Menopause symptoms and conditions

I've had most of the side effects mentioned in these posts. But the biggest problem I've had is the massive mood swings I've had. I'm talking really bad temper tantrums. Has anyone else had this? My oestrogen level is sitting under 130 which is way below the normal 750 - 1400 level. I am only 35, but in a psudo menopause state. I tell you what, if I cannot conceive once this thing is removed, I will sue the pants off them! How can no one tell me that I could LOSE my ability to conceive if I use this? I used to have normal levels and now I'm menopausal? At 35? Do me a freaking favour. Take this thing off the market. NOW.

I have been using Mirena for 6 years now and I have been having all the same symptoms as many of you. Frightenly I also found another website about women just like us complaining about the same things we are complaining about but what is worse is that for many of them they were thrown into early menopause because of this IUD. One as young as 25 years old, I'm only 33 but I feel horrible ever since insertion. Tomorrow I am going to have a blood test done to see if that's what's happening to me, then I am having this thing taken out.

Here is the website: ******

For me, it has been about 10 years, I think, since I was on lupron. I got a shot every 3 months for almost 2 years. At the time, the Dr. told me that the Lupron was still in the experimental stages but they thought it would be beneficial for me to try. I had a mini lap done because of a softball sized cyst rupturing so she couldn't see anything in my abd with the regular lap. I was diagnosed with stage 4 endo and started not long after on the lupron. I do not envy any woman that has or is going through menopause because the mood swings and hot flashes that I remember, were aweful.
Since the end of my Lupron, many years ago, I have noticed a few things that I never really put in line with the shots, ex...severe headaches, bad memory loss (to the point that I sometimes cannot remember things I just did), joint and muscle pain.
For me, the Lupron was a God send for the endo, I was cleared after about a year and went back 2 years ago for another lap and that was clear of endo but I have bad adhesions.
Before all of this started, I was a very active person with horseback riding, clogging (a type of celtic dance), and a very dependable person. Things are getting worse for me and I am only 32 yrs. old.
This is one of those moments, I know there was a reason for me to write this but now after being so long from reading the other comments, I cannot remember what my point was. No need to delete this though.
If anyone knows of anything that I can do to help with the memory issues, please help me out. All kidding aside, I cannot remember to take the vitamins that are suppose to help me remember.

I am a 48 year old female with a-fib. I am not overweight...just started falling apart since now I am menopausal. I've been on Warfarin for 6 weeks. My INR has hardly moved. I'm now on 8 mg and have my INR test on Monday. I started at a 0.9. Now I'm at 1.20 and have been there for three weeks in spite of upping the warfarin. I've not changed my diet except to exclude greens and green tea when I began the therapy. Everything else is consistent.
I just started exercising again a week ago. Something I haven't done in five years since I lost my sister. I bought a Total Gym and enjoy it. It has helped me get some energy back, has helped alleviate some of the mental fog, and has lowered the incidence of anxiety attacks. (I've been getting anxiety lately...since the mental fog and memory lapses...that bothers me since I love to read and write and the mental fog seems to be taking the joy out of it now.) The reason I decided to start strength training again is because of the joint pain I have been experiencing lately. I didn't have it before warfarin. I do now. Only one joint, though. The strength training does help, but every once in awhile, that sharp pain comes back to visit. It's just a little less now.
I plan to tell the doctor that I have begun strength training again. Not just because it's good for me and my heart, but it seems to help with the side effects of menopause and warfarin...without adding another drug like an antidepressant.
Warfarin...I believe is a life saving drug. BUT, I have to do my part too.

BTW, if I didn't have triple thick hair, I would complain about hair loss. Right now, it's a non issue for me. Just saves money at the hair dresser.

