Paraguard symptoms and conditions

I got Mirena after my second baby and thought it was FANTASTIC! I never even started my period back and there seemed to be no side effects and no weight gain. I was worried about side effects because my libido plummeted with BC pills but the Dr. told me that it is such a tiny amount of hormones and it is delivered so locally that I shouldn't have any problems.
I've always had about two to three Migraines with aura a year tops. But about three months with Mirena I started having one, two, or three a month with no meds helping. I tried everything and finally I got my Mirena out. The following month I had three migraines and thought I was back to square one. But then they went away. I haven't had one in four months! I think that the hormones took a while to get into my system and then took a while to get out. I'm now using Paraguard and although I have heavy painful periods at least I can take meds for it and there are no hormones!

Ok, I have to say I'm glad i did my research first and came across this site! Just yesterday i met with my gyn to discuss Mirena/IUD's. I'm in a monogamous relationship and not looking to have children right now. Condoms are a pain and I don't want any more hormones in my body so, no Pill for me. I'm not a candidate for Paraguard because I haven't had any children (FDA hasn't approved that one for women who haven't, only women who have had children). He kept pushing Mirena (I'm sure there are some motivation$ for him behind that too). I'm hesitant to put any more hormones in my body than i already have and all these posts I've read are exactly the reason why. I already suffer from depression (being treated with meds) and IBS (w/constipation). I also just lost about 25lbs recently that was bc related weight. There is NO WAY I'm willing to deal with weight gain again! MISERABLE! I can imagine how all you ladies feel and i know it's not good. All these bad side-effects far outweigh the benefits if you ask me. I've reached my conclusion: I'm not doing this to myself, I'd rather use pain-in-the-ass condoms than deal with hormonal bs. Thanks to all who posted!

i had the mirena put in in late march 2009...i HATE the MIRENA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had it removed 2weeks ago...i look like like im 20 months pregnant....my breast are swollen...im normally a b cup...now im a 38 c....i've gained about 20 lbs or more...and i HAD beautiful skin...i now have acne...and the pimples will not come to a head...i bled every day that i had it , sometimes heavy some times light and it would be at least for 3 weeks and then i would have either a yeast infection or a bacterial infection the 4th week and i was not sexually active...then the day after i had it removed i had to be rushed to the E/R i thought i was bleeding to death..i passed clots and tissue...i hate that i had this thing in my body....i had the paraguard i.u.d for 9 years with no problems...but you ladies are accurate in calling the mirena EVIL......it must have come from hell.......thank god for this site...im happy to know its not just in my head

Well reading all of this is very scary to me. I'm 23 years old and have never had a kid and have never been on any birth control before. I thought it would be a wise decision for it since i'm starting to get serious with my boyfriend and we have sex, but he never ejaculates in me...mostly because he cannot ejaculate from sexual intercourse the only way is thru oral or a hand job (sorry for the TMI lol). I have an appointment on July 1, 2009 to get the Mirena in place. My OBGYN doc told me Mirena was the best thing for me because I am on high blood pressure medication. I've always kind of had my doubts about this type of birth control and she didn't really explain the side effects that much, she just gave me the little pamphlet about it which of course makes it sound like the best thing ever. I am going to another place to have it put in because I have no health insurance and they do it for free. Well...I had to have a consultation with that doc and she did explain the cramping and it may hurt when it's put in, and the spotting but that's it. I almost kind of felt like I was pressured into it. After about 10 minutes the doc was like ok lets get you set up. I'm having very very serious thoughts about calling and canceling this appointment. I like who I am now and I think I would rather risk it and use a condom than ruin my life. Thanks for the help everyone.

I'm still taking the pill and I feel dizzy, nauseous, anxiety & tired a lot of the time. This is very uncharacteristic of me. I've been taking it for 2 years now, and I thought I had a brain tumor or something, so I had an MRI, and nothing. Then, I thought I had a heart problem, so I had all sorts of blood work, EKGs, heart x-rays, etc. and I'm in "perfect" health. I kept thinking that it was something after I stopped nursing, and I realized it's because that's when I started taking this new pill. I think I'm going to stop at the end of this month - don't know why I haven't stopped yet!

