Obgyn symptoms and conditions

I have been on Mirena since April 2009. At first I thought it was the only form of birth control that I could be on since every other form that I have tried caused me to have anxiety attacks. Recently I've been noticing that I get really dizzy, get frequent headaches, have a hard time focusing, "fly off the hinges" about anything. I also feel weak, have no energy, have muscles aches, and the worst part is I'm always tired & Im only 22 years old. I'm sick of feeling like this! I made an appointment with my OBGYN to get it removed because I believe that I may be allergic to all forms of birth control because of the hormones used in them. The office nurse told me that my OBGYN will probably try & put me on some other kind of birth control, or see how he feels about it being removed, but Im going to tell him I want it removed ASAP. All birth control causes me to have problems so the only form of birth control I plan on being on is a condom! At least I know I'm not allergic to latex. I hate Mirena & regret ever getting it! DO NOT USE!

I work for an OBGYN and I was getting samples of Ortho Tri Cyclene Lo, and had been on it for 2 years due to my cysts rupturing. Well Ortho went generic and we no longer carried it in the office and i was recommended to just try Loestrin before going to pay for an RX of my ortho. Well im in my 2nd week, and grant it i KNOW they say wait 3 months before you decide to switch but i CAN NOT take this any longer. Ortho gave me no problems, maybe cramps a few times out of the year, and with those, some heavy periods, which is normal for any pre-menopausal woman. Other than that it was great! No loestrin is almost giving me the same problems as Yaz did... yet Yaz was far worst, i am now experiencing moodiness, manic and depressive mood swings, uneasiness, nervousness, constipation, tiredness, and it really does not help that i am also in full time college while experiencing all of these side effects. I think the 35 dollars a month for ortho may just be well worth the price.

I have had the mirena for over a year and all of a sudden, I start to feel the side effects? I am nauseated, tired, bloated..... I FEEL PREGNANT! Taking a home pregnancy test tomorrow morning. I thought the whole idea of getting birth control was to well......BIRTH CONTROL. This is happening at a time that is impossible for me to be pregnant! Single mom with hopes and dreams of maybe living those dreams?! That is why I got on birth control and now maybe I chose a device that dosent work? Not right! I have an appt with my OB/GYN next week to check the placement and to see if I am in fact pregnant. I am 43 years old and so didn't plan on this.........

I have had Mirena since November 2006.(3 years) It was SOOO painful to have it put in, but I know it has to do a bit with the fact that I've never had a kid. I immediately had HORRIBLE cramps for hours and bled for about 4 weeks. Since then I have not had a period at all :) Now, I am 27 yrs old and have NO sex drive, ZERO! I hope that it is because of the Mirena, lol. I don't take any other meds at all. In 3 years I've probably packed on 15 pounds, but I can't say its because of Mirena. Me and my husband are ready for kids, so I'm gonna have it taken out in January. We'll see if it helps with the sex drive :) I haven't had any other side effects really.. overall, I would use it again, just be sure to take some pain meds before you have it put in, cuz that pain is like child birth said my OBGYN.

my insertion was so bad i literally almost kicked the doctor as an instant reaction and yelled a cuss word... i had a c section delivery so pain full doesn't even describe that pain it was unbearable.. but the cramping starting the moment after insertion to about a month ago was i think worse then the c section pain id be at work almost on the floor in a ball crying in pain and the doctor said take Tylenol it will go away and nevvvvver did... i still get random cramps and sharp pains

i never had bv until i was pregnant during the pregnancy i had it one time and thought it was gone... after i got the mirena put in ive have 4 cases of bv this is November., and 3 uti's.. i got the mirena in march i believe... that is not good for my body to be on antibiotics like that ... lately ive been having terrrrrible pain when i pee like above my pubic bone.. my first thought was a uti ... went to er hoping to get an antibiotic once again... blood urine ctscan everything was normal... er doctor said its probably my mirena and i should get it taken out... i called my obgyn and she insisted i keep it in and thats not the mirena giving me those pains!!! why are these doctors so against taking it out i mean i'll get on the pill i don't care i thought the mirena would be handy u know not worrying about missing a pilll!!! wellllll i wish would have never decided to get it in ive had painful sex , very emotional, pain in general, it terrible...

