Weight gain symptoms and conditions

I am 22, and a newly wed. I have been using NR since i was 18. I have been pretty happy with it until this last couple months when i have started to have some severe side effects. I actually ended up in the ER the 29th of may. i had some weight gain at the beginning but i figured that it was normal and didnt think too much of it. When i went to the ER it was because of how much pain i was in with my lower abdomen. They said they THOUGHT it MIGHT be a ruptured cyst. I went to the doctor the next day and she said that it wasnt. Since then i have noticed that my hair has been falling out, im a very thick haired blonde. (not fair!!) the pain in my uterine area has been crippling. I ended up quitting my job due to nervous break down because of the pain and the not knowing why. I have abnormal pap smears the months that i used the nuva ring. Body aches, massive head aches, depression, moodiness, heavy excruciating periods, back aches, nausea, breast tenderness, and more and more weight gain. I have gained about 50 lbs since starting NR. I used it because i am AWFUL with pills. So that leaves me with nothing other than condoms, and they hurt me. When my husband and i have sex, WHEN we have sex, it hurts before, during and after. To the tune that my husband is afraid to have sex with me, for fear of causing me pain. So what to do?

I love Jolessa! I haven't had any major side effects. I take pills continuously and just have light break throughs every now and then — much more manageable than my normal period! I haven't experienced weight gain, though my breasts are slightly larger than when I am off the pill, a pretty normal side effect of any pill. No mood swings and 100% less cramps than my normal cycle. Every woman is different, so this may or not be the pill for you!

Got married about a couple years ago and went on Yasmin. First BC and as I've never had any BC did not know what to expect. I felt fine but now reading all these makes me realize that the weight gain, NO SEX DRIVE, NO VAGINAL MUCUS (have to use tons of lubrication), re-occurring thrush could be attributed to Yasmin.
I stopped Yasmin last year December as now ready for a baby, its been six months and still haven't conceived, still dry and use lubrication....and also have milky discharge from breast but not pregnant. Had an MRI scan and showed pituitary anenoma (not sure of the spelling) basically a small tumor of the pituitary glad that secretes too much prolactin in system caused by imbalance of hormones.
I'm only praying to God for healing and hoping that my body would go back to normal rather than start other medical treatment.
My advise.............. come off Yasmin, DO NOT TAKE ANY BC

I have been taking Loestrin 24 for almost a year and a half now. At first the pill seemed like a godsend because it offered me shorter periods and more time in between period. However, I have recently become sexually active with my boyfriend and the pill seems to have turned on me completely. In May, I experienced an alarmingly light period with barely any bleeding and almost non-existent cramps. I attributed it to stress at first, but took a home pregnancy test just to be certain. Thankfully, the test came back negative so I put it out of my mine for awhile.

The following month I yet again experience a period that was barely the equivalent of spotting. Alarmed, I went to see my gyno. She told me that barely to no bleeding is completely normal with Loestrin 24, which is something that she failed to tell me of before I began it.

Tonight is my second night of iron pills in my pack and I have yet to bleed at all. On top of that, this entire month I have been experiencing night sweats, headaches, abnormal weight gain, and extreme irritability towards my loved ones. I can barely even stand to talk to my boyfriend on the phone regardless of the fact that I know I love him very much.

Should I stop taking them? Is there any suggestions for better pills?

