Mirena and fatigue

I have had palpitations, racing heart, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue and nausea since I had the IUD inserted over a week ago - Ive been through a whole heap of tests and they have all came back fine. Im wondering if Im reacting to the hormone in it?? as I haven't taken the pill before either. If the symptoms don't go away Im having it removed but I think the most frustrating thing is being told they don't know whats wrong with you and you thinking it's all in your head :( I am post baby but I was feeling well before the Mirena - not so well since...

Ohhh, I thought that I was going crazy. My 5th baby was born May 09, and I felt great for just having a baby. I have only had the Mirena since June 09, but thinking back, it has been since then that most of my issues have arisen. I have a constant pressure in my head, sometimes it is a headache, and occasionally it turns into a migraine. I have my period, and then it lags on with spotting for another week and a half, all the while having the cramps, major moodiness, depression, fatigue. I am having low back pains too. I am tired as heck all the time. I am hypothyroid as well, which can cause you to be tired, so I have went and had my thyroid checked 3 times since the baby was born as I was sooo sure it was off because of my fatigue. I have no libido either. My husband thinks all this stuff is excuses and in my head. I have been on the depo in the past for 5 years, but my blood pressure started to raise, and went back to normal after I changed to the copper IUD. I had that removed to try for another baby. But I did very well on the the copper IUD, which had no hormones and is called Para Gard, or something like that. I did still have my period, with some cramping that was slightly more than what I had without the IUD. But I had a libido, I wasn't fatigued or depressed. My doctor was pushing this Mirena, and against my better judgment I agreed. So please remember that there is another IUD, and it is good for 10 years, which maybe why they don't push that one. I am getting ready to get this hell Mirena out and switch back to the copper IUD.

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.
.

I haven't gone through to read all of everyone elses side effects yet but is there anyone who is getting migraines because of this thing? i feel like my head is going to explode and the come so frequently i have never had this problem before getting the mirena i have no clue on whether or not this is what is causing them but i am hoping so, that way i can get it taken out! i go through spurts of depression too but im sure that it is because of the mirena but i will admit i do love the no periods and that it has done its job in preventing another unexpected pregnancy i just do not think i will make it through another headache!

I had the Mirena put in 2 yrs 9 months ago. I had continual spotting for about 6 weeks after insertion, which was really annoying but they did tell me to expect that. For 2 years I noticed a couple of side effects...some cramping and the belly flutters (which is so weird to hear of other people having them because I thought I was just crazy!!!) And the acne..oh, the acne! Also I haven't been able to lose weight very easily, even with dieting. All these things were ok side effects to me. But now after 2 and a half years the side effects have gotten a lot worse. I kept telling my husband that I was sorry, I just couldn't' understand why I can't get motivated to do anything besides sit around. I am bloated all the time and crampy. Not just cramps but I'll have sharp pains in my uterine area. I went in for my annual exam and they said the strings were where they belonged. Prior to that exam, I was having light 2 day periods regularly. Since then, I have been bleeding (some heavily, some light) for SIX WEEKS straight along with having cramps and fatigue and the missing motivation has gotten even worse. It is coming out tomorrow morning. This is not worth it at ALL!

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've had my Mirena out for nearly 2 weeks now, after 15 months of living with the side effects. I've posted before about fatigue, crankiness & irritability, low-grade depression, weight gain, poor sleep, headaches, etc -- same old story as everyone else -- that came on gradually over the months. I'm still SO grateful to this website for making it clear to me that this wasn't just typical exhaustion due to having 2 little kids (now 3yrs & 16mos) or post-natal depression. Anyway, getting the Mirena removed turned out to be an ordeal in itself -- the strings disappeared and the doctor couldn't see anything with a speculum, so I had to wait 3 weeks to get an ultrasound and it turned out to be in the right place (phew!). Then I had to wait nearly 2 months to have a hysteroscopy -- they dilate your cervix and poke a camera up inside your uterus so they can see where the coil is, then they can pull it out. The poking and prodding was a huge drag, uncomfortable but not excruciating. When they actually pulled it out it barely hurt at all. I was a bit sore for a day or two, like mild period pains but nothing serious.

So, here's the update so far: My sex drive came back the very next day after being completely gone for ages! That was such a nice feeling again, to actually want to be with my husband instead of just going along for the sake of the marriage! I haven't felt sick or achey in my joints since it came out either, and the headaches are pretty much gone after being a constant in my life. I'm sleeping easier, and generally feel healthy again -- such a relief! My energy levels are still really really low though; I sure hope they start to come back soon. I think it's going to take awhile since I'd pretty much stopped exercising due to feeling so ill and tired all the time. I'll have to build myself back up through eating better and getting back to the gym, so unfortunately I think the weight-gain and fatigue are going to take longer to 'cure'. But still, I'm so glad to have it out and know that whatever happens to my health now, at least it's not being caused by hormones that just don't belong there.

Hang in there everyone; and don't be afraid of the pain in having it removed.