alssssso my boyfriend and i obviously do not use condoms bc the birth control... now we have to use them bc hes been having a burning sensation when he pees like so bad and painful to where his legs almost buckle ... he was talking to his best friend about it and he said hes experiencing the sammmmme thing and his girl is on mirena ... they've come to the conclusion theyyyy are having a reaction to the hormone released from the mirena and it makes complete sense i don't care condom or no condom it doesn't bother me... but its the fact ... he said he felt it at one point which the doctor said your boyfriend shouldn't feel a thing... sorry if thats tmi but while having sex i feel it bad and it ruins the mood for sex with me at least...

i didn't have a pd for roughly 3 months now its heavy and clotty... then the next day nothing then the next clotty again im soooooo sick of it thank god i stumbled across this sight in search if the reaction my man was having... but now i don't feel alone for all my problems ive been having!!!!

I wanted to give you all an update to my post from Oct 23. I went to my OBGYN and gave her my complaints. She's switching me to Lo Ovral, which has a higher dosage of hormones than Loestrin. Apparently the low hormonal dosage in Loestrin is causing the excessive bleeding.

Honestly, I don't know how I feel about putting more hormones into my body...

Hi everyone. I am so glad i found this website. I am 26 years old and i got my mirena put in October of 2007. A few months after getting it put in i noticed my hair was starting to fall out, i was real moody, hot flashes. So i went to my obgyn and he said it was my hormones so put me on birth control on top of the mirena, don't know what point of that was. But me and my husband were debating whether or not to get it taken out, because i am really bad at taking the pill but after reading everyone's stories on here yall have made up my mind for me. I'd rather get it taken out and see if my symptoms stop. The hair loss has bothered me the most. I went from having a head full of thick hair to having real thin hair, my husband was amazed at how much hair i have lost. When i wash my hair at night it just falls out like nothing, i have a big ball of hair in the tub. I even went and seen a dermatologist and he didn't know what was wrong! Calling my doctor tomorrow to make an appt. to get this taken out!

I started NuvaRing 3 weeks ago yesterday after having the Mirena IUD removed (kept in all 5 years). I removed it yesterday as planned. 1 week ago, I felt a terrible pain in my right side under my ribs. I started having very slight trouble breathing, pain when laughing or coughing, etc. I applied heat and the pain subsided over the weekend and I could breathe easily. On Monday, I decided it best to go to the doctor since I had trouble breathing, I didn't want to assume it was nothing. I went to a doc in the box (bad idea) and I was told that I had a swollen rib cage (the cartilage). I'm certain I was misdiagnosed because the dude didn't even do xrays, even after I explained that I had just started NuvaRing. I wanted them to be aware of everything. The doctor dismissed it.

On Tuesday night, I was in so much pain and my difficulty breathing was worsening that I cried myself to sleep. Wednesday I went to work and was in so much pain that I was in tears and headed to URGENT Care, as my primary care physician could not fit me in. They xrayed, ran a urinalysis, a CBC to check my white blood cells and found nothing except for a bit of what appeared to be constipation, though I have regular bowel movements. My white blood count was slightly elevated, but distributed normally. I was prescribed a laxative and Lortab for the pain, which was excruciating. The doctor told me to come back the next day (today) to retest my white blood count. It went down a tad, as I had taken the Nuvaring out yesterday evening. The doctor seemed puzzled, but gave me my CBC results and urinalysis just in case I developed a fever or an infection of some sort, but told me that she thinks I am having side effects from the NuvaRing. She asked me to not put it back in.

On a side note, I had called my OBGYN on Wednesday before I headed to Urgent Care and explained the situation and they advised me to remove the NuvaRing as well.

I'll have to bite the bullet and pop the daily bc, such as Ortho Lo.

