Mirena and doctors

I had my Mirena for about a year and a half and had it REMOVED TODAY. From the moment I had it put in I had SEVERE lower back pain. So bad that one day I woke up and fell out of bed because it was so bad. I went to the emergency room. As a result of that I've been going to the chiropractor. After some time it has subsided. I did have awful acne for about a month and then subsided. I would say for about a year I have had pelvic itching like you wouldn't believe. I kept going back to my obgyn and he assured me it was from weather change and having extra weight on from having kids. Well, I lost 20 pounds and nothing changed with the itching. Sex drive is about zero (poor hubby). And not to mention the tons of cysts I have on my ovaries that I have to get vaginal ultra sounds to keep an eye on everything. Never had cysts before the Mirena.
For me this Mirena has been a nightmare and I am so glad I got it taken out today!!!!!!!!! Go with your gut and if you think you're having these symptoms, get it taken out! I was going out of my mind ITCHING. For me that was the worst. So Im hoping this itching will subside now that I got it taken out. I go back in 2 wks to the doctors and I hope it's good news for me.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!

Doesn't everyone find it kind of coincidental that all the symptoms that everyone is having run along the same line, and they all have the Mirena IUD. But it seems odd that doctors will continue to tell you that your symptoms are not caused by the Mirena. I had the Mirena inserted in October 2008.In April 2009, I could not feel the strings, so I made an appointment to have it checked. When I went in, I more or less got a lecture about needing to exercise and watch what I eat, because from October to April I had gained 30lbs.

I, personally, have not had any other form of birth control in my life. So, I cannot compare the Mirena to any other. But I have experienced occasional leg cramping, some headaches, break outs, and the two syptoms that bother me the most, are, obviously weight gain, and hair loss. I have been shedding hairs like crazy, not to mention that I have a BALD SPOT on the back of head about the size of a nickel. My doctor also telling me that he does not believe that any of this is caused by the Mirena.

I have decided that I want to get the Mirena removed, just have to figure out how, because currently I have no insurance.

I had the Mirena put in two months after I gave birth to my son, around April 2008. I just made an appointment to have it taken out at Planned Parenthood in two days, and I am so excited and relieved.

I now weigh the same amount as I did when I was 8 months pregnant. Most of it is in my abdomen and I had a woman in yoga class comment on 'how good it is for the baby', (on my 31st birthday!), believing I was pregnant. I look like I drink a case of cheap beer a day, while I eat healthily and exercise.

Also, I've gone through phases of those awful cyst-like zits, which I've never been prone to before, not even as a teenager. There are several scars on my chin and around my mouth. The joint pain and achiness is something I've just started to get used to, but the moods and the anger have to go...not conducive to mothering a toddler! I get overly angry over little things and have actually hit my boyfriend. I am in counseling for that now but maybe I just needed to make a trip to the OBGYN.

I will keep my eyes open for a class action suit, it does seem like the pharmaceutical company responsible for this product has pushed it hard through doctors while suppressing information about side effects, and that just isn't right or moral.

I'm glad I'm not raising an infant right now in addition to my crazy little toddler, but this isn't worth it.

I have a 4 yr. old daughter and an 8 month old daughter. About 7 weeks after giving birth the second time, I had Mirena inserted. I admit that I was skeptical about this method, however, my OBGYN convinced me that it is the best choice with little to no side effects. Since having the Mirena inserted, I have gained 1 pound per week and currently up to a total of 28 pounds gained! I have been working out at the local gym 4 days a week and watching what I eat (for the most part). I have been blaming myself for my weight gain and lack of sex drive. After reading these posts I realized that I am not alone and I thank all of you for blogging on here. I had the Mirena taken out today. Rest assured that it did NOT hurt at all. Of course my OBGYN said that there is no way that the IUD caused my weight gain( and by the by my blood pressure is high now too). But it seems like doctors are so pro Mirena that they don't take the time to listen to the side effects that it actually causes. I wish all of you luck and thanks again for sharing your stories.

i had mirena inserted at my 6 week check up after my son was born in march 2008... i only kept it in for 2 months. i was constantly bleeding and had more clots in my blood than i had ever had before. my doctor tried to talk me into keeping it in but i told him i just couldn't tolerate the bleeding. i never had any problems with any of my female specific doctor visits before or during my pregnancy. i've always been on the heavy side so my weight hasn't been a factor in the issue. since having the iud removed it seems like my problems have increased, i skipped periods all the time with no cause, no pregnancy, when i did bleed it was heavy and for weeks at a time with horrific sized clots (golf ball). every time i would go to the doctor they would tell me nothing was wrong, until march of this year when to my surprise... the doctors told me i had poly-cystic ovaries. they gave me loestrine 24 fe to help my periods and keep away the cysts but it didn't work, i still have unpredictable periods and still get cysts. they told me a 4cm cyst was nothing to worry about... HA! all my tests are still "normal" so i'm at square one still, but i'm almost positive all my problems were caused by that stupid mistake of an iud Mirena.

I've had my Mirena since April of 2009. Since, I've gotten severe cramps, irregular bleeding, loss of sex drive and motivation, lack of energy, severe mood swings, and MAJOR hair loss. My hair loss probably started around August. When I went to 2 doctors neither one of them thought it was from that. They are still testing me for possibilities. I'm thinking that maybe it's time to have it removed.