Had my Mirena put in about 4 weeks ago. I feel like I am sick ALL the time. I have had every symptom mentioned and then some. Severe nausea, indigestion, headaches, fatigue, mood swings, hot flashes, depression, lack of sex drive, achiness, dizziness, anxiety, loss of appetite, and excessive sweating and hot flashes. My husband also says it irritates him when we have sex. I did a good bit of research before getting the Mirena, and never realized any of these side effects could happen. The Mirena website doesn't mention any of these other than headache. The doctor made it sound wonderful, and I just never thought I would feel like this. I almost feel like I am pregnant again, but I know I am not. It is horrible! I have an appointment in 4 days for my Mirena check up, and I am going to have it removed then. Please do your research before getting the Mirena! I am glad I found this site. Now I realize I am not the only one.

Hi I am dumb struck by coming across this site i never dream it could be my mirena causing my unexplained symptoms but the more an more i read it i am fighting with my hospital to get it removed A.S.A.P. i have suffered severe dizzy spells,heavy legs,fatigue,sweats,headaches,loss of concentration,mood swings,bloating,thinning of hair,weight gain, depression,dont want to communicate,just fallen apart in the last 17 months,had number of tests all come back normal,i been back to hospital today to fight this corner an they need to see how many women this really affects as every doctor i have seen says no way can it be the mirena but reading all these this needs looking into.i am worried about the dizzy spells they are my most concern along with panic attacks that come out of the blue..makes me think it may be my mirena after all :( just want to be back to my old self again..i have been to A& E at least 9 times with same symptoms only to be put on diazepam which i don't like to take,i am so upset that i still got to wait 6 weeks+ to have it removed as i got to go under to have it done as they cant reach the threads they are up instead of down...i am hoping after my long wait that i have now found an answer to all my symptoms an the mirena needs to be looked into more.an after it is removed i hope i get better as i have also read it can have after affects.nightmare wish i never had it put in.....

Hello, I can't help but get into the Mirena conversation. Three months after my son was born, I was put on the Mirena IUD. I had a ton of symptoms. My hair was falling out, tired, weak, headaches, stomach cramps, and just all around felt like crap. I went back to the doctors to have the Mirena removed positive that it was the Mirena that was making me feel like crud. The doctor persuaded me to keep it in longer and after much debate and feeling flustered with the doc I agreed for a couple more months. Well symptoms got ten times worse to the point I called and demanded to be seen right away to have it removed. Well after it was removed, I felt better but not completely. I started losing weight, I had periodic migraines which mind you I never had a migraine in my entire life, and felt like a truck ran over my body every morning when I got out of bed. I went to the doctors and they ran a slew of tests and NOTHING! Well about a month after a car ran a stop sign and crashed into me. I hit my head. IT was the best damn thing ever, I got a cat scan and it showed something on my brain. A MRI picked up a right cerebellum hemangioblastoma about 3cms. I had to have brain surgery to have it removed. They decided to do a full scan and I now currently have a kidney hemangioblastoma. Moral of this story. I am 31 years old, I have always been healthy with no migraines, no ailments, nothing. I have the Mirena put in and I feel like shit and they found a brain and kidney tumor. The estimated both my brain and kidney tumor to be about 2 yrs old. THE EXACT TIME I GOT THE MIRENA IN. Hemangioblastomas are either sporadic of VHL. With sporadic, usually you only get 1 and if you get another its later on down the road and my two tumors would not be the same age so it rules that one out. VHL, I had a genetic test done and it came up negative. So anyone of answers for my mishap. I know the Mirena caused this for me. Im just looking for someone with a similar story

I am so glad that I am not alone in this!! I have had Mirena for 2 1/2 years. The insertion was not that bad and I thought it was going to be wonderful!! Well....I was wrong!! I have always had migraines with aura, but I have had more frequently, terrible weight gain, ZERO sex drive, fatigue and terrible mood swings. I have had ENOUGH!!. I was told, like most of you, that Mirena can't cause side effects like this, but YES it can!! I am having it removed on Thursday, although, I do like the idea of just taking it out myself. (Save me $40) I have friends who have it and love it, but as for me, I would think long and hard before getting one!!

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.

I had Mirena inserted about 2 years ago and I'm having it removed later this week (thank goodness). I have gained 30 lbs, suffered from terrible fatigue and joint pain, mood swings, thinning hair, depression, total lack of sex drive and worst of all DEBILITATING migraines (especially after an orgasm.....I suppose that's a good reason for lack of sex drive!).

I had no problem with insertion, but was immediately aware of vaginal odor that was never there before....just an unclean sort of smell....really annoying and still persists. I miss my old periods (very normal, one week of PMS, 4 days of bleeding, then done). Now I have about 3 weeks of horrendous PMS with breast swelling, weight gain, fatigue, depression, increased appetite then I "spot" for 8-12 days! Horrible! I'll take 4 days of bleeding over 8 days of "sludge" anytime.

I hope removing it will end these issues.

I have had Mirena put in Feb 09, so it has been 8 months and for 7months I have had a yeast infection that wont go away. It gets really bad the week before my period and the week after its not too bad. I have used OTC drugs and prescriptions. I have never had a YI before I had the mirena. I do believe it is the reason I have one, so I am going to get it removed. I have also been very tired and foggy feeling and never made that connection until reading all these posts.

I had to re-add my original post as it was deleted.. did not realize that personal information (e-mail) should be put in the post. It has now been 3 days since I have had the Mirena taken out. I feel about a 20% increase in my energy.. My hair is no longer falling out in the areas that I would normally be able to gently touch and pull out about 30-40 hairs..and my skin already is starting to calm down even though that was not really that bothersome to me. I must say that my OB is wrong. It was the Mirena. I did not expect my hair to stop falling out so soon, but I am certainly not complaining. I will continue to monitor and advise through posting so hopefully that will give some High expectations to others who were having the same problem.

