15 months symptoms and conditions

I've had my Mirena out for nearly 2 weeks now, after 15 months of living with the side effects. I've posted before about fatigue, crankiness & irritability, low-grade depression, weight gain, poor sleep, headaches, etc -- same old story as everyone else -- that came on gradually over the months. I'm still SO grateful to this website for making it clear to me that this wasn't just typical exhaustion due to having 2 little kids (now 3yrs & 16mos) or post-natal depression. Anyway, getting the Mirena removed turned out to be an ordeal in itself -- the strings disappeared and the doctor couldn't see anything with a speculum, so I had to wait 3 weeks to get an ultrasound and it turned out to be in the right place (phew!). Then I had to wait nearly 2 months to have a hysteroscopy -- they dilate your cervix and poke a camera up inside your uterus so they can see where the coil is, then they can pull it out. The poking and prodding was a huge drag, uncomfortable but not excruciating. When they actually pulled it out it barely hurt at all. I was a bit sore for a day or two, like mild period pains but nothing serious.

So, here's the update so far: My sex drive came back the very next day after being completely gone for ages! That was such a nice feeling again, to actually want to be with my husband instead of just going along for the sake of the marriage! I haven't felt sick or achey in my joints since it came out either, and the headaches are pretty much gone after being a constant in my life. I'm sleeping easier, and generally feel healthy again -- such a relief! My energy levels are still really really low though; I sure hope they start to come back soon. I think it's going to take awhile since I'd pretty much stopped exercising due to feeling so ill and tired all the time. I'll have to build myself back up through eating better and getting back to the gym, so unfortunately I think the weight-gain and fatigue are going to take longer to 'cure'. But still, I'm so glad to have it out and know that whatever happens to my health now, at least it's not being caused by hormones that just don't belong there.

Hang in there everyone; and don't be afraid of the pain in having it removed.

I started taking NuvaRing after my son was born, 15 months ago. I loved the relief of not having to take a pill at the same time every day, I had a hard time remembering. I had no problem with the NuvaRing, I loved it! I don't have medical insurance, so i switched to a cheaper option. I had been rapidly losing my sex drive when I was on the NuvaRing, but i had just assumed that it was due to the lack of sleep from having a toddler. Within one week of taking the NuvaRing out, I had regained all of my sex drive. It has been AMAZING. I truly loved the NuvaRing, but this is a side effect that was just not worth the convenience of the NuvaRing.

I am a 52 year old female and my bad cholesterol is fine but my good cholesterol is low. I have been taking Lipitor now for a few years and have numb hands and feet to the elbows and knees. My feet are extremely sensitive, worse at night and now I'm getting sharp pains that feel like a bug just bit me. My tongue is also always numb and I do get migraines.I have insane stomach issues and food intolerance. I also take medication for high blood pressure, acid reflux, & thyroid. I have now been diagnosed with type 2 Diabetes but control that with diet so far. Until four years ago I had nothing wrong with me. I am slim and healthy. I had a lump in my thyroid which was removed and there was a trace of cancer. Then like dominos all the other conditions lined up. I have had MRIs and all the tests and doctors insist that I am not a severe enough diabetic to have neuropathy. I can hardly wear shoes now and it hurts when I wear runners while I walk and exercise. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone? I hate that my health has become so much a part of my daily life. Does anyone have neuropathy as a result of Lipitor and am I even taking the the right medication since I don't have high cholesterol?

