Mirena and birth control

I'm 27 years old. My daughter is 2. Two months after my baby was born, I had Mirena put in. Everything was fine up until this last September. I haven't had a cycle since then. I've taken 6 pregnancy tests and all of them negative. So I know that I'm not pregnant. I have also gain 25 pounds and I've been careful what I eat. I am constantly nausea. My face looks like a bunch of mini volcanos all over it and no matter what I do they just wont go away. My migraines have gotten worse and the doctor tried to tell me it had to do with muscle spasms. I have also had problems with my gall bladder. After reading the things on this page, I'm calling my doc on Monday to get my IUD removed. It's time to go back to my period once every three month birth control method!!!!!

I have had the mirena about 6 months and it is the worst type of birth control that you could go on. It will cramp you to death, sometimes it cramps me worse that I ever cramped while on my period. I would not advise anyone to have it inserted. It affects people in different ways but it is very painful. I have had some really serious depression and headaches since this has been done.

hello, i got the mirena in 2007 and after i got it put in a few months went by and everything was fine. then i started getting sick in the mornings and i thought great this birth control sucks i am pregnant again. but that wasn't the case because i took test and it said no and then the docs told me that nausea was a side effect so i figured i would just leave it at that. but it only got worse i started getting really bad headaches, pain in my stomach, sick all day long, and for some reason i couldn't eat more then once a day but i would gain weight i was depressed and i felt like a complete piece of crap. it also made me gain weight i am 22 yrs old and i have never weighed over 130lbs even when i was pregnant during the 2 yrs i had the mirena i gained 15lbs my experience with the mirena was absolutely terrible if you ever got morning sickness that turned into all day sickness while you were pregnant this is exactly how the mirena made me feel bloated, painful and sick to my stomach i finally got the mirena removed because i just couldn't take it any more i have been off the mirena for 3 months now and i still can't eat much and it really bothers me i am hoping it gets better because i can't take much more of this. please let me know if anyone else experienced this!

I have had Mirena in for almost two years. I have gained about 20+ pounds, my usually high sex drive has disappeared, I have awful lower back pains that shoot down into my leg, I have migraines so severe they send me to bed. I thought this would be a worry-free choice of birth control. I am disturbed to know that so many other women are experiencing the same symptoms. I have not yet had it removed, but I am soon. Thank you to everyone that posted and helped me to understand my symptoms.

I had Mirena put in January of this year, I am 49 years old. I did not need it for birth control as my tubes are tied. I was having very bad perimenopausal symptoms so my doctor suggested I try it for the hormones. I was still having heavy periods 8 months later. A little over two weeks ago I had a complete hysterectomy so obviously the Mirena is gone! I was and am having HORRIBLE joint pain as others have posted. I feel like I am 100 years old some days, my legs and shoulders and hips hurt the most. I read that the Mirena hormones are contained in a steroid reservoir, whatever that means,does anybody know? I have been on steroids before and this is exactly the same reaction I had, hip and joint pain so bad they had to take me off. Well anyways, I am glad it is out of my body but my question to anyone is, once you had it removed, how long did it take for the joint pain to subside????

I had Mirena put in 5 mos after I had my 1st and only child. It hurt A LOT going in. It provided excellent birth control. However it also gave me chronic yeast infections, headaches, cysts in groin area (Hidradenitis suppurativa), and exacerbated acne. I was so upset when I realized all these conditions were caused by Mirena, I had it removed immediately. I can't believe it took me almost 4 years to link these side effects to Mirena. Removal was painless and uncomplicated. My husband has undergone a vasectomy. I would not recommend Mirena to any woman who has acne, unless being unattractive is part of her birth control efforts. Any woman who gets Mirena should be aware of the side effects.

I got my Mirena o June 18th, 2009. It is now November 17th and I have an appointment to have it removed this Friday. It started with unexplained hives and rashes constantly. The bottom of my feet, my palms, my knees, upper arms, throat and stomach. I was on constant high doses of Prednisone and anytime I started lowering my doses, the hives returned. I went to the ER three times for swelling and hives so bad I could barely see and could barely breathe. seemingly caused by NSAIDS, which I had never had a problem with before.Next was severe lower abdominal pain accompanied by groin pain so bad I could barely walk. Friends said it sounded like cysts, but, when I had an internal ultrasound done, nothing was found. After that I had severe breast pain and swelling. The final straw was the constant all over muscle aches and joint pain in my knees. I feel like I am 100 years old! I am tired all the time no matter how much sleep I get. I went to a dermatologist and I mentioned the Mirena, as I had to my OB, his response was "middle age". I thought I at first has Lupus, but, the rash did not fit that description. I changed detergents, blamed it on a foster dog, anything I could think of. Finally after reading so many posts and finally finding a connection with the rashes and hives, it can be nothing other than the Mirena. I even noticed that this device had the second most posts on this site. I can not wait to have the Mirena removed.

OMG!!!!! I am a Registered Nurse and still didn't know so many women (including myself) had these extreme side effects from this awful thing. I had a miscarriage back in March and chose Mirena as my birth control afterwards. Every since then I have felt like I was going (or already gone) insane. Like the original poster, I have EVERY SINGLE SIGN AND SYMPTOM!!!!! I haven't slept more than 2 hours at a time since, My bra size before was a 36C, I am now back up to 40E. Which is larger than they got after I had my son and was breast feeding him. I have the pregnant belly, mood swings from hell, hot flashes, off and on cramping (especially after sex), acne that has scared my face, bouts of awful depression, unable to concentrate on anything, lower back pain, nausea, and I always have this feeling that I'm pregnant. I also gained a whooping 25 lbs which is impossible since I had gastric bypass surgery 6 yrs ago. Just like many of you I stepped up the exercise and modified my already limited diet. I truly wish that I had stayed on Depo-Prevera. I plan on having this thing taken out of me this week. This awful "demon" needs to be taken off the market. I guess all of us that have had these extreme side effects need to be on the look out for a class action lawsuit. No woman should have to go through what all of us have been through. To those of you that have already had it removed: Did you lose all the weight that was gained after the Mirena placement? If so, how long did it take??? I'm so ready to be normal again!!