I have to say to the ones who are noting that they have not had any problems with Mirena that I too did not have any real issues for over a year. I got it in 4/30/08. Maybe 2 months later I noticed the hair and skin being oily.. was no big deal to me.. felt I could deal with that. Then I noticed fatigue and heart palpitations that I forgot to mention as a side effect (every now and then maybe 5 months later). And then around the same time I noticed my feet tingling and my hands on one occasion turning bright red with my veins bulging.. at that point I started to research Mirena.. read some posts.. but didn't think that was my problem. June of this year is when I noticed and nickel sized bald spot on the right side of my head. Because my hair is long and pretty thick I could Hide it and thought I had better get this out of me. I couldn't right away because I have a high deductible on my insurance. Well I just got it out this past Thursday because I found 2 more spots that could be considered 4 because of the pattern of balding.. so Please pay attention to your body. I do agree with my OB that it is probably not the medication.. I think my body was reacting to having the actual device in it and was recognizing it as a foreign object and was trying to fight it off..causing an autoimmune response. As I mentioned.. my hair is no longer falling out.. the only thing that changed was me taking the Mirena out. Please pay attention to your bodies because I don't think the side effects happen all at once. I am just happy that it seems that it has compromised my hormonal balance and hasn't caused any thyroid issue.. but I have a doctors appointment with my PC to get further testing done just to be sure. If any of my symptoms reappear or my hair begins to fall out again.. I will update. !!

so about one month ago i had my mirena put in but every since then i have noticed the changes in my mood i am emotional i am angry like sometimes i honestly feel like the excercise sorry if i spelled that wrong you all know what i mean, but my fiance tells me your crazy i think your should see a therapist but after reading other side effects i finally have convinced myself maybe its the mirena,but however my obgyn told me that the mirena did not contain any hormones but the iud did so i went with the mirena and im like what would have been the difference ive gained wait in the last week because i been so emotional i feel sick all the time and fatigue so i hope this is whats causing my crazy episodes and sick feeling i see my doc next Monday and i will half to talk to her something is just not write if any one can reply to my story and let me know if im crazy or is it my mirena thanks ladies .....

I had Mirena placed about 10 months ago because I had heavy bleeding continuously for about a year. It took about 2 months for the bleeding to stop. I haven't had a period since, but....I have had one yeast infection after another, about every 8 to 10 weeks, low back and pelvic pain and aching. I have no energy, wt. gain, fatigue, mood swings, and feel bad all the time. My husband says he can see why it works for birth control, because I have no sex drive. I'm glad all of you took the time to share your experiences so I know I'm not alone. I'm seeing my MD tomorrow to see about having it removed.

I've had the mirena out now for close to 3 months. At first I was losing a lot of water weight - I had gained well over 20 pounds in 6 weeks after having it inserted. Unfortunately, I have plateaued in my weight loss, it's always easier to gain weight than to lose it, right? I still have numbness in my hands, to the point where I am quite clumsy, and I have spells of fatigue and dry-mouth. Before removal I had suffered from the anger and depression towards myself and others, and though it has improved significantly, I still have days where I feel like I could snap just because the 2 year is talking too much. I have found that a multivitamin in the morning gives me a little more boost through the day, and Motrin helps with some of the aches and pains. I'm not quite back to 100%, but I'm getting there. The hardest part for me to come to terms with is how poorly I've treated my boyfriend and our children because of the side effects. Even after 2 or 3 months without it I do suffer some of the side effects, but each day I can feel it starting to get better. I've even woken up a few mornings with feeling in my hands, instead of the tingling "sleep" sensation. All of this from 6 weeks of an IUD... Ugh.

All of the symptoms I suffered were made in previous posts including:
Nausea, severe cramping, severe mood swings, minor hair-loss, increased back pain - especially in lower and middle back, souring/reduction in breast milk, severe weight gain, fatigue, mental fog, vision changes, dry mouth, loss of libido, aggression towards others and myself, severe depression (thoughts of hurting myself), shortness of breath, hives and many more I'm probably not even aware of hahaha. Good luck ladies, this one is a doozy - and remember to report ALL symptoms related to Mirena to the FDA.

I got my Mirena on the 1st of Sept. I had a copper IUD before with no side effects so i thought I should be fine. I have had cramping since insertion, a dull tenderness in my pelvis, almost a throbbing pain, spotting,nausea but not throwing up, and fatigue, and absolutely no sex drive... I feel gross. I'm have an ultrasound on Monday to see about the placement.. but after reading all of the other posts maybe i should just remove this thing before it gets worse.

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!

