Mirena (hormonal IUD) - Page 5

EmmaLD · 08-17-2009, 07:35 PM

Hello Ladies,

This is my first post on this site, but I'm hoping I'll get more joy from here compared to some of the other sites I've posted on.

On Wednesday last week I had Hysteroscopy, D&C and a Polypectomy procedures including the insertion of a Mirena Coil.

I returned to work today after taking a few days to recover, however by 10.00am I was in excrutiating pain. I work as a Legal Secretary so I'm sat for most of the day.

I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow (I hope, its very difficult to get an app).

I was wondering if any of you ladies can shed some light as to why all of a sudden sitting for a while is causing me so much pain, I was ok over the weekend however I spent most of it relaxing on my sofa.

I have PCOS, and from reading up on the Mirena Coil, the side effects are cysts on Ovaries, weight gain, and hirstuism.... just to name a few, all things which i struggle with already.

I'm not really dealing with all of this very well, I'm 23, married but with no children.

I'm so frightened that my weight is going to get even more out of control. My Doctor says before they can help with my weight loss I need to lose a stone in weight by myself.

I'm really at my wits end now....

HELP!!!

JoyannaWants2BaMommy · 08-19-2009, 02:35 PM

Emma i read where it can perforate the uterus. maybe that could have happend? def get to your dr.

i am still debating, i may just have to go back to condoms, what a bummer. my friend is getting mirena i will see how she does but she doesn't have pcos. i am really scared of these hormones, the pills effed me up so bad, i am thinking of just the copper ones. my friends sister has that one for her endometriosis. i am kinda bummed and scared.

jayjay5 · 08-22-2009, 09:42 PM

Emma I had exactly the same procedures as you about a month ago and for the first week, all was fine. Then I went back to work and the pain began.

It wasn’t too bad at first so my GP said it might be an infection and gave me some antibiotics and painkillers. Then I started bleeding very heavily (period?) the pain got worse and I could feel something digging into me. I went to an Emergency GP who checked it and insisted everything was fine - although he admitted he couldn’t see very well because of the bleeding. He gave me some story about how the bleeding makes the wires thicker and therefore you might feel them more. No, I didn’t believe him either, but had no choice but to go home. Gradually the pain got much worse and two days later when I went to the loo I could actually feel one of the wires hanging out, almost like a tampon string!

It was a Saturday so I hobbled to A&E (very painful to walk). They sent me to an Walk in Centre (a few miles away ) who said that there was no-one there who was qualified to help so I had to go all the way back to A&E. It was nearly seven hours before I was seen because I had to wait for the gynaecologist who was in surgery. It was a total nightmare - A&E waiting rooms are awful places, there was even a fight and I spent the whole time trying not to burst into tears. Anyway - it turns out that the Mirena had partially come out and was stuck so they removed it. The Dr I saw was so dismissive, almost as if it was my fault! I won’t be getting another Mirena after that experience.

Two weeks later and I’m still in pain but feel like I’m constantly whinging so don’t want to go back to the Drs!

StudentNurseGirl · 08-28-2009, 02:43 AM

I read all about the Mirena, and I got mine inserted this morning.
I highly recommend waiting for your period to come to get this IUD- especially if you haven't been pregnant! Because of my period being this week, they didn't have any problems getting the measuring thing or the inserter in- my cervix was dialated enough to begin with. The NP showed me dilator rods that she thought they might need to use- and they kind of made me shiver- cold looking metallic rods like short blunt knitting needles... - but they didn't need them at all! They used novocaine (or lidocaine? idk which... a '-caine', anyways) and injected my cervix, supposedly both to help with pain AND because it promotes stretching.