I got my Mirena IUD (5yr) inserted on 30September2009 and it was very painful. Probably because im only 19 and my husband and i have no kids. Its not 21November2009 and im still having heavy bleeding. I did notice that i had an increase in hair loss, my hair sheds like crazy but until Mirena it is coming out in very small clumps. I also noticed that my face has broke out more with acne. Around 01November2009 i had HORRIBLE HORRIBLE cramps, i ended up going to my doctors asap and they found a cyst. I dont know if it was a cyst caused my the Mirena or if it was only noticeable until the Mirena. I had my doctor go in and check for my strings and she couldn't find them, so i got an xray to find out the my Mirena has shifted a bit and my strings are now up in my Cervix. My husband is in the Army and is Deployed so i dont know how sex it. Everyone's information has helped me out a lot. and i hope that my long crazy journey has helped someone as well. :)

ive been on mirena since march 2008. at first i thought this was the best birth control product out there. however for over two years i have been riddled with allergies, sinus infections, upper respiratory tract infections, tiredness, headaches, joint pains, muscle aches, gastric and bowel problems, cyst like acne, mood swings tachycardia (rapid heart rate), anxiety. at first i thought all these were related to getting older (im 29) and work related stress so i wrote it off. but being a person who has never been sick in my life to all of a sudden being sick once a month is crazy. this has been the only thing i could think of that i could think the problem is. i hate to remove the iud because it is so convenient but i am sick of being sick. the doctors dont tell you of the not so obvious side effects like these. i just hope that no permanent damage has occurred.

I had Mirena inserted in May 2009. I did not have much pain at all with insertion, just minor cramping. I did bleed for almost 3 months after insertion though it was fairly light. After that I have only had 2 periods. They were fairly light and lasted about 3 weeks each. Then it seems like forever till I have another one...I should really be keeping track. But it seems like I go every other month and have a period. Sometimes I think I'm pregnant because my breasts get tender and Ive never been able to feel my string! It makes me nervous. Also I have terrible acne, and I never want to have sex! Don't know if that has anything to do with mirena but I want to blame it on something!
So my experience hasn't been a horrible one, and I enjoy not taking a pill all the time. But I'm thinking there still could be bad to come since it's only been 6 months ish. Are we supposed to get mirena check ups every so often? My doctors never said or scheduled anything about it. Well thanks.

Why don't the doctors discuss the chances of you getting pregnant with the mirena? I should have stayed on the pill !!!!!

I have had mirena since oct 2007. i have had a lot of problems since. i have just recently the past 5 months or so, been able to loose any weight! i actually gained 15 lbs after i had it put in. also it had rejected itself the first time after about 6 months. and the main reason i started searching today on here is because for the past 3 weeks right after my last period, i haven't been able to find the string. i can completely feel my cervix because im short spaced. there is NOO string hanging out and i have had serious cramping. about a week ago i was standing at my microwave and all of a sudden i started having a lot of white/clear discharge leaking down my leg.. i wasn't sure what was up because i was also having some cramping. i figured i HAD to be ovulating. so i took an ovulation test and i was right! i was ovulating. 4 days later i took another test after the discharge went away and it was neg. i called my doctors today because ive been having a lot of bad cramping. she told me you do NOT ovulate while u have the mirena and the test should never had been positive. she said the string can go inside my cervix but it wouldn't cause any cramping but she said if the mirena was moving or shifting, she said i will get a lot of cramping and it can be dangerous. im nervous and she said if the cramping gets worse to go to the er. she said tomorrow i need to have a pregnancy test and an ultrasound done. i am nervous and i want this thing out of me!! when i touch my cervix, i get sharp pains. the same pains i had when i was dilating with my daughter. this sucks!! i will also agree with others.. the weight gain/hard to loose is deff something that has happened, still breaking out, more cramping when bleeding, mood swings, i STILL lactate after over 2 yrs of stopping breastfeeding, i still am VERYY sensitive and cry easily, my lower back hurts all the time, always tired/lazy, i feel pregnant still!!!! i prolly have every symptom u could think off. another thing i want to know is.. can the mirena make it so i can get sick more easily...? like lowering my immune system?? i get sick with a cold or nasel infection or fevers or something everyyyy month!! i am ALWAYS sick!! ive had strep throat prolly 6 times in the past 2 yrs. fevers prolly 5 times.. im sick as we speak with a nasel infection, wooping cough, diarea, sleepyness, head ache... and ive been sick since 10/20/09 and its 11/9/09 today... no fevers so i know it isnt swine flu.. but damn! im always sick!! ever since i had my daughter... which is also around the same time i had the mirena put in... welll... theres my story... mirena needs to be taken off the shelves and if anything happens to my cervix or makes it so i cannot have kids, so help me god ill sue the livin shit out of them!!! yaz got sued... mirena should be too!!!

My daughter was born 9-6-08 and had the Mirena inserted a month later. I tried really hard to lose the weight from my pregnancy and at first I thought it was working but then I stopped losing any weight and before I knew it I weigh the same as my when I was pregnant. I feel the fluttering in my stomach and the acne and the sore breasts and even the moodiness. I thought I was pregnant. I took 4 hpt and they all came back negative. Went for a urine test at my doctors but I still wasn't convinced when it came back negative so I asked for a blood test too. That also came back negative. Thank goodness cuz I didn't want another child this soon. It just seemed to be too much stress and too much to worry about. It's not worth it. I'm convinced that I will call my doctor and have it removed because I just cannot handle this. I'm going back on the pill. Not sure which kind but anything is bound to be better than this. Any suggestions? I'm so hoping to lose all this weight and stop getting acne. Not to mention stop snapping at my husband all the time.

