Bear in mind symptoms and conditions

2 1/2 years ago I had my Mirena IUD place. I had the normal weight gain and steady bleeding which were side effects I was warned about. Sure enough after 2 months or so my weight returned to normal and the daily bleeding stopped. In fact I haven't had any periods since, which I was really please about b/c that was the reason for having the IUD in the first place. I have 4 children and my husband is fixed, but my periods were so heavy I had a hard time dealing with my iron levels, so the Mirena was recommended. I have raved about not having my period anymore and the freedom it has provided.

However, recently I have been suffering major anxiety, to the point I am currently off work for 4 weeks. I am a stock broker so everyone is convinced its market related. But all along I have said I don't have more or less anxiety if the market is up or down. I just feel as though I have almost in a car accident and my body is in a constant state of "fight or flight". I have been placed on heavy med's to try and correct my current imbalance. These med's are very powerful, for the past 6 days I have been asleep of 17 hours out of 24. Anything this strong is obviously pretty powerful. I have been discussing my current condition with friends and saying my instincts tell me something else is going on. I've been suspecting that something else in my environment could be contributing to my imbalance. So i have been looking into my IUD. My first signs of anxiety were 9 months after having it in, but I treated my anxiety with exercise and healthy living and got on with it. Today I found a website with many women with my exact symptoms:*****
As a mother I have learned to listen to my instincts, and at this very moment I am convinced that my Mirena IUD has over time created an imbalance which is responsible for my current poor health, and tomorrow i'm getting it taken out!

I only had my mirena for four days. I had it put in last Friday as the wonder cure for heavy, long and painful periods and I was very excited that my life was about to change for the better. (I do not need it for contraception as my husband has had a vasectomy). The moment I came off the gynae's table I had terrible lower back pain and immediate abdominal cramping. It hadn't helped that the strings had been left too long and the one that wasn't hanging out (!) was stabbing me internally. That was soon rectified early on Saturday morning after a sleepless night of severe cramping when the emergency clinic trimmed the strings for me. I felt immediately better as I was more mobile, but during the day I became aware of an odd, occasional, but familiar pain in my hands and feet. This developed into a constant pain (with occasional shooting pains) over the next few days. I had had these pains during both my pregnancies and they had been diagnosed then as carpal and tarsal tunnel syndrome. I also developed the severe "fanny ache" where it feels like your pelvic bone is going to split in two (another reminder of pregnant days) and sends shooting pains down the thighs. I had a permanent headache - sometimes manageable, sometimes unbearable (bear in mind that the whole time I was dosed to the max with nurofen too!). I was incredibly thirsty all the time, drinking gallons and gallons of water, I had a metallic taste in my mouth (same as when pregnant) and my saliva had become very thick. I think it was this that made me feel as if I had something stuck in my throat. I had bouts of nausea that were similar to morning sickness only more unpredictable than my pregnancy sickness - things like the dishwasher powder was OK but walking past the butchers was not! My boobs grew but were not tender, my waistline grew too - probably as a result of all the extra fluid that I was taking on. I felt thoroughly miserable - although whether that was just because I was feeling like crap dealing with all of that or whether it was a hormonal thing, I don't know. I did eat more but I do that when I'm miserable anyway! I went to see my GP Tuesday morning - he was very understanding and agreed with me that the phantom pregnancy symptoms were due to my body's response to the hormone. When I mentioned that my bleeding had changed and seemed to have become quite watery, he took a swab to check for infection (I don't think that there is/was one - results due later in the week). He suggested that I wait for the results to come back before making a decision. I thought about that for about an hour and took myself to the FPC and asked for it to be taken out. The doctor I spoke to there was unsympathetic, repeated all the side effects that are listed on the leaflet and steadfastly refused to acknowledge any of the ones I was telling him about. He said that the bleeding and the sore breasts would all settle down with time. I explained again that I was geared up to bleed for the next six months if that's what it took - that wasn't the issue, my breasts weren't sore and it was my pregnancy symptoms that were alarming me. He reluctantly agreed to remove it (in fact he was, in my opinion, extremely rude and dismissive once I had asked him), and spent the next few minutes banging on about what contraception I should now use. I referred him to my notes as I got off the table to dress. As quickly as it had come with its insertion, my lower back pain disappeared with its removal. I was astonished. The doctor didn't believe me. 24 hours later, I am still cramping and am still slightly swollen, still bleeding the watery blood but I have no hesitation that I have done the right thing for me in having it removed. My head is in the right place again and I will never complain about my periods again....

