Mirena and gyno

For all of the poor girls who are searching "mirena experiences" because you are looking for a sure thing contraceptive-
This site is only for people who have had BAD experiences. Read them all if you want, but take into consideration they are the 3%, or whatever number, that had problems. None of these women deserved it, asked for it, needed it, or wanted it, but unfortunately their bodies responded to it in such an ugly manor.

Here's my experience so far....Had it inserted 8/06/08. Insertion was fine. Felt that speculum more than I could feel the actual insertion of the mirena.
Slight cramping afterwards...not immediately-went home and for like 20 minutes had cramps lighter than my period cramps.
For the first week bled lightly, second week had an actual period, week three and week four just spotting. The doctor told me this can go on for up to six months...kinda worth it if you think about it.
No acne problems so far, my hair is fine (and trust me, if my hair was thinning, falling out, or anything like that I would take the mirena out!), muscles and joints feel like they did before pregnancy, still breastfeeding (I know that they say that the mirena will make you produce less breast milk-tell that to my breastfed 13 pound 24 inch long 2 month old. he would disagree)
My breasts are a little tender and at first I was slightly bloated (less than if I were on my period) but that has subsided. Abstained from sex for a month after insertion per my doctor's orders, so I will come back and post if there were any problems with that...NEXT WEEK! yay!
Know that I understand the side effects could show up later.

Now again, EVERYBODY will experience something different. We are interfering with nature. Birth control is one of the most unnatural things we could do to our body.

Again, since this site commonly comes up when searching the mirena, I want for women to know that it might work for them better than it did for others.

I had the mirena put in in june after my third child. I did feel a bit dizzy when it was first put in but did not cramp at all. I was still spoting then from giving birth, so it just continued for about 3 more weeks the stopped altogether. I have not had a period since, woooooooohooooooooooo!!!!!!!! I don't feel bad about that at all. I did have a day when I woke up cramping and thought I was going to start but never did. My doctors nurse told me everything I needed to know about the mirena long before i had it put in. I actually made the appointment to discuss it with her. Everyone should have been smart enough to ask questions before it was done, not the day it is. You cant think straight when someone is getting ready to put a device in you. I have to say I love my mirena and would not trade it for a pill, a shot, or any other birth control method. Ladies know your gyn very well before trusting them. I think most of you just think it is your doctors fault. It is not it is yours for not researching it more. And come on what women is not moody a day in her life, not many. How many headaches did you get before the mirena? How were your sinuses before mirena? Probably the same. Some womens health simply changes after having a baby. I also advise against you removing these mirenas yourselves. It is not smart, you could get a bad infection from not being in a sterile environment.

Just letting you all know, ( i posted two or three days ago) i had my mirena removed yesterday after nearly a year with it in, and I SWEAR i felt better INSTANTLY. the cramps ive had for three months straight non stop are gone!! as soon as she took it out the cramps stopped, i felt like i could breath again. And removal was not painful what so ever, i didn't even feel it. she had to tell me it was out. Hopefully i'll lose the extra weight i gained and the acne will go away along with every other side effect ive had. i never associated all of my troubles with the Mirena...but now i know! I think women need to be better informed about this device... i honestly thought about walking into the doctors office yesterday with every complaint on this site printed out and telling my gyno she should hand THESE out with their brochures telling women how wonderful it is. I didn't though, but i did try to tell her about everything i had experienced and i pretty much felt like she didn't even want to hear it. I will keep posting on this site through the next couple months to let everyone know how i'm doing. I honestly feel like if you've had mirena in for six months and it isn't working you should get it removed immediately and don't let your doctor try and convince you otherwise like mine did. WOMEN listen to your bodies!!! you know when something isn't right... forget what the doctors say and do what makes you feel comfortable happy and healthy.

