Mirena and moodiness

I cant thank you all enough THANK YOU. I am 45, have 4 older children and have had the mirena for twelve months. the nurse who encouraged me to have the mirena and fitted it told me to ignore the booklet , that side effects were very rare as the drugs don't go into your blood stream. I cant believe i fell for that, i mean it doesn't make sense. since having it in i haven't stopped bleeding bits,im covered in a rash that the doc says is a viral infection, i have incredible mood swings, joint pains, cramps, depression which i have been taking st johns wort for, shakes,headaches,dermatitis on my hands, forgetfulness, crying, numb hands and feet,weak ankles that tend to just go all of a sudden which makes me feel really stupid. Blurry vision and feeling a inner hotness behind my eyes,some mornings i feel like ive got a hangover even though i don't drink. As for sex forget it i mean why would my hubby want me!! and its the last thing i feel like. I cant believe hes put up with me and my nasty moods. Ive been married for 24 years. I never thought that all these systems were due to the mirena, until i looked it up and stumbled onto this site, i must of read all of the posts, and look twice a day to see if there are any new ones.I have had to wait 2 weeks to get an appointment to have it taken out, but thank god i had it taken out this morning. I couldn't believe how easy, quick and painless it was, maybe i was lucky that the strings were easily found. I feel sooo relieved to finally have it out and only feel slightly crampy. I cant wait to get back to normal. This is the fist time i have ever posted anything on the internet so please forgive me if my typing isnt up tp scratch, its taken half an hour to write this. I feel i have a lot to make up for with my family and my very lovely hubby and hope that these systems go quickly. I will let you know and please keep up the posts i need the encouragement, and im sure others do too.!!

I am 35 years old and LOVE my Mirena. I have NEVER felt better. All these "side effects" sound so crazy to me. I know 10 women who use this product and not one of the complain about anything. They all love it. Its their word of mouth that inspired me to look into it. I have had mine since March 06. I fear for all of you who are having "side effects" that you might be blaming this product, and ignoring that there can be some thing other than the IUD causing your problems. All of these comments are hell bent on blaming Mirena. I'm not saying that its not causing any of these side effects with some of you, but for some, I am wondering if your too busy blaming it, then finding out if there is really something else wrong. I didn't think it hurt that bad at the insertion, a little crampy, but nothing we as women couldn't handle. After I saw this site, I literally contacted the women that I know use it and they all were shocked that people were having such a hard time with it. You would think 1 out of us 10 would have something to say if there was a problem. The only thing in common that we all have is that we went to the same Dr. So maybe that could be an issue with some of you. I didnt bleed for weeks or months. And the pill NEVER could regulate me . Within 3-6 months I had a 90% decrease in my periods ( just like this product states it would do) i had used the vaginal ring before this and that caused some moodiness and was a bit odd during sex, But Mirena has made me feel free, not moody, no pain, no period, I have a strong sex drive ( mainly because I no longer have the worries such as did I remember my pill? Is the ring still in place or did it fall out?) My boyfriend never feels it or the strings ( and I have a short cervical neck!) Nor have I heard such things from my friends and family who do use it. I think if I was having some problems and stumbled across this website I would panic and blame Mirena as well. But in my opinion all these symptoms are things we as women will have happen due to stress, age or routine ob/gyn issues. i actually read in one of these comments someone asking about a lawsuit.... Are you kidding me??? If I were all you with these problems I would seriously check with your doctors and make sure there is nothing else causing your issues...Don't just blame a product with out making sure you know everything thats going on within your own body. I wouldn't take that chance but I am not the one with any problems. I'm sure this method isn't for everyone but my point is that I hope you don't overlook a more serious or undetected problem. good luck to all.

Okay so I am 27 and I had my mirena put in Jan/Feb 07. It was the most painful procedure of my life. I mean tears and all. I have never had kids so i was a little worried about that because they advertise this for women who have had children but, my doctor said its fine for me. At the time, I was not married, highly sexual active and didn't want any unexpected pregnancies. I had been on Depo on and off since I was 17 and was worried about the Calcium bone loss and weight gain from that so I decided to switch. Any who, I normally had very bad cramps with my period but, with the Mirena they were 10 times worse for like 2 months. I was told that it was normal, of course (What would I know) Time goes on everything seemed normal. My cramping lessened, bleeding lessened, but, i still had my breast tenderness and moodiness and my sex drive seemed normal. However, at this time I wasn't as sexually active. From the beginning I had very sharp stabbing pains mainly in the left side of my pelvis.

