The Mirena IUD: Is It Safe?
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You’re a modern woman with a modern outlook on sex. You’re positive your boyfriend/husband/sex partner doesn’t have any STD’s and you’re sick and tired of condoms. You want a spontaneous sex life, like your aunt Trixie had back in the 60’s. Well, so do I, girlfriend, so do I.
What I don’t want, is an unplanned pregnancy. And, since you’re obviously Googling IUD’s, I’ll just assume you’re in the same boat. Like me, you’ve probably been reading about the latest birth control methods science has to offer – and scratching your head over the multitude of conflicting reports on how each will affect you. The Mirena IUD is becoming quite popular, but is it safe? How often do people have problems with it?
If you skip to the comments below, you'll find a long list of personal reviews and opinions from women who have used the Mirena IUD. While it seems to work well for some women, others have been less fortunate. If you've got a story to add, please feel free to post it.
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What is it and what does it do?
An IUD (IUS, for the Brits) is a small, plastic, T-shaped device that your OB/GYN inserts into your uterus. The old-fashioned IUD’s (sans hormones) are famous for nasty side-effects, but the Mirena is often touted as getting around most of these due to the Levonorgestrel. This IUD works by preventing sperm from reaching the egg and fertilizing it. It also thins the lining of the uterus, which is what leads to reduced bleeding over time.
Why’s this better than other methods like The Pill which also contain this hormone?
Well, for starters, it contains far less of the Levonorgestrel hormone than you find in The Pill. And, it sends it directly to the uterus lining, as opposed to filling your circulatory system with it. Much safer, for obvious reasons. It’s also praised by some women for it’s effect on the menstrual cycle – it reduces bleeding, and, in some cases, eliminates menstruation altogether for the duration of its placement. Let’s see The Pill do that.
How long can it be in there for?
Up to 5 years – you can take it out sooner if you want to.
Who can use it?
It’s important to read the Mirena site carefully – they actually say this is intended for women who’ve already had a child. Pharmaceutical companies do not say things like that without a very good reason – and that reason usually relates to a potential law suit. That gives me the distinct impression they believe there’s a chance a woman could end up sterilized from this. I could be wrong, but that’s definitely something to take note of. They also mention women who’ve had cancer should avoid Mirena because of the hormones. Other than that, it seems like anyone with a uterus can use it.
How effective is it?
Bayer claims Mirena is 99.9% effective. That means 1 in 1000 women will still get knocked up. Believe it or not, you supposedly get the same efficacy from sterilization.
How much does it cost?
If you live in the UK, their National Health Service covers it. If you live in the US, you already know health insurance companies often suck and do anything they can to make you pay out of pocket. This is actually covered by some of them, however, cos having a baby costs them a whole lot more than an IUD. If your insurance does not cover it, it will cost you about $585. You can pay it all upfront, or you can put it pay monthly installments. Let’s hope they don’t mean Layaway… Ok, it all sounds cool thus far, right? Even with that price tag. Well, let’s get down to the real issues. The ones that have kept me from having this thing inserted.
Side Effects:
Bayer alleges there are very few side effects, and that 9 in 10 women recommends the Mirena to their friends. I assume that means 9 in 10 women don’t have trouble after it’s in there. Bayer does mention the following are possible, however: Weight gain, acne, cramps, pain, dizziness, headaches, breast tenderness, mood changes.
Wow, kind of sounds like what many women go through once a month without using this thing.
Ok, maybe not. They say these effects are rare and, when experienced, tend to go away within a few days. So, fine. The problem I have, is all the women posting all over the internet with their horror stories about devastating acne, weigh gain up to 15 pounds despite healthy eating and exercise, and pain akin to being stabbed with a needle. Obviously, as with anything that changes the body drastically, there are going to be some people who don’t tolerate it well.
Bayer claims this has been used safely, and without incident, by 8 million women for the last 16 years.
I don’t know any of them personally, so I can’t do much more than ask those I know who’ve recently started using it.Truthfully, everyone I know currently using it doesn’t report problems. They say they haven’t experienced weight gain, acne or other distressful symptoms. I find this comforting, but for me the jury is still out on whether or not I want one of these things living inside of me.
My recommendation:
The Mirena website is biased, obviously, but they do have loads of info posted and it will help you figure out whether or not you’re a candidate. Once you’ve determined that, scour the internet for real woman with real experience, and keep it in mind when making your decision. At this time, I’m not any more in favor of Mirena than anything else, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn't be. Just be sure you do your research!
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Comments
Thank you, CGull! :)
Well i was one of those people who ranted and raved about the mirena for about the first 4 months but the last 2 months have been horrible.
At first my moods were off and i got put on some depression meds, and now i have severe cramps like 2 times a week, acne, i haven't gained weight but haven't lost even though i have dedicated time to it, and i feel like i may kill my husband at times.
I loved the Mirena IUD as my menstrual cycle (and cramps) disappeared. It was easy maintenance and required little to nothing on my part. However, at age 31, I was hospitalized due to pulmonary emboli and must remain on blood thinner medication for 6 months, possibly forever. The risk factor: hormone released contraceptive, including this IUD. I must be the lucky 1/10000 who experience this side effect. Unfortunately, my doctors were unaware of the releasing hormones because 5 different doctors ignored my input until I showed them in writing. They were like, "Oh... you're right." I am now scheduled to have this removed. But keep in mind- these "blood clots in the lungs" can be caused by any type of hormone release. Just make a mental note of it and beware of the symptoms because if untreated, the mortality rate is 26%. Scary!
I have a horror story. I had the mirena placed in my uterus last friday. Saturaday I had pain, but I figured it was normal, sunday I experienced shooting pains in my uterus. Monday I woke up doubled over, crying because the pain was so bad. I went in to the physician who inserted it to be told "they cant find it." I had an ultrasound and it was no longer in my uterus. I told my doctor I was in too much pain for it to have jus "fallen out" (which is what she swore had happened. She sent me home and later that night I went back to the ER. I told tem "IT is inside of me somewhere and I am not leaving until you find it!" They did an abdominal x-ray and sure enough it had perforated my uterus and was inside my abdominal cavity. Good thing they caught it in time, undiscovered it could have damaged other major ogrgans, including my intestines(whic is life threatening). I was sent to ICU for emergency surgery to have it removed. I would not sggest the mirena to anyone! Perferation is a very serious risk and although statistics are low, I believe it is very underreported!
I DO NOT recommend the Mirena IUD to anyone! I had one inserted in Jan. 07 and had to have it surgically removed March 14, 08, It had perforated my uterus.
Yes I loved that I did not have a monthly cycle! But what you get in return is so not worth it! I was in constant pain, severe headaches, dramatic weight gain, Joint pain...the list goes on and on. I thought I did pretty good research on it before hand, but I neglected to look up IUD malfunction, or Perforated uterus from IUD's. I guess I only looked up the good web sites for Mirena.
Please before you go through what I am going through, Do your reseach! Make sure you really look into everything that could happen because it happens more then you think! And Yes it CAN happen to you!
I don't recall if my IUD was a Mirena, but whatever it was, I hated it. My cramps got worse with each passing month. I had it less than a year. I had it removed so I could have another child, but I would have had it removed even if I didn't want to get pregnant again. My period didn't change other than the worsening cramps. I won't ever get it again.
had it inserted a week ago and have started to have som sparatic acne is this normal?
I've had one for 4 years now and truly recommend it to anyone. My experience has been great... no more cramps or pain, light or no period at all, great stress free sex... I am sorry for those who haves suffered the downside of it. :( I am sure with those experience who would recommend something like it! At least it's been great for me. I am planning another baby for next year when I remove it and I plan to put one back when I give birth... I really have no complaints at all but kind of scared of the moment when they will remove it! lol I kind of felt like giving birth when they inserted it (the had to dialate me) :S
I've had my IUD in for over 1 1/2 years and I absoloutely LOVE IT!!! I'm a 44 year old mom of 3 and was having horrible periods, excessive cramping, moodiness...it was horrible. I had the IUD put in. My doc told me to give it 6 months for my body to adjust to the hormones. During that time I had some minor hair loss and moodiness. Since then it has been smooth sailing! My hair is all back (actually thicker than it has ever been!) and the IUD has helped me to level out moodiness-wise! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!!!
I wish people would stop with the "I hate it!!" "Dont do it" "I love mine!" "Go get it!" ..... It's all to each their own, do your research and decide whats best for you. EVERYTHING effects different people differently. You take a chance with any type of birth control.
I had the Mirena IUD inserted two years ago after the birth of my first child. I suffered stabbing pains around my cervix and uterine area for well over a month afterwards. I went to have it removed after a year, and it was missing. A vaginal ultrasound showed no IUD present in my uterus. The doctors figured it had fallen out during a bowel movement or had got stuck on a tampon and removed that way.
Today I just found out that the IUD perforated my uterus and is floating around in my abdominal cavity. I will have to have surgery to have it removed, and meanwhile hope that it does not travel around or damage any of my other organs.
To each his own, but I will NEVER have an IUD of any kind again.
i'm not a fan of the mirena one bit. I have endometriosis and the doctor recommended that I had it put in, altough I haven't had a child.(and I was never told that it could cause sterilization and shouldn't be used on anyone that hasn't had a child) In the end of January I had my 4th surgery for ebdometriosis and the ICU put in. Since then Ive started bleeding more with clots which causes very bad cramps and pain. I also started having extreme mood swings that my boyfriend or anyone else wants to be around me and its caused severe depression. My doctor says its not caused by it but I believe it is because I'm usually a very outgoing happy person. I've still got the ICU in for now. It's not the first thing I would recommend to anyone!!!!
I have had a Mirena for 5 years, and i am about to have another one fitted, the thought of having it fitted fills me with dread, i am a student nurse and have read the doctors instructions on the mirena website regarding fitting the devise. i think to much info might be a bad thing. whilst i bleed for 3 monthes after the first mirena , i have since had no periods so no PMT either. The worst thing is i dont even want it fitted i want another baby but my husband doest not.
I have had my Mirena for 5 years now and am having it removed next week because the time limit has expired. I have LOVED it. I haven't had a period in 5 years. I have experienced none of the horror stories except for maybe some hair loss, but I had thin hair anyway. When it was inserted their was minor cramping but nothing that I couldn't handle and the pain was gone the next day. I definately reccommend it to anyone. I want another one inserted, but my insurance will no longer pay. I was told the total cost would be $850. I think this is outrageous and am considering what to do.
