Mirena and nausea

I gor the Mirena in February this year. About 3 wks after I noticed that my face was starting to break out really bad. I made an appt with my derm and he told me it was a onset of adult acne and gave me Retin A to use. I used it for about 6 wks and it never helped, the acne just continued to get worse and worse. He had switched my meds several times and nothing has seemed to help. I also started having lower abdominal pain went in to see my doctor said that I was just ovulating that it was nothing for me to be concerned with. The past 6 mths since my mirena I have had severe acne, lower abdominal pain, lower back pain, headaches really bad, weight gain and sometimes nausea. I have went to the doctor and nothing ever seem to help. I started researching the mirena because I realized all of this started happening since my Mirena was inserted. All of this side effects are side effects from the Mirena. I made appt for tomorrow at 1:30 to get the Mirena removed. I am 100% the Mirena is causing all of this. Has anyone else had the Acne and got the Mirena removed. How long did it take before your face started clearing up.. I am fed up with it, it has gotten to the point where I will not go anywhere because I am ashamed of my face....I will post in a couple of weeks after I get the Mirena taken out..Thanks
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I've had my Mirena since April of 2009. Since, I've gotten severe cramps, irregular bleeding, loss of sex drive and motivation, lack of energy, severe mood swings, and MAJOR hair loss. My hair loss probably started around August. When I went to 2 doctors neither one of them thought it was from that. They are still testing me for possibilities. I'm thinking that maybe it's time to have it removed.

hello, i got the mirena in 2007 and after i got it put in a few months went by and everything was fine. then i started getting sick in the mornings and i thought great this birth control sucks i am pregnant again. but that wasn't the case because i took test and it said no and then the docs told me that nausea was a side effect so i figured i would just leave it at that. but it only got worse i started getting really bad headaches, pain in my stomach, sick all day long, and for some reason i couldn't eat more then once a day but i would gain weight i was depressed and i felt like a complete piece of crap. it also made me gain weight i am 22 yrs old and i have never weighed over 130lbs even when i was pregnant during the 2 yrs i had the mirena i gained 15lbs my experience with the mirena was absolutely terrible if you ever got morning sickness that turned into all day sickness while you were pregnant this is exactly how the mirena made me feel bloated, painful and sick to my stomach i finally got the mirena removed because i just couldn't take it any more i have been off the mirena for 3 months now and i still can't eat much and it really bothers me i am hoping it gets better because i can't take much more of this. please let me know if anyone else experienced this!

32, mother of twins, had Mirena inserted first week of January 2009. Bad acne first 6 months on face, neck, and back. Good news was I hadn't had a period since February 2009 outside of spotting for 3 days as I used to bleed so heavily I'd get anemic. Outside of that I felt things were fine until 2-3 weeks ago. I got my first full-blown sinus infection. With it a headache that never went away even though I went completely through my antibiotics and cleared up the sinusitis. Then came the backache. I had to stop exercising thinking that was the cause. It would get so bad I would not be able to sit. Then came the nausea. I started googling up my symptoms, and made sure to list everything I was taking - even internally. Ta-da. Loads of people with similar problems, and some of them a lot worse. I really wanted Mirena to work, but I immediately called the doctor to get it out ASAP. That was yesterday, and the backache is being caused by a 2cm cyst on my right ovary - I've never had one to my knowledge, and if I have, it's never bothered me before this. After the Mirena came out, I didn't realize how bloated I was feeling! The headaches have stopped. The cyst should go away in about 8 weeks! DEFINITELY not right for everyone!

OMG!!!!! I am a Registered Nurse and still didn't know so many women (including myself) had these extreme side effects from this awful thing. I had a miscarriage back in March and chose Mirena as my birth control afterwards. Every since then I have felt like I was going (or already gone) insane. Like the original poster, I have EVERY SINGLE SIGN AND SYMPTOM!!!!! I haven't slept more than 2 hours at a time since, My bra size before was a 36C, I am now back up to 40E. Which is larger than they got after I had my son and was breast feeding him. I have the pregnant belly, mood swings from hell, hot flashes, off and on cramping (especially after sex), acne that has scared my face, bouts of awful depression, unable to concentrate on anything, lower back pain, nausea, and I always have this feeling that I'm pregnant. I also gained a whooping 25 lbs which is impossible since I had gastric bypass surgery 6 yrs ago. Just like many of you I stepped up the exercise and modified my already limited diet. I truly wish that I had stayed on Depo-Prevera. I plan on having this thing taken out of me this week. This awful "demon" needs to be taken off the market. I guess all of us that have had these extreme side effects need to be on the look out for a class action lawsuit. No woman should have to go through what all of us have been through. To those of you that have already had it removed: Did you lose all the weight that was gained after the Mirena placement? If so, how long did it take??? I'm so ready to be normal again!!

I have had palpitations, racing heart, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue and nausea since I had the IUD inserted over a week ago - Ive been through a whole heap of tests and they have all came back fine. Im wondering if Im reacting to the hormone in it?? as I haven't taken the pill before either. If the symptoms don't go away Im having it removed but I think the most frustrating thing is being told they don't know whats wrong with you and you thinking it's all in your head :( I am post baby but I was feeling well before the Mirena - not so well since...