I married my sexy wonderful husband in Dec 08 and since about May my sex drive has just died and I am irritable 90% of the time. Now, I am a newly wed, and moved to a new location so I thought all of this was completely due to all of that stress and it might be. However, if its not and it just took took 1yr or so for my body for adjust to the hormones and this is the outcome then I can't continue to get irritated at my husband every time he wants a hug. I just always feel so tense and I WANT TO HAVE SEX AGAIN and be sweet and happy without having to be on percocet. So, i am thinking that i am going to get it removed and maybe try the YAZ thing.

I suffered with pre-menopausal symptoms for 2 years before having the Mirena inserted in May 2007. My symptoms included bad menstrual cramping, heaving bleeding, hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness and lack of libido. But since having the Mirena all those symptoms have gone away. My OBGYN is using it for Hormone Replacement because I am too young (34 yrs old) to have menopause. I felt a lot better after about 3 months, I still have some side effects like hand numbness (mostly when I wake up in the morning or at night). Every couple of months I have some mild break through bleeding and I have PMS symptoms before it happens. I would have gone crazy without Mirena. I do have 1 symptom that I haven't heard anyone mention. Increased bladder infections, I don't know if this is caused by the Mirena or maybe its something else. If anyone has had this symptom can you post it?

I posted here just over a week ago and had depression, diarrhea, headaches, moodiness and again - DEPRESSION from the Mirena. I am a new woman now that it is out!!!! I literally feel so great - depression gone - everything almost totally gone and now I know the Mirena was the cause of all of my problems. I am sooooo glad that it is gone!!! I feel wonderful again!!

I had my Mirena removed three days ago and I already feel like if my life is back. I had Mirena since January of 2006 and I had been feeling like another woman for the last six months...The horrible side affects included: Lower back pain, fatigue, depression, cloudiness, slurred speech, rapid heart rate, thinning hair, high blood pressure and the list goes on.....I can't thank one of my co-workers enough for opening up my eyes to take this thing out of me....Of course the doctor told me that the Mirena had nothing to do with the way I was feeling, but I decided to have it removed anyways. He sent me to do some bloodwork, so I did this morning...He's blaming the way I felt on my thyroid....I'll keep you posted....No matter what.... I am glad the Mirena is out!!!

I have visited this site frequently after going through my own mirena hell. I had it removed today and thought I would finally chime in so as to help others.
37 years old, 2nd child born 12/22/07, 6 week postpartum checkup I was 12 lbs lighter than before I got pregnant, had mirena put in, in the past 5 months I've had: 15 pound weight gain, bloated stomach, insatiable appetite, acne on neck, face, and back, ovary pain, constant spotting/bleeding, extreme moodiness (quick to anger, no patience). I had reported these increasing symptoms 2 times to my ob who said the first time to give it a little longer, and the 2nd time to try Necon birth control pills for a month. The pill only exacerbated my problems. She was understanding when I had it removed today. Strangely enough, she said of the hundreds she's inserted hardly anyone has it removed due to symptoms. She said it would probably take 3-4 weeks for me to feel better and possibly 3 months for my periods to become regular. Someone posted earlier about it tricking your body into thinking it's pregnant. When I read that I totally related as two times as well these past months I've taken a pregnancy test because that's how I felt.

4 weeks post removal of Mirena. I have a question, and I am gonna try to not be so blunt, but I want to know if anyone else is having the same thing...intercourse and more so "inner" foreplay is a bit uncomfortable/painful, almost like the way it felt when the Mirena was in...anyone else having this problem? I have my yearly exam coming on June 5th and this is an issue I am defiantly gonna touch on. I'm just wondering if it damaged my cervix?!

Me again...another update...and another question.