I had my 1st child in March of 09! Before I had my 1st child I had been on Birth Control for 8yrs and it worked great. After have my baby I decided to use Mirena so I wouldn't have to remember to take a pill everyday and now that I am chasing a baby I can't remember anything when it comes to myself. I thought that I was just going crazy or just creating these side effects in my mind but after doing some research and finding this website it has confirmed what I have thought all along the Mirena is causing A LOT of problems for me. I have acne that never goes away, blurred vision(before I got Mirena I wore glasses just to see things far away when I drove or when I was reading really small print and now I can not even see with my glasses), I feel sick to my stomach all the time through out the day and I even get sick sometimes a couple times a week, I have constant abdominal pain, lower back pain, joint and muscle pain, I have constant infections that will not go away with meds, my breasts are tender, I have dizzy spells several times a week, I have really bad mood swings its like I hate the world and I use to not be like that, I am totally exhausted to the point where it feels like pregnancy exhaustion and for all women who have had children you know there is nothing like pregnancy exhaustion. Also I have pain during and after sex. I haven't lost my sex drive and I haven't gain a bunch of weight but I haven't been able to lose all of my baby weight either and I have tried like HELL to lose my baby weight.

I have had mirena for almost a year now! I received it after my first child. Not ready for another one so why not get a birth control that i don't have to worry about taking a pill everyday or getting a shot. I wish now i would have gotten on the pills. Apparently with the Mirena my periods are suppose to be not that heavy anymore. Ten months later i am still having to use a pad and a tampon at the same time when i start my period!! Seriously i am only 23. And this is the first month my cramps are bad like contractions bad!! The first thing on my to do list next week is to see if they can find out why i bleed so heavy. Oh and my face is now an acne town!! Never been this bad before!!!!

bleeding,

I chose Mirena to help with my severe PMDD and heavy periods, as well as Birth Control pills give me migraines. Depo shots made me gain weight and lose sex drive.

Had Mirena put in this past July. I bled solid for 2 months. Stopped for a few days, started again. I now bleed 3 out of 4 weeks of the month, and my PMDD still comes as usual, though not nearly as badly, same as my periods. This is the only positive thing I've had. My periods had been so heavy they interrupted my life.

My sex drive, previously higher than my husbands, is now dead, and I hate it.

I've gained 20 pounds and CANNOT get it back off.

I'm always tired, wasn't before.

I have constant stabbing pains in my abdomen. After orgasms, it hurts horribly.

I will leave my Mirena in merely because even though I bleed all the time, it is preferable to the heavy bleeding I'd have before I had the Mirena inserted. I'm also willing to put up with the weight gain and sex drive loss, because to me, the lighter bleeding and lack of cramping outweighs the weight gain and sex drive loss issues.

I have been on Mirena since April 2009. At first I thought it was the only form of birth control that I could be on since every other form that I have tried caused me to have anxiety attacks. Recently I've been noticing that I get really dizzy, get frequent headaches, have a hard time focusing, "fly off the hinges" about anything. I also feel weak, have no energy, have muscles aches, and the worst part is I'm always tired & Im only 22 years old. I'm sick of feeling like this! I made an appointment with my OBGYN to get it removed because I believe that I may be allergic to all forms of birth control because of the hormones used in them. The office nurse told me that my OBGYN will probably try & put me on some other kind of birth control, or see how he feels about it being removed, but Im going to tell him I want it removed ASAP. All birth control causes me to have problems so the only form of birth control I plan on being on is a condom! At least I know I'm not allergic to latex. I hate Mirena & regret ever getting it! DO NOT USE!

I have had the mirena for over a year and all of a sudden, I start to feel the side effects? I am nauseated, tired, bloated..... I FEEL PREGNANT! Taking a home pregnancy test tomorrow morning. I thought the whole idea of getting birth control was to well......BIRTH CONTROL. This is happening at a time that is impossible for me to be pregnant! Single mom with hopes and dreams of maybe living those dreams?! That is why I got on birth control and now maybe I chose a device that dosent work? Not right! I have an appt with my OB/GYN next week to check the placement and to see if I am in fact pregnant. I am 43 years old and so didn't plan on this.........

I am SO glad I found this site. I have had Mirena for 7.5 years and have had these side effects mentioned here by everyone. At first the Mirena was the wonder birth control method, no periods, no cramping- I thought it was the greatest, but then I had strange things happening. I asked my doctor about these on numerous occasions,and he kept saying "the hormone level in Mirena is so low it is not detectable by a blood test" and therefore could not be causing symptoms.

I've experienced a lack of libido, headaches, weight gain, hair thinning, sadness, fatigue, sleeplessness....an overall change I was attributing to getting older and going through my 30's.

OK- so why is my story like every woman's on here if there an no side effects as explained by my doctor?

After finding this site and countless others, I made an appt to have Mirena removed.