I am amazed to see so many woman going through the same things I am. I really do feel like I have been going crazy with my doctors. Since I have been on the Mirena I have experienced, weight gain, depression, nausea, excessive tiredness, cramps in my uterus and breast tenderness. I also have a hard time sexually. I cant seem to get wet either. Although my sex drive is there I still can get wet. I also have lost hair on my head and have started getting hair on my face. YUK!!!!!!Since I have been on thr Mirena for the past 2 years I have maintained my weight but have lost nothing. I am going to get it taken out really soon, since my husband was nice enough to get a vasectomy. Hopefully these mood swings and tiredness will go away.

Migraines, weight gain, dizziness, depression, no sex drive, some what of an odor and discharge, spotting, numbness and tingling in my hands and feet, nausea, mood swings, tired a lot.

i'm so glad i found this site. i cant sleep without meds. my headache is constant. the cramps for no reason. the nausea every time i eat. i cant lose weight and my breast are always sore. i'm getting this thing out of me asap.

My little sister has gotten pregnant with the Mirena inside. They don't know if it is tubular or not. I just found out that not only will she probably miscarry, but she could get a dangerous infection or die. If you're considering using Mirena don't. Out of the all the women to use this product my sister won the UNLUCKY LOTTERY.

This product was awful from the beginning. First it got put in, painfully so, then it fell out, then it had to be put back in, and months later she gets pregnant with it inside. She probably will miscarry, or the baby could come of deformed if the Mirena pokes and jabs the baby from the inside. It could pop the sac early and it could be dangerously premature.

Do you want to have sex SOOOO bad that you would risk going through this? You could die, this product will miscarry your baby if you get pregnant while using it, and obviously it moves around too much. It lets sperm get through anyway.

SIDE EFFECTS: Miscarriage, headache, nausea, stomach pains, sadness/depression, surgery, infection, severe pain, heartache, loss, anger, emotional distress, and the list goes on.

Don't use this product. Use regular birth control pills, condoms, and abstinence- whatever it takes except this product. It's practically another form of abortion because this product lets you become pregnant and then it kills it. Don't risk your life or your baby's.
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Thank the Lord that I found this site.
I was up until 2 AM last night searching for answers.
My doctors insist that there is nothing wrong with me. I was starting to think that I was crazy.
I am 33 and had my Mirena put in in May 2008 after having my fourth child. I did a lot of research and talked to a lot of doctors before deciding that this was the right birth control for me. Not once did I run across any of the side effects that I have in all of my previous research.
Since then I have had headaches, nausea, bloating, gas, back pain, fatigue (severe now), moodiness, tingling in my arms, hands, legs and feet, weight gain, and now this strange sensation of fluttering in my belly.
I have taken a dozen pregnancy tests over the last few months. I could swear that I am pregnant. Of course they have all come out negative.
I want to get this out of me NOW. I wish that I could do it myself. The doctor that does the IUD's at my clinic only comes in a few days a month. I wonder how long I am going to have to wait until I can get it removed ? !!!
To be honest I would rather have baby number 5 instead of dealing with all of these side effects any longer. Even my husband agrees.
Thank you all so much for being honest and getting your stories out in the open.
If I hadn't of found this site, I would have kept on trudging along with this dang IUD in and being miserable.
I am all for a lawsuit against Mirena. Women need to be aware of these possible side effects.
I am going to call the clinic first thing Monday morning to setup an appointment for removal. I will try to post as things move forward.
Once again thank you all from the bottom of my heart for being so honest. I wish you all the best of the luck.

Had my Mirena put in about 4 weeks ago. I feel like I am sick ALL the time. I have had every symptom mentioned and then some. Severe nausea, indigestion, headaches, fatigue, mood swings, hot flashes, depression, lack of sex drive, achiness, dizziness, anxiety, loss of appetite, and excessive sweating and hot flashes. My husband also says it irritates him when we have sex. I did a good bit of research before getting the Mirena, and never realized any of these side effects could happen. The Mirena website doesn't mention any of these other than headache. The doctor made it sound wonderful, and I just never thought I would feel like this. I almost feel like I am pregnant again, but I know I am not. It is horrible! I have an appointment in 4 days for my Mirena check up, and I am going to have it removed then. Please do your research before getting the Mirena! I am glad I found this site. Now I realize I am not the only one.

I had my Mirena inserted yesterday afternoon during a hysteroscopy. The procedure went fine, and other than some cramping (and bleeding - which I knew would happen), last night I was feeling fine.

I woke up this morning with the absolute worst migraine headache I have ever experienced. I believe the nausea and dry heaving I've been experiencing all day are from this huge headache. So far, I am not impressed with Mirena - I wish I had found this website prior to my surgery. Although I'm not entirely sure at this point whether my migraine is due to the Mirena, or the anesthesia from my surgery. My doctor was VERY high on Mirena, and basically talked me into it. I went to her with the intention of having a robotic-assist hysterectomy. I have three children (and don't want any more), and have severely heavy periods - I get anemic every month. She seemed to indicate that she'd like me to try the Mirena first, and if it doesn't work out, then the hysterectomy. With three small kids, I don't think I can withstand the months and months of side affects that I have read on this site.

