Family planning clinic symptoms and conditions

Hi ladies. I had my Mirena put in just under 6 months ago because of heavy long periods, day 21 Oestrogen test showed I was heading for perimenopausal. Suffered acne on and off over the years but looking back it was manageble. I have 4 kids, youngest is 2 and GP refused a COCP because of my age(40). Persuaded me that the Mirena was the answer to my prayers so went ahead. Despite 4 full term pgs and 2 mc's insertion was very very painful. Anyway, just had the damn thing removed last week, drove to another town's family planning clinic to get it out as couldn't get seen at my GPs for 2 weeks and was desperate and just had to get it out of me.

Side effects: Zilch sex drive, mood swings, hot temper, overly emotional/crying, fuzzy head, tiredness,poor self esteem, bloated, joint pain, aching all over, painful breasts, symptoms of UTI/Cystitis, and the worst for me acne. My skin has never been so horrible. My pores have responded to the androgen's by going mad, producing too much sebum, blocking pores, causing nasty papules, pustules and the off cyst like spot. I have been depressed, not wanted to face anyone, even felt suicidal at times.

Spoke to the doc at the FPC and she agreed it's not for everyone, says she has told the Obstetricians at the local hospital(UK) that they shouldn't be putting so many in! Got the impression she saw loads of women with probs from it. Said she could see it was totally wrong for me. The nurse was lovely, took it out and told me it had been a pleasure to remove it for me!

Came away to give my body a break and think about perhaps Yasmin but after reading about that think I will just go without. Will say my withdrawal bleed from Mirena has been awful, heavy with huge clots and has been going on for 7 days and has again become heavy today. However I would rather have heavy periods than all those horrid side effects. 1 week on and I think my skin is starting to improve as well.

Wish I had found this site 6 months ago. Your doctor will tell you to give iyt longer and let it settle, but if like me you are sensitive to the Androgens then get it out!

I have been on Yasmin for around 5 months now and am absolutely fine for the three weeks of taking the pills, however as soon as i stop taking them on the pill free week i become extremely aggressive and emotional. I cry all the time and feel so depressed and angry. I feel myself become furious over the littlest things. I have also begun to have panic attacks over small things and have become scared of everything. Has anyone else experienced this?

I don't know where to begin; I have a text box in front of me that says "add a new side effect of the Mirena" but all I see are the same side effects over and over. That, in itself, speakes volumes. As for myself, it's been depression, weight gain, exhaustion and yet unable to sleep, pain down to my knees - of course all of these symptoms can be explained by everything else in the world - who, these days doesn't have money problems, stress, employment fragility, etc.? But I know myself, and this is wrong.

I had mine put in March 2009 and after a month I told my doctor I wanted it out. She said I didn't give it enough time (apparently six months is the magic number).

It's now been three months and getting out of bed is an act of heroism for me. Sex is out of the question (well, we have given it a go a couple of times and he can indeed feel the strings, contrary to what I was told - perhaps it's because he's - er - oh, never mind.)

I bleed erratically and it stinks; if I hadn't lost my sex drive already I'd be put off just by that.

I got the thing not for birth control but for pain and bleeding (not that it makes a difference)- it has made the pain worse, so I don't understand why I'm so nervous about asking my doctor (tomorrow - Monday) to have it removed?

Has anyone had a rash or really bad itchy skin? Around mid body?

I had the mirena fitted 20 Nov 08, after an aborted attempt the month before (ny cervix had disappeared high up and doctor s didn't have stirrups so was referred to a family [planning clinic). Insertion wasn't as bad as i thought it would be, I find smears very uncomfortable so I was expecting a bad time.
It is now 5 months and in the last 2 months I've had at least 3 x 2 week periods and quite heavy. The first 3 months I either bleed or spotted everyday. in between bleeding episodes I appear to be suffering with constipation and piles (have been know to suffer form these anyway so can't decide if its all connected)

I haven't suffered with weight gain, but am on a diet and not really getting anywhere fast (or even slowly)

Tomorrow I am making an appointment to discuss these with my doctor, as it is affecting our sex life, and ruining many pairs of knickers.

