How was your first mirena coil insertion?

[Suzysuz]

After suffering for years with awful period pains and now heavier periods and clots since having son, I spoke with the gp who recommended mirena coil.

I asked about the fitting process, she said she'd had it, no pain (and I specifically asked as I had a planned section with son so cervix never had to do anything 🤣)

It looked like a small proportion of people had pain when inserting / issues afterward and then I see an article at weekend about it being an awful painful process, should include local anaesthetic etc and lots of other women saying how horrible it was so m unsure whether I can do this now!

Any experiences welcome, good or bad, about having your mirena coil fitted?!

Was fine, a uncomfortable for literally 10 seconds, like a sharp scratch, I had no pain relief. A little bleeding straight after lasted an hour or so. Bled for 2 weeks around 2 weeks later then barely anything since.

I've had 3 & each time has been different.

Had one child via c-section.

1st coil fitting when DD was 2. Felt uncomfortable for 30 secs & had period like pain but bearable. (1 surgery)

2nd coil fitting when DD was 7. Uncomfortable but again manageable. (2nd surgery).

3rd coil was still 2nd surgery. Very painful & had to abandon the fitting. Tried again & managed to persevere but again very painful.

Both times removal has been quick & pretty painless. I've also had smear tests with no pain.

I reckon my pain during fitting is connected to fibromyalgia (diagnosed after removal of 2nd coil). GP is adamant it isn't but I have so much pain in that area in general so don't see how it couldn't be connected.

I would suggest giving it a try because if you're in the 85% who can push through the discomfort or aren't affected by the fitting, then it's 100% worth it.

Personally, won't get another after this one because the fit is too painful for me.

I don't remember ever having any trouble with mine. I'm on my third I think? It's like having a smear done.

Mine was incredibly painful.

I had it done at a clinic, and I was quite young, very early 20s, very naive, hadn't had a child and I don't think I'd even had a smear at that point. When I booked to have it done, I wasn't told it could be painful, wasn't even advised that it might be better to have someone to drive me home afterwards. So I drove myself there, was very unprepared, had a very painful insertion, was told there was little point in abandoning it once they'd started, and then told to put my underwear back on and off you go. Looking back I have no idea how I got myself home, but was then left in pain for days and days afterwards, and an on/off period for 13 weeks.

It's been undoubtedly the best contraception for me, but more should definitely be done to let women know what the insertion could be like, and what options there are for pain relief etc.

It was a bit painful- sharp pain and ache in my womb. I have had had 6 dc though so I think my cervix will always be slightly dilated.
The problems can about a week free when I started bleeding and didn’t stop. I had constant terrible period type pains. The bleeding got worse and worse and when I begged to have it removed after a couple of months because I could no longer walk without being in agony I found from a scan that the threads had vanished and I had to have it hooked out without any anaesthesia. Then bled copiously for a while after and had to be put on codeine and antibiotics. I was very poorly with it -never, ever again.

I had my first Mirena about an hour ago! Felt just like a smear, maybe less painful even as no 'scraping' feeling. Done at the gyne who does them all the time and helped with my two pregnancies. So far so good!! I just hope it stops my periods - she said it usually does.

I've had two. Also had elcs. First insertion was intermittently very painful in the kind of grit your teeth/tense your muscles/get this over with kind of way. Took ages, G P kept apologising. Second one, different GP, realised my uterus was tilted, quick and relatively painfree. Will be asking for the 2nd GP when it needs to be replaced.

Insertion similar to having a smear, felt a bit periody for a few days afterwards. (2 children prior to first mirena)

My poor old cervix had had a lot of procedures in the weeks before so it spasmed a bit and took some effort. But I had some cocodamal beforehand and I have had worse discomfort (from the other procedures). I'd do it again.

My daughter also found her Mirena fitting no big deal. She hasn't had any children.

It was ok at the time, but by the time I got home I was basically having labour cramps (didn’t know, was young and had not ever been pregnant) - I was in so much pain DH called an ambulance...who wouldn’t come as there was no blood. But still. Awful.

