Mirena and insurance

yes, I two have had the back pain screaming at my kids no sex drive also, the acne wow big red pimples with scaring never before have i had this in my life i had the mirena for 2yrs i have no insurance so i pulled it out myself but have a lot of bleeding at times with clots i am scared out of my mind but i have no money to go to a gyn so, can someone help what should i do i was gonna wait a week or so, to see if bleeding stops if not don't know what i should do i have had it out for 4dys and I feel great I swear I can feel the difference so, much more relaxed and not screaming.. I wish i would of never received this IUD it's been a long 2yr nightmare!!

I did a lot of research before having Mirena put in. I'm amazed at how many of these women are complaining about Mirena. First off I read up on different types of birth control. I decided to get Mirena because it seems the most effective. I met with 3 different doctors to make sure I was a good candidate for Mirena. I have never had kids which they said would make the insertion painful. When I had it put in it felt like a bad cramp, but it quickly went away. I had light cramps the 1st week, but knew it was normal.
I have read many of these posts and all the negative ones seem to be complaints for absurd reasons. First off, if your doctor does not know anything about mirena, they should not be putting it in. After insertion, you shouldn't have sex for at LEAST a week. The doctors in the U.S. are REQUIRED to tell you both the benefits and the side effects of Mirena. If you are experiencing any abnormalities such as loss of appetite or extreme depression you should be making an appointment to see your doctor not waiting YEARS to finally decide you need help.
Although this is not a side effect of Mirena I thought this post might be useful to others.

I had the Mirena for over 5 yrs. I also had it for bad periods. I spotted constantly for the first couple of years but I left it in because I figured the annoying spotting was better than the alternatives (hysterectomy, ablation, etc) Finally, I was having some months with no bleeding for the rest of the time. What I didn't realize until after I was due to get it "switched" after the 5 yrs was up, was that I have been having so many of these side effects as everyone else. ( I stumbled across this and another site while looking for codes for the mirena to see if my new insurance would cover it). I have gerd, weight gain, back pain, UTI's, chest congestion, just to name a few. I always blamed it on me being overweight and getting older. One good thing about it was I didn't have pms anymore and I didn't feel so drained from the heavy periods. Oh yeah and I had INCREASED sex drive. I spoke with my doctor about how other women were complaining of the same side effects and she said she did not think it would cause all of that because only a little of the hormone gets into the bloodstream and it is less than the amount of bc pills. I decided not to have a new one put in right now and see if it was the Mirena that was causing me all of the extra problems. I had it out in September and I spotted for a week or so then I did not bleed for 1 month. I even went out and got a pregnancy test because I couldn't understand it. Then I started bleeding and it has been HORRIBLE. I have the most disgusting "period" I have ever had in my life. Not much pain though. I am still suffering and it has been over 1 month with no let up. I finally called the doctor's office and they want me to have another Mirena. I told them no. I do not want it. I do not know what I am going to do. I am waiting for some suggestion from my doc. I need some relief soon, though.

I've been reading just now today of the side effects. What made me was I was at the dentist yesterday for a root canal. Couldn't do the original routine visit due to other worse problems had occurred. I've been on the Mirena for 9 months now. Guess what?! I've had every side effect that has been mentioned by every person. The new side effect that has not been listed is that I think it also has an effect on your teeth. The "Depot" shot has effects on your bones & teeth and I'm sure the Mirena has something to do with this year's bad review at the dentist office. In fact my habits of taking care of my teeth are great.... from drinking water all day long to now chewing sugar free gum...and since the Mirena my teeth are getting worse & worse! My dentist wanted to know what I was doing different? I didn't think of it at the time, but I have a hunch this is a source for my constant dental visits, not among the 38lb. WEIGHT GAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! & COUNTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this WILL BE REMOVED AS SOON AS THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.....HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ME!!! CAN'T WAIT!!! My husband thought I was becoming a hypochondriac(if i spelled that right)!!!
I

I have had mirena since march 2008, a little over 8 months. For the first 6 months i waited pantiently for my period to continru to get better. But after 6 months, I began having two periods. What were lasting 10 plus days a month were now bleeding 20 days a month with a little over a week between the bleeding. I was a total train wreck emotionally, i was mean to my husband and hateful. I cried for no reason, like i did when my son was first born almost two years ago. I'm assuming from hormone unbalance. I had horrible acne also. Among other problems. I have been mirena free for a week and using Femcon fe, i feel like a totally new person, i feel like me again finally. It's a wonderful feeling. I wanted ortho tri cycline but my insurance doesn't cover prescriptions so i had to find the cheapest. Plus femcon doubles asa mint :)

I'm 23 years old, and a mother of 2 children under 2. I had my Mirena placed in September 2008. Since the placement, i have had extreme bleeding and clotting for 20 days straight in the beginning. my doctor said that was normal and that it would subside, which it did, but i was still having the abnormal bleeding throughout. That wasn't a concern for me, it started with the strange pains that i would get, it felt as if something sharp was poking my insides, my boyfriend also would feel it during intercourse, and at times it would be so painful for him we had to stop. That has ruined our sex life. Just recently i have developed lower back pains and didn't know where it was coming from, i thought maybe because I'm constantly picking up my 7 month son who weighs as much as his sister who is 2. But then the depression started kicking in. I feel so lost. I cry out of no where, and I'm always tired, and have no motivation, or desire to care. I feel like everything is falling down around me, and i have no control over it. I snap out of no where with anger. I'm a stay at home mother, and i feel trapped every day. i love my kids, but lately i feel like I've lost who i am, and it's effecting my relationship with my children, not only that but with their father. i feel myself distancing myself from him. I don't really have anyone to talk to about anything, and sometimes i just wanna run away from everything in my life. i used to be such a fun person, always laughing and happy, but now i feel like I'm not me, like I've changed completely. i thought i was loosing my mind until i thought maybe this is all a side effect from Mirena? My doctor did not warn me of this so i wasn't sure until i found this website. I can't believe everyone is experiencing the same thing! as of now i don't have medical insurance, and i want this thing removed! I'm in the process of getting insurance so i just hope that i can cope with this a little longer, because i feel like I'm gonna lose myself entirely

Well, I'm kind of nervous reading these postings now. I just got the Mirena put in today and I had my first child in September. It didn't hurt at all when he put it in, because he used a local anesthetic, but I started having a little cramping after he finished up. Now I'm home and I've noticed that the cramping is a little bit worse than before. I was already on my period (because they said you have to get it put in during your period or immediately after it stops), but it was almost over. Now i'm bleeding a little more, and I'm feeling aching pain in my pelvic area and back. I can't afford those major side effects that have been discussed here. Should I keep it in and wait and see if I am different, or get it out now? I'm worried!

I too like a lot of the women on here am experiencing these side effects. I weighed 145 pounds 9 months pregnant with my daughter, had her and had the mirena put in April the following year (I was on the depo before), and let me tell you- I have gained weight, been moody, depressed, and the acne is ridiculous. I have NEVER had acne in my life and now no matter what I do it gets worse. I've gained about 20 pounds and regardless of my efforts, the weight stays. I am contemplating taking it out and resorting to good old condoms, because honestly this is ridiculous. Although I can say my sex drive has increased- I suppose all of the side effects have increased, the acne, weight gain, depression, headaches, nausea. I want it out but am looking for another form of b/c that I don't have to worry about daily like the pill. Any suggestions?