I have had the Mirena for about 3 years now, I first started having noticeable symptoms about 6 months ago. I started having panic attacks out of left field. I am a very happy person, with a good life so I could not understand what was going on with me. I thought I was going crazy. My daughter had to go with my mother for about 2 weeks as I didn't want her to see me the way I was: having panic attacks, paranoia, depression, crying fits. I was put on celexa to help these problems. It worked for the panic attacks, but I'm still moody and can only sleep if I take a 2.0mg of klonopin. I have never had these problems before. I cannot say it was the mirena, but I doubt I have any other reason for it. I recently started getting really bad cystic acne on my face, chest, back, and even on my scalp. I have gained about 25 pounds and cannot get it off for the world. I only have one daughter and a lot of help from my husband and my mother, so I can't understand the feelings of fatigue that plague me. I have a horrible year. Just the anxiety and panic attacks alone have changed me completely. I thought I was abnormal and sometimes just wanted to die. I do feel better, but as I read, I wonder if taking it out will help with the weight, acne and fatigue as my other problems seem to have just vanished after only 2 weeks on celxa, which I thought strange but was thankful nonetheless. I spoke with my doctor today about removal and she gave me a rx for the acne and said we should think about it.... I think I'm all thought out.....

I am getting mine removed today and am nervous about if it will hurt or be any pain afterwards .... any input would be great. I have had the horrible discharge, cramps, fatigue, depression .. etc and am sooo excited to get it out ... just nervous about the pain. I guess I gave birth right !! LOL

I had mirena put in nov 2007 after my son was born
at my 6 week appt it was the worse pain ever I bleed for
months had a uti with yellowish fawl smelly discharge
took 2 rounds of antibiotics before it was cleared up
about 6 months after having it inserted I hemriged real bad
made an appt with a interalist doctor. Under went 2 ultarsounds
blood work and an appt for a cat scan not never did test results came
back as cytes on my overies witch ruptured and indometreosis
this nov2009 will mark 2 years my friends and family think that
this mirena is the cause of all my issues every month I bleed at least 3 weeks out of every month and bleed heavily after sex every time I recently
got a real bad cold and was on antibiotics for 10 days had sex 4 times during this 10 days know I'm showing signs of pregnancy the pre milk from the breast as well as fatigue depression mood swings dizziness over all I think that mirena has a lot to do with all of this I will take aprego test in the morning and hope for the best

i got my mirena put in 06/2009 after my 3rd child. the dr asked if i wanted to tie my tubes, but i'm only 22 so i didn't want to decide my future just then. he recommended the iud. it hurt a little to put it in. then i felt like i was going to faint all day that day. then came the major cramps. then the endless bleeding. my doctor said he could give me some sort of medicine to help with the bleeding, but i just want this damn thing out. let's put it this way... if i wasn't bleeding all the time, i'd think that i was pregnant from all the side effects: nausea, fatigue, endless hunger, weight gain, mood swings. it's RIDICULOUS. i'm taking mine out at my next appointment. i'd rather take the time to put a condom on my boyfriend.

So like i just told the lady that thinks this site is a joke, I am happy for her that she hasn't had any negative side effects. For the rest of us though, this site is a blessing. I am a 27 year old with one daughter who is 2 1/2. I got my mirena put in at about my six week check up as well. For me, it took at least a year for me to really notice any symptoms, I guess before I just thought it was new mama syndrome. Now I am losing tons of hair (now when I say tons, no one can tell but me, like when i pull out handfuls when i shampoo or blow dry), I have horrible fatigue, depression that i am taking medicine for with little relief, discharge, and about once a month i have horrible pain on my right side about where my ovary is. Oh and not to mention no sex drive, which is not normal, and moody, moody, moody.

So my point pretty much is that I am a REAL WOMAN, not someone paid by a drug company, and I was looking for answers. Maybe the lady that is posting nastiest about this site is paid by Mirena? Hmmmm.....

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?

I'm not sure how big of a joke this website can be when there are real women out there having real issues with the Mirena. I feel like some women are very fortunate to have not had these issues. If your body does not react in a negative way to the Mirena then you are very lucky and it is a great form of birth control if you don't have to go through the pain and agony that others have. Women should not blame all illnesses, weight gain, pain, or other symptoms to the Mirena, but if that is the last resort having it removed to see if it could be the cause is a very easy procedure to have done. If it relieves some or all of the symptoms that these women are having then it is a good move. If you haven't felt the pain and fatigue that some of the women on here have then you have not idea what it can do to your life and your body.
I'm glad to hear that some women are doing great on this form of birth control, but I also believe that some women's bodies are rejecting the Mirena and it is causing a lot of problems. Remember to research the good and the bad and always let a doctor help you decide what is best for you. As far as Mirena goes you do not have to take no for an answer. If you want it removed then do so. If it doesn't help you'll know you need to look elsewhere for what is causing your symptoms.

Good luck to all of you.

I have had Mirena since January, 8 months now, I am feeling so sad, actually I am looking now in the net as I was not able to stop crying and there is no reason for crying, everything is ok in my personal life. I am very concerned as this symptoms have increased in the last four weeks and I am seriously consider removing Mirena, I want my normal life back.

I had my Mirena put in 3 months after having my fifth child in December o8...i tried mirena because in the past birth controls have failed for me such as the pill even depo so me and my doctor decided that mirena would be a good birth control for me i am 29 and have been getting my period since i was 15 and never have my periods ever lasted more then 5 days but since i have gotten the mirena put in i have bleed in excess of 15 days or more currently i am on day 15 and still going the bleeding is so heavy at times i will go through at least 5 tampons a day and most of the time i have to wear a pad also cause i bleed through especially when i just wake up it seems as if the blood just collected all night so when i get out of bed it just comes gushing out sometimes starts running down my legs...im always tired and lately i been crying a lot just out of the blue for no reason i get really irritated very easy and it seems to get worse my sex drive is none i want to have it removed but ive heard stories of the symptoms getting worse after having it removed and i also don't want to get pregnant again but i refuse to get a tubal because the women in my family who have had them always ended up later in life having to have a hysterectomy i am also paranoid even with the mirena that i will get pregnant and end up with a tubal pregnancy. HELP ME LORI

Hi all, I first discovered this site back in May 2009 and posted on 25th June 2009.