I had the Mirena IUD inserted on April 7th after 13 yrs of being on the pill, the last 3 of which was continuous use and only 4 periods a year. I had been dealing with chronic daily headaches since Aug 2007 and had finally found a wonderful headache specialist that of instead of prescribing more and ore meds and upping doses did lots of bloodwork and tests and found that my hormone levels were messed up, specifically I had nonexistent testosterone levels caused by all the estrogen in my pill. So he took me off the bcp and I choose the IUD thinking that that would be the best birth control since I am married with 2 kids, but sure that my family is not done yet, but not ready for that 3rd child just yet.I wanted the paraguard because I was hesitant of the progestin in the Mirena, as it is the same in the Levlite bcp and had caused me to have severe anger mood swings about 9 yrs and I had to go off of it, but the gyn that I had been seeing had gone on a leave of absence so I consulted with her partner and was told that yes, this would be the best IUD for me because of my history of anemia and that side effects of the Mirena would be localized and I would not experience any mood swings or headaches. So against my better judgement I went with it.
The insertion went fine, had some bad cramping for about 4 hrs later, spotted about 3 days. Then cramped on and off for about 2 weeks. During this time frame I was actually HEADACHE FREE!!! For the 1st time in almost 2 years. Going off the bcp had worked, you cannot imagine my excitement and my whole families, they thought I was going to be me again! Then I started getting mood swings, yelling at them for no reason, getting angry and knowing that what I was doing was wrong and way out in left field but I couldn't stop---- it was reminiscent of my Levlite experience and my hubby freaked out. Said it had to be the IUD. I wasn't sure, but thought maybe so. Then I started getting acne on my chin and jaw and had never in my life, even as a teenager had acne. I also gained 6 lbs. I then started my period, VERY light spotting that lasted 20 days and with came a migraine!! A migraine that won't go away. It started April 26th and I still have it today! I knew then that it was the Mirena. By that time I had found my old gyn-instead of going on leave of absence as they had told her patients, she had actually left to start her own practice, but of course confidentiality agreements wouldn't let her say anything. Luckily I work in a hospital and ran into her in labor in delivery, so I made an appt with her on May 11th for my pap and to have my iud checked and while I was there I told her every side effect I was having and she totally agreed that it was the Mirena and she said that in more than half of women the Mirena hormone is localized, but the rest it causes a full body systemic reaction and I was one of the lucky ones!! She said with my history of migraines and my history with the Levlite that I should have have NEVER, EVER have been advised to get the Mirena. She said to go ahead and do the pap and then reschedule to have it removed since she was busy that day and needed to get to the hospital. So I rescheduled and had it removed on May 20th- 6 weeks, 1 day after having it put in. I am so glad it is gone. The cramping is gone, I am not having mood swings, no new acne flare-ups just trying to deal with getting rid of the ones I had! The headache I still have, but I think it is because my period started 2 days after removal....28 day cycle like clockwork! Maybe when my period ends, the headache will go away. Unless I just have to wait for the Mirena to completely clear out of my system?? Anybody know how long that can take??? Those 2 weeks that were headache free were a godsend and I can't wait till it happens again! In my opinion the Mirena is HELL! For those of you that have gone through similar issues I am sorry and glad that you can understand what I have gone through. For those of you who have one and have had no side effects, you have no idea how lucky you are!!!

