Mirena and anemia

Hey everyone, I have had issues too. Mine started when I had my Mirena placed. I was 5 weeks post partum. Felt great before that. I had a c-section and still was ok.
About a month later I realized my legs were always sore. It felt like I wore 5" heels and walked 5 miles the night before. Even the bottom of my feet hurt.
I started to put 2 and 2 together and also noted my migraines, light headedness and extremely tired, not to mention my sex drive went from 8 to zero!

I called my OB and they said I have to see my primary doctor because they won't see me for leg cramps. I told the nurse it is b/c of the Mirena...blah blah blah.

I went to my Primary doctor who knows nothing about birth control (or not as much as an OB). He said post pregnancy will bring on things like anemia and thyroid issues.

I was ok until I had this put in. I know my blood work will come back ok and that makes me so mad!

I go in Oct for my 6 mo checkup with the OB and I am having it removed. It is not worth how I feel. I don't want another baby right now but I guess it is back to the pill and calendar method.

I have had the mirena since early December 2007. Other than spotting for the first 5-6 weeks, things were going fine until June of this year (7 months later). I have not had the acne that people are describing, but I have now developed reflux, horrible pms that lasts for 8-10 days before my period comes, jaw pain such that I can't bite all the way down in the back and strangest of all, an issue with my tongue. It's almost like I've developed a lisp and I have trouble with my S's. I even had a CT scan of my brain to make sure it wasn't neurological. My dentist can't find anything wrong, either. I

've also put on a mystery 5 lbs without changing a thing. I am a personal trainer/fitness instructor, so I am conscientious of eating and exercise. I should have know something was amiss when I trained for a half-marathon and didn't lose one pound.

So, I wasn't able to get an appt with my OB for another couple of weeks. The whole reason I got this thing in the first place was to help control heavy periods which led to anemia and iron supplementation. My periods have gotten SO much better, but I just don't think the pros outweigh the cons. I'm at the point to trying uterine ablation - I also have a recurrence of uterine polyps, so I've got lots to consider. There has to be something else out there, but I find it so strange that so many women have had such similar issues.

Good luck everyone!

I'm 39 years old with two very healthy children. That said, I got my Mirena because I was having prolonged extremely heavy periods and my regular doctor thought it was the cause of the extreme chronic anemia that I suffer from. My serum ferritin count (amount of iron stored int eh body) was 2 the lowest point of normal serum ferritin is 10-12. My ob/gyn disagreed as did I. There is something else wrong we've just not found it yet.

The Mirena helped with the bleeding to a point. I still have a period for weeks at a time but not so badly that I have to change pads and tampons by the hour, ony two or three times a day now. Turns out that my period apparently wasn't the cause of the anemia because it hasn't gotten any better.

My hair is much thinner, I've lost 40 pounds. I'm tired a lot with memory loss. Ready for a shock? I'm 5ft8 and I weigh 225 and 92/63 is my at work on my feet all day blood pressure. I don't attribute any of that to Mirena, maybe I should. I think Mirena might have prolonged if not saved my life.

However, it has been steadily losing its effectiveness I think because of my age and fluctuating hormonal levels and because my body was so starved for hormones before it was inserted that maybe it was just used up faster...I don't really know. What I do know is in the past 3 or 4 months is that I started having cramps, bleeding more heavily and even longer and my sex drive started either completely failing me or going the direct opposite and being way on out there (not that the hubby minds all that much)

I'm going to have it removed next Friday. I might have it replaced. I might not.

I just wanted to be sure you all read the directions in the pamphlet that they give you when you get the IUD....here they are in case you forgot to read the fine print.

ADVERSE REACTIONS
The most serious adverse reactions associated with the use of
MIRENA are discussed above in the Warnings section. Others are
presented in the Precautions section. Other adverse events reported
by 5% or more subjects include:
Abdominal pain Upper respiratory infection
Leukorrhea Nausea
Headache Nervousness
Vaginitis Dysmenorrhea
Back pain Weight increase
Breast pain Skin disorder
Acne Decreased libido
Depression Abnormal Pap smear
Hypertension Sinusitis
Other reported adverse reactions occurring in less than 3% of
patients include: failed insertion, migraine, vomiting, anemia,
cervicitis, dyspareunia, hair loss, eczema.