I have had two copper iuds, I loved them no problems. My doctor talked me into a Mirana iud. After getting it in I thought I was going to die. Nausea, headache, major pelvic pain, natural child birth was not that bad. I agreed to wait a few months to give my body time to adjust. Six months later I am still having periods that last 3weeks at a time, migraines, mood swings, pain, and more pain. I went to have it removed and it couldn't be found. It had somehow got loose and is now floating in my body. I now have to have surgery to get it removed. Would NEVER have a Mirana again.
I believe the reason you have to have previously given birth is so that the IUD will fit through the cervix.
hi i got mirena inserted after my son was born,i ave it for three years and since then i dont have my periods,i have bad headaches and i am wery anxious all the time,i also got palpitations when i think my heart is going to stop i had ultrasound of my heart done and nothing was found i get this palpitations espec around the time i suposed to have my period ,did any of you expierience the same?
I had my mirena inserted May 2006 and in March of 2008 it had perforated partially through my uterus and now it looks like there is a chance i can't have anymore kids (I have one daughter) because of al the scar tissue! i do not recommend an IUD especially if you want more kids but also if you dont want to take the risk of it hurting your body.
I've had mine for 2 years, I'm on the fence about it really. I have had some unpleasent side effects, weight gain, acne, pain and mild spotting after sex and crampy periods BUT not having to worry about taking pills or using condoms is a real plus. Research is the key when you are deciding on the right birth control for you. Everyone reacts differently to hormonal birth control so know your body before you decide.
I have had it for 8 months and I am getting it taken out tomorrow. I have constant acne now. I did not figure this out till 2 weeks ago what it came from until a friend was so tired of me complaining every time I seen here about my breakouts! She said You do know that IUD you got causing that. I researched it and WOW everyone has this problem! It will surely be out tomorrow, unless I can take it out myself!
I had mine put in three weeks ago and have had nothing but pain. I go in to day and the doctor said she can't find it i'm soooooooo scared i seen others have had this problem. Any advice ?
I've had the Mirena since October 2007, i didn't experience the headaches or bloating or anything. As a matter a fact my periods use to be really heavy and crampy and now thier not. However it seems that I'm ALWAYS SPOTTING NOW. IT'S ANNOYING. I'd rather have one period a month, than to spot all the time. The Mirena floated into my uterus and is just sitting there. The Dr. told me that it would be fine, but now I'm reading about all these people that have a perforated uterus. I'm scared.. i can't get in to see my Dr. until november.. and I have no idea how thier going to take this thing out. Does it have to be surgically removed?? Do they put you under??
My Momo told me how bad IUD's are and I didn't listen so, 7 weeks after I gave birth to my second daughter I decided to get one. For one the insertion was worse than natural labor I mean nothing for pain at all I would rather went through labor a couple more times then get it put in it hurt so bad. So for a week it still hurt wprse than anything I ever felt I called my doctor and they said it was normal to hurt I knew something wasn't right so I just went in 3 weeks after I got it and asked a different doctor to check it. They did x-rays and said it was gone that it was in my abdomen so since I go to a family physician she sent me staright to an OB/GYN. I was scared I had never seen one before I had always went a my family doctor. After ultrasounds they confirmed it was floating, 48 hours later they surgically removed it. Since then I still don't feel right for some reason. I would not suggest a MIRENA to my worst enemy.
I know someone personally who had the mirena iud and it didn't attach to her and was floating somewhere in her and her Dr. said it would be fine. She could not however get pregnant when she wanted to. For over a yr. She had to have it surgically removed. If yours has not attached I think you need to get it surgically removed sooner rather than later. Even though it hasn't attached it still prevents pregnancy, if you ever want children. I have one andhave had great results. No periods, no side affects at all. You really have to be assertive with your Dr.'s though, they do not seem to err on the side of caution from what I've noticed.
I had mirana inserted in dec 2007 till then i had no complains.life has become easier without periods and i feel more happier now then ever.
i had the mirena in for 8 months. The first 3 months were fine, but my periods never went away. Then for the past 5 months I have gained 15 pounds while dieting and running like crazy, have acne, my hair is falling out and I am so swollen. Not to mention the headaches and tiredness and 2 weeks on my period! My friend said it might be the iud so I reserched it and got it taken out. A month later I have lost my 15 lbs, have tons of energy, my acne is subsiding and my hair is starting to look normal. I must be the 1 out of 10 where the hormones are bad for my body. I am just glad I found out what it was.
I am a 28 year old mom. I had the mirena inserted in July of 2005. I hate Mirena and their lies. I don't believe anything the doctors say. I was told my problems(just like many others). Doctors say that can't happen. Bull, it did. I had My Mirena only till October 2007. I am now experiencing irreperable dammage. I can't prove it was the IUD because the doctors won't help me,but i was a healthy mom before all this . Now i have Nerve dammage in both legs and I suffered ongoing pain for the entire time while having the IUD. I still have tenderness in my cervics and bad clotting problems monthy and they tell me its not the effects of this horrible man made device that has been torturing women. I hate the Bayer Mirena Company they have left me scarred for life and theres not a thing i can do about it !!!!!!.. Ladies , DON"T DO THIS TO YOURSELVES>>>>>
I am a 5 year survivor of the Mirena...it has been really good to me for the most part. It is great to not have to think twice about having sex with my husb...no condom and still no kiddies:). When I first got the device, I had experience horrible pains...to the point of fetal positioning, but as time went on, I experienced absolutely NO cramps/tender breasts. I may have gained some weight-not sure of the real contributing factor there. Hands down, Mirena has been one of the best decisions ever for birth control!
I am curious about something though...esp from those who have had a positive experience with the Mirena. How has it affected ORAL sexual experiences for you and your partner? I was just wondering b/c I do find that I have a pinkish mucousy substance on a sporadic basis. And it does not have a pleasant taste, generally odor-free though. It is embarrassing now for my husband to go down, whereas before that was utter enjoyment for both parties-taste smell touch. Does anyone have a spouse that remarks feeling the IUD upon sex? What has everyone else experienced?
I'm deathly afraid of having an IUD put in. Not because of the usual side effects and junk, but because I'm afraid it's gonna get lost in the netheregions of my being! Plus, the idea of someone shoving their hands that far in my body just horrifies me.
I have to say I am an extreme advocate for the NuvaRing. It's just like an IUD, except you put the thing in yourself once a month. Sure, it's not much fun shoving your fingers up your hoo-hoo to dig it out when you need to put a new one in, but it's better than taking a pill every day. Then again, I can't swallow pills, so my options are limited anyhow. My boyfriend's never been able to feel it, and it's only slipped out MAYBE twice in the past two years. And even if it does slip out, all you have to do is wash it with cold water and put it back in within (I believe) an hour after it flopped out of the hole. It's just as effective as an IUD, and it reduces bleeding and can virtually stop your period in it's tracks. I like it, and I highly suggest it to my girl friends, even the ones who are only taking the pill to reduce bleeding (you have no idea how many people do that).
It's a wonderful alternative to both the pill and an IUD, and it's cheaper than going into the doctor's to have an IUD removed.
I have the mariena or whatever and plan on having it removed. I am experiencing severe cramping, heavy bleeding, and extreme discomfort. I am not a fan needless to say...
In regard to a previous post....and IUD is NOTHING like the nuvaring. Just because they go in the same area doesn't mean anything. I just got my IUD 2 weeks ago and love it so far. The spotting is getting lighter, and once it's gone life will be great.
I had a little on 6 wks ago and I just got the mirena yesterday and I must admit that I am now doubting my decision. The implantation was very painful and after I had some slight cramping. I have read the blogs and I am so nervous and concerned about my decision that I am actually thinking about getting it removed. I have never had any problems with birth control pills in past but the blogs are s frightening.
I got the Mirena inserted in 2003 at my six week check-up, after giving birth to my 2nd child. My doctor reassured me that the risk was low & that for me, already having 2 children, was the best option for me. I was very clear that I did not want to have to use it if it required surgery to remove the Mirena & being told that was highly unlikely......in 5 days I will be going in for SURGERY to remove the Mirena, bc it is stuck/perforated in my uterous! I am not happy. Granted I have not gotten pregnant, but now may never be able to get pregnant again if I wanted to.
Hey everyone. I believe I had the Mirena inserted in the end of October 2007. I just had it removed September 6th 2008....I didn't have much trouble with it other than towards the end it was just uncomfortable and I was tired of the spotting. BUT THEN I got pregnant the end of October (I wanted to) and it ended in miscarriage this month (November). I was only about 4and1/2 weeks along but I googled it and it seems alot of women are having this horrible problem. If I knew Mirena would effect pregnancy a month and a half after removal....i would have never gotten it. I am so sad to have lost my little baby but I will try again in a few months.
I just had mine put in a couple of days ago and felt some of the worst pain i have every felt in my life! My doctor seemed pretty shocked is that i sat up almost screaming and almost threw up everywhere. It made me very sick. I have had constant cramps for a whole day, then nothing the next then back to constant cramps the following day. I'm just worried that i will stay sick the whole time i keep it in. My dr. told me Mirena would be my best option is that i tried every birth contol except for the shot. the pill, the patch, nuva ring, the mini pill and everyone of them made me sick for two weeks out of the month.
I am also have and allegry to latax and was finding it more expensive to get lambskin condoms. 9$ for 3 of them. I have no children and i am worried that have mirena will have the same side effects that the shot does. i have 3 friends that haven't been able to have kids since they have gotten off of it. doesn't anyone have any knowledge on this??
I had my merina in for 5 years After my last child. Insert miner cramps. 2 month of periods then all was well. I was wondering about the removal. I just had mine out 10 days ago. bleeding started 7 days ago when will it stop?
I had one inserted yesterday, the freezing of ther cervix was more painful than the insertion for me. I am 23, no kids.
It sounded like the cadillac of BC to me, but now I am scaring myself reading all these horror stories of perforation. I felt no pain until 12 hours after insertion, in the middle of last night. The first strange thing was a deep ache not in my abdomen, but in my right hip and thigh. May be totally unrelated, but it throbs in unison with the mild cramps. I also feel anxious, and full.
Hope all goes well for me, but I am second guessing my decision.
I had mine insterted the day before yesterday. I am 24 years old (no children) and have no desire to have a child for many years... so this sounds like a good idea.