I am amazed to see so many woman going through the same things I am. I really do feel like I have been going crazy with my doctors. Since I have been on the Mirena I have experienced, weight gain, depression, nausea, excessive tiredness, cramps in my uterus and breast tenderness. I also have a hard time sexually. I cant seem to get wet either. Although my sex drive is there I still can get wet. I also have lost hair on my head and have started getting hair on my face. YUK!!!!!!Since I have been on thr Mirena for the past 2 years I have maintained my weight but have lost nothing. I am going to get it taken out really soon, since my husband was nice enough to get a vasectomy. Hopefully these mood swings and tiredness will go away.

hi. i had mirena put in feb 08. around June i started having flu like symptoms and stomach issues. doctors couldn't figure that out so i learned to deal with it. no biggie. may 09 i started having palpitations and tightness in my chest. doc #1 said it was a panic attack.(no) doc #2 thought i pulled a muscle (nope) july went to the er. test were ran all negative. pain and palpitations still come and go. until 4 days ago, just walking around i became short of breath, had sharp pain, and bad palpitations that wouldn't go away with rest. the next day i had to go to the er again because my blood pressure went up so high. been at home in bed for 3 days now. still tight chest. still palpitations off and on. i see a cardiologist tomorrow to make sure there is nothing seriously wrong. but reading this, things are making a bit more sense. i have also asked my gyn 2x's and they state that mirena will NOT cause any type of chest issues because of the type of hormones in it. if cardiologist finds nothing along with everyone else, IT'S COMING OUT! i'm so tired of feeling sick!
thanks everyone for your comments. i now know it's not just me!
J.

Hi everyone I am sorry for your pain but am so glad to know I am not alone.I had Mirena put in a little over a year ago and since have gained 30 pounds,my mood swings are just as bad as they were when i had postpartum depression,and i to have the lack of energy and acne. My periods have just about stopped I bleed for only a couple of days very very light that and convince is the only thing i like about it.I have a doctors appointment in 3 weeks and hope to get it out.I think I will just have the surgery and become sterile its got to be better than this.

I am soo glad I am not crazy. I am almost in tears, because I can not believe that so may women are experiencing this. I have had it for almost two years now and in the beginning I just had heavy cramps and a lot of bleeding. I was told every woman's body is different and this will take some time. I went back within 4 weeks to get it out and my doctor encouraged me it would get better. It did and I loved it. Never had a problem. Until recently, I went to the doctor thinking I was pregnant, I had ever symptom that a pregnant woman experiences and I they told me it was in my head. I am constantly tired, bloating, sick, dizziness, headaches (which they told me contributed to my sinus - then I started seeing an Allergist who kept me on Antibiotics. It got really bad they did an CAT scan on me and still nothing). I thought I was going to lose it, I had mood swings, memory loss, attention span, worst than my 5 year old and the list goes on. I am so hurt now, because I am no good with the pill (2 pregnancies from the missed pill) and loved the convenience of the Mirena, but my life is worth more than convenience.
Thank you ladies for sharing your story! But remember please go with your gut feeling. Now that I recall I went twice to get this removed, the doctors will tell you anything. They are new to this product also!!!

I think that I finally figured out why I am so physically and mentally sick. I received the mirena almost 2 years ago and I was a true advocate of the product...I love it!! About 6 months ago I started to have panic attacks and anxiety (i have never experienced this before) it was so bad that I barely made it to work everyday and could no longer handle being out in public. My PCP placed me on different types of anti-depressants (which made me depressed). Currently I take Budeprion which has decreased my anxiety but I do not feel like myself. The past month and a half I wake up with the feeling of morning sickness (the numerous pregnancy test say that I am not), have headaches, low energy levels and little motivation. I was pretty sure that my hormones levels must be "off" but my PCP and OB insisted that there is no way that my symptoms have anything to do with my hormones because my child is almost 2 and I am 29 years old. I have gone through numerous tests, scans etc.to find the cause of why I feel so awful and all tests came back Fine. After reading the stories on this website I now know that I do not need anti-depressants and I am not going crazy...I just need to get the Mirena removed.

Hi again
After reading thru some more posts I will add that I have also had cramps so severe that I fell to the floor. I would curl up in a ball trying not to cry until it finally passed.
I don't care what the doctors say, these are more than a passing, rare side effect. There are to many of us complaining about the same issues.
I have to many things going on that I am still probably forgetting some of them.
There is absolutely no need for all of us women to be suffering.
If I had know about these side effects I would have NEVER had the IUD put in.

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 am so glad I am not crazy and all alone. I've had my Mirena since January for perimenopause and was still getting my period every month until this month. No I have such cramping, joint pain I can barely walk and my lower back is killing me. I am scheduled for a hysterectomy this Wednesday, I CAN'T WAIT, I'll be done forever.