I had my Mirena inserted in April 2007 after consultation with my Gyno and being told this is the best option available to me following constant bleeding and pain during menstrual cycles. Also had pollops removed during the same operation (which may have been causing the pain also). I was (like many) led to believe there were NO SIDE EFFECTS!!!! I can only assume we are part of some huge experiment??

I am 43 (soon to be 44 years old) with two adult children (18 and 21 years) and very happily married.

Like many others, my side effects are/WERE mood swings (recent panic attack - very scary!), headaches, abdominal pain, light bleeding for 2 - 3 weeks every month, fatigue and general feeling of unwellness, days of extreme sadness (would not classify it as depression), no interest in anything, almost complete loss of interest in sex, nausea, weight gain. Pre Mireena I had lost 35 kgs (approx 80lbs) with a lot of hard work. My gym regime and diet didnt change but I have still gained 15 kgs.

I use the "were" because I also made the decision to have the Mireena removed and like others was ready for a fight with my doctor.

No need to fight, my doctor listened to everything I said plus informed me she knows exactly what I am talking about because her two sisters had exactly the same problems and had the Mirena removed. Needless to say, THE MIRENA HAS NOW BEEN REMOVED. HOORAY!!!!

It has only been 8 hours so I don't really expect any miracles immediately although it would be nice to wake up and have lost the 15kgs I have gained.

To cut my very long story down, my doctor informed me of some interesting news about the Mirena. I was told at my age (43) to increase Progestron can send the body into Hormone overload, in fact we should be having more Oestrogen instead. The Mirena increases the amount of Progestron in the body, maybe that is part of the problem????

I am feeling so pleased to have the MIRENA OUT, will keep you posted on my progress. So far go good......no signs of bleeding yet.

Hi there
Apart from all the above mentioned,
Pitting Edema in arms and legs
Headaches
Severe abdominal pain
Severe backache
Heart palpitations
Constipation
Lack of appetite
SEVERE WEIGHT GAIN (how can this be, I have been a diet for three years...and I am sticking to it) MY PANTS won't fit anymore.
NO energy
Fatigue
Nightmares
Nausea
Dizziness
Unable to concentrate
Slight double vision (right eye only)
Anger
Depression
Fainting followed by temporarily blindness (my studies n that scary matter came up with an explanation that this only occurs when your body organs are switching off. Scary thought.
I have also developed Polycycstic Ovarian Syndrome very serious case
I only had it for 6 month and would recommend to ant woman to take in out NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope the manufacturer will pay for slowly killing us or making a whole generation of females sterile, let's face it who like to have their health tempered with?
M. AM
Australia

I am SO glad I ran across this site.I am not crazy! My Mirena was put in about 3 months ago after my gyno finally put it together that my birth control pills were causing menstrual migraines. I will say the Mirena helped with the headaches, but lately I have not felt like myself. I have gained 10 lbs. in 3 months (even though I have been eating well and exercising more to avoid this side effect), my hair is oily, I have little dry itchy patches on my skin, fatigue, joint pain, no interest in having sex (after we do have sex sometimes I get horrible cramps and pain, like when the Mirena was inserted) I am super moody, and have anxiety/depression/anxiety problems, bloated almost constantly, and I feel like I can't focus or concentrate on anything! I called my gyno this morning because I do not want to feel like this anymore, and told her about all my symptoms. The only thing that makes sense to me is that Mirena is causing all my problems, since I never had any of them until I got it put in. The gyno tells me its not Mirena, that it definitely does not cause all that, and to get my thyroid checked because that is my problem. However, after reading all these stories, I am convinced that it is Mirena, and I am definitely getting it out. There is no way so many women can only have Mirena in common and have the same problems, even if they are not listed as side effects on the Mirena brochure.
So I am definitely getting it taken out, but I am curious about experiences after having it removed. How long till you feel like yourself again? Do the side effects go away quickly? Does it hurt more or less than getting it put in? Does the weight come off easily?
Hopefully this post helps someone as much as the other posts helped me. Thank you all for taking the time to post.

I had my Mirena placed in April 2003 after the birth my second child and by August 2003 I had headaches, nausea, yeast infections, severe fatigue, pain and fever. By September 2003 I was fed up and made an appointment with a specialist, at my fist appointment he found a 8cm cyst in my left ovary and the 4 cm cyst in the right. The Dr. made me come in for an ultrasound every 6 weeks and told me the cyst will go away on there own. 2 years and over $10,000 in out of pocket medical fees asked to have the Mirena removed. The Dr. insisted it was not the cause of the cyst or pain and scheduled exploratory surgery. On September 16th 2005 the Dr. removed my ruptured left ovary and found a mass of scar tissue on the right ovary along with endometriosis lesions in on and around my uterus. The pain was gone for 2 months and quickly returned. I asked again to have it removed and when he declined I made an appointment with planned parenthood and had the Mirena removed. Since the removal of my Mirena I have had 1 miscarriage and 3 additional surgery's, I still have cyst on my right ovary and just had my first abnormal pap.