I think it's terrible how some doctor's give some info and others give different info, it is hideous - they should all be trained to fully inform their patients. After my Mirena fell out I did some research on all IUD's and bc pills and was shocked at what I found. I did find a lot more info about the IUD's and the BC pill causing abortions. For those who are against abortion, all of these IUD's cause abortions that the woman is not even aware of if a fertilized egg happens to make it through. This was explained by my doc and I did do further research on on the net. All you have to do it google "do iuds cause abortion or do bc pills cause abortion" and you will get more info on it. Here is a summary - Mirena and all bc pills have 3 mechanisms- 1) inhibiting ovulation 2)thickening the cervix mucous making it hard for sperm to travel to the egg, and 3)thinning and shriveling of the uterus to the point that it is unable or less able to facilitate the implantation of the fertilized egg. The first 2 mechanisms are contraceptive, the last is abortive. The Paraguard is only slightly different in that the copper disables the sperm, but again if one should make it past and fertilize an egg, the copper creates such a hostile environment that the egg can not attach. It does depend on your opinion on when life begins - whether it is at the moment of conception or when the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus. Only when all 3 mechanisms fail will you get pregnant, that is why they have such a high success rate of 99%. So again, google this if you want to know more because if you take any of these methods, you could potentially have an abortion and not even know it. Some Dr.'s will not even insert the IUD's for ethical reasons because they know it causes unknown abortions. You could end up having one once a month, once a year or luck out and never, but the risk is there. If you need proof of this you can call Dr. in Federal Way, WA at ****** and ask if he does the Mirena or the Paraguard and you will be told he doesn't do either for ethical reasons. If you are serious about getting more information, I can forward it to you. I urge everyone looking for a good birth control to not only look up the name of the product, but check out negative side effects and ask if it could potentially cause abortions. I am sitting on the fence to whether life begins at conception or begins when it attaches to the wall of the uterus, all I know is that I am sick of all the hormones messing me up, changing my moods, and ruing my sex drive among other things. If you would like more information, please email, serious inquiries only. I believe it is wrong to give a woman a form of birth control and not make it very clear all of the side effects especially the abortive side effect when they don't even know if their patient is pro-life or pro-choice. I have a website that explains the bc pill part of it and would be happy to forward to anyone who is interested. My direct email is ****** One more thing, the Depo shot works the same. All I hope to do is educate women about what I have learned in the last 3 days. Please give this information or post on any site you see fit to get this information out!!!!!!!! IF ALL YOU DO IS GOOGLE IT, YOU WILL SEE WHERE i AM COMING FROM IN MY MESSAGE.

I had my Mirena removed a month and a half ago and I feel GREAT. I am a MOM again. My kids aren't afraid of me anymore which was the worst part of the side effects. I am starting a new job this week as a nurse (I got my license 2 weeks ago) and am GLAD that the Mirena will not affect my attitude at work.

I have noticed a huge difference at home. The sex drive is still non existent but it wasn't there very much even before Mirena. I am more willing to do more and be there more often. Things are so good, that I don't plop my kids in front of the TV so I can go off to my room or the table to be online. Tomorrow, I am calling Verizon so that they can shut off our TV, Internet, and Phone services. We have cell phones, the library has computers with internet access, and we have a DVD player attached to the TV.

I am so EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!

ok, so i had previously posted y side effects a few weeks ago, and after reading everything else on hear I have decided to remove my mirena, I had my appointment yesterday. So I went in to the room and 2 doctors tried to convince me for about an hour not to remove it. Or if they did remove it to have the paraguard put in. Well I was not convinced and I asked them to just remove it. So after about 20 minutes of poking around and calling in another DR. to help they said they couldn't find it. Im like WTF??? So now what? They told me it probably fell out. But when? because i haven't gotten pregnant or a period so it has to be in there still. So they did a pregnancy test and it came back negative. So now they said they have to send me for an ultrasound to see where it went....if it is still in place i have to be give local anesthetic and they need to dialate me to have it removed..(ouch) so now im scared and nervous!!!! has this ever happened to anyone else??? And should I be worried about anything else?

