Coil question

[TOADfan]

I need to go for a hysteroscopy due to heavy periods and the gynaecologist has basically told me I will need a coil fitted.

Not only have I heard of 5 people to have it and all suffer with complications but I'm also worried about the practicality if I was to get one.

I'm fat and I have short arms...due to this I struggle to reach my vagina let alone out my fingers up to feel for threads. Tmi but can you even get the coil if your unable to keep a check of it for threads? Worried I would lose them and never know.

Still fretting. I also haven't been on contraception for 8 years since me and my husband tried for children. Urgh.

You don't actually need the threads as per se. I had mine in for 4 years and never once checked the threads. They're there to remove it at the end of its life. Don't worry

I have never checked mine either, but you can always ask a nurse to check either one-off or during a smear etc. They can see them when the speculum is in. Your husband can feel them for you as well if you were that concerned.

Have you been told you need to check the threads by someone?

Never checked my threads. Had it in four years now.

What complications are you worried about? Are you getting the hormonal coil or copper coil?

Thankscfor the responses everyone its a bit of a relief..though I still don't want it.

Would be a hormonal coil..the gynaecologist thinks I have uterine thinking and has said it has a high possibly of leading to cancer unless controlled by protesgrone and the coil.

Just everyone I know has suffered really bad pelvic pains with it and/or infections. My mum got it and got a bad infection and 10 years later still suffers with pains.

My gynaecologist said I must be mistaken as everyone she has treated with the coil loves it and there are no problems with it at all, basically calling me a liar so I have no faith in her.

there are no problems with it at all

Well that isn't strictly true.

I have mirena and it stone-cold killed my libido. Completely dead.

I also get very swollen and sore boobs each month; and every so often really awful backache.

The only thing I don't get is actual periods (get a bit of brown discharge but nothing that warrants pads or tampons).

If I ever have a sniff of a relationship again, I am getting it whipped out to alleviate the first reason.

The cause of your ongoing bleeds should be properly determined as well as treating the symptoms. I would look into seeking a second opinion if you are not happy with what you have been advised.

You should not have a mirena coil fitted if you do not want one and besides which they are not suitable for all women in any case. I think you are being pushed this option precisely because of health policy and cost.

I have had ongoing problems with regards to heavy and irregular bleeding these past few months. I refused the Mirena on this basis and besides which its not a licenced treatment for either endometriosis (I have a diagnosis of this) or fibroids. I was prescribed progesterone and tranexamic acid by the GP and it still did not stop the bleeding. I ended up self referring myself to the local private based hospital and saw a gynaecologist there. He proposed ablation surgery for the heavy bleeding.

I would ask a gynaecologist about the possibility of you having ablation surgery and especially if you are not planning on having further children.

I had a mirena fitted about a year ago by a gynaecologist during a hysteroscopy too. It took about 3 months to settle (& I wanted it out then!) but has been great since & I am very glad the gynae encouraged me to have it and to persevere.

I can check my threads, try in the bath, that’s the only position I can do it in. My gynae was surprised when I said I checked like the leaflet said, she planned to check herself as most people don’t!

I ended up coming off my antidepressants due to lack of sex drive so I really hope it's not a side effect which effects me.

I guess nothing is without its problems so worth weighting up.

A stupid thing too..we don't want children but I also don't want the "hope" that we can be taken off us. We haven't used contraception for 9 years and discovered 7 years ago that we are not going to be able to have children without IVF (low sperm count). Since then we have decided not to have IVF and accepted and embraced not having children and now there are much more positives to not having children and we are happy without...but a small part of me still wants to chance nature and to be able to fall pregnant. Having the coil is as if I'm shutting the door to ever having children and removing that very small chance and making it official.

Does that make any sense?

Thanks AtillaTheMerrkat I am definitely not happy with her and both times I have seen her I have ended up crying, I'm afraid to rock the boat though urgh.

Chewbecca the thought of even 3 months scares me a little but glad to hear it settled. In the past as a teen no contraception ever worked for me without side effects and I have always given up (had the implant out after 2 months).

I should clarify that the 3m settling was only spotting, nothing painful or dramatic, just irritating.

However, if you would welcome a ‘surprise’ child, I would think a mirena is definitely not for you & that’s what you should tell your gynae.

I said that to her and she said "if you get pregnant at your weight you will have completions and could die. You shouldn't be getting pregnant anyway." Followed by "this is the only option we have to treat this, if you have it and don't get treatment, we can't do anymore for you and you will probably end up with cancer".

So yes hence the crying. And I have reported her but heard nothing back.

Heads all over the place with this. The fact I have anxiety isn't helping

Don't believe everything you read about how wonderful the coil is!! Mine caused me no end of grief - it was also put in to try and control heavy bleeding due to fibroids. I blend nearly every day in some level of intensity for over 6 months, had cramps like I've never had in my life, totally lost any libido, still had to take tranexamic acid to control the bleeding and during a particularly heavy episode of bleeding (I ended up in A&E) it seemingly expelled itself from my body......I never saw or felt it leave but couldn't feel the strings after that and when I was referred to the gynae various tests and poking around confirmed it had gone. If you're using it for contraceptive purposes than I would want to be able to check the strings.