Like everyone else I am so glad to have found this website!! I am 23 and have been on the ring for 3 1/2 years now. The biggest side effects I noticed immediately was being more emotional for no reason at all but that was about it until about 2 years ago when I began to gain weight and I gained a total of 20 pounds. I chalked the weight gain up to not being as active as I had been in high school so I started hitting the gym with not a bit of success. During this time I still felt ok until I also started cramping all the time, I never cramped before taking the ring. The cramps are so bad I can hardly stand at times! Since the beginning of this year I have really been noticing my body being out of whack. I am over emotional, I cramp like crazy, I have a lower sex drive, I too have noticed burning during and after sex, I am always tired lately,I have been getting headaches daily, I am always starving, my breasts are super sensitive at times, I feel bloated and have had diarrhea for almost three weeks now, and although you are supposed to be able to regulate your period on the ring mine is completely unpredictable the last couple of months! I have been bouncing between spotting and being on a full blown period for the last 3 weeks now and I took the ring out finally last night! I am exhausted and tired of worrying something is seriously wrong with me!! I would NOT recommend the nuvaring especially for long term use!!!!!!!!

i had the Mirena inserted in Feb '09. first off, it hurt very badly going in. On my way home from the doctors, i was cramped over and swearing from the pain.

CRAMPING every day (mainly in the morning and seem more severe when dehydrated from booze the night before. BLEEDING everyday, all day- not much but always there. WEIGHT GAIN- i have always been skinny and felt skinny- but now I have weight in places I never had it before- even my one ankle looks swollen. I lost my job (b/c i blew up at my boss) and have been real lazy and tired ever since, but after reading these other comments, may be related.

I admit that I have been sexually active (unprotected) with more than a couple people since, which is an IUD no-no. BUT I was tested for IUD infections before it was inserted, and ordered a sonogram which showed a swollen ovary and cists (which I have always had cists and no problems like these) I was on the DEPO SHOT for the past 8 yrs, the pill was horrible- pains related to blood clots so thought the IUD would be safer with less trips to the doctor. When i lost my job, i lost my health insurance.

I'M NOT SURE if i should have the IUD REMOVED????? seemed like the best thing for me, but not sure how long I can go on like this and can't afford further testing.

Please share any advice or similar problems. thank you.

Someone please tell me this! I had my mirena put in aprx 3 months ago. At first I didn't notice anything but now my biggest problem is the bloating. I was on the depo for 8 years prior so that is why I have yet to get a period, however I would really like to give this a chance! Did anyone have the bloating issue and it went away? My other side effects are back pain,mood swings,small weight gain! I just want to know if anyone had the bloating and it went away!

I finally had the mirena removed today. It was in for 7 weeks or so - in the past couple of weeks i couldn't get a grip on anything w/ my hands being stiff - my back has gone from bad to worse, barely able to stand let alone keep standing. I gained 20 POUNDS!! in 7 weeks! and i was on a roll before insertion, losing all the baby weight plus some (i'd lost 15 lbs post-pregnancy)!I broke out all over my body in itchy patches, which the resident i spoke to said it wasn't possibly the mirena - though bayer had noted it in 5% of women who received it. When i told her i wanted them to remove it, she didn't look too surprised after all the symptoms and weight gain i'd described. So hopefully i'll be back to my old self in a few days - few weeks at most!

BTW:
When I described my symptoms, she suggested the testing for anemia and thyroid problems! - something that I've NEVER had issues w/ in any of the blood work I've had done in the past.

Hi I am 21 years old and have been on the Nuvaring for about a year now. I have experienced many of the symptoms you have all spoken about. Hair loss, decreased sex drive( which scares me because i am so young and i am in a serious relationship in which my boyfriend has a high sex drive ( he 22) and he noticed my sex drive dwindling and wanted to know what changed. It has been a huge problem in our relationship.) I have not experienced weight gain that i have noticed. But i experience extreme pain/burning during and after sex. One of the side effects of the nuvaring is vaginitis which has pain n burning as its side effects. I have been to several doctors for the pain as it is disrupting my sex life and making sex unbearable at times. However they all dismissed the nuvaring as the cause and suggested that it may just be a mindset and i need to get into sex more. Which i think is bull im 21 and very much in love with my boyfriend and have a healthy sexual relationship so having a negative mental state word that seems ludacris to me. I have had std sti blood tests and been tested for yeast and blatter infections. Nothing seems to be wrong with me but i know i have never experienced this before and the nuvaring has been a constant through the pain. If anyone has experienced anything like this please let me know.