23th
2009
10:36 PM
MIRENA is the worst thing EVER!!!!!!
I got Mirena as my husband and I were lacking in the sexual side of our relationship because we both HATE using condoms.I have a 31/2 year old son and we have decided that for now we are happy and would like if we didn't have anymore children right now so I talked to my doctor about Mirena.
Let me start by saying that my labor 6 hours with NO pain meds was nothing compared to the pain I had when they put it in. Then the bleeding started right away I was bleeding for 8 weeks then had 1 week free and now have been bleeding for about 8 weeks. I had 2 ultrasounds to make sure it was in proper and everything was "fine" my doctor says everyone's body reacts different.
The symptoms I have are Occasional Cramping,
Sever bleeding,
headaches,
irritation in my legs (same symptoms as RLS),
Depression,
no sex drive,
back pain
Weight Gain (17lbs in 2 weeks)
and the weirdest symptom is hard to explain but its the same feeling in my body as if you were to touch a 9volt battery to your tongue! Every now and then I have little shocks and its so annoying. I have had mine in for 17 weeks and I have an appointment in 8 days to have it removed...Back to condoms it is

Has anyone had terrible joint pain from the Mirena? I didn't know where it was coming from, every time i would sit down for awhile then get up my joint ached so bad, i had never noticed this before, i told my doctor about it and he said i was just starting to feel the effects of getting older, i couldn't believe that, i am 38 years old and already being this stiff, i told him that i would not be able to move around by the time i was 50 if i felt like this already...and i was going to the gym at least 3 to 4 times a week so i was getting a lot of exercise, well i had my Mirena taking out about 3 weeks ago, mainly because my blood pressure kept going up and i had never had problems with this, so i thought maybe it was from the Mirena since i wasn't on anything else and i ate right and exercised, well i happen to notice the other day that i no longer have the joint pain i was having, i couldn't believe it, it had to of been from the Mirena, i feel so much better now, my sex life is back to normal and my blood pressure is staying down without medications, please don't listen to the doctors when they say its not the Mirena, we know our bodies more than anyone.

Ok, I have PCOS and had the Mirena put in 3 months after the birth of my last child in 2004 and thought it was great. No more fluctuations never knowing when or if I was getting a period...I just never had one, have not had one in 5 years years. The strings disappeared several years ago, had an U/S and they said it was still in place. I have had zero libido in that time, terrible mood swings, fluctuating weight and depression, thyroid problems, etc etc, all put down to depression. Well 6 months ago the headaches started, the vertigo... the ensuing DR trips have turned up an abnormal brain MRI and not much else no one has thought to think of the IUD. The MRI shows possible demyelination, vasculitis or sequelae to migraines...these are little white spots in my brain. If I find out these things are caused by this IUD there will be hell to pay. I am due to have it removed at the 5 yr mark in November..... I guess dig it out if they can find the strings. Will be interested to hear comments on this.

I was wondering if anyone has been having a problem with acne? I had the mirena inserted in May of this year, within two weeks I was having terrible mood swings, I was flying off the handle at the drop of a hat! Crazy! I went to my doctor to have it removed, he talked me into keeping it in a few months see if it changes. My moods are better but my face has become insanely greasy! I wash it twice a day, use face-wipes throughout the day to try to control it, I blot my oil away with the oil absorbing sheets. The problem is I am doing it all the time! I have even resorted to using the tissue paper toilet seat covers to blot my face, they work great in a pinch...but they are becoming part of my daily oil control routine! As an added bonus I now have acne! Never in my life have I had acne, nothing I do helps, I have all the creams and acne treatments, nothing has worked. I am just wondering if anyone else is having the same problem?

well i had the mirena inserted 8 weeks after i had my 2nd baby,which was was may 14th 2009,i felt fine tell about 6 weeks ago,i started having pain in the center of my chest rite below my breasts,went to the doctor he said it was inflammation,he gave me naproxen,which didn't help at all,went back to the doctor,still couldn't find anything wrong,the pain has spread to the left side rite below my breasts,now im having anxiety attacks every day,tired all the time,headaches,backaches,nausea,weight gain,hair loss,the doctor said i have bacteria vagionous,gave me flagyl ive been taking for 5 days now,i told my doctor at my last doctors visit i thought all this was from mirena and i wanted it removed,he told me to wait a few days to see if the flagyl worked,it hasn't so far,i have a doctors appt. tomorrow and im gona tell him to remove the mirena.i feel the mirena is causing all of this,i guess i will see.i just want to be myself again!

I've had it in for 7months now and all they did was put me on menopause pills for 2 weeks to stop the bleeding. And if I complained to the them about pain of any kind they said take a couple pain killers. I had a irregular pap which I've never had in my life and they said wait til next year to see if it clears on its own. I don't even think my c-section has healed enough for the iud and they said it was fine I think it was just a scam! I'm still bleeding still in pain and I don't think 23 yr olds should be on menopause pills. Those jerks didn't even tell me what kind of pills they were I found out on my own. I worried that it will only get worst.At time I feel like I might faint.What does one do if the doctors try desperately to find way for you to keep it in?

hello my name is T. i just got the mirena in January 09 after having my first child. at first i didn't notice any side effects until i went to my doctors and i gained well over 30 pounds. felt sad all the time felt like i wasn't myself. yesterday after going to the emergency room due to bad cramps and severe pain in my pelvic area. after doing tests and everything and finally finding that i have two ovarian cysts from the mirena im getting it taken out immediately

Hello, my name is pam. About 6 weeks after my son was born I had made the choice to get the mirena iud. Well for 7mon after i got it I bleed. Also, new things started happening. I went to my doctor and discovered that I had an awful yeast infection due to the iud not being set right. He gave me one round of meds just for yeast infections. I went back for a check up and it hadn't cleared a bit. Got second round of med. Then about 2wks afterward I got a call from my doctor. He said that they found yeast infection, staff infection, and a strep infection that I am still having problems with after the level 4 anti-biotic that he gave me. I have headaches, body aches, no sex drive what so ever, mood swings that would send anyone away, and I am also on anti-depression meds ever since Ive had the iud.