I cannot wait to feel like myself again.
.

my insertion was so bad i literally almost kicked the doctor as an instant reaction and yelled a cuss word... i had a c section delivery so pain full doesn't even describe that pain it was unbearable.. but the cramping starting the moment after insertion to about a month ago was i think worse then the c section pain id be at work almost on the floor in a ball crying in pain and the doctor said take Tylenol it will go away and nevvvvver did... i still get random cramps and sharp pains

i never had bv until i was pregnant during the pregnancy i had it one time and thought it was gone... after i got the mirena put in ive have 4 cases of bv this is November., and 3 uti's.. i got the mirena in march i believe... that is not good for my body to be on antibiotics like that ... lately ive been having terrrrrible pain when i pee like above my pubic bone.. my first thought was a uti ... went to er hoping to get an antibiotic once again... blood urine ctscan everything was normal... er doctor said its probably my mirena and i should get it taken out... i called my obgyn and she insisted i keep it in and thats not the mirena giving me those pains!!! why are these doctors so against taking it out i mean i'll get on the pill i don't care i thought the mirena would be handy u know not worrying about missing a pilll!!! wellllll i wish would have never decided to get it in ive had painful sex , very emotional, pain in general, it terrible...

alssssso my boyfriend and i obviously do not use condoms bc the birth control... now we have to use them bc hes been having a burning sensation when he pees like so bad and painful to where his legs almost buckle ... he was talking to his best friend about it and he said hes experiencing the sammmmme thing and his girl is on mirena ... they've come to the conclusion theyyyy are having a reaction to the hormone released from the mirena and it makes complete sense i don't care condom or no condom it doesn't bother me... but its the fact ... he said he felt it at one point which the doctor said your boyfriend shouldn't feel a thing... sorry if thats tmi but while having sex i feel it bad and it ruins the mood for sex with me at least...

i didn't have a pd for roughly 3 months now its heavy and clotty... then the next day nothing then the next clotty again im soooooo sick of it thank god i stumbled across this sight in search if the reaction my man was having... but now i don't feel alone for all my problems ive been having!!!!

Hi everyone ~ I am so glad I have found all of you. I have an appt today to have the Mirena placed. I highly considering canceling the appt now. I have read probably 98% bad and only 2% good. can anyone help me decide what I should do? I was having it placed for my heavy, painful menses, the birth control is/was a bonus feature. really? I shouldn't do this eh? someone please respond.

i just stumbled on this site, SO i like to share my experience. I had the Mirena placed in Oct 08 and took it out recently Oct 09 so exactly a year within, that year: I was having the ose Headaches ever (i expressed this to my doctor but almost immediately he was dismissive on the idea that it was related to the IUD. I insisted it was because of it.. I also wasn't able to lose any weight, and had moody side effect. I now realized it wasn;t just me. There should be a more testing when producing a product such as this. I am just wondering is there going to be a time (soon) where there will be a recall on this product or are they going to keep this on the market until someone gets really ill or are they waiting for someone to die?.. Geez I am now going to do this the natural way. (calculate my periods and be vigilant as to when i am ovulating) these birth control assist with one thing and mess up 10

I had the Mirena put in November 2008. And this is the WORST birth control I have EVER had. I have uterin contractions, hot flashes (im 19 yrs old) No sex drive, bitchy, and no period for over 6 months. and nothing is getting better. So I got the depo shot which is 99.7% effective. And no side effects. I wouldn't ever recommend this birth control.

C

I had Mirena placed in August 2009. I was so excited when I first heard about it; shorter, lighter periods, decrease of cramping, no taking a pill daily, birth control for up to 5 years... Well I am so ready to have it taken out! My face broke out worse than a hormonal teenager and I have NO sex drive since it's been inserted, none. Also I have to wear a panty liner every day and night due to spotting. I didn't experience any weight gain but would rather take a few pounds versus all the side effects I do experience. I would not recommend Mirena to anyone and am scheduling an appointment to have it taken out asap.

I've had the mirena for only about two months now and about two weeks after it was placed my stomach ballooned to over twice the size it was before and I've gained about seven pounds that are unexplainable. I have not had a regular period which is understandable but I cant deal with the weight gain and bloating. I just had a baby four months and am trying so hard to loose the remainder of the baby weight,and I was doing extremely well until I got the mirena, and nothing drastic has changed about my diet or exercise routine.Does anybody have any idea how long this is suppose to last or what I can do to combat the bloating/weight gain besides getting it removed?

iVE POSTED BEFORE ABOUT THE CHRONIC HEADACHES I GET WITH THE MIRENA, I ALSO GET PRETTY MUCH EVERY OTHER SYMPTOM EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO BE COMPLAINING ABOUT BESIDES THE WEIGHT GAIN I ACTUALLY LOST A LOT OF WEIGHT INSTEAD, WHICH I WAS ALREADY A PETITE PERSON WHEN I GOT THIS THING INSERTED I WEIGHED AROUND 118 AND IT DROPPED ME DOWN TO 100. SCARY....IVE HAD TO EAT THE EQUIVALENT OF LIKE TWO GROWN MEN JUST TO GET BACK UP TO 110!! I AM DESPERATE TO GET THIS THING OUT BEFORE IT TEARS MY RELATIONSHIP APART MORE THAN IT ALREADY HAS, CAN ANYONE PLEASE RECOMMEND A GOOD BIRTH CONTROL, THAT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE ME TO GAIN WEIGHT!!!???
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND HONESTY LADIES IM SO RELIEVED I AM NOT CRAZY AND JUST THINKING UP ALL THIS IN MY HEAD!!!