For me having the Mirena removed just last Thursday was the right decision. I was not using it for birth control but as hormone therapy for heavy, crampy periods. I had it inserted in July 2008 and bled every single day for the entire time, I had it removed last week and now I am bleeding very heavily but hopefully that will stop once all those hormones are out of my body.
While on Mirena I lost all sex drive, I became severely anemic and with that fatigued terribly, and moody, crying at nothing and screaming at my kids or husband for stupid reasons, I felt bloated and gassy and didn't have those problems before.
I am 42 years old and I hate my heavy bleeding in fact I want a hysterectomy, but not sure now what I will do.

For those of you who had the Mirena removed, how long did it take to stop bleeding afterwards? This is draining every last ounce of energy for me and I am taking iron supplements.

What sucks is the cost of this, Even with insurance I ended up paying a lot out of pocket to get this thing and then all the Dr. visits due to bleeding and side affects in the 4 months it was in and now the removal of it. I am wondering if there is any way that we can get a Class action lawsuit against Bayer for this horrible thing they are trying to sell to women.
I know there are some out there who have not suffered all these horrible side effects at least not yet or that they are aware of, but I truly believe that there is nothing good about this IUD and those of us and there are a lot of us who have suffered with this should be reimbursed or compensated for the pain and loss of parts of our lives and expenses with this. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Hi, Ive had the Mirena for 2 weeks now and it has been TERRIBLE, I have had terrible sharp pains off and on... I have never had kids but is a contraction like the pain that I am feeling? My doctor suggested that I have it put it since I felt sick with the pill and specially if I am not ready to have a baby yet. I've been married six months now.... I don't know if this will go away and I don't know what to do, the only thing good about this is that my sex drive is much better, lol... but this is terrible what should I do? Should I have it taken out and will it hurt?

Ladies, I thought it was just me and my moody body, but after reading the above posts I know its this alien Mirena in me, I don't know how I put up with it for the past 2 years but enough is enough. The bad thing is I just lost my job and insurance, any ideas where I can get it removed, I am in Florida. The worst part is the lower back pain the pimples started about 2 months ago and the pain shooting up and down my thighs and not to mention the hair loss at the back of my head. I am so ready to sue the manufacturer for real.

Wow I can't believe all of the stuff I am finding. Here is my issue...I have had the mirena for almost 2 years now and I didn't seem to have any trouble with it. I had the usual depression, dizziness, faint, and just feeling like I am in a fog. But of course I just thought it was because I had two children under 2 and I was very tired. So on top of all of that I have been dealing with some sort of horrible vaginal infection that is causing severe itching. It always gets worse when the secretion of the mirena allows it's way out every month. Has anyone had this problem? I have been to the Dr. every month since April. First it was yeast, then it was yeast and something other thing, then it was just this other thing(I can't remember what its called) Nothing has helped and I am tired of the itching problem. I am really considering getting this removed but then I have to figure something else out for birth control. Not sure what to do.

Hi, I am a 36yr old mother of 2 boys aged 14 & 12yrs. I had the mirena fitted in 1 1/2 years ago.. had all the bleeding at the beginning, but unfortunately it carried on for months. had very heavy bleeding in months 7 & 8, so heavy it left me feeling nauseous and faint. then it went back to 3 weeks of bleeding out of 4. and thats now how long i bleed for all the time. have heaps of discharge (eww), zits, feeling constantly like crying over nothing. Had hard cyst, which went on its own. got referred to a gyno (cause of heavy bleeding) which i saw 3 weeks ago. he has no idea why i had the heavy bleeding, has no idea why i am bleeding 3 weeks out of four (not heavy) but he is now booking me in for a vaginal hysterectomy.!! I still have the mirena in, only because i am told that if they take it out, my periods will be a lot worse than before i had the mirena inserted!! argghhhh. anyone else being put forward for a hysterectomy??

i have had mirena for about 8 months and im ready to get it out...its the worst thing ever! i am only 18 yrs old so i was kinda worried about getting it(but my doctor kept telling me its the most effective birth control out there) and not to mention it was about 4 months after i had my daughter and I talked to a nurse and she told me that it was probably put in to early..now i suffer with chest pains,depression,headaches,backaches,very bad mood swings,really horrible periods,weight gain, and the worst smell down there.I called the doctor that put mirena in for me and they told me i would have to pay almost $300 and that they most likely wont remove it.i don't know what else to do...besides deal with it.

IT IS GOOD TO KNOW I'M NOT ALONE, LIKE ALL OF YOU I THOUGHT I WAS GOING CRAZY AND SO DID EVERYONE AROUND ME. I'VE HAD MY IUC SINCE JUNE 3, 2008 AND I'M GETTING IT REMOVED IN 2 DAYS, AFTER SEEING THIS SITE. I GOT ON THIS SITE LAST NIGHT BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE MOODS SWINGS AND DISCOVERED ALL MY OTHER PROBLEMS THAT I WOULD HAVE NEVER THOUGHT WERE EVEN LINKED TO ONE THING LET ALONE MIRENA WERE THE SAME PROBLEMS I READ OVER AND OVER ON THIS SITE PLUS A FEW THAT WEREN'T ON HERE. I'VE BEEN HAVING PAINS IN MY FINGERS, TOES, AND BREASTS LIKE I'M BEING JABBED WITH NEEDLES, JOINT PAIN SO BAD I WOULD FREEZE UP, NAUSEA, FELT LIKE I WAS PREG. TOOK 3 TESTS ALL NEG., HEADACHES, SINUS TROUBLE, NERVOUSNESS SO BAD I FELT LIKE I WAS SHAKING ON THE INSIDE OUT, PELVIC PAIN, BACK PAIN, ITCHY SKIN AND MY SCALP ITCHES SO BAD I'VE HAD MY HUSBAND CHECK ME FOR LICE SEVERAL TIMES, IT'S HARD TO BREATH AT TIMES, HAIR LOSS, PAIN DURING SEX, AND NO DESIRE FOR SEX AT ALL. THE MOOD SWINGS ARE THE WORSE, I WAKE UP P-ED OFF BEFORE I EVEN OPEN MY EYES, I HAVE NO PATIENCE AT ALL, I DON'T CARE TO TALK TO ANYONE, I TREAT MY HUSBAND LIKE I HATE HIM. I HAVE A 17 MONTH OLD AND A 4 MONTH OLD THAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO HAVE FOR 15 YRS., 10 YRS. OF NOTHING AND 7 MISCARRIAGES AND EVER SINCE I GOT MARENA I HAVE FOUND IT HARDER AND HARDER TO DEAL WITH THEM. BEFORE I GOT THE IUC MY YOUNGEST ONE CRIED ALMOST 24/7 AND I HAD NO PROBLEM DEALING WITH IT NOW SHE HARDLY EVER CRIES AND I GET FRUSTRATED THE MOMENT SHE STARTS. I HATE FEELING THIS WAY, I FEEL LIKE A TERRIBLE MOTHER, WIFE, DAUGHTER, AND FRIEND. I CAN'T WAITE TO HAVE IT REMOVED.