Hi, I am a mother of 2, and not quite 23 years old and got the Mirena inserted at my 6 week check up after having my second. I read all the literature that the Dr. gave me and I was sure that Mirena was the right thing for me (no where in the brochures did I read anything about the symptoms Ive read about here or anywhere else on the internet). I started having incredibly horrible mood swings, bloating, fatigue, nausea (sooo bad, every day) back pain, neck pain, no sex drive (!!!), depressed, lazy, headaches (to the point where I thought my head was going to explode), constantly hungry, acne, smelled maple syrup constantly, complaining all the time about everything, weight gain (only 7 lbs but I just had a baby, I need to lose weight, and I'm nursing),chest pain, and some other symptoms but the most important one is the stomach pain i was having. The pain in my stomach felt like a knife, and I kept having pain in my right side. So after a few days of this pain I went to the dr. he ordered an ultrasound of my abdomen and I am scheduled to get that done Wednesday. My doctor thinks that I may have gallbladder disease or something else seriously wrong with me that we suspect is induced by the Mirena. Keep in mind that I've had this thing in me for about 4 months!!! So after my doctors appointment I typed into google "side effects from Mirena" and Omg, I wish that I had done that before I got the thing inserted, those brochures about the Mirena make it seem like a Godsend and I am all for a lawsuit due to the problems I am having and the depression Ive felt. My 3 year old has suffered from my mood swings, every time id feel it coming I had to make her go to her room :( that poor girl deserves to have a mother that is not so depressed and ill that she can actually play, and both of them deserve that really, and im doing the best I can.... anyways I removed it myself yesterday, i had a hard time finding it but I took it out and I feel as if a huge burden has been lifted, EXCEPT I have been cramping very bad, spotting and incredibly sick, i also read about this thing called "the mirena crash" no matter how long you've had it in, if the hormones were in your system then you are effected and can feel very ill from it (and it can happen to women who had no problems while on it at all, even after 5 yrs). Im hoping that I have nothing wrong at my doctors appt on Wednesday when I get the ultrasound, and it may just be a cyst, turns out that is a side effect of mirena as well, that and bleeding the first several months (oh yeah, I did for about 2 months maybe 10 weeks altogether) Im also hoping that my daughter whom I am nursing is not sick as well :/

oh and for anybody out there thinking that the only women gaining weight are fat to begin with, well I am usually 105 lbs, after my baby I weighed 145, lost some weight, went down to 130ish gained it all back then some, losing weight is easy for me because I diet and exercise like I should, now I am doing all that and nursing a child.... and hello weight, when it really should be goodbye... well goodbye mirena I WONT miss you!!!!

I've been on Yasmin since high school and have not suffered from any side effects since my fiance came back from Iraq. I went off of the pill while he was gone, but when he got home I started up again. Lately I've been so tired that I wake up at noon and around 3PM I'm so tired I have to take a nap. Also, I've always had an anemia problem, but now its just gotten worse. I get mad at the weirdest things and just start crying or feel like crying. Not to mention I have almost no sex drive. Which is weird since my fiance was in Iraq for 15 months; I should be wanting sex way more.

I had my Mirena inserted 15 months ago. The gynecologist felt that it will keep polyps away (as I just had one removed that was border case) instead of a hysterectomy.
I started to put weight on, my hair was always oily, I got palpitations,hot flushes,anxiety,depression,join pains and loss of concentration..
Worse of all is that my blood pressure went mad. Despite two very strong blood control tablets I could not get it down. I got pains in the side of my face and thought I was having a stroke.
I mentioned this to my physician who thought I was crazy as I was on such strong medication. mes cape town
After I was rejected twice by the gym I went to another doctor who agreed with me that this was all caused by the Mirena. I told him to remove it immediately and it was the best thing I could have done!
I just want to warn ladies to first investigate the product before having it inserted.

Has anyone experienced muscle loss of the heart since they are on vytorin? In 15 months on Vytorin my heart ejection fracture went from 48 to 30.

I haven't lost 1 pound since I had my son 15 months ago and he weighed 6 pounds and I haven't even lost that. I haven't had any sex drive at all. I am soooo much bigger than I ever was before, it's outrageous, and i'm surprised that my dr. told me that weight loss was not a symptom, but we all know it is. Also, I haven't had a period since i got it put it, and i'm not really complaining about that but I think that has something to do with not being able to lose any weight no matter how hard I try.

I've had Mirena for 14 months and have an appointment to have it removed in 2 weeks!! I've had constant back pain, depression which they kept telling me was PPD, anxiety attacks, my arms and hands tingle every night now, im super moody, my sex drive is a standstill, im tired all the time, and the stomach pains are ridiculous. Theres times i still swear i feel a baby kicking! I was losing weight just fine until i had this monster inserted and now ive gained!!! I linked all of this to mirena about a year ago but nobody but my husband believed me! My gyn flat out refused to take it out that it was all in my head! I now have an appt with the GYN i saw before..he might be further away but he at least believes me!!