I had Mirena inserted Nov. 2007 after the birth of my baby girl. I went from an extremely high sex drive to NO DRIVE at all. I had unexpected brain surgery 3 weeks after my daughter was born to remove a tumor, so I thought that I wasn't ready mentally or it was all the medications I was taking, I was never informed on any of these side effects (shame on me for not checking into it more- trust me I paid for my mistake by having my sex drive abolished). Two days ago, I noticed something poking me, upon investigation - The Mirena had completely come out. I discovered this about an hour after having sex!! My husband and I are not ready for a third child so I pray that I am not pregnant. I have yet to read another story where one has actually fallen out, so it must not happen that much. I hope I get my sex drive back and make my husband feel wanted again after a year as I will not be replacing it with another Mirena, I would have never had this inserted had I known there were sexual side effects because a high sex drive or any at all is now very important to me. I am now researching Paraguard, and aside from a regular to heavy period it sounds good to me because it is hormone-free. Aside from no sex drive and it falling out, I did not have any other issues like others have had with hair loss, cramping, etc. We did have the issue of my husband feeling it during sex every once in a while because there is a limit to how short they can cut it. In the beginning I had light spotting every 3 or 4 weeks for several months and then at about 1 year, no period at all. I have had more depression than usual, but we have had a lot going on in the last year so I can not blame the Mirena for that. Aside from the sex drive issues it worked very well for me and had it not fallen out I would never have been reading all these forums and educating myself.

I have to say that I have had the total opposite experience with Mirena. After several weeks of research and careful deliberation, I chose to have it inserted. The live journal website "iud divas" provided so much information, and mainly showed me that all women have different experiences. Sure the insertion was painful, but it was also brief. I took the rest of the day off work as a precaution. I was a little nauseous for a while and had some cramping and spotting. It has been over 3 weeks since my insertion, and I have nothing but positive things to say about Mirena. I feel great and it's wonderful not having to take a pill every day. Instead of cautioning about the dire consequences of using Mirena, I would advise women to bear in mind that every woman's body is different. I would also advise looking at the iud divas live journal so you can see that there are many many women who have had positive experiences with both Mirena and Paraguard.

Thus far my experience has been good. I've had it several months now and not much to complain about. Previous to Mirena I had the Paraguard and THAT was a nightmare because my periods were very heavy and I am anemic so it wasn't a great match, and oral contraceptives and I never got a long. So the low dose has been good so far..... The only complaint I guess would be the super uncomfortable insertion, but it hurt as bad getting the Paraguard. It's just not nice having things shoved through your cervix! LOL :-)

I hope I don't end up with any of the symptoms I am reading about here!

For those of your considering the Mirena, like I said, so far I've really liked it and I think something to keep in mind is most people who are on here are probably on here because they've had such a bad experience with it. Most people who are happy (like I am) with it wouldn't bother to post online about it. I just happen to be bored and my husband is watching basketball, again! Ha ha ha. Talk to your Dr. and decide what will work best for you. I think taking the pill is the easiest if it works for you...it just didn't for me!

i had Mirena inserted on the 28th of September, i usually check my waist measurement every week since i had my baby- i lost 4 inches after delivery and exercise, i was so shocked this evening to find out i gained 2 inches on my waist in two weeks! i have been asking myself why i am so gassy these days, am always sweating, sleepless nights and i noticed my stomach looks like am pregnant. am so shocked! and the most scary part is that my baby developed skin rashes all over her body, right about the time i had mine inserted. i have tried all kinds of cream, changed her laundry detergent (mine as well), skin care products, but the rashes wont dry up. my baby`s skin was flawless before i had this mirena. i always dress her appropriately, moreover the weather is not hot for her to develop rashes. i feel so guilty that i put her through the discomfort,am getting the mirena removed to confirm my suspicion but i know already that mirena is the cause as there is no other possible reason. its unfortunate that the professionals won`t tell you the truth and i specifically asked if it will affect the baby because i am breast feeding. i am so glad i did this research to validate my sanity, even though the harm has already been done. thank you all for sharing your experience.

*Never had the Mirena*
Thinking about getting it.