I had the Mirena IUD inserted mid March 2008 after the birth of my daughter in January 2008. At the time, I had two sister-in-laws who had it as well, which is why I decided to get it. (One loves it and hasn't had one single problem with it and the other hated it because of side effects.) I also thought, "wow, perfect! Insurance covers insertion, no longer having to pay for BC every month, not having to worry about taking a pill every day, etc., etc." Insertion was painful. In fact, it felt just like contractions to me. But, I remember saying to the doc. that "5 min. of that was better than having another child since I don't want another right now." I cramped for a while after insertion and had very very light bleeding that day. Other than that, I never bled at all, or even spotted like they say most will for the first 6 months. I attributed it to breastfeeding and the mirena, but was never certain about it. I personally feel that not having a period at all is unnatural for me. Of course, I would prefer to never have one, but I noticed that I feel bloated most of the time if I don't. Anyways, about one month after insertion, I started noticing little acne bumps all over my arms. This was weird to me since I had never see that before, and I don't really ever get acne in general. I thought at the time, that it might be caused by the Mirena, but didn't really do anything about it. The next thing I started to notice was that I felt like I was gaining weight. I only gained 14lbs during my pregnancy (I was very lucky) and I ended up losing 38lbs within the first 2 weeks after birth (again, luck). I didn't gain any before having the IUD put it. Now, I don't know for sure if i gained weight during the 6 1/2 months I had it since I never weighed myself. But, my clothes just didn't feel right and I always felt so bloated in my mid section. Something just wasn't right. I asked my best friend, my mother, and my husband if I looked like I had gained and they all said, "no." But, I'm pretty sure I had. Shortly after noticing weight gain, I noticed a peach fuzz on my face that swear was never there before. I also thought that the fuzz above my lip looked darker. I asked my husband about it and he said he had never noticed before, but that he also couldn't really tell now anyways. I felt like I was going crazy! I was also having severe joint and muscle pain. I was having major leg and hip pain from the very beginning. I would always sit on the floor Indian style with my daughter to play with her and it hurt so bad. I had never had that issue before. About 5 months after insertion, my mood starting really going. Now, this was the biggest issue for me because I have always been a person to lets things roll off my back. I have never once in my life felt the least bit depressed. I was noticing that I was just not feeling myself mentally or emotionally and was crying easily. I would even yell at my husband about the stupidest things and it was like I was watching myself from the outside doing this and wondering why the heck I was yelling but I couldn't seem to make myself stop. I knew something was wrong. I was also very lethargic and fatigued all the time. I also felt that I couldn't ever seem to catch my breath. I finally started thinking that maybe mirena was causing my problems. I remembered that right after I had it inserted one of my sister -in-laws told me about reading about other women's experiences with it. So, I decided to do some research. What I came across was astonishing. I called that day to set up an appt. to have it removed. That was a Wed. and my appt. was set for the following Mon. I couldn't freaking wait! I had it removed at 9:30am on Sept. 22, 2008. When my doctor asked why I wanted it out, I told her about the issues I was having and I felt that the IUD could be the cause. She agreed with me and said, that everything I was mentioning were effects of progesterone. I was so happy to hear her say that since so many other women have said their docs. say there is no way that Mirena can cause these effects. Removal was so easy. It took less than a minute and was pain Less! I felt better immediately, but I know that was just knowing it was out of me.

By the way, I just want everyone who reads this to know that I found a lot of information on drugs.com about mirena. Information that every women needs to know. Info the makers of the IUD don't tell you. Just type in mirena in the search field. Scroll down...its the second one, the one that says...professional monographs (FDA). Please check it out! It talks about effects such as alopecia, eczema, abdominal distention, etc. If your doc. tells you that you are basically crazy for thinking mirena could be the reason for your problems, have him read this.

Ok, so I am not 9 days post removal (counting day 1 as the day of removal).

Day 1 - removal day
Painless to take out
Cramped a little on the ride home
Extremely fatigued rest of the day - could hardly keep my eyes open and care for my daughter
Went to bed around 9pm

Day 2
Woke up at 6:30 (normal time) feeling like total crap
My entire head and face hurt to whole day
Very fatigued

Day 3
Woke up feeling better but within 30 min. the pain set in my legs and hips. The same pain I started having after insertion of the IUD. Very painful. I ended up taking one of my Motrin that I was prescribed after birth. I think 600mg.
Started cramping around noon. Then bleeding started, which I was totally okay with since it had been so long. I was expecting a bunch of clotting since so many other women had them, but I didn't get that. I did finally feel like I could breath again though.
Started feeling better mentally and emotionally. By the end of the day, no more bleeding.

Day 4
Feeling good. No bleeding in early morning. Started cramping around 9am.
Having bad leg and hip pain again. Couldn't stand to keep legs still it hurt so bad. Took Motrin.
Bleeding started around 10am

Day 5, 6, and 7
Feeling even better each day

Day 8
Woke up around 3am with the worst pain in my head and felt very fatigued.
Tried to sleep the rest of the night, but struggled. In and Out of sleep.
Felt so bad in morning. Tired and in pain. Took Motrin.
Felt like crap all day long.

Today is Day 9 (Sept. 30th)
Feeling good.
Starting cramping and bleeding around noon.

I am now 3 weeks post Mirena. I have been feeling better and better as the days go by...physically, emotionally, and mentally. The bloating went away within a couple of days. The leg, hip, and joint pain I was having so severely, has completely vanished. I can finally sit on the floor with my 8 1/2 month old and not hurt.

I did finally get the courage to weigh myself 1 week post mirena and well, I had gained 20 lbs during the 6 1/2 months I had the IUD. CRAZY...i know. (remember, I lost 38lbs in 2 weeks after the birth of my daughter and hadn't gained a thing before the IUD). I weighed 2 days after that day and had lost 3 lbs. I haven't weighed myself in over a week, but I will soon to see if weight is coming off. My fingers are crossed.

The bleeding came and went, came and went, came and went for about days 3-9 post mirena. I haven't had any since. I am pretty sure I was ovulating the other day (cervical mucous looked like it), so I expect an actual period within the next 2 weeks.

I hope this helps all women out there wondering about Mirena! Thanks for reading!

Thank goodness it is not all in my head. For the past year, I have been feeling as strange as the comments I have just read. Life is hard in the first place, but since having this IUD, life has been hard and very overwhelming. I have had constant mood swings, at least 3-4 days out of the week. Not only do I feel extremely nauseated 10 days before my period, even after it has come and gone, I feel nauseated again a week later. I had hoped that this new method of birth control would give me new freedom to have relations with my husband without being overly concerned about getting pregnant due to the less likelihood of the device failing. Boy was I wrong. I don't even think about sex. Nothing for the most part that he does turns me on. I can't even concentrate on feeling sexual when we are having sex. I just want to hit him or flip out on everyone. I feel a flush of anger go through my body that makes me think of very dangerous ideas, such as harming myself or others that are not really doing anything to deserve my anger. I have been very paranoid about everything and feel that I can not trust anyone, especially when I am telling them how I feel. I think that they just think that I am crazy. I have had extreme pain in my back near my spine, which I had thought before reading your comments was perhaps a side effect from the epidural I received during my child birth. I also have extreme pain in my sacral and hip areas that I never had before. My stomach is bloated with more stretch marks than I had when I was pregnant, my feet hurt. And I have an uncontrollable hunger at times. My short term memory is passe'. In fact, I took off my engagement and wedding rings in the house and can not for the life of me remember where I might have put my engagement ring. I am going to have this thing removed as soon as I get on my husband's insurance, before I go completely mad and hurt myself or my family. In closing, who cares if our doctor doesn't believe these things are not side effects. The truth is that God created all of us with common sense to know if something is blatantly wrong with us. We need to be wise and take care of our bodies and minds. This is something that God expects us to do. We have to live up to our obligations and commitments to our families like we promised we would when we got married.zfcII.