Hi!I'm a 34 year old mother of 3.This is funny my husband and some of his co-workers where talking today about their wifes moods and menstrual cycle anyways to make a long story short he was talking to one of them comparing notes about the mirena and the one man was telling how his wife was having all these mood swings, put on weight, the cramping,depression,nausea,headache and been tried all the time.So my loving husband calls me and tells to check in on the mirena.So here I'm,I thought it was all in my head.I've had this in me for 7 months.I can't lose any weight i exercise eat right and the mood swings they suck and the odor(i can't stand it)the cramping is so bad i can't take and i had three babies with no drugs.So I'm glad my husband said something or I wouldn't be here right now.I know I'm not crazy now.I'm calling the doc in the morning to have it remove and he told me to wait a couple of more months he can kiss my......thanks

If you experience migraines, and you are like me and never had a headache your entire life. My advice is to call your doctor and have a brain scan.

I CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT WEEK TO HAVE THIS HORRIBLE THING REMOVED!!! I had MIRENA inserted on August of 2009, during A DNC procedure. I have since felt severe cramping with horrible nausea and vomiting. Some mornings it was impossible to get out of bed. I also have bad headaches, and am tired ALL THE TIME!!! I thought I was going crazy but now I know I am making the right decision. I have been to the ER 4 times since, every time they say have it removed. I also have had extreme hair loss, would pull 2 hand fulls of hair out everyday. My bath tub has clogged up so much, and now I know why. The pain is horrible the mood swings are horrible and my family deserve to have me back, being like this and raising 3 small kids has been a nightmare, and my poor husband!!! I want my life back and they should stop pushing this horrible thing on unsuspecting woman who just want some help.....

hi im 23 years old and i just got my mirena taken out this morning after having side effects that i couldn't take anymore. i had nausea, stomach pains, bad mood swings, and lots of depression. cried cuz of the stomach pain. and now that i got it out i still feel the bad stomach pain. don't know if i should go to the emergency room.i hope to god these side effects don't stay with me now that i got it removed. i also have crohns disease which makes my stomach hurt just not as bad as i have now. i still feel emotional, cramps and moodiness. there should be a lawsuit out for this. i never felt so much pain.

well i had the mirena inserted 8 weeks after i had my 2nd baby,which was was may 14th 2009,i felt fine tell about 6 weeks ago,i started having pain in the center of my chest rite below my breasts,went to the doctor he said it was inflammation,he gave me naproxen,which didn't help at all,went back to the doctor,still couldn't find anything wrong,the pain has spread to the left side rite below my breasts,now im having anxiety attacks every day,tired all the time,headaches,backaches,nausea,weight gain,hair loss,the doctor said i have bacteria vagionous,gave me flagyl ive been taking for 5 days now,i told my doctor at my last doctors visit i thought all this was from mirena and i wanted it removed,he told me to wait a few days to see if the flagyl worked,it hasn't so far,i have a doctors appt. tomorrow and im gona tell him to remove the mirena.i feel the mirena is causing all of this,i guess i will see.i just want to be myself again!

i had my mirena inserted February 2009 for the first 2weeks i bled heavy,had abdominal pain and a bloated stomach as time went on it got better but now i get a brown discharge which is horrible and i feel nausea often. i don't know what todo as ive had the pill and fell pregnant and i also fell pregnant on the implant,the injection made my bones weak and i really don't want anymore children two's enough for a 20yr old.

I have had Mirena for 18 months now. I love it. I have had no side effects that you all are describing. I have 4 friends that switched and all love it and only one had to have a follow up to have the strings shortened.

As far as the weight gain, ladies, let’s be honest. We are not 18 anymore and as we get older it is only going to become more difficult to keep weight off. Blaming it on a B/C....lets think about that last chocolate bar we ate because we were busy carting the kids off to a sports practice HMMM....
With any drug comes side effects, headaches, nausea, and some other terribly worse, but lets again be honest, all of these were pointed out in the literature available.

I just thought I would take the time to write my support as this does work and work well for some women, just not all, same as any other form of B/C.

Hi, I am a mother of 2, and not quite 23 years old and got the Mirena inserted at my 6 week check up after having my second. I read all the literature that the Dr. gave me and I was sure that Mirena was the right thing for me (no where in the brochures did I read anything about the symptoms Ive read about here or anywhere else on the internet). I started having incredibly horrible mood swings, bloating, fatigue, nausea (sooo bad, every day) back pain, neck pain, no sex drive (!!!), depressed, lazy, headaches (to the point where I thought my head was going to explode), constantly hungry, acne, smelled maple syrup constantly, complaining all the time about everything, weight gain (only 7 lbs but I just had a baby, I need to lose weight, and I'm nursing),chest pain, and some other symptoms but the most important one is the stomach pain i was having. The pain in my stomach felt like a knife, and I kept having pain in my right side. So after a few days of this pain I went to the dr. he ordered an ultrasound of my abdomen and I am scheduled to get that done Wednesday. My doctor thinks that I may have gallbladder disease or something else seriously wrong with me that we suspect is induced by the Mirena. Keep in mind that I've had this thing in me for about 4 months!!! So after my doctors appointment I typed into google "side effects from Mirena" and Omg, I wish that I had done that before I got the thing inserted, those brochures about the Mirena make it seem like a Godsend and I am all for a lawsuit due to the problems I am having and the depression Ive felt. My 3 year old has suffered from my mood swings, every time id feel it coming I had to make her go to her room :( that poor girl deserves to have a mother that is not so depressed and ill that she can actually play, and both of them deserve that really, and im doing the best I can.... anyways I removed it myself yesterday, i had a hard time finding it but I took it out and I feel as if a huge burden has been lifted, EXCEPT I have been cramping very bad, spotting and incredibly sick, i also read about this thing called "the mirena crash" no matter how long you've had it in, if the hormones were in your system then you are effected and can feel very ill from it (and it can happen to women who had no problems while on it at all, even after 5 yrs). Im hoping that I have nothing wrong at my doctors appt on Wednesday when I get the ultrasound, and it may just be a cyst, turns out that is a side effect of mirena as well, that and bleeding the first several months (oh yeah, I did for about 2 months maybe 10 weeks altogether) Im also hoping that my daughter whom I am nursing is not sick as well :/