The instertion was the most painful experience of my life... and I have had endometriosis and sugery for it! (I was an idiot and forgot to take the 4 ibuprofen they recommended beforehand) Feelig pain makes me dizzy and so I had to lay half naked on the table for almost 30 mins before the nurse would let me sit up... my pulse was too weak.
I tried to walk out of the doctors office and couldnt make it past the lobby... had to sit on a bench for 10 more mins... then sat in my car even more... ugh It wouldnt have been so bad if the pain would have gone away quicker, but it was really bad and lasted for several hrs. Ibuprofen really helped me a lot.
Two day later I am only feeling very occassional mild cramps and a full feeling in my abdomen.
I have to say that reading all of these negative comments has me scared. I really do want to have a baby girl someday (maybe 7 yrs from now) and hope that I do not have to deal with my uterus being punctured. How awful =(
I have a check up next month... I hope everything goes well.
I have a question for those people having Mirena who have not had children, as the Mirena suggest this IUS is only suitiable for people who have had children. Why are doctors fitting these to people who have got no children. ( I believe they are easier to fit if you have had children as the cervix has been dialated or streched through giving birth)
I had the Mirena put in 3 weeks ago tomorrow. It was painful having it put in. Maybe because I have children but I had c-section. I had spotting right away with very minimal cramps. However I have now been bleeding for over a week now with really bad cramps and sore back. Please tell me this will pass. I really want this to work. I have spoke with my doctor and she said it is ok. It could last up to three months. I don't think I can do this. I want it to work though. My lining was very thick. It should be .5mm and it is 1.1cm. She is hoping that the Mirena will thin the lining because I had pre cancer cells in the lining.
I am a newby to this. I had mine implanted yesturday afternoon. I didnt know bout the ibuprophen idea until today. but yes it does help after from my expirence. I used aleve (naproxen sodium). Yes!! it was very painful being placed. I have had cervical freezing, biopsies, and vaginal birth where my cervix had to be stretched over the bbs head cause my insides were flipped and he couldnt come out my back. well, anyways, the pain was horrid and I was thinking the proceedure would never be over. well, i walked around for a few hrs feeling like i had a sword shoved sideways in my business until i took the 2 aleve and curled up with a heating pad. the pain eased and i fell asleep. today , 24 hrs later i feel great. my bloating from my period or other has come down and the pain is all gone. I hope that I dont get any of the horror stories that these other ladies have had. but I really have run out of options. I have set up a few nasty allergies...basically all antibiotics and so since i cant take the lighter anitbiotics anymore i have to take the strong bet your life you will have a yeast infection meds. and my fave allergy was found out this past year....i am allergic to all spermicides. that knocked everything else out of reach. I have used yaz for over a year and loved it (unless the anitbiotics came then omg the restart was bad cause the hormone adjust). so i had 3 choices, 1 become pregnant 2 take pills and pray i never get sick or 3 this. so far this is good for me. Time will tell. I hope that if you are considering this you will research your options and if you do this be sure that you take a few ibuprophens or aleve and be sure you have that heating pad.
Don't get this. Had one for 5 years after childbirth. Slowly my sex drive disappeared along with my period. Very bad for any women, hormones are nasty. Now going 2 years without, periods are normal, can enjoy sex, moods are better... this is a bad invention.
Hi all! I had my iud for 5 years and had it removed in feb 2008. I had it replaced at the same time with my new one. i had NO problems what so ever with the first one, it was a dream, however...i have had nothing but problems the past 10 months with bleeding and severe cramps with this new one, it will be removed next week....i don't understand why this one is so different to the first...any ideas?????
I had my Mirena inserted in Feb 2008 and havent had any problems "that" serious but I am nervous now. I have lighter cycles that last ,at a max, 5 days but Ive had some servere stomach discomfort. I've had to curl up in the fetal position, I know, at least 3 times due to severe stomach pains, my uterus is always irrated and my husband complains because he cant "get it" like he wants to. We used to say he was hitting it until recently, during intercourse, 3 sharp pains scowered through the right side of my ovaries. Needless to say, I am waiting on the advice nurse to call me back as we speak to make an appointment with my OB/GYN to have it checked. I hope everything goes well. For those of you whom had "the worse" side of it, I wish you all the best. For those whom have the success stories, this is the way it's meant to perform. Remember that everyone is different and that just means it's not for everyone to use. I look at the bright side of things and if something is wrong with mines then that means it's not for me. Which means on to the next birth control method. Good luck to everyone..
i have my IUD placed yesterday and after it placed i had cramps like so bad and when i got home i took ibufropen and after like an hour ago the pain was all gone.but i just wanted to know if i could have sex now with my husband and not worry about getting pregnant.is mirena safe right away after it placed?anyone know?
hi cindy,
actually you could have had sex like five minutes after its been inserted.
I had mine inserted on dec 08, i have had my period twice with spotting now and then. i have had my follwup appoint on wednesday and when my doc push her hand in my whooohaaaa, she couldnt feel the string, so i am scheduled for an ultrasound appoint on the 20th jan, 09. Hopefully, that bad boy in where its suppose to be and havent perforated my uterus and is just sailing in my abdominal cavity. wish me luck.
Melasma.
Hair fell out.
Constant pain.
Constant spotting.
Caveat: the hormones are the same as those in the Norplant.
OMFG!!! You guys have freaked me out, I'm having mine removed.
Well, I am on here eresearching mirena as I have an appointment Feb12th to get it put in. I read everyone's blog but I am still hoping it will work for me. I have not had any children and am only 22. My doctor perscribed me this med that will dialate my cervix so the insertion won't be such a pain. Has anyone heard of this? I read all the blogs and no one indicated they took anything prior other than ibuprofen. Just wondering.
I've had it for a little over a year. In the beginning it was terrible. I bleed for about two months. But now I love it. My periods are lighter and only every few months. As for the cost my doctor said it would be $875. After calling around I had it inserted at the local planned parenthood which only cost me $550. I didn't feel it was painful to be inserted.
Mine was extremely painful when inserted. My cervix had to be dilated twice, which made me want to scream. They gave me 2 600mg ibuprofen, which did NOTHING. I felt like I was on fire. I have headaches, constant fatigue, swollen and tender breasts, pelvic pain, cramping after sex, an ovarian cyst, and I can feel the strings. I haven't gained any weight, luckily, and I hope I don't. I like my weight and I would not be thrilled with gaining. I am moody and I want to cry a lot and I feel like a huge bitch all the time, which is not how I usually am. I have constant cramps and backaches, which sucks. I had problems before and this just made it that much worse. I want this thing out of me already.
I am on my second mirena and whilst it was uncomfortable to have it put in, for me its a great form of birth control, I am also lucky to be from the UK where we get all out family planning for free, after reading comments above its a big decision for people who pay cos if you dont like it and have it removed then you also have the financial implications to consider.
I have had mirena in for 2 years and will be happilly getting it removed next week. I never relized all the horrible things happening to my body were from mirena until recently reading blogs from people like me. I thought that maybe losing your sex drive, hair falling out, bad acne, moodiness, anxiety, and facial hair was just what happens after you have a baby. Doctors make it seem like there will be little to no side effects and that the cost will be well worth it. I didnt know that it could get missed placed and the string could get lost in your uterus (happened to me) and that it would make removal more painful. My periods are very unpredictable. Some months I have a period and some months i dont. Sometimes I have my period for 2 weeks and other times for only a couple days. I found out it wasnt just me after reading some blogs and it made me feel so much better knowing that im not a freak. Losing your sex drive can really take a toll on your relationship and make you feel like there is something wrong with you. I really do regret getting this form of birth control and not looking foward to the pain of removal. I would never recomend this birth conrol to anyone!
I'm FINALLY having my mirena removed tomorrow and not willing to use it any more...
I got weight without reason..plus awful acnes..my mood changes all the time and i became much more sensitive then ever.. bleeding was ok..not tht much ...but I don't want to live these just for the sake of less bleeding...
If you can take the risk of getting fatter and uglier(with acnes) and if you are ready to find yourself crying -not knowing why- well then what can I say?
i want to bleed naturallyyyy wihtout mirena:)
I had my IUD put in last week and other than a few short pains on insertion, I have had no problems. I will admit that after reading these blogs, I am a little nervous. Hopefully all will be well at my one month check up.
I had the Mirena insurted about 4 months ago and just over this past month all of the bad things stated here have started. I am now back to the weight I was after I had my son (gained 8 lbs in 1-2 months), the appetite you usually get before you start your period came this past time, i bled for 2 days lightly (i usually bleed heavily for 5 days) and the appetite NEVER went away. a couple of weeks ago I started to break out really bad (my skin had just cleared up and scars were lightening a month ago), I feel anxious and overwhelmed with everything for the past month (i have depression but have NEVER been anxious), and I never put it all together even though this all started around the same time until last week and am now going to have the Mirena removed. My self esteem has disappeared, ym relationship isnt so good, i feel like I want to crawl into a hole and disappear. Eff this. Soooo not worth it.
I had the mirena in for 3 weeks before the tingling and numbness began... it worked its way thorugh my limbs and then the fatigue and muscles aches set in, brain fog, extreme headaches... i spent 2 months thinking i had MS waiting for a neurologist appt, and found out that wasnt it either, and then found out Mirena can cause all of this. I am so scared my body wont ever be normal again. Please please think twice before doing this to yourself.
I have just read all of these blogs and most of them are bashing Mirena. I had my inserted a couple of days ago and actually it is and was what I expected so far. I will say that you should plan on resting the rest of your day away after insertion, maybe even have someone drive you home. I felt very tired after it was inserted. You need to consider the Fact that you are having something foreign placed inside you do you really expect your body not to react? It is all quite tolerable I didn't not take any medication before and was not given anything to dull the pain yet I survied I even went to work afterwards! This birthcontrol may not be for everyone that's why there are tons of options. Most of the complaints about the side effects I just don't understand didn't anyone research Mirena first? Or maybe read the Mirena booklet that You had to sign before insertion? Any birthcontrol has possible side effects. Such as I got pregnant while taking the pill it just stopped working without a warning and I was very careful while taking it, and the fact my 27 yr old sister has been trying to get pregnant for almost a year after stopping the pill?
Okay So I had my Mirena inserted about 3 weeks okay. I haven't had a kid, and the insertion was very painful. I had spotting and cramps for about a week after it was put in and then they both stopped. I had sex a few days ago for the first time with the Mirena in and afterwords my uterus hurt pretty bad. Especially on the left side. Now a day later, the pain is starting to go away but I have a white thick discharge with no odor. Is this bad or good? all of these comments on here are scary.