So glad I found this site!! i just went to the Mirena website to check side effects. i had this inserted a few weeks after i had my first daughter in December of 07. The last two months or so of my pregnancy i noticed my sex drive was slowing down, but it mostly was just the thought of the discomfort(I put on 50 pounds lol) So for months now, I have had the same decreased sex drive-it brings me to tears! I was never like this in my life, and I finally thought that maybe something was up with this Mirena. Once I read the posts, ans saw some of others side effects, i think thats whats going on. I have had Horrible leg cramps in my lower legs, severe shooting pain when I stand up, and I could not figure that out either. I even just last week, went out and bought expensive new sneakers and have been trying to where them thinking maybe all my other shoes were messing something up. Now I doubt it! Luckily my periods have not been bad, except the fact that they are beyond irregular(just light) and my cramps are about the same, but I do get some sharp cramps like i never felt in my abdomen. AND!!! I have lost all but about ten ponds of baby weight, but I have been on Phentermetrizine (same as Phentermine diet pill) from the doc, and have only been able to lose about 3 pounds in a month, so I am thinking this thing is def. holding some weight on me. Hope I can get it out, I don't have any insurance anymore!!!

I had my Mirena put in Feb 08. I heard wonderful things about it from other women I know who have it. So, I gave it a shot. Wow. I had wonderfully clear skin before the Mirena. Now it is so embarrassing. I get huge pimples all over my chest, my neck, and my face. They are so painful. I have spent so much money on face cleaners and what-not and nothing has worked. Within a week after getting the Mirena put it, I was in the ER for unbearable pelvic pain. I had developed large cysts on both of my ovaries. It was awful.I still get the lovely sharp pains in my pelvic region that will at times make me double over. My periods last a full week now and I can have 2 periods a month (everyone who has it told me they don't even get periods anymore...what gives?). My breasts get so tender that any touch sends me through the roof and outing on and taking off my bra is so painful. And the WEIGHT GAIN. I had just 40 lbs of pregnancy weight and finally started feeling good about myself again. I get the Mirena and I have gained 15 lbs. I am bloated and disgusting. I look 4-5 months pregnant. I feel horrible. I have no health insurance right now and I don't have enough money to pay out of pocket to get the Mirena removed. As soon as I get back on track, I am definitely getting this removed. I can't stand what has happened to me. I look and feel utterly disgusting. :(

I have had my Mirena for 14 months. I am looking into having it removed. I have gained about 5-10lbs with it and I have 2 menses per month. I only have about 5-7 non period days each month. My sex drive is at a all time low. I went from a female who wanted to have sex everyday of the week... to 1-2 times per month.
I am always nasty with my mate of 7 years and short tempered with my children. I already had a problem with headaches and I am now having many migraines per week. I just want it out. My new insurance doesn't cover the removal and I may have to pay out of pocket, but I cant get in with my GYN until November. I did read all the side effects and I have them all. Aside from not worrying about getting pregnant... This thing is the worst and I do not recommend it to anyone.

IF YOU CAN TAKE A PILL EVERY DAY, DO IT

I got Mirena put in Feb of 07 almost a year after my second baby. I thought it was the greatest thing one earth for almost the next year and a half. I always had light periods so I stopped having periods completely since it was put in. I had no side effects whatsoever until Aug 08. I started having mild headaches that turned severe and did not go away for over 20 days.

That was my first sign. I started having pelvic pain (which has since gotten much worse) resembling ovarian cyst pain. I started bloating like crazy and my clothes were very tight and uncomfortable. I started experiencing pregnancy symptoms which worried me so I took a pregnancy test and it came out positive. I took another one later and it came out negative. I went to my regular Dr (because she had to order the tests for insurance purposes) and their tests came out negative. I've been pregnant 9 times (7 miscarriages) so I don't need a pregnancy test to tell me I'm pregnant. I know I was but my lack of periods wouldn't allow the uterus to hold a pregnancy.

I looked up my symptoms online and found hundreds of women with the same experiences. My Dr looked for the Mirena and couldn't find the strings or the device so she ordered an emergency ultrasound (lucky for me I have great Drs). They found the Mirena pushed further back in my uterus and that I had a large cyst (which I already knew I had from all my pain). My headaches got worse, my uterus pain got worse, I had back pain like crazy, I became so tired I could hardly move, and I was constantly nauseous. With a husband, 2 kids, and a job there was no time for all of that. I talked to people at work recently and they said when I was experiencing the best of my symptoms they were talking to me and I was looking at them like I was telling them to F*** off with my facial expression. I had to explain to them that it was the extreme headaches and the pain I was in and not them. I didn't realize it got so bad that my facial expressions showed it!

I went to my Ob/Gyn for an appt I had scheduled weeks before my pain started and told the PA about my symptoms so she looked for the strings and found them so the Mirena was back in place. She asked if I wanted it left there and I told her HELL NO. She pulled it out immediately and called it a demon, which makes me believe she knows about the horrible side effects. She didn't try to talk me out of it at all, not that I would have let her. Both of my Drs were very understanding to my need to have it removed and were willing to do it.

After I had it removed I continued having those symtpoms but they are beginning to fade off. I did have one day where I woke up and I was a raging B**** from the minute I opened my eyes and I don't know why. I apoligized profusely to my family and I knew it was my hormones but I could do nothing about it. Later that day I had my first ever anxiety attack and I freaked out. It was TERRIBLE. I've had continuous spotting since then. All these are our bodies' way of telling us to stop polluting our poor bodies. It's called "the crash"

Well ladies good luck with your little demons and remember the side effects continue until your body can regulate itself again. Don't give up cause it will get better.

I have had my mirena for about six months. I have bled all but two weeks of the six months. Because I am always bleeding, even when Im not "bleeding" I am having this brownish discharge. And just when I think its going to stop, I get this clear discharge that smells like sewage. I have never smelt anything so horrible in my life. I have had this three different times in the six months. I don't know what I am going to do. I got the Mirena when I started college because we can't afford a accident pregnancy right now. It was free with my insurance. Now, I have no insurance and I can't afford the 250.00 to remove it.

I've had Mirena for about 14 months now. Yeah, I HATE it.
The day they put it in, I was in the category where it took forever to place. Like 3-4 tries to place it. Thank God I'd had experience in handling this type of pain, having 2 children w/out epidurals.