My son is 5 years old. He was put on Singulair in August following a case of pnemonia. He has asthma. I found it worked well since I was barely using inhalers anymore. His eczema was even getting better. So I was happy with the medication. He also seemed to be getting more agitated with us. At least three times a day he would have an outburst towards his brother or us, like he was going to punch or hit us. Then I would say "why are you mad at me" and he would say "I'm not mad, I'm frustrated" and then burst in tears. He was getting a lot of time outs. Then two months ago he started saying "this is not a good day" or "this is a sad day". I was wondering if singulair was to blame, but it wasn't until I heard concerns from other moms. I took him off it as an experiment and noticed the next day was without his outbursts. Then I just never gave him anymore...and I am relieved to say he is as "normal" as I remember him before Singulair!!! He also was unable to get to sleep easily on Singulair, sometimes 1, 2 and even three hours to get to sleep. Now he is out in 20 minutes if not less. I haven't talked to the Doctor yet. I have noticed his eczema is flaring up again and he has used his inhaler this week (although he has a cold). I think I can deal with that without Singulair and the problems I am suspicious come from it's use.

I am almost in tears finally knowing that I am not alone. I had the Mirena inserted in December 07. Over the past 16 months since then I have only had about 60-90 days (very few of them consecutive) bleeding/spotting free. I am cramping constantly at various intensity. At times, I wondered if I was somehow pregnant and having contractions because of the type of tightening I felt. I have been an emotional wreck as I see-sawed within minutes between congeniality and disgust. My sometime-y migraines happened all too frequently. My acne has increased exponentially. I gained 30 lbs! After each child I successfully managed to lose the weight yet maintain a modest, healthy few pounds extra as I embraced my motherly curves. Almost 4 years after my last child, I gained all of this weight during my Mirena saga. I have been living a nightmare!

I am 34 w/ 3 children (14,6,5). I thought this would be one less hassle for my already life. I have never felt so out of control of my health and well being as I have the past 16 months. I saw may doctor 4 times over the past year wondering what I should do. I took birth control pills for 3 months to control the spotting. I took estrogen for 2 weeks. He knew how much I wanted it to work and told me to wait it out if I could. I feel so betrayed. I kept asking him if this was normal. He told me that it would get better.

I can't lose a pound (30 occurring during the 15 hell-ish Mirena months). I am fatigued to the point of uselessness to my family. I am depressed and inexplicably anxious.

Thank you for sharing and letting me know I'm not crazy. I thought it was all in my head because I couldn't find any validation for my feelings. I have sneered and balked at the amount of trust and worthiness all too often placed on message boards, blogs, and websites. While I am still cynical, this site has renewed my faith and spirit in that each of your testimonies has resolved my indecision to have this shackle removed from my body.

I am overcome with so much emotion right now (possible Mirena related) that I am now speechless.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Had mine from early 2003 and gained 5 to 6 stones (14lb = 1 stone). All other three pregnancies I returned to normal weight, but after the last one, the weight piled on. I had no periods which was great, but could not sleep well, felt 'switched off ' often muddling up words and generally feeling on the outside looking in on situations. Had dry scalp, dry skin,stronger smell down below, and had terrible water retention. Had mine out just before Christmas, cant wait for hormones to get out my system. The Mirena coil has ruined the last four years of my life, was bloated with puffy face, huge breasts and stomach. May work for some, but was worst thing I've ever done... Good luck everyone, its terrible we are all going through this.

I WAS a very healty 45 year old. I walked/ran 3.5 miles a day and did weight training 3 x a week. Ate healthy. No medicines at all, never sick. Had a mild sinus infection and hot flashes followed by freezing that we thought might be from the sinus infection. Dr. gave me Levaquin. Within a couple of days, I felt like both of my hamstrings were pulled and could barely walk. Bear in mind, that I had not been excercizing due to work circumstances. I had a shaky feeling inside that you could sort of see in my fingers. Anxiety. Depression. Mild nausea. Fatigue. A month later, still having the hot flashes and freezing and worse than ever (seems like constant), doctor thought the sinus infection hadn't cleared up so he prescribed cipro - 15 days 500 mg along with a steroid. Everything got even worse. Rash on my hand/arm the first or second day that I blew off as from an ant bite. Nightmares the first 3 nights. Hot flashes often accompanied by racing heartbeat, sometimes slight chest pain if the hot flashes came one right after the other. As I write this I am dripping in sweat. Headache. Also, all my joints started, and continue to hurt. Knees, ankles, even fingers and toes. I've never had arthritis, but I imagine this is what it would feel like if you had it in your entire body. Also, I feel STARVING right AFTER I eat. A relative emailed me a scanned copy of her pharmacy's warnings for levaquin and it mentions hypoglycemia and lists many of these symptoms. (not the muscle ones)
My dr. is attributing most of it to 'anxiety' but I didn't have the anxiety until after the meds and the symptoms.
He did a host of bloodwork to rule out infection, lupus, hormone problems, thyroid, etc and they all came back normal.

THANKYOU

Just wanted to let you all know how much better I feel from reading your posts, I feel better knowing that I am not alone and not going mad, the anxiety is driving me up the wall but I now know that I will get better.
To the lady who said how anxiety makes her feel about her little girl, I understand I am the same and it is a shame because I cant even let the kids play normally I keep thinking they will have an accident, I have a little pool out and watch them like a hawk incase they drown bear in mind it is not even up to my sons knees and he has been going swimming for over two years now, well hopefully we will all get better soon.

Thankyou
Joanne.