It’s quite possible the anxiety is just a symptom of perimenopause (I know it’s awful). I would give your oestrogen HRT longer to work and then reevaluate.

HRT can help enormously with anxiety but 2 weeks isn’t long enough if your oestrogen levels have been really depleted. What dose were you started on? It’s often the lowest dose, which isn’t enough for some women.

It is the lowest dose, adding more if anything right now seems scary in case it’s that which is sending me over the edge. I had anxiety before the gel but now it’s worse. Either I keep going with the gel or I switch to patches?

I've only had the Mirena for contraception but I noticed that after my third one was removed I felt less anxious. I don't think I experienced those side effects with the first and second, and am currently on my fourth with no side effects at all.

Again, I can only speak for myself but I wonder if it didn't exacerbate underlying feelings of anxiety. Luckily my GP has been supportive when I've discussed this with her.

If you can switch to patches saved me.. I was the same on the gel it caused my heart palpitations.

The patch’s I cut up started low and I’m up to full dose now, and it’s pretty much stopped the anxiety.

Id using the gel if it’s making it worse and see how quickly you can get the patch.

Do take some antihistamines, this will do you no balm and will lower if you are having a histamine reaction to the gel.

Go on a google dive: https://healthinmenopause.co.uk/histamine-intolerance/#:~:text=While%20women%20who%20start%20taking,that%20relate%20to%20histamine%20intolerance.

Rule this out before the coil goes.

The gel caused me to have anxiety too and I’m fine on patches. I have never heard any explanation why before so this is really interesting. I’d second the idea of trying patches unless you’re sure it’s from the coil.

I have had mine now for around 18 months & the past few months, my anxiety has been through the roof! Some days I can't even function straight, I had mine predominantly as contraception, however being almost 40, the other reasons were also a plus.
I honestly thought I was going mad - some days all I do is cry & it's just not me
it comes in waves as well, I'll be okay for a couple of weeks, then it's like I hit a brick wall & bang, I'm a shell for a few days, not eating, over worrying, panicking at everything, it's awful
I know anxiety to some level is normal, but not what I am experiencing
I am so pleased it's not just me - I'll be ringing my GP tomorrow for a chat

I had mirena for a couple of years, for contraception in my early 30s and experienced frequent anxiety and tearfulness, GP was dismissive but it got better when I had it removed.

I didn't get anxiety but did develop severe cystic acne from it, I thought I had caught coldsores it was so bad. Just to evidence the dramatic systemic side effects it can have that I think are played doen.

@Whippet79 can i ask how you’ve got on? Did you stick with the Mirena or try patches?

I was given a Mirena in July and have had an absolutely terrible six weeks - as well as constant heavy bleeding, I had waves of anxiety and fatigue that just ruined me. My consultant has now added in utrogestan pills on top of the coil temporarily to see if that will settle me and that’s calmed it completely but long term I don’t think I can take both. In three months I have to try to go off the utrogestan and see how I am which I’m dreading. Emotionally I was stable on patches + cyclic utrogestan but had intermittent spotting which is why the Gynaecologist wanted me to try the Mirena.

I’m really sensitive to progesterone as well but currently taking it as part of HRT. I feel like I’m losing my mind and worried about the impact my extreme mood swings are having on my family and work. Did you find a solution that doesn’t involve the coil? I’m speaking to my GP on Tuesday so any suggestions would be very gratefully received. I can’t go on like this.

I’m going to suggest something that the GPs dont prescribe like which is an old progesterone that’s synthetic, called norethisterone, it’s the pill that’s used to suppress periods and works an absolute dream for anyone who needs to stop periods and bleeding.

if you didn’t have any bad reactions to the old pill you will get on well with this. I do understand there is a big drive to bio identical but for some reason the old school synthetic progesterone causes less anxiety and side effects.

i take it continual and will do for the next 3-4 years I occasionally skip a few to see if I’m still having cycles so will just stay on until the cycles stop.

I get no bleeding, no side effects it’s the oestrogen side that causes me issues as I have a histamine reaction to that.

I was a basket case on Mirena. I begged them for two years to take it out and they kept refusing. In the end I told the doctor that I was going to walk out, spread my legs in the middle of the waiting room, and attempt to remove it myself! (told you I was nuts). So she removed it and I felt back to normal within a few days.

I also mentioned it to a friend who is a consultant psychiatrist and they said it’s very common in progesterone-intolerant women, even though it’s a low dose.

Thank you so much. I recognised the name (norethisterone) and checked the trade name - Noriday. This is the only pill I've ever been able to take without having complete mental breakdowns.I didn't mention the really heavy and prolonged bleeding which is also a problem right now, simply because it's not as bad as the psychological instability. It looks to me like this could solve both problems. Fingers crossed my GP will agree to prescribing this again. Thank you again.