For me, mostly, Yaz has been heaven sent. I had a horrible case of PMDD and it is much more manageable now. My only complaint is that after 15 months of being on Yaz, I have been bleeding now for 17 days with no end in sight. This bleeding started mid-pack and is much more severe within a couple of hours of taking a pill. Anyone else experience this?

I was on Januvia for 15 months, along with Metformin and medications for my heart. I have had a skin rash on my face since I started taking Januvia. I did not make the connection between the Januvia and the rash.I stopped taking the Januvia in Feb. 2009 after I was told that the Januvia may have been the cause (or helped to promote) my prostrate cancer. In March 2009 I had my prostrate removed. It has been approx. 2.5 months since I stopped taking the Januvia. My Internist agreed that I needed to stop taking Januvia immediately. I believe that my rash, which I still have, was also because of the Januvia.

I currently have Mirena in and have for about 7 months now. I have severe cramping, lack of memory no sex drive whatsoever, depression, i look like im prego again and i get really really bad anger moods. could this be all Mirena? or just after effects of being a mother? I had my first in the beginning of 2008, she is now 15 months old. I don't know what else i could use for a birth control. i am very forgetful and i don't think i could remember a pill everyday. im debating whether or not to take it out. i just want to feel like myself again. it would be nice!

Have been on simvastatin on and off for 15 months now. First of all 10mg came off for a while - cholesterol level up to 7.6 again so was put on 40mg. Very nauseous and came off the 40mg. Went back on to 10mg in Nov. and since then no nausea at all. At present I am getting terrible pain when laying down in my right leg from my hip into my buttock right down to my foot. It is similar to cramp in leg but it lasts sometimes for a couple of hours. Cramp usually disappears in a few minutes but it is the same sort of sensation. Also needle-like pains in my hand and foot. Above symptoms only since going onto Simvastatin. Would be interested in any others have these symptoms too. Trouble is damned if you take them and damned if you dont. Current research does show however that there is no benefit to women over 60 taking these wretched pills - everybody reading this should try and get or borrow the book by Dr Malcolm Kendrick entitled The Great Cholesterol Con (Dundee UK GP) written in 2008 who also is of this opinion. I am not advising not to take Simvastatin but please do research and read this book and reach your own decisions.

I was on Nuvaring for 3 years. During those 3 years I developed the following symptoms that at the time I just blamed on old age, being in my upper 30's.

Asthma like symptoms--After my breathing problems got progressively worse over the last year on Nuvaring, I went to a pulmonologist. I'm a non-smoker that couldn't even walk up one flight of stairs without loosing my breath. I had tests, MRIs and CT Scans. They couldn't find anything that would cause my breathing problems. I tried Advair and inhalers. No medications helped. The Dr. decided to take me off Nuvaring just to see what would happen with my breathing. After quitting Nuvaring, my breathing is back to normal. I can exercise and walk up steps again without feeling like I'm fighting for air.

Arthitis like symptoms--pains in my hands, knees, waist. I never did go to the Dr. for these symptoms, simply because the symptoms went away after quitting Nuvaring. Some days I couldn't even sit still because of the hip/pelvis joint pain. I thought I had carpal tunnel because I couldn't even grasp a cup or throw a dart.

Hair loss--I had some thick hair before Nuvaring. The only thing I can blame my hair loss on is Nuvaring.

I've been off of Nuvaring for 15 months now. Yes, it's convenient and affordable. But you can't put a price on a healthy life!

I had mirena put in October 2008, A total of 17 months. I am a 31 yr. old mother of 4. And I have experienced many side effects. First, of all the non stop bleeding for the first 15 months I bleed over half the month. And my periods prior to this was always short 3 days at the most. Now I would bleed 15 or 16 days at a time. I suffered hair loss, it has fell out in patches is some spots. But, luckily for me I have very thick hair so other people wont notice. But, I know its there. I have also gained weight about 20 pounds. I have lower back pains shooting pains in my lower back, I have had blurry vision at times. And that funny fluttering feeling in my stomach like a baby kicking, tenderness in my breast. But I will say that the bleeding is what that bothered me the most. I have had the brown discharge, the funny odor. But now after 17 months the bleeding has slowed down a little but its a very bright red color which is so weird. Looks like you just cut yourself, not like period blood. I have also experienced depression, and emotional rollercosters from happy to mad to excited to sad in 0 - 60 seconds flat. I was not like this before I had this inserted. Its just that I have 4 children and I went in to get a tubal ligation and i let my obgyn talk me out of it because my uterus is retroverted and supposedly I would have a greater risk of having a tubal done with complications. And she talked me in to this Mirena Now, I am second guessing myself. My breast hurt like Im still pregnant. But, I have problems with the patch, the pills so its like is there any bc that will work for me. And don't want to remove this without some other plan ready. I do not want to have any more children. But I am seriously contemplating TAKING THIS DAMN THING OUT!