Here is what I HAVE had with the Paraguard

Anyone else switch from the copper to the Mirena? Better or Worse? Recommend?

I got the copper IUD in Feb 08. I hate it!! My periods are out of control I have to use the super plus tampons and pads b/c after about an hour and a half I will start bleeding on myself if I am not able to go to the bathroom and change it. I have never had to use anything over a regular tampon until now. I have had nothing, but sever problems with cyst on my ovaries and the cramping that brings me to my knees. I have been trying to give my body enough time to adjust to the paraguard but I am calling it quits next month. I can not take it anymore. In July I have broke out in these weird bumps all over my chest and back. I have NEVER had any problems with acne maybe a zit here and there. My periods last around 7 to 8 days. It lasted 4 before the IUD. I feel like I am always on edge which I believe that is b/c I am always in pain. It starts around a week before my period I will have SEVER pain in my ovaries it feels like someone is trying to pull them out. Not only am I bleeding more during my period I am sooo sore down there it feels swollen and sometimes even just walking brings pain. Most of the pain will last a week after my period stops. I have a few days a month where I feel ok. I have had it 7 months and it is not getting any better. I found this b/c I was looking to see if anyone has gone from the copper to the mirena and if it was better. I have sever mood swings, but I believe that’s how I deal with the pain a lot of the times. Not 100% sure though. If you like almost bleeding to death then I would recommend the copper IUD. I know the bleeding is heavier b/c there are times it seriously runs out of me like I was using the bathroom (not joking). I stay weak and always have headaches. Asking for this was the worst thing I could of done.

Thanks

For all of the poor girls who are searching "mirena experiences" because you are looking for a sure thing contraceptive-
This site is only for people who have had BAD experiences. Read them all if you want, but take into consideration they are the 3%, or whatever number, that had problems. None of these women deserved it, asked for it, needed it, or wanted it, but unfortunately their bodies responded to it in such an ugly manor.

Here's my experience so far....Had it inserted 8/06/08. Insertion was fine. Felt that speculum more than I could feel the actual insertion of the mirena.
Slight cramping afterwards...not immediately-went home and for like 20 minutes had cramps lighter than my period cramps.
For the first week bled lightly, second week had an actual period, week three and week four just spotting. The doctor told me this can go on for up to six months...kinda worth it if you think about it.
No acne problems so far, my hair is fine (and trust me, if my hair was thinning, falling out, or anything like that I would take the mirena out!), muscles and joints feel like they did before pregnancy, still breastfeeding (I know that they say that the mirena will make you produce less breast milk-tell that to my breastfed 13 pound 24 inch long 2 month old. he would disagree)
My breasts are a little tender and at first I was slightly bloated (less than if I were on my period) but that has subsided. Abstained from sex for a month after insertion per my doctor's orders, so I will come back and post if there were any problems with that...NEXT WEEK! yay!
Know that I understand the side effects could show up later.

Now again, EVERYBODY will experience something different. We are interfering with nature. Birth control is one of the most unnatural things we could do to our body.

Again, since this site commonly comes up when searching the mirena, I want for women to know that it might work for them better than it did for others.

hi guys it me again. i went to the doctors yesterday and had the mirena taken out. i feel 100 times better. i slept through the night, my stomach isn't bloated anymore, im actually happy and in a good mood. i did start my period so we shall see how long the bleeding lasts.
my doctor did tell me a little about the "mini pill" and paraguard. does anyone have any input on these birth controls?

Thank god I found this web site!!! I have had the Mirena in for 4 months now! So I'm not going crazy as well! I have been experiencing the same side affects: awful Headaches days & weeks on end, no sex drive , moody, Depressed, stomach pain, just not feeling like my self! etc. I wanted to have the paraguard put in, but was pressured into getting the mirena! terrible choice!! I called today to make a appointment to get this thing out ASAP!! Why aren't these company's required to do more testing on this crap! They don't care about people's health they just want to make a buck!!