I started taking nuvaring because it worked well for my sister and my husband and I are not ready for kids. I've only been on it for 6 months but i've had all sorts of issues, like chest pain, feeling very negative and just sad for no reason. Hair loss (i wouldn't have even thought to put that on if it weren't for this site) weight gain which i thought was because im a newlywed.... and no sex drive (which has been devastating as newlyweds are supposed to really enjoy themselves) I already didn't like or trust medication and this has just made it worse. My sister has had hers out for 5-6 months and has been rendered infertile because of nuvaring, shes very healthy too! and she wants another baby! I took it out about a week ago (for good) but it was earlier than i should have according to the calender and I've been a wreck. I've always had bad cramps (runs in the family) like the type that you literally cant stand from, but today its been so bad i felt like i was gonna throw up and had to go home from work. This is ridiculous for my body to react to negatively!! My sister is now trying a natural birth control method that is more scientific than the normal chart that tells you when your fertile and when your not. Im waiting for the book to show up, its called "Taking Control of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler" Which involves taking your temperature every morning and charting yourself every day, checking your cervix, as it moves up and down based on weather or not your fertile. Then you know when you should use a condom (since im not fond of them all the time) and when you are infertile. Its not for everyone since it isn't easy, but im not willing to mess my body up anymore, i want my energy back, my body back, and my sex drive and if i have to sacrifice 5 minutes a day to do it I WILL!!

started taking seoquel 25 mg an hour before sleep, then 50 mg. went up to 75mg because i wasn't "tired" enough to sleep. it was working okay, but my friends had warned me that i might experience weight gain and absolutely uncontrollable hunger for carbs and sweets. and as a 46 yo woman that already weighed 200 lbs. that was not a happy prospect. but i ignored that; maybe it would be different for me. btw, i am diagnosed as bipolar 2 and am taking lamotrigine, celexa, lithium and now seroquel. i was in a couple months ago for anxiety and loss of time, for lack of a better term. my pdoc told be to get off the 75mg of benadryl i was taking and gave me samples of seroquel to help me sleep, etc.. so, after experiencing weight gain, sore breasts, bigger stomach (i don't have a scale), labored breathing when walking to the freakin' mailbox and feeling like a truck has run over me for at least half the day, then anxiety immediately following, i have decided to pitch the seroquel. also, i am going off lithium and my blood pressure med (i was taking that for migraines associated with pre menstruation and now am menopausal). i'm going to start melatonin again (which i used for years and it worked) when i'm weaned off the evil seroquel... sigh. and no, the docs DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR WEIGHT GAIN!!!! THEY JUST WANT TO KEEP YOU ALIVE AND UPRIGHT IF POSSIBLE! i'm more depressed knowing i could easily balloon upwards to god-knows-what. so if your doc hands you "free" samples of seroquel, please keep track of your symptoms. maybe it will work for you but be cautious, please!

I had the Mirena put in last August after having twins in March. Have had no complaints until recently. Now all of a sudden I notice that I am nausea frequently and keep having fluttering in my belly that makes me paranoid like maybe I am pregnant. I don't really feel pregnant but then again I keep feeling this weird movement that makes me think I could be. I have not had the acne everyone is describing except maybe these little bumps I keep getting on my arms that were never there before. Only have had the nausea and recently the fluttering in the belly. As far as the weight gain, I do feel like maybe I have gained some weight. The biggest thing I can't seem to get rid of is my belly still looks a little pregnant. I noticed a few others have had the same problem, but I have been equating all of this to having twins. I don't have anything else to compare these things to, since I only have my twins and have never been pregnant before. After reading this I think that maybe it is the Mirena and not be just being paranoid about being pregnant! Does anyone else keep feeling that too?

