This registry is a place to share positive or negative side effects of using Mirena. If you directly experienced a side effect while using Mirena, then we encourage you to enter it here. Please note that entries here are the experiences of individual users, and in no way means that you or anyone else will experience the same side effect, since the same medication affects people in different ways. Please always contact your physician.
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January 21th
2009
6:21 PM
hello- I had Mirena inserted the beginning of December- 10 weeks after the birth of my second child.
-- By audone | Reply | Private Message meI have had natural childbirth- I know what pain is... but I handle it well. I found the procedure to be uncomfortable but bearable- just a slight pinch from the device the doctor described as a grappling hook (nice hu?) grabbing hold to keep my cervix open for insertion- my uterus is tipped slightly back, so he had to go around the corner so to say..
I had cramps fairly bad afterwards, enough to take Motrin, and I don't like taking Ibuprofen because is causes a bad taste in my mouth while on it...(odd but true) I had heavy bleeding lasted about 7 days... but continued to spot, then came what I believe to be a period- as I had horrible cramps and the bleeding got very heavy again - more than any period Ive had before.. more like after having a child bleeding, I hear many women mention a smell- that I have noticed as well.. not horrible- but enough to suspect infection- so I go tot Doctors on the 26th of Dec. I get a nurse pract. because my OB is away for some reason. She looks at me like Im crazy when I tell her how Im experiencing stabbing pains like its poking me, and Im bleeding more than I expected and the severe cramping is unbearable at timesl.. she tells me " wait it out.. it will settle in, take 600 mg of Ibuprofen 4 times a day for 7 days - the cramping should subside. I don't recommend taking it out this soon, it would be a painful procedure and you would need to schedule with your regular ob and he wont be back until next week" she prescribed some Lortab for the pain , and I made an appointment for the next week with my OB. To my bad luck, the weather played a harsh role in not making that appointment ( our area has declared a state of emergency due to the mass snowfall in such a short amount of time) I was literally snowed in for four days. So I missed the appointment, and by then Im not cramping as bad.. I had been taking the ibuprofen as recommended- even though everything I taste and smell is nasty because of it... and Im still spotting- it tapers off to brownish or pinkish like I might be stopping- then whamp- bright red or dark again- and Jan 3rd I started another cycle I believe, another heavy gross period, only I don't have cramps as bad until day 5- then I was back to taking 1/2 a lortab again just so I could function( though not very alert being on hyrocodone ) about 10 days into the most recent cycle the bleeding went back to spotting and color fading, but then yesterday It started dark red again, I think I made the decision to have the Mirena removed when I woke up in severe pain at 4:00 am this morning- I felt like I was being stabbed in the uterus- pain as bad as labor pains, I went to take some Ibuprofen and found myself getting dizzy- my ears began to ring, I got weak and collapsed on the floor in a hot flash/ cold sweat. I drug myself to the kitchen sink when I felt the wave of nausea coming, and vomited.. it was everything I had to stay upright and finish puking, then collapsed on the floor again and waited for the ringing and cold sweat to subside. I crawled into bed once I was able to , and tried to concentrate on the pain flowing out of me ( Im a big believer in the power of thought) I used this technique in labor and it does help, but labor pain is something you KNOW is temporary and will go away, this pain is of unknown origin (save for knowing about the foreign object in my uterus) and you don't know if its going to go away... so needless to say, hard to block out of your mind with the power of thought..
I am not cramping as bad now this afternoon, but regardless I made an appointment for Friday to have this thing removed.
I have also experienced symptoms of depression and overwhelming anger during the time I have had Mirena, like most women- easy to contribute to lack of sleep and getting back to life as normal with a baby.. but the rage for no reason- snapping at the slightest irritant.. being pissed at yourself for being too tired to do housework or go to the grocery store. Having debilitating cramps doesn't help- and a severe back ache- sometimes a xiadic nerve feeling from the pelvis- down into your legs... Im glad Im doing something about it before the side effects have long term repercussions.. like - this is a great birth control because you don't have sex - because you DON'T WANT TO or cant because it HURTS too much or your bleeding all the time! My husband said to me the other night he'd go find action elsewhere If Im not willing or able to keep him happy in bed .. isn't that nice?
Just a note to all you women who's husbands put up with your mood swings and or lack of action in bed, - that your men showed compassion and sensitivity towards your pain - you are lucky, and your men are honorable. We don't all have such caring people in our lives. I wish my husband had an ounce of compassion for what Im going through .. instead all the comment I get is "go get that bitching bleeding device taken out of you!" sigh...
I hope I feel better soon.