I had my daughter in December 2006 and my doctor tried me on numerous types of birth control pills. Finally I agreed to try Mirena. Since then I too have been moody and gained weight which has never been a problem. I have always weighed no more than 120 now i weigh 150 and can't lose it no matter what I do. The worst part of Mirena is my sex drive is gone and I bleed for at least 2 weeks out of the month usually 3. I am only 23 years old!! There has got to be something else but my doctor has prolonged taking the Mirena out. She keeps telling me that it is the best method of birth control available.

it's been about 2 months since my Mirena REMOVAL and I am just now starting to see a clearing up of my skin on my face and back. My skin was so bad. I had cystic acne on my back and arms and oily skin on my face and back. It's so nice to scratch my back without feeling thousands of bumps lining my neck and back.
*I feel better emotionally too. I am not getting irritated or angry as easily as i was when i had mirena in place.
*No more odor or discharge
*i'm still losing my hair but I think it's starting to slow down
*My knees don't hurt as bad as they used to.
In General I feel better and i'm getting better every week. I am sooo glad that i had it removed and that my life can continue now without such horrible side effects. It seems like it's taking a long time but that's ok as long as i'm making progress. I had it for 20 months so it will probably take a little longer to be cleaned out of my system .
Good Luck ladies.

Im 25 years old. After my daughter was born in November 2008, I decided on the Mirena because Im terrible at remembering to take pills. So, Ive had it for about 9 months, maybe 10. I just recently started getting acne excessively bad. I thought I was pregnant again and I had to get back on my Pro-Active. I also started getting this really dry, gross spots on my head and they itched SO bad. I went to the dermatologist and she diagnosed me with Psoriasis. But, after reading all the side-effects, it makes me wonder if its caused from this birth control. I have spoken to my husband and he told me to have it taken out. Did I mention that I can't lose ANY weight. Which makes me feel like crap! But thats another paragraph. Anyways, Im really glad this website is on here because it really give me the insight on real people who are going through the same side effects as me!

I had my son March 31,2009 and got my Mirena put in May 5, 2009. I have had Mirena for 6 months now. I bled from May to August. I have been doing major dieting since May and I have lost NO WEIGHT. I am really struggling with the weight. About 3 months ago my face started to break out horribly. My acne wasn't even this bad when I was pregnant. My hair falls out excessively. My mood swings are horrible. Some days im ok and some days I cry and pick a fight with anyone I see. I still have Mirena in and I am thinking about getting it removed after reading all of this. Thank yall for letting me know its not me. Any other birth control recommendations??

Mirena the BANE of our existence! I had mine put in January 2009 and then taken out this week. I thought maybe I should ride it out for awhile, see if some of the problems went away with time... and to be honest some of them did. The acne subsided, the cramps lessened and the periods became virtually non-existent. However, the headaches, the mood swings, the tiredness and depression and not to mention 20lbs along with boobs that went from C to DD, I couldn't handle them anymore. Removal was uncomfortable but 1/8 of the pain of insertion. I had some clotting but it only lasted a couple hours. I have been experiencing a crash in emotions but nothing worse than a "bad" day with Mirena. The only real problem I have run into was the PA that removed it. Please learn from this experience and don't become discouraged by ignorant and book smart doctors...
My doctor had the audacity to tell me that all of these "symptoms" were probably my body returning to it's natural state, that is to the way it was before I ever went on birth control. I was on Ortho for 8 years before I decided to give myself a break and insert. So what this woman was telling me was that there were no documented side effects to legitimize my issues. She was saying in no certain terms that from the ages of 13-18 before BC, I was fat, moody, irrational, with acne, craps and gigantic breasts. I was offended to say the least and tensely asked her to take it out and put me back on the pill. Now I am just praying I don't experience another catastrophe with whatever this "woman" has decided to prescribe me. You can be sure I will be doing my research before putting anything else into my system. Thank you ladies for your honesty and thank you medications.com.

I'm partial to Mirena. I had it for all 5 years, but still debate as to whether my weight gain, hair loss and joint pain were related. I got it shortly before my boyfriend of 2 years broke up with me, starting drinking a bit more and was in general stressed out. So stress & alcohol equals weight gain. Weight gain (30 lbs in a year) equals joint pain. The hair loss is another story. It might be stress, but I went long periods afterward without stress and I could pull out rat size clumps of hair once every few weeks from my shower drain. I had it removed on October 6th 2009. I immediately started NuvaRing. 3 weeks later, I'm DONE with that. That's another story. Overall, though, I don't think the majority of the side effects were caused by Mirena and the 5 years I had it in were good. I won't get another one, just because I'm still skeptical. I think I'm going to take some time off birth control with hormones. We'll see how it goes. I can't say I'd recommend Mirena due to all of the horror stories I've read. Maybe in a year, if all my symptoms go away, I won't be so wishy washy.

I am 25 years old. I had my Mirena put in in February of 2008 after my daughter was born. This was my third child and I chose this birth control because I was told it was the best choice aside from having my tubes tied which I wasn't ready to do. I have had it a little over a year and half now and had quit having a period. About 2 1/2 months ago I had a very heavy period that lasted about 3 weeks. When it quit I thought it was just my body trying to tell me it needed flushed out. Well a week later I had another 2 week long period. I made an appointment with my doctor and they couldn't find the IUD. They said it had shifted so they ordered an ultrasound to locate it. I am still waiting on those results but am most likely going to have it taken out regardless. I didn't have a single problem with it until recently. My husband and I are thinking about having another baby and I am not going back on this medicine after we do. I will get my tubes tied because I am not dealing with this again. My dr said that if the IUD isn't the cause of the bleeding it is something else and most likely the IUD caused that problem as well. Thank goodness I found this site because I thought I was the only one having this problem as well. Good luck to all and I will update as soon as I hear about the location and results of the ultrasound.