I've had the Mirena for 4 and a half years with no period. Reading here I realize a lot of my issues are related to the Mirena. Now ironically I am cramping, spotting/bleeding, and breaking out like never in my life. My stomach is always swollen and everything I eat creates pain. I do plan to have it removed ASAP but wondering if that will open the flood gates after so long without a period. I should mention I am in Menopause and some of my friends don't have a period anymore. Could I be that lucky!
It was a struggle to insert the Mirena and wondering if it generally isn't horrific to remove. I'm coming back as a Man!

I'm 48 and got a Mirena put in last January at the suggestion of my doctor. I'd been having menstrual migraines and we thought that a steady dose of hormones might help with the dips and prevent my headaches. Well, it has helped some, as the headaches don't come every month anymore, however, I do still get them, so it hasn't really done what we hoped. Add to that my (growing!) list of symptoms and something has to be done. I am very active. I do Taekwondo 4x a week and was working out 5x a week this summer in preparation for my black belt test. You would think that I'd lose weight with the workouts I've done for the past 10 months, but no, my weight has increased over 10lbs! And it's not muscle, either: My breasts, waist, hips and thighs have all increased. I feel bloated, tired to the point of exhaustion even after 8 hours of sleep, and all of my joints are achy. The brain-fog has gotten so bad that I've had to go back on ADD meds to try to maintain my focus at work. I'd been doing my workouts for 3 years prior to getting the Mirena, and I never felt tired the way I feel it now! I'm seeing my doctor next month and this thing is out of here!

I've had Mirena since Jan. 2006. This is what's going on with me.

EXTREMELY bloated all the time, diagnosed as IBS. I’ve tried everything: herbs, teas, diet changes, prescription meds (currently on anti-depressant (for the IBS, not depression) and an anti-spasmatic pill), and non-prescription meds (currently taking beano before every meal and gas-x after the beano has not worked!)

Irritability

Tired all the time

Not motivated to do anything

Forgetful

Loss of concentration, I have the attention span of a 3 year old it seems!

Heart fluttering and dizziness like a panic attack. The doctor actually said it was panic attacks but I honestly don’t feel “panicked” when they happen.

Fluttering in abdomen as if there were a baby in there

Sometimes feel a pulling or stinging sensation in my uterus

Hubby can feel the strings and we think they are irritating his manhood

A lot of these symptoms seem like depression but all praise be to God, I have a wonderful life. I have the greatest husband and kids I could ever ask for. I love our life. I’m not unhappy at all. I didn’t consider that it may be the Mirena until my husband mentioned that he thought the strings were causing the irritation on his penis. I started googling Mirena to see if anyone else had this problem and came up with so many “other” symptoms of Mirena. I thought “WOW!! Maybe THAT’S my problem!” Maybe it’s time to make that appointment to get it out.

I am so glad I am not crazy and all alone. I've had my Mirena since January for perimenopause and was still getting my period every month until this month. No I have such cramping, joint pain I can barely walk and my lower back is killing me. I am scheduled for a hysterectomy this Wednesday, I CAN'T WAIT, I'll be done forever.

My experience with Mirena has been great! I previously had extremely heavy periods (we're talking soaking an overnight pad in an hour) and Mirena solved that problem--I have almost no period at all anymore. My five years just came up, and I had it replaced. Any "side effects" I've experienced I have attributed to perimenopause. I'm 42 years old, and early menopause runs in my family, so any minor weight gain around the middle, low libido, headaches, I attribute to that, since my doctor's office has confirmed low estrogen through blood work. I love Mirena and plan on continuing with it!

