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Women's health

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Gynae says mirena coil can take six months to work - flooding

8 replies

TreatTreat · 12/07/2025 16:28

Hello. I flood heavily, sometimes for months on end. This has been going on for almost 20 years and I'm anaemic. I've had blood transfusions in the past for anaemia. I've been under gynae care at the hospital for this time. They've done hysteroscopies and removed fibroids. I've been told I have endometriosis, and then it's never been documented or mentioned again, I have atypical endometrial hyperplasia and pcos. Also mention of adenomyosis. Again, not documented anywhere.

About 8 years ago, I had a mirena coil inserted to stop the bleeding, which didn't work and it expelled itself. The gynae won't do a hysterectomy which I've requested, due my high bmi. I'm working on this and down 2 stone.

The doctor put me on provera tablets to help the bleeding and also the endometrial hyperplasia, to stop it becoming cancerous. It made me bleed just the same, if not more.

I've also tried norethisterone, which sometimes works, but the bleeding and pain after I have stopped is horrendous. Tranexamic acid works intermittently and my GP won't try me on mefanamic acid as he says it doesn't work.

Very reluctantly, with persuasion from my ghnae, I agreed four weeks ago to have the mirena coil again. For about a week or two, I almost stopped bleeding. Hooray! I've started bleeding again though. When I contacted my gynae, he said it can take six months to stop the bleeding. I can't wait six months! It's wrecking my life. Is this true what he says though? Six months?!

OP posts:
OddBoots · 12/07/2025 16:34

I am sorry to read all you have been through, that does all sound terrible.

Not as bad as you but I had horrible periods before my first coil and it took about 2 months for them to settle, but once they did then they stayed settled for the next 7 years - I started to get symptoms back recently and I want to start HRT so I had my coil changed a couple of days ago.

6 months does sound like a very long time to wait but hopefully it will be much quicker for you. This new bleeding will hopefully be over quicker and be lighter and without pain. 🤞

P.S. Well done on the weight loss.

MaggieBsBoat · 12/07/2025 16:37

That is f@cking awful!!!

I am so sorry

it took my mirena 12 long weeks and then I didn’t bleed at all for years, until I took it out.

If it gets longer than 3-4 months then I would again demand a hysterectomy. It maybe the only way. Yet again, women‘s health not taken seriously 🤬

Wallabyone · 12/07/2025 16:49

That sounds horrible x
I had polyps removed and a mirena inserted about 8 weeks ago-all to help with horribly heavy periods. My gynae said about 4 months to settle and know if it will work for me.
So far, periods are lighter but I’m currently on day 15 of my period. 15 days of bleeding 😭😭😭
I’m waiting in hope. I hope it works for you too x

Fleetheart · 12/07/2025 17:02

when you say bleeding do you mean heavy or spotting? I did have spotting for quite a while- maybe even 6 months, but was not an issue after the flooding I had experienced. And then it stopped and no more bleeding ever! joy.

AmateurNoun · 12/07/2025 17:03

I think I had a period non-stop for about 3 months when mine was first fitted, but then after that I pretty much haven't had a period for about 5 years.

TreatTreat · 12/07/2025 18:38

Thank you everyone. I am hopeful things will improve.

Sorry to hear so many similar stories of struggles.

@Fleetheart it's proper heavy bleeding with blood clots too.

@MaggieBsBoat it makes me so angry too. It must be coming up to twenty years I've had these issues now. I don't know why they're hesitant to do a hysterectomy because I've had surgery under general anaesthetic in the past. Maybe because it's major surgery, but I'm willing to take the risk.

OP posts:
Fleetheart · 12/07/2025 20:35

@TreatTreat that sounds awful; You have to keep going back, that is unfeasible to live like that.

MelonUsk · 12/07/2025 20:52

Similar story to you OP

Zoladex injections every month have solved everything for me. It’s a wonder drug!

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