The cramping when they measured my uterus and when they inserted the mirena was pretty nasty, but then, i usually get NO cramps, so I didn't have anything to compare it to. Once the speculum was out and the clamp thing the NP used to hold my cervix still was gone... at least half of the cramping stopped immediately. I lay there for another two to four minutes, then sat up, and it was pretty much gone. I felt okay for most of the day- took another 3 ibuprofen early afternoon, and they seem to control cramping... and now it's almost midnight- i haven't had painkillers since 1:30pm, and I feel alright. I've had a couple of episodes of cramping a little, and feeling "off"... and I had a couple of times where I could feel a little twinge of a pain- in what felt like my cervix- perhaps from it being pinched with the clamp thing and poked and stretched- but it's all been quite tolerable, and as long as the thing stays inside my uterus where it belongs and my body puts up with it properly- I think this may work out well for me- it just depends on what happens in the future.

The nurse practitioner told me that in all of the people she's dealt with so far, most of those that disliked it, did so because they disliked the irregular bleeding, and extra cramping. However, she said that this usually goes away- though it can take up to 5-6 months for spotting and irregular periods, and the extra cramping to stop.

Heather in canada · 09-09-2009, 06:28 PM

Well this is month 5 for me with the mirena, and most of the origional issues that came about after the insertion are gone now. i do still have the abdominal pain that i have been having for about 2 years now and im still having pcos symptoms, but i didnt think the mirena was a fix all, i just wanted my bleeding to stop, and not have to remember to take bcp. i stopped spotting like i was before, in fact i havent had an actual period since getting it. im still a little bloated once in a while, not sure if mirena related but i didnt have these issues before. i am curious to see if after 8mnths i wont feel the bloated cramps, i like the idea of the iud, but i dont want to add to my already long list of ailments. but so far so good, nothing to terrible and nothing out of the ordinary. hope this is a bit helpful....

melsreturn · 09-11-2009, 12:30 PM

A few months ago, I thought I was going into perimenopause as I had many of the symptoms. I visited my gynecologist to see about getting on BHRT and having the Mirena removed. She asked if I planned on getting pregnant, I stated a definite "NO". She told me that the Mirena can mimick perimenopause symptoms and she felt certain that I did not need any bio identical hormone replacement therapy drugs. It was the Mirena that was causing the symptoms.

Due to having weight loss surgery, not wanting to become pregnant, and with my history of hormone problems, she said that Mirena was the best option for me. So, I took her at her word and finally the symptoms let up. I am not experiencing them any longer, they were temporary. But at least I found out the root of the problem and it eased my mind.

I don't have a very strong monthly period. Sometimes I don't even spot but other months, they just come for a few days. I don't know if anyone else is like this, but every three or four months, I have really bad depression, anxiety, and very moody. My boyfriend has scheduled it and knows when it is about to come. I hate it. He hates it. It's terrible...

Sara-Elizabeth · 09-27-2009, 02:26 PM

I just had my mirena inserted Friday, and as of today (Sunday morning) I have no cramps, and other than a little achy abdomen (not sure if it was insertion or DTD last night, sorry if TMI) I feel fine. I have not conceived or carried a child, so my doc gave my 200mg of Cytotel to help dilate and soften my cervix. I took that the night before and once it kicked in, it reminded me of my pre BCP period cramps, which were severe, but it didn't keep me from sleeping. The morning of, I took RX strength Aleeve (2 pills OTC stregnth) and the anti-anxiety med I take before any gyn exams. The manual dialation wasn't the most fun, but with a few deep yoga breaths, it was fine. Now the measuring process was the part that for me outright hurt, it felt like a punch to the gut, but it only lasted about 5 seconds. Insertion itself was a breeze, and I did cramp the rest of Friday, and had a couple of twinges Sat morning, but obviously felt OK by Sat Night (wink wink).

All in all, for a woman whose never given birth, it wasn't as bad as some of the stories I'd read...not a walk in the park, but not weeks of cramping, AF, nausea....

redgerbera · 10-03-2009, 11:09 PM

i too have no kids and i got a mirena inserted 5 month ago. i had a little bit of cramping,well i thought it was, turns out i have candida in my intestines...lol. periods have more or less stopped, use pantyliners 2-3 days a month if that.

merrygirl · 10-19-2009, 07:29 PM

been thinking about getting a mirena, actually have an appointment after my period is induced with provera. I havent had a period in 3 months.

