Vaginal odor symptoms and conditions

I had Mirena inserted about 2 years ago and I'm having it removed later this week (thank goodness). I have gained 30 lbs, suffered from terrible fatigue and joint pain, mood swings, thinning hair, depression, total lack of sex drive and worst of all DEBILITATING migraines (especially after an orgasm.....I suppose that's a good reason for lack of sex drive!).

I had no problem with insertion, but was immediately aware of vaginal odor that was never there before....just an unclean sort of smell....really annoying and still persists. I miss my old periods (very normal, one week of PMS, 4 days of bleeding, then done). Now I have about 3 weeks of horrendous PMS with breast swelling, weight gain, fatigue, depression, increased appetite then I "spot" for 8-12 days! Horrible! I'll take 4 days of bleeding over 8 days of "sludge" anytime.

I hope removing it will end these issues.

honestly, the only problem i have had from Mirena is the odor =( i just had it put in about 2 weeks ago. the procedure to get it in was uncomfortable. luckily, i sat around talking to the doctor about my daughter when i felt like i was going to throw up. i got really fast suddenly and starting vomiting. bullets of sweat kept dripping down my forehead, then after crying from the cramping and squeezing the daylights out of my boyfriends hand, i felt fine. stood up and got dizzy again. had to rest for about 10 minutes. i

now, i get very few cramps, which i never had before. but the odor coming from the below the belt line is awful! any suggestions? i shower 2 times a day now and use summers eve and other vaginal odor killers. i feel disgusting. i have not lost my sex drive do the the mirena itself, but the smell is embarrassing and don't want my boyfriend around any of that. can someone help me out?

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I had my mirena put in back in August. Since then, I have gained 20 lbs, i get yeast infections at least twice a month and i have an uncomfortable vaginal odor. I have cramps that I have never had before, I sleep all the time, my feet and ankles swell and I get headaches. I am incredibly moody and my bra size has jumped to a DD from a B cup. I feel so fat and today it felt like the bottom of my stomach fell out. I am definitely having this removed bc I honestly believe I have PID. I was reading just now that that is something that can also occur from the mirena. OMG! this yhing was the biggest mistake ever!!!

I have the Mirena IUD now. I had in inserted in August of '06, 3 months after I had my first daughter. All along I really liked the IUD. I did have some problems at first however, while having intercourse I had some discomfort. But all in all really liked the fact that my periods were lighter. However, for the past year or so I have noticed a huuge change in my sex drive, and hardly ever want to have intecourse. I am tired a lot, and even though I eat well, and exercise I have lost hardly ANY baby weight. After reading these comments, I am seriously thinking of having my IUD removed.

have to agree with Mrsbarrett's post right below mine...I have been a lurker on this board for the past couple of months and thank God for it or who knows how crazy i'd be right now!! Here is a list of my side effects and pertinent information:
DOI: October 2008
Side effects were gradual and most evident around the Christmas Holidays:
Dizziness
Weird eye/vision disturbance where i'd lose focus for a moment and then be okay.
Constant spotting of "old blood" nothing much but did require pantiliners 24/7
Anxiety
Hypertension (more than ever, like when I was pregnant, 150-170s/100)
Panic Attacks
Face Dryness
ZERO SEX DRIVE
No "natural" lubrication, but who cares when you have no drive, are spotting all the time, and it hurts to have sex
Vaginal Odor
Mood Swings
Depression
FATIGUE to the point of wanting to stay in bed despite having to care for my 7.5 year old.
Chest pains (kept thinking maybe I had heart trouble, had cardiac workup that came up PERFECT and bloodwork was perfect, Thyroid test was perfect)
Nausea (morning sickness type, would get slightly better in evening but not so much)
IBS symptoms (diarrhea)

DOR: January 23, 2009
2 days later heavy bleeding for a couple of days.....had somewhat of a "crash" the first week where I was still not better. By the 2nd week post removal I was still nauseated in the morning but improved in the late afternoon and got energy boost in late afternoon.By the 3rd week I was totally back to normal!!!!! (well what's normal for crazy me! hahahahha)

My husband came with me to the doc, and she had no problem with removal. I went back for a follow up this past Friday and she saw how normal I am and that I have lost several pounds as well. She realizes I am extremely sensitive to hormone changes but says i'm the only one that she has seen like that. (how many have problems that don't think it is the Mirena...that's what I want to know???)