Unfortunately I couldn't tolerate the pain. It was unsuccessful and I think attempts to continue went on too long.
I came very close to passing out.
I had no expectations of it being like that as I hadn't heard any negative stories ( which is probably the one encouraging part of my experience)

First was a long time pre children, the painful bit was when the dr measured how far to insert the device, well that what she said, it was a tool like a tapered knitting needle, fine after that. 3rd one post children (2xemcs, but fully dilated and pushing for the second one) was not nice, the dr fucked about for ages and was giving me sweaty warnings about calling me an ambulance if she perferated my uterus because I was breastfeeding. My "baby" was 18 months, so that risk had long passed.

I found it so worthwhile. Yes, it hurt a bit. But so, so worth the benefits- I had some spotting for several months but then it settled, and barely notice my period now ( for a long time I didn’t have a period at all ). After years of so much pain and very heavy periods I can hardly believe something so simple could be so effective. I’m 44 so I guess this is a good age to have it, and I will definitely not be putting Up with “wimmin’s trubbles” when I reach menopause. I’ve learned my lesson; get help from the gp.

It’s worth a try, it really really is.

Sorry but this happened to me GA for mine, then had a year of dreadful pain, it was removed 12 months under again under GA.

I have had 2 children vaginally.

My mirena was fine. It was mainly like having a smear but with a 10 second really quite uncomfortable feeling. I was fine afterward too. I bled lightly for a couple of weeks. No pain. No proper period since. I am really glad I had it.

It was a bit ouch when the gp used the instrument to open my cervix, very strange sensation, but it didn't really hurt. Sadly, it didn't help me with my heavy periods and clots and my body expelled it one morning after a few months onto the bathroom floor.
There are women which it has really hurt having it inserted. There's an article on the bbc about Naga Nunchetty having hers fitted.

The problem is no one knows who will find it painful and who it will actually help. I never wanted one fitted but decided after many years of gps asking about me having one. I wouldn't have another, but only because its didn't help.

Thanks so much for everyone's posts and it is such a mixed bag isn't it 🙈 I think, as one poster said, I won't know unless I try....

Had a mirena coil about 8 months after DD (caesarean although had dilated).

I would say it was like a slightly more uncomfortable than average smear test.

Within a couple of months I stopped having periods and everything that went with them...was bloody marvellous!

Suzysuz

If you have had ongoing pain during menses and clots I would be wondering why you have not presumably been referred to a gynaecologist. What you need is a diagnosis first and foremost and I would be wondering if endometriosis was the root cause of your symptoms now.

Inserting the mirena is all well and good as an attempt to treat the symptoms but it does not address WHY this is happening in the first place. The mirena is certainly not suitable for all women.

@AttilaTheMeerkat that is indeed a worthwhile question and one to be honest I haven't pushed as much as I should...

I've always had painful periods but GP would fob me off with the pill, then some other medication and then was happily prescribing a (low ish but more than over counter) co-codemol and naproxen combo which helped but I wasn't happy staying on long term and basically made me feel stoned each month...

Then I had son and am on nothing now (just normal over counter meds), pains back, heavy flow and now clots (some very impressive ones 🙈, never had big clots before having son).

Need to have a ponder....

You need to be referred to gynae as you may have polyps or fibroids. I have both and am waiting for them to be removed. The last time I had polyps removed it really helped with how heavy my periods were and stopped the mid cycle spotting (which was more like a continuous period tbh).

Absolutely fine

Mine was fine, a bit of pinching for a matter of seconds (maybe 10-20 seconds), the rest no more uncomfortable than a smear. Felt slightly faint for 5-10 minutes afterwards, then was back to normal - no cramping or bleeding afterwards.

I have had two sections and found the insertion uncomfortable, but not painful. It fixed my ridiculously heavy periods and giant clots as no periods since the day of insertion, not even any spotting.

Mine was quite painful. They had a bit of difficulty getting it in, but tbh it didn't take that long. I just had to grin and bear it.
I also got mine due to horrifically heavy periods. I had quite a bit of spotting for the first six months. It was a bit like having a very light period for most of it, but then it got lighter and lighter and pretty much disappeared.
I've had my period now (light) for the first time in 3 years which I suspect is vaccine-related.
I really do like having the coil. Once I got over the hurdle of the insertion and my body adjusting to it, it was amazing.