I really don’t like birth control, and that includes the nuvaring. After my son was born 15 months ago, I was on the depo shot. I did not have horrible side effects, besides having no sex drive. I decided to change to the Nuvaring because a friend recommended it.
I really don’t like it. I still have no sex drive and now it burns, so I feel like I have to force myself to have sex with my husband, which is not fare to him.
I have also had horrible acne. My skin has always been sensitive, but this is ridiculous. The last time I saw my mom she asked why my face was so broken out. That is not something you want to deal with when you are 27 years old.
I also have an extra 10 pounds I can’t shake. I work out 3 to 4 times a week and I eat fairly healthy, but I just can’t shake the weight. I had a few pound I could not shake after the birth of my son. Around the time I started using the nuvaring, I joined a Gym thinking I could loose the weight, but it is just not happening.
I have also found it very uncomfortable. It is constantly falling out and I have to push it back in every time I use the bathroom. I have had problems with irritation and itching and I have problems with bladder control. I have problems with leaking. The week I have it out during my period, the problem goes away. I have not seen anyone else with this problem. Is it just me?
I am also very tired. I had some tests done to make sure everything is ok and they all came back fine. I just figured maybe it is because my son does not always sleep through the night, but even when he does and I have plenty of sleep, I still feel exhausted.
I also feel a change in my mood. Sometimes my son does not sleep through the night and I have no patience with him. I get so frustrated when he cries and I feel like I just can’t handle it. This was not a problem when I was on the Depo shot.
I am still using the ring, but I think I am going to make an appointment to try something else. Not sure what, but there has to be something better. Right?????

I've had my mirena in for 4 years now..and can relate to some of the symptoms mentioned. It never occurred to me before that mirena may be the cause. I'm extremely exhausted all the time. I'm a mother of 3 and I maintain a very healthy lifestyle. I go to the gym at least 4 times a week and eat all the right foods. Instead of my workout leaving me refreshed(as should) it nearly takes everything out of me. The rest of the day is a total struggle. Its like ive used up all the energy available to me. I turned 33 less than 2 months ago. I taught of aerobics prior to the birth of my 4 year old son. I had my mirena inserted at my 6 wk checkup. I lost my motivation to continue my workout habits..yet still maintained an active lifestyle without the intensity until 6 months ago. I was 112 lbs @ 5'1 when I got pregnant with my son. I was 144lbs when I delivered. I was down to 120 at my 6 week checkup...and still haven't budge from there! (after the mirena). I'm bloated all the time. As others have said...looking like they're 3 months pregnant...thats me! I've also have swelling in my hands and feet randomly. (mostly my hands) My periods are light..spotting mostly and come approx every 3 weeks. My breast become extremely tender a week prior to. Sleeping is not a problem here...I'm practically out before my head hits the pillow. I often have trouble focusing and feel lightheaded. I also hope to have another child next year some time being that I am remarried and my husband doesn't have any children of his own. After reading some of these stories I'm wondering if that will be possible. In the past...my husband had often complained of feeling scaping during intercourse...yet hasn't felt it in quite some time. I wonder if that's good or bad? I hope I don't have to get mine surgically removed! I'm scared now! If anyone can relate to me...please comment.