I have had Mirena for over a year now. I have been battling hair loss thinking it was from stress. My Dr. put me on Prozac and recommended that I even use Rogaine. Never once did they lead me to believe it could be from the Mirena!! I felt like I was losing my mind. Bouts of rage, constant hair loss, acne, weight gain. I am meeting with my OBGYN on the 11th to discuss removal. I am hoping these side effects subside rather quickly. I just don't know if the hair will return

I have had Mirena for a little over a year now. I thought the hair loss was just from stress in my life so I have been on Prozac and using Rogaine to help with the hair loss - with no luck. Now after reading all of these posts, it makes sense that it is from the Mirena. I have had to horrific mood swings and bouts of rage, hair loss, weight gain and acne. I am scheduled to see my OBGYN for removal on the 11th. I am hoping that the hair loss will at least stop. My stress is from worrying about my hair loss, so I might even be able to come off the prozac and live a normal life. Please post if you have had your removed and the side effects subsided. Thanks!

I experienced severe chest pains and major mood swings...shortness of breath..12 days i was on it and when i called my obgyn - they said take the ring out and go to the ER. I immediately went to ER...I work at a hospital - so that got me in quicker..the ER doc did a cat scan, ekg, blood work and chest xray - thank god nothing showed up...This birth control was NOT for me and should be taken off the market.

I just had a mirena put in on Thursday, after the recommendation of the obgyn (she said she had one).
When I was asking my questions I was concerned about the acne, since I never really had it in my life and the possible headaches. BUT reading the above postings is not very encouraging: low libido, weight gain, mood swings. I will surely be back to post the results after a month.
Note: I have not had children, but since I was prone to severe pain/length of periods that is how mirena was suggested.
INSERTION was excruciating! "3 small cramps" was in fact pain that left me quivering and in shock. Doctor's need to be more transparent about the insertion process (especially if you have not had kids).
I will be back after my 4 week check up with the latest report. (and if need be, I will be assertive in the removal demand.)
Thank you so much, ladies.

I think that I finally figured out why I am so physically and mentally sick. I received the mirena almost 2 years ago and I was a true advocate of the product...I love it!! About 6 months ago I started to have panic attacks and anxiety (i have never experienced this before) it was so bad that I barely made it to work everyday and could no longer handle being out in public. My PCP placed me on different types of anti-depressants (which made me depressed). Currently I take Budeprion which has decreased my anxiety but I do not feel like myself. The past month and a half I wake up with the feeling of morning sickness (the numerous pregnancy test say that I am not), have headaches, low energy levels and little motivation. I was pretty sure that my hormones levels must be "off" but my PCP and OB insisted that there is no way that my symptoms have anything to do with my hormones because my child is almost 2 and I am 29 years old. I have gone through numerous tests, scans etc.to find the cause of why I feel so awful and all tests came back Fine. After reading the stories on this website I now know that I do not need anti-depressants and I am not going crazy...I just need to get the Mirena removed.

Your stories makes me feel much better. I've been battling with yeast infections on and off for the last five months. It's been scary and frustrating. Surprisingly I've been on NuvaRing for about 3 years and these symptoms have just begun to be a problem but they won't stop until the ring is out and my period starts. I've tried everything, I've changed soaps, changed to lube without parabens, stopped wearing cute underwear, started showering twice a day, and have used several types of over-the counter's. I've treated with so many over-the-counter creams for yeast infections that I'm getting concerned about what all that fungicide might do in the long run. They usually work but then the yeast infection will return. I think perhaps the NuvaRing may affect the chemistry inside the vagina making it more susceptible to yeast infections once one occurs. This has negatively affected my sex life with my fiance because sex stings and burns and I always get a yeast infection, I'd rather avoid it all together. I was going to go to the OBGYN and beg for Diflucan but from a previous post similar to my situation it may just be another temporary fix. I've never tried the pill but I'm going to switch this month and see if the yeast infections finally go away.