So I am now 10 days post-removal. Still no weight loss and still have the acne. My skin appeared to have been clearing up a few days back...then I'm right back where I started. My moodiness seemed to improve...then I woke up this morning just as emotional as ever. I continue to work out like crazy...and on top of 6 evening workouts every week, I also try to get up early and have added in additional morning workouts 2-3 times per week. And still not 1 pound lost. I still look 6 months pregnant. My legs still get swollen in the evenings, but not as severe as they had. And I still feel like I was hit by a bus: I just ache all over, all the time. I had the one period which started on day 2 and ended on day 5...nothing since. So I contacted the previous caregivers I had seen, my midwives, and explained to them what has been going on since last year. (This is the group that first put me in touch with my current OBGYN due to some irregular paps I had several years ago.) So the nurse listens and agrees that my concerns are valid but, as they are a "sister-site" with the jerk GYN, she recommended to call a completely different practice for a 2nd opinion consult. So now I have an appointment with another GYN...but not until the middle of June.

My question is that in reading these posts, it seems like most of you who have this removed are noticing drastic improvement and results within days and weeks. I know this may take time to improve totally over the next few months, but I feel like I should have at least seen something get better by 10 days after! Is anyone else out there having no relief even after removal? I'm almost getting paranoid to the point of wondering if he even took it out of me!

Sorry to vent...thanks for all your support.

I thank you all more than you could ever know. Reading these posts has made me feel so much better and I can now clearly put things together. I now know that I am NOT crazy and my husband was right - this thing is the cause of all my symptoms. The abdominal pain, the headaches, nausea (who wants to feel pregnant all the time???) the terrible skin (I have always been proud of my flawless complexion, even without make-up) the numbness in my fingers and toes, the moodiness and lack of desire to do ANYTHING, much less sex, the 4 month long period I have been having. I have gone from a super-social entertainer to almost a hermit who doesn't want company or to go anywhere, and just wants to sleep all day.
I am having it taken out today in an hour and a half. I pray I get back to normal soon. My marriage and work performance has been suffering terribly since I had this thing put in 4 months ago.
Has anyone else had a problem with the skin on their hands and feet peeling and cracking? This is a new symptom with started last week and is getting worse. Been taking antihistamines (2 types, once daily each) and no help. I knew it would be because I use the same products I have been using for many many years but gave it a shot anyway. My hands hurt so bad. Just curious to see if anyone else had this problem.
Can't wait to get this out.

Hello,
I was reading the information you posted about the side effects you were having from mirena. I too have been having problems-40 lb weight gain in 5 months and extreme hives/welts with joint pain. I called the FDA in Florida go to there website and they sent me a packet-also would love to get involved in a class-action lawsuit. I have since contacted a Class-action lawyer by the name of Justin Wikin 850-916-7450 to procede with a lawsuit email me with questions if needed
******

Amaya A.

I have had my Mirena for about 4 months. I have had the most uncomfortable breasts for about a month now, they have increased a full cup size (from D to DD). This wouldn't be so bad except for the fact that I can't even take my bra off because they are so sore. Has anyone else has this happen? I really don't want to have it removed it was bad enough getting it put in. Does anyone know if the symptoms will go away eventually? I do agree with you all that have said, if I didn't know better I would think I was about 3 months pregnant!! What's up with this stuff?

Hello I am 25 years old and just had the Mirena inserted April 4th 2008. I just gave birth to a beautiful son January 14th of 2008. I thought the Mirena would be a great idea for birth control since I am living with my boyfriend and I didn't want any unwanted pregnancies. I have never been on an form of birth control before besides condoms. During my pregnancy I would say that I was highly emotional and had a very difficult time, but I think it was due to the pregnancy being unplanned and it being a very dramatic life-changing experience. I'm not sure if I had post partum..because it seemed as though everything I was going through was normal. The insertion went swimmingly for me, probably because I just had a baby. It wasn't too painful, just felt like period cramps. However this past week, I have felt so sick and tired I'm just wondering if the Mirena could be the cause. I didn't bleed right after insertion too much, but I am still bleeding. Not heavy, just enough to be annoying and to ruin my underwear. I think there was a day when all of a sudden I felt very nauseous. This past week since Monday, on and off I have had flu like symptoms where I haven't been able to keep any food in my stomach. I developed a rash on my face Monday of this week,which is now still there but is going away. and now I can't seem to come up with enough energy to go throughout my day. This is difficult because i have a 3 month old and I'm trying to take care of him at the same time. All i want to do is sleep, I have severe headaches that make me want to close my eyes and sleep with no light in the room. I am also breastfeeding. My doctor knows this...but it mentions in the pamphlet to let your doctor know...and I'm wondering is that a problem? As far as the emotional part goes, I've felt like my life has ended...very dramatic, depression symptoms to the point where I've thought of suicide at least 5 times this week. Crying, wailing, not feeling good about myself at all. It's awful. My boyfriend thinks its the Mirena and told me to look it up online. I'm glad I did because it seems like other people have the same symptoms. It also says side effects can last up to 6 months. I don't know if I should wait that long because I just got it, for the side effects to go away..but I think I will just as long as I know in my mind that I'm having side effects and I'm not really a crazy woman.