I had the mirena fitted because of heavy periods during peri menopausal...(flooding through a super plus within 6 minutes....sorry TMI!). It was absolutely brilliant and I had no problems with fitting or removal 5 years later.
I never once had a feel for the thread though

If you are not happy with this gynaecologist (who does sound like a bully) then maybe look at getting a second opinion. That said though, from what I can make out they all tout the mirena coil obsessively, as if it is the panacea to everything. It is NHS policy because it is cheaper than the alternatives.

Last December I had a hysteroscopy under general anaesthetic for similar reasons to you. Somewhat against my better judgment, I agreed to have a mirena coil fitted at the same time in an attempt to control very heavy flooding periods.

I still wish I had not gone ahead with it. I have had just about a week and a half of not bleeding in the last four months. The rest of the time I have bled in varying amounts. I have almost permanent PMS and also a level of nervousness and anxiety that I didn't really experience before. I also don't really like the idea of a device having been inserted into me releasing hormones daily. If I don't like the effects then I cannot just turn it off, whereas if I were taking a pill then I could just stop it.

I am overweight too, and in my fifties. I have recently found out that I could have been prescribed the mini pill instead. I think I might prefer that because at least I would not be reliant on a doctor agreeing to take a mirena coil out (they can be surprisingly reluctant).

I don't need it for contraception. I want to get it removed. Fat chance of getting an appointment for that though as the NHS is in the midst of the coronavirus crisis!

That sounds so familiar @topseyt I think I also had minor depression and anxiety due to the mirena, something I’ve never suffered with and I couldn’t decide if it was caused by it or due to the ongoing issue of the bleeding etc. But even before it was confirmed that it had fallen out I felt these symptoms had alleviated.

Hi Topseyt,

I am also now in my 50s. My experience re heavy flooding periods has not been all that dissimilar to what you describe and my problems with such began last August. I bled almost continuously from then with the added complication of flooding unpredictably just to make things even more crap. It also affected me mentally as well as physically; I felt utterly wretched and worn out most days. I would actually stop bleeding for one day only for it to recommence the next day. It was all over the place; sometimes heavy, sometimes light with spotting. I should have bought shares in Vanish and sanpro companies!!. Not to mention sleeping on a towel because the blood had got onto the sheet (I felt really mortified when that happened).

The GP offered me the Mirena and I told him that there was no way that I would have it anyway because of my previous endometriosis diagnosis (Mirena is not licenced still as a treatment for this even though many gynaes use it) and my feeling that it was not going to help with the heavy bleeding. He also accepted my point that the cause of all this needs to be determined as well as treating the symptoms.

I asked for and received the mini pill from the GP even though he said it may not help. He was correct. I was also prescribed more tranexamic acid which whilst stemming the flow a little to begin with did not stop the bleeding entirely. It eventually stopped working altogether in my case. The GP arranged a blood test and after getting "normal" results no further action was taken. I was then advised that in order to see the GP I would have to wait a further three weeks or alternatively I could phone them at 8 sharp every morning to see if I could get an appointment!!. I thought no way Jose.

After a really bad flooding episode a day or so later (thankfully I was at home) I phoned a local private hospital and requested an appointment. I saw a gynae and an internal ultrasound scan was arranged; this was clear but it did show a polyp and quite thick uterine lining. The day after the scan I flooded again. The only thing that did stem the bleeding for this problem was northisterone. I mention this as this may be something that could possibly help you. This person did not even mention the word Mirena to me. I had two weeks of no bleeding which was utterly fab. Then upon ceasing the bleeding started again a day and a half later and it came back with a vengeance. I underwent ablation surgery and since then I have had no bleeding issues. The relief I feel now is immense.

You will need to be persistent in order to get answers. You do not have to put up with this, no woman should have to put up with menorraghia and I hope you get the Mirena removed soon. Perhaps a GUM clinic would be able to do this.

Thank you Attila, your post mirrors exactly what I am thinking.

Hi, I am due to have the Mirena removed tomorrow as feel like I was bullied into it by my gynaecologist who said there were no downsides to it. After having it fitted for thickened lining, I read about it and read ALL the side effects! The worst one I have had is sore gums which bleed when I brush. This is not something o have had before. Anyone else experienced this? I also have much greasier hair. Thanks

@Tarusia I too have sore gums that bleed ever since I had mirena. I never thought there is a connection as it is also a perimenopause symptom. Could you please come back and post if your gum issues are resolved after mirena removal as I am really tired of treating the gum issue and I had absolutely no problems before.

@Literallyfedup hi, thanks for your reply. I will definitely come back and reply in a few weeks when my body has recovered from the Mirena. I can’t believe how quickly my gum issues started after having the Mirena actually. I had it removed today, quite glad it is gone actually. I did read that high progesterone levels can lead to gum disease. Fingers crossed it improves.