I had my mirena put in about 3 months ago. About a month later I started noticing hair loss; not to mention lower back pain, acne (mostly on my back, nose), abdominal pain, feeling tired, headaches, & depression. I have been dieting and exercising (extensively) for about 4 months now and have not lost a pound. The hair loss has really gotten out of control so I decided to check with a pharmacist and she suggested that I take Biotin 1000 and Womens One a Day every day. That same night I started googleing "Hair Loss", "Hair Loss Vitamins" and then I thought why not google "Mirena-Hair Loss". I am so happy that I was directed to this website. I was shocked to see how many woman are having the same symptoms I have. What I find most upsetting is that none of these side effects are mentioned on their website nor by the doctor. I already made an appointment to get this "horrible" thing out. Does anyone know if it hurts when it's removed?

I used the nuvaring for 3 months about a year ago and I thought it was the greatest thing ever. This time around however I'm so disappointed. My feet have been swollen since insertion. To the point that they are bruised around my ankles. I sweat non-stop and am constantly hot. I also have the worst skin pigment issue on my face. It's almost like the maternity mask that you hear about pregnant women getting. My face has turned like dark tan but stops at the neck line. So it looks like I have the worst make-up line ever! I also starting loosing extreme amounts of hair and have had some weight gain. I seem to have a discharge like you get during ovulation but all month. I have taken it out. My feet are slowly reducing in size and my face seems to be returning to it's normal color. My hair is still falling out and the discharge hasn't stopped. I haven't had a period yet. I so sad because this is a really really awesome answer to mt birth control issues. I'm now thinking of getting my tubes tied. I read lots of your entries and didn't really find any with these types of side effects. Has anyone experienced anything similar?

Hi everyone, like almost all of you I was so glad to stumble across this site. I had my mirena put in 4 months ago and when I was getting it put in my partner took the day off work and decided to tell his boss it was because he was coming with me to get the Mirena (I was horrified that he told him at the time!). But it turned out to be a blessing because my partner came home 3 days ago and told me that his boss asked him whether I had been getting deep pimples that never come 'to a head' and that his wife had them all over her face and couldn’t get rid of them and that she had put it down to the Mirena. I said to him, "Don’t be ridiculous, the Mirena does not give any side effects", and that was that. See I was told from my gyno that "The Mirena is perfect" and she said that the only people that go back to her to go off the Mirena "are people that are never satisfied with any contraception". And then over the past three days I realized that the bumps on my face that are deep under my skin have only appeared in the months after I got my Mirena and I have had worse pimples than ever before, and they have been untreatable with new ones appearing every day and I had never before had lumps that remain under my skins for months. It also wasn’t until I got onto this website that I realized the anxiety I have been feeling in the last couple months, weight gain and itchy skin have also all come about since the Mirena. I am tired all the time and never want to move or do anything and hate getting out of bed even with 14 hours sleep!!!!! Also - I have been pulling clumps of hair out of the shower drain and my comb over the past couple months - yet have had the same hairdresser and hair routine for the last 6 years.... I could not figure out why I was losing my hair and ended up having it cut from a mid-long length to above the shoulders 3 weeks ago, because there was just hardly any hair left. Also - about 2 weeks ago I told my partner (in an emotional uncontrollable episode which has become a frequent event since Mirena) that I had no reason to live anymore and just didn’t want to go on. First time I have ever felt like this, it was awful. I am normally the happy person at work who gets along with everyone and yet now I cant stand the look of any of them or even the sound of their voice makes me want to scream at them. WHOA, CRAZY!!!!!!! I have also lost any interest in self appearance and in the past few months have completely let myself go. I have also had sex twice since going on it. YES thats right - SEX TWICE IN FOUR MONTHS, aaaaaarrrrrgh. And to the most disgusting part of all - I have been getting an awful discharge that smells bad. I am a really clean person and was considering going to my gyno in the coming week to ask why it was happening….. I have been on many pills and the depot and whilst I experienced side affects with all of them, none of them were anything like this, I would get a side effect here and there on the others, nothing like this. Biggest waste of $800 ever. p.s. I wear panty liners every single day and night of the week.