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

Thank God for this site. I have been trying to figure out for the last year what is wrong with me! I have had such unexplainable depression and mood swings for so long and I never would have thought to attribute it to Mirena. Thank all of you ladies for posting on this site and diagnosing me, because obviously none of my doctors are qualified to do it! Everyone I have seen has done nothing but brush it off. I also had an US done the other day and they found a cyst on my ovary. My psoriasis (which I have only had a few small spots on my scalp my entire life) has flared up tremendously all over my body. I have lost all motivation to do anything and have nearly ruined all of my relationships with family and friends due to my laziness, depression, and mood swings. I will hate having a period again, but as I keep reading all of your posts I realize that having a period will be a blessing compared to dealing with all of this. I am making an appt on Monday to have it removed! Thanks so much ladies!

HI, i have had my coil for almost four years. I had it inserted in October 2005, 4 months after my first son was born. it wasn't really painful but felt a bit weird like someone was opening an umbrella inside my uterus. Anyway since then (the past 2 years in particular) i have had crazy moon swings, my breasts are almost always tender, i have a really offensive discharge(which is awful) no libido! my poor husband. i never really had this problem before having the coil. i am quite depressed, cry spontaneously, am irritable and have little patience. when im due on i have really bad lower back pain, stabbing pains in my sides, nausea, bloating, and constipation. but the most recent one is acne! i don't get spots( maybe one when im on but not one every day!) they are mostly on and around my jaw and chin. i feel like a kid again, im 28! my confidence has suffered and i have put on about a stone in the last 6 months. i also get almost constant stomach pains, mostly just under my diaphragm and get heartburn with most foods i eat. i have very light and irregular periods but always get all the pre-period symptoms. the most awful ones are the acne and bad odor. has anyone else experienced bed odor? i also feel tired all the time and just want to sit and do nothing. i don't feel productive at all and have lost my desire to be productive. I am going to see my doctor this week so hopefully she will be able to shed some light on everything. i really want to get it taken out but am scared that i might fall pregnant again. i have one beautiful son but don't really want anymore children. should i put up with all these symptoms? anyway, will let you know how my appointment goes. take care and thanks for making me feel better and not so alone!

I got the Mirena 1 year ago, at age 46, when my youngest child was 13. My doctor did not do anything to dilate my cervix and the insertion hurt very badly. I almost told them to forget it! I have a high threshold for pain and had both my children without any medical intervention, so it is saying a lot to say the Mirena insertion hurt. I decided to get it because of my heavy periods. My periods are much lighter, but last just as long (6+ days). Since May I've had a weird rash on my legs and tailbone. The one on my tailbone looks like a bruise. My shins are mottled and itchy. I've been to numerous doctors and tried many different medications. They have gotten better, but have not cleared up. It seems that my legs are not getting adequate circulation. Also, my belly and area below my navel are bright pink and itchy. I, too, feel bloated and pregnant all the time. Ugh! I experience heart flutters and once ended up in the emergency room because the school nurse, where I work, thought I was having a heart attack. Does anyone else have a rash like I describe? This darn think was so expensive, I hate to have it removed but, if it is causing this rash, I'll have it removed right away!

cannot believe how many stories I have read about mirena and hair loss etc..etc.. etc.. I have experienced many of the side effects that everyone is mentioning.. I actually feel I could live with most of them if it weren't for the hair loss. I have had ( copying from other post.. ridiculous right?)Tired all the time ~ Depression ~ Hungry all the time ~ leg cramps ~ HAIR LOSS TO THE POINT OF BALDING IN SEVERAL AREAS ~ oily skin and bad breakouts ~ Mood swings (huge...yelling fits at my husband and the kids) ~ fluttering in uterus~Sore breasts.. I have medium thick hair that is about 10 inches. I noticed a bald spot in June and now have discovered 4-5 others starting. I just had the iud removed today and my OB pretty much tried to convince me that there is no way that the IUD is causing my issues. I have never had any of these issues before. I got the Mirena on 4/30 of 08 and noticed slowly but surely all of the side effects mentioned. My OB told me that the progesterone could not be causing my issues because it is such a small dosage that it would be comparable to spitting in the ocean as far as the amount that is in my blood stream. She said because I am black and 35 that I may have an autoimmune disorder and that I should stop reading blogs. I told her that all of my research wasn't from a blog and that ALOPECIA is a side effect just not mentioned in my pamphlet that I can find. I understand what she is saying and that she is the one that is the dr. but nobody knows my body better than I do.. I am in it!! I have !never had any problems and have been healthy my entire life. There is no history of autoimmune disease in my family. I am going to my primary care doctor.. to have some blood tests done. I think that the mirena has caused an autoimmune response in my body.. it may not necessarily be the progesterone..although I don't rule it out no matter what she says . the progesterone is synthetic and has an androgynous like activity that is similar to testosterone the main thing that causes male pattern baldness. also Mirena is made out of Silicone.. perhaps those of us that are having hair loss are having it due to our body trying to fight off the foreign invader of the IUD itself. I was going to go and have the Paragard inserted.. because i was thinking it may just be the progesterone.. nope... I read that many women are complaining of ACNE and HAIRLOSS even with that because its made out of copper. So with that being said.. not sure what to do.. may have to go back on Yasmin.. didn't seem to have any problems with that.. I really just don't want to risk putting another hormone in my body.. We all need to get together and look into a class action suit because I am tired of being made to feel crazy by doctors.. sometimes what seems to not be possible is .. especially when there are so many women having the same problem. Feel free to e-mail me re: a class action suit.. if they took depo off Mirena needs to come of too. It seems like it has really screwed a lot of peoples system up.. Hopefully I won't find out I know have a thyroid problem etc.. etc..

