Mirena and loss of libido

I had mine inserted the first week of July. Yes, it was freaking uncomfortable getting it done and I had cramping the rest of the day, but my OB warned me of that and I made the decision to go ahead. I'm not in a position to complain about it now.
I bled/spot for 2-3 weeks after insertion. Only heavy enough to require a tampon for the first week, but I had it inserted when I was supposed to be starting my period anyway. Again my OB suggested this and warned me about the possibility of bleeding for up to 6 months. Again my decision to go forward!
Since then I have had cramping once a month like I'm going to start my period and never do. Within the last few weeks I've started getting the acne and an oily scalp. It's all over my back and not poppable. I'm hoping it will eventually subside when my body gets used to the new hormone level I'm giving it. If you think about it, it's the same thing in puberty (ie change in hormones) that kicks off the acne so it doesn't surprise me that this is a side effect. If it doesn't subside I'll make a decision then whether or not to have it out.
I have not had any of the other side effects. In fact I had terrible headaches and neck pain before I got this and those have gotten much better.

I was on the pill for 15 years before getting mirena and I had much worse side effects with that (extreme moodiness, loss of sexual desire, bad cramps, long periods, etc). I tried multiple brands of pills and never found one I was 100% happy with. But I dealt with it because I made the decision to go on B/C.
I'll take the acne over those any day! (not to mention I got pregnant on the pill!!!)

I understand that these side effects suck, but you act like it's the company's fault. They specifically list the common side effects and the majority of the ones you're complaining about are listed in plain site Taken directly from their website:
Menstrual changes
Lower abdominal pain (cramps)
Acne or other skin problems
Back pain
Breast tenderness
Headache
Mood changes
Nausea
Ovarian cysts have been diagnosed in about 12% of Mirena® users. In most cases, the enlarged follicles disappeared spontaneously during two to three months of observation.

Did you think that's just for show? Did you ever stop to consider (before getting the product) you might actually get those side effects and what you would do if you did? It is your body... YOU are the only one responsible for what goes inside it. No one held you down and forced you to do this. Mirena didn't hide anything from you or trick you into it. Take some responsibility for your actions! Quit blaming others. This is a great example of what is wrong with our society today!

Take responsibility! Do your research! Make your own decisions and deal with the consequences of them without blaming others!

If you look at the mirena website it gives you the FDA number to call to report side effects. If you're having major ones call the FDA and report it so that more than just people that stumble upon this forum know about it!

hi i had my mirena fitted in October 1999 extremely painful as i have a tilted womb apparently, and today i am having an ultrasound scan to find it.
i have been asking my gp to have it removed for past 3 years and have been fobbed off so many times, made to feel a time waster.
problems i have had are listed below
5 stone weight gain
IBS
GERD
PANIC ATTACKS
LOSS OF LIBIDO
PAINFUL SEX
CHEST PAIN
HEADACHES
DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS
MUSCLE PAIN AND FATIGUE
WEAK BLADDER
BLACK HAIRS ON CHIN
POOR FACIAL SKIN
BLOATED STOMACH (IBS)
MOOD SWINGS (PMT)
COSTOCHONDRITUS(inflammation of connective muscle tissue in chest wall)
and just recently diagnosed with diabetes 3 months now
on my last diabetic nurse check i asked her if she could check my coil for me as i hadn't been able to...... she couldn't find it ?
i have pain just from sitting and feel like something is pressing on my bladder.
reason for having it fitted was my very heavy periods with 1 week in between after having my only child in june 1998.
had no periods since dec 1999, but terrible pmt and mood swings am at wits end as i am so heavy do not think general anesthetic poss if coils embedded. very worried

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.

I had the Mirena fitted in April 2005 because of bad pms and heavy periods. I thought it was great at first not to have the periods, and the pms noticeably subsided for a good 18 months. By that stage I'd put about 4 kgs on, which was starting to niggle me. I worked really hard to keep my weight stable. During the next months up till removal 2 weeks ago I experienced aching joints, particularly back and knees, loss of libido, tiredness, the return of the pms symptoms, and acne as bad as I'd had it as a teenager. When I went to see a dermatologist, it was he who pointed out that this was a major side effect of the Mirena, so when I searched on this on the internet, I was amazed how many women had got the same problems as me. I had started thinking that now I'm 42 I must be over the hill or something.
I had it removed 2 weeks ago, and although my weight hasn't changed, I feel lighter on my feet. My back ache has gone, and I feel much more energetic.
I know other women who have the Mirena and have not been affected in the slightest by these negative symptoms. I guess it's just the way your body reacts. Fortunately I didn't need to ask twice to get it removed, since I understand some gyne's seem to reject the connection between the symptoms and the Mirena. Problem is, it's difficult to find a birth control that suits me. I'm definitely leaving the hormones alone in future.

