I was excited to learn that my doctor would allow me to get Miren...

I was excited to learn that my doctor would allow me to get Mirena as I have never had any children. He said that it would be more uncomfortable but besides that there was no reason I should not have it. I was 22 when it was inserted and I still don't want children for a long time, if ever. I had been on NuvaRing since I began birth control but I was about to lose my health insurance so I thought this was the best bet. I started putting on weight and I attributed it to the fact that I had just lost a lot of weight and after a few months of getting too comfortable at barbecues and holidays, it was catching up to me. I got that pair of pants thinking it would just be til I got it back off. I started exercising more than I ever had and was eating well and nothing. I started getting down on myself. I tried to explain to someone that it wasn't the way I looked, it was how I felt. I said I never felt so heavy, like my body was dragging at all times, and I've been heavier than this in the past and didn't feel this awful. I kept attributing it to one thing or another, the worse it gets the worse I eat and now it is by my own fault. I was getting depressed around the holidays and usually love everything that comes with it, yet was happy to work this year. I've been avoiding everyone. I've had the worse cramps I've ever had. I can tolerate pain...piercings, tattoos, the whole shabang. I was literally doubled over that it would stop me in my tracks. I usually avoid painkillers as they give me nausea but even after taking muscle relaxers and ibuprofen I could barely function, in fact I was happy to try to sleep it off. I have been bleeding for well over a month now, when I usually only bleed for a few days. When I wasn't "bleeding" I was spotting which was actually something even less appealing. The only headache I've ever previously had were after wisdom teeth extraction and I now get headaches almost everyday. I'm rambling, but I could go on and on. I've been so tired that I drag all day but I can't sleep. It's been suggested that I might be anemic and I try to eat well and take vitamins and nothing is helping but caffeine which just makes my mood swings worse, and like I said I try to eat well. I don't drink soda and have a sensible diet (outside of the past few months getting worse and worse anxiety about my weight). I'm not a cryer and have found myself sobbing while "PMSing" if that's what you call it when you feel like there's no more "pre" because it's almost constant, and saying that I know these thoughts are absurd. A year ago if something was wrong I'd have taken aggressive steps to improving my mental health. I love everything in my life. I've got a great job and everything, but something just doesn't seem right. I heard a lyric that said something along the lines of, "Everything's right but something's still wrong." I actually found myself telling someone, "I'm not sad anymore. I've just accepted that I'll never really be happy...at least I won't allow myself to be for long." I just haven't felt myself in a long time. I've had the worst UTIs I've ever had, more than one but one that was almost enough to encourage me to have it removed then. Again, I attributed it to something else. I had been on vacation and since I had recently had it inserted thought it was natural, considering that a-little-more-frequent-sex-during-vacation-thing. I work with mentally ill patients, who seem to be comfortable saying just about anything that pops in their heads and they have commented, not only on my weight, but on my facial hair. I mean I don't have a mustache growing, but my normal peach fuzz is turning into peach furr. I've had absolutely no sex drive, none. Not to get too personal, but I usually thoroughly enjoy masturbating. I don't even enjoy that. I actually forced myself one day when I was feeling down, thinking my lack of it was affecting my mood due to hormone levels. That's about the only thing I want to occasionally do, again thought the lack of sex drive was due to body issues but now I'm not so sure. My man actually told me one day he thought I was being more aggressive at one point, but it was because as he was getting intimate I almost had to force myself to get it over with (nothing against him). He comes near me just to hug me or sit near me and I pull away. I know I've rambled and rambled and rambled. However, I just didn't put all of these things together. I thought this might all be in my head, stress, etc. etc. Just reading this gave me so much hope. Like I said, I've barely been said anymore. I've been able to say that I'm happy with a frown on my face...I know everything IS right in my life, but it hasn't FELT right in a long time. Thank you all for this. I will be sure to come back and note the aftermath when I have it removed. I don't have insurance anymore, but I am going to see what I can do about getting it removed as soon as possible. Just for a comparable point, last year at this point in time (pre-Mirena) I was at about 133 pounds. I had leveled out at about 140 and been steady for awhile. I had Mirena inserted last November and now, in mid-April, I am a little over 160. I will be calling my doctor today. I thank you all again, so SO much. I hope this helps someone else as much as it did me.