OMG!!!! Okay, I have had the Mirena since may 2007! Over the past two years I have been through more testing than I care to admit... Severe and constant nausea, headaches, anxiety, depression, acne, sleepless nights, joint pain, no sex drive whatsoever ( my poor poor husband), lack of energy, and just overall moody! I have asked my doctors many times if it could be the mirena causing this.... No! I have also gained about 20 lbs over the last 6 months! I am normally 106 and have never in my life been able to gain weight! This is insane!!! I am calling my doctor today to get this thing taken out of me!!!! Thank you to all the women who have posted! I just thought I was going crazy...

I had a mirena fitted twice with no significant problems except weight gain but I now have a 6 month old baby and had my 3rd mirena removed this morning.I had my second one removed in April last year when we decided we would like to try for baby no3 after a 12 year gap.I fell pregnant in the July and had lost 10lbs in the three months after removal without trying.I felt calm,slept better and had loads of energy.I then progressed with my pregnancy and continued to lose weight as was very sick so by the time my daughter was born I had lost 35lbs in total.i then lost a further 10lbs in the six weeks following her birth and felt great,loads of energy,my skin looked fantastic and was really happy.
I decided to have my 3rd mirena inserted just after my six week postnatal check as I hate heavy periods etc,well that was at the beginning of June.As soon as it was inserted my stomach started to bloat and it looked like I was 6 months pregnant,I have experienced extremely heavy prolonged bleeding with clots.I had phoned my doctor 3 times over the last 3 months and they said to give it time,it was the fact I had not long had a baby and give it 6 months.I have also gained 14lbs in the 3 months,my skin has broken out,my hair is thinning and have really bad mood swings,anxiety and restless sleep and I know I don't have post-nantal depression as had that 16 years ago and know the difference.
I am so glad i took the decision to have it removed and feel 100 times better already knowing this thing is no longer inside me.I definitely know this mirena has caused all these side effects now.Why do the doctors not listen to us.

I just want to reply to you and everyone else who is having difficulty with doctors acknowledging mirena side effects. I work in pharmaceutical research and what people need to understand is that clinical trials only test on samples of about 5,000 patients and the side effects observed in those people are the ones acknowledged in the literature your doctors are referring to. The problem with that is for a drug sample population to statistically represent the actual US population it would have to be at least 30,000 people. This is not feasible even for the most profitable big pharma companies. So once these drugs get to market, there are inevitably going to be people experiencing side effects not reflected in clinical trials.

That said, I had Mirena put in 6 weeks after giving birth to my son in August 2008. Pre-preg I weighed 132, at 9 months I was 173. I left the hospital weighing 152. When i got mirena inserted i had been loosing slowly due to breastfeeding, but I was loosing and weighed 145. By Christmas 2008 I weighed 155. So I started working out, circuit training 45 minutes, 5 days a week, and eating much healthier for 6 weeks. Like others assuming it was a change in lifestyle, stress whatever. I didn't loose a pound. After no success I cut down to less intense workouts but kept eating well. By June 2009 I was 163. At 132 lbs pre-preg at 5'4" I never worked out, I'm not kidding, ever and I was not a healthy eater, I just wasn't a big eater.

So August 10th 2009 at 168 lbs and fed up, I went to the doctor to have it removed. They insisted it was not the mirena, but if for no other reason I had to find out for myself why I could not loose weight, if i was still overweight afterwards then so be it, but I had to know.

I'm glad to announce that today September 21st, I have "inexplicably" lost 21 pounds in counting. I have not worked out like I did in those six weeks, brisk walks at the most,and I have continued eating healthy. I'm not advising anyone on what to do, I just know when I was contemplating getting this thing removed, I wanted to hear from someone who had actually gotten it removed. Also, I did not the emotional or dermatological side effects others described.

I have posted a couple of times previously about negative side effects, i.e. migraines, weight gain, acne, chin hair, eczema, lower back pain, no sex drive...and the list could go on. As a mature 36 year old woman I have educated myself over the past couple of years and can really only attribute all these issues to having the Mirena inserted 4 months after the birth of my daughter 3 years ago. Although at this time my doctors will not openly acknowledge these side effects, I am confident that one day they will. I encourage women to report adverse side effects to the FDA. It onlt takes a minute or two. Who knows, it may be the hormones or it may be the silicone plastic? It has to be something. It should also be acknowledged that some women, my very best friend for one, have had wonderful experiences with the Mirena. I really think it may just depend on the woman and her own body. I am having mine removed tomorrow after researching all of this for about 8 months. All I can say is, thank goodness. I am also scheduled for the Essure(permanent birth control). Food for thought for the older women in the group. Whatever each of you decide, realize you are not alone and you do not have to continue to feel the way you do if you believe that the Mirena could be making you feel so bad. Take care.