Thank the Lord that I found this site.
I was up until 2 AM last night searching for answers.
My doctors insist that there is nothing wrong with me. I was starting to think that I was crazy.
I am 33 and had my Mirena put in in May 2008 after having my fourth child. I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of doctors before deciding that this was the right birth control for me. Not once did I run across any of the side effects that I have in all of my previous research.
Since then I have had headaches, nausea, bloating, gas, back pain, fatigue (severe now), moodiness, tingling in my arms, hands, legs and feet, weight gain, and now this strange sensation of fluttering in my belly.
I have taken a dozen pregnancy tests over the last few months. I could swear that I am pregnant. Of course they have all come out negative.
I want to get this out of me NOW. I wish that I could do it myself. The doctor that does the IUD's at my clinic only comes in a few days a month. I wonder how long I am going to have to wait until I can get it removed ? !!!
To be honest I would rather have baby number 5 instead of dealing with all of these side effects any longer. Even my husband agrees.
Thank you all so much for being honest and getting your stories out in the open.
If I hadn't of found this site, I would have kept on trudging along with this dang IUD in and being miserable.
I am all for a lawsuit against Mirena. Women need to be aware of these possible side effects.
I am going to call the clinic first thing Monday morning to setup an appointment for removal. I will try to post as things move forward.
Once again thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being so honest. I wish you all the best of the luck.

I have had the Mirena in since I was 12 weeks postpartum. My daughter is now five months old. I have had so many side effects that I also thought were due to just having a baby and the life changes that follow (plus my kids are 12 months and 1 day apart so who knows what's out of wack once you've been pregnant for two years straight!). I've had some headaches, sleeplessness, so many pregnancy symptoms I took a pregnancy test and had the doctor do one, incredible moodiness, I hate being touched (I felt this way with both pregnancies), no libido...all of these have made in incredible strain on my marriage. If things don't improve between us a few months after I get this hell-stick IUD removed we're going to couples therapy! I was diagnosed with depression at 14, but it has been under control since then. However, since Mirena I have been incredibly depressed. I have been on birth control since 14 due to terrible periods/cramping etc and never had an issue. I am going to switch to the copper/hormone free IUD and just pray my periods have changed now that I've had two children. Wish me luck!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to say I am SHOCKED over this site but had to read every bit of it. I am a TRUE believer in the Mirena and until I came across this site while searching for sites to send a friend to encourage the Mirena I never knew how many horrible things could happen for someone on the Mirena. HOWEVER, I guess this is proof when with any type of birth control including Mirena it is said it's not for everyone. I happen to LOVE mine. I'm actually on my 2nd insertion. My first one went very well, after a crampy insertion and 2 days of horrible cramps controlled by ibuprofin I was left to enjoy 5 years of birth control w/out problems. I can't take the pill as no matter the dose I spend the 1st to weeks nauseated and vomiting in the morning, I tried the Depo Shot (personally that is the EVIL OF ALL EVIL birth control methods, gained 68 pounds in 11mnts never going over 105 pounds except for pregnancy in my life, have battled to control my weight since therefore I believe it destroyed my metabolism forever, major depression to the point of medication and medical leave from work & the world). And after an accident pregnancy no way was condoms going to be enough for me. My Dr. recommended Mirena and I gave it a try. I was not lucky enough to go period free my first insertion I did have a max of 3 days of period with little or no cramping. My second not as good, I now have about 5 days of spotting only if sex promotes it and occasionally after using the bathroom a little blood on the toilet paper, never needing to actually use any feminine products. I use to get ovarian cysts all the time, small enough surgery was only needed once but I knew when one was there and I knew one they "popped" as my doctor would call it. I haven't had that problem since I started with Mirena, I'm told its due to the small amount of hormones (hence the reason my Dr suggested Mirena versus a non hormone IUD). My sex drive has not been affected one bit...in fact like one of the positive posts I just read...my husband and I have discussed more then once prior to coming across this site how much more of a sex drive I do have, although we contributed it to not being pulled down in the dark world of depression from the Depo shot...and the freedom of placed once & forget for 5 years type birth control. I have 8 friends and coworkers that have the Mirena...One person had a problem, hers "fell out" in the toilet and she had been cramping and in abdominal pain for a few days prior not connecting it to her Mirena...but after 2 months of other methods she had another one placed and has had no problem since...that was 2 years ago. It stinks to hear how horrible this "wonder bc method" is for others...(are you seeing how terrible the other methods were for me first for me to feel this is the wonder of all wonders) and of course I'm concerned with the fact that most of you that had a problem had SEVERE problems..not just a small one here or there. But I'm going to bet that on the flip side the methods that caused me hell might work for one of you. I have 2 more years left on this 2nd cycle...I pray I never have the problems you do if I chose a 3rd insertion...however, with science today we can only hope your complaints are taken seriously and the makers of Mirena continue to improve so that less and less people run into these side effects. I'm not sure I would have another option...SCARY!

Okay...this is amazing, cause I thought I was crazy but now I know all of us are!!!hahah...I had the Mirena put in in early October. I am perimenopausal and my hubby has a vasectomy. The docs encouraged it to help with my menopausal symptoms, primarily irregular cycles and cramping due to not bleeding - they said that was due to low progesterone and the Mirena would work wonders. I had it put in (very very painful - and this from a woman who gave birth, at home, two separate times with nothing but a midwife and some gentle massaging during the birthings!) and never stopped bleeding. Not once! I have gone through two boxes of tampons and three of pads. I have cramping all the time, and low back ache. I noticed that my bras felt really sore and enlarged (so did hubby) and they grew overnight. I gained three pounds and started crying at the time. The final insult: no sex drive. zippo. none at all. I also have terrible vagina odor which is, I know gross to admit, but a very new thing. I think that there are many women who simply cannot tolerate these hormones. Our bodies know what to do and I am going to brave the change without intervention. I went to see doctor today and, of course, she tried to talk me out of removal. She even had the nerve to say that it was good to have in, to protect my uterus, for eventual Hormone replacement therapy -as if I had ever mentioned that as an option? I looked at her and said, "take it out". Now I don' t know if this is imagination, but I swear the cramps have abated in the past several hours. I am still bleeding but feel hope for its ending. I would not recommend this to anyone and to those out there being told its value in managing menopausal symptoms, move on. It is not worth it - the change is change enough!