oh and for anybody out there thinking that the only women gaining weight are fat to begin with, well I am usually 105 lbs, after my baby I weighed 145, lost some weight, went down to 130ish gained it all back then some, losing weight is easy for me because I diet and exercise like I should, now I am doing all that and nursing a child.... and hello weight, when it really should be goodbye... well goodbye mirena I WONT miss you!!!!

HI, i have had my coil for almost four years. I had it inserted in October 2005, 4 months after my first son was born. it wasn't really painful but felt a bit weird like someone was opening an umbrella inside my uterus. Anyway since then (the past 2 years in particular) i have had crazy moon swings, my breasts are almost always tender, i have a really offensive discharge(which is awful) no libido! my poor husband. i never really had this problem before having the coil. i am quite depressed, cry spontaneously, am irritable and have little patience. when im due on i have really bad lower back pain, stabbing pains in my sides, nausea, bloating, and constipation. but the most recent one is acne! i don't get spots( maybe one when im on but not one every day!) they are mostly on and around my jaw and chin. i feel like a kid again, im 28! my confidence has suffered and i have put on about a stone in the last 6 months. i also get almost constant stomach pains, mostly just under my diaphragm and get heartburn with most foods i eat. i have very light and irregular periods but always get all the pre-period symptoms. the most awful ones are the acne and bad odor. has anyone else experienced bed odor? i also feel tired all the time and just want to sit and do nothing. i don't feel productive at all and have lost my desire to be productive. I am going to see my doctor this week so hopefully she will be able to shed some light on everything. i really want to get it taken out but am scared that i might fall pregnant again. i have one beautiful son but don't really want anymore children. should i put up with all these symptoms? anyway, will let you know how my appointment goes. take care and thanks for making me feel better and not so alone!

I had to re-add my original post as it was deleted.. did not realize that personal information (e-mail) should be put in the post. It has now been 3 days since I have had the Mirena taken out. I feel about a 20% increase in my energy.. My hair is no longer falling out in the areas that I would normally be able to gently touch and pull out about 30-40 hairs..and my skin already is starting to calm down even though that was not really that bothersome to me. I must say that my OB is wrong. It was the Mirena. I did not expect my hair to stop falling out so soon, but I am certainly not complaining. I will continue to monitor and advise through posting so hopefully that will give some High expectations to others who were having the same problem.

I have to say to the ones who are noting that they have not had any problems with Mirena that I too did not have any real issues for over a year. I got it in 4/30/08. Maybe 2 months later I noticed the hair and skin being oily.. was no big deal to me.. felt I could deal with that. Then I noticed fatigue and heart palpitations that I forgot to mention as a side effect (every now and then maybe 5 months later). And then around the same time I noticed my feet tingling and my hands on one occasion turning bright red with my veins bulging.. at that point I started to research Mirena.. read some posts.. but didn't think that was my problem. June of this year is when I noticed and nickel sized bald spot on the right side of my head. Because my hair is long and pretty thick I could Hide it and thought I had better get this out of me. I couldn't right away because I have a high deductible on my insurance. Well I just got it out this past Thursday because I found 2 more spots that could be considered 4 because of the pattern of balding.. so Please pay attention to your body. I do agree with my OB that it is probably not the medication.. I think my body was reacting to having the actual device in it and was recognizing it as a foreign object and was trying to fight it off..causing an autoimmune response. As I mentioned.. my hair is no longer falling out.. the only thing that changed was me taking the Mirena out. Please pay attention to your bodies because I don't think the side effects happen all at once. I am just happy that it seems that it has compromised my hormonal balance and hasn't caused any thyroid issue.. but I have a doctors appointment with my PC to get further testing done just to be sure. If any of my symptoms reappear or my hair begins to fall out again.. I will update. !!

cannot believe how many stories I have read about mirena and hair loss etc..etc.. etc.. I have experienced many of the side effects that everyone is mentioning.. I actually feel I could live with most of them if it weren't for the hair loss. I have had ( copying from other post.. ridiculous right?)Tired all the time
~ Depression
~ Hungry all the time
~ leg cramps
~ HAIR LOSS TO THE POINT OF BALDING IN SEVERAL AREAS
~ oily skin and bad breakouts
~ Mood swings (huge...yelling fits at my husband and the kids)
~ fluttering in uterus
~Sore breasts..