Hello, my name is E. I have been taking Yasmin for 4 years now. Every month the week before my period for exactly 3-5 days I would feel crazy. Like my moods would change fast and extremely emotional. That was fun. Well, now I am having problems with my heart for the last month and a half. I have an irregular heartbeat, high pulse rate, and high blood pressure. I have been to the cardiologist and have been wearing a heart monitor 24 hours a day until I can get my Stress/Echo test done. My mother was the one to tell me to call my OBGYN and ask about my birth control and if this could be contributing to the problem. I called the nurse today and researched the side effects and problems women have been facing with this drug and was shocked. Could it be what did this to my heart? The nurse called me back and told me to stop taking the Yasmin/Ocella. Until I find out the reason for my heart problems I will not be using any birth control options, except condoms. Then, I will find out the appropriate method to be used for me. After I find out the results of my heart problems, I will repost to let all of the women know what came of all this. Until then, take care. E. (32 years old)

Wow. I am not even close to being done reading everyone's comments on Loestrin, and I am already EXTREMELY P.O'ed and at the same time relieved, at the fact that I found this page. I am 18 years old, and I started on Tri-Cyclin Lo when I was 15. I loved it, and never had any problems with it what-so-ever. It even helped with my acne problems. But a few months ago, my insurance decided to stop covering birth control, so my OBGYN decided to put me on Loestrin 24 Fe, because with the card you only have to pay 24 tops a month. But anyway, I now realize that all of the hell that has been happening in the past 3-4 months is due to Loestrin Fe. And after reading all of your comments I am POSITIVE! My Boyfriend and me have been fighting all of the time, and I have just been getting upset for no reason. I thought that it was because things between my boyfriend and me just aren't the same, and that maybe we are just growing apart.. but after reading all of your comments, and taking some time to think about it... IT HAS TO BE THE B.C! Before I started this pill we got along all the time... And also, my sex drive has plummeted so fast and drastically, to the point where my sex drive is NON EXISTENT. It has been hurting our relationship on top of my mood swings, because our sex life is also NONEXISTENT.. and we live together! I used to want to have sex all of the time.. and I haven't honestly wanted to have sex (not even once!) for the past few months...since I started Loestrin!!! Additionally, my face has been breaking out before periods excruciatingly bad. It has seriously hurt my self esteem. I have always had some issues with acne, but it has gotten ridiculous. I even bought an expensive acne kit that is supposed to be number one in the country, and it still keeps getting worse! .. And lastly I have been putting on a lot of weight, even though I have been eating the same.. also hurting my self esteem. Today, my bf and I finally came to the conclusion that "hmmm.. it most definitely might be the birth control." ..so I decided to come online and check out the side effects. AND BOOM! I see tons and tons and tons of comments from Women of all ages with the same, horrifying side effects. I am going to stop this birth control immediately. If my insurance won't cover anything else, and I can't afford any others, I will just deal with my cramps and longer periods. I never thought I would say this in a million years, but I would RATHER deal with the horrible cramps and long periods, than have to deal with the bull s*** that Loestrin has put me through. If anyone has anymore insight, message me or reply! Thanks.

I started the NuvaRing on Oct 1 and felt a flu coming on Oct 5. Oct 6 I had a horrible headache and fever which has been between 99.3 and 100.5. On the 10th I awoke vomiting and developed a yeast infection. It just dawned on me it might be the ring. I googled and found this page. I'll see my general physician tomorrow, not the OBGYN who sold this on me when I complained about heavy periods. I'm using this not as a birth control but pre-men stabilizer. I'm thinking to yank it right now...?

I just turned 34 and I am a woman. I have struggled with mild asthma from early teens. I was always able to control my mild asthma with a rescue inhaler as my asthma was triggered primarily by cats/some dogs. However eventually that faded away and I was in control as long as I wasn't around cats. At age 31, I had my daughter (she is now 2 1/2), I rarely had asthma symptoms during my pregnancy and before. However about 1 week after my c-section I had to go to the ER because I couldn't breathe. They thought maybe I was having a pulmonary embolism from the previous c-section surgery. Fortunately I wasn't, but unfortunately for whatever reason, my asthma had been triggered (even if I wasn't around animals). My doctor put me on a Advair, another rescue inhaler, and ZPac. It helped right away.