I am 21 years old, and i had mirena put in about a year ago. the first three months were really awful for me, i had bleeding and cramping and i called my gyno and i told her about it, and she said its normal, it will go away just wait it out. she claimed she has one too. so i waited and she was right, it did go away. For about four months now i have had cramps that are getting worse. They have recently been so bad i was nearly throwing up, i can't sleep at night...ive had what feels like hot flashes. sex is incredibly painful too. I've felt bloated more and more each week, and ive felt more depressed than i have ever been in my life. (i've never suffered from depression at all) Ive started to have awful thoughts which have not been suicidal but thoughts like my child would be happier without me, i'm not a good mom... i'd catch myself thinking this stuff and just know this is NOT ME!!! i have never felt like this before!!! I've been so tired, absolutely burnt out. I can't find the energy to do anything. Just folding laundry has been hard for me... this isn't normal. this isn't who I am. My patience has worn thin, im constantly pissed off and yelling, aggravated. I'm not happy at all.
i just went to the doctor yesterday and she said i have a bladder infection so just wait it out again. I haven't told her about these side effects because i wasn't sure if it had anything to do with the mirena... but After reading these stories I KNOW IM NOT CRAZY, it IS this stupid IUD!!! I have constantly told myself this is so unnatural it doesn't belong in me, my body hates it. But... I have a two year old, i do NOT want another one anytime soon and i felt like this was the perfect option!! its not worth it, its not perfect and i'd rather use the pill and condoms than deal with this. I;d actually give up sex til i were ready to risk another one than deal with this. I'm calling TODAY to have this removed ASAP. I'm so glad i came online and looked for Mirena horror stories... because this thing has made my past few months a horror story.

I am 42 yo, and was diagnosed with Adenomyosi- extremely painful, and 6 months of continuous heavy bleeding ( 4+ maxi pads per day). My gyno recommends Mirena, after I have been on 7 different bc pills. I am now scared to have this plastic device inserted in uterus, and will continue to take BCP, and wait for menopause. If we were talking about a prostate or a testicle,(And not a uterus) I am certain the Medical Researchers would have developed an effective pill. I am surprised at the number of women living with painful and heavy bleeding and dealing with so much pain, while their doctors "brush them off." Any ideas?

I have had the Mirena for 1 1/2 yrs now. Within the past six months I have started to develop acne, all the while my period was starting to fade less and less every month. Now, the acne is severe and the periods are completely gone. I'm just wondering if this is all related. I have scheduled a appointment with a skin clinic, and also called my gyno. I am waiting on a reply from the nurse at the gynos office to see if I need to go on to the skin clinic, or if I just need to get this removed. I have never had more then a pimple or two on my face at one time. Now, I have them completely covering my hair line, almost like a rash.

I had Mirena put in on Monday at noon and had it removed on Wednesday at 4:30. The time in between was awful. First, the IMPLANTATION (and don't let anyone tell you it's an INSERTION - it's IMPLANTED) was honestly the worst pain I've ever had. It compares to slamming your finger in a door. My eyes immediately teared and I kind of screamed and jumped. The dr. said "It'll only hurt like that one more time." WHAT???? Sure enough, it hurt like that again, then it was in. Then the cramping started. It continued through that day, eased up, hurt a bit the next day. Then my stomach started hurting, and I began developing a bruise on my skin on top of where the Mirena was. It felt as if it were trying to push its way out through my skin. The next day I woke up feeling almost normal, but that afternoon thought I was in labor. Was crying, couldn't take deep breaths or it would REALLY hurt, severe cramps worse than any menstrual cramps I've ever had (and I've had BAD ones). My husband called the doctor and I went right over and had it removed. Within 1-2 minutes I felt normal again.

What upsets me the most is not the promotional piece of literature that only told me the benefits, but the fact that my gyno presented it as The Device That Would End All of my Problems. I would expect a more fair assessment from a doctor.

It ended up being her partner who removed it, and he said, "Mirena's not for everybody." I really wish it had been presented in a more unbiased way upfront.

Anyway, the pain is over now and I'm taking Loestrin. My advice would be to just REALLY SERIOUSLY consider what you are doing before you get this device, and be ready to have it removed if it doesn't work out for you.

I have been trying to self diagnose myself for months now and Mirena was the last think I thought of!! I can't believe how bad my life has gotten since I had Mirena inserted 10/07.

I had surgery 08/07 relating to thyroid cancer and thought that my side effects were a result of the surgery, but I have not improved and it's been 10 months. I had my thyroid medicine increased and no improvement in my fatigue. I was evaluated for sleep apnea and got a CPAP machine and no improvement in my energy level. I've gained about 30 pounds and haven't had my period since the Mirena was put in. My depression is getting progressively worse. I've been feeling like I'm at the end of my rope and I FINALLY googled Mirena and found this website. I pray to God that this is the answer to my prayers!

