Mirena coil, insomnia, anxiety and bleeding

[YorkshireRosy]

Hi, I had the mirena coil fitted in mid July as I've had heavy periods/clots/flooding for several years. I'm in my mid 40s and assume it's due to peri-menopause. I am not getting on well with the Mirena Coil and have been bleeding lightly pretty much every day since it was fitted. I've also been suffering increased anxiety about everything and feel pretty low all the time since it was fitted. About 2.5 months after it was fitted, I then started with insomnia. I'm at my wits end. I was advised to stick with the coil for 6 months at least, as it takes time to settle. I felt I could cope with the light bleeding, anxiety and low mood for a few more months in the hopes the Mirena and its side effects would settle, so agreed to give it the full 6 months, but the insomnia that started since then is evil. I go to sleep fine, and sleep for about 4 hours but then wake up, heart pounding l, and feel anxious and/or wide awake the rest of the night and can then only manage the occasional doze until morning. After a few weeks of this I can barely function. Has anyone else experienced the same as me, stuck it out for a full 6 months and found that things settle down? I really wanted Mirena to work for me so I'm gutted it isn't doing. I'm wondering if i'm kidding myself hoping it will settle and that I should just have it removed. My GP has suggested I try oestrogen gel in addition to the Mirena (ie full HRT) but I'm scared of messing with even more hormones. Any advice welcome!

Can't comment on a lot of what you are having but after the mirena fitting I had 8 weeks of spotting bleeding and period pain. That was a couple of years ago and I spot couple times a year when my period is due but no more bleeding and no more pain- wish I had it done years ago.

I've had insomnia but had that before. Didn't notice any other symptoms.

im in my 30s, had a coil fitted for irregular bleeding and I’ve bled/spotted ever since January. I’m fed up. I thought it would all be sorted by 6 months x

You need oestrogen. The symptoms you are describing are due to lack of oestrogen. So the bad mood and sleeplessness are from the progesterone. Basically is the same symptoms as you get with PMT just before your period - which is when oestrogen plummets naturally.

Might not help the bleeding but I bet it will help the other stuff. I had the waking in the night with a pounding heart for years before I started HRT.

Also don't assume the first dose of oestrogen will be enough. Prepare to raise the dose. I'm 45, on 100mcg of oestrogen via patches, the coil and testosterone. And I sleep better than before I had children 15yrs ago.

@YorkshireRosyHello. Did you ever get to the bottom of your insomnia? Im convinced my coil has caused it. I’m 3.5 months in. Did yours disappear/get better? Did you stick with the coil or have it out in the end?

I struggled with sleep too ending up taking progesterone , magnesium and nytol with a oestrogen patch which seems to work for the sleep . No coil

@cleo333what form was your progesterone in without the coil? I’m on oestrogel and am also taking magnesium but I’m convinced the coil is the problem!

@Katie342 Hi, I'm still working my way through it! I've stuck with the Mirena until now, as the bleeding settled mostly (although I now have a very light period for 8 days with only 2 weeks between bleeds but I prefer that to the heavy bleeds I had pre-Mirena) and the insomnia and anxiety initially reduced, although never went away. I've been putting up with the anxiety, low mood and bad sleep for the last year, as it was at a lower level than when I originally posted, but since January this year I've had a major deterioration and have had terrible anxiety, heart pounding and am back to only 2/3 hours sleep a night. I've seen an acupuncturist for the last 4 weeks, who also specialises in balancing hormones through gut health, to see if I could sort myself naturally, and it has helped me a lot, but I'm still not myself and still have some anxiety and never get more than 5 hrs sleep a night on a good night, so I've just (last week!) decided to give oestrogen a try. I picked up my prescription for the Lenzetto oestrogen spray on Thursday but haven't started it yet. I think I'll start it on Monday, so will see if that helps. My GP said I need to give it at least 3 months, as it might take some time to get the dose right. If it doesn't help then I've agreed with my GP that we'll take the coil out and have an ablation if the heavy bleeding comes back after removal. So, I'm still very much a work in progress but at least have an action plan now!

Mirena was hell for me, I also had it for heavy periods.
I bleed or spotted every single day I had it. I kept begging them to remove it. First it was ‘it takes 3 months to settle’ then it was ‘it can take 6 months for some women’ then it was ‘just leave it a little longer’. By 9 months I was on AD, had gained 2 stone, had never stopped bleeding and thought I was losing my mind through lack of sleep.
When they finally agreed to remove it, they didn’t have an available appointment for removal for months.
I went to the sexual health walk in clinic and finally had it removed 11 months after fitting.
Awful.

@YorkshireRosyso glad you have an action plan. I’m not yet 3 months into my oestrogel either. It’s so frustrating being a woman isn’t it?! I feel it’s going to take a while to find the right balance!

@IdLikeThingToSpiralIntoControlThat sounds like a nightmare. I’ve had mine 4 months and agreed with the doc to give it 6. Have your symptoms improved since removal?