I have had the mirena for almost a year now. I havent had any other problems besides the spotting. I have been having bleeding after sex but I have been told by my doctor that its from a Leep surgery I had in the past. After reading those stories I am really nervous. I am waiting for the doctor to call me back b/c I want them to check mine ASAP. Other than that I havent had any problems besides maybe the string needing to be cut b/c my partner felt it.
I had the Mirena for the last year and a half. I have four children and don't want more but am not ready for anything permanent. I also have long, heavy periods when not on any hormones. I have used the pill, patch and depo but didn't care for them for various reasons (depression issues, excessive bleeding) After my last baby I tried Mirena. Insertion was painful because I have a tilted uterus and I had mild cramping for the rest of the day. My husband could feel the wire at first but eventually he couldn't. I had normal, lighter, regular periods for the first few months and then they became practically spotting every few months. Very nice! Occasionally I had a mild stabbing pain in the front of my lower abdomen but it would go away after a little while. I recently had minor surgery and after a week they found pulmonary embolisms that to our knowledge did not begin in my legs. My Dr looked at my IUD as a factor and requested my OB/GYN to come in and remove it, which he did. Turns out it was not in correctly, the only thing keeping me from getting pregnant was the hormone, thankfully! I partially blame myself because I didn't get it checked after 3 months or at the one year intervals. I LOVED this IUD and was very upset they took it out, but I do believe it was for the best. I don't know that the IUD had anything to do with the PE but it's definitely something you should seriously consider!
My dr. made this sound great! I went to have it put in and she could not get my cervix to dialate! It was the most painful thing I have ever experience! I walked out of the office after laying on the table for 2 hours waiting to be able to sit up and get my pulse and BP back up. It was terrible! They would not even let me drive home! I would not reccomend trying this EVER! I have a child and it was more painful than that experience.
I had been on the Depoprovera shot for probably 10 years and loved the side effect of no periods. I had already had 2 children and had no plans for having more. My OB/GYN and I discussed changing my birth control because of some of the long term effects associated with the shot. (One of which I was convinced was low to no libido.) So in July 2007, I had the Merina IUD inserted. I did my research on it and know a few ladies who were very pleased with theirs. I figured the risk factors were low. Went back at the requested timeframe to have an ultrasound to check the placement (can't remember if it was 1 week or 1 month later) and was told everything looked good. Eventually my periods started to come back with a pretty regular cycle (about every 24 days or so for 5-7 days duration) and became heavy and crampy again like they were before the DP shot.
My OB/GYN said I must be one of the small percentage that doesn't experience the lighter and almost non-existent menstrual cycles with the Merina IUD. I was okay with that to know I had a lower dose of hormones and was protected from becoming pregnant.
Anyway, discussions last fall with my OB/GYN led me to consider an endometrial ablasion to slow or stop my periods and tying of my tubes in the same procedure for birth control. Did more research, including someone who has had the procedure with no complications and went back to OB/GYN last week to discuss again and decided to move forward. He looked and felt for the Merina strings and could not find them. Assumed it had been expelled during one of my heavier cycles, but ordered an ultrasound to check it out. Was told the results of ultrasound did not show an IUD. So I am scheduled for the ablationa and tubal in 4 weeks. Asked the OB/GYN to call me as I had thought of a few more questions regarding the surgery. He tells me there's still a possibility that the Merina is inside of me somewhere and scheduled an x-ray that I had done last night. The technician of course, is not permitted to discuss any findings, but is willing to allow me to look at the x-rays. I spotted the IUD right away. So yes, it's in there, but I have no idea where it's hanging out at...LOL
Haven't heard from my OB/GYN yet today about the x-ray, but in talking to him earlier, he thought it would be no problem to pull it out during the laproscopy part of the tubal. So he didn't seem too concerned, but now I'm just a little freaked out that it's "in me somewhere."
I still think the Merina is an excellent choice for the majority of women. You have to remember that if someone has had a good experience with it, it's not very likely they'll be looking up these blogs and postings. The only people searching them out are the people that are experiencing symptons and problems and want to learn from other people with the same experiences.
I wouldn't say that I regret having the Merina inserted, but I'm disappointed that it did not work out for me. I an 46 years old and have 2 grown children, so I am fine with the permanency of a tubal ligation at this point in my life. But 10-15 years ago, I would not have been so willing to make that permanent of a decision.
I would not recommend this for someone who has not had children. I do not have kids, and had the copper IUD (non-hormonal) put in. I had it for about a year and that is all I could take. I was told the first four months I would have cramps, but they never went away! The cramps I experienced for that year were like no pain I had ever felt before. I eventually switched to the Mirena (with hormones) and it was just as painful PLUS I gained weight. Both IUD's also caused spotting pretty much constantly.
everything they're saying is true--i have experienced these side effects first hand. for me the most bothersome was the complete loss of libido. also i have gained about 20 pounds
ive had the mirena for almost 2 yrs now I LOVE IT the main thing is everyone is different so u HAVE to take that into account, just because it was not good for someone does not mean it wont be good for u. ive had light periods maybe lasting a day or two to no period at all for the month. the only bad thing that has happened is right after i first had it put in my husband said he could feel the string poking him, the "string" is actually a very thin flexible wire, they didnt tell me that part.........so anyway they cut the string a lil saying i dont think he can feel it cuz its way up there.......anyway he could still feel it a lil after that so i went bacc and they cut it mire this time, since then no probs. would do it again.......................im juss gettin worried from all the posts saying its lost in them, but i dont have any pain or other symptoms so i think im good :)
Well besides the weight gain i had no problems till now i have had it for almost five years and i went to the doctor to get it removed and it was stuck i've been back twice for him to try again...talk about pain....still in there...i guess i have to get it out with surgery....something i'm trying to avoid....so ladies dont get it oh it also takes away you sex drive
me again i was reading the comment above mine (gina)and i had my string cut 2 times thats why it is stuck in there ....get it removed fast before it gets embedded as the doctor called it...he said the doctor that i had put it in should have never cut the string
Yeah I have had mine in for one and a half years now and I think im like alot of other women on here... Ive had the weight gain, pains, and God knows lose of sex drive, but besides that i love it. The fact of not having to worry about getting prego and still being able to have sex.(when we do)LOL!!! I do want mine out though just because the pain gets agervating and I want another child. But i also want to try it again after i have another baby to see if my body reacts any different to it.
I have had the Mirena IUD since December of 2005. Now here it is a little over 3 years later and I have grown to HATE this little device. Of course, it's GREAT not having to worry over getting preggers... But now you have to worry everytime you have sex if it's going to hurt like hell afterwards, or if it's going to burn like hell everytime you have to pee for the next week! It's like you have a CONSTANT yeast infection or a UTI. Which I have none of either (per Pap) So, I've made my appointment and I think that I will continue on and have this thing removed.
PROS: No unplanned pregnancies-Little to no periods
CONS: Acne-Mood swings-Pain after sex-Painful urination weeks after sex-Prone to infections-Depression-this list could go on and on.........
I am going on 2 years now with Mirena, after my baby was born I did not wanted to risk getting pregnant again and I always hated taking pills.
I Have gotten mood swings, very light bleeding and acne maybe 3 times. I have noticed one problem almost no one is talking about, which might not have nothing to do with Mirena but I noticed it started a few months after I had Mirena inserted in me, and that is lack of sex drive. My husband and I used to have sex almost every day of the week, even when I was still pregnant, but now it's more like once every 2 or 3 weeks!
Oh, and when we do have sex sometimes it hurts and he says he can feel it poking him. I am not sure but I am thinking about getting it removed next year because I have been having intimacy problems because of that.
Does anyone have any similar problems like this one with Mirena?
Wow! I jus had Mirena implanted 4 days ago. So far the only complaint is the actual insertion. That did hurt but totally tolerable, for me, I did get pretty dizzy after but I completely believe that's just the shock to my body. I layed down for a few mins then drove myself home no prob. I've had 2 vag births and DEFINATELY don't want anymore kids. Haven't had sex yet. My hubby is nervous Because a guy at work told him his wife has it and he can feel it. All these comments have gotten me really freaked out. Like I said, so far, no problems and actually I only spotted the day of. I guess i'll see how things go but i swear, the first sign of trouble, i'm having it removed as I don't have med insurance, and surgery to have it removed would break us. I know everyone's body handles things different so i'm willing to give it time. Wish me luck as I do all of you.
i am 29 with two kids. a 22 month old and a 1 month old. i am fortunate enough to have had a boy and a girl. at this time i do not want more children. i am overweight and afraid that the pill will raise my bp as they did before when i took them. my dr is a huge mirena fan and i am considering having it placed on thursday of this week. after reading the horror stories i am so afraid to go thru with this but at the same time i know that the pill is not a good option for me....any advice? i am a worry-wart as it is and don't want to risk my health.
I am 23 years old and have one daughter. I had my Mirena IUD put in October of 2007, 9 weeks after I had her via c-section. I had severe preeclampsia and wanted to give my body time to recover before I had another baby. I have had horrible acne, mood swings, low sex drive, and weight problems over the past 1 1/2 years, a lot of which I think can be at least partly, if not totally, attributed to the IUD. I have also had a regular, eight-day heavy period every single month. My sister had hers put in December of that year and almost immediately stopped her period. She has also gained about thirty pounds in that time, after being a size 1/2 pretty much her whole life, except when pregnant. My Mirena didn't really hurt at all when I had it put in, during my period, just uncomfortable and caused slight cramping. I went today to have it taken out and almost passed out from the pain. My doctor couldn't find the strings and the pain was some of the very worst I have experienced in my life, including my c-section. My legs were still shaking about an hour later. He did a sonogram and it is still there, but unreachable. Now I have to go back Wednesday after taking a prescribed Valium and four ibuprofens. I am bringing my husband this time, and in addition to being terrified of much more pain, I am scared that it could be imbedded, and extremely worried that it could cause sterility. I want to get pregnant later this year. I researched the IUD before I got it but didn't understand or even know about these risks when I had it put in me, and I will absolutely never get another one. I plan on using condoms, male and female if necessary, and spermicidal lubricant from now on. I am over the hormones and health risks of prescribed birth control.
I'm 26 with no kids. I've had my Mirena IUD for almost a year now, and I can't say enough good things about it.It was painless (just a small pinch), when it was put it, and I ended up bleeding having slight cramping for the first month, which I was worried would be much worse. Since that first month, I haven't had any bleeding, which has been great.