I decided late 2006 that I was tired of the pill. I'm in my early 30's and I wanted something easier... After what I considered a good deal of research, I discussed it with my doctor and he highly recommended Mirena. We've always had a very good dr-patient relationship, and I've never had reason to not trust his opinion. He warned me the insertion could be painful (I had a LEEP procedure a year earlier), and he said I could have headaches. I've always had headaches, so I could live with that.
The insertion hurt horribly! They had to dilate me manually, and it hurt so much I though I was going to pass out. I had the worst cramps, like post childbirth cramps, even Vicodin did not help. After the cramps went away, I had heavy spotting (more than a pantyliner, but not enough for a tampon or pad). The spotting lasted for 4.5 months! I called the dr and they said it was my body getting used to it, symptoms stop after the first six months, etc. After the 5th month, the spotting stopped and my periods became very light (2-3 days) but this was short-lived. In the 7th month, I started spotting again, and the spotting would last for 5-7 days. It was disgusting, dark brown and sticky. I called the dr again, and they said it is due to the way the lining of my uterus is affected by the IUD, it's not serious. I also asked about acne. I've never had a problem before, but now I have acne (pimples big enough to scar) on my shoulders, back, and scalp. They said Mirena does not cause acne. My headaches had gone from 2 Advil to a painkiller and sleeping pill in the evening. When I mentioned weight gain, which was quickly attributed to quitting smoking. I did not believe the weight gain was due to quitting smoking, as I replaced smoking with working out. I had started working out everyday, for at least 20 minutes. I know it's not a lot, but it's better than nothing, After 2-3 months of weight gain, I added weight training 2-3 times a week. I also changed my diet to eat smaller, more balanced meals every 3 hours rather than 3 larger meals per day. I started a food journal in case I was sneaking in food I hadn't thought about. My sex drive was gone.... the 4 months of spotting started the downward spiral, but the continuing spotting, weight gain, bloating, and acne didn't help. Eventually the idea of sex disgusted me, how very sad! I noticed that I cry very easily now, and I've even had thoughts of suicide... to the point of planning it out. Even my vision has changed. In the 15 months since getting Mirena, I've gained 25 pounds, went from a size 9 (USA) to a size 14, my back and shoulders have acne scars, and I am depressed.
Thank you... From the bottom of my heart, I thank every one of you who have taken the time to detail your experiences. I finally feel vindicated, that I am not crazy, I'm not lazy, and something is truly WRONG. I'm calling my OBGYN Monday and scheduling the removal.

Hi, thought I'd share my positive story about having Mirena removed. Having it removed was no doubt the best decision even though two doctors told me that it was not necessary and the loss of hair, graying and loss of libido could not be due to Mirena since it releases minute amounts of hormones locally. Not only have I seen a return to my libido but the hair loss has stopped. this cannot be placebo effect. Even my husband has noticed the difference (no more clogged drains). Thank God! I felt like I was aging at the rate of knots. I now feel so much happier, healthier and more attractive. For all out there who are wondering if it's the Mirena causing hair loss etc, I sincerely believe it is probably very much the case, despite what the medics will tell you. Best wishes.

Well I'm happy to say the initial side effects I've been feeling (nausea, cramping, spotting, loss of libido) are all gradually disappearing and tomorrow will be 4 wks since I had the Mirena inserted. I've changed my perception so far since my first post about regretting getting the Mirena and will just hope that I don't encounter other side effects later on. I did feel odd in the beginning but as of Monday this week I've been feeling much like my old self. I still have some cramping but not as bad as in the beginning and I think my body is just getting used to it as I've never had kids or have been on hormones.
I've read around in other forums and have found many women to be quite content with their Mirena's. It's probably just like all the other drugs and meds out there in society - everyone reacts differently and not every drug is good for every person.

Many strange things have been happening to me for the last year and a half, that I did not ever experience before. I just turned 38 years old. I am now suspecting these are side effects from the MIRENA. I want to get opinions about what I'm experiencing and what happens when it's removed.