Did the insert on 7/4, had the mild cramps for a day or two after. On 7/9 started what I believed was a normal period, but it has gone on till now. Not heavy bleeding, but it's just not going away. I haven't had any of the other side effects at all. So I plan to give myself a couple more week and see what happens. I due a check up with my OB GY mid August, I'll wait till then.

Hi all,
I have spent the last 2 days on the Internet reading about Mirena; as a matter of fact, I had mine removed 2 days ago. For the last 10 months, my life has been horrible. I had the Mirena inserted in November of 2007, I was also coming out of a divorce, so I (and my doctor) was attributing my extreme depression, anxiety attacks to it. I started noticing that my hair was falling out and it just kept getting worse and worse. I went to see my doctor again and she said I had anemia (I was having very heavy periods and bleeding through my periods). Doctor said anemia causes hair loss. I went through different tests, saw a dermatologist, I always mentioned I had the Mirena, but no one seem to relate that to anything. I actually went on the Mirena site a couple of times, but the side effects listed there were very mild so I discarded the thought that the Mirena was causing my depression and my hair loss. There is no mention whatsoever about hair loss. Months went by, I kept seeing different doctors since my hair loss was getting worse and worse, my once beautiful, thick hair had become extremely thin, I have two holes on my scalp. I continued to bleed heavy and my ob/gyn said to give it some more time. My life was a complete mess, going to work was a struggle, dealing with my kids was a struggle, some days I would just lay in bed and cried for hours, I started to believe that my life had no purpose or reason. I was truly in agony, I am sure those of you who have gone through this know exactly what I mean. Anyway, I can't believe in all this months it never occurred to me to google mirena and hair loss....or mirena and suicidal thoughts, etc., etc. I thank you all for sharing your stories and I hope we can figure out a way to let all of those mirena users out there suffering that the answer to their agony is simply to have the Mirena removed. I look forward to my new life, new hair. It has been 2 days and I don't know if it is a state of mind, but I feel so much better already.
Thx
Jessica M.

3 weeks exactly since I had mine removed. Still no weight loss or improvement in acne, but at day 11...I noticed that my joint pain was completely gone and just realized today that I have not had any heartburn in a while. (I had been having severe heartburn on a daily basis for months.) I had a period the 2nd day after having it removed which lasted for about a 5 days and was heavy with clotting. Then I had another period which started last Monday, lasted for five days and was heavy with clotting as well. That 2nd period ended last Friday (May 23) and here it is Tuesday and I've noticed some more spotting as if I'm about to start another one! I started taking vitamins with extra iron to prevent any anemia with the 2nd period...but holy cow! I wasn't expecting a 3rd one within a month!

I'm wondering if this might be a reason that my weight is staying on and the acne, too: Maybe I'm staying in a state of PMS with all these periods. I'm hoping this one won't be as heavy as the last 2...but at least I have an appointment scheduled with a new GYN on June 16th.

Thank God I found this site. My doctor thinks I'm mad, she has a Mirena herself and thinks it's wonderful. I had the Mirena put in because of severe blood loss anemia two years ago. I've had a headache on the left side of my head for 18 months. Heart palpitations right before my unpredictable periods, chest pain, serious stomach upsets, numbness and tingling that made me think I had MS or a brain tumor, and countless other frightening symptoms. I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma when I was 23 which was successfully treated, this Mirena has had me concerned daily that I had relapsed and that it just wasn't being picked up. I've been so frightened of what's been happening to me, but now I will INSIST that the thing is removed right away. Thank you so much for you honesty about your symptoms, I no longer feel alone.

After reading everyones complaints about the Mirena, I am convinced that everything I have been feeling is because of the IUD. I have a new name for it, I like to call it the b---h maker. I had mine taken out on 5-15. Started bleeding 1 hour after removal. The bleeding has gotten heavier as the week progressed, and am passing large clumps. Was all this blood just sitting in there this whole time, could that explain the 15 lbs I put on? Maybe I need a DnC?