SO HAPPY to have found this forum. I had been having ALL of the symptoms already mentioned here, except that I actually lost weight(maybe from the stress the damned little demon was putting me through). Anyway I had been searching various health sites about all this stuff, and just on a whim decided to google mirena side effects because I did not remember there being very much listed in the brochure or much mentioned by my obgyn, but because I was so foggy headed all the time, thought I may have forgotten something....well as you all know, none of this was brought to our attention prior to insertion and I actually googled Mirena b4 having it put in, and never found any info like this. That was in May 07...so I got mine out April 9th, 08 started my period 4 days later, and still fluctuating between heavy down pours and spotting after 6 days. ?'s for anyone who had theres out....how long b4 you saw improvements on problems....especially acne, moodiness and my worst thing has been excruciating joint and back pain every day....but I want to know about any of the symptoms and how long b4 they got better. Hang in there girls and give yourselves a big pat on the back for dealing with this mess and having the courage to make your voices heard. Thank-you for listening.

Well here is the male point of view. My spouse had her Mirena inserted Monday 4/14 like the FDA website says she had cramping and spotting. Literally the next day 4/15 the first mood swing hit. It did not matter what I did it aggravated her or annoyed her. Before the Mirena we were having sex 2-3 times a week. Zero sex this week. This morning 4/17 she reported her first bloating. She said she thought she had gas. What baffles me is most of the symptoms reported on this site are listed by the FDA as side effects common to more than 5% of test subjects. So why are your doctors telling you ladies this is all in your head? My spouse’s doctor said that Mirena was known for low weight gain, yet from the post that is like the number 1 common side effect. Am I every going to have sex again? Last night I did everything I could to seduce my spouse, flowers, wine, caressing, you know all those things men are not good at, and nothing....I got snubbed :-(
I'm going to give it some time but god I hope her case will be different. I'd rather wear condoms than deal with the moodiness. God forbid she gains weight (she just lost 15 lbs and that weighed heavy on her decision) that will throw her into a real mood.

Hello, I am getting Mirena inserted tomorrow evening. I am 32, mother of 2. Now that I have come across this website I am a bit nervous about all of the side effects I am reading about. I have been having serious problems with the pill over that past several months- bleeding/clotting for 2 weeks at a time, extreme moodiness and no sex drive to name a few. I will definitely keep an eye out for all of these symptoms everyone is talking about. I appreciate everyone's posting on this website. Thanks and I will definitely keep up on the postings on this site.

I just had my Mirena removed about 5 days ago due to SEVERE moodiness, no sex drive, skin problems and belly bloat. I should have known b/c I was never able to take bcp due to the hormones. I was wondering how long the side effects of the Mirena will last after having it removed. Does anyone know?

I had 2 c-sections back to back and I had so much complications with the patch in the past that I figured the natural choice was the IUD. I talked to my OB/GYN and he suggested the MIrena. I did a little research and talked to a few women who had it and htey seemed to like it, so I figured what the heck, might as well...

BIG MISTAKE!!! I had a lot of pain when the IUD was put in, but right away I started gaining weight. I gained 30 lbs and even with running 2 miles 4 times a day and doing other activities, I lost nothing. Additionally I started having my cycle for 2 weeks straight and had constant breast sensitivity and pain, back pain, pain in my lower abs, weakness in my joints, mood swings, NO SEX DRIVE WHAT-SO-EVER, gassy, bloated all the time, etc... Basically, you name the symptoms, I had them.

I finally had the Mirena removed on Thursday 19 Mar, 08 and I am so happy I did. I am seeing changes already, my body is in serious withdrawal though. I am tired and listless, sleepy and moody, but I am hoping these symptoms will soon past.

My advice to anyone wanting to get this IUD put in, think twice!

Can someone tell me how long it took for the symptoms to go away?

