Mirena and ankles

I had my Mirena put in April 2007 and I can honestly say I cannot see how this device was ever approved by the medical community. I suffered so many of the side effects you women speak of, and primarily the excessive fatigue. I have been high energy my whole life and needing one or two naps a day because I was falling asleep in my own home walking around was ridiculous. I had weight gain I couldn't explain, despite working out and eating healthy. My skin was dry to the point it was flaking off of my hands in some places. I've never had acne, and didn't know how to deal with that everywhere! I already have palpitations so the extra palpitations caused by the Mirena freaked me out. My face swelled, my ankles swelled, I was dizzy, and I couldn't think straight at all. I also suffered a numbness in my toes at one point, I attributed it to an athletic injury but now I realize it was probably related as well. The past year I had Mirena I had numerous colds and flu's, and usually I'm a fairly healthy person!!!

I had the Mirena removed 6 days ago and I cannot tell you how much better I feel. My thoughts are totally lucid and I feel a fog has been lifted from my brain. Within days the acne went away, and I could tell the "bloating" was subsiding from my belly area. I did start my cycle two days post removal, which I see is common. I am no longer fatigued or tired and have been really back to my normal self already. I'm already running on my treadmill again, which is something I've been unable to do in over a year because of the fatigue. So there you go..... if you are having problems from head to toe like I was, just get it removed. It's not for you. And by the way, the problems with it didn't start for maybe 3 months after I had it in... so keep your eyes open and be aware and tuned in to your body, ladies.

Here is my Mirena Story.

I was 6 weeks post partum....I had mirena inserted...it was very painful and I was not warned about that.
About a week later I noticed yellowing in the whites of my eyes which I thought could be coming from a iron def. since I just gave birth. So I made sure I was eating well and taking vitamins. I also had severe itching at night especially on my ankles and legs. Oh and sex drive was gone. It was fine the 6 weeks after birth but as soon as mirena was in it was gone!!! I went to the doctor about a month after insertion and asked to have it removed, of course my doc said it couldn't be iud causing my problems...come back in a month...So I did....within this month I started having severe anxiety, insomnia and panic attacks, to the point were I actually thought I was loosing my mind. Of course again the doc told me that it wasn't iud and prescribed me an antidepressant which I reluctantly excepted. I'm not depressed...my life was perfect before mirena!!! I finally went back for the third time and decided I wasn't leaving until somebody took this thing out of me!

Here is a list of other side effects that I had/still have!!

acne
migraines
extreme lower back pain
numbness and tingling in hands and feet
vision problems
fogginess
An ADHD type feeling
inability to focus or concentrate
extreme fatigue
feeling of throat closing up
heart racing and palpitations
night sweats
sinusitus
dizziness and light headiness
headache

The problem here is that the doctors don't even know how extreme these side effects can be and they keep telling us that it's not the mirena. PLEASE trust your instinct.....I wanted to trust my doctor but I knew in my heart what was causing my problems...I am only 1 week post mirena and I am still having a lot of my problems but I can tell a difference. DON'T LET IT GET OUT OF HAND....TAKE IT OUT!!!!

DON'T GET MIRENA...IT MAY WORK WELL FOR SOME...BUT IN MY OPINION IT IS NOT WORTH THE CHANCE THAT THESE HORRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS COULD HAPPEN.....HAD I BEEN INFORMED PROPERLY I WOULD HAVE NEVER HAD MIRENA INSERTED!!

Good Luck Ladies!!

I'm very curious to read all these side effects! I have some strange symptoms going on and it only occurred to me after weeks of them that they may be caused by the Mirena IUD. Apart from constant annoying spotting and a bit of a dull ache in the pelvis now and then, I thought I had no other symptoms but I can see that my fuzziness in the head, low grade anxiety and stress that I've been feeling lately may be related. I've also been ravenous and am putting on weight but can't seem to stop eating junk. My energy levels are low and I have body aches and fatigue and find it hard to work out. But has anyone had achy joints in the hands and feet? .....tight tendons in the ankles & archilles and sore bones in the feet.......a feeling like swelling/tightness in the joints in the hands? I thought I was getting arthritis but maybe it's related to the IUD. I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks

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.

Wow. For the past couple of days I have experience a dull pain in my knees and ankles; I assumed it was the onset of arthritis. Also I have experienced cramps recently that are reminiscent of the horrible cramps I had as a teenager. Finally this morning I noticed my period which has pretty much been light spotting since the insertion of Mirena. I decided to google mirena on a whim and am really glad I stumbled upon this thread. I decided to go along with my doctor's suggestion for this IUC 6 weeks after my son was born, October of 06. I have had absolutely no desire for sex since then and my husband has had various issues with that. I never considered mirena could be the culprit for my strange symptoms. I also have experienced difficulty losing weight; before pregnancy I had a speedy metabolism, ate heartily and had no problems maintaining a healthy weight. I was prescribed zoloft about 3 months after getting mirena. I too have noticed that my hair is still falling out, my skin is splotchy and the skin on my upper lip has darkened slightly, it looks like I have a mustache. I've been convincing myself that the way I feel is just due to getting older and that my body is always going to be out of whack after childbirth. I was just trying to get used to it. After identifying with so many posts, I want that junk removed next week.