I have had mirena since Mar 07 and I also have pain during intercourse, sharp pains in my pelvic area, my face started breaking out (never had ache) and horrible discharge gummy and clear. Has anyone else experienced the discharge. It is so uncomfortable for me I do not want to have intercourse with my husband of 6 years. I think I will have this removed on my 8/25 appointment. Any advice in regards to the discharge would be great. Thanks!

Well i had the mirena inserted in February and was excited about the fact that i would have less bleeding and possibly no periods @ that. 6 years prior to this I had originally had the Paraguard and was very happy with it until i separated from my partner and had it removed due to a new relationship. So anyways, after my marriage the only contraceptive that we used was condoms. I pretty much got tired of doing this..so i decided to have an IUD inserted again. I had looked into the Mirena and it sounded great! Well, since February, i've had a constant bloated feeling, i've gained 6 lbs. and work out everyday with a balanced diet. I am very disgusted and just couldn't figure out what could be causing me to gain weight. Well, I'm so glad that I fell into this site. Now i know what's causing it. I also have extreme breast tenderness, acne, and joint aches. So today I set up an appointment for next week to have the Mirena removed and a Paraguard IUD inserted. I did very well with this type and am going back to it. I never had an side effects with the IUD since no hormones are involved. My periods were heavy for the first few months, but after that it wasn't bad at all. So just thought i'd share my experience..Good luck to u all.

I read your post about Nuvaring. I am only on my first ring. So far it seems okay and don't know if it is to blame for my hair that has been coming out non stop also. the hair loss started when I had the paraguard inserted into my cervix. I did some google research and a lot of women were complaining of the same thing. I immediately had it removed but the doc said it was non hormonal. I thought that perhaps my body just didn't agree with the copper that it is made from. she told me about the NuvaRing, so here I am trying it. the hair loss is still there and it has been going on for about 1 month now and I have lost a lot of it. I just gave birth to my second daughter 4 months ago, and don't know if my hair loss is postpardom or related to all these wacky methods of birth control. Has anyone else suffered hair loss from the NuvaRing or paraguard. Does anyone have recommendations on how I could improve my hair and stop it from falling out. when it is coming out the root tip is with every strand. I'm so scared over this...