I spoke with my boss today and asked her for her opinion if she could remember how I was before the Mirena and now. She said that she had noticed a considerable difference in my sales, attitude and attention to detail. I can't tell you how many times I've been late for work because I couldn't get out of bed in the morning. She said that I come in with a glazed look on my face every day and she can tell that my fatigue is getting worse. (I dozed off last week during a teleconference and she was NOT happy with me.)

The funny thing is that when I called my gyno's office today and asked to make an appointment to have my IUD removed and that I thought I was having problems with it, the receptionist immediately asked if it was the Mirena. I tried to ask her if I was the only calling with problems and felt like she was dancing around the subject when I kept questioning her and then she referred me to a nurse. The nurse didn't want to make the appointment, but for once I was persistent and told her I wanted it out or else!

I had a copper IUD for 6 years and don't remember ever having any of these issues. I'm switching back to that!

I hope that my life gets back to normal! My appointment isn't until 7/9/08 so I'm kind of excited (wish I had the energy to be more excited) to see if this is the answer to my problems.

I had Mirena inserted in August 2007. I was diagnosed with High Blood Pressure, and the doctor had to take me off of NuvaRing because of the connection of the hormones in birth control and HBP. My Gyno said that Mirena was very low hormone and would not affect my BP. Since I have been on Mirena, my BP has stabilized, but now I get dizzy spells, often, and I constantly have a headache. I also have cramping, sometimes very severe. I have gained ten pounds, and I have bad acne. I work out religiously and eat very healthy. I kept wondering how I gained this weight, and couldn't get it off, until I found this website. Also, I have never had an acne problem, and at 31 years old, I don't think I should have the skin of a sixteen year old, especially because I had perfect skin at 16. I found this website because I was having spotting, again, tonight, so I decided to GOOGLE the phrase "Mirena Side Effects." The spotting is not unusual since I have had the Mirena. It is one of the side effects that I experience regularly, especially after intercourse. Intercourse has been a problem, too. I have been married, happily, for ten years, and our sex life was great until I had the Mirena put in. Now, I don't want my husband to touch me, and I have even told him several times, since having the Mirena implanted, that I want a divorce. I think this has to do with the physical and emotional changes that I have had since getting Mirena. I have thought about having it removed, but I am finally starting my career after staying home with my three children. So I am torn because I don't want to get pregnant. My husband has said several times that he thinks that the Mirena has caused the problems in our marriage, and after seeing what others have to say, I am sure he is right. Although I have been thinking the same thing for months. Just a couple more points to make: Like some of the other woman, I have insomnia. When I had the Mirena inserted, I think I experienced TSS (Toxic Shock Syndrome) because I had an extreme pain where it was place, followed by immense dizziness, nausea, blurred vision and a rushing sensation in my face and head. When I went to get a checkup, I was told that the Mirena was "lost," and the doctor had to do an ultrasound to locate it. I have lower back pain and strong, period-like cramps. And I have an irregular period with spotting throughout the month. (It is getting expensive having to buy new panties all the time.) I think that I have made my decision to have the Mirena removed.

I wanted to let all the women who are currently experiencing the horrible side effects of Mirena know that all your symptoms will disappear within one week of having the device removed! I had been off of birth control for 8 years as my body could not tolerate the artificial hormones. My Gyno was excited to tell me all about Mirena, a birth control method that would work with limited "localized" progesterone. I was concerned about taking any hormones, but my Gyno, who I really liked, assured me that I had no reason to be concerned. The procedure was easy enough, with only mild cramping for a couple of days, I was initially excited. Three days later, the emotional side effects began. I had extreme anxiety and depression, my insomnia was so bad I went days without sleeping. At 29 years old, I had never experienced any of these symptoms before, and they came on so abruptly, despite the fact that I had no reason to be feeling this way, on paper my life couldn't be better. At its worst, I had no energy for living and felt as though I couldn't live another day. My boyfriend was so concerned about my total transformation and "dead eyes" that he started doing research and found thousands of posts about the horrors of Mirena. I contacted my GYNO and she told me that there was absolutely no connection and that I should look to go on Lexapro. WHAT! I went from a very even tempered, happy women with no history of emotional distress to a nightmare within 4 days and you want to prescribe me a psychiatric drug over the phone. I declined the 'script and demanded an appointment to have it removed, despite her assertion that it would be a waste of money as Mirena wasn't causing my symptoms. I had it taken out and within one week, I was back to myself 100%!!!! To all the women on this board, don't wait to take it out, whatever you paid for it isn't worth the price you pay for it emotionally and physically. I am sure my former GYNO thinks it was psychosomatic, but I know the truth. MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY!

