Swings and things symptoms and conditions

Hello everyone. Like most of you, I have been glad to have found this site and realized that there are so many other women experiencing the same symptoms as me and I am therefore justified to come to the conclusion it may be my Mirena causing these problems.
I had mine inserted in September 2005 for contraception. I am divorced and my ex-husband had had a vasectomy after our third child arrived in 1998. I had never been any good at remembering to take the pill and having always fallen pregnant very easily, I was after a reliable fuss-free birth control. I was a single mum dating a fellow on and off and couldn't afford the risk of an unwanted pregnancy.
Everything was just fine after the inital settling in period of about six months as suggested by the Gyno who put it in. Several of my friends had had them and we all seemed to have pretty much the same feed back. Lighter periods, breasts that we had never had before (I went from a lifetime of being an A cup to being a C cup almost over night and am now a D cup!). I had always suffered from really bad PMS - cramps, mood swings, etc. One great effect of the Mirena was I didn't have these mood swings and things were great with the kids not having to duck for cover every three weeks and lay low! I have suffered depression over the years, post-natally and after my marriage break down. I was more positive and started to enjoy life. I slowly went off anti-depressants and coped quite fine.
I am now 41 and have had the Mirena on board for almost 3.5 years. I remarried last year but also in the past twelve months symptoms have started the same as most of you have described. I am back on anti-depressants - only a low dose but my GP believed I needed it just to keep me "stable" - that is working. But the worst thing for me is the weight gain. I have always been reasonably slim, never had any problem losing weight after each of my three children. I am active and eat well. In the last year I have cut out so much fat and sugar in my diet, I walk 4 days/wk, swim once a week and was (until recently) going to the gym several days a week also, yet I just keep putting on weight. I feel bloated all the time, have fluid retention in my ankles and feet and I have this horrible gut - I have never had a gut! I've always had this lovely flat tummy. I know you put on weight once you hit your 40's but this is ridiculous. It is now starting to get me really down.
I am so glad to have come across all these postings because I know I'm not the only one. The other thing I have noticed is that my old pre-mirena premenstrual symptoms have returned - cramps, bad moods, dragon-like behavior, lower back ache, etc. All these went initially with Mirena - and I sang its praises to everyone and convinced several of my friends to consider one - now I think I better warn them of what they could be in for and to visit this site for themselves.
A lot of my other symptoms I have related to my under-active thyroid and have been considering returning to my GP for blood tests (although they were normal 6 months ago). I get dizzy, like a feeling of low blood sugar, get the shakes, heart palpitations (all normal hypothyroidism symptoms). I read with interest though about the thrist issues - I get really thirsty, especially during the night and now suffer really bad breath, mainly in the morning. And the comments about changes in eye sight I can also relate to. And forgetful!! I just thought it was motherhood, teenagers and age! I have also had a decline in libido - and I'm a newly wed - that can't be healthy! And I get pins and needles a lot - especially in my arms and feet - they often wake me at night.
Maybe Mirena has other things to answer for! That's why I am booked in next week to have it removed. This sight has convinced me its the right decision. I will re-post in a month or two and update you. Lots of girls ask for feedback on how long it takes to get back to normal - I will try to remember to leave some feedback.
Thank you to you all who have taken the time to share their experiences.

Hi, well I have been thinking about getting off Yasmin because I feel that I have become a really moody person. I have been on it for 4years and the only reason why I haven't changed my birth control is because I don't know how other B.C.'s are going to make me react. The only reaason I noticed was because my boyfriend and I were dating long before I got on Yasmin and I always felt great and after I got on it I started feeling very insecure, made about every little thing and just plane crazy. I had to stop thinking it for a month and I have to say that month was great! I had no mood swings and things just felt different and when I got back on it I am back to feeling mad all the time... I know I should get off it but I don't want to have irregular bleeding, longer periods, or possibly go thought the same thing I have with Yasmin. Yet I don't want it to rule my life anymore... Some advice would be helpful because I run out of my refills at the end of this month and I think I should decide now. I am also going to another gynecologist next week and plan on talking to her about my situation but it would be great to hear from people that have had the same problem.