I have medium thick hair that is about 10 inches. I noticed a bald spot in June and now have discovered 4-5 others starting. I just had the iud removed today and my OB pretty much tried to convince me that there is no way that the IUD is causing my issues. I have never had any of these issues before. I got the Mirena on 4/30 of 08 and noticed slowly but surely all of the side effects mentioned. My OB told me that the progesterone could not be causing my issues because it is such a small dosage that it would be comparable to spitting in the ocean as far as the amount that is in my blood stream. She said because I am black and 35 that I may have an autoimmune disorder and that I should stop reading blogs. I told her that all of my research wasn't from a blog and that ALOPECIA is a side effect just not mentioned in my pamphlet that I can find. I understand what she is saying and that she is the one that is the doctor, but nobody knows my body better than I do.. I am in it!! I have never had any problems and have been healthy my entire life. There is no history of autoimmune disease in my family. I am going to my primary care doctor.. to have some blood tests done. I think that the mirena has caused an autoimmune response in my body.. it may not necessarily be the progesterone..although I don't rule it out no matter what she says . the progesterone is synthetic and has an androgynous like activity that is similar to testosterone the main thing that causes male pattern baldness. also Mirena is made out of Silicone.. perhaps those of us that are having hair loss are having it due to our body trying to fight off the foreign invader of the IUD itself. I was going to go and have the Paragard inserted.. because i was thinking it may just be the progesterone.. nope... I read that many women are complaining of ACNE and HAIRLOSS even with that because its made out of copper. So with that being said.. not sure what to do.. may have to go back on Yasmin.. didn't seem to have any problems with that.. I really just don't want to risk putting another hormone in my body.. We all need to get together and look into a class action suit because I am tired of being made to feel crazy by doctors.. sometimes what seems to not be possible is .. especially when there are so many women having the same problem. Feel free to e-mail me re: a class action suit.. if they took depo off Mirena needs to come of too. It seems like it has really screwed a lot of peoples system up.. Hopefully I won't find out I know have a thyroid problem etc.. etc.. ******e-mail me with Mirena in the subject line!!

I've had my Mirena for almost 3 years now, and I'm contemplating having it out. I didn't know that some of my symptoms could be linked to it, but after reading this, I have the same story as many of you.
It's been awesome having no periods, and it's nice not to worry about birth control, but I'm not sure if it's worth the side effects.
I've recently had such bad anxiety and depression that I've been seeing a therapist and have been prescribed antidepressants (I am not taking any right now because I did not like the side effects of Lexapro). There is really nothing in my life right now that should be depressing me (just got married, doing my "dream job"), so perhaps the Mirena is to blame.
I've also had a terrible time sleeping lately (for the past several months). I used to sleep like a baby. Now, I'm beginning to have to rely on sleeping drugs, and I hate that.
I've always suffered from lower back pain, but you'd think my new memory foam mattress would be helping. It's not.
I've also been super tired lately, and have had bouts of random nausea. Strangely, I also cannot handle my caffeine anymore. I used to drink tea all day, but now one cup is my limit before my head feels like it's going to explode.
Besides all that, probably the worst part is my dead sex drive. I KNOW there used to be a time when I wanted to have sex, but I can barely remember it. Being 26 and newly married is a shitty time to have no sex drive. Besides my not being thrilled about sex in the first place, it sometimes hurts! It's like the Mirena is stabbing me!

All of my symptoms have been around for approximately the past year. When I first had the Mirena put in, it hurt like HELL! I have never had a baby, so I'm sure it hurt extra for me to have it put in, but I swore right then and there that I'd never get another one put in, no matter how well it worked. A few weeks later, during one of my last periods, I passed a HUGE blood clot. Like, the size of a walnut. I mentioned this to my doctor several times, but it never seemed to concern her. The periods eventually went away (yes!!), and everything seemed to be good for several months before my current symptoms began showing up. I'm wondering why I would just be seeing the symptoms now (they started about a year after I had it put in), and not right after insertion.
Luckilly, I have not had any problems with weight gain. I've always lost a lot of hair around the house, so I'm not sure I can blame that on the Mirena. I did have some weird acne, though, in places I've never had it before (back, chest).

This thing hurt soooo much to have it put in; I'm wary of having it taken out now. I hear that it doesn't hurt nearly as much to have it taken out. Can anyone confirm this?

Also, a side note: my friend had one for a couple of years before it became lodged in her uterus and she had to have it surgically removed.

has anyone else had blurry vision,headache nausea after about 3 weeks after taking mirena out?

I just want to reply to you and everyone else who is having difficulty with doctors acknowledging mirena side effects. I work in pharmaceutical research and what people need to understand is that clinical trials only test on samples of about 5,000 patients and the side effects observed in those people are the ones acknowledged in the literature your doctors are referring to. The problem with that is for a drug sample population to statistically represent the actual US population it would have to be at least 30,000 people. This is not feasible even for the most profitable big pharma companies. So once these drugs get to market, there are inevitably going to be people experiencing side effects not reflected in clinical trials.

That said, I had Mirena put in 6 weeks after giving birth to my son in August 2008. Pre-preg I weighed 132, at 9 months I was 173. I left the hospital weighing 152. When i got mirena inserted i had been loosing slowly due to breastfeeding, but I was loosing and weighed 145. By Christmas 2008 I weighed 155. So I started working out, circuit training 45 minutes, 5 days a week, and eating much healthier for 6 weeks. Like others assuming it was a change in lifestyle, stress whatever. I didn't loose a pound. After no success I cut down to less intense workouts but kept eating well. By June 2009 I was 163. At 132 lbs pre-preg at 5'4" I never worked out, I'm not kidding, ever and I was not a healthy eater, I just wasn't a big eater.

So August 10th 2009 at 168 lbs and fed up, I went to the doctor to have it removed. They insisted it was not the mirena, but if for no other reason I had to find out for myself why I could not loose weight, if i was still overweight afterwards then so be it, but I had to know.