I am really worried, but I suppose they could always take the thing out if it is a problem. I am kinda grossed out that they put it in when you have your period.

twinmom33 · 11-03-2009, 12:35 PM

Don't get Mirena, please. I had one inserted 10 weeks after my twin girls were born. I am on metformin which allowed me to get pregnant, and wanted to continue taking after they were born. I wanted something that was worry free. Then it all started. I had a difficult time at the end of my pregnancy and was on bedrest, and ended up with preeclampsia and HELLP symndrome. These issues made my recovery after pregnancy tough. I figured the symptoms I was feeling were just part of my recovery. This is how I feel. I am dizzy, horrible migranes, neck and back pain so bad I can't find a position that doesn't hurt, acne like I have never had before, hair loss, weight gain, and to top it all off no sex drive whatsoever. My hubby and I have had a very healthy sex drive before all of this. I couldn't understand why I was feeling like this. My twins are six months old, and I should be feeling better not worse. I decided to do a little research and many other women are feeling this was from Mirena. What I have read is that if you are sensitive to birth control pills you may have more of a chance of these problems. I am having mine removed in a week. Please consider your decision carefully. I have also read many women get along great with Mirena. I am one of those unfortunate women who has not.

merrygirl · 11-03-2009, 10:08 PM

Thanks for your advice. I did decide to get it placed. Mostly because Of my chronic illnesses. I am too sick to get pregnant and financially not in a great place. I was sick of not getting any period and wondering if 'I was perggers all the time. We used condoms but you know how that can go.

The placement was more embarrassing than anything. I got my placed during my cycle which grosses me out but whatever. I have had 2 babies already so I guess I was a good canidate. When the opened the cervix it was very painful for a few seconds. then they measure which didnt really hurt. when the mirena went in that was painful for a few seconds. I had to lie down for a few minutes, just felt a little woozy. cramps were significant for the day. still feel a little crampy and a few twinges of pain here or there. feel a little bloated. bleeding is light. so far I am happy with the experience, and if it gets better from here it is a good plan for me.

melissa

mhudson · 11-18-2009, 01:37 PM

Okay so I'm considering getting the Mirena IUD and thought I'd come to the best source of practical information I could think of...my Cysters!!!

After discussing my options with my doctor he suggested Mirena as a good option for me. He seems to think that because my periods are very sporadic now that with Mirena they will stop and he didn't seem to think I would have any problems with it because of the PCOS.

I do have PCOS symptoms but they aren't really excessive, nothing like what I've heard others describe so either mine are pretty mild or I'm just so used to them that it doesn't phase me now...lol.

Anyway, I"m wondering if there's any Cysters out there that don't typically have AF, and don't suffer from strong and ongoing PCOS symptoms...have you had Mirena and what was your experience?

The other options I'm considering...
BCP...I'm afraid I'll forget to take it and also concerned about the hormones making me crazy
DepoProvera...love the simplicity of it but I'm scared of the weight gain issue

I have an appointment tomorrow around noon and hoping to have made my decision by then!! Help??

StudentNurseGirl · 11-19-2009, 11:51 AM

From having read this whole thread before, and deciding on a Mirena of my own- there are some trends here that you might like to know.

People that had problems with mirena also tended to have had problems with birth control pills.

So, if you are worried about bcps "making you crazy", remember that mirena is also a hormonal contraceptive.

However- mirena releases a much smaller amount of progesterone than bcps, and it's released primarily locally, within the uterus itself.

I chose mirena, but I never had any side effects from my bcps when I used them.

I used to have no periods until i went on progesterone-only birth control pills, and then they became fairly regular- with a period every four to six weeks. Now that I am on mirena, well, I got it in the end of august, during my period, and then I had one almost exactly four weeks later in september, and then no period in october, and now I have my second period since I got the mirena.

Supposedly, around 20% of people who use mirena are amenorrheic by the end of their first year on mirena.