The most profound thing is the feeling of being in a mental bubble. Even though I'm aware of it and I try to be alert, I feel cloudy minded and can't even rely on myself to remember things or commit to things because I never know how I will feel when I wake up each day. Some days are okay while others are completely LOST because I may have struggled to sleep the night before, sweating and soaking my pillow case and waking up with a rapid heart beat, panicking for no apparent reason right out of sleeping. Or, I'm irritable due to discomfort which takes several forms like these:
- major moodiness, like feeling totally peaceful one minute and then something small triggers me and I'm angry for hours, later realizing that I was overreacting
- visibly shaking hands, especially when I drink just 1/2 cup coffee.
- increased oily skin and acne on face, back, shoulders and even in ears, along with thinning hair around face
- fatigue and stiffness in the morning, so it takes me forever to get out of bed
- off and on fatigue that has me uncontrollably dozing off during the day
- bloated tummy (visible), gas and menstrual cramps in no predicable pattern, but I never go more than a week without these things
- strange libido, one day I wouldn't care if I ever had sex again, the next night wake up horny as heck at 2 am
- ears ringing, jaw pain, mystery pains in back and joints regularly

All along I've been assuming these odd things were stress and age related but the more I think about it, there's just too many things, and these things don't necessarily represent the stress of a typical stay at home mom.
Sure, I have had stress and anxiety in the past, but they could always be connected to something large going on in my life. Now, the anxiety and moodiness hit unpredictably and indiscriminately, it seems. For a long time now I feel like I'm a total mess physically and mentally, even more so because I realize something is wrong
I am pretty sure as of right now that I should get this removed. If the symptoms go away I'll then know what caused them in the first place.
I am wondering what happens upon removal, will it also be a roller coaster of physical and mental anguish???????? How long will it last?

I had a horrible experience with the Mirena. Weight gain, high blood pressure, mood swings, loss of libido, etc. I got the Mirena removed on Monday, and I am already feeling better. I started a blog detailing my experiences with the Mirena, and would love for more ladies to come participate and share their stories.

I have had the Mirena for 4 years, had it taken out yesterday. I experienced PMDD, no libido, weight gain, depression and severe dry eye syndrome starting approx. 6 months to 1 year after getting the Mirena. I never had tied the two together and all of my physicians knew that I had the IUD. I have finally gotten some answers after seeing a hormone specialist this month. He explained that the Mirena contains progestins, they are synthetic forms of progesterone. I am now on oral Micronized progesterone and feeling a bit like a cloud has been lifted. I had never experienced depression, breast pain or loss of libido in my life.
I liked the Mirena because I didn't have to think of birth control as I have two children an was 34 when I got it. Now I am 38 and regret not listening to my body closer and questioning my symptoms sooner. I urge any young woman having similar symptoms to have the Mirena removed and see if it helps. If you don't have positive results in 3 or 4 months you can get another! I think progestins could have negative effects in some and positive in others. For now I choose the bioidentical progesterone route and will follow up in a few weeks with how things are going.

I've been skimming through all of these blogs and I feel like I must be one of the lucky few that didn't get an side effects from the Mirena. I had it implanted on Sept. 21st 2007 ( 6 weeks after I had my baby) and since then I really haven't had any problems with it. I didn't feel a thing when it was implanted and after wards... just a little bleeding but no more then a panty liner. I stopped having my period with in the first 3 months. Sure the occasional spotting here and there, but nothing to get stressed over. My hair was falling out more the usual in the shower, but my doctor assured me that it usually happenes after women have babies and will go over after the first few months. So to all the women who've had problems, I'm sorry to hear it, maybe the Mirena just wasn't right for you all. But it sure was right for me. ;)

I have had my Mirena out for around 2months and thought I should let others now the outcome. I experienced depression and an almost complete loss of libido. I have two young children who aren't great sleepers and we are renovating, so it took me 12months and reading discussions like these to consider that Mirena may have been a contributing factor. My local doctor dismissed the potential link between the two. The family planning clinic where I returned to have it removed did not dismiss my suggestion and immediately removed it. I felt better within a week! I didn't feel like a big fat blimp even though my weight hadn't changed and my libido returned. I have stopped taking all medications and feel fantastic. I have always had problems with the hormones in the pill and Mirena was no different regardless of the low dosage. Good luck in working out what works for you.

Ive had mine out for about 5months now and although most things are back to normal- I don't even get pmt anymore, compared to for about 2weeks of every month when I had it- I still have acne and its not horrendous, but its a pain in the ares and I never had acne before I got the Mirena. I feel disgusting. Its on my chin and back especially. I had one spot that was there for a whole month and was massive and painful and its only just healing up and will probably scar. I am lucky that I got it out when I did- who knows how bad the side effects could have gotten. I had mine taken out after around 2 years.

Meant to say, actually, I am taking a degree in herbal medicine and one of my lecturers was discussing the contraceptive pill with us and she said that it is a known fact that if somebody takes the pill and finds that it interferes with their sex drive, it may cause permanent loss of libido because of what it does to your hormones, your testosterone esp.

Kind of worrying.....I'm never going to take the pill or anything hormonal again. You just don't know the damage that your doing. Yes I'd like to have sex without using condoms but it isn't worth the risk to me, my mental health, my skin, my lack of sex drive.