I am a 24 year old mother of two, a Four year old, and an 8 month old. I got Mirena inserted 10 weeks after the birth of my daughter. It sounded so appealing, just get it inserted and forget about it. Well it's been almost 6 months and I certainly haven't forgotten about it. I had constant bleeding when I first got it, I bled for two straight months. And more often then not since then. It is always unpredictable, so I usually either wear a tampon, or pantyliner, which is horrible. I have no idea when my menstrual cycle is anymore, and I always used to be like clockwork. Even when I'm not bleeding, I am having more discharge. I am always tender in my uterus, and quite often, I actually have contractions. It even hurts if my kids set on my lap too hard. I also have extreme moodiness, with feelings of guilt after outbursts. I haven't really gained weight, but I feel very bloated in my stomach. I have no energy, which I need with two kids. And about four months ago I broke out with eczema like rashes on my face. I never struggled with acne, and it never occurred to me until my mom suggested that it may be from the mirena. We don't think we want anymore children, but I feel like we are too young and it is too soon to do anything permanent. But I'm not sure if this is worth it. I have an appointment on April 2nd with my OB to discuss this, and I just might have it removed.

I can't figure out how come I can't lose any weight when I am exercising like a madwoman and making a huge effort to eat properly. My stomach seems to get BIGGER and BIGGER.. no matter what I do. I look pregnant!!! Nothing is comfortable except sweat pants. I've never had a problem losing weight in the past and I'm only 27 so I don't think its metabolism yet. I finally wondered if it was from my Mirena but I don't remember that being a side effect, so I googled 'side effects' and it brought me here. Now I definitely think it's from Mirena.

I also have had HORRIBLE depression and no energy, as if 24/7 PMS (except worse than PMS) and when I AM having real PMS it is absolutely crippling. I spoke with my doctor and she just put me on Prozac. The Prozac makes it go away... but I always thought it was strange to go on another medication instead of fixing the problem.

I've had the Mirena since September 2006 which is strangely enough right when I started gaining weight. I always thought it was because I also lost my job and was sitting around at home more often...

I didn't notice the depression being really bad until about a year into it... But looking back I do recognize some more than usual moodiness all along.
I was broken out a lot more on my face and back.. but I control that by using expensive skincare products. Luckily I live in a dry climate and I have dry skin so it is fairly easy to control.
I HAVE NO SEX DRIVE and I haven't in a long time. Sometimes being touched makes my skin actually crawl.
I sweat a lot more, I can't seem to keep from having B.O no matter how much deodorant I slather on. I took a shower last night at 5pm and woke up with B.O already. I've never had that problem before going on Mirena.

I have experienced nausea lately but it comes and goes.. and I figured it was the Prozac as that is listed as a side effect and it started right after I began that medication. So I'm not sure if that's from the Mirena or the Prozac.
I don't have stomach pains or dizziness or weird vision.

After reading this site I am definitely scheduling to have my IUD removed.

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 Mirena put in August of 2007 (my daughter was 3 1/2 years old and my son was nearing 1). At first I had a lot of discomfort and then the side effects began to set in: headaches, breakouts, itchy face, depression, no sex drive, extreme fatigue, and I think weight gain. My periods were pretty light but they lasted for weeks. I started being extremely moody and just felt rage boiling in me more and more each day. Now, I did end up switching my epilepsy medication about two weeks after I had the Mirena put in, so I can't be sure that these are all results of Mirena. Luckily, things started to change a little after the 3-month mark, my complexion was almost perfect, I had fewer headaches, I was more up-beat, my anger let up considerably. My sex drive never really came back, my periods got shorter but they were still like 2 weeks long and I got bad pms whereas I never really got it before. Even though I wasn't a raving bitch anymore, I still seemed to be more at risk for mood swings.

I'm now nearing the 6-month mark of having Mirena put in. The last few weeks I've been plagued with cold sores (I've had them ever since I was a kid, but I haven't really had any bad ones in the past 5 years) and my complexion has gone to crap overnight. I'm starting to get the angry feelings back and have started picking fights with my husband again. My pms symptoms seem to be getting worse every month and I seem to have more frequent fatigue and headaches.

My question is, has anyone had a recurrence like this? It seems like it's all happening again, but I can't be sure if it's the Mirena or not. I don't know if my short fuse has to do with the Mirena, my other medicine, or perhaps just long winter days with the kids giving me cabin fever. It seems like the same thing is happening again and I want to know if any others had their irritability continue for more than six months or had it reappear after it had waned for awhile. The past five years have been filled with pregnancy, post partum changes and different birth controls, so I'm not even sure what is normal anymore!