Anyway, that's my story and i'm sticking to it!!! If anyone would like to chat or share please let me know. I will also add that I have a Masters in Physician Assistant Studies (just not practicing since becoming a SAHM) and so I looked up tons of information to figure out what was wrong with me, I really am thankful to have found this site....medical mumbo jumbo is NOTHING when you have your body telling you something and all you fine ladies......Thanks again!
~G

UPDATE on removal 14 days ago.
It has been 2 weeks now since removal and I am reporting in. Everyone reacts to removal differently so here is mine:
Right away my breasts went back to normal size and are pain free. My hair immediately stopped falling out and vaginal odor is gone.
I immediately got an extreme energy surge/mood lift to the point that I could not go to sleep! I did not have sleep issues with the Mirena IN. It started when I got it OUT! But I am starting to be able to sleep better now.
No more headaches.
I feel so much better as my mood has improved.
My eyesight improved so much that I don't need my reading glasses anymore.
I am still fat but noticed the water retention is gone so I can tell I have lost a few pounds of which would not BUDGE before.
I STILL do not have my energy back or my sex drive back.
Also I immediately started bleeding and clotting heavily for about 5-6 days then it was GONE.
I have always been very very young for my age in every way. But after the Mirena was inserted I quickly went down hill. I feel like I aged 10 years with all the fatigue, hair loss, lack of sex drive, weight gain, aches, poor eye sight, etc. I just felt like I really aged so much. I hope to GOD I get my youth back again. I went from age 30 to 40 in one year!!!
I would rather accidentally get preg than have to live with the Mirena another day.

Hello, I have had Mirena inserted since June 2008 after my 3rd child. I opted for this choice because after delivering my 3rd child at a christian hospital, getting my tubes tied was not a option until after my 6 week check up at a different hospital. Not wanting to get cut open again, I went with Mirena. I quickly learned that this may not have been a good idea. i was warned of the bleeding in the first couple of days up to 3 months. now over that hump, the periods are lighter nut still occasional. I also have problems with a SEX drive, as I don't have one as before. One thing I have noticed with myself since Mirena that was not at all there before Mirena, is (I am a little embarrassed to express this) is a vaginal odor. I notice that I can take a shower, use douche, whatever, 2 hours later I would notice a odor. I know and have read for many years in the OB's office that women have a natural discharge or slight odor, but this is more than slight. I wonder all the time could this be related to the Mirena because I am married so the likely hood of it being related to a STD is out of the question because I have been tested and my husband. i am on the verge of wanting this out but I have had side affects from the pills and the patches. Help

L.

hi everyone i am B. I had mirena put in in march of 07, At first i thought it was a great idea. But then i started gaining weight it was like over night. 20 lbs and i cant get rid of it. Then i always have migraines. I try taking Tylenol and nothing works. I look four months pregnant and im not, i cant have sex one i don't feel like it anymore and two it hurts. I always want to sleep., i have bad pain in my uterus that just wont go away. I have always been a nice person and i am sooo mean now its unreal. I lose focus always very forgetful, and thats just some things, It was a big mistake to get this put in and im getting it token out this Friday coming up wish me luck and i will let you no what happens

Irregular menstrual periods, muscle cramps in pelvic region, lower abdominal pain, vaginal dryness, vaginal discharge, vaginal odor, frequent urination, pain with sexual intercourse, breast tenderness, no libido, weight gain, fatigue, acne, skin bumps, dry skin, change in skin texture, headache, migraine, depressed mood, anxiety, and mood swings.

I had my Mirena IDU inserted in October of 2007. It was "the best thing ever", at the time. I initially bled for 5 months, just a light bleeding, but bleeding non the less. The discharge has never went away. During and even after the bleeding stopped- I started having an odor. I had NEVER had an odor of any kind down there before. I failed to realize that my skin issues that started a month after insertion were related, as well as the headaches. My husband was in Korea when I got the Mirena, so it wasn't until he came home on leave that I realized the pain with intercourse, vaginal dryness, and breast tenderness. The acne, no libido, depression, anxiety, mood swings, weight gain, and fatigue started about 4 months ago. Today I woke up with horrible cramping. I will have a mild cramp about once a month for a second, but none so sever as today. In doing my research I have found that all of the problems that I have been having are linked to the IUD. Granted, it could just be a big coincidence. I'm still calling the hospital on Monday morning and making an appointment to get it removed. That's if my pain doesn't go away and I make it to the ER first. I'll keep you ladies updated on my "recovery". Good luck!

I am only 21 years old and I have an 11 month old. I got my Mirena inserted in March. (First let me say that Ian was 5 mo. old when I tried to get Mirena the first time and it came right back out after insertion... before I even put my pants back on....this should've been a sign to me but I was persistent and went back a month later after kegel exercising and nipple stimulation) Since then I have had a vaginal odor, discharge, difficulty reaching orgasm, severe headaches (which I used to never get), acne (which was also not a problem), back pain, body aches, weight gain, strong appetite, fatigue and depression. Today I googled UTI with Mirena because for the past 2 days I feel like I am starting to get a UTI, however, it is only for about 2 hours when I first wake up then throughout the day my symptoms disappear. Until I found this website I thought these symptoms were just post baby seeing as this is my first child and I am new at these things. My appetite for sex is still strong but b/c of the strange smell and lack of feeling (which wasn't like that directly after childbirth) it's just not the same. Also like a lot of other blogs I have read, I have taken a pregnancy test or two after the IUD was placed in because I have some symptoms that are familiar to pregnancy. A strange question I will ask is does anyone who has already had a child or several ever experience a feeling in the gut like that of the baby kicking? This was odd to me and something I did not want to feel for a good while (hince why I spent the amount of $ I did on Mirena). Which also brings up the point that now I am considering taking Mirena out, however it is going to suck paying for something I am not using plus the additional $ I am going to have to spend on new BC. And another question is are there any suggestions as to which BC has worked well for women who have tried IUD and weren't happy with it. I was on the pill when I got pregnant which makes me a little weary of trying that again. Thanks for all the knowledge I wish I would've found before I decided to get this thing in me. Hope to hear back. And good luck to all of you who have had worse symptoms than me, hopefully if I get this thing out now I won't have to go through some other symptoms.