Well, I just had my mirena IUD taken out last week. I had wanted to take it out pretty much since I got it in a year and a half ago. It was the second one that I had. The first I got put in when I was 17 due to a heavy period, and I could not use birth control because I suffered with depression on it. At that time I did not associate changes in myself with the IUD because they happened gradually. I lost all sexual appetite which I had believed was because I was ending a relationship at the time and I was uninterested. I began getting acne, which worsened in the colder months, so I did not associate it with the IUD. I had mood swings and was tired a lot. I associated this with stress from being a teenager and in being in school. Two and half years into having my first IUD I met my husband. My sex drive had come back, my my acne continued, and the pimple would get really inflamed and tender. My psoriasis never seemed to fully clear up either. My tiredness and moods continued, and I also became extremely emotional often. I just thought that this is who I was because I had got the IUD so young!
SO when the 5 years on the old IUD was up I thought I should get another one. With the new one my acne persisted, I lost my sex drive again and I now would be dry all the time, whether I was turned on or not. I just couldn't stop but thinking that it was the IUD. So i got in taken out finally after we got married. I didn't want to be a pregnant bride. It has been a few weeks, and my acne has pretty much cleared up, I am wet all the time, and I want to have sex. My psoriasis is also much much much better. I still feel tired sometimes, but I hope that will ease as well.
If it doesn't feel right to you, get it taken out. What is the point of being in a birth control if you don't want to have sex anyways!!! good luck everyone.

I am 29 and had the Mirena put in 6 weeks after having baby #2. I thought it was a great idea and my OB said "NO SIDE EFFECTS". I have been bleeding heavily since it was inserted, cramps, sharp pains in my uterus area, bloating and headaches at night. I don't know if this is their form of birth control, but if your bleeding everyday you can't have sex! I run 3 miles five times a week and was losing weight steadily, until I had the Mirena put in. I watch what I eat obsessively and I am gaining weight! I am emotional all the time and find myself losing my patience with my kids and my husband all the time. I am getting it taken out today! I'll update how it went and the side effects going away. I would rather deal with another pregnancy than go through this. Follow your gut feelings - the Mirena won't work for everyone and obviously there are quite a few of us!

I have had several things but am not sure if they are due to the mirena but I have always been good tell I got mirena
here are the symptoms I have

severe bleeding 8 months straight
head aches
increased appetite
weight gain
dizziness
faint
depressed
really moody
mean
angry
tired extremely
cant sleep well
memory loss
memory problems
blurred vision
and recently extremely painful sex
it hurt so bad It was all I could do not to cry
it felt as though I was in labor
I did not have the heart to tell my husband i was in pain cause we rarely have sex due to the constant bleeding
it is the best birth control I have ever heard of cause you cant have sex if your bleeding all the time. I want to remove it but getting a hold of my doctor is like a joke and I don't know what to do cause I need my memory I have a family that needs me as i used to be not the mean upset all the time me.

I'm 42 & have three children ages, 8, 10 an 16. I started my period when i was 12 & i've suffered with horrible cramps and bloating ever since. I've been on & off different birth control pills to relieve the pain (didn't start pill until i was 15) & to control the pain. After my kids, i started back on the pill. Some worked better than others but the ones that onced worked, eventually stopped. The last 3 years have been worse. One problem i had was that i'd forget to take the pill. That made the pain worse. Tried the Nuva Ring for 2 months & had constant yeast infections. 3 of my girlfriends have Mirena & recommended it to me. BTW my husband is fixed, lol...so i dont have to worry about getting pregnant, just needed the pain & bloating to go away. After much consideration, pelvic ultrasounds & blood tests to rule out anything serious, i had the mirena put in 8/09. a little painful but nothing like childbirth! i didnt have bleeding, did get my period the next month, not bad. as of now i feel great. i could stand to loose 10-15 lbs. & i finally feel good enough to get on the treadmill & the weight is coming off. BUT i just told my husband this week that i noticed my face breaking out. more like little bumps, skin isnt smooth anymore and occasionally i get a nasty pimple like the kind a teenager would get. So i searched the web for mirena and acne and found this sight. I have an appt for dermo in a few weeks but from what i've read it sounds like i'm in trouble. As long as it doesnt get any worse & no other side effects, the Mirena (so far) has done wonders for my pain. YEAH!

Oh!!!! I thank God for finding this site. I have been so down and out for the last 4 to 5 months. I'm 48 years old and had my Mirena put in March 2009. It was very painful for me but I quickly got over that with minimal spotting. Since the insertion I have gained at least 10 pounds. I don't weigh myself but I go by how my clothes fit. I consider myself an athlete who is a decent runner. I've completed 12 marathons to date. I know how to work out and how to eat. But for the life of me I can't get rid of this. My breasts feel like they did when I was pregnant - tender and larger. Then I started having stomach problems. Terrible bloating and pain. I went back to my OB and they did a pregnancy test which of course came back negative. I went to my family practioner who put me on prescription Zantac for my stomach issues. With all this going on within a 7 month span, I knew something was wrong but until this morning I didn't know what. I called my OB and talked to the nurse and she said that the weight problem I'm having is just because I'm getting older. HOG WASH!!!! She can't tell me that what I'm feeling is normal. I can't live like this anymore. I will just have to use some other birth control.

I had Mirena inserted 6 weeks ago and just had it removed. My medical history includes TIAs (mini-strokes) and migraines. I had a migraine EVERY DAY while I had Mirena. I also experienced ZERO LIBIDO (so what was the point of birth control!?), weight gain and mood swings. I had Paragard inserted a few days ago and I am already slowly returning to normal. My point - if you have had problems with hormones in the past, not only estrogen, but also progesterone, you may want to stay away from Mirena. My OB/GYN argued with me the entire time that there is no way Mirena could cause these symptoms since progesterone is not released in the bloodstream - BULL!!! Women, listen to your body and trust your gut.