I'm glad to announce that today September 21st, I have "inexplicably" lost 21 pounds in counting. I have not worked out like I did in those six weeks, brisk walks at the most,and I have continued eating healthy. I'm not advising anyone on what to do, I just know when I was contemplating getting this thing removed, I wanted to hear from someone who had actually gotten it removed. Also, I did not the emotional or dermatological side effects others described.

I had mirena put in in Oct 08. My symptoms are: dizziness, sweating, nausea, (these symptoms can be mild and brief (seconds); or last a few minutes. I had severe dizziness in May and June of 2009. I also get acne on my shoulders, neck, face, and my T zone is very oily (especially my forehead). I am using good acne products to try to combat this problem, but I continue to have a problem. Some of my acne is like welts and I even have this going on on my scalp. I wrecked my car in December 2008. At that time I was very foggy headed. I blamed the foggy headedness on being stressed and overworked. I am 40 years old. My children are 10 and 13, therefore I know my symptoms are not post pregnancy. Today, I questioned if I wasn't going through early menopause. My doctor said this mirena would be wonderful and that after six months I would not have a period anymore. I have a period every two weeks. My periods are very light, but I still have them every two weeks, and they last for two weeks. I have been wondering if my body will adjust, and if I will eventually get to this heavenly place of now periods and bliss?

I am 26 years old with two kiddos.
It has been 4 weeks since the removal of my Mirena (it was in for a little over a year). So far, no more dizziness, nausea, joint pain, nor cramping. I made a list of all of my symptoms so that I can check them off when they disappear. Symptoms that I am still suffering from are: Eczema (fingers, arms, elbows, legs), tired, acne, cloudy thinking, moody, not much of a sex drive (but getting better), emotional, no patience, hard to focus, having and overwhelmed feeling...like I can't multi-task and handle lots of different things at once, just having no desire to clean up around the house...kind of and "I don't care" attitude. None of these symptoms were in my life prior to Mirena. I really hope these go away in the NEAR future!! I heard about the Mirena "crash", I don't think that I experienced that, just the same stuff with some symptoms vanishing. Best of luck to all and God Bless!

How interesting that I find this information out now. I had my third child at 39 in 2005 and have always suffered from bad periods. I was talked into having a mirena inserted and thats where my story begins. I was told that I would have spot bleeding for about 3 months - after 9 months of continual periods I was well and truly over it as was my partner. I went to my gp who order an ultra sound. This showed it had moved and was sitting sideways and would have to be surgically removed. The side effects were herendous for me and still are after having it taken out two years ago. Not only did I have my periods for 10 months non stop, I had continual nausea, migraines (which I had suffered previously but not to the extent I was having them), massive weight gain, fluid retention, the worst pms which was constant and so so aggressive towards everyone I came in contact with. My sex drive went out the door and my relationship started to fail. My hair also started to fall out in handfuls and still does to this day and my skin was always so dry. I was also constantly tired and had very little energy. Two years ago I went in to to have the mirena surgically removed and at that time I also had an oblation and my tubes tied. The oblation worked for about 6 months but my periods are worse than they have ever been and thats because now Im told Im pre-menopausal!!! I still have the occasional migraine, my hair still falls out in handfuls and my skin is still really dry. My sex drive is starting to come back (thank god). I thought all these crazy symptoms would go away once this horrible mirena was taken out but it seems they're here to stay. I now see a psychologist every week trying to get my aggression back under control which is working well. I wish I had known about all these symptoms prior to having the mirena - I might still be with my partner instead of being single. My advise to anyone wanting permanent contraception - get your tubes tied and stay right away from mirena.

Oh Mirena..... how i wanted you to work so badly.... But alas, you have failed me.

I got the Mirena IUD inserted in February of 2009. The insertion was terribly painful, but my doctor had warned of that since I haven't had any children and I would have a smaller uterus than women who had. The pain and nausea caused by the insertion went away within 8-12 hours. For the first three months, it did everything it was supposed to do: normal periods, no weight gain, no (new) mood swings, effective contraception... Beginning on day 1 of the fourth month, things went crazy. I have had 10 periods in 6 months, some lasting about 8 days and starting again 7-8 days later. I had a two day long migraine (I've never had one before this). I have been unbelievably moody, have experienced an extremely decreased sex-drive, bloating, exhaustion, the list goes on.

So when I couldn't take it anymore, I went to the doctor and the strings were no where to be found. Then I went for an ultrasound and sure enough, the Mirena had relocated itself between my cervix and rectum........... Not to mention, there's a 4.5cm cyst on one of my ovaries. The next step is a laparoscopy (procedure where the enter through the belly button) to retrieve the Mirena and check out the cyst.

I thought Mirena was going to be such a dream, but it's turned out to be a nightmare. I never had any adverse side effects from the pill in the 6 years I used it prior to Mirena and now I wish I had never switched. I know people that it's worked for without trouble, but unfortunately I was not that lucky. Like most of you, I had researched more than I felt necessary and read all the negative side effects others experienced, I just hoped that wouldn't happen to me. I'm not telling anyone not to get it, I would just advise that you don't switch to Mirena if you have something that is working properly. It's simply not worth it (financially, physically or emotionally).

so about one month ago i had my mirena put in but every since then i have noticed the changes in my mood i am emotional i am angry like sometimes i honestly feel like the excercise sorry if i spelled that wrong you all know what i mean, but my fiance tells me your crazy i think your should see a therapist but after reading other side effects i finally have convinced myself maybe its the mirena,but however my obgyn told me that the mirena did not contain any hormones but the iud did so i went with the mirena and im like what would have been the difference ive gained wait in the last week because i been so emotional i feel sick all the time and fatigue so i hope this is whats causing my crazy episodes and sick feeling i see my doc next Monday and i will half to talk to her something is just not write if any one can reply to my story and let me know if im crazy or is it my mirena thanks ladies .....