I can't believe I've stumbled on this website. Until now my symptoms did not make sense to me.
I had my Mirena in 2005 after the birth of my son. My life has changed dramatically since then & I didn't put it together until now. I was plagued by nasty vaginal discharge from the start. Though my period stopped completely what replaced it was a terrible vaginal odor that no amount of washing, deodorant spray, etc will cure. It's a bacterial infection that will not leave me alone. I almost always have it. Before the Mirena I never heard of it. My sex drive & sensation is virtually none. I even went as far as having a female piercing as I read it increases sensitivity. This is upsetting as I've never had problems with odor, loss of sensitivity or inability to achieve orgasm. Along with this I've experienced a large weight gain, abdominal bloating, migraines, aching joints, decrease in vision, back pain, dizziness, exhaustion, increase in body hair growth yet limp thinning hair, & fibroids.

I have an appointment in July to get this thing out & wish I had been more informed of the side effects.

Amber here again... today is week 4 since having Mirena removed. Yesterday I started my first period (yay!). Although, I recommend stocking up on "super" feminine products. I've always had a light flow, so I get regular tampons and use maybe 1 per day. That assumption was a mistake. I've gone through 4? 5? I've lost count, and ruined a pair of underwear. I finally wised up and put on a panty liner (just in case).

My skin is silky soft.. no more big weird boils on my back, chest and face (that would never pop, they just sat there and festered). The B.O and vaginal odor (both caused by constant and excessive sweating) is GONE. I even go on hour long bike rides and I still smell like deoderant. It's totally amazing.
My 4 month pregnant tummy went down the first night of having Mirena removed and I had my shape back, even if I am heavier. I can actually feel my stomach muscles again. Thank God.
I haven't lost any weight, I haven't tried quite frankly.
I've noticed some increase in sex drive, although not huge yet. Sex doesn't seem disgusting anymore. That's a plus.
I can't comment on mood swings, because I've been on Prozac for 2.5 months and you can't just stop taking it. I am planning on weaning, but I heard you get a Mirena Crash so I have been continueing for now.
Let me just say that before I went on the prozac I experienced depression I'd never felt before, especially during PMS... I have never ever felt that in my life it was the most bizarre thing.
My sex drive is probably also effected by the Prozac.
Most people have said they felt like they were in a 'fog' while they had the Mirena in. I've noticed increased spaciness since having it removed. I frequently walk into a room and forget why I went there. This happens to everyone I'm sure, and myself even, but not ALL the time.
I had Mirena from Sept 2006 until March 2008.
I didn't start experiencing such awful side effects until Sept 2007 (a year into it). Altho, I DID gain 20 lbs by the year mark. And all in my gut.

Anyway hope this helps.

Amber

I used the ring for five years and really didn't recognize the symptoms. I gained 9 pounds, got worse acne but it was really my happiness that suffered the most. My boyfriend broke up with me and so I stopped using the ring. Even while I was incredibly sad about the break-up, my mood improved so much I began to suspect the NuvaRing had been messing with me. The weight dropped off and I became way more recognizable to myself. I then tried it again. My appetite increased, I got really crabby and tired, I took it out after two weeks and the effects disappeared. I think I just have to realize these birth control options are serious medicine, and not built for everyone. I am thinking about getting a copper iud but am worried about that, too.

I was on it for five months and stopped to prepare for pregnancy. I started immediately experiencing the following: vaginal dryness, loss of sex drive, nausea, depression, hair loss, weight gain, heavy periods, stomach cramps, vaginal odor, mood swings, panic attacks, heart palpitations, neck pain. I am so blessed that my husband did not leave me!

vaginal odor

After reading many of the posts regarding nuvaring side effects I immediately removed my nuvaring and will be calling my doctor to let him know. The posts confirmed the numerous side effects I've been experiencing myself for the last 2.5 months but silly me I thought they'd go away. Now I know they won't. My side effects were:

Increased vaginal secretions so bad I had to wear a pad every day.

Increased vaginal odor.

Depression

Mood Swings

Weight Gain

Cluster Migraines

NO sex drive at all...

Sinus sniffling, coughing, etc...

I cannot believe that one itty bitty little ring could cause so much havoc on a woman's body. Surely there has to be a birth control method that won't make me sick?