I chose to have the Mirena inserted in August of 2009. I found this site because I have been bleeding for three weeks straight, and the doctors were unavailable to advise me (holiday weekend). I see now that my experience is a side-effect of the IUD. I have also seen a diminished sex drive, fatigue, loss of energy, and constant cramping.

I was very hopeful for the Mirena. Five years without having to worry about birth control, wow! My first complaint is the pain involved with insertion. I was told to eat a big breakfast or early lunch before the procedure, and to take a few advils prior to the appointment. I did - however, I was still not prepared for the process. First, they measure your uterus to make sure that it is the right size, with an instrument similar to the IUD. I was in tears the entire time. I wished someone had told me to bring a friend or my partner with me to hold my hand. It hurt so much! The nurse was as understanding as she could be, but said that once the package has been opened, I would be charged the full amount. I went ahead with the procedure, wondering how I would reschedule during a period and with a busy work week. I was in pain the rest of the day, and felt extremely uncomfortable for a few days after. The pain and bleeding still did not go away, and after a week I made an appointment to check on the IUD's position, if there was any preforation of the uterus; etc. The strings were there, and they just told me that the cramping and spotting is normal. To me, it felt like the doctors tell you the best case scenario, and as you approach more and more of the side-effects, they confirm those as a possibility.

Before the Mirena, I have used DepoProvera, the NuvaRing, and Ortho-Tri Ciclen. I didn't like the weight gain from the Depo, the NuvaRing is somewhat expensive through my insurance, and the traditional birth control bills, like Ortho, are a hassle if you happen to miss a day. I thought that the Mirena was the best solution to my situation.

Be aware. I have been through childbirth, and this was a painful experience for me! I wish I would have read the comments on this site before opting for the Mirena... at least I would have been a more informed & educated consumer.

Not trying to put a damper on your day ladies, but you will find when you get it out, your "side effects" wont all go away. Gaining weight?? No It's called as we get older we have to watch what we eat.. Hair falling out? I have had no such thing like that. Ache yes but thats with all birth control, headaches, stomach aches thats with all birth control! The Mirena was the best decision i could have EVER made!

I am 22 years old and I got the Mirena April of 2008. I got it put in because I have a blood clotting disorder and this was the only option of birth control that was safe. I don't have any kids. When I first got it put in it was the most horrible pain I have EVER experienced in my life. I bled for a couple months on and off but it was just spotting. I still have my period but its way lighter! I LOVE THE MIRENA! Ive had some side effects but not to the extreme you ladies are saying. I was on the pill for 4 years and I have the same side effects as i did on the pill.. The only thing that I dislike about the mirena is the bad ODOR! I don't like it. I feel like I can always smell myself and Its embarrassing! I use summers eve and clean myself out probably more then I should, but I cant help it. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I had my Mirena in for a little over a year and had if removed on August 18th 2009. I suffered from most of the side effects that are listed on Mirena's website. I have also noticed, that between the time I got the IUD inserted til now, they have included many more side effects on their website. Good for them. However, I just read something on their site that I wanted to point out to all of you ladies using or thinking about using this form of BC. Here is the link if you want to read what all they have to say. I am just glad they are putting more and more side effects on their site to inform women.

******

What if I become pregnant while using Mirena?
Unfortunately, no birth control method, not even tying your tubes, is 100% perfect. If you do get pregnant while using a birth control method, there can be risks to you and your baby. Here we talk about the risks of getting pregnant while Mirena is still in place.

About 2 in 1000 women using Mirena for one year may become pregnant. One risk of getting pregnant using Mirena is called ectopic pregnancy, when the pregnancy is not in the uterus. It may occur in the fallopian tubes. Signs of ectopic pregnancy may include unusual bleeding or abdominal pain. Ectopic pregnancy is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention and often surgery. Ectopic pregnancy can cause internal bleeding, infertility and even death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you think that you're pregnant.

There are also risks if you get pregnant while using Mirena and the pregnancy is in the uterus. Severe infection, miscarriage, premature delivery and even death can occur with pregnancies that continue with an intrauterine device (IUD). Because of this, your healthcare provider may try to remove Mirena, even though removing it may cause a miscarriage. If Mirena cannot be removed, talk with your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of continuing the pregnancy.

My story is long and somewhat depressing. I have had horrible periods my entire life. I have tried birth control pills which caused migraines. I have tried birth control shots which caused 6 months of non-stop bleeding and endometriosis. Finally, I am told that I should try Mirena. I was hoping this would be the answer but it has been just another problem. I have had cysts every single month since insertion. The cyst always develops on the side that is ovulating and then ruptures a couple of days before the period begins (yes I still have periods). Sometimes cysts develop between ovulation and rupture quickly as well. Then the first couple of days of the period are hell because of horrible cramping pain. Yes, the bleeding during the period is lighter, but the periods are lasting anywhere from 9 to 12 days. I have been on prescription pain medication for this now for 6 months. I have no sex life because the pain is there every day. My hair is falling out and I am on the verge of tears all the time. I can not continue like this and have an appointment set up for later this month to beg the doctor to perform an ablation or simply give me the hysterectomy that I have been asking for over the last 15 years. My children are grown and I have no plans to have any more. Why do I need to endure this hell?