I would really appreciate any feedback for my question which is HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE BEFORE I FEEL NORMAL AGAIN after having Mirena removed... I had it removed around 4 months ago and my periods are sort of back to normal and i thought after i got my period back (well i presumed) that the hormones or whatever it is in the mirena would have gone... BUT.... I still don't feel my old self.. I have had massive skin problems since the Mirena was inserted and even though it is out i still have massive skin problems... The doctors refuse to believe that its from the Mirena and have tested me for EVERYTHING but surprise... They don't know what is wrong with me... My skin flares up before I am due and lasts the whole week that i have my period... I am just wondering how long it can take for this thing to get completely out of my system ..

Where do I start? Extreme lower back pain, no Menstrual cycle since March 3 2008 even after being removed (no I have been tested for menopause). Throat closing up, nasal congestion, body going numb, chest pain, neck pain,sever fatigue, uncontrollable twitching the list goes on. I have been in and out of the hospital for a year and four months now till we finally figured out it was Mirena this has cost me a fortune in wages lost and hospital visits.Run don't walk from Mirena it is not worth losing your life over. I believe it almost cost me my life several times now. I even told my mother I didn't think I would be around much longer if this continued. The Doctors did not figure this ou\t but wether your a believer or not I will tell you with no shame we prayed for God to show us what was wrong and he did! I immediately had Mirena removed and that night my nasal congestion went away. The other symptoms are a little slower and I am still having spells now and then. The Doctor said it might stay in my symptom for a while and to be patient. I have had enough already run as fast as you can from this IUD!

Hello everyone,
Can I ask if anyone with type 1 diabetes has had any adverse effects wtih the Mirena in regards to blood sugar/ insulin?
Have just had one inserted a week ago and it is still painful and from reading these posts it is worrying that this pain won't go away.. but am wondering about the effect it has on me as a diabetic - doctors say next to no effect as it is a LOCAL hormone and so not circulating... but from these posts listing nausea, depression and weight gain, these are all side effects of hormones circulating the body.... Any one have any answers in regards to this?
Thanks

The mirena coil has destroyed my relationship. At the beginning my partner told me he could feel it and it hurt us both. But when i told the doctor he said my partner was making it up as it is not possible to feel it. Im made to feel like a liar, and im sick and tired of them lying to me. I get sharp stabbing pain all the time, every day where the coil is. Sometimes i can not sit down as it hurts so much. I have no sex drive, i also get this weird pain at the top of my left leg near the fallopian tube. I bleed almost everyday and have constant cramps. Which is causing my spine to curve, due to not been able to sit up properly. My partner has left me as it has been going on for 3 years. I can not even begin to start a new relationship as sex is very painful and i bleed heavily afterwards, which lasts for weeks. I have a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers-Danlos vascular syndrome. And the hormones that are in the mirena coil react to my condition and i shouldn't be having the this coil. But my Dr refuses to take it out. I am deeply depressed by this as my life has been ruined by the mirena. I also suffer with headaches and i burn up and i start to sweat quite bad. Which can be very embarrassing. I didn't really want the mirena but i was pushed into by my doctors, as they thought they knew best. I told them that it wasn't recommended as i have EDVS. But they don't care what i think. I have begged for them to take it out but they will not do it. Im at my wits end as i don't know what to do anymore. I am 33 years old with a disable son to look after. And it can interfere with me looking after him as the pain gets too much. I want it out and i want my life back before i have no life left! Ladies please do your homework before making any choices. Dr's are not super human and they do not know everything. They are only human and make mistakes just like anyone else.

I had my mirena inserted on April 3rd 2009. 6 weeks later, my labial started to itch very bad and my usual moderate back pain condition worsen in a point that I had to see a doctor. I saw a gynecologist for the itching and he prescribed antibiotics ovule (Polygynax) which took care of the problem but the itching resumed a couple of weeks after. For the back pain I saw 3 different doctors and even went though physiotherapy and massage with no improvement. It occurred to me that the Mirena was the only new thing in my life and could be related to both back pain and itching. I searched the web and found that many women have had similar side effects. I then decided to have it removed and this was done on Aug 26 2009. The back pain is still there but not as bad as before since I can sleep through the night without waking up in pain. The Itching also is regressing. My doctor advised I go 3 months without birth control containing hormones, just to confirm that the mirena was really causing those side effects. I do hope my story helps someone out there...

Seriously this is ridiculous. I have been dealing with all of these same issues and have been debating on whether to see a counselor because I feel like I am losing my mind! My boyfriend tells me I have mood swings and my mom says she cant even talk to me anymore. I had an acquaintance at work tell me that she hopes that I am okay because I look so down. I am anxious and depressed - have to self talk just to get out of bed. During the month if I am not cramping - my breast are almost to sore to move. I read someone on hear define a side effect of vibrating sensations throughout their body I get that for at least a week and a half every month. I would describe it as how you feel when you first are coming down with the flu....kinda achey. I was actually off for a week a few months ago due to extreme vertigo. I wondered if there was a correlation...from what I read I guess so. I have severe lower back pain -sometimes to much to stand straight and walk. I am so frustrated because I was told no side effects. I had Norplant back in 1991 and gained 70 pounds in 5 months. Well I am up to 19 pounds with Mirena - it hasn't been quite a year. I told the doctors that I had significant weight gain with Norplant and developed a blood clot while using the pill. I was assured no such side effects with Mirena. Mirena was a great choice for women who cant take anything else! I feel so misled!