I posted on here several months back. I got the Mirena taken out at the beginning of January after having it in for about 6 months. At first I loved it because I didn't connect all the symptoms I was having to the Mirena since my obgyn reassured me that there were no side effects with Mirena. I had many symptoms including severe insomnia, weight gain (about 40 lbs in 6 months), acne, facial hair, sharp cramps, back pain, just to name a few! After moving and getting a new dr I was able to convince her I needed it taken out. I lost 15 lbs in the first 10 days of having it out without trying (now I'm actually trying to get the rest off) and started sleeping better about 4-6 weeks later.

Anyway...now my problem is that I am not getting my period and I'm not ovulating. I had my period about 2 days after I got it taken out but haven't had another one since. My husband and I were so excited that first month of not having my period because we thought we were pregnant. MANY pregnancy and ovulation tests later we are worried we may never get pregnant. I am wondering if anyone else has had problems conceiving after getting Mirena taken out. Or if you were able to conceive, did it take a long time?

I have had Mirena for one month. I have been bleeding for 3 weeks. And now it has gotten really bad. I bleed through a super tampon in 3 hrs. I have never had periods like this. And all this blood! Where is it all coming from? I also have had almost daily headaches since it was put in. I really wish I would have looked into this more carefully. My husband and I have no insurance and have to pay for the birth of our 2 month old out of pocket. So I thought spending $650.00 on this would be better in the long run b/c it lasts five years. If this bleeding and headaches don't change, I'm taking this beast out and will pay $40.00 a month for the ring.

I'm 32 years old and have three young children (5, 2 1/2, and 1). I had the Mirena inserted October 30, 2007. I've experienced heart palpitations, moodiness, anger, anxiety and panic attacks. I've also experienced periods of dizziness and feeling off-balance. When I started having palpitations I immediately called my gyno and asked if it could be the Mirena and he said flat-out "NO" and to call my family doctor to find out the cause. I even went to the ER and thought I was having a stroke or something (dizziness, blurred vision, numbness in face) and they told my it sounded like anxiety and prescribed Atavan. I've never experienced anxiety before and figured it was just because I was at home with my kids or was nervous about returning to work in a few months. After reading the other stories posted here, I know I'm not alone. I'm not crazy after all. My instincts told me - right from the start - that it is the Mirena. But I listened to my doctors instead. I'm calling my gyno today to see when I can get this thing taken out. Hopefully, my feelings of anxiety, worry and panic disappear and I get back to normal.

I am 41 yrs old and have been suffering with very heavy, clotting periods for the past 5 years. During those 5 years, I tried several different hormone therapies to control the bleeding, but every one of them caused extended periods lasting 10-12 days with only a week or two of no bleeding in between. I went to the GYN and her recommendation was to try the IUD as a way to lessen the bleeding and help treat migraines I also have during my cycle. I had the IUD inserted on Feb 12, 2008 and have experienced the following ever since: very sharp pains in my abdomen, constant minor cramps, extreme bloating so that my clothes do not fit, nausea just enough to not want to eat, constant light bleeding forcing me to go through several pantyliners a day, and very sore and full-feeling breasts that remind me of the days of nursing my baby, night sweats which I've NEVER experienced before. I do not have any desire for sex, but that is partly due to the constant bleeding. I went to the ER for the sharp pains in the abdomen to check for IUD perforation, but all their x-rays and CT scans showed it was in place. The CT scan showed a small spot near one of my ovaries that was 'explained away' as probably a result of ovulation. In all my years, I've never felt ovulation to that degree, this pain was a stabbing feeling from the inside. I decided to follow the GYN's recommendation to keep the IUD in at the time, but I now have an appt in two weeks to have it removed. I thought I had researched all there was to find about this hormonal IUD before my decision to have it placed--if I had come across this forum at that time, I would have said no. I was a little hesitant to go this route, putting a foreign object inside my body, but didn't listen to my own instinct at the time. I wish I had now, and I will definitely share my story with others so that they will be well informed before making this decision. My next options (as I am finished with having babies) are either thermal ablation or hysterectomy--at this point, I would welcome the hysterectomy because it would make all this bleeding/cramping STOP!