I had my Mirena placed in Oct 2006. Since then I have had increasing migraines and incredible mood swings. I can't seem to get control over my anemia due to my crazy menstruation (I had two week long periods for nearly 8 months when I had it placed but my doc convinced me to tough it out a bit longer). AND, severe panic attacks. These started about 1 week ago...but my anxiety has increased greatly over the last year...to the point of keeping my kids home from activities because I was fearful of what may happen. We also have called 911 twice in the last week due to dizziness, tingling/pain down side of body, shortness of breath, hyperventilation etc. I am positive this is due to the Mirena and plan on having it removed as soon as possible.

I had Mirena inserted on the September 2007. Friday I had it removed. I am 35 and a mother of 5 children and suffer from heavy periods and severe anemia so Mirena was supposes to be the cure. My husband kept complaining that he could feel it while we were having sex so I had it clipped shorter. He still complained about it. I felt more tired and my periods there were only a slight improvement(bleeding more days but not as heavy after the first two days). The cramping the week prior and during the first couple of days of my period was unbearable. I have gained 10pounds and had a mid section belly roll that I have never had before. I always felt bloated and woke up with swollen fingers(the only other times I can recall feeling this way was during pregnancy).
After a few days of having it removed, my mid section feels less bloated but I have had Flu like symptoms. Nausea, a little vomiting, constant headache and diarrhea.
I will keep you all posted. Best wishes everyone.

Has anyones back pain been severe i have a 2 episodes of severe back pain i mean not being able to move or hardly walk i have been wondering if it is from the iud please reply and let me know does this mean something is wrong or is this a normal side effect i hope not

Thank God for the internet! I thought I was going crazy! I had my Mirena in for 8 months. My monthlies stopped in Sept. I've been experiencing a lot of hair loss. I thought it was just pregnant hair shedding. Then I noticed a bald spot. I thought it was a scar that I haven't noticed, but I checked on it about a month later and it was dramatically bigger! My beautiful long thick hair is diminishing! My sex drive has decreased. My mood has been negative. I didn't get the three month shot so I wouldn't become depressed. The Mirena is just as bad! My energy is very low, I have anemia. Plus I've been very dizzy. I've gained weight and I can't loss it! I've told my HMO and he doesn't think it's the Mirena. Hello! I have an OB appt. in the morning to get this thing removed. I pray for the best! My three babies and husband need their mother and wife back.
From: EFGuardipee29

I've had Mirena IUD since July 06. Since then I've had incredible mood swings and have been so emotional. I basically was forced to quit a dream job b/c I had trouble being "professional" - that is keeping my cool and not having temper tantrums and snapping at people. Now, with no co-workers, I am doing it to my in-laws. I yell at my kids like I've never yelled at them before. They are scared of me at times. I was forced to see a counselor on 2 occasions when I had incidents at work and was suggested to see a psych for medication for my depression. I am against doing that. I had been trying so hard to lose weight and just wrote it off as being 35+. Just this summer, I started having pain in my right upper thigh and groin area which would radiate all over my leg, knee, shin, hip, low back - just depending on what I was doing. They couldn't figure out the prob so I went through a series of epidural steroid shots which have not helped much. Also, in the past year or so, I seem to not be as mentally sharp. I have trouble recalling names and facts that I should know. I feel like I have early Alzheimer's or something. Also, have that issue with my eyes where I sorta need reading glasses. Eye Dr. said I was a little young at 36 to have that. Have trouble getting things done and staying focused. Feel like I have adult onset AD&D. Other things that are more occasional include: not healing as quickly from minor scrapes and such, some drop in sex drive with some discomfort during sex, some hair loss but I've had that in the past from time to time, dizziness at times, shortness of breath, a cyst which I've never had before. I called my ob/GYN today and I am getting this out of me ASAP. I will definitely miss not having a period but we naturally have a period and it must be for a reason. I would rather deal with that.

mirena inserted in jan 2007, and i gained quite a bit of weight since that, 4kg in 6 months no matter how little i eat.... and i facing serious acne on my face..never never go off...i am really really upset with my fat body and face, i never knew about the side effect before the mirena been inserted, i just wish that i can read this website earlier, i will consider to remove it.my gynea adviced me to get Mirena because of i had multiple polys, and anemia, however now i developed another cysits in my ovary...