I bled for 6 weeks straight, so the day I went for my follow-up, I stopped bleeding. Figures. I'm looking at the brochures in the office for a different type of contraceptive. The doctor thinks I'm stupid, why would I want to do that? Um, because it pokes my husbands penis head and I can see the red poke marks on it. So the doc trims the tail and loses a piece of it somewhere inside me. CRAZY!

The following month, I really started having low back pain. Then I herniate my L-5. I'm not sure that any of that is related to the IUD. Just speculating. Also speculation, I battled with thrush the entire 13 months I nursed my son. That was never the case with my first child.

So I go about a year with out a period that I can really speak of. Maybe some spotting, but I haven't thought about the thing much. Although, I don't remember ever having a positive thought about it. I could feel it during sex. I can't explain that feeling, but, it's like I could feel it poking my husband at times.

Now, I am having some CRAZY stomach bloat and I'm extremely exhausted. My back is still constantly hurting me. I'm spotting ALL the time. Mostly brown blood, though. Does that mean it's old blood? Every time I have sex, I will spot within the 2nd day. I've held off going to get it removed simply because I don't have insurance and am not looking to get pregnant again. However, I know that it needs to be done. There is something wrong inside me. I never had the weight gain issues other women had. But I am up 5 pounds right now and my belly looks to me like I'm 4 months prego. Matter of fact, I'll probably take a home test tomorrow so I don't have to pay for one at the GYNO.

Anybody know much about getting pregnant with an IUD? And why are doctors so gung-ho for IUD's? Is it because they are like $2000?

Hi! I JUST had the Mirena put in Yesterday...Tues. And within one hour I started to feel foggy, light headed and crazy! I started getting a pressure headache. Being the last patient of the day, I knew the office was closed. So I looked online and found you all. I am horrified at this point! I couldn't sleep last night at all! I was so nauseous and had the poops. (sorry, tmi) Today I feel full of anxiety and my heart is racing. I feel like I'm on drugs or drunk! My head is still pounding. I kept calling my OBGYN and didn't talk to him until about 2 hrs ago. He said none of these symptoms are from the Mirena. So I hear that is most of the Docs words around here! He suggested I give it more time and call him in a few days and if I want it out, he will take it out. Well the thing is, I am ready to pull it out myself! I feel like I'm crazy! Seriously! I don't know what to do! I called my PCP and they refuse to take it out b/c they didn't put it in. They suggested going to the ER. Well my insurance for sure won't cover that!! So what do I do? I feel like I'm going crazy and no one will listen! We are moving to Italy in a month nd I need this resolved AWAY before then! Any advice will help! I just know when I call my doc, he will try to make me keep it in! What do I do?? HELP! Thanks for being here! Wish I had found you before. I am really good about researching things and I didn't with this. I trusted my doc! The other thing is I hear a ton of you have gained weight!!! I JUST had a full tummy tuck June 5th and I freaking better not gain weight!! LOL I want this out!! Calling my doc tomorrow and demanding he take it out. Has anyone had a doc refuse taking it out and if so, what is our recourse? It's our body right?? Thanks again for listening to me gripe!!! ;) God Bless!!
Danielle

*Did anyone have to sign a waiver, or something, on a Mirena packet, before they had it inserted?*

I didn't even read it, yeah.......I know.... :(

It looked like the doctor version of the pamphlet that I was handed the week before I got this evil thing.

I may print some pages of this blog out, and give it to my GYN when I have it removed. I'm wondering if there's some sorta "kickback" they get for having their patients inserted with it? Free lunches from the drug reps??

I wonder if what I signed made me give up my rights to sue them????? Any thoughts?

email me at ****** i would love to get in on a class action lawsuit cause these people need to be stopped they messed my body up and ladies don't need to have this as an option

I HAVE HAD THE MIRENA IUD FOR 11 MONTHS. I HAVE GAINED 11 LBS OF UNWANTED WEIGHT. I CONSTANTLY HAVE ABDOMINAL PAIN, BLOATING, AND DISCOMFORT. MY PANTS (EVEN THE LARGER SIZE) CAUSE A STRANGLING PRESSURE AROUND MY WAIST LINE. I OFTEN HAVE PAIN WITH INTERCOURSE. MY MENSTRUAL CYCLE HAS DECREASED BUT THE PMS SYMPTOMS HAVE NOT. I ALREADY HAD A PROBLEM WITH OVARIAN CYST AND THEY HAVE NOT DECREASED. I OFTEN HAVE STRIKING PAIN IN THE LOWER ABDOMINAL AREA AND IN MY PELVIC AREA. I HAVE MIGRAINES HEADACHES, BUT ALSO SOMETHING I HAD PRIOR TO IUD. I ALSO HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A LOT OF CONSTIPATION PROBLEMS, UNKNOWN IF RELATED TO THE IUD OR THE MULTIPLE CYST. MY ENERGY LEVEL IS LOW AND PRIOR TO IMPLANT I WAS OFTEN HYPERACTIVE. ONE BENEFIT IS THAT SINCE MY ENERGY LEVEL AS DECREASED I NO LONGER HAVE INSOMNIA, SOMETHING I HAVE HAD FOR YEARS. I WOULD RATHER BE UP ALL NIGHT, THEN DEPRESSED AND UNCOMFORTABLE EVERYDAY.

I HAD HOPED SOME OF THESE SYMPTOMS WOULD SUBSIDE TO NO AVAIL. I CANNOT LIVE WITH THE INCREASED WEIGHT, DAILY CRAMPS, AND ABDOMINAL PROBLEMS. IF THIS IS A RESULT OF THE MIRENA IUD THEN IT IS TIME TO HAVE IT REMOVED. I WAS LOOKING AT THIS DEVICE TO HELP DECREASE FEMALE COMPLICATIONS I WAS ALREADY EXPERIENCING AND AS I HAVE READ IN THE OTHER POSTED COMMENTS THE IUD HAS ONLY INCREASED AND CREATED MORE SYMPTOMS FOR ME. I ONLY WISH I WOULD HAVE FOUND THIS SITE A YEAR AGO BEFORE THE IMPLANT. I WILL BE CALLING MY OBGYN TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT. THANKS FOR THE INSIGHT.

I've had this thing (mirena) in me for almost 5 weeks now, and have yet to stop bleeding. I too, am always tired, moody, and hungry. I thought I was crazy when I thought I could feel it in there. Now that I know others have experienced all this I feel a little better. Sad thing is, I no longer have insurance. I'm stuck with it unless I wanna pay way too much to get it out. Anyone else bled this long? I bled in the beginning, Spotted for 3.5 weeks, and now it's a full blown period again. Does it ever stop?