I have the Mirena IUD, I have had it in since March of 2004. I went in to see my doctor today to have it removed. She was unable to remove it, as the strings are not where they are supposed to be. She has referred me to a specialist (she is family practice.) I am very apprehensive about going to someone else to have my IUD removed, can amyone tell me what to expect? (An ultrasound was done about 6 months ago and it was determined that my IUD was still in place.) Also, is it appropriate to ask for some kind of pain relief prior to my appointment?

I had the Mirena put in last December (2007). After having my 2nd child in October I figured it'd be a while, if ever, before I wanted to get pregnant again. Of course all I had seen and heard until this point was the positive side of the IUD. I had the Mirena in for about 7 weeks and in this time had LOADS of strange side effects. I had flu-like symptoms EVERY single day, my hair started falling out, lower back, neck, and abdominal pain. I also started having tingling pain and numbness in both my hands- especially when I was in bed at night. After visiting my PCP I was told I had carpel tunnel syndrome; strange cause I'd already been a stay at home mom for almost 2 years so I wasn't doing anything different. I was worn out, moody, and beat down with ZERO libido to boot. Having 2 kids under 2 I figured it was from chasing them around all day- until I read the posts on this site and thought maybe it wasn't just me. When I talked to the nurse at my gyno's office (we'd become friends after seeing so much of each other with my 2 kids close in age) she told me that half of the patients that get the Mirena get it taken out soon after and the reason they push it as a "good" form of birth control is because they get a decent kick back from the pharmaceutical company.

I've now been off the Mirena for 3+ weeks and feel like myself again. Even with 2 little ones my energy is back and I don't feel sick anymore! How the FDA can even allow this product on the market is beyond me. I'm sure sooner than later a lawsuit will be filed against Bayer!

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

Hi, I wish I would have found this site a long time ago! I had Mirena put in in Dec 2005 after the birth of my son. I was nursing and was told that the birth control that I could take and would not interfere with my milk was "not as forgiving" as regular pills (and, I definitely did not want to get pregnant again at that time) So, I went with the Mirena. It seemed great in the beginning. I had the strings trimmed a little after my husband felt them and got freaked out and then everything seemed great.
It's funny how this has worked out for so many of us because after having a baby, your life is so changed and your body is so out of whack that it's hard to say what could be causing it. I ended up becoming extremely hypothyroid after having my son (I wonder if Mirena may have had anything to do with it!??!?!) Even though I take thyroid medication now and seem to have it very under control, I still have no sex drive, have tremendous mood swings even though I am on antidepressants, my acne is worse than it was when I was a teenager, and what I consider to be worst of all, tremendous eczema! Last summer I became so covered in eczema, my face, neck, chest and arms, that my mother said I looked like a burn victim. I was insanely uncomfortable and extremely self-conscious. After going to all kinds of doctors who only kept prescribing topical creams and steroid pills, I started going to an awesome alternative medicine nutritionist and realized that there was something internal going on causing my skin to react like this. After seeing him for months, we came to see a pattern between my eczema flare-ups and my period. I always seemed to start getting really itchy around the time of ovulation and we also discovered that during that same time I would be gluten-sensitive. I had all the tests done and I do not have Celiac disease.
I can't believe that I am only reading about all of this now. Thank you all so much for confirming my hunch that it might be the Mirena. I am going to call my Gyno today and have it removed.

I just had my Mirena put in yesterday1-17-08. It was very painful, the doctor had to dilate me 4 times, because she said I am small. Then she had trouble putting it in because of my retroverted uterus. about 30 minutes after I left I had cramps and my entire left leg hurt bad. My toes tingled, and my whole leg was in pain all night, today it has been off and on. Also I have noticed being short of breath. I am already regretting this decision. I have had no energy which is odd for me. I can feel the Mirena in there, I am worried that it will hurt me because I am smaller than average (4'11" and 104 lbs.) my husband and I have a 14 year old son and don't want anymore kids, but condoms are driving us crazy and it scares me because I am 35 and do NOT want to have a baby at my age. So I thought this would be perfect while we decide on something more permanent. I am going to give it one more week and If I don't feel any better it is coming out!!! I am so glad I found this site, because the doc already told me that my leg pain has nothing to do with the iud even though it started right after I got the iud, she told me to go to a chiropractor or my family doc, because she said it had to be something else. I don't believe her.