I noticed a big difference in my ability to breathe. However 2 1/2 years later, I'm still on it. 250/50 once a day. I've tried going off of it several times but I'm unable to breathe. I don't want to be on a steroid long term, but I also have to be able to breathe after about 2 days being off of it. It's like gasping for every breathe. Not fun at all. The side effects I've had are hives to anything cold, itchy skin, stiffer feeling joints, occasional mouth sores, lots of phlegm (coughing up phlegm especially in the morning). I've never suffered from leg cramps or depression from Advair, in fact prior to having a child I was on Lexapro for anxiety and after being put on Advair my depression/anxiety has gone away. In fact, I've lost weight (30 Lbs) and am now down to the same size I was in college! I've asked two different doctors my OBGYN and Family Doctor if it's safe as we are planning for another child. They say yes. My OBGYN has said if I can't breathe I'm not going to be able to carry full-term. Which I guess makes sense. My Family Doctor said you can use Advair only as needed as it is not a bad drug to go off and on again (unlike antidepressants where you should never just stop them cold turkey). He said (he also suffers from asthma) that asthma can be triggered by stress (and my life has been extremely stressful over the last year).

Is there anyone who has had similar side-effects? Do you believe the benefit of Advair outweighs the negatives? I'm wondering if there is a better non-steroid drug that I can take that is SAFER for pregnancy and for my future. Open to suggestions...

I am 45 years old. I get the impression many of the ladies here are younger, as they speak of having younger children, so I will tell my side from a bit more "mature" (ie older!) perspective:

Had Mirena for a little over 9 months. My two MAIN side effects were a development of terrible cystic acne on my face, back, shoulders, hairline, behind my ears and straight down my spine, ending in a nice lovely rash just above my tailbone. These things were deep, solid knots under the skin, not average little pimples. Worse acne I've ever had, and at my age too!

Second, profuse sweating under my breasts and lower back, again just at my tailbone, right above my butt. After drying off from a shower, I'd run my hand back there and still feel soaked. This did not seem related to hot flashes. Just sweating, and I think that contributed to the acne, which was beginning to leave scars it was so deep.

I do feel like I gained weight, my pants were much tighter and I just felt bloated all the time.

Fortunately, no hair loss or emotional side effects. I've had anxiety for years and take Ativan (lorazepam) which keeps it pretty much under control. No loss of sex drive either. It seems there are a distinct set of side effects, and some get them in different combination than others, but we're ALL getting them one way or the other!

OBGYN said as the Mirena is only progesterone, I was missing the estrogen which were the 2 components of the pill I took for years with no trouble. He gave me a Rx for a low dose of estrogen. Now I am getting what I had in the pill in 2 separate forms, and having these awful side effects on top of it. It didn't help.

So I had Mirena removed 6 days ago. Luckily he found the strings, told me to cough, and pulled it out, no pain! I immediately went back on Alesse BC pill that same day, so no break in hormones, but I handled the BC pill fine all those years, so I"m just going back on it. Have been bleeding ever since removal, but I figure that is just my body "getting back at me" for not having periods for months. My first real one, due in about 3 weeks following the pill schedule will probably be the period from hell. Ok, I accept that. My uterus wants to get this poison toxic mess out of me, and I'm ok with that.

I'm crossing my fingers that I will miss the "crash" I've read so much about. As it seems to be mostly psychological, and I didn't have those side effects to begin with, maybe it won't be so bad, or at all. Of course that could just be wishful thinking on my part! So far, 6 days of having it out of me and I already feel 100% better! My face cleared up in a matter of days. The sweating stopped immediately. My pants are looser, although I still weigh the same. The bloated feeling is gone. I just feel thinner. Before, my profile in the mirror looked like I was 4 months pregnant! That too is going down quick. Good luck to all who have it removed. Things can only get better!