Insertion was kind of painful... is there any discomfort during or after removal?

I had my first Mirena coil fitted about 10 years ago and though it had been fantastic. No worries about getting pregnant and no periods. I had take the pill before and had ovarian cysts removed so I couldn't use the pill. However, my second Mirena only lasted 31/2 years before I notice problems. I had a new one fitted and it had been ok for 3 years. Or so I thought. 18 months ago I became very ill with chronic fatigue, sickness, severe depression for which I was prescribed Prozac and then I developed Irritable bowel syndrome. I felt like I was going nuts. Nobdy believed how I felt. My job is at risk. I had a new mirena fitted a few months ago and the problems had eased although I feel that they are now getting worse again. I am considering having it removed. I hadn't made the link between the Mirena coil and my illness until recently. I have also gained a considerable amount of weight but I also had this when I was on the pill. Has any one had problems after using the Mirena for a number of years? as most people seem to have trouble straight away.

Progestins are known to cause hypothyroid type symptoms even if your test results are normal. Get rid of this coil because one day those symptoms will hit you hard. Mine took 5 years to really get bad but I pretty much gave up everything 8 years ago thinking that I just hadn't recovered from the birth of my son. My skin will never recover from the enormous amount of weight I've now gained. I have scarring from the spots that it's caused. My ankles are constantly swollen, the pain in my shoulders is unrelenting. My back pain is debilitating and There have been times when I was scared to go to sleep in case I didn't wake up again.
Maybe I'm scaremongering but the doctors don't care enough to check out these symptoms. I've ended up on blood pressure tablets, migraine tablets - not that they work - but so much of this is untreatable unless you can get someone to take the evil thing out.

Does any one start bleeding when you lift or do workouts.I have had my iud since July 2006.Is this normal?I also have weight gain ,breakouts on my face,body always aches and is sore.I have had to go to a chiro to help with the pain in my body also!Help is this the iud?I am almost 49 years old do i need this at all now???

I had my Mirena inserted 8 weeks after having my 3rd child. Everything seemed fine for the first 3 months but then I began to develop severe pain in my finger joints, wrists, ankles, elbows, back and neck. I was shuffling around like a 90 year old woman. At first I thought I may have developed arthritis and then my mother suggested I give up the breastfeeding as it might be 'taking it out of me'. Then the other symptoms seemed to creep up on me - foggy brain, severe mood swings, feeling sad and depressed for no reason, SEVERE headaches, night sweats and extreme fatigue. I couldn't complete tasks like washing the clothes and general cleaning of my home and I never felt refreshed after a long sleep. I remember saying to my husband on 3 or 4 occasions 'I feel like I'm going crazy!!' I think he thought the same thing. It was only by chance I revisited a forum I had bookmarked earlier when I was trying to find out how long after initial insertion the bleeding lasted that a post containing some similar side-effects to the ones I was experiencing caught my eye - well what an eye-opener, I would never in my wildest dreams have connected my symptoms with my IUD. The cause of my debilitating symptoms became so clear and that night I squatted down in the shower, found the strings, gave a tug and took the damn thing out myself! That was 3 weeks ago and I've felt a little better every day. I'm hoping to be back to my old self as soon as possible. Thank you so much to everyone who has shared their experiences. If it wasn't for you these debilitating effects on my body would have continued for I dont know how long.

Hi I have had a Mirena coil for the past 2 and half years. For the last 18 onths I have been suffering with Chologenic Urticaria. I react to change in temperature (cold to hot) devole hives and itch. Each attack will last for 20-30 minutes. Also have pain in my knees and legs and have trouble walking up the stirs some days. Has anyone had these type of systems?

I thought I was going crazy until I found this site! I have gained 15 pounds since August! I eat healthy and exercise 3-4x a week. My back pain has increased. My ankles are swelled and my blood pressure has gone up. I have also noticed increased pain in my joints and muscles. My sex drive has gone down too! I love not having heavy periods but I am making an appt. to have it removed today!! Thank you for sharing this info with me!!