I had the Mirena inserted in October 07 because of very heavy menstruation problems. I have never tolerated the pill so I was nervous about the possible hormonal side effects of the Mirena, My GP and Gyno both played the side effects down and maintained that the dose of hormones was so small and only released "locally", whatever that means. The first month was ok, I spotted daily and did not experience any other serious side effects, just the occasional cramping. The first day of my Mirena period I had a massive vertigo attack, spinning out of control for a couple of hours. I was due to catch a plane that day and had to cancel my weekend away with my husband. My GP maintained it had nothing to do with the Mirena and that I had an inner ear infection. From that day on I experienced chronic dizziness, and increasing symptoms of heart palpitations, nausea and anxiety. By the end of the second month, I felt I was loosing my mind, becoming extremely irritable and very anxious for no apparent reason. My body felt like it was in a constant state of alert. I decided to have the Mirena removed and experienced almost instant relief form the dizziness and chronic anxiety. I "crashed" 9 days later for about 4 days when all my symptoms came back with a vengeance and it felt pretty scary. 6 weeks post Mirena I feel chronically fatigued and have achy and weak legs. I have consulted a naturopath who has given me a cocktail of vitamins, minerals and instructed me to be alcohol free, caffeine free, wheat free and cow's milk free. I try to walk my dog once a day and eat extremely healthy food and sleep. I have had to stop work for a month.The Mirena experience has been a disaster for me and I am still waiting to get back to my normal self. Reading this site does give me support in knowing that others have experienced similar debilitating symptoms. I have felt very let down by the lack of medical support and understanding of what Mirena can do to you.

I have a question I'm taking the Mirena out due to gain weight and feeling always sick and weak. So what does anyone suggest about the copper 10 year IUD. I was thinking of switching since it doesn't have hormones my gyno's nurse just told me that the Mirena has depot shot medicine which no one has ever told me when I got it put in. So now I know why I've gain weight.

I had my Mirena IUD put in May 1st of 2007 and all the side effects that came along with it......the constant spotting, acne, itching breasts (which I thought was due to new bras that I had just purchased), nausea, depression (which I had to go back to taking Wellbutrin), no energy; tired all the time. My biggest side effect which I have not found any others to have is Allergies. I know it sounds crazy, but I have never had problems with allergies until a month and half after getting the IUD, extreme allergy symptoms, swollen glands, neck pain, very shortness of breath; to the point that I was down for a whole day here and there, I am having to take Allegra; had to get a steroid shot. Now that it is cold, I thought I would be getting break from the allergies, nope. I joined a gym hoping that it would help in giving me energy, nope.........I have talked to my Dr and the nurses that work with my gyno and they act as if I am making this stuff up. It is very frustrating when you know that your body has done a complete 360 in the wrong direction and everyone seems to think your crazy.

Well I am having my IUD taken out as soon as I can!

I got the Mirena inserted 4 years ago when I was 24 and after a year of minor problems, it seemed to settle down, the following year I was bleeding quite heavily and after trips to my gyno they finally noticed I had an ovarian cyst which had leaked into my stomach, after the operation I was advised that cysts are a side effect of the Mirena (great to tell me that then) afterwards it all seemed to settle back down again and every now and then I would experience a cyst but it would burst by itself, I enjoyed not having my period or the cramps and had a reasonable run with it, however 2 months ago I had a cyst burst again and bleed for a week, my gyno said it would pass, however over the next 2 months I noticed that when having intercourse it felt like it was digging into me and was quite painful, last week I had another cyst burst and after bleeding for a week decided enough was enough and got my GP to remove it, experienced severe pain and they are now getting the Mirena tested...fingers crossed all side effects from this are gone and the tests are fine. I have not yet had children and will not know if this has effected my fertility till then. Would recommend as great as it can be, sometimes it is just not worth it.