everyone has their own opinion about mirena but i am here to assure you all that your not crazy. Im currently 19 years old and had mirena inserted October of 2008. Its been about a year and im going nuts. For a long time i had no answers to all of the crazy side effects. I didn't want to believe it was this wonderful easy convenient birth control. Im a college student and i just didn't want any unplanned babies. well its made my life worse. I smoke cigarettes so my doctor told me this was the best option and so i was all for it. Slowly but surely i started losing hair i didn't notice for awhile because my hair was thick in full well i can wrap a standard pony tail four frekin times around my pony. Its about half of my usual hair now. NOT ONLY is it falling out but its very dry and splitting all it does is tangle. Im very healthy young and i take vitamins daily to try and slow this process but it does no good. Since February of 2008 ive been having these terrible episodes were i get worked up for no reason. Ill be sitting in class and all of a sudden i feel like ive run a marathon. My heart races my palms sweat and a tremble. I get so freked out i have to leave class because i fell like im going to die. The worst anxiety attacks and i have to control my breathing or they just last longer. My face is so oily and so is my hair. I usually only washed my hair every other day so i don't strip the natural oils out but now its become a everyday thing which just contributes to more hair lose. I use to break out only around my period now i don't go a day without acne. Im even getting it in my scalp and back. If I don't eat on a schedule i feel like im going to pass out i get severely hungry and weak. I have pains in my uterus and ovaries sometimes and though they don't last long they are painful. I never feel like i want to have sex ever and if i do theres no telling when its going to hurt. Im very dissatisfied with mirena i loved it at first but not enough to go bald. ITS MADE MY LIFE SO STRESSFUL I FEEL BALD AND UGLY AND THAT LEADS TO DEPRESSION.

LOWER BACK PAIN
STOMACH PAIN
NO SEX DRIVE
ACNE AND OILY SKIN
DAMN NEAR BALD
PAIN IN UTERUS/DURING SEX/ANYTIME
EXTREME ANXIETY
DEPRESSION

yea im eighteen and got mirena inserted last year December when i was seventeen. i've never had a baby so i was worried that it would hurt a lot. but my mom and aunts pressed on for me to get it done. so i agreed because they claimed it was the best birth control ever. the actual insertion wasn't at all a difficult experience. but as soon as i got into the car and sat down excruciating painful cramps would hit me in waves. that has to be the worst pain i've felt yet to this day. at work i'd b on the ground crouched over trying to wait the pain out. i could have cried if i'd allowed myself. soon i became hooked on taking advil everyday to escape the pain. it worked as long as i remembered the little pill every morning. the cramp last from December to march. they are gone now i guess. and ever since a month after insertion i've been having odorous discharge. its very embarrassing so i use tampons to 'plug' the discharge from going out. i realize it probably isn't the smartest thing to do but i have no choice.

I've got to say that Mirena makes my hair very thick, and I have lost weight, not gained it...and I LOVE not having periods.

I have had mood swings, irritability, and stomach issues since having it installed in July'07 but no other problems what so ever, until a few months ago...ever since May'09 I have had nausea, extreme loss of appetite, and breakouts(very out of character for me). My husband had a vasectomy in May, and I plan on getting the Mirena removed next month. The ongoing irritability is definitely the biggest problem for me...it makes me very short tempered with my children.

I don't know why the new symptoms started a few months ago...maybe some kind of hormonal buildup...I am very sensitive to birth control usually, and Mirena has served its purpose well, but now I am ready to move on.

I think Mirena is like any birth control, it works well for some people and not at all well for others. I do not think it is awful, or terrible or anything like that...it just has to be the right fit, and all drugs have side effects. Good luck ladies!!

I had my Mirena removed 10 days ago. My Dr. put me on BC pills temporarily(Loestrin 24) because I had also opted to have the Essure Procedure(permanent birth control) 4 days post Mirena removal. Even with the removal, the new pill and the Essure in 10 days I still feel so so much better since the Mirena was removed. I have so much more energy. My acne and eczema seem to be improving. I think it is going to be a long process to feel "normal"again, lose the weight, etc... but I highly recommend having the Mirena removed if you are having serious adverse side effects...regardless of what your doctor says.

I have had a fantastic experience. I had some initial spotting for a few months, but since then have been without my period for 2+ years and I have had no mood swings, weight gain, moodiness or anything! It has been the best birth control device in my whole life (now in mid-40's) and I recommend it all my friends. Sorry to hear about others with side effects, but I felt I needed to share my experience, which has been fantastic.

I just had mirena removed today!! Everything was fine for the first nine months. Then i started feeling like i was pregnant and bloated and sick to my stomach all the time. It was great not having any periods until three weeks ago i started spotting and it never stopped. I was having breast pain and i even found a lump. I had to go for a mamo and ultra sound and nothing came back abnormal but what the heck is going on with my body?
I started reading the posts on here and called my doctor right away and he removed it today. I am so tried and i never sleep anymore. and i cry all the time. I am so upset i just want my body back!!! Thank you for all posting on here. I am hoping that my body returns back to normal soon. I had my tubes tied 13 years ago and was hoping never to be on birth control again but i was to control my periods each month. I also found out i know have a ovarian cyst. Is it due to the mirena? to to sure but having surgery soon for that. This whole thing is crazy!!!
Please really think about it before you put it in. I have never felt this bad in my life. I hope soon to get my life back. I have fell in to a deep depression and i need to get out of it soon. If you have any of the side effects please get rid of it. Thanks

I want to thank all of your ladies posting your Mirena side affects. I am 15 and just had my daughter August 3rd, after her c-section i contracted staph in my uterus, which gave me sepsis and pneumonia, which they said they have never seem before and recommended i get an IUD to prevent having any more children for at least 2 years. After reading about the risk of uterine perforation, i found this site, I cannot believe the number of side effects you can have from the IUD!! I am just shocked.
I want to thank all your ladies, I am calling the OB and canceling the Mirena order and just sticking with good, old birth control.