Hi everyone, like almost all of you I was so glad to stumble across this site. I had my mirena put in 4 months ago and when I was getting it put in my partner took the day off work and decided to tell his boss it was because he was coming with me to get the Mirena (I was horrified that he told him at the time!). But it turned out to be a blessing because my partner came home 3 days ago and told me that his boss asked him whether I had been getting deep pimples that never come 'to a head' and that his wife had them all over her face and couldn’t get rid of them and that she had put it down to the Mirena. I said to him, "Don’t be ridiculous, the Mirena does not give any side effects", and that was that. See I was told from my gyno that "The Mirena is perfect" and she said that the only people that go back to her to go off the Mirena "are people that are never satisfied with any contraception". And then over the past three days I realized that the bumps on my face that are deep under my skin have only appeared in the months after I got my Mirena and I have had worse pimples than ever before, and they have been untreatable with new ones appearing every day and I had never before had lumps that remain under my skins for months. It also wasn’t until I got onto this website that I realized the anxiety I have been feeling in the last couple months, weight gain and itchy skin have also all come about since the Mirena. I am tired all the time and never want to move or do anything and hate getting out of bed even with 14 hours sleep!!!!! Also - I have been pulling clumps of hair out of the shower drain and my comb over the past couple months - yet have had the same hairdresser and hair routine for the last 6 years.... I could not figure out why I was losing my hair and ended up having it cut from a mid-long length to above the shoulders 3 weeks ago, because there was just hardly any hair left. Also - about 2 weeks ago I told my partner (in an emotional uncontrollable episode which has become a frequent event since Mirena) that I had no reason to live anymore and just didn’t want to go on. First time I have ever felt like this, it was awful. I am normally the happy person at work who gets along with everyone and yet now I cant stand the look of any of them or even the sound of their voice makes me want to scream at them. WHOA, CRAZY!!!!!!! I have also lost any interest in self appearance and in the past few months have completely let myself go. I have also had sex twice since going on it. YES thats right - SEX TWICE IN FOUR MONTHS, aaaaaarrrrrgh. And to the most disgusting part of all - I have been getting an awful discharge that smells bad. I am a really clean person and was considering going to my gyno in the coming week to ask why it was happening….. I have been on many pills and the depot and whilst I experienced side affects with all of them, none of them were anything like this, I would get a side effect here and there on the others, nothing like this. Biggest waste of $800 ever. Mirena = Evil.

27 female...after second epidural shot..face swelled up for 3 weeks now..perode for 3 weeks..water retention..weight gain..rash that look like blisters..anyone have this reaction..anyone know how to fix this problem..when and if i will ever be back to normal any help is wanted..thanks ******

D.
long island, NY

Hi, had two epidural shots..first one went fine..worked really well..after the second one..my face has been swallow for over 3 weeks now..rash all over..water weight gain..back of my neck is all swelled up..there are days that i can barely walk on my leg..due to the swelling..i have been to 16 doctors and no one could figure out what is wrong with me..im thinking this is some reaction to the epidural shot that i had..I also have been bleeding..period i guess for over 3 weeks..spotting..does anyone know when and if this ever goes back to normal..what doc i need to be seeing to correct this problem..if anyone has any information that could help me..im 27 female mother of one..that has never had any medical conditions like this ever..so i have to assume that this is from the shot..i tried calling the doctor that did my shot and he said its not because of him and now will not return my phone calls..im at a loss on what to do..please email me at ****** if anyone has been through this and knows if this goes away on its own..what i need to do..anything thank you for taking the time to read my story.

D.
long island, NY

There should be warnings about this! The doctor should have told me that this could happen..it is not worth what we all have been through!! sorry just venting.