Ok. This is crazy. My doctor is a VERY good doctor, and has denied my charges against the Mirena. I had not looked into the reported side effects when I complained to my doctor. I have had my Mirena since 2004. No problems at all until about 3 months ago. (maybe longer than that adding the mood swings, loss of libido since the birth of our last son, vaginal irritation, dryness, yeast infections that I never had before the IUD, breast tenderness, joint pain, recent bleeding that lasted a month) I began having heart palpataions so severe that I thought I was having panic attacks. Like a heavy weight being laid upon my chest, too small of an area for my heart to be able to properly beat, loss of breath, loss of sleep (causing me to take tylenol pm to be able to rest). I went to the doctor, and was concerned about the symptoms. She was alarmed, she has known me over 5 years, and I have been in her office only a handful of times. She ran an ekg, did chest x-rays, and found nothing. She sent me on to the cardiologist to have blood work and an echo. They found nothing. I asked her about the possibility of the Mirena being the problem. She thought it was doubtful, but wants to look at it during an exam anyway. My hubby and I are considering having it removed. We can't figure out what other problem there would be. Please email me if anyone has had symptoms similar! I am VERY concerned.

Hi, I have come across many websites after promising my husband of 13 years that I would look into the side effects of my IUD. I had NO idea! I thought it was only me! Reading all of this almost made me cry to know that there might NOT be anything wrong with me and just by removing this IUD that I can get back to a normal life! I have had it for almost 2 years, and the last year has been an emotional rollercoaster of all kinds of events! The only good thing that I can say came out of it is that I didn't get pregnant in the last 2 years (have 4 boys already) and I haven't had to deal with a "real" period in about that same amount of time! HOWEVER...I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH OTHER THINGS, THAT I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED WITH THE USE OF THIS DEVICE!!! Including, but not limited to, SEVERE fatigue, cramps, SEVERE acne (never even had as a teen!), headaches, SEVERE mood changes and swings (as by the pleas of my husband), loss of of the hair on my head, and regrowth of hair in places women shouldn't have hair, i.e. breasts and chin, vaginal dryness, loss of libido (my poor husband), SEVERE depression and worthlessness, and those are just the ones that I have been able to see myself now. I am sure if they were pointed out to my by a loved one or friend I could probably link that with the IUD also. MEN~ do NOT let or make your wife get this...she could NOT be the same person you thought you knew and it is a rough and rocky ride! WOMEN~ I beg you, do NOT get this, it is horrible! Why take the chance? I have hated myself, my husband, my kids, my extended family and friends and couldn't figure out what was "wrong" with me. I am getting mine out Monday Sept. 24, 2007, and hopefully I can get back to the life I had known before these last 2 years of insanity took over. Good luck all and GOD Bless!

I decided to get Mirena after the birth of my second son. I seemed like such a great idea. I had it put in last Sept. My doctor is very good and warned me about some things that might happen after it was inserted. What I didn't expect was just how bad I bled after getting it. I know it sounds like I'm exaggerating, but there was a point where I was running to the bathroom every 15 minutes to change. It was horrible, but my doctor assured me that everything was normal and I should see some improvement within the next few months. Including the heavy bleading, I bled for about a month and a half straight. About a month of that was the annoying spotting. Since then, I haven't had a period, which I love...the only thing I love about it. The past year has been rough, but I never associated it with Mirena until now. I was starting to lose my baby weight but now I weigh about 5 lbs more than I did just after giving birth. My stomach looks bigger than my sister's and she's almost 7 months pregnant. I was put on anti depressants, but associated that with post partum depression...now I'm not sure what caused it. My husband and I have been fighting more and we even considered spitting up. I'm just not ME and he has even said it. I have acne like a teenager, weight gain (no matter what I do), very low sex drive, BLOATING, cramps, my memory is pretty much non existent, nausea, horrible sleep pattern which causes extreme tiredness all the time, sore body, constant discharge, and blurred vision. I've actually taken pregnancy tests because I felt worse than when I was pregnant. I've talked to my husband about the Mirena and wanting to get it out, but he's just worried that I'll get pregnant again if I get it out. He doesn't realize how bad I really feel cuz I'm not telling him. We decided that our marriage is worth saving so I'm trying to do my part by not getting mad at him for every little thing and not complaining about how awful I feel. He just started a new job, too, so insurance hasn't started at the new place and his old place of employment has already stopped it through them. I can't pay for a regular doctor's visit without insurance, so I guess I'm stuck with it for now. Sorry for babbling, I just don't have anyone to talk to, so once I start, I just keep going.

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!!!

Uncharacteristic loss of libido, inability to lose postpartum weight, unexplained weight gain.

weight gain, tiredness, bloating, loss of libido