Has anyone with hair loss/lack of regrowth seen improvement after having Mirena removed? I'd love to hear from woman that have had hair loss/regrowth problems (that wasn't due to post-pregnancy). This is my biggest complaint. I've always had very thick (annoyingly so hair) and now I look like a different person. My scalp shows everywhere, my hair is thin and I don't have any regrowth to even give me hope. I don't have a history of female hair loss in my family. I've had my IUD since August and my last baby was 2 years ago. My Dr. says it's stress...but wouldn't she be stressed too if she was balding at 35! I'm looking for any confirmation that the hair growth gets better. Other side effects include, ocular migraine (I thought I was having a stroke!) vision issues and new eye floaters and anxiety. I can live with most of these, but my hair loss is killing me! Any good news out there from those with a removal?
-Iwantmyhairback

Hi everyone, I just came upon all this yesterday and can't believe it! I have been thinking I am going crazy and have been going down a shame spiral! I have had the Mirena for about a year after the birth of my twins. When I first got the Mirena I really didn't seem to like it...I had weird bleeding, cramping, headaches but my doctor told me there were really no side effects except for the on and off again bleeding so I didn't think much of it. Soon, I started having heart palpitations and weird panicky feelings when I would be out places which I have never had before. I wrote it all off due to the rough twin pregnancy and moved on. Soon, I really started worrying something was wrong with me because of all these weird things, the headaches and heart palpitations and panicky feelings, also I started feeling foggy like I was walking around feeling out of it and sometimes a little dizzy or something just having weird head feelings. We always had in the back of our minds that it could be the Mirena but never really took action. Just for the past couple of months things have gotten much worse. Those panicky feelings really got worse and combined with anxiety and sad and crazy depression thoughts and feelings. I also have been feeling this weird nervousness.....even in my quietest moments of my day. This is so out of my normal character and I feel like I can't even remember what I used to feel like. I have been to my PCP who gave me medication for anxiety and have had a hard time adjusting because I just can't believe all of this craziness and I just keep thinking is the problem really my IUD? Then my mom came upon this because she just felt that me feeling this way is just to weird and I feel like I relate to all of your stories! I have truly been feeling like I am going crazy...and I have never felt this way before...ever. I called my doctor yesterday to talk with her and I am going to have this removed...although I am a little nervous about the after effects. I just keep thinking a year ago I was fine.. and now look at me...I am on anti-depressants...how did this happen?? I know that I have stress but there is no reason for me to be feeling this way. I would love to hear about anyone else who felt this way and got the IUD removed and how that went. I know that I probably won't feel better right away...but I am hoping with time I can forget all of this and move on.

I am a 37 year old Mom of 4 children. All were c-section babies. I had my tubes tied after the 4th child. She is now 2 years old. I went in to my OB/GYN complaining of uncontrollable bleeding and crazy heavy periods that lasted up to 14 days and left me feeling fatigued and miserable. I was given an extensive ultrasound. No abnormalities seen except for an elongated uterus. I was not a candidate for ablation, and they felt I was too "young" to consider a partial hysterectomy. So they pushed the MIRENA. I asked a million questions. I was only told how wonderful it is and that I should respond well to MIRENA. I used a contraceptive patch for my wedding and honeymoon, so that I wouldn't have my awful period through it. Then a week after the honeymoon was drug free. Then I had MIRENA inserted in surgery under anesthesia after a dnc. I bled for a month and a week straight. Then it slowed and stopped. I still had 10 day cycles for 5 months, not as heavy as before but not the light ones I read about either. This month I only had a three day cycle. As for all the symptoms, I truly thought it was stress... as I run my own business have a new husband and 4 children and am in a nasty custody battle over my first three kids with the ex husband. I've never experianced acne breakouts until MIRENA, I am so exhausted and never feel rested when I scrape myself off the mattress, and I have breakthrough bleeding after every time we have intercourse. I feel like I have pms daily and have been dieting with no results. I even went to my GP and tried a prescription weight loss drug to boost my weight watcher's efforts. I no longer have insurance to cover having it out, and can't afford the hysterectomy I actually need. I feel relieved that I am not the only one, but trapped by a doctor who should have listened to me when I told her I don't do well on hormone drugs and that I really just don't need my poor scarred and tired uterus any more.
Thanks for sharing.