And don't let any doctor tell you you can't have it out! It's your body! You can demand whatever you want, especially if you feel like it is making you sick! Do not take no for an answer. You don't even owe them an explanation. Just a "Sorry, it's not for me..." at the most.

Good luck to all....

Wow, what a relief. Thank you all for your stories and experiences with Mirena. I had Mirena placed in May 2009 and like others was not warned about the "discomfort" of the placement. I am 45 and have never had a child and my cervix was understandably angry at the unwanted visitor. I am an athlete and I like to think my pain thresh hold is high, and I almost came off the table with the pain and cramping. I bled for almost a month straight, sometimes heavy. I was told this would subside and it did.

Now three months in I was talking with a nursing buddy of mine (yes I am a nurse, cardiac) and she was telling me of her experience with Mirena and hair loss and blurred vision and weight gain. I am beginning to understand my last few months. Allow me to share. I have gained 10lbs in the last two months and have severe hunger symptoms if I go over 5 hrs without food. My typically flat stomach is now round and I feel bloated all the time. (I have even taken some of my girlfriends diuretics) I have night sweats and a few weeks ago I almost ripped my husbands head off for just a small disagreement. I remember planning our divorce in my mind!! My nipples get so sensitive to touch at times it hurts to wear a bra. I could go on and on but I am convinces this little uterine invader is coming out this week. If my obgyn won't do it, I will find another.

Thank you ladies for sharing, this is how we learn. I will keep you updated

I am 24yrs old i've had my mirena for 3 1/2 years and for the past year i have had severe acne,weight gain, mood swings, depression and fluttering feeling. recently ive been nauseated and really tired. When the acne started i went to my obgyn and she put me on tetracycline, when i reported the weight gain she sent me for blood work and a thyroid scan. when i said i think its the birth control she said noooooooooooooooooo there is no weight gain with the mirena and said i should try a diet. Mood swings she suggested i was under stress and may be i should make an appointment to talk to someone. After reading all the blogs and post this thing has to come out NOW !!!

Since insertion I have felt lots of cramping- in between periods, severe cramping during periods, cramping after intercourse...but the most interesting symptom has been numb/tingling/warm feelings like blood isn't circulating properly through my legs - particularly my left one. It pretty much feels this way 100% of the time. This symptom started about two weeks after insertion but I didn't go back to my obgyn until my three month check-up because I was told that those feelings couldn't be related to Mirena. When my obgyn checked me out he felt the strings and said they were normally placed and everything with the iud felt fine and referred me to a chiropractor for the numb feelings. I have seen the chiropractor for four sessions and today is the fifth but I'm sure the feeling is not going to go away anytime soon because even he was surprised to know that his sessions weren't helping my leg feel any better. Also, today I have started to experience weird sharp pains in my hands (causing pain as I type this)....this is enough!!!! I am definitely scheduling an appt to take this thing out. My boyfriend has been begging me to because he is tired of my complaining.

I was on Femcon Fe for around a year. I didn't experience any negative side effects, it was easy to remember and quite effective. In May of 09 I started experiencing some weird symptoms (mind you, Ive been on this drug for almost a year by that point), my breasts were so tender it hurt to touch them, I was overly emotional, and exhausted all the time. I complained to my husband and my friends. They all joked and said "Uhoh sounds like youre pregnant". I already have one child and I figured I would KNOW if I were pregnant. Besides, I never missed a period. Never, not once. Finally, in July I broke down and made an appt with my OBGYN to discuss what was going on. My Dr. said she could almost guarantee that I wasn't pregnant and that it was a hormonal imbalance. Well, she got me a blood test and sure enough I was pregnant. 2 more blood tests down the road (because my HCG level was fluctuating strangely), they scheduled me for an ultrasound. Not only was I pregnant but I was 10 weeks pregnant! I will swear in a court of law that I never missed a period. If anything, my periods from May-July were heavier and lasted an average of 9 days. Junes period lasted almost 14 days.
Anyways, September 17th after a detailed 20 week level 2 ultrasound, my Perinatologist detected fetal birth defects. My baby has hydroureter and her left kidney is significantly malformed. The kidney will never improve and they can only monitor its function until birth and the bladder will have to be shunted immediately after birth to drain the excess fluids.
I will never EVER take another birth control pill...EVER. My daughters life will be forever altered due to Femcon. Ladies, beware.