I never really thought I was having a problem with Lisinopril which I have been taking regularly for 6 months. I am a 54 yr old female and going through menopause. I thought the memory problems and tiredness was due to this, never associated it with the drug. I really do not have a cough, just a kinda post nasal drip that causes me to clear my throat often and I am stuffy a lot. Now after reading these post, I wonder! I will stop for a while and see what happens. I do not think I have a blood pressure problem yet but the doc said since my mom did and mine fluctuates (most times in his office) and menopause, I should take it. Will keep posting

Hi, I had Mirena inserted in Nov ,2007. At first , after the insertion, everything was great. Felt as though for once they had invented a new way of not getting prego! As time past completely stopped having my period for almost all of 2008. Concerned I went to my doctor and asked if this was normal. My doctor stated it was one of the side effects. Moved on to believe it was all so GREAT... Starting 2009 problems began appearing, such as, extreme back pain, cramps that would make me almost faint at work. My co-workers were always making sure i felt ok. Began to have acne in which i've never had in my life not only in my face, but also in my buttchecks. Went to dermatologist and got all sorts of prescription drugs for it.... asking myself if acne in my rear end was something common and again i never has this before, my hair was very thick and now i spend almost every other Saturday unclogging my tub due to my hair loss and im only 23 yrs old. Since the birth of my daughter , i have gained 45lbs . I got a gym member ship and began to workout 4 to 5 days a week, and began to change my eating habits since feb 2009. So far i've only lost 5lbs. And talk about depression and anxiety attacks. CRAZY, i fell so alone some days and extremely nervous almost every day. Went to two months ago to my doctor and ask to take it out, she asked me why i wanted to do such a thing? After explaining all my systems, she stated i have a early stage of menopause, i said, Menopause at age 23 ? No way.... I reschedule an appt with another doctor to have it removed.... Hopefully it all goes away! I fell bad recommending it to my friends just to find out one of them currently has cysts because of this.

My name is Stephanie and I had the Mirena IUD inserted in 12/2004, about a year after I had my daughter. I had some cramping in the first few months following it's insertion. My periods slowly lightened over my first year and now I haven't had a period since. I will spot every once in a long while for about a day. I have lite acne problems but nothing that can't be handled with washing my face before I go to bed at night. I didn't not experience any weight gain while using the IUD. I think women forget to change their eating habits after the baby is born. YOUR NOT PREGNANT ANYMORE! I love this contraceptive and plan on using it again. Mood swings maybe but I'm a woman that comes with the territory. Anyway, if you are thinking about using this IUD don't listen to only the complaints, this is a good contraceptive it's just not for everyone but that's with any contraceptive on the market. Be smart research all contraceptives, find what your body can handle.

I have had Mirena for 18 months now. I love it. I have had no side effects that you all are describing. I have 4 friends that switched and all love it and only one had to have a follow up to have the strings shortened.

As far as the weight gain, ladies, let’s be honest. We are not 18 anymore and as we get older it is only going to become more difficult to keep weight off. Blaming it on a B/C....lets think about that last chocolate bar we ate because we were busy carting the kids off to a sports practice HMMM....
With any drug comes side effects, headaches, nausea, and some other terribly worse, but lets again be honest, all of these were pointed out in the literature available.

I just thought I would take the time to write my support as this does work and work well for some women, just not all, same as any other form of B/C.

I had my Mirena removed 3 weeks ago and I feel SO much better. No more mood swings,depression or anxiety or cramping. The doctor said that my mood swings had nothing to do with the Mirena, that I must be starting early menopause. I don't think so. I bled heavily for 2 weeks after it was removed. Which I'm not sure if that was a period or not? Now I just need to work on loosing the 15 pounds I gained!

I had my Mirena removed in May 2009 after two years. I am 49 years old with three children. After insertion, which was very painful, I began to have mood swings and then settled into depression. It was a very dark period for about a year. I also lost my sex drive completely. My gyno said no it wasn't the IUD-just menopause approaching. I felt lethargic and bloated even though I run 3-4 times a week and eat healthy. I saw this site and made the appointment for removal that day. Within a few weeks I felt better and now four months later I am my "happy" self again. I have energy, my sex drive has returned and I am able to function and look forward to each day. I am mad at myself for not researching Mirena more thoroughly. I would not have used it had I known that it released levonorgestrel continually. I feel like I lost a year or so of my life. You will never convince me that the IUD did not cause all of my symptoms.

