Mirena coil insertion - the pain afterwards!

[JustAMiddleAgedDirtBagBaby]

Had the mirena inserted on Wednesday morning, as progesterone element of HRT. The insertion itself was a breeze, I was really surprised.

But the pains afterwards! 'Discomfort or period-like cramping' my eye. It's been more like thE awful pains you get as your uterus is contracting after giving birth. I have also been shivery and nauseous so I was worried about infection.

I've been back to the doctor who checked me over, doesn't see any signs of infection and the coil strings were in the right place. I've got naproxen which is helping and I think it's starting to fade now.

Interested to know if anyone else has had a reaction this extreme - part of my concern is that when inserting the coil the doctor also found a polyp and has referred me to colposcopy.

If they need to remove and replace the coil as part of that which I think sometimes they do, is it likely that I'll have a similar reaction? It would only be out briefly, so presumably my uterus might not react as strongly to it as a foreign body when a new one goes in but blimey, I'm not sure I want to do it again.

Poor you. I had similar. Felt like I was in labour for the first day or two. I went back and they checked it was in right and it was. They told me it might take 6 months to settle and I’m sorry to say I did have 6 months of intermittent pain but after that it’s been a dream. I’ve got 3 years left and I don’t know what to do when that’s up! Hope it settles down for you soon x

Mine never did settle, I had to have it out. Unfortunately had to go back and forth for a long time asking them to get rid of it but was fobbed off for about a year. Unlike you though, the pain on insertion was so awful I passed out, cervical shock, who knew that was a thing?! So I suspect the whole thing was botched from the start although of course they’d never admit it.

Unfortunately it does seem to be a case of one or the other, I told my friend I barely felt it and she went through all manners of hell as did her friend who had been told the same by a friend of hers, but that friend had told her it was just like a light period pain

Yes I had this (although insertion was also very painful for me). Ended up expelling the coil. They’re not for everyone.

Hope yours settles down. Doctors are always keen to recommend Mirena as it’s so useful in peri but there are other options if it doesn’t work out.

Gosh so sorry everyone has had all these problems. I’ve had two (first one for five years, second one has now been in for 3 or so years) and never had a problem. Seems like I’ve been very lucky.

I had a painful experience with mine also, 4 days of severe pain, nearly took myself to a and e, as I was away at the time. The insertion was eye watering painful too. However after the initial week it has been positive for me, no periods or pain. But I am dreading when it needs replacing!

I just think logically, surely changing it wouldn't be as bad - if it's the uterus reacting to a foreign body, then it's got used to the first one so if they just whip that out and put a new one in it's still adjusted to it from the first one.

Surely? (I am talking myself into this viewpoint....)

The worst bit about the first night was that it moved from spasmodic severe cramps with relief between them to just constant severe dragging pain.

Thankfully if it keeps improving I'm not going to use ll the naproxen I've been prescribed so that's going in the medicine cupboard for the future.

Also, I'm so sorry that others have had similar experiences - but also reassured it's not just me.

I seem to have a very reactive uterus!

Mine was excruciating to fit. Doctor took multiple attempts to get it in due to my retroverted uterus. No issues afterwards and it was such a success I put up with the pain of having 3 more over many years.

My first one was uncomfortable afterwards for a few weeks. I didn't feel it going in as I had it inserted during a GA for another procedure. When it settled down it was brilliant, stopped my perimenopausal periods completely.

My second one didn't hurt going in and was fine afterwards, no issues at all.

I've had several. No issues, thankfully.

Having it fitted was a breeze but afterwards my body seemed to recognise it was a foreign object and I veered between labour type cramps and an awful dragging "hot" and heavy pain. I felt genuinely unwell and worried it was an infection. It felt very much like my body was trying to continually expel it. And it did after ten days.

@ShowOfHands yes that has been my worry, and your description of the sensations is similar. It does seem to be calming down today although I've needed to top up the naproxen with paracetamol.

Was it painful when it came out? And did the pain stop then?

It didn't hurt at all when it came out and the pain disappeared immediately.

The nurse who fitted it said 20% are spontaneously ejected.

That’s strange. I’ve had two put in and both times I had cramping just after insertion but nothing afterwards.

My sister in law on the other hand had one that expelled itself.

I had the copper coil fitted a couple of years ago - the fitting itself was moderately uncomfortable, nothing too awful… but the after pains were something else. I’d rather have given birth again.

I had a terrible time of both the fitting and the pain afterwards - felt like I was in early stage labour for almost a month. I can report however that it did completely pass within 4 weeks and I’m now 3 years in without a hint of trouble from it

Yes I was told 20% as well, but she also said that's more usually associated with a heavy bleed (say if you had it inserted just before your period was due so the lining might shed and take the coil with it).

Good to know it didn't hurt coming out though - the thought of anything that's not fluid or childbirth coming through the cervix makes me feel all wobbly for some reason.

I had a very painful insertion and then the pain seemed to ease off for a couple of days but then came back with a vengeance. It was also causing strong changes to my mood and I became extremely anxious and tearful. I wasn't prepared to put up with that for a few months while it "settled down", and went to the emergency walk in gynae clinic in the hospital and got it removed. The removal didn't hurt. The pain went almost straight away and I was back to my normal self within a few days.

I had been misled by the hospital doctor into agreeing to have one, as was told that it was the only treatment for my postmenopausal bleeding which was not true I found out shortly afterwards, through my GP.

Mirena IUDs are widely recommended by medics but they certainly do not suit everyone, and I have yet to hear of anyone being warned of the risks they hold, before fitting. Not being fully informed of the risks of a procedure goes against the principle of informed consent, as you need to know the risks and benefits in order to make and informed choice. I would recommend that anyone considering having one independently researches the risks themselves from a number of sources beforehand, and not just rely on what they are told but doctors and NHS sources.

I've learnt since that medics are financially incentivised to fit Mirena IUDs, so the advice they give is not unbiased. While they suit some people I would definitely not recommend one based on my experience.

I had a coil a few years ago. Mine was a (very) painful insertion but I also had a major dragging feeling afterwards and I also felt constipated.

I went back to the GP that inserted it a few days later and she couldn't find the strings. Turns out she didn't insert it, she pushed it through the wall of my uterus and it was in my abdomen.

I needed an X-RAY, ultrasound and MRI then Surgery under GA to remove it.

I'll never ever have a coil ever again.