basically, this was my experience with the paragard:
1. Dec 2004 - Paragard iud was placed post-partum after my 2nd daughter was born. i was breast-feeding, and had no noticeable symptoms until Nov 2005.
2. Nov 2005 - had my first period since my daughter was born. it was heavy and crampy, but i thought "i haven't had a period in 2 years, so this is the price i pay..."
3. Each period hence was heavy, long at 6-7 days, and cramps were intense. again, i just decided that i could manage.
By the end of 2006, my periods were so bad that my husband and i decided i had to see the doctor.
4. Jan 2007 - saw the doctor about removing the copper IUD. she said that the paragard should not be causing such bad symptoms, and since i was did not want to get pregnant, she decided we should try to control the symptoms with birth control pills and Prometrium. I did not want to try Prometrium since I was unsure of how I would react to the hormone. she believed that i might be suffering from severe pms, called PMDD. note that i loved and trusted this doctor - i had some complications during my 2 pregnancy, and some problems post-delivery, and she was attentive, personable, and caring. i was very comfortable and trusting, so i listened to her recommendations. i tried yaz, yasmin, and 2 other pills over the next 3-5 months, but was extremely nauseous and sick with all of them (plus break-thru bleeding).
5. Feb - September 2007: i started having pre-period symptoms of nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea, abdominal cramps, severe fatigue. the first 2 months that i had these symptoms, they were so bad that i believed that i had an intestinal virus - same cramping, throwing up, and bad diarrhea, plus this was BEFORE my period. I then made the association between my symptoms, and the fact that they occurred 3-5 days before my period, and then they would subside about 3 days after my period started. my periods were still long with heavy bleeding.
6. September 2007 - was having same symptoms, but started 7-10 days before my period, and they were so bad that my husband had to take off from work to take care of our 2 girls each month (i stay home with them). i went back to the doctor during September, and was told to modify my diet (no white flour, sugar, low fat, high protein, lots of water) and to try some vitamin supplements since i didn't want more medications. she again recommended taking 100 mg Prometrium to help ease the symptoms. I asked to remove the IUD, again, and she said that "before she took out something that expensive, she wanted to make sure that something else was not wrong" - I was shocked at her statement, but agian I liked her and trusted her, so i went along for the sonogram.
7. October 2007 - In the meantime, I was desperate, so i took the vitamins and Prometrium, which sent me into what i can describe only as a psychotic episode. i had severe emotional outbursts, i was irrationally angry and irritable, and had absolutely zero patience. i am usually a smart girl, and in my normal "mental state" would have associated that the Prometrium had caused this severe reaction, but I was no where close to my normal state of mind, and i just thought that my physical symptoms were now affecting me mentally.
8. LAte Oct 2007 - BY this time I am so down and really ready to get my life back. I am still sick with nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, severe abdominal cramps, severe fatigue, and now my abdomen stays sore and tender through the whole month. FINALLY the doctor calls with the ultrasound results. she said that there were 2 small ovarian cysts - and i was relieved - i thought that FINALLY, we were getting somewhere - but in the next sentence she said that she didn;t think that they were responsible for my symptoms. i was deflated - and at such a loss of words. i listened to her tell me how she thought that i had IBS, and that she was going to refer me to a GI doctor. i know that IBS is a catch-all category of symptoms that some doctors throw on people they can;t diagnose. and remember, i was just a few days out from recovering from 1) having a severe personality reaction to a drug, and didn't know it was because of the Prometrium - i thought i was going mad, and 2) i was just getting over being sick before my period - AGAIN.
I finally called her back a few hours later and left a message with the nurse "since she doesn;t think that the cysts are causing the symptoms, could we please remove the copper IUD?" i never got a reply.
I called my niece who is an RN at a respected women's health center in NC and cried a lot and told her what was going on. she got me an appointment with a doctor there for mid nov 2007.
10. Mid Nov 2007 - tell the NC doctor my medical history, and she says "we need to get that IUD out". in less than 30seconds it is gone with minimal discomfort, 25% of the abdominal soreness and tenderness is gone within 24 hours of removal, and completely gone within a week. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS THAT MY TUMMY WAS NOT TENDER OR SORE!!!
i have a follow-up appointment for mid Jan 2008 with the NC doctor and possible placement of the Mirena
11. Nov 29, 2007 - have my first period in over a year where i am not sick etc - it is heavy and a bit crampy, but is shorter in duration.
12. mid dec 2007 - i start to suspect i may be pregnant, but think that we have been cautious, and my period is probably going to be irregular with all of the crap that has gone on
13. jan 5 2008 - yep - i'm pregnant!! but that was ok - we wanted another anyway.
14. jan 7, 2008 - catch the respiratory flu that has been going around and stay VERY sick for 4 weeks, and i just know that something is unusual - i can't eat i am so sick and am so weak that i shake whe i stand up - call a new local OB doctor and see them.
15. jan 30, 2008 - have miscarried the pregnancy
16. April 2008 - the new ob doctor places a mirena
17. first of may 2008 - my husband is asking if i feel ok, that he has seen similar but much less severe symptoms in my mood as when i was on the Prometrium. i have never had acne this severe on my face, neck and back - it actually hurts and i have some scarring even though i have not picked at it.
By the way, my new local OB told me that HE WILL NOT PLACE PARAGARD COPPER IUDS FOR HIS PATIENTS BECAUSE THEY WORK BY CAUSING INFLAMMATION IN THE UTERUS.
however, he also said that i shouldn't have any issues with the mirena, and now i am starting to wonder if i am going slightly mad...
i want my life back...
i now realize that there is a side effect to EVERYTHING that you put in your body...
i am terrified of getting pregnant right now even though a few months ago i was excited about this wonderful possibility...
i am now talking to a counselor to try to work out the events of this past year+ so i can move on...
i feel like my voice was NOT heard or even acknowledged...
the reality is that WE are ultimately responsible for our own well-being, both physical and mental, and that doctors do treat with preconceived notions about the way health should be and how medications and devices should work...they listen to pharmaceutical reps and not their patients...
i don;t know what to do about birth control now...i suspect the mirena is making me feel this way, but i am terrified of getting pregnant, i can't take birth control pills, and am hesitant to put any thing else in my body that is a chemical...however, i have no libido anymore (my poor wonderful husband) and i use to enjoy the closeness and intimacy of being with my husband...
i don't know how this affects your decision about the copper iud, but i just caution about 1) be careful with sex after the mirena is removed and 2) be mindful of anything that we eat or place in our body.
i do know that i could not find any other information from women who experienced my symptoms, but i find it very difficult to believe that i am the only one who experienced this.
lots of luck, and thank you for sharing your experience with the posting site! it has helped me make an informed decision about removing the mirena, and i hope that the information here will help you make an informed decision about the copper iud.