Having the Mirena IUD put in was the worst thing I have ever done to my body! I am 33yrs old, have 3 kids - 9, 2 1/2, 1 1/2. They told me to come in when I started my period because it would be easier to insert, so that's what I did in early November 2007. (Since then, I have had non-stop bleeding or spotting every day.) I didn't have as much pain as some people have described, but it was more uncomfortable than I expected. The next day I developed a bad, bumpy, itchy rash on both of my legs from my ankles to just above the knee. I thought it was just a fluke, and it starting going away after two days. It was gone within a week. I started having very bad mood swings - angry, short-tempered, irritated, irrational, paranoid, and I wanted to cry over everything. (I normally don't cry over anything - I am not an emotional person.) I got a few deep, itchy pimples on my face, which normally I don't get either, but I figured I just needed to get used to the hormone. Then, my upper back and chest started itching really badly the second week, and I got pimples all over those areas - I have only ever had them at about age 13-14 and not as bad as I do now! I became fatigued, and I have gained 5 pounds. Don't get me wrong - I have been eating everything in sight, but I feel terribly hungry half an hour after I am done eating. So that part is my fault, but I'm not used to be being hungry all the time for no reason. I have religiously gone to the gym 4-5 times a week for an hour and a half a day for the past year and a half. For the past two months I have gone twice a week, and struggle to make it an hour. My endurance is terrible. My muscles - particularly my legs - burn like I've had long strenuous workouts, which I just mentioned is not the case. My sex drive - NONEXISTENT. Luckily for my husband, I know it's a side effect and haven't told him - he would probably take it personally - so I just go along with sex when he wants it. I finally had to get over the fact that I had non-stop spotting, but sex is not enjoyable when you feel self-conscious, and no foreplay because of the spotting if you know what I mean. (Sorry if that's too much information but I'm sure some of you can relate.) My husband was also not thrilled about the strings - I wouldn't be either if I was him. I had a non-stop migraine for 9 days straight - I maybe get two of them a year before Mirena, and they last about 3-4 hours. I normally have 20/15 vision - better than most people - and I found I was struggling to see things I normally could. I have been occasionally nauseous, but that has been minimal. My breasts have been sore. I am sure I am forgetting other effects, but as you can see the picture here is pretty grim. I went back to the doctor three weeks after insertion, and he told me that he couldn't tell me what to do, but that it is not rational to expect to feel perfect after 3 weeks, and that most people adjust just fine after about three months. He further explained that he has personally put in several hundred, and only one person has ever wanted it removed. He said my "side effects" probably had other causes and this was coincidental, and that the few that could come from the Mirena would settle down. Well, for the next month it got worse. Yesterday, after working a 12 hour graveyard shift, I forced myself to stay awake three more hours until the doctor's office opened. I went in with no appointment, and told them I would sit there all day if I had to, until it was removed. They managed to fit me in with the nurse practitioner, and she also asked if I was sure I didn't want to give it one more month to settle down. After reading everyone's stories on this site, I was pretty sure that was pointless. So she removed it as I asked, and at least treated me with respect and didn't try to tell me it was in my head ( like the doctor did.) She said it could take up to 20 days to get the hormone out of my system. (Which is funny, because when you get it inserted they tell you the hormone acts only locally within the uterine area and doesn't get into your "system" - LIES!!!) Well, I went home, went to sleep for 4 1/2 hours before I had to be back to work for another 12 hr shift. But guess what - even after getting little sleep, I felt much better than I had in two months. My headache was gone. While sitting at work, I noticed I could see things at a distance again. I had a pretty stressful night, and not once did I feel emotional. Just a little tired from lack of sleep - but it was worth it!!! I am almost 24 hours from when I had it removed, and see a light at the end of the tunnel. I hate to sound pessimistic, because I wanted really badly for this to work out. If anyone tells you what you are feeling is in your head - or has another cause when you know the symptoms started at the same time you got the Mirena - DON'T BE BULLIED. They will try to make you feel like you are the only one complaining, but you're not. There are many of us. Trust me on this one - you will feel better if you get it removed. If you are reading this and haven't gotten it yet - keep this info in the back of your mind. If you want to try it and it works out for you, great! But if it doesn't, don't stick it out any longer than you have to. I also extend my sympathy to those of you that had it in longer than I did and are taking longer to recover, especially those who have experienced traumatic pregnancies and miscarriages since. I hope you take some comfort in knowing your stories have helped me make a great decision - having it removed. I also had a friend read all of your postings because she was considering this as well - she has since changed her mind.

I am getting mine removed FRIDAY!! And Friday can't come soon enough. I am kinda bummed tho for having to go back on the pill but I can't hack this ANY LONGER!!! One of my friends works for a GP and I went to him because of some of my side effects. The flu like symptoms minus having the flu (had it for at least 2 to 3 mos now) NO sex drive (causing trouble with my marriage. Hubby is taking it WAY to personal), swelling in my hands, feet, legs, and face. (my face will feel flush and BAM I'm swollen!!) VERY BAD MOOD SWINGS!!! Very Bad isn't the word for it!! There are no words to explain my moods!! ANYHOW..... I sent this to my friend to read and she pulled it up at work. Well the GP said that this isn't a reliable place to go for information on the side effects. "There are NO positive side effects to anything." Which is true BUT he seems to think going to Web MD or some sight like that is more reliable than here. And that this sight shouldn't scare me and he wouldn't urge me to have it removed after reading this. (OH YEAH I forgot to mention joint pain, I have HORRIBLE joint pain in my hands, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and feet. The worst of it is in my wrists and elbows) Back to what I was saying. To that (this sight not being reliable) I say go to Web MD and post there too! I pray that I can get back to me after this comes out!! I hope it don't take too long either! I MISS the old me and HATE the new me!! But FRIDAY HURRY UP AND GET HERE. And for anyone who has had it removed........ anything I should be repaired for??? Thanks for your time!