Hi, I had Mirena put in 4 years ago and just had it removed a month ago. The insertion was painful for abut a minute and after that all seemed fine. I did not have a period for 4 years. However after the first year I started having to urinate frequently....sometimes up to 20 times a day. This would happen weeks at a time and then go away. I went to all my doctors and was finally diagnosed with interstitial cystitis by a urologist. This is a chronic condition that affects the inner wall of the bladder. Even though most doctors do not agree with me, I think that my IUD led to this disease. Has anyone else had this experience??

My Mirena was removed yesterday 08/28/2009 after months of numerous side effects and several phone calls to both doctors and a local ER which most all refused to remove it. I drove 1 hour away and waited 3 hours to see an OBGYN specialist just to have it out! Well worth the money that I will have to pay the Hospital. I feel like a new person and cannot wait to be "ME" again. I got Mirena 11/2008 after our Insurance stopped paying for NuvaRing after I had my second child. I was 28 at the time and wanted to wait a few years before we had more children. I would not recommend this to any woman. My major side effects did not appear until after the 6 month of having it in.

I am booked in next month to have a mirena inserted due to heavy bleeding having fibroids, causing anemia but I don't think i can go through with it after reading all you stories
thanks for sharing them with us, you think the doctors and nursed would

HI,
I had mirena put in during Jan 2008.
I had it taken out on Sunday after presenting to casualty on Friday morning with heart palpitations, shaking and heaviness in left arm. The casualty doctors ran tests but couldn't see what the problem was.
I've experienced increasing heart palpitations to the point where they are every day - and several times per day. I've had my thyroid checked.
I'm 36 years old, not overweight although I've definitely put on weight and not been able to shift it, since having this IUD. I've been moody and incredibly tired. My skin hasn't been great also.
I have four kids and so know my body well and know how quickly I normally bounce back after giving birth. Since Ive had the mirena, my body has felt like it's been pregnant. I've done numerous pregnancy tests.
It's only been a couple of days since Ive had the IUD out but already my mood is better - like it always was before I had the IUD. My stomach doesn't look as bloated but more importantly, the heart palpitations have reduced.
I can't say with any certainty, YET, that any of my symptoms have been caused by the IUD but I will give my body a couple of months to recover and monitor the progress.
The doctors told me mirena couldn't have caused all of the above......time will tell.

Having read a lot of the posts on here I have just made an appointment to have my coil removed. I only had it inserted 2 months ago but have had severe fatigue and been unable to work as well as quite bad depression, very tearful, and loss of libido. Luckily I have not put on weight - lost it in fact - but I just don't feel right at all. My homeopath warned me that the doctors would deny that the coil was causing any of these symptoms but isn't it better to remove it and see?

For those of you who are ridiculing the ladies who are sharing their personal stories on here, shame on you. I'm GLAD you are happy with your Mirena and that you are not having problems with it. That does not change the fact that many women have suffered due to their Mirena and want women who are considering birth control options to be aware of the symptoms that the company and doctors deny.

I had absolutely no pain with placement of my Mirena 2 years ago, and removal was a breeze. I had no periods after the initial, short and light period I had after placement - which was AWESOME. However, I gained a lot of weight, I was incredibly moody, and had no energy or sex drive. It got worse with time to the point I was considering antidepressant medication. We decided we want to have another baby so I had it removed 4 days ago. AMAZING! My husband could tell that very afternoon that I felt good. I had energy to spare, my appetite was down and despite the stress of traveling 7 hours with a 6 and 2 year-old to visit family this weekend I was able to hold my temper in check and have a good time with my family. No one will convince me, or my husband, that Mirena - though it served its purpose well - only causes the side effects we're warned about in the pamphlet. There's too many of us complaining about the same things for it to be coincidence. For those of you who aren't experiencing these symptoms I am truly happy for you... but do not make the rest of us feel like whiners or like we're in the pocket of some other birth control company trying to scare women away from Mirena.

Hello all - I just wanted to say that when I had Mirena inserted, no one mentioned any negative side-effects. I have several friends who sing its praises - one of the main the reasons I got it. So after the birth of my third and last baby, I had it put in. I was fine for a while, but after about 5-6 months I noticed the greasy skin and acne (even under my arms! Sorry if TMI!), weight gain around my waste and nagging anxiety and depression. I took Tryptophan at night to sleep, or I probably would have had insomnia, but nothing would help the stubborn anxiety/depression. I went to three diff. doctors including an allergist to get everything tested. I was all-good except now I know I'm allergic to dust - who isn't!? So my last resort was to take the Mirena out. I was all prepared for a fight w/ the gyn to have it removed, but she said actually a lot of women have the same complaints?!?! Really wish I'd known this BEFORE I had it put it. It's been five days now and the bleeding has started and I'm pretty tired. Feels like a regular period. I have had glimses of my old self, but am not completely there yet. Hoping to see a full recovery soon. And I too think that just because you're having a great experience with Mirena, doesn't mean it's for everyone and that websites like this one are a joke. Everyone's bodies are different. I just think you just have to weigh your options and be fully informed before you decide.