I got the Mirena about 1 1/2 years ago. At first it was great I only spotted for about an week. At first my husband felt the strings during intercourse but that went away. After about 6 months my breasts are always sore and I get discharge from my nipples. I have never had acne in my lift now I always have acne. I went to a new doctor and told him what birth control I was on and he said to have it removed last week. The side effects are weight gain (what I went to see him about 50 pds.) and it has been known to cause heart problems He told me to read the women health journal. It hurts to have sex when I have it not often no sex drive my cervix hurts all the time like I can feel the mirena and its poking me I am going to make an appt. to get it removed this week the mood swings and yelling at my kids and got to go SO GOOD BY MIRENA AND HELLO AGAIN TAMPAX.

I had the copper IUD after my first child and I loved it. There was only a few side effects. My periods were monumentally huge, and when I cramped before my period it went down my left thigh and drove me nuts. The periods you learn how to handle, and you get use to the cramps. I had it in for 2 1/2 years, got it taken out and was pregnant with my son the same month. After my son I went in to have the IUD put back in and my doctor gave me the "you'll love mirena sooo much more" pitch. "Luckily" for him he didn't have any of the copper ones in his office but he did have the mirena. It took 3 different inserts to get one to stick (i feel good for wasting a bunch of his money). So, about mirena. IT IS EVIL! I kept it in for a year and it was the worst year of my life. I had no sex drive, I gained 20 lbs, my periods were constant for the first 2 months, then they were gone completely (which I find yucky. I think you should have periods periodically even though they suck) But worst of all I was psychotic. I'm not joking. I actually was scared to be around my kids at times. I had this boiling rage inside me that I couldn't control and it would explode over anything. I lived like this for a year before I finally had a true breakdown and started thinking about being medicated. Then I wondered if it could be the mirena... it really hadn't crossed my mind yet. I talked to my dr. who told me that there is no way the mirena would cause any of my symptoms because the hormones don't leave the uterus. blah blah blah. I told her to yank the sucker out anyway and I swear to god, I was back to normal with in a week. I could barely look at my kids knowing that I essentially wasted a year of their lives being a hollow shell who's only sign of life was when I would spontaneously combust and scare them. I really do feel like this needs to be taken off the market. In it's defense, I have always had a pretty bad temper. It has always been pretty much limited to screaming at people though, not violence. So I think that whatever issue I have always had was made 1000000 times worse because of this stupid little thing. What makes it worse, is that you can't even talk to your doctor about it because they all just repeat what the manual says and refuse to believe that is causes horrible side effects (even though so many people suffer through the same ones).

i was on the depo shot, and LOVED it! for the first few months i spotted All throughout the month which got really annoying, but after a few months my periods stopped completely!! it was AMAZING!!!! i didn't gain any weight on the shot, but i was Always hungry and Never felt full. after going off of the shot i still didn't have a period at all for like 3 or 4 months! :D .... but then.... i started bleeding ALL the time. off one week, on for a whole week, off one week, on for a whole week...etc. this happened for 2 to 3 months. finally i went a gyn and she recommended that i go on yaz to regulate my period. ... it worked for a little while, but for the passed 3 or 4 months i bleed at least twice a month! both for about a week at a time. this sucks!! and sadly any hormone makes me a little moody :/ i was at a really steady weight of 111 and sky rocketed to 120 when i went on the pill. i go to the gym at least 2 to 3 times a week (as i did before i started the pill)... and im down to 115. but it seems to want to stay at 115 :/ so still a little weight gain involved. sometimes my sex drive is super amazing to where i almost climax at the snap of a finger. but lately... a lot lately, its almost impossible to climax! :( which is super disappointing and frustrating!. (any advice for the climaxing part? :( lol seriously. ) ... i don't want to go off of birth control, because sadly i Hate rubbers! my mom wanted me to try microgestin cause i bleed a lot on yaz, but those pills don't look or sound appealing to me. any suggestions?? lol... overall i would recommend either yaz or the depo shot. both have ups and downs. :)