I'm back.. I posted back in June when I've had my Mirena for a few weeks... I go to my GYN on july 29 for my check up.
I can actually be one in a million to say I'm very happy I had this IUD inserted. I have never been able to take the pills. I tried the shot once and had a period for 6 months straight... and that was only ONE injection....
The first couple of weeks I did feel like I had a yeast infection... it burned when I pee'd... It hurt to shower... I started to get frustrated..
I didi wait it out.... I told myself that I would tough it out until my check up appointment and IF I didn't feel better I woudll discuss removal ASAP !!!
but I'm fine ... I did cramp for a couple days after insertion. That is now gone .... I was moody for a few days ..... moodiness is gone.... I still get tired but I notice that is getting back to normal also....
I FOR ONE AM GLAD I HAD MIUD INSERTED !!!!
I say good luck to the rest of you...

update, it's out! Insurance does not pay for the removal. I fell better. It's been out two days and i have lost two pounds! Face is not clear but I am sure it will take awhile. It took about 24 hrs for the bleeding (period to kick in but thanks to reading post on this site I was prepared. I have lost two pounds in two days. (I do exercise and could not lose a pond for the month it was in) Thanks God the mirena from Hell is out!!! I feel much better emotionally also!

I had Mirena put in after I my second baby. The doctor who seemed concerned because I was literally pregnant for two years in a row said I aught to use a form of birth control that would allow me to get on with my life without another pregnancy. I thought she was right since having two babies back to back really did a number on me. I gained like 45 to 60 pounds on my pregnancy. And right after my second baby, I had mirena put it. It's been four years and since then, and things have been really bad. I have major depression, I am very moody, and I feel lazy. I feel so tired and over weight. After attempting to loose weight with a combination of diet and exercise I realized that it's not working, Mirena is keeping from actually loosing weight and more than this it has contributed to my weight gain. Fatigue is also a factor, there are days I struggle to get out of bed. I'm only 27 and I feel so old, and fragile. The problem is I got Mirena put in when I had medical insurance, a year after my husband lost his great job. Now he works two jobs and still no medical insurance. What am I going to do since I have been wanting to be this removed. Anyway I am still glad that I found this website and read about others. And I noticed we SO MUCH IN COMMON......I'm not alone!

I've had my Mirena in for about a month now, and honestly, it hasn't given me any problems. Of course I had cramps in the first week, and spotting for the first 3 months or whatever...but I can truly say that I love this birth control, and I hope not to get the negative side effects like most of these women. If you are considering the Mirena for birth control, talk with your doctor. If you have problems, talk with your doctor...if you're pissed off because you feel like you wasted your money, maybe you should take a second to think about it...neither you nor your doctor can look into a crystal ball to find out how something will effect you. But please, if you are considering the Mirena, don't decide against it because what a bunch of middle-aged women (with less than healthy reproductive systems) said. I'm 20 years old, and this IUD is a blessing.

Does anybody have anything GOOD to report about Mirena?

I got my mirena a week ago today. I'm not sure if i'm just being a Hypochondriac - or if I just have a lot going on in my life, but I feel that fog that other women are describing, and I swear I feel like i've gained 5 lbs in a week because i'm so bloated. ?? I scheduled a follow-up for exactly 2 weeks to discuss symptoms with my Dr. I'm scared now! I wish I read these reviews before I got the mirena!!

This was a post from a lawyer back in April 2006 that I found. Please read:
"I am the lawyer that sweet Julie (below) was talking about. Anyone who is interested in talking with me, I would love to talk to. I too had Mirena and suffered terribly from it and would love to hear your story if you are willing to share. The more that we have, the more likely that something can be done about it!
Please write at ****** with any questions/comments."
No one responded to this post, unless they did it privately.

Then i found another page that ticked me off. It is below. If the link does not come up, I can email it to you.
******
back in the 80's and 90's, some IUD failed as well, causing sickness to many women. They settled but it was an extreme case of absolute malfunction. Since then, these types of lawsuits don't really go anywhere. I think they are stupid! No one listens about this Mirena being so terrible. I have been searching and have not found anything yet. I'm glad I took it out but I have to recuperate. I should not have to be recuperating from anything.
Anyone found anything on a class action suit???

I'll try to make this as short as possible. I got my mirena January 2002. From the moment my doctor put it in, I was dizzy, sick to my stomach and light headed. He made that seem perfectly normal and said I would be fine in a few days. Over the next two days, I was in pain. Severe cramping in my abdomen and down my legs. Went back to the doctor a month or so after and he did an ultrasound to make sure it was where it should be. He said everything was fine. Well, switched jobs, and had no insurance and couldn't afford to have it removed so I dealt with the pain for years. Finally, my 5 years was up and time to have it removed. Went to my doctor in January 2008 to have it removed. My doctor spent over an hour digging around inside of me and couldn't remove it. I was in so much pain and moaning in his office, he decided it would be best to schedule me for outpatient surgery. Well, Friday May 23, 2008, I went to my local hospital and my Mirena was removed while I was under anesthesia. I'll find out when I go back for my check up, but I'm sure it was either embedded in my uterus or there was some other problem. I do know that even while I was under the anesthesia, my doctor had to use a scope to take pictures and find out where the mirena was. I will never do that again. I know other people that haven't had any problems with theirs but I won't ever get one again. I'm now trying the nuvaring. We'll see if I experience any changes from the removal over the next few days.

I've had the mirena for 3 weeks. I got it when my non-hormonal IUD was starting to fall out, and my new doctor really pushed mirena on me. I was sure my insurance would cover it but, surprise surprise, I was billed a hefty $1,000 for this little thing inside me that is making me crazy!!! I have not stopped bleeding since it was "installed"--THREE weeks ago. I have backaches, headaches, and though I have not noticed any weight gain, I haven't noticed any loss either (even though I am at the gym 6 days a week and chasing around an 8 month old baby all day, you'd think I'd drop some pounds by now!). I have no sex drive anymore and though I have never been an emotional person, I am weepy all the time. My old IUD never made me feel this way, and I would NEVER have gotten a mirena had my doctor not absolutely insisted it is the "best form of birth control on the market". I'm so frustrated because I just got the mirena, haven't even paid the bills for it yet, and to remove it will be another huge bill I'm sure!