Well let's see.... any time we have sex he feels the strings. I seriously keep thinking I'm pregnant bc of the fluttering in my stomach and fatigue. And I keep having random "spotting" and now I am starting to get cramps everyday all day and I have never been a cramper! I have depression too, over stuff that never bothered me before! My husband works 10 hrs every night from 4 pm to 230 am and he is the one that has to get up at 730 am to take care of our daughter! My wedding is in 2 months and I cannot afford to gain weight! My cousin has it and she is doing wonderful on it! Already lost a lot of weight and seems happy! Why can't that be us?!

And also to the people that are being cruel and what not...sometimes these symptoms are in your head but I don't think it is a coincidence that 3000 women all have pretty much the same "mental" symptoms.

I am not saying I won't recommend it bc it is really nice to not have to remember to take your pill or change your patch or whatever but just beware of possible side effects.

Happy to have Mirena out of me! I had Mirena inserted in 7/07. I had it removed on 7/13/09—YEAH!. My sister, who is a Sonographer (she does ultrasounds), noticed my weight gain and that I haven’t been myself for a while (moody). She said that so many women complain to her about Mirena when she is doing ultrasounds for them. Most of them tell her about the weight they have gained and their moodiness. My sister said… “You workout all of time and watch what you eat. You shouldn’t be gaining weight.” I was 150 lbs when Mirena was inserted and two years later, I weigh 168 lbs. I workout intensely five or more days a week and earned the 2008 Olympian title at my gym (which took a year of hard work to acquire), but my weight keeps creeping up no matter how hard I try. My workouts keep getting harder because my body is heavier… it’s so frustrating! Following my sister’s advice, I decided to do some research on Mirena and found this site. THANK YOU! I was so relieved to know that I wasn’t crazy and that others have experienced the same symptoms as me. Here are some of the other symptoms that I experienced from Mirena: constant bloating, I ached from my hips down to my knees (which I attributed to my hard workouts, but was wrong), mood swings, hot flashes in the middle of the night, acne on my chin, dark hair growth on my chin, dull cramps in my lower stomach, back ache, fatigue, fluttering in my stomach (which felt like a baby), sensitive breasts, pain during intercourse, spotting after intercourse (almost every time). I’m not sure how long it will take me to get my body back, but am so glad that I’m on my way. I’d like to thank everyone who posted symptoms on this site, you’ve changed my life.

I DO NOT SUGGEST MIRENA TO THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER HAD A CHILD! I'm having my mirena to be removed this Friday! Because i can't stand it anymore!! I had Mirena for a year and the cramps have never subside but have become worst! The cramps starts from my right buttock and extends it to my thigh! It is terrible and most of the time, it last for the whole night, i couldn't walk nor sleep nor move once it happens! It happens at least twice a month. It is even worst after doing sports!!! Mirena totally ruins my life for that whole year!! No sport, extreme pain and fatigue and depression!! I cant wait to get it out of my body!! i rather take pills!

I had Mirena put in last June '08. It is now June '09 and I had it removed yesterday. I had my child May '08 and was 10lbs away from my pre-birth weight when I had the Mirena put in. Now I am 10lbs heavier than I was in my ninth month of pregnancy! Its like I am pregnant all over again. My belly is always distended, feet and hands swollen. It is the worst 10 days surrounding when my period occurs- I can't fit in my clothes. Libido is zero and I have been foggy and unable to concentrate for the past year. The fatigue is considerable. I thought it was just being a new mom- since my Dr. told me this BC has no effects, but based on my previous experiences with the Pill- I think that anything with hormones is just a bad idea for me. After the mirena was removed yesterday, I have not stopping urinating! Belly has already gone down a little bit. I hope this does not screw me up too much!

I am a 36 year old and I had the Mirena in for over 2 years. I had it taken out on May 10th 2009 because of 2 periods a month. My doctor seemed to think it was not the IUD. While I had the Mirena in, I had dizziness, headaches, fatigue, more bleeding then not and moodiness. I lost my sex drive and excitability during sex. I was tired all the time and generally not happy. Since I have had it removed I have not had a period ( going on 2 months ). I have noticed over the last 2 months that I am slowly becoming my self again. It is like a cloud has been lifted from my brain. My sex drive is UP and my house is slowly getting back in order. I am hoping that I will start to loose some weight, but not going to depend on it being all the Mirena. I have to get back to the gym. I know my body is not fully adjusted to the Mirena being out because I have not had my period yet and I have no idea how long it will take. I called my OB's office, they did not seem to concerned about the lack of period. They told me they could put me on some meds to bring it on. I told them I would pass. I would rather my body take care of it. If anyone has any input of what it is like after months after having it removed, please let me know.

Well I'm glad I found this site. I got the mirena 1 year ago this month and I think I'm going to get this thing out of me. Right now I have severe lower stomach pains that shot down into my girl area. I haven't had a period since Nov. 08'. I always always have headaches and here lately I think I have a problem with stress/anxiety and I can't stand it! I feel better now that maybe it is not me thinking all this crazy stuff in my head but its that mirena cause me to feel this way. Can anyone relate?