After sex sometimes I get a little cramp, but that's lessened over time as well. I also have noticed a decresase in sex drive, but that could also be due to other parts of my life being stressful.
I finally had mine taking out after having it in for 6 months. Everyone told me to hang in there it will get better ,but for me it just got worse. The doc explained I will expierance some spotting afterward, well I got more than just spotting I got a normal to heavy period for 2 whole months straight then got 4 days off then would bleed for 3 weeks or so than 4 days free and that how it would go. 1 month before I had it removed I started experiencing all these differant side effects from sharp shooting pains above my left thigh , to burning back pain, to mood swings, to severe headaches in the back of my head going to the front, with blurred vision in my right eye . and 1 week before it came out I bleed black tar for a whole week with abdominal pain so horrifying I thought I was in labor again. The doctor agreed it should come out ,explained that when these severe symptoms appear it could lead to much worse things including cancer. I'm glad I got mine out and would recommend anyone who's thinking abt getting one to do ALL thier research before hand because everyones body is differant than the next.
My goodness!!! Reading some of these comments are kind of hard to do! I knew there were some side affects, but I had no idea they would have been like some of these were. I've had mirena for about a year now, and I'm very happy to say that I am one of the lucky ones and did not get any side effects that come along with the insertion. Now there were a few cramps here and there. Honestly I can only remember having 2 or 3 cramps since I've had it and that was the day it was inserted, and I know for sure the other week when the friend paid me a visit. And that was for only a day and maybe just a few hours. It caught me by surprise because I had gone so long without having cramps.
I think its wonderful. I dont know if age has anything to do with some of these side effects. I'm only 22 but whos to say that it will be like this for the next four or so years. All I know is that this is the easiest method that you can you for birthcontrol. It's not messy, you dont have to remember to take it everyday, there's no painful needle they stick you with for month or whatever they do.
I would recommend this for any woman.
With all Birth Control methods there are side effects. It probably isn't good to read these things because then you truly believe you have all of the problems listed on here. If you are going to get the Mirena, make sure you have a doctor who will go over everything with you, and will be there if you have any questions. I have had mine for two years and I love it. I have had probably every side effect mentioned here, but knowin it was a side effect is reassuring. I couldn't find the strings in the beginning and my doctor, while looking for them, said that they just get wrapped around the bottom part of the "T" and not to be alarmed unless there is abdominal pain along with it. The side effects do stink, but a small price to pay to have no periods and no surprise babies! The embedding is my only real concern now. EEKS!!
I have had the mirena for almost 2 yrs. I have experienced many of the syptoms other women have listed, but figured I could deal with them, since my husband and I wanted to wait to have another baby... I also haven't had a period in well over a year, so I was really surprised when about 2 mos. ago I started bleeding really heavy... I bled for 13 days! I felt for and found my string on day 2 of that "period" ( I was scared that maybe I had lost it and thats why I was bleeding so bad).... However, after all the bleeding was over I checked again... and found nothing. I waitted and checked a few more times over the next few weeks and found nothing. During this time I began having horrible cramps, to the point I would have to stop walking and double over... It felt like I was in labor again. I called the DR. and they didn't seem worried, but had me come in anyways. During my appt. the Dr.s attitude totally changed. She couldn't find it! She sent me in for a stat x-ray, and ultrasound... they found it, but are unsure whats going on... the x-ray showed it floating at the top of my uterus, and the ultrasound never really picked it up ( which is strange cause they said the ultrasound would pin point it! After all the drama my Dr. has decided the best thing to do would be to have it removed... I go in in 7 days to have it surgically removed! Lucky Me! .... If you are thinking about getting the mirena I would do your research... I thought I did a lot of research, but I only researched the sites the Dr. gave me.... Check things out on your own!!! I also have a friend that had mirena put in then about 4 mos later started having pregnancy signs... guess what?!?!... Mirena was gone, and shes due in August! Seriously, Do your research!!!
Hello I have had the Merina for 2 1/2 yrs I'm 23 with 2 children and I love it. I don't have my period I havent had any side effects like acne, weight gain, or cramps. I recommend this to everyone but I also took into consideration that I dont really want anymore children. I dont know if the sterilization is accurate but I'm ok with that. Thanks
dang!! i hate to hear that all of u have had all those bad experinces. but i'm 22 and am a mother of two and don't want any more kids i tried to get a tubal but my dr said i was to young and wanted me to try something else, so i got mine inserted in aug. 2008 and i haven't had any proublems what so ever i love it and wold recomend it to anyone. alot of my friends have it to and they also love it it just depends on how well your body takes it i guess.
Ive only had the mirena for a little over 3 months and absoulutly hate it! Im getting it removed in 2 weeks. the first 6 weeks I bleed horribly and then the next month had a normal period. the following month i was a few days late and decided to be safe and take a pregnancy test it came back positive! i called my doctor right away and went in 2 days later. turns out i had a chemical pregnancy and since then ive had severe headaches and cramps, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea. im getting back on the pill i do not recommend getting the mirena.
I had the Mirena IUD for almost 2 years. I hated it. I had severe cramping and bleeding. I started getting sharp stabbing pain. I kept going back to my doctor and they kept telling me that it was normal. I finally 2 weeks ago had it removed. It became embedded in my uterus. I would not recommend the mirena to anyone.
I had Mirena put in Dec. 08. It's now May 09. I haven't had any problems with it. So I thought. No cramps, no acne, no mood changes, no periods....BUT I have had excessive weight gain. I MEAN EXCESSIVE. I was 135lbs before I had it put in. I am now 180lbs! I have 2 little girls, play softball, go to the gym 3 times a week and diet. I gain a pound every day. No joke. I became so depressed because of this. I've had thyroid and diabetes tests done. I just realized it is from the Mirena. I'm having it removed tomorrow. Hopefully, I can get my old self back.
Hi! I am a 29 year old mom of three and I just had Mirena placed in January. Now it's May and I've finally realized what's been making me feel so bad. My symptoms have included TOTAL lack of sex drive (so what's the point in having birth control?), extreme moodiness/depression, fatigue, mental fog, an unexplainable pain in my left arm and a pain in my left leg. I really don't feel that this is worth it. I'd much rather risk pregnancy than live the way I have been. Going now to get an appt to take this damn thing out. Please do your research if you are thinking about getting one....my friend who recommended it to me recently had hers removed and after bleeding for four months solid is now having thyroid issues.
hi my name is karina and i am 19years old i got mirena about 3weeks ago and so far i am still bleeding....my son is only 3months and i dont want another baby soon but since i got mirena i have had spottings,cramps,and my husband can feel the string which is making us have less sex....this sucks but i am not sure if my doctor will have it remove since i got it for free and its so expense....what should i do????how can i convice my doctor that i no longer what to have mirena in me??
I had mirena since october 06 and LOVE it!!! I just got it taken out friday so I can have another baby. I recommend it to all of my friends and I will get another one after I have the baby!
I had a Mirena IUD for 5 years and it was GREAT! No pain, no periods, lots of sex. Then, I think it started to wear out or something on the hormones because suddenly, my period came back - sort of. I had four months of weird brown, sticky substance. The Dr. said it wasn't the Mirena's problem, but something was wrong. Sure enough, I had her remove it and since then, I've had 3 cycles. Each time, I pass blood clots. The first two periods, they were like large chunks of my children's placentas! It was REALLY scary but the nurse said "Common." Since removal, my periods last 14-18 days, and the amount of bleeding is so drastic I literally have to stay home for the worst 3-5 days because I am going through a pad every 30-45 minutes. I did some research - the IUD allows embryos to form, it just sort of "scrapes them" off. Sort of like a miscarriage every month. THIS alarms me because now I wonder if all those big, chicken-breast sized blood clots were technically miscarriages, which means my poor body has been dealing with pregnant/not for years while I've been blissfully unaware. And was I really carrying them around all these years? Meanwhile, I miss the fact that the Mirena meant spontaneous sex. But I'm not sure what it was doing to my body and I can't find answers. If I knew what really happened, and that it was safe, I'd get another Mirena tomorrow. Oh, yeah: one more thing -- it gave me melasma within 2 months of getting it - that's a permanent discoloration of the skin. I figure it's too late now.
I had my Mirena put in after my son was born. I have a horrible habit of forgetting to take the pill when I was on it, hence the reason I now have a 2 year old. I also suffer from endometriosis and my periods were so bad that there were days I could not get out of bed.
The day I had it put in I had some cramping and it followed for a few days after. I had a period that month and then some spotting and slight cramping the few months that followed. After that I have not had anything. No period, no cramps and no problems. I love my IUD and I do recommend it to people.
That being said I also believe that you need to be well informed about what you do to your body. I did research above and beyond what my dr told me. I read all the horror stories but I am the daughter of a nurse. Every thing is unique to an individual. Side effects will always be different for each of us, just like allergies to drugs. It is your body's reaction to something.
There is no reason a person should not get a Mirena if they feel it is right for them. Just be educated about it. Yes, some people have had horrible side effects but some of us haven't. You need to look at both the pros and cons before making the decision. Don't let anyone make this choice for you.
I had Mirena inserted in December '08. The pain I experienced when it was being inserted was comparable to giving birth. They couldn't get it in the first time. So they took me to Ultrasound to help have some guidance inserting it. My doctor finally got it in on the THIRD try!!! It was miserable! Then, I started having cramps that would make me double over in pain. I couldn't even walk. I thought well...it took so much getting this thing in..I am going to tough it out. The cramps didn't stop. I went in for an Ultrasound in January. It was still in place and everything looked fine. Well, it wasn't fine. The cramps were still excruciating! I am tough though and stuck it out. Well, it is now May '09 and I am having Mirena out today. My mood swings are terrible. I am bloated all the time. I have headaches all the time. And although the cramps aren't as bad as they used to be...they are still there at least twice a week.
I am on my second month after having mirena inserted. I don't have any issues with it. It did hurt pretty bad inserting it though. They had to dilate me and I have a backwards tilting uterus, which didn't help. Luckily I read up about the insertion process prior so I knew to expect pain upon insertion. I wasnt in pain much after that. I bleed for a few days it went away and then right on time I got my monthly period. My doctor left my strings long which is great for searching for them. I still have to go to my 2 month check up to make sure it is in the right spot. Like I said though no pain not abnormal bleeding and I can feel my strings. Hopefully its not perforated my wall... probably not though because it sounds like I would be in lots of pain if that was the case. Anyways just wanted to share my story, so far so good! :)
i am 37 years old and i got the mirena inserted Dec.08 i got off birth control pill two months prior to getting the mirena. my obgyn told me that since i was off the pills that i would have to take the depovera before he would insert the iud. i started noticing my weight gain but thought it was because of the shot. by the end of april i had gained 30 lbs. not including the swelling of my feet and ankles. told my ob about it and he said that it wasn't the iud. i told him that i hadn't had any of the symptoms pre mirena. had it taken out in may 09 and i feel a 100% better. Ladies listen to your body when it's trying to tell you something.