On another note : I have a friend who thought the mirena was wonderful, but did have it removed due to weight gain.

I'm 42 and have 2 children. I had Mirena fitted end April 08 after a recommendation from a friend. A month later I noticed joint pain in my left thumb which over the weeks and months spread to all my fingers, then my hips and finally general stiffness all over. I was training for a 5K at the time and just put this down to post running achiness. I didn't initially connect this to Mirena, I just worried that I was showing signs of arthritis and went to see my GP. No mention of Mirena from her but she just did some tests to see if it could be viral or some form of rheumatism. All results came back negative which was a relief but nothing more was suggested as to why I was having these problems. (which for someone who rarely visits a doctor made me feel as if I was going mad and imagining things) It didn't improve - I was also getting palpitations from time to time so after googling mirena and joint pain I was surprised (and a bit relieved) to find many blogs about this problem, mainly in the US (I live in the UK). Went back to doctor at local family planning clinic who told me yes mirena could cause some arthritic symptoms but she was noticeably reluctant to concede that this was causing my problems. I was urged to keep the Mirena and see a rheumatologist first.

I got the distinct impression that the professionals I spoke to are going to extreme lengths not to say for certain that this device can cause serious and debilitating arthritic pain in many cases.

I have an appointment to see a rheumatologist and I decided to have the mirena removed 5 days ago. I'm hoping the joint pain will go. But am worried this IUS may have triggered something in my system that may not go away.

Crikey - I've been thinking about taking the NuvuRing on advice from the Family Planning Clinic. Thank you for everyone for sharing their experiences. I definitely won't now! While most people probably have great experiences, there are countless examples of side effects listed below that are too extreme to even risk having a good experience (blood clots, black outs, migraines, numbness, insomnia, lower sex drive, depression/suicidal thoughts, body swelling, painful sex/sexual organs, candida, weight gain and the list goes on and on). It's incredible that this is on the market and has gotten through the testing stages.

I took the pill for about a decade and went off it three years ago, mostly because I was over taking something every day and felt I was gaining a bit of weight and had a slightly lower sex drive. After going off it, sex changed (slightly elevated sex drive and easier organsms but less intense) but no change to weight (damn those extra three kilos!). I did lose the horrible brown pigmentation stain on my forehead (which was my initial only conern with the NuvaRing can you believe!) and my skin has remained clear. I have been much more sensitive to thrush/candida though since going off the pill, which my Dr said was due to changed hormonal levels due to such a prolonged time on the pill (10 yrs).

Since '05, I've been using a diaphram which has been fine. It's annoying to have to stop for that 60 seconds and put it in before sex, but I've had no major problems with vaginal skin irritations (very minor) and can feel it slightly during sex, but no where near the extent of condoms and the feeling is about 90%+ as good as without. Noting the issues raised on this site, I think I'll stick with the diaphram as I think I want to stay away from hormone options and the fiddliness before sex is a small price to pay by the sounds of things.

Sounds like the decision to take use the NuvaRing should be a carefully considered one.

I have had my Mirena out for around 2months and thought I should let others now the outcome. I experienced depression and an almost complete loss of libido. I have two young children who aren't great sleepers and we are renovating, so it took me 12months and reading discussions like these to consider that Mirena may have been a contributing factor. My local doctor dismissed the potential link between the two. The family planning clinic where I returned to have it removed did not dismiss my suggestion and immediately removed it. I felt better within a week! I didn't feel like a big fat blimp even though my weight hadn't changed and my libido returned. I have stopped taking all medications and feel fantastic. I have always had problems with the hormones in the pill and Mirena was no different regardless of the low dosage. Good luck in working out what works for you.