I have had the Mirena for about 2 1/2 years. I had it inserted about 3 months after I had my daughter. Initially I thought it was great, but in the past 12-18 months I have noticed so many negative side effects that I believe must be related to the hormones in the Mirena. My PCP ignored my complaints but I have experienced the following since having the Mirena inserted:
sore/tender breasts, pretty serious weight gain(I diet and exercise a lot and don't lose a pound), severe acne on the chin and jaw line, coarse/dark facial hairs on the jaw line, migraines in the right side of my head, lower back pain in the left side(almost like a sciatica) fatigue. low sex drive, some mood swings, and the expected spotting. Although my PCP dismisses my concerns I have made an appt. with a new gynecologist to discuss my concerns and possible removal of the Mirena. Although the prevention of pregnancy is great the side effects are becoming unbearable and seem to increase over time. I would think twice about opting for this method of birth control.

Holy crap! Thank you all for helping me to justify my pending MIRENA removal on Wednesday, June 17th. I thought I was pregnant again - but I wasn't. Instead, via ultrasound, they found a large cyst on my ovary - the kind that's an UNDEVELOPED FETUS - it can have hair, fingernails, teeth and sweat glands - but never had a heartbeat! I have to live with this til it goes away or they decide to remove it... It's really sad for me to think about a little one that tried to make it but didn't...

After insertion when my son was 8 weeks old (he's now 20 months old-I've had this for a year and a half), headaches, incredible fatigue, weight gain - never lost the baby weight and gained more, low back pain-constant dull achiness, high blood pressure-mine's always been very low, incredible moodiness (I threw a carseat at my guy), huge depression swings-got a new anti-depressant, anxiety attacks, horrid cramping... The only good thing was no periods.

We decided to have them take the Mirena out so I can be "me" again. We decided that having what could have been a baby sticking around inside of me was unacceptable. I just hope I can be fertile again as I'm already 40 and we might want another.
Thanks again for helping me confirm that it's not all in my head!!!

I had my Mirena put in back in June of 2008 right after I got married. I, too, was lead to believe that the effects of the progesterone were purely "localized" to the uterus and would not cause any symptoms at all.

Since then I've experienced SEVERE migraines and dizziness, loss of libido, greasy skin and hair, weight gain (size 6 to size 10/12), numbness/tingling in my feet, crying, irritability, and SEVERE brain fog. For the migraines, I went to a neurologist who wanted to prescribe me topamax and said the only major side effect is cognitive difficulties! HA!!! I already have the worst brain fog, can't remember anything, am tired.... rather..... exhausted all the time, and can't function.

This Mirena surely works well as birth control, seeing as I have NO SEX DRIVE at all! LOL. But seriously, it's great not to have a period, but I knew something was wrong when I was needing medication (antidepressants for the mood swings, provigil for the fatigue, botox nerve injections for the menstrual migraines) for this medication IUD!

Since no OBGYN believes me when I say I think it's the Mirena, I've began to think I was crazy and this was all in my head. So I started on the internet and all my symptoms sounded like MS. So I had thousands of dollars in testing including a full body MRI/MRA. Negative. Had ENT see me for the vertigo. Lots of tests. Negative. Anemic? No. Thyroid? Normal.

HOW MUCH MORE DO WE HAVE TO SPEND ON HEALTH CARE TO FIND OUT WE ARE "FINE" WHEN WE FEEL THE WORST WE'VE EVER FELT???

Then I found this site!!! I think it's the Mirena now! So I want to get it out. But then on the other hand, I feel SO GUILTY that my husband paid $900 for it and I only kept it 1 year. That's expensive birth control! But then again, all the tests, doctor's bills, and feeling lousy cost more! (Not to mention that my doctor cut my strings too short so we can't "check" them each month so to be certain that my IUD is in place he makes me get an ultrasound every 6 months for $250!!!)

My ONLY FEAR is that I will have this out and the symptoms WON'T go away and it was NOT the Mirena after all. Then I will have gone through the pain of putting it in, taking it out, and the cost of "throwing one away" and then what am I supposed to do? I'm 29 but in school and can't get pregnant for a few more years. I don't want to go back on the pill because the mood swings were terrible. But I never had migraines or anything on those, so why is the Mirena causing problems?

Any feedback or encouragement would be helpful right now. I need advise!

Hi ladies,
I just had my mirena placed the 29th of may but i have been feeling terrible since then. I have been having really bad cramps, always tired, and i always feel sick to my stomach plus having loose stools. I found this site like some of u all who googled it because I wanted to see if this was the norm or if something was wrong with me. i don't know if I am going to keep it in or not because of how uncomfortable I am, I think I would be better off on pills and condoms to be honest.

Hello hello,
I am feeling like myself again. WOW!!!! Who could have thought that something so small could cause so much havoc. Taking it out was not painful at all. I was about to ask my doctor how painful it was going to be when she told me "I already took it out". I was like whoa!!!!! Instantly, the intensity I feel from the migraine headache subsidized. I mean I could actually open my eyes fully and not worry about the light in my eyes. That headache was so bad I will never be able to describe it fully.