I have just recently had the mirena taken out. It wasn't as bas as I assumed and was over very quickly. I had put up with it for three years but slowly realised the effects. Although my doctor was having none of it. I gained weight slowly over the years, despite being an avid fitness fan. I have put on 18lbs, and had such an appetite. I didn't realise at first until i started to do some research. I, also became very moody and tired, bursting into tears for no apparant reason. I had lower abdomen pain especially during sex and a lose of even wanting sex. The only advantages I had during use of the mirena, was no periods or just slight spotting. And, of course, no worries about taking the pill. having said that, I am pleased I finally took the decision to have it removed. i did try to hang in there and ignore the side-effects,put up with it but in the end other then starve myself, I know i have made the right chose. I think the side effects sort of creep on you. I know it suits some and you really are the lucky one's.
I LOVE IT!
I had mirena inserted two months ago and it was a horrible eperience having it placed. I,m 28, married, but have never had children, so getting it through my cervix was very painful. I was screaming as it was being inserted and was in pain for days following insertion. I have had some form of bleeding/spotting most every day since insertion. I'm still waiting for the wonderful side effect of not having a period. I'm already dreading having it removed and I still have almost the entire 5 years to wait. If I make it that long with mirena, I will not have another one placed. It was awful.
I am 34, w/ 2 children 11 and 3yo. I had Mirena inserted on Appril 28 2009, it was expelled on June 8th. I went back to my Ob/Gyn to have it re-inserted on June 1oth and the 2nd one expelled on June 13. I have been bleeding consistently and heavily since it was initially inserted. I am wondering if my uterus was perforated. Will check today once dr. is back in the office.
I am 47 years old and I have been having horrible experiences with my period for many years. I was on the BCP for 17 years,from the mildest to the strongest, and it suddenly stopped working about 18 months ago. I get cramping, heavy bleeding, spotting, gushing , cramps you name it...really badly affecting my life. So depressing...
I went to see my doctor and she stopped the pill and sent me for an ultrasound and from there an MRI. It appears that I possibly have adenomyosis. I went to see a male OB/GYN who was the most obnoxious human being I have ever met! He did a biopsy and when I went back for the results, he said they found nothing and diagnosed me with Disfunctional Uterine Bleeding and offered no treatment. He had hoped the biopsy might "trick" my uterus into behaving normally....it did not. After doing my own research, I went to another doctor to have my hormones checked and she found nothing in that way, but referred me to another female OB/GYN. I wanted an ablation to try and get control of this and my life, but she will not consider any other treatment until I give Mirena a chance. At this age I feel unwilling to try that, I was on the pill for 17 years to control this already, and I am really leery of the IUD. I only personally know one person who has used it, and she was miserable with it. I know each person is different, but i am so upset with this whole thing and I do not know what to do.....my life has been severely affected by this.
I need suggestions, I am willing to pay for the ablation, I am so desperate, but the only doctor I know of that will do the procedure electively requires a referral.....
I am 41 and had the mirena for about 6 years, one year longer than suppose to but due to fear of removal i procrastinated....finally prepared myself mentally and went to remove it and wouldnt you believe the strings were not visible it went behind my uterus thus needed it surgically removed...all went well i feel cleansed of all the hormones, weight gain, tiredness.....good riddance
Does anyone know how you would know if the Mirena has perforated your uterus?
ok , wow went to the doctor today and told him i wanted a diff. type of birth control, he offered the iud, i was thinking about the shot because i was on the pill but they were not too good for me i would forget and i kept getting infections, now im scared to death to even thing about getting this thing, im 19 years old, and weigh 116, i dont want to gain weight, get ance or lose a baby before i even think about havin one, not to mention getting it loss inside of me... i need to discuss this with my husband, seem kind life threatening situation, im not worried about the cost, or anything like that because im in the army so it free, but this will definitely be reconsidered, thanks for the info ladies, oh ps i would like to know how some of you felt after getting it removed by surgery because it perforated your uterus??? does your body feel diff???
I am 41 years old and have been a Diabetic for 28 years. We have always used condoms and recently my husband and I had to stop. I have never had children and at this age we do not want to start. After speaking with my Doctor I chose the Mirena IUD.I also considered the Essure permanent procedure but I would need 2 more doctor visits to prepare for it. I did not want to wait that long.
I had just finished my period so the time for the IUD was right. 3 days later the Doctor gave me some kind of pill to keep my cervix soft and I had the procedure done. I did not experience any of the complaints listed. Weight gain, acne or mood swings. I had a pinch and a very strong cramp. That was it. The Doctor and I were both amazed because I have not had children. I have had some spotting, it has been 32 days and nothing significant has developed. I have had some difficult cramps so I expect my first period will be heavy if it ever comes. I have never been a regular girl as far as periods but the closer I got to 40 the more regular and heavier they had become.
There is one side affect that I have experienced ...an increased sex drive. not sure if it is related but my husband likes it. We have always been a weekly couple now it is 2-3 times a week.
I wish all who comment luck on finding a BC that works for them.
I really hate mirena ,i hate so much as a devil.
i had the mirena put in april of 2009. It hurt really bad. I bled for like the first month. Then i started having severe cramoing all the time,headaches,acne on my chin,hair loss, and bad mood swings! I was fighting with my husband all the time! I had it removed today, june 2009 and i already feel better!! Will never do this again, ever!!!!
I have had mine in for 1 1/2 yrs and I can't feel it in there, after reading that it can perforate through your uteras and end up in your abdominal cavity is realy scary. I have had massive weight gain and discomfort during sex. I'm going to make an appointment to have it removed asap.
I had my mirena inserted 4 days ago. I've never had a child. I'm only 17.
I didn't read all of the horror stories before I had my inserted. I read sites that were pro-mirena, and very few against it.I haven't had my long at all, but after the pain of having it put in stopped, I've been alright. I check for my strings very often. I'm terrified that I will lose my strings. I'm willing to take this chance, because I do not want children.
I have two blood clotting disorders, and this thing is the safest birthcontrol for me. I can't take pills. I can't use anything except this or the copper IUD. My periods are terrible, and the copper one will only make it worse.
And so I must live with Mirena. So far my mood has actually been better. I've been nicer to people. I am a bit emotional now. I've cried over something very stupid in the last few days.
Still, I don't have anything bad to say about it yet, and hopefully it doesn't get lost inside my body or the strings don't fall off like people have mentioned. (I can only feel one string...)
i hate the mirena it sucks.... i had mine put in on april 30,2009 and it hurt so bad.... anyways on june 5,2009 i went back to the dr for a check up on the mirena... turns out the strings are missing so i had to get an ultrasound... it was in the right spot but my dr said it was going to be hard to take out... wow im really lookin forward to alot of pain... anyways i still have cramps my periods are about 20 something days long. it just sucks i want to make an appointment to get it taken out but im scared about how much it will hurt since the strings are not there. so to all of you women thinking about getting the MIRENA....... DONT GET IT!!!!!!!!! IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
I really want a safe birth control. my daughter is a year old now and I'm just about done with the worries... I dont want another baby for a couple years .. so me and my husband were thinking of the IUD..BUT now Im a little scared! I dont want to be sterile!!! .P.S...I WOULD NEVER GET NUVA RING. My friend almost died thanks to the blood clots that traveled to her lungs caused by that. Please listen to the commercials they tell you theres a high risk for that with Nuva Ring... and look up the thousands of women who have been hospitalized due to that horrid thing .
The reason you should wait until after you have had a child is so that your uterus will be large enough to accomodate the IUD. Some people have posted that they believe it has to do with the size of your cervical oppening or cervical os. After childbirth your cervical os return to their previously closed state. The opening, however, is a different shape. Therefore, the size of your cervix isn't the reason.
If you have the Mirena inserted within 7 days of the start of your period you should be protected from pregnancy. Some healthcare providers still reccomend using a backup for 7 days. It is also wise to wait atleast 24 hrs after insertion to have sex. I believe this is mainly for comfort. If most women experienced the same pain that I did, you really don't want to have sex that soon anyway.
As far as the side effects are concerned, all hormonal contraceptives have very similar side effects (other than the perforated uterus). Depo Provera and Implanon are other progesterone only contraception. The side effects of Depo, Implanon, and Mirena should be similar. The Mirena should actually have less side effects b/c it is suppose to have a localized effect on the uterus and the other 2 have a systemic effect.
I was very leary about having the Mirena inserted b/c it is a foreign body. I had severe pain and dizziness when it was inserted and moderate cramping for 2 days. It has been a week and I continue to have mild cramping. I also feel like I can feel it inside me. Every once in a while I get a sharp pain. It feels like it's touching my cervix. The pain is getting better and hopefully will completely subside before my f/u in 2 weeks. Also, you may want to warn your partner that he may feel the strings. From what I have heard, they usually soften within a few months but it is possible for them to be "stabbed" with them before they soften. My strings are cut really short and so far, my husband hasn't had any problems. However, a friend of ours has.
I would suggest taking ibuprofen around the clock 24 hrs prior to having the Mirena placed. (As long as you don't have any contraindications to taking ibuprofen). Unless you have very recently had a baby ask your doctor if he/she can prescribe Cytotec. (If inserted within weeks of vaginal child birth the Cytotec won't be necessary). This is a pill that is placed inside the vagina the night before. As it dissolves it will help soften your cervix. This will make insertion easier. It's not a bad idea to bring someone with you who can drive you home in case you become faint. I would also suggest taking the rest of the day off from work, household chores, and children. You will probably need to lie down with a heating pad.
I ha my Mirena put in about 2 months ago after a unplanned pregnancy led to miscarriage. I wanted to wait a year or so before trying for another. I have a son who is almost 2. Since I have had the iud, i have had a non stop period. I don't really hae bad cramps or haven't gained any weight. I have had more achne than usual though. I can always feel the strings and my husband hates it! I have lost my sex drive also but who wants to have sex while they are always bleeding? I think I am going to wait it out for a little longer and see what happens or changes before I get it taken out. I guess it is different for everyone. I have friens who have had it for a while and love it. The instalation hurt but wasn't that bad. Nothing like child birth. I guess to know how it will effect you, you just have to try it. Everyones experience is different.
