Speculum symptoms and conditions

I've had my Mirena out for nearly 2 weeks now, after 15 months of living with the side effects. I've posted before about fatigue, crankiness & irritability, low-grade depression, weight gain, poor sleep, headaches, etc -- same old story as everyone else -- that came on gradually over the months. I'm still SO grateful to this website for making it clear to me that this wasn't just typical exhaustion due to having 2 little kids (now 3yrs & 16mos) or post-natal depression. Anyway, getting the Mirena removed turned out to be an ordeal in itself -- the strings disappeared and the doctor couldn't see anything with a speculum, so I had to wait 3 weeks to get an ultrasound and it turned out to be in the right place (phew!). Then I had to wait nearly 2 months to have a hysteroscopy -- they dilate your cervix and poke a camera up inside your uterus so they can see where the coil is, then they can pull it out. The poking and prodding was a huge drag, uncomfortable but not excruciating. When they actually pulled it out it barely hurt at all. I was a bit sore for a day or two, like mild period pains but nothing serious.

So, here's the update so far: My sex drive came back the very next day after being completely gone for ages! That was such a nice feeling again, to actually want to be with my husband instead of just going along for the sake of the marriage! I haven't felt sick or achey in my joints since it came out either, and the headaches are pretty much gone after being a constant in my life. I'm sleeping easier, and generally feel healthy again -- such a relief! My energy levels are still really really low though; I sure hope they start to come back soon. I think it's going to take awhile since I'd pretty much stopped exercising due to feeling so ill and tired all the time. I'll have to build myself back up through eating better and getting back to the gym, so unfortunately I think the weight-gain and fatigue are going to take longer to 'cure'. But still, I'm so glad to have it out and know that whatever happens to my health now, at least it's not being caused by hormones that just don't belong there.

Hang in there everyone; and don't be afraid of the pain in having it removed.

Update from Thepeartree:
I had "the monster" removed on Monday....no problems at all. For me it didn't hurt (except for the normal uncomfortable feeling of the speculum). Took about 20 seconds. My ob-gyn still thinks Mirena is the best invention ever. I tried to again tell him some of my issues I have had for 3-4 years. Basically he said that Mirena has "very miniscule levels of hormones" and walked out the door.
Anyway, I started my period yesterday (Friday) and today its pretty heavy. I don't care as I feel like its my body getting back to normal!
Good luck everyone! I can't believe it too me 4 years to realize that I am not crazy! I will post again in a couple of weeks.

I just got the Mirena fitted 2 days ago... I wish I would've found this website prior. I feel jipped because the doctor did not warn me how badly the fitting would hurt. So, while it was being fitted, I moaned and did everything possible to not scream. It hurt soooo bad!! When I got home, I had very bad cramps and, about every 5 minutes, I would get sharp, unbearable pains in my stomach. It felt worse than labor contractions. I called the doctor and he prescribed some pain meds but the cramps have persisted. I would like to get this monster removed but I'm scared that the removal will hurt as much as the insertion.

I'm 34 and my children are 3 and 5 years old. I had my Mirena coil fitted on 12 Sept 2007, so have now had it just over a year. During that time, I've had bouts of intense abdominal pain, almost constant vaginal discharge, bleeding after exercise or sex and a curious sensation in the region of the uterus that feels like when a baby moves inside you. My doctor dismisses all my symptoms as being nothing at all to do with the coil, but having read the other posts on this site I'm not so sure....
I'm also constantly exhausted and get spots. I am a coward though, and having the coil fitted was so excruciatingly painful that I'm not sure I can face having it taken out so (relatively) soon. I'm off to see the female GP at my practice next week so it will be interesting to hear her take on things.

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.

I have had Mirena since July. I went through a lot of life stress this past fall (moving to a new city after 10 years, being separated from my bf during this time for two months, etc) but I really think Mirena is not right for me.

I am bloated all the time, my periods are erratic, I am more moody than usual and I have NO sex drive. Worst of all, I think I'm pregnant ALL THE TIME. I just don't trust this thing and I literally drive my man nuts worrying about being pregnant. I also have developed some pimples (like on my back, upper arms, etc) that I never had a problem with before! I have gained a few pounds as well.

I feel like a putz spending all this money but I really want it out. I feel like I should "give it more time" but really, what is the point?