I had the Mirena IUD inserted on October 10th. I had it switched from the copper IUD because I was spotting dark brown blood prior to my period, so my gyno recommended the switch. I spotted for the rest of the day, then stopped for two days, then began what I would call my period, since I was due for it later that week anyway. I am still bleeding, but I'd like to believe I'm nearing the end, since it seems to be lightening up. I expected my period to be fairly long after insertion.

The day after insertion, I experienced severe itching and swelling down there, and decided that I must have a yeast infection, but both symptoms are listed as side effects on the sheet I got from my pharmacy. I treated the infection, but still itch from time to time... I'm wondering if it's the hormones in the IUD.

On the weekend of October 19th, I lost my appetite, my sex drive, all sense of sexual pleasure and my ability to acheive orgasm. I ate three meals all weekend long, and only because I felt that I should eat, not because I was hungry. Sexually, I felt friction and not much else. Upon trying to climax 4 seperate times over the course of the weekend, I failed at all 4 attempts and all I got from my efforts was sore muscles, frustration and tears from being so upset by it. I have never experienced problems with sex or climaxing in the 14 years I've been with my husband. However, a couple of days before insertion, we had had sex and it was fabulous, as always. I climax every time we have sex, so it's been very upsetting.

I weighed myself today, just out of curiosity, and since the insertion, I've lost 7 lbs. I'm not dieting, not exercising, not even trying to lose any weight.

Upon calling my gyno and discussing my symptoms with her assistant, I was told that it couldn't be the Mirena, because the amount of hormones in it are so minute that they wouldn't affect anything outside of the uterus. I was told that something else in my life must be causing my sexual problems. !!! I don't think so! The IUD is the only thing that has changed in the past 2 weeks! And how do you explain a sudden loss of 7 lbs??? She didn't want to say it straight out, but she was trying to tell me it was all in my head.

I've had sex again since my failed attempts, and it's getting better, as is my appetite, so I'm hoping that my body is simply adjusting to the new IUD and getting used to the hormones. I have not been on any medication or hormones in the past two years, as I've been pregnant and then breastfeeding, so it might be quite a shock to my system.

If my inability to acheive climax continues, I am going ot have the IUD removed and have another copper IUD put in. My sex life isn't worth this.

i got my mirena inserted in august 2006 wanted get tubes tied but the gyno said the mirena is reversible if anything was to happen to my kids. i was still breastfeeding but trying to stop i didn't think anything of it when my breasts became tender but now that my daughter is completely weaned (i was so tired that she used to feed in the middle of the night when i was asleep) i have noticed a discharge that is similar to the discharge when pregnant i have asked the doctor to remove it but he has told me to give it another 3 months i am going to find another doctor but because i need antibiotics when having it inserted and removed i am going to have two appointments in the one day

I have gained nearly 40lbs in almost 2 years since I got my Mirena. Nothing about my life style has changed. I have tried everything to lose the weight and can't drop a pound. I never know when i will get a period and never know for how long. I am extremely depressed and need some advice. My gyno says that there is no way my weight gain is from the mirena and all my blood work has been normal. HELP!

Has anyone had any sleep disturbances with Mirena? I have had horrible nightmares and wake up feeling really shaky and horrible, and still really tired. Maybe this isn't caused by the mrens, but I can remember when I was younger i used to get pre-menstrual insomnia, the night before I got my period...just wondered if there was a link with all the progesterone/progesterin. Also, people who have had mood swings, have you noticed if they are particularly bad at one part of your cycle? Mine I would have to say, are really bad a few days before bleed and 3 or 4 days into the bleed, when I feel suicidal.

I've still not taken it out yet. Maybe 'm being a bit stupid, but I'm so scared of getting pregnant-I'm still at uni-and I can't think of any non-hormonal contraceptives....cept maybe something I've heard of called the 'sponge'. Has anyone heard of this or used it/know where I could buy it in the UK?I'd appreciate any replies! Thank you

I have had my Mirena since 6/5/06, three weeks after giving birth to my third child. I only opted for it because a paperwork fiasco at the hospital did not get my authorization for the tubal ligation after delivery in time, then went I went for the pre-surgery consult, the doctor highly recommended the Mirena instead of a tubal and even though I told her that I had horrible problems tolerating the pill, I was told that the hormone level was low, and localized, and not to worry about any side effects.