I now had my iud for 3 years I have no problems at all I love it
I had mine in for 3 yrs and just got it removed 3 days ago. I actually like having mine. I haven't had a period in 3 years. No cramps, no weight gain, no acne, NONE of the problems they say you can get. But when I went to have it removed, it took them 20 minutes to find the string. It had gotten lost apparently. And that hurt like HE-L... Now I have been cramping for 3 days and light bleeding brown to blackish stuff. I'm assuming that it is my 1st period in 3 years and because I have not had one in that long it's just the old blood that needs to come out. I will just wait it out and see. I hope it doesn't last long, really want to get started on that baby we are planning on making..
I LOVE MY MIRANA IUD. I HAD MY FIRST ONE PUT IN PLACE IN NOVEMBER 04 AND JUST THIS WEEK HAD THAT ONE REPLACED. THE FIRST DAY OF BOTH INSERTIONS WAS KINDA PAINFUL. A COUPLE OF ADVIL AND A HEATING PAD FIXED THAT. I HAVE NOT HAD A PERIOD IN 5 YEARS, SO I WAS KINDA WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN I HAD THE NEW PUT IN. I SPOTTED THE DAY OF THE INSERT AND THAT WAS IT. BOTH TIMES THE DOCTORS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED WAITING UNTIL THE FOLLOW UP TO HAVE SEX OF ANY KIND BECAUSE THE FRICTION OF SEX CAN KNOCK THE IUD LOOSE AND YOU SHOULD NOT USE TAMPONS AT ALL FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS. I STRONGLY RECOMMEND IT BUT KEEP IN MIND IT DOES NOT PROTECT AGAINST STD'S. SO IF YOU ARE NOT IN A COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP YOU SHOULD ALWAYS USE CONDOMS. MY DOCTORS ALSO ADVISED ME THAT IF YOU DO CONTRACT AND STD WHILE YOU HAVE THE IUD INSERTED IT COULD SPREAD TO OTHER AREAS OF THE BODY. TAKE CARE
I got my Mirena put in in August of 2008. I liked it for a few months then my periods and bleeding got really bad. I was having 2 periods a month. I would stop bleeding for 5 or 7 days then it was back to bleeding AGAIN! I finally got married and since my husband was fixed we decided that it was a better idea to get it removed since I was having problems with it and the string was hurting him when we had sex. It works for some people but I was one of the unfortunate ones that it didn't. After almost 2 years I finally went to the lady that put it in and she couldn't get it out. I had to go to an OBGYN to have it removed because the IUD went a little bit sideways in my uterus because my uterus falls down and to the side when the spectulum is removed. My acne got way worse than before I had the IUD inserted, I started losig large amounts of hair, and my moods were off the wall. So for all of you thinking about getting the Mirena make sure you know what the side effects are, and if your uterus is a NORMAL uterus.
i am 26 years old. and after having my daughter in 07 i had tha mirena because i didnt want another surprise pregnancy. well ive had it for a lil over 2 years. at first it cramped for a few days then went away. my period also slowed tremendously to almost none existance, but i have spotting that comes and goes when ever and actually has lasted 2 to 3 weeks at times. after about a year i started having sharp pains to where i cant move til it goes away. i still have it but have been thinking of having it taken out. i made an appointment for this month and im glad ive made that chouse after reading these stories. i do want another kid one day and i dont want some thing tearing my insides up and be floating around in me. thanks for ur stories! also a friend if mine had one when she had her son. she ended up having hers took out because she got cyst on her ovaries. i think ill stick with tha pill from now on!!!!
Omg the mirena was horrible for me! I had it for 2yrs..I bleed the whole time i would maybe go a week without bleeding..I would have no sex drive bad headachs, horrible cramps and weight gain! I gained 10pounds and i run all the time and work out all the time...so yesterday i got it removed and they couldnt get it out..it took them 20min to get it out bucz there was soo much scar tissue built up around it! I havnt been in that much pain since i was in labor with my 2 yr old. Im still hurting really bad today..and after reading everyones stories im soo scared i wont be able to have another baby and im only 23 so we atleast want one more. I would not recommend this to anybody!!
I love my mirena. I had it put in when I was 20, no children. I had bad cramps only the first day it was put in (and I still went to school right after my Dr apt), it cost $515, and I spotted for 3 moths. After that, I have had no worries! Ive had ZERO CRAMPS, extremly light period, no condoms (I was married, now divorced), no side effects, nothing. I love love love love it! Its been almost 5 years, and I'm thinking of what to do next. I don't think Ill have another one put in seeing some of the horror stories. I have recommended this to everyone. My mom, sisters, and lots of friends have it and the ONLY PROBLEMS Ive ever heard about was the pain of having it put in. Mine wasn't painful, just the cramps after for a day.
My sisters was painful being inserted becuase shes had children so she had scar tissue that had to be poked through.
I want kids in the future and HEARD it was unsafe to put a 2nd one in, only becuase your body will get used to not having kids or whatever. I don't want hormones (because Ive always been moody anyway) or have to worry about doing anything daily or monthly. Ill forget /=
Anyway, Ive had no problems whatsoever. I highly reccomend it.
I have the IUD for about 4years now and for like 8 months now I been having yeast infection like 2 to 3 days before my period. I go ever month to see my family doctor. She told me is the /iud cause me to have the yeast infections, but the GYN say that the IUD don't cause it. Can any GYN tell me if the Yeast Infection I have Is Cause by the IUD
I had the IUD put in me 5 years ago. It is Sept 1 and it expired in June. My doctor told me not to worry about it when I made my appointment in June to see about taking it out. She said people go a long time with an IUD after it has expired and she needed to refer me to an OBGYN, since I was new to the area and didn't have one yet. She said not to worry nothing could be done in the present because I needed to be on my period for it to be taken out--which I was not on at the time.
Anyway, like I said it is Sept. 1st. I had a period around Aug 13th and began another on Aug. 25th. I was still spotting as of yesterday. I'm not sure if I need to go to the emergency or if I should wait until the next appointment on Sept 17th. I've been getting a little crampy and felt a slight sharp pain when I pressed on my abdominal, while getting up off the couch. Last night and this morning I felt a little nauseous. I took a pregnancy test which was negative. Am I experiencing two periods because the IUD hormone component is done? Should I wait until the 17th or should I go to urgent care? Has anyone gone a little longer with there IUD and experienced anything similar?
I left a message with my doctor and they didn't seem to be too worried. They haven't called back, so maybe I'm blowing this out of proportion. Any advice anyone?
OK so I was the biggest advocate of Mirena. It's easy and cost effective. I did my research and had it put in 8 weeks after the birth of my son. This was October of 2008. I went for my annual exam last week and my gyno couldn't locate the string and sent me for an ultrasound. I had both the transvag & pelvic ultrasound and they couldn't locate it. Today I went for a pelvic CT scan and the tech informed me that it was definitely in there. Where? I have no idea so I will be patiently awaiting for the doctor's call tomorrow with the next step. I'm guessing a laparoscopy since she told me that was my worse case scenario. I have experienced no pain with the exception of the insertion and LOVED having no periods. I will miss it if I have to go back on the pill but then again, at least I know where the pill is going when I take it! I can't say the same for Mirena,
I have the Mirena and I have been having cramps, headachs, geting dizy, my body shakeing. . . is that normal? AND. . . How do they take it out and dose it hurt??
I have had a Mirena IUD for 2 1/2 years. My fiance has always been able to feel it was there but in the last year it actually slices his penis from side to side, deep enough to cause bleeding and it takes a few days for the cut to heal. Planning on getting it out. I bled every day for the first 4 months (that was gross and we had not sex!!) when I get my period now it lasts for 10 days!! I also immediately gained 15 lbs in the first 5 months and have not been able to lose the weight no matter how hard I work at it and I'm was a fitness instructor.
I got the Mirena in January of 08. Had no problems getting it put in. Was 2 months after I had my first son. Ive had it in since. First it was great...periods are few and far between....hardly any cramping. But since Ive had it ive gained all my pregnancy weight back which is 30lbs! I feel sad and anxious all the time now. I was having yeast infections and bacterial infections. And im a clean person!!! My Dr didnt inform me of the weight gain and the depression as possible side effects. So its been more of a problem than its worth. Im scheduled to get it removed next month. And just this week I have a UTI. Should I walk in to the dr office? I dont feel I can wait another month, Im afraid of more complications. And mind you before having my son I was on the pill and the patch. Does anyone suggest anything else? How's the nuva ring?
i had the damn IUD in since last FRIDAY I so HATE IT!!! i have to go back to see my OB cause i am in pain i feel like i had a vaginal examie all the time.. the pain is so bad... I hope to God that they will remove it, I read all your ladies stories omg i wish i would have came upon this beofre i got it.. My good friend had hers in four years and she has had problems through out the whole time.. why are we the ones that have the BAD EXPERIENCES????
HEY: Jblackrose1985 , i have had the same problems as you, I am suggesting the DEPO shot..
Ok, I made the mistake of reading lots of negative comments about the Mirena before I went to get it put in. My experience was great. I hardly felt them insert it, I was 7 wks post partum when they put it in, I had zero cramping,and extremely light spotting which had only lasted 1-2 days after. Yes it can perforate the uterus especially if the Dr. is not experienced inserting them, I had an ultrasound the next day to confirm proper placement, if you start to exp any sharp pain or can't find your strings you should go to the doctor right away! This to me is common sense? If you read a lot of these comments about people having them lost inside them you will notice complaints of sharp abdominal pain that was ignored for some time in most cases, Since the IUD is T shaped I would think it would take a while to move completely through the wall of your uterus and out into your abdominal cavity! I could see a part of the IUD perforating but I am sure it would be quite painful and you would notice extra bleeding. Also aren't these people checking the strings like you are suppost to? If you can't find the strings then assume the IUD had moved and go get it checked right away!! As for side effects, everyone is different, most side effects listed here are also side effects of birth control pills! And BCP's have more horomones then this IUD. Not everyone will exp these side effects. Also, most people who go online to review a product are people who are not happy with the product because if you are happy you don't spend time searching for sites to say how happy you are! I am only posting because I researched this before I had it inserted and I was scared shitless to get it done, I was sure I would have every horrible thing go wrong with it! I thought I should post something good for once so maybe 1 person out there will read this and not be so afraid. You will not know how you will react to this product until you give it a shot yourself and find out. Just remember to check your strings regularily (after sex and any period you have) especially if you have painful intercourse or excessive bleeding or cramping/pain in abdomen that is not normal for you after insertion. Just relax and go for it, you may be pleasently surprised!! Good Luck:)
I was wondering if anyone hade the string come out more then normal? I ve been having really bad cramps latly and now the string is out more then normal. I ve had the IUD for almost a year and a half now. I don't know why it would do that?