Its crazy how the nurses tell you its all in your head. I dont understand this at all. I had a coil for about ayear and a half and have just had it out. I wanted it out before but was talked out of it by the nurse at the family planning clinic. What I really dont get is that on the information booklet that comes with the coil it says that there are side effects, much the same as individuals on here have experienced, but the nurses/doctors deny it?!?
Something needs to be done!!!

After hving had this thing out for 10days now, my skin is still awful-but I tink it may get worse before it gets better, pain is gone, mood swings improving and sex drive almost immediately returned to normal. I am soooooo happy to have that bloody thing outta me! and condoms are not as bad as i thought they would be.

Will keep those of you who asked me to updated!
Cheers :D

I had my Mirena in for about a year and 9months and eventually went to get it taken out on wednesday- 17th Oct, cos of all the side effects- mostly mood swings and acne that never disappeared, despite being told it would. I have NEVER in my life had a spot on my back or chest until I got this put in. I thought, I have had enough and my boyfriend and I decided to just start using condoms because I have had it with hormonal contraceptives. They just dont agree with me, and many others it would seem. I never really put on weight with it, but my stomach is a lot more bloated than it used to be, unsure if it is cos its making me retain water. Whatevs, I feel fine at the moment, having now had it out, but not hugely different.

my period finished the day before I got it out, so I dont know when I'll be due another. I reckon it'll take a while for my hormones to balance out and get rid of the spots etc. So I'm not expecting a quick recovery. I am currently at Uni in edinburgh studying to be a Herbalist and I may see about taking some herbs to help speed up the process.

One thing before I go, I was really pissed off that the nurse in the family planning clinic more or less dismissed my sympthoms, saying it could'nt cause them. I was in no mod to argue, but bloody hell. They must be covering up for some reason or another, or maybe they just don't realise that it DOES cause side-effects and they are WRITTEN ON THE LEAFLET that you get when you get the thing inserted. D'oh.

Anyways, I will try and come back and let you know how it goes, how quickly my moods and spots get better, etc and if anyone wants to ask anything, feel free :D

I took Yasmin for only 10 days. In that time I

felt nauseous almost every day (each time i ate)

had constant terrible anxiety from day 2 on it. I could feel it in my chest the whole time

had constant breakdowns. I cried up to 30 times a day for no reason.

basically i wanted to die.

I have been on many different pills and never experienced any emotional side effects. I have no history of depression or anxiety.

I think this pill is dangerous and people need to know about it. When I went into a family planning clinic to tell them my predicament and ask them the best way to go off birth control after taking it for so many years, they said that Yasmin is not first line of birth control because of the side effects, but drug reps are hitting the advertising hard and doctors are not really educated about it.

The (non-biased, drug rep free) family planning clinic changed my pill mid cycle 2 get me off Yasmin. I cried once the day they changed it (over the whole situation i have been dealing with) and have felt totally calm since then. No nausea, no breakdowns, no anxiety.

I have posted warnings on other forums. Please spread the word about your experiences because I really feel the side effects are bad enough that they could end in a suicide for someone.

It is time that people recognize that drug companies are not honest and can really downplay the side effects.

-Rayann

I had been on Dianette for years for acne. When I went to the family planning clinic instead of my GP, the doctor there wanted me to come off it, saying it wasn't meant for long term use. She put me on Marvelon which was OK but I heard about Yasmin being good for acne so I decided to try that. Well, halfway through my 2nd pack, I started feeling so ill. I thought I was going to vomit but I couldn't. I decided to go and get an Implanon implant which I got done the other night even if it makes my acne worse. I have to finish my pack of Yasmin but today I still feel so nauseous and my head is sore. I had to go and lie down for a few hours. I am counting down the days (6) until I finish this pack and get off horrible Yasmin. No other pill has made me feel so ill. I felt so ill I thought I must be pregnant, but am am not. That is a relief but the nausea is awful!!! I will suffer acne over nausea any time. Any suggestions to get me through these last 6 days?!