I had my baby girl in March 2009. Six weeks later, after consulting with a good friend and my OBGYN, I had the Mirena put in. I have not had a period since before I was pregnant, which is nice, but I am still breastfeeding, so I am sure that plays some role. Over the last four months, several things in my life have changed, but I chalked it all up to being a new mother. I think my husband literally thought he had just lost his wife and best friend to motherhood.
- I am tired all the time, regardless of what time I go to bed, and speaking of going to bed...That never happens before 2am! And there are some nights I can toss and turn until 4 or 5! Even when I do sleep, it's never very restful. I chalked this up to being a new mother, and having a baby that didn't sleep thru the night, but she has been sleeping thru the night for almost a month now, and still, I get no sleep.
- I have been having a lot of lower back pain, which I blamed on my mattress. After some careful thought, I realized, I have had the same mattress for over 2 years now and never had any problems! In fact, it's the best mattress I have owned to date.
- Moodiness....don't even get me started on this one! I can start an argument out of thin air! And still think I have just cause! My husband and I are going to Jamaica next week for vacation, and I got mad at him because he wants to take some scuba diving classes. Now, how I managed that one, I have no idea. I will be cleaning the house in pure silence, and just have constant angry thoughts running through my head.
- As I said before, I am still breastfeeding, which is also a great way to burn calories. I have consistently lost baby weight over the last 5 months up until about a month ago. My weight just froze, and then started going back up. I put on 5 pounds in less than 2 weeks! Nothing has changed! I have started working out and keeping a closer eye on what I eat, but it hasn't had any effect. (My best friend had her Mirena put in 6 months before me, and she gained 40 pounds in 6 months. I am nipping this one in the bud!)
- Water retention! Now this one, I have never paid much attention to. I don't really keep an eye on my water intake versus out take, but I did one day last week. I had lunch with my sister, and drank literally about 5 glasses of tea. Any normal person would need too pee most likely prior to leaving the restaurant, right? Well, I left the restaurant, went to the grocery store for about 1 1/2 hours, then drove 45 minutes home, all the time never even having an urge. It wasn't until after I had gotten home, unloaded my daughter and all the groceries, when I finally made a trip to the bathroom. That same night when I was getting ready for bed, I noticed my lower abdomen was swollen up like I was about 4 months pregnant again!
- Sex drive....Let's just say I would rather lay in a bed of nails than have sex, and I used to be a very sexually active individual. And, it has definitely taken a toll on my marriage!
- Absent mindedness....One of my best qualities that I "used to" possess was organization. I prided myself in it, and over the last few months, my husband tells me I am just all over the place. I can't think straight, I jump around in conversations, my memory is shot! I will start doing a load of laundry, walk away and wash some dishes, then 10 minutes later realize, that I never finished loading the washer or put the detergent in!

Now, if all of this isn't enough, my OBGYN tells me that there is a small chance that the Mirena can get displaced, and if it gets too far gone, have to be removed surgically, but she said in all her time as a Dr., she had only seen it happen one time! So, I thought great! The chances of it getting dislodged are slim to none right? Well, I was talking to one of my girlfriends from high school the other day, and hers got misplaced! Now, she might be pregnant!

I realize that the Mirena affects everyone differently, but after finding this website and reading posts for hours about all the terrible things women are going thru with this BC, all my symptoms seem to make sense, and I don't feel like such a crazy beast any more. I wanted to share my story in hopes that it may help another woman who thinks she has just gone nuts! I had my Mirena taken out yesterday. I was in bed by 11pm last night, still didn't get the most restful sleep, but it does take a few days to get the hormones out of your system. My lower abdomen is already noticeably flatter, and I just feel an overall sense of relief. I just wish I had researched this birth control before I went out and spent the money on it. There is an old saying that really rings true for me in this case, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!"