Wow I can't even believe how many people have had problems with this. Well I have to say that I don't like this IUD. But I have a friend that absolutely loves it. So it really all depends on the doctor that puts it in and how well your body takes it. For me I went in 2 months after I had my son and got it put in. They told me there was a chance it could perforate. Well I thought oh that won't happen to me and guess what it did. Of course! It all started after I got it and it was painful and I cramped for days then I started having my period every two weeks. This was not a normal period it was like hell I had to use the super tampons which I have never had to use. So I called the doctor because I was having cramping and bleeding and of course I couldn't feel the strings. They told me it just could be wrapped around my cervix and that I should wait for the 2 month check up. So I did and when I went in my doctor couldn't find it. So I had an x-ray and ultrasound. They found it in my abdominal cavity between my uterus and rectum!!! UH so I have to have surgery to get it out. This is terrible now I will have a scar above my pubic bone for the rest of my life! And now I could be pregnant uh what a bad choice this was!!! Does anyone know if we can report it so that the perforation rate goes up??
i got mine in about 5 months ago, so far i have had no problems besides pain in my uterus here and there, and my husband sometimes gets a poke on occasion, but i have lost weight my hair has got even thicker and i have no periods so those are a plus .. i am moody here and there but im not sure if that is the mirena or just me :) i do get very nervous about the side effects though especially with the more i read about it .. so i just strongly advise looking it up and reading alot about it before you decide it is what you really want ... though i must add that it is amazing have the stress free sex :0
I had my iud for 3 years and I really liked it the first two. I bled for the first month after it was in, but after that no periods. I started getting really bad uti's and bacterial infections the last year and also started experiencing sharp pains during sex. I really didn't think about it being caused by my iud, I loved not having a period or having to worry about getting pregnant. I went to my gyno and had an ultrasound to make sure it was in place and everything was fine, but I wanted it out anyways bc I was tired of keeping infection. the office procedure to have it taken out wasn't bad, but my dr couldn't reach it(i could never feel my string but had ultrasounds every year to make sure it was in place). I ended up having surgery oct 8th to have it removed. they put me to sleep and dialated my cervix to take it out. there wasn't much pain and I have bled for the past four days. the bleeding wasn't heavy and has almost stopped. overall I liked it simply bc I always had horrible periods and it was nice not having one at all. the infections and uti's are something I never want to go through again! I wouldn't recommend it if u are sensitive down there! I'm about to start the Nuva ring and thinking about getting the arm implant if that doesn't work for me. I have 4 year old twins and don't want to go through that again anytime soon!
We are both healthcare providers for an extended family history of same. As we have with relative success and health for almost 2 decades, I hope my wife and I stick to holistic solutions, Natural Family Planning and chastity within our marriage (as guide lined by our Catholic faith).
Please delay decision to use this product until you meditate on all these posts and see if mine is on the side of the ballance that wins out. Best wishes.
i got the mirena in march of 08. and i havent had any problems with it but lately i have a weird feeling, just weird all over. i freak out really easiely so my first thought was o lord it got lost, but im paranoid and so afraid that im over reacting and i have had a huge appitite lately. it almost feels like im pregnent all over again.. im only 21 and already have a 2 year old. my boyfriend and i dont want another kid anytime soon,,,,.... any suggestions?
I am 53 yrs old and got a Mirena in May of 2008 to regulate my long lasting and infrequent periods. I was considered peri-menopausal too. The insertion was not painful just a little pinching. (to me anyway). The hardest part was getting over the frequent spotting in the beginning months but it did regulate my periods. My fiance told me on one occasion that he felt the string but a position change fixed that. After about 6 months my period stopped all together. I'm not sure if I am fully into menopause now or not but I am pain free. (no cramping, spotting or any other side effect of the Mirena). I would definitely get another one if I needed to. Each person's body reacts differently so I won't tell anyone to get it or not get it. Make your own decision from your own findings and research. That's what I did.
i've been using IUD COPPER for 2 1/2 years already..honestly i dont have any problems about this IUD copper,its pretty good to me well i always monitor the string almost everday..but then after reading all of the comments omg i feel very scared....
I had Mirena inserted February 2005 one month after the birth of my first child. I loved it. Everything about it. My periods subsided & everything seemed to be alright. Over the last couple years, I have had cysts on my ovaries appear and disappear. Apparently they are some kind of blood filled cysts that appear and shed sporatically, but it wasn't anything that I should be concerned with. So, I left it in. During all this time, I have occasional bloody discharge & ALWAYS have a white-ish membrane-ish discharge, that is sometimes as much as a tablespoon at a time when it sheds. A couple years ago, I started getting acne. BAD. So, I talked with my gyno about it & he prescribed me seasonique on top of my IUD, said that would help. Well, it didnt & I went to a dermatologist. The derm put me on a variety of of acne medications, and then finally went with Accutane. I used Accutane for 6 months & the acne came back. I just had it removed & am hoping this acne subsides. I'm 25 years old.
I've had my Mirena for almost 4years nows, after the birth of my 3rd son. I've had IUD's after every child however, this is the 1st time i've had one that gives off hormones and no period! I was very apprehensive from the start cause I didn't want any hormones which seem to always mess me up- Anyways, after the 6week 'bleed' I haven't had anymore periods- however I have been blessed with 15 extra pounds- I have very bad headaches, terrible acne (which went away for awhile, but has come back) and very bad mood swings. I have always been an advocate for the IUD- but not Mirena.. Last year, I was spotting alot after sex and went to see the ob-gyn and she said the string was left too long and it had harded around the base of my cervix and so everytime my husband and I had sex, it was rubbing against my cervix and causing the bleeding- so after some EXTREME torture where my OB actually had to reach inside my body with everything including a 12inch pair of scissor things, she finally grasped the string and was able to cut it down... However, I'm still having lots of cramping-very tender breasts and so much acne, that I would love to have the thing removed... the thing I'm struggling with, is that in the course of 4 years our family has lost our health care coverage (can't afford it) and I have no $ to see the doctor any more... praying we're able to get health coverage again soon to get it removed!
Wow!! I can't beleave all the bad response. I have been hurting so bad for about 6mths, that I can remember. I have been to the doctor 7 times in the last 4mths and going back tomorrow. I had a cat scan and a ultrasound. I had a cyst size between a lemmon and a golf ball. we shrunk that. The pain some times radiates down my right legg. They make me fill crazy.
Originally I had a okay experience with this. But now I am getting extreme bleeding for two weeks then no bleeding for months. Recently a had two attacks with cramping so bad I couldn't move, literally and vomitting because of the pain. I went in to get the stupid thing removed and my doc couldn't get it out, so after severe pain of trying to remove it, we found out it is embedded and now has to be surgicaly removed. Although I am not sure if this means thatI have to be cut into or if they can do it vaginally? Does anyone know?
i had my iud for a little less than a year.i loved it when i had it, but then my sister in law told me about her friend that had one and had horrible pain, she went to get it removed and they couldnt find it, she ended up having surgery and got it removed.well when i heard that i went and got mine removed, not only because of that but because i wanted another baby. well i we have been trying for 2 months and still nothing, i got pregnant very quickly with my son, so im hoping that the iud didnt make me sterial. well goodluck to all of you with it,but i wouldnt recomend it to anyone.
I recently got the Mirena (a few months ago)...I had extreme cramping after insertion and dizziness/throwing up and get the same extreme cramping often. I am bloated all the time and feel pregnant all the time. When inserted I had a 2 week period, then didnt have one for 40 days then started and had another 2 week spotting...after reading all the of comments I am contemplating removal for my own safety!
I have had the Mirena IUD for nearly 3 years.
I remember feeling cramping when it went in also. It was painfull, and the cramping lasted all day.
My periods stopped within 2 months of having it and I have spotting once a month but not every month ever since. About every 3 or 4 months I will feel cramps... I call them phantom cramps.
I had a copper IUD before this and bled so heavily that there were large clots in the blood, also my periods were 9 and 10 days long.
The Mirena has been a very good solution for me from a long uncomfortable cycle.
From what I have read here.. it sounds like if you are going to have a problem with this device it happens pretty quick after insertion.
My reccomendation is to be very wary in the beggining and don't take no for an answer from a doctor *over the phone* regarding any concerns you may have. It sounds like these events could have been prevented if folks are more firm in the conviction when something is wrong.
Just my 2 cents
I've had my mirena for about a year now, and it hasnt caused me any problems. At first it scared me, because of the discharge, but shortly after that went away. My periods have disappeared, and I'm actually losing weight. I love it, and can't feel it at all. It hurt getting it put in, but thats about it. If it were an option, I would do it all over again. I'd advise anyone to get one put in. They make you feel safe during intercourse, just make sure that there are no STD's present. =]
My OBGYN recommended the Mirena IUD to assist with a medical condition I have. I have 3 non-cancerous masses in the sun-mucousal lining of my uterus that were swelling and causing severe pain. The progesterone in the IUD had aleviated the pain and reduced the swelling that was caused by the masses, but now I have a more localized cramping and pain where I believe the IUD has attached itself.
I have been spotting since the insertion (about 2 months), but have noticed that the cramping and spotting becomes less and less. I also had bouts of diziness and what felt like elevated blood pressure. I have not experinced weight gain, in fact I have lost 10 pounds. I had a few freak breakouts and skin sensitivity, but that has also decreased in frequency.
My OB said it would take a few months for the side effects to even out. I am very hopeful that they will. My other alternantive to handling my condition is a hysterectome. I am only 28 years old and don't want to have my uterus removed. I am hoping that the side effects will lessen like my doctor said. From what I understand, most people experience some changes when the IUD is first inserted. Like any medical device or medication there are risks and potential side effects. I had a severe reaction th the estrogen in birth control, which is why my doctor recommended Mirena.
cgull8m says:
2 years ago
Another great hub, I will share this with my friend, is a must read. Thanks.