I have had mine since oct 06, I immediately started to have unusual discharge, so much that I have to wear panty liners or a lite tampon, It's extremely embarrassing to have to go through with it everyday, especially in the summer, when i wanna wear a bathing suit. I also hate to have sex, it hurts so much, I can barely take it. I have been oody and miserable, around the time I do get my period I have very tender breasts. My period is lite and only lasts a few days, so no complaint there. I have enlarged cysts now, and they also contribute to my pain during sex. I have no sex drive whatsoever. Could care less. And I use to have sex on a regular basis.

For the past year I have been struggling with acne, I have never had pimples in my life, so now having the right side of my face full of acne and nothing, nothing will treat it. I didn't have much weight gain at all. Im back to my regular size, but I do workout now, and haven't lost anything either.

I thought for the past 3 years I've been crazy, Im depressed, but nothing to be depressed about, I dont have a stressful job, Im healthy, taken care of. But I can cry over nothing, literally, I cry everyday, and lately its getting worse, I thought I was pregnant, because I felt so emotional, I was feeling flutters in my stomach. Things that I felt the first itme.

I don't have insurance, and make to much to get medicare. I really want to get it taken out. This has affected my life so much, that its ruining my relationship with my boyfriend.

I cant believe how many others are having same symptoms, I should have looked into this a long long time ago. Hopefully I can have planned parenthood take it out.

OMG!! I can't believe it. I had it since 06 and I thought i was going crazy. I been moody, agitated, weight gain 45lbs, NO SEX DRIVE, lack of energy, hair loss, night sweats, hot flashes( thought i was going through menopause at 30, nausea, headaches like crazy, etc... I cant wait until Monday to schedule to get this out. I need my life back.

Okay. I have been on Yaz for the last year. I have been having horrible migraines. I have been told to switch from Yaz to something else. The doctor prescribed me Loestrin 24. Now, ever statement I read someone says they have had a lot of spotting. Is there anyone taking Loestrin and is not spotting? I am not sure if I should take this pill now?????? I also need to loose about 10 pounds from taking the Yaz. I am afraid that taking the Loestrin I will gain more........ I just don't know what to do.

I had this thing placed in April of 2008. I was fine had minor cramping and went back for check up. everything was okay until January 2009 I got a yeast infection. I did an otc med and it went away for about 3 days. It came back with Avengeance not only did I have a yeast infection but it was accompanied with migrated arthralgia. I could hardly walk at one point on my right foot then it moved from my right hand to my left and has settled in to my right foot. I called my PCP and she gave me meds to treat and it went away for a month. I was told that if it came back with the arthralgia she was going to test me for lupus!!!! LUPUS I thought I was in a lot of trouble the next month because it came back. I have had 8 yeast infections in 6 months. Every time my husband and I have sex it feels like a rug burn and I get the infection back. I was told (when I finally thought to call) by my GYN that if you get yeast infection and it doesn't fully go away it can live on the strings and keep coming back. I was treated this last time with a vag cream insert and an oral med. I thought I was free and clear but two months later here I am again. I am going in to see my GYN/PCP to have this removed tomorrow she agrees that the mirena is the issue. I have had all these other symptoms thought mostly the weight issue I can't lose weight not matter how hard I work at it. I have facial swelling and have been very fatigued. Also be warned that you should not have this placed if you have history of endometriosis. I consulted as to why with one of the doc that i am a nurse for and she said that this can cause bleeding to be worse since endometrial tissue can attach anywhere in the body. I have endometriosis removed twice and I am not willing to take the risk of abn bleeding elsewhere I already have enough CRAP to deal with. I am sure that some women have had this and it hasn't been an issue. More power to you!! but for those of you who are suffering form this. You can file a formal complaint with the FDA I think if enough of us file complaints maybe will step back and take a closer look at the TRUE SE of this horrible device!!