Hi all i have had Mirena in for about a month now. I just wanted to know how long will i be Nausea for? It has been horrible. Dont seem to be getting any help or answers. PLEASE help.

I never realized until now that my mirena was causing this stuff. I have had extreme dry mouth lately and depression, anxiety, not losing weight, a kind of shortness of breath, and dizziness, just to list some. I am getting this thing pulled out on the 24th and I hope all this crazy stuff will go away. I would much rather take the chance of getting pregnant than live like this. I am so glad I found this site and read all this. I thought I was going crazy and I thought something was really wrong with me!

I forgot too add a few side effects:
memory issues (obviously), terrible night sweats, nausea (though not vomiting) and a constant kind of angry feeling to the point of not being able to even look at my fiancee (which is so unfair, because he's so supportive) and lack of patience with my baby which is scaring me.
Also restless legs and feeling tired all the time with out being able to sleep,
constantly hungry but I get bored of the flavours very quickly.

Hello everyone,
Can I ask if anyone with type 1 diabetes has had any adverse effects wtih the Mirena in regards to blood sugar/ insulin?
Have just had one inserted a week ago and it is still painful and from reading these posts it is worrying that this pain won't go away.. but am wondering about the effect it has on me as a diabetic - doctors say next to no effect as it is a LOCAL hormone and so not circulating... but from these posts listing nausea, depression and weight gain, these are all side effects of hormones circulating the body.... Any one have any answers in regards to this?
Thanks

I had the mirena put in 4 days ago. Unlike most people, I have not had a baby before. My doctor told me that I was still able to get it. I had been on birth control for 12 years and felt like my body needed a break from the extra hormones in birth control pills. I was off birth control pills for 6 weeks and have never felt better up until I had Mirena inserted.. Getting the IUD put in was one of the most painful experiences I have ever had. Since I had not had a baby before, she actually had to dilate me to get it in. My cervix had not been stretched by a baby, so it was hard to get in! To top it off, I have been sick ever since.

For the first 2 days, I had horrible cramping, nausea and back pain. To top it off, when my husband and I had sex for the first time my husband could feel the threads from the mirena and he said it hurt like hell. The pain from the threads he described as fishing line hitting his penis. We tried different positions and it didn't work. Has anyone else had this same problem? I have also been sick to my stomach ever since I got it. I am also having trouble sleeping. I am truly considering calling my doctor to already have it removed already. I cannot live my life like this and it is greatly affecting our sex life!

I have had the Mirena IUD in since September of 2004 (after the birth of my second son). It is due to come out today. I am looking forward to this so very much. After having the IUD put in, my periods stopped completely. I have not had a period for five years. Yesterday I started bleeding, I guess due to the fact that the IUD is expired. I have also had some severe nausea (not sure if this is due to the IUD). I was doing really well before I had the IUD put in. I was not an angry, sad, or depressed person. However, I did notice that after the IUD was inserted I started to feel really down and out. I began to experience anxiety and was diagnosed with clinical depression. I have battled this for five years now and it has been really tough. I have tried different anti-depressants and just can't seem to get a hold on it. I asked more than one doctor if the Mirena IUD could contribute to depression and all of them told me NO. I am not convinced. Although I have had other personal issues to deal with, I really feel like the IUD has had a major impact on me. I kept the IUD in and delt with all of this because I have two children and I am not looking to have more anytime soon. I may not have more children altogether....I am currently in school and looking at maybe a degree in Nursing. I did not need to be pregnant while trying to finish school. However, the more I have thought about it, I too wish I would have researched this little device a little better and found out more information. Our bodies, as women, were created to have a menstrual cycle each month to naturally cleanse the vagina and uterus. By having the IUD, and my period stopping completely, I interrupted this natural cycle (which helps to cleans my body). This can't be a good thing. I would advise anyone who is considering this as a birth control method to talk to your doctor and ask MANY, MANY questions. Get a second, or third, or fourth opinion if you have to. All of our bodies are different and what doesn't work for one may work for another. Just get the facts, be careful and good luck to everyone else out there.
-faithprincess7

Had my IUD inserted Feb 11 2009 with no complications. The first 2 months I bleed non stop (had ultrasound to confirm placement and had my hemoglobin level checked). By July I had gained 24lbs and looked 4 months pregnant. My hair was oily, my skin was oily and breaking out, and I was no able to sleep at night. Only pro so far was the lack of my menses - only smearing for a couple of days every month. I had it removed since my husband had his vasectomy and felt great for 3 weeks... then the trouble started. I bloated up, and my GI system shut down. I was so constipated no matter what I tried it was unsuccessful. My back was killing me and I felt like my insides were falling out. My breasts swelled up, were warm, and nipples actually discharged a lot of what looked like milk!!!! (pregnancy tests -'ve). My headaches were monumental - nothing got rid of them! II also felt cold... it didn't matter how hot it was outside of if the humidex made it impossible to breath- I would be wrapped up in a blanket, and sweater and have the chills. had insane waves of nausea and vomiting and this lingering lethargy that would have me sleeping 10 hours a night (never heard my 1yr & 2 1/2yr old at night) and could nap at least 2x/day. My doctor repeated an abdominal and pelvic ultrasound and found nothing wrong. It is now 3 months post removal and I am just beginning to feel like myself. The back pain is still there but faint, unfortunately the weight has not come off and my abdomen is still distended but not as firm as before. I am praying as time goes by the weight disappears. I wish I knew all this before hand.