I had the Mirena inserted a little over a year ago. Over the last year, I've grown increasingly not myself...wanted to crawl into bed and do nothing. My relationships with everyone changed-husband, parents, children, neighbors, work. I became a hermit. My skin looked unhealthy, it actually hurt to the touch, my body ached like an 80 year old woman. I felt hot all the time. I felt 4 months pregnant. Could hardly climb the stairs often. I weigh currently 155 and am 5'6". At my 6 week checkup postpartum, I had lost all but 8 lbs of baby weight. Couple of months later, had mirena inserted, and voila gained 15 lbs over the next couple of months. It was a cumulative effect...over the next several months, my face was swollen, my hair, skin, chest was extremely gross oily. I couldn't think straight, my and get through the day. I couldn't remember simple things. What got me out of bed was knowing that my children had gone outside and I didn't want them to run into the street. I knew something wasn't right, but it didn't occur to me that it would be the mirena. I went to my general doctor complaining of EXTREME fatigue. I thought maybe it was my thyroid. The doctor ran 3 blood tests...TSH, mono, blood count. All came back normal. Doctor wanted to put me on anti-depressants and recommended therapy. Not that I'm opposed to the recommendation, but it just didn't sound like the solution. I went to another doctor for a second opinion. Also wanted to put me on antidepressants. I didn't want to mask whatever was going on. I wanted to get to the bottom of this. There was a reason for my feeling this way. I just was not myself but truly didn't think antidepressants were the answer. Meanwhile, I scheduled my annual gyn appointment. The IUD hurt at times, I was constantly aware of it anyhow with sharp jabbing pains, and my husband could feel it during intercourse. So I went in thinking I was pretty sure I'd ask for it to be removed. Still not attributing all these dramatic changes to the mirena. When I saw the dramatic weight gain after the IUD insertion, it sealed the deal in my mind. I wanted it out right then and there. Much to my surprise, joy and relief, I instantly felt better in my abdomen. That night, I put my jeans on and they were actually looser. My body was in constant swelling/PMS mode - due to the artificial progesterone. Within a couple of days I had lost 5 lbs and my jeans continued to get looser. It's been only 6 days now, but each day I feel more and more like myself. My weight is dropping, I have more energy. I want to garden again, a hobby I no longer enjoyed whilst having the IUD, I want to take walks again and exercise, which I had no energy to actually do. It feels better to "be in my skin" - weird to say, I know. Before the IUD was removed, my skin felt uncomfortable. My neighbors noticed the weight loss and the already noticeable change in my complexion. I'm able to engage with my children and meet their needs, whereas before I was barely getting by. It's going to take more time I know, to get rid of this awful acne, remaining weight, greasy skin, etc. but I am 100% certain all these changes to my body and mood were because of Mirena. Today, I have a headache settling in. I think it's because my body has been artificial progesterone heavy, suppressing the estrogen, natural balance. It's got to learn to kick in with my own normal hormone function. I'm expecting some ups and downs, but am thrilled that it's out and I'm on the road to recovery. One thing I question is why doctors so highly recommend the Mirena? I asked for the copper IUD and they steered my toward the Mirena, even when I was nursing. Why don't doctors warn patients of the likelihood of depression and the whole host of other problems that I had and so many other women report? I'm very glad I didn't start taking antidepressants because they come with their own side effects, and I would have had a harder time getting to the root of the problem. Only when I had the IUD removed did I google mirena side effects and realize that thousands upon thousands of women have been through the same thing.

Had my coil fitted in Nov 2005 and have only now just realised my many symptoms started around that time.
My lack of sex drive, I am now on anti depressants, I sweat so much my face and down my back. I have put on weight and my mood swings come and go I often end up in tears at the slightest thing. I constantly have a watery discharge which means having to wear panty liners. My memory is terrible I find I have to write everything down at work as soon as it is said or I forget.
But the worst thing is the sweating my underarms stay dry its my face & it runs down my back it is really getting me down I am always looking flushed and hot I did think it was the menopause as I am 45 this year but I have tried various herbal remedies with no effect any one have any suggestions.
My GP is not keen on me having the coil removed as my periods were so heavy I often could not leave the house for fear of the blood flow showing through the pads.
Karen

Hi everyone,

Had my Mirena out yesterday. Funny how insurance does not cover removal. Are they in on it too??? Absolutely no pain at all. Compared to when it went in, it was a breeze. The only thing the doctor would say about my side effects is that the hormone in the Mirena has been known to cause depressions, but she just looked at me funny when I mentioned all my other symptoms.

My first feeling after having it out was that I didn't feel like I was holding something in, of course, I never noticed that I had a "holding in" feeling, but could feel the difference the minute I got it out. I still have the headache and some dizziness, but not as much as yesterday it seems. It could be that I'm so happy to have this thing out that I'm just feeling better!!!! LOL AND, my skin seems to look better already. Yesterday morning, I was looking at my face up close, and started crying just because it looked awful. It was all just blah, no shine, splotchy, BUT TODAY, I swear it has an even coloring to it. I put on make up for the first time in months because my skin actually looked great!!!

Only had a little bleeding yesterday after removal, and so far none today. I always had a heavy period while on the Mirena so not sure what to expect with it out. I'm just glad the demon thing is gone!!!!!!

I had my Mirena out now for 13 days and it is amazing the change in me! I had insurance, so for me it was a no brainer but I would highly recommend anyone who doesn't have it to suck up the payment (sorry, I don't mean it sound rude) But it is sooooo worth it! I have NO ACNE anymore, I have NO MOOD SWINGS (I am not hollering at my kids' over stupid things any more) My clothes fit nicely again and I feel like I look good again (which I am sure is all the effects of all the above!) I did bleed for about 7 days, but it was like a regular period except a brighter red and a little more clots yet no cramping and haven't bled since. When I got my Mirena removed, I got fitted for a diaphragm because I didn't want any more hormones in me yet..aside from the fact I am 35 and a smoker.
I suggest ANYONE who has it, with or without Insurance needs to remove this! I wouldn't have the $500 to remove it either, but keep in mind, your overall health is worth it!!

I don't know if seeing all these posts help me or scare the crap outta me even more (none the less very helpful), I have no insurance and really want to get my IUD removed. I had it inserted when my daughter was 8 weeks old that was about 11 months ago. I have had nothing but problems, severe cramping, nausea, periods that last a whole month, one month it will be icky brownish discharge with a lil blood here and there, I will stop for about 2 weeks and get it again this time lasting about 3 weeks then i will go about 6 weeks and have it again this time with severe cramping and bleeding for a whole month straight. then i may not have it again for 6 weeks etc... I have really nasty blood clots that look very fleshy. I also have had very thick yellowish stinky discharge everyday i don't have my period ( I have NEVER smelt this bad) I feel like im losing my mind Im so absent minded i forget the simplest things, my arms and legs go numb and tingly, my hair is falling out in clumps, im extremely moody and very impatient. and the tiredness is really starting to bother me, no matter how much i try to stay awake its almost impossible, i literally need to take a nap every 3 hours it seems like just to function...I feel like im falling apart. Has anyone else had a lot of these symptoms? And what should I do about getting it taken out....I don't qualify for Medicaid so I was wondering if i should just go into the hospital the next time the pain gets bad and see if they will remove it any advice will be helpful! And good luck to anyone else going through problems with this IUD.

Pretty much everything that has been listed in the previous post I've been experiencing. I just did not know that it was a side effect of mirena. I came on here looking for why my face was breaking out and found a possible reason for all my other ailments. Does anyone know if it cost more to have mirena removed that it is to implant? I know it depends on your insurance. But was curious to know generally if it did.
Thanks

Hi all.
I am really dis-heartened right now. I cannot seem to get this thing taken out yet. My husband and I are self-employedso we have to take out our own health insurance. Our ins. company said that side-effects are a "disorder of the reproductive system" and there is a six-month waiting period to have anything done and we have just gotten it. So I went to an after hours clinic that I called waited until today thinking I could get it removed. WRONG!!! :( Today they said they could not remove it. More over, naturally the doc there said that there was no way all these side effects were from the mirena. I was so upset.
To anyone who has had this taken out, how many of your symptoms have gone away? How long has it taken?
Please e-mail me at ****** or private message me and let me know your experiences with post-removal and side-effects that cleared up. I am ready to take action on this mirena as women need to be informed of the possible side-effects of this drug. I have been suffering for 1 year and 10 months.
Thanks for reading!

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.