I AM HAPPY again. I almost forgot how happy and fun I used to be, but not anymore. No more headaches, bleeding, bloating, severe TIREDNESS AND MOOD SWINGS, migraine headaches, aches in my entire body and the tingling feeling, low energy, etc etc....no more of these. And guess what? I am able to fit in my size 8 pants again and mind you; I only took this thing out on May 21, 2009--yes I mean it. I was barely fitting in my size 10s because I was always so bloated. I have had energy to cook, clean, play with my 13mth old, work out, eat when I'm hungry (not the other way round with the Mirena), and so many other things I wasn't ablt to do before.

My husband and I are close again if you know what I mean-:).
Ladies, I said it here before and I will says it again - you know your body better than anyone. If you are not feeling like yourself (and u're sure u started noticing the changes after you had the Mirena put it), please have a talk with your doctor and insist they remove it.
My doctor was very understanding about the whole issue. She even took the site address and made notes of all the symptoms I talked about. She has known me since I was a teenager and she knows I cannot simply be imagining these things that were going through my body.

I just wanted you all to know that you see and feel the difference - you really do. I dropped 6Ibs since it was removed...I hope the trend continues. Wish you all the best!

I had my mirena placed in march of 07 for heavy periods. It has been a little over 2 years. I have most of the same side effects as everyone else headaches, Extreme weight gain, fatigue and back pain. I also have not missed a period the whole time on mirena in fact it has not even helped a bit with the heavy bleeding and clotting.

I made an appointment to have my mirena removed on April 29th. I had a regular pap appointment then when it was time to remove the Mirena my Dr. could not find it. I was scheduled for an ultrasound the next day and they were able to find my mirena at the bottom of my uterus near the cervix opening. I was then scheduled tthe next day to try again to remove it. This process was40 minutes of torture and to no avil. Four days later I was back into try once more again nothing I am now scheduled for Surgery on June 1st to have the Mirena removed, do a biopsy to make sure everything is okay and to have the NovaSure procedure done to stop my Periods.

I will post once I have had everything done. This has just been a nightmare!!

I have had the mirena since November 2007. People around me started noticing differences in my level of energy not long after. I am constantly fatigued and have had to stop dancing (I normally danced flamenco a few times a week). Last summer I had serious periods for 5 weeks straight!
Now for the last 3 months I have had very painful breasts, just walking kills me! I feel like I am in my PMS ALL the time. Since the mirena I have gained weight in the tummy area (and my breasts are fuller too) and my muscles fatigue faster. Last November (2008) after 12 months with the mirena I wanted it out but my gyneco did not see the relation between my symptoms and the mirena and told me to hold on a little more. Something is definitively happening to me hormone wise. I even had 2 hot flashes last week!! I am seeing the doc on June 3 and will demand to have this thing taken out! Oh! and my sex drive? GONE, completely gone :(

I had my Mirena put in the beginning of March 09. I had a few side affects the first two weeks (which of course I was warned about). There was some bloating, fatigue, cramping, and spotting. After that however, it all cleared up and I've had no problems with it. I already suffer from migraines, but i have not had a single headache since. I have had no lower back pain and no weight gain. I'm having a relatively light period and again, my doctor told me it should lighten up over time.

Everyone has different side effects to different medications and procedures. I do understand that some of you ladies are finding the Mirena to be quite unbearable, but I also wish you wouldn't say you would not recommend it to anyone and go around spouting how it's a horrible product. It's not a horrible product, it's just not what you need for your bodies chemistry.

I thought I was going crazy. I went to the doctor to have Mirena removed and she talked me out of it. I had it inserted after my second child in Sept. of 2006. I keep having all of these problems but no explanation and no one has linked it to Mirena. My sex drive is a big ZERO! I have had nausea, joint pain, back pain, severe mood issues, severe fatigue, chronic sinus infections and unexplained weight gain. I feel so bad for my family having to put up with all of this. I have an appointment to have it taken out on Thursday and it could not be soon enough. There is no way to get back the time that I have wasted being miserable the last 2 1/2 years!

My daughter-in-law had the Mirena inserted November 2008, when my grandson was about 7 weeks old. Our lives have been hell since, after months of headaches,nausea, fatigue,and just always pale, weak and lethargic. Many trips to Doctor's and hospitals, never any answers. March 12th 2009 blood test showed kidney failure, low hemoglobin requiring transfusions, and platelets so low they had to do plasma exchange every day for almost a month. Our answer TTP, this is a very rare blood disorder- in this case caused by the mirena IUD. 32 days in the hospital, after the Mirena was finally removed on day 26 her counts returned to normal ..with tons of lasting effects she came home, she lost her kidneys from damage that went on to long for her body to take, she is 20 and will never have another child, and continues to have lasting heart problems, as well as needing a kidney transplant. Please know that those of you who have it who have never had a child, that's not supposed to happen, its only recommended for women who have had a child. The list of side effects and who should and who shouldn't have it is not getting to the patient. Here is a link to a petition I found and continue to forward and post everywhere I can. Please keep this going so we can get the FDA to take this poison off the market.

******

They don't even tell you the affect it can have on your nursing infant. Anything from skin conditions to mental problems. It absolutely sickens me that they are so casual about the lives of others. I hate this thing, it is coming out tomorrow and I can't wait. I have headaches, nausea/cramping. a round-the-clock back ache that requires heavy meds, stomach problems, night sweats, insomnia, fatigue, acne,I gained 25 lbs. I cannot wait to be rid of it.