I had the MIRENA IUD inserted on January 11th, 2008. 10 weeks after my sons’ birth. It is now February 18th I have went over a full month of consistent bleeding. After 13 days of non-stop bleeding, no breaks in between, called the doctor just to get advised to take ibuprofen for menstrual cramps. That was not of my concern, how long was I to be bleeding for, however was. Never got an answer, and now the cramping too are of big concern. Just yesterday, while I was at Wal-Mart, I had cramps so bad they stopped me dead in my tracks. I have never, never ever had a menstrual cycle longer than 3 days and cramps so bad I couldn't go to work. Just over these past two weeks my skin has become so horrible, I do not get acne ladies, and I now have acne all over my back, chest, arms and patches on my face. Also, in odd places, who gets acne behind their neck and ears? I don't know, do you? I had breast tenderness for about 1 to 2 weeks; still have dizziness every other day. I have 2 kids, had an epidural with both and had no issues with lower back pain. Think I do now? Well, of course I do! Funny thing too, I didn't know that mood swings were a side effect, and my boyfriend says to me the other day, "you have been real mean for like the past month!" The only thing I can say that has not been a problem is my sex drive. Even though I have been bleeding for over a month I have had some very, very light days. This IUD has not interfered with my interest in sex. I actually want it more now than ever... but that’s probably because I am so in love with the man that gave me the two loves of my life!!!! And not the MIRENA IUD... lol!!!

I am getting mine removed FRIDAY!! And Friday can't come soon enough. I am kinda bummed tho for having to go back on the pill but I can't hack this ANY LONGER!!! One of my friends works for a GP and I went to him because of some of my side effects. The flu like symptoms minus having the flu (had it for at least 2 to 3 mos now) NO sex drive (causing trouble with my marriage. Hubby is taking it WAY to personal), swelling in my hands, feet, legs, and face. (my face will feel flush and BAM I'm swollen!!) VERY BAD MOOD SWINGS!!! Very Bad isn't the word for it!! There are no words to explain my moods!! ANYHOW..... I sent this to my friend to read and she pulled it up at work. Well the GP said that this isn't a reliable place to go for information on the side effects. "There are NO positive side effects to anything." Which is true BUT he seems to think going to Web MD or some sight like that is more reliable than here. And that this sight shouldn't scare me and he wouldn't urge me to have it removed after reading this. (OH YEAH I forgot to mention joint pain, I have HORRIBLE joint pain in my hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and feet. The worst of it is in my wrists and elbows) Back to what I was saying. To that (this sight not being reliable) I say go to Web MD and post there too! I pray that I can get back to me after this comes out!! I hope it don't take too long either! I MISS the old me and HATE the new me!! But FRIDAY HURRY UP AND GET HERE. And for anyone who has had it removed........ anything I should be repaired for??? Thanks for your time!