I GOT MY MIRENA OUT TODAY:
I posted for the first time about 2 weeks ago when I found this site and made the connection that ALL those symptoms I had were from the Mirena.
It didn't hurt at all. My NEW doctor listened to what I had to say and she didn't argue, she popped that thing right out before I knew she did it. (I was there for my annual pap and she did not even charge me). I had told her all about it and all about these posts. I started gushing blood immediately! I asked her about that and she felt that it must have nicked my cervix on the way out but no, its a LOT of blood that just wont stop and there are a lot of clots with it. But I feel fine. Don't feel any different....yet. It was so worth it. I felt mental relief when it was OUT of my body. Now that I know it will actually work, I am starting my diet and exercise tomorrow to get this extra 20 off. I don't expect to see immediate results as I feel strongly that it will take quite a few months for my body to re adjust and for the hormones to level out again. Until that happens, Im sure I wont see a whole lot of change of any symptoms so I will be patient but diligent. I have warned my family that things might get a whole lot uglier before they get better due to the possible hormone crash. Having this taken it is akin to discontinuing depression meds cold turkey. There is no gradual decrease. It is just suddenly gone and that can really really mess with your body! Good luck to everyone. I will re-post periodically when I see changes. Just a reminder, I had mine in for 15 months.

I am 38 yrs and have had my Mirena for about 15 months. Since then I have gained almost 15 pounds. I called my OBGYN and spoke to his nurse and told her about my weight gain and she said that nobody has ever complained about it being a side effect. I also told her about my stomach bloating so bad I swear I look 6 months pregnant. I do no have a period AT ALL anymore but still have PMS. My breasts get so sore. I'm tired all the time, constant headaches, cramps everyday, wich is unusal for me because I've never had a problem with cramps, EVER! I also have a clear discharge but mine doesn't have an odor. It only does when I'm supposed to be on my period. It just smells like the normal odor from when you actually bleed but that goes away. Also I know not having a period to some is a god send but I would prefer to at least have a little bleeding(to get some relief if that makes any sense) Since I've had it placed the only time I could tell I was on my cycle was when I would wipe after using the bathroom and there would be a little blood. I haven't had to use a tampon since I 've had it placed 10/2007 and now I don't bleed at all. After the birth of my son 15 yrs ago I had a different IUD...the copper T and loved it. When your insurance doesn't pay for hardly any method of birth control, except for the pill(which I hate) and I'm getting older I think I will get this thing taken out and have my tubes tied. Thank you everyone for your comments. Now I know it isn't just all in my head.

Is anyone experiencing confusion, trouble thinking, trouble concentrating, decreased cognitive function, mental sluggishness, trouble solving problems or situations which require logical thinking and sequencing, and memory loss? Would love to hear from anyone experiencing any these symptoms and if so, how long were you on the drug.
Thanks!

I had my mirena coil fitted 7 months ago by choice after an early stage miscarriage in April-my second in 15 months.My husband and I decided that we would not go for another baby(we have 3 great kids aged 4-14)and the mirena was the obvious choice.I had previously had the mirena 9 years before with absolute success and only had it removed as it was 5 years old. I experienced all the usual early settling niggles(bleeding,bloating,tiredness etc)but for the last 6 weeks every time i visit the loo there are strandy brown blood clots (old blood)My first thoughts were that the mirena has moved but length of strings suggests not.I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this as i know i did not have this problem with my last mirena?

So basically this is my story.. I am 19 and have had severe asthma every\ since I can remember. I took prednisone up until I was 14, and from what I can remember I just stopped taking it around then. Then when I was about 18 I started up again because my asthma got worse. Between the time period of 14-18 I still had asthma, but started working out and became very active and healthy.I lost alot of weight had VERY THICK long hair. Then at 18 I got very sick and my doctor put me on prednisone knowing my asthma history. After being on it for a month my hair has become thin, I have gained weight, my face has rounded, my skin used to get tan very easily but now just flushes. I have headaches all the time, can't sleep at all during the night, then crash during the day. I am constantly depressed. I always have to pee. I can't be at the gym for more than 30 mins and then I just die im so tired. I can go on and on. I have tried so many time to get off but like I have read from the above comments,I become very sick and lazy I literally can't move. But what I need answers for, and what I was wondering, has anyone started to get hives/rash after coming off or being on prednisone. Every time I try to wean off of it I get them all over my legs!! NOTHING and I mean NOTHING makes them go away except when I start up prednisone again. My doctor thinks its okay and no other doctor can figure out why im getting these hives but its so obvious its from that because when I go back on it goes away. This is not a good medication to be on. I haven't seen hair loss as one of the major side effects but has that happened to anyone else. im praying to god i can wean of this drug if anyone knows anything pleaaaase let me knowwwwwww