I had a Mirena IUD placed at my follow up appointment after my second child in November of 2004. I feel that I have had excellent results from this form of birth control. The strings disappeared after I had it in for about a year. They had to do a few sono's to see if it was still in place. It was but I had developed an ovarian cyst that didn't go away. I ended up getting it surgically removed and found out that this is a side effect of Mirena. the cyst caused me no pain and the only reason I knew it was there is because of the sono's. I will not have surgery again unless it is highly recommended by my doctor. I just had a new one placed this month. It was more painful to place than I remembered it being. The cramping lasted for almost 24 hours. I have had no periods since before my youngest son was born....he's 5 now. I have had it for so long I don't know if the problems that I have are related to Mirena. I am obese. I have been obese my entire adult life so that is nothing new. I do have a hard time losing weight but I don't believe it has anything to do with Mirena. My hair is thicker since starting Mirena. I do have some skin problems but most of them have been with me for more than 10 years (seborrheic dermatitis and rosacea). I have a history of depression...so nothing new there. I have varicose veins...a result of my obesity, heredity, and working on my feet all the time w/o support hose. I am 34 years old, married, and do not plan to have any more children. I plan to continue using Mirena until menopause. I am EXTREMELY SATISFIED with Mirena and I am sorry for those of you that are having problems with it. I hope you find a method of birth control that works for you. Sexual freedom is a nice thing for a woman to have.

Btwn, ladies - what is it called when you no longer get your period and your progesterone levels ( in your bloodstream) are low ( because your body no longer circulates progesterone as it it generated locally in your uterus. ) ? Let me tell you it's called MENOPAUSE! I think a lot of what we have experienced are symptoms of a very abrupt menopause.

I'm having facial flushing, I'm 33 years old and not close to menopause but I get extreme migraines that last 3 to 4 days and bad facial flushing and sweating. I have had the Mirena in for a little over two years.

I had mirena put in in Oct 08. My symptoms are: dizziness, sweating, nausea, (these symptoms can be mild and brief (seconds); or last a few minutes. I had severe dizziness in May and June of 2009. I also get acne on my shoulders, neck, face, and my T zone is very oily (especially my forehead). I am using good acne products to try to combat this problem, but I continue to have a problem. Some of my acne is like welts and I even have this going on on my scalp. I wrecked my car in December 2008. At that time I was very foggy headed. I blamed the foggy headedness on being stressed and overworked. I am 40 years old. My children are 10 and 13, therefore I know my symptoms are not post pregnancy. Today, I questioned if I wasn't going through early menopause. My doctor said this mirena would be wonderful and that after six months I would not have a period anymore. I have a period every two weeks. My periods are very light, but I still have them every two weeks, and they last for two weeks. I have been wondering if my body will adjust, and if I will eventually get to this heavenly place of now periods and bliss?

I just had a baby about 8 weeks ago and started nuvaring and have only been on it for 2 days and i am already feeling nausea, headaches and severe cramps. i took it out and felt a relief of pressure immediately. i don't know if it is just because i just had a baby but it was not fun and i don't think i will use it again, it is not worth the effects you get from it.

I am deeply saddened to read all of these posts! I have a dear relative of mine who is suffering due to Lupron shots as you all are! Same symptoms same everything!

I did not know much of Lupron until she contacted me. My family knows that all my life I have struggled with health issues so they call on me for advice. It caused me to research Lupron for months. I am so glad it did, bc I was not aware that Lupron was so MUCH like Synarel was for me in my youth (I am 44 now).

I was prescribed this new unheard of Synarel for endo. It medical induced menopause-shrinking my uterus to the size of a walnut. I didn't care much about all that bc I was in pain w endo & cysts and was having way too many laps done. So I took this Synarel! You sniff 1 shot in 1 nostril am, and 1 shot in other nostril in pm. Suffice it to say that day built up and led me to 2002 where I had my oophorectomy-salpingo total hysterectomy.