I didn't have pain or cramping initally like a lot of the other posters, and had very light spotting for the first few months, to the point that I couldn't really tell "Is THIS my period, or am I still just spotting?". I thought that would subside, but here, 15 months later, I still "spot" up to 20 days a month. I have tender/swollen breasts almost every day of the month (to the point where even an accidental brush against them is painful and I have to wear my bra even to bed, something I never did before). FORGET about my husband even wanting to touch them! More on that later....

I go to my PCP tomorrow and am asking to have it removed. To help her, I made a list of my symptoms, and have divided them into Physical and Emotional Categories. I am hoping she does not give me a referral to a mental health specialist when she reads it, cause its quite extensive. I am NOT a hypochondriac by any means, just someone who knows my body and knows these are not normal: bloated stomach (still look 6 mos pregnant), weight gain (I am 7 lbs over my weight when discharged from the hospital after delivery. 7 lbs is not alot, but consider that is on top of a considerable pregnancy weight gain that has not come off, add another 7lbs to it despite a rigorous exercise and diet plan, including Alli (orlistat) that resulted in a 2lb. gain). Headaches, blurry vision, acute insomnia in spite of prescribed sleep aids, fatigue, achey muscles, joint pain esp. in wrists and hands, acne, cramping, night sweats, pain during intercourse (when I'm coaxed into having it), a worsening in my hearing and ringing in ears, sometimes a burning sensation in the top of my right foot.

The worst part is the emotional effects. Depression and dispair beyond anything I could have ever imagined. Wild mood swings. I thought "maybe I'm bi-polar?" but no, I don't have manic episodes, I'd say I have two moods: Despair & Self-Loathing and RAGE. I have destroyed almost every relationship I have. I have lost friends, family members that I have alientated with my wild temper, and last week, my husband walked out on me, saying "I just can't take this anymore, what is WRONG with you, you aren't the woman I married". My rage is 99% of the time directed towards him. It can be over something as simple as he didn't push his chair in after leaving the dinner table. I have anxiety attacks, severe daily crying spells, and the thought or suggestion of sex sends me into severe panic attacks. A sexual encounter, formerly a much enjoyed and daily event, has become a MAYBE twice monthly event that ends with me in tears and my husband frustrated and angry beyond belief.

I just hope and pray I am not met with "It's not the IUD" when I see my doctor (not the doctor that put it in, as we have moved across the state). All I can say is NONE of these symptoms were present before Mirena, it just took my husband walking out on me to sit and think and make the connection that maybe there is a coincidence. I started to see a connection to wild behavior while pregnant and years ago being on the pill and then, duh, light bulbs went off in my head. "This is hormonal". Sorry it took me so long and cost me so much pain to figure it out.

OMG! Thank goodness for this web site. I had the Mirena inserted two years ago and have been anxious and depressed and moody ever since, not to mention my non-existent sex drive. I have also suffered from insomnia ever since (which is what the doctor blamed the depression on). I have been to my gyno AND Family Planning to have it removed as it was the only thing I could think of to cause this - it was just too much of a coincidence - and they both talked me out of it, saying it 'couldn't possibly be the Mirena as it is so localised' and I have to look at other issues in my life. There are no other issues. I am having this thing removed tomorrow now!! I am so angry. I feel like I have had two years of my life robbed of me. My poor husband and kids! They have had to put up with this as well. Doctors should be a lot more read up on this and LISTEN TO THEIR PATIENTS. If it wasn't for this web site I would still be in the dark.

Out of all birth control's this has to be the worst i have tried (apart from regular Coil), since having it fitted on 23/08/06 i have gained many many pounds and after eating i bloat to the extent that i look 8-9 months pregnant, have constant hot flushes, tired to the point were i have to drag myself out of bed, mood swings and loss of libido. After it was inserted i had a light brownish/reddish discharge for 2/3 months, which left in the only way to describe it, a bleach stain on my underwear (has anyone else had this? Sorry for being so graphic!), i am constantly buying new underwear, not that i mind that too much!! My G.P. told me yesterday that he thinks it has nothing to do with the Mirena (i suffer from IBS), he changed my medication and advised that if i felt it necessary to come back for blood tests. My birth control before was Yasmin, i changed this as i gained weight, bloated, had constant mood swings and loss of libido........Why??? I have now come to the conclusion that i have made my contribution to Mankind and maybe it is time for sterilisation!!!