Hello I had mine inserted yesterday...28 mom of two boys 7 and 4. I lost my pamplet and decided to do an internet search to keep an eye on the symptoms they say to watch out for. I have to say that this information is a little scary. Now my dr. didn't push this on me... I asked for it cause Im just not good at taking the pill and the patch and ring aren't covered by my insurance. I will now keep close watch on my weight (trying to lose weight already so that wont be hard) my periods have never been regular, so that wouldn't be anything new. I have some PMS issues already so I'll make sure to watch for the mood swings, I have some semi-world meltdowns every month without using birth control. I thought that hormones would help with that. As far as my sex drive, well lordy pray I don't have that problem cause I'm almost always the aggressor...daily. ;) So the insertion was not really bad a bit longer than a pap smear but the dr. and nurses and I were joking the whole time. I appreciate all the women who have posted here, I hope that you get healthy and happy. You have opened my eyes and I will watch for these things and have it removed right away if I experience them.

Hi All,

Happy to find this site. I have had a mirena over a year and three weeks ago started experiencing constant nausea and headaches. It's really terrible. I feel like I am in the first trimester of pregnancy.

I went to my primary doctor and she prescribed me medication for headache and nausea and did some blood tests. That was a week ago. I called her after I found this site and wondered if my nausea could be from the mirena; she said she wanted to treat it with stress reduction first. I am incredibly annoyed by this; I don't need any stress reduction, I'm doing just fine.

Then, today I called my ob to see if the nausea could be caused by the mirena. She said that nausea usually occurs when it's first placed, that this is too long for it to be caused by it. I mentioned this site and she said she would research it again and get back to me.

Now I just contacted my naturopath and hopefully I can get an appointment with her this week.

I'm inclined to get the mirena removed but it cost so much to get inserted ($700, not covered by insurance) that I'm reluctant to get it removed until I know for sure what is causing this nausea.

Please let me know what you all think.

Thanks.

Jackie

My Mirena Removal....
So i posted here a few weeks ago after I found this site. I had EVERY side effect listed and was so freaked out that i immediately made an appointment for removal.
For those of you reading and wondering what the removal is like..
Well, NOTHING like the insertion. I was so so nervous and it was over before we actually started. The DR was surprised that i was back in his office to have this removed. He then proceeded to do an ultrasound to be sure it was placed properly before removal. And yes, all was OK on the position of it. I explained to him my reasons and he looked at me like he had never heard this before. I honestly can not imagine with all the women he sees that NONE of them have complained. But...as I was getting dressed afterwards, I took a good look in his office. There was Mirena literature ALL over the place. In fact, that was the ONLY thing he was advertising. Not to mention...they made me pay up front with the insertion back in Nivember...billed my insurance and I still have yet to receive my reimbursement. Oh yeah, and that...they charge more than the actual Mirena costs, then they bill your insurance for the price they know they will pay and the DR then makes about $150 profit. Nice.
Ok, back to my side effects post Mirena. The removal was not painful at all. I did spot for about a week- nothing too heavy but it was clotty and def there.
A couple of days after the removal it felt like I was coming out of my skin something terrible. I figured this was my body adjusting to the lack of hormones. I also had some headaches.
It has now been 2 weeks and the spotting has disappeared. I also can see the bloating of my stomach is starting to go away. It looked like I was about 4 mos preggo while I was on it. I also have an increased sex drive. And sleep-- well let me tell you, I have not slept this good in a very long time. I am actually sleeping more than 6 hours now and the night sweats have also discontinued.
I can't believe EVERY time I come to this site and look up Mirena ALL the people that have posted their experience as being negative. Yet, the DR looks at me like I am crazy! I have been seeing him for years and I have never complained about something like this. I really am so happy that I have it out and wish I would have done my research on this prior to insertion (which was one of the most painful things ever!)
So..for those of you out there that are either contemplating having it inserted...I say NO WAY. And for those of you out there that are nervous about the removal or not sure..I SAY YES, DO IT! For our bodies to be reacting this way, it is clear to me that it should not be inside of us. Listen to your bodies...they really do speak to you and let you know when something is not right. Forget about the DR saying it is safe or he has not heard of any of these side effects...YOU be the judge.
Good luck! And I promise it gets better once you get that lil' demon out!
Mona

I had MIRENA inserted after my son was born almost two years ago. I was so excited to not have to deal with taking a pill or having to worry about anything at all. Well, after a year, finally my period got under control and i only have gross looking spotting for a few days every month. But, I think that it is causing some serious problems. My fiance and I had sex yesterday and the pain that came to me afterwards was absolutely unbearable. I was curled up in a ball screaming and we considered taking me to the hospital...my problem is I no longer have health insurance. The pain I felt was like a terrible gas pain and felt like there was a knife that was tearing into my cervix. I can't seem to lose any weight, and I feel like shit EVERY day. Has anyone had that knife stabbing pain I am talking about? I just want to make sure I'm not the only one. We are paying out of pocket to have this removed as soon as possible.

I had my Mirena inserted 8 weeks after having my 3rd child. Everything seemed fine for the first 3 months but then I began to develop severe pain in my finger joints, wrists, ankles, elbows, back and neck. I was shuffling around like a 90 year old woman. At first I thought I may have developed arthritis and then my mother suggested I give up the breastfeeding as it might be 'taking it out of me'. Then the other symptoms seemed to creep up on me - foggy brain, severe mood swings, feeling sad and depressed for no reason, SEVERE headaches, night sweats and extreme fatigue. I couldn't complete tasks like washing the clothes and general cleaning of my home and I never felt refreshed after a long sleep. I remember saying to my husband on 3 or 4 occasions 'I feel like I'm going crazy!!' I think he thought the same thing. It was only by chance I revisited a forum I had bookmarked earlier when I was trying to find out how long after initial insertion the bleeding lasted that a post containing some similar side-effects to the ones I was experiencing caught my eye - well what an eye-opener, I would never in my wildest dreams have connected my symptoms with my IUD. The cause of my debilitating symptoms became so clear and that night I squatted down in the shower, found the strings, gave a tug and took the damn thing out myself! That was 3 weeks ago and I've felt a little better every day. I'm hoping to be back to my old self as soon as possible. Thank you so much to everyone who has shared their experiences. If it wasn't for you these debilitating effects on my body would have continued for I dont know how long.

Hi All,

I have recently had the Mirena coil fitted, (first week in Jan 08 this year). The insertion was so painful that i nearly fainted twice while having it fitted.......that night i couldn't sleep as i was in so much pain and was bleeding heavily. I am now 5 weeks on and can't get through the day without taking 2 Ibuprofen and 2 paracetamol every 4 hours as the cramping pains are so back that i can't concentrate on anything. I also started bleeding 9 days ago and instead of getting better it's getting worse. I went back to the clinic after calling every day for advise from the doctor who said my side affects were normal!! after explaining to the doctor that i was also taking the Femodene pill as the doctor who fitted the coil said this would help the coil settle in quicker. Anyway they said i should come in as it sounded like the coil was expelling......they did an examination and told me that everything is fine and that what i am experiencing is normal and that i should try and give it another 6 weeks. Can anyone reading this give me some advise ?? i called my doctors again today and can't get an app till the 21st of Feb. This thing is beginning to get me down and doing nothing for my sex life with my partner.

I wish i found this kind of site before i go the Mirena fitted.