I am in surgical menopause - and ladies so are you!! That is why all the terrible, terrible side effects! Losing hair, arthritis, hip fracture, hot flashes, insomnia, no libido, prolapse, etc. Just look at your mom, grandma, great grandma - you are experiencing their (age) symptoms. And doctor are saying that's a "normal" side effect of Lupron. Well of course it is your in Menopause!

THE GREAT NEWS is that there is help, answers, and health you just have to find it. I have been "finding" it since 2002 from all the resources I blog about and list on my blog (books, authors, doctors, pharmacies, websites, etc.). I am NOT a doctor just a woman who has been seeking answers to a life-long battle and who is FINALLY finding answers from those who have paved the way for me!

I would be honored if you would visit my blog and perhaps empower and arm yourself with the same information I have spent years researching!

I wish you all health, happiness and peace in these terribly difficult times you are going thru - there is light at the end of this tunnel - DON"T GIVE UP!

K.
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Where do I start? Extreme lower back pain, no Menstrual cycle since March 3 2008 even after being removed (no I have been tested for menopause). Throat closing up, nasal congestion, body going numb, chest pain, neck pain,sever fatigue, uncontrollable twitching the list goes on. I have been in and out of the hospital for a year and four months now till we finally figured out it was Mirena this has cost me a fortune in wages lost and hospital visits.Run don't walk from Mirena it is not worth losing your life over. I believe it almost cost me my life several times now. I even told my mother I didn't think I would be around much longer if this continued. The Doctors did not figure this ou\t but wether your a believer or not I will tell you with no shame we prayed for God to show us what was wrong and he did! I immediately had Mirena removed and that night my nasal congestion went away. The other symptoms are a little slower and I am still having spells now and then. The Doctor said it might stay in my symptom for a while and to be patient. I have had enough already run as fast as you can from this IUD!

I am taking the Metoprolol generic and have mixed reviews, although I don't think that any of my side effects are life treating. My greatest complaint is insomnia. Most nights I get 4-5 hours of sleep. I also have the itching(hives), and sometimes numbness in my arms. I do feel much better since starting on this med in May, and my blood pressure is normal after being sky high. I can live with the hives, the insomnia is irritating, and my menstrual cycle was horrid before, and is now worse, 8 days out of every 27. Hopefully menopause is coming soon. I am taking 1 25mg tablet twice daily. My BP was out of control before starting any meds, so I will live with the side effects. I haven't noticed any weight gain, actually lost 14 pounds since starting it, but that could be the results of a low fat, low cholesterol diet too.

I've been taking Quasense for about 5 months now in which I had changed from the nuva ring because it was beginning to cause abnormal pap smears but I had really loved the nuva ring. When I started Quasense, I basically had the same symptoms of the bleeding even after a month being on it, so much I bought a pregnancy test b/c my gyno kept telling me that it's normal to occur it that my body is just trying to regulate itself. I also am experiencing acne, in which when I was on NuvaRing my skin was beautiful! It has gotten a lot better with the breakthrough bleeding but gosh, look how long it took! I still have little to none spotting( the brownish stuff). The most serious side effect that I have noticed in this 5th month of taking it is that I have become real melancholy. So much that I've even had suicidal thoughts and I'm generally a happy go lucky person. If I feel like I've hurt someone's feelings, it's like I get so depressed! Usually I would feel like, okay, let me apologize and then life goes on, but I think Quasense makes me so sensitive that I dwell and dwell on small issues to where it's like the end of the world! I've never felt so down in my life and that's what made me think about researching the side effects of it, and I found this website. Also, after intercourse with my b/f , I have severe burning, in which I never experienced and I figured it was from the Quasense pill because I've noticed it makes me have vaginal dryness. I mean who wants that at age 33, I'm not ready for menopause yet! I'm considering switching to something else, I just don't want to have to go through crazy side effects to achieve the same goal. Thanx for creating this website, for now I know I'm not the only one experiencing these side effects.