Thank God for the internet. Seriously.
I am really trying to give Mirena a fair trial, however, some of the side effects are worrying me.
I have been having hot flashes (I just turned 40), my mood swings are disturbing, and my breakthrough bleeding happens often without warning. I also have the weight gain. However, to be fair, I don't know that I can really attribute my weight gain to Mirena. This is pretty important; has anyone else out there experienced addiction feelings? To cigarettes? Alcohol? I have never had strong urges for drugs and alcohol, however, I have lately... Again, can you really say that Mirena is to blame?
The upside is that my periods are, blessedly, light. This is a definite upside for someone who had heavy periods. I also don't feel the strings, nor does my husband. After reading some of the postings on this site, that concerns me.
Thank you.
MaryKay

I had the Mirena put in a week ago. I think I'm having a laundry list of side effects, but two are a major concern for me: mood swings and odor down below. I stopped spotting five days after insertion but theres an odor that just doesn't smell like me. My sex drive is null and void. My breast hurt or itch depending on the day. Is anybody having the same issues esp. the odor issue? Thanks
stj

Mine was put in about a month and a half ago. I haven't stopped "spotting" since. I'm usually not one to complain of side effects and try to ignore them, but the moodiness is awful! My husband has been practically begging for me to get it removed. My skin has also broken out a lot more than normal. I think that healthcare professionals should really be more honest about the side effects. I'm getting it removed today. When I called my doctor's office and mentioned the emotional part, the nurse (which I love) kinda blew it off like it really wasn't caused by Mirena. I can't find another reason for it...
Didn't gain weight like a lot of other ladies, I actually lost a few pounds so I guess that's one good thing about it.

I've had Mirena for 4 1/2 years. A doctor in Australia recommended it to me since I was very sensitive to birth control pills and could not use them. Yes, it hurt the first 3 months, but no more than the years of painful cramps I got every month with my periods. Now I have no cramps, no periods, and none of the craziness that accompanies it. My doctor used a local anesthetic when she put it in, which sounds like it is the best way. I would recommend that to anyone considering having one put it. I just wanted to let people know that there are some people who have positive experiences with it. I have not experienced weight gain, acne, moodiness or loss of sex drive. But as we all know every womans body handles things a little differently!
I'm very lucky to have had it inserted in Australia because many American doctors will not give it to women who have not had children.

I had it inserted in June of 2005 by my family doctor. I couldn't believe how painful the insertion was -- I nearly passed out and afterwards I had to call for someone to pick me up and take me home. At first I had some irregular bleeding but this stopped after two or three months. Aside from the occaisional spotting, I was thrilled to find that I no longer got my period! I haven't had any problems with moodiness, whereas when I was on the pill I was very depressed. I do notice that I feel bloated a lot. I've been having problems with my skin (scarring acne on my chin, chest and back) and this is driving me crazy because I used to have absolutely perfect skin! I saw a doctor today about the acne and he prescribed anti-acne medication... but now I'm thinking I'd rather just get this IUD removed and see if it clears up on it's own...

I have had the Mirena IUD since January 2006, so for about 18 months. The insertion was HORRIBLE and painful. i was very unprepared for the pain, and had to call someone to come pick me up because I couldn't drive. Also had severe nausea and felt like I might pass out. For the first few months I had continuous bleeding/spotting. Even now, my cycles are very short and I will have spotting for two weeks at a time. I began having pain during the time of ovulation probably a year ago, and it has progressively gotten worse. I found out today that I have developed functional ovarian cysts as a result of the Mirena. They are harmless except for the pain, and are supposed to go away on their own. I will go back in 2-3 months to see how the cyst looks. If it is not gone, or I have more, I will likely have the Mirena removed. I have also experienced decreased sex drive, difficulty achieving orgasm, and moodiness, all of which have gotten progressively worse over time. I like the convenience of the Mirena, and was hopeful because of the low dose of hormones, but I am feeling more and more that it is not for me. I haven't ever been satisfied with any type of birth control though, so am not sure what I will do instead.

weight gain no matter how little I eat, moodiness, cramps, now 4months straight of continuous spotting, and my husband can feel it during sex.