I've had my mirena for almost 3 years. I decided to get one when my last child was 6 months old, in Oct. of 2006. My CNM assured me that it was a good choice for me, even though I was breastfeeding. For the past year, I have not been able to find the strings. I read that sometimes they can soften up and curl around the cervix, but they are NOT there. I imagine they must have moved up into my cervix or uterus. This scares me a lot. Along with that, I have had many side effects, and I've noticed they have gotten worse as of late....

-Hair loss, oily hair, dandruff, weight gain, oily skin/break outs (I stopped having breakouts once I hit my early 20's and I am 29 years old with pimples again). Terrible mood swings, nausea (as of late), fluttering/spasms in my uterus (as of late), heavy breasts (as of late). I'm actually thinking about taking a preg. test tomorrow to make sure I'm not preggo, that is how bad my symptoms are right now. I have not had a period in so long, I'm not even sure when the last time was.

I'm going in a few days to see about having the mirena removed. I'm very nervous because I don't even know if it's still where it should be. As far as BC is concerned, it's great, because I can't remember to take a pill, but it isn't worth all the other things that come with this IUD. It's mindless BC but it's also worrisome for my own health BC! At this point, I'm thinking about getting rid of hormonal BC all together and using a diaphragm and practicing Fertility Awareness. I'd rather take my chances with something that is not going to make me crazy, sick, or put me at the possibility of major surgery/loss of my womanly parts.

i got my mirena put in 06/2009 after my 3rd child. the dr asked if i wanted to tie my tubes, but i'm only 22 so i didn't want to decide my future just then. he recommended the iud. it hurt a little to put it in. then i felt like i was going to faint all day that day. then came the major cramps. then the endless bleeding. my doctor said he could give me some sort of medicine to help with the bleeding, but i just want this damn thing out. let's put it this way... if i wasn't bleeding all the time, i'd think that i was pregnant from all the side effects: nausea, fatigue, endless hunger, weight gain, mood swings. it's RIDICULOUS. i'm taking mine out at my next appointment. i'd rather take the time to put a condom on my boyfriend.

i got the mirena in since April 2009....i have had so many problems....HEAVY BLEEDING....REALLY BAD HEADACHES.....I FEEL REALLY LIGHT HEADED....WEIGHT LOSS....CRAMPING....VOMITING...NAUSEA FEELING ALL THE TIME...I AM SO TIRED EVERY DAY I JUST DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING....HAIR LOSS....I FEEL DEPRESSED.....i cant feel like this any more...im so glad i found this web site... i thought i was the only one.....

I had Mirena implanted about almost a year ago and I have had ZERO negative side effects. There was little pain during insertion and I have not had any cramps, headaches, mood swings, nausea, depression, NOTHING. This has been great for me.
While I was on the pill, I experienced mood swings, headaches, acne, cramping and all the other "normal" things that come along with having hormones.
If you are considering Mirena, please rest assured that it does the trick for some of us out there. Had I read these postings prior to insertion, I would have been scared to death. It has been great for me and it can be good for you, too if you are considering it.

I've had the mirena iud for a week and i've been experiencing the following -HEADACHE, NAUSEA, BLOATING, BLOODY//BROWN/STINKY DISCHARGE, WEAKNESS, DIZZINESS, CRAMPING, BLURRED VISION AT TIMES, FEELING OF ANTS CRAWLING ON MY FEET, MOODY(EXTREMELY),NUMBNESS IN HANDS AT TIMES, HAVE HAD A WEIRD PAINFUL SHARP GABBING SENSATION IN MY EYE....I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO...SHOULD I HAVE IT TAKEN OUT? I AM ONLY 23 I SHOULDN'T BE GOING THROUGH THIS....

Wow! It was such a relief to read all of this. Believe it or not, my fiance is the one who found this website for me. I have been experiencing horrible cramps, bloating, breast tenderness, decreased sex drive, nausea, and it has completely messed up my cycle. I have gained a lot of weight despite exercise. I just recently developed dry skin patches and didn't know that it could possibly be related until I read some of the other blogs. After the initial bloating, breast tenderness, nausea and weight gain, I was convinced that I was pregnant. I didn't know what else those symptoms could mean. I never even considered the Mirena. Needless to say, MANY MANY pregnancy tests later, I found out that I was not pregnant. Just when I thought I would feel relieved, I only became more worried that something was seriously wrong with me. After having terrible pains through intercourse and unusual discharge, I told my fiance how upset I was that all of these thing were happening to me. He then did search and found this website and boy am I happy about it. It's nice to know I am not alone! I had asked a few people I knew (before inserting it) who also had the Mirena and they all had great things to say about it. I had mine inserted in the Spring of '09 and I just can't take it anymore. I am definitely having this removed! I only wish I had done this research before. I guess the pamphlets I had read left a few things out.

I got the Mirena inserted about 5 weeks after having my baby and have had hell ever since! Almost immediately after having it inserted I had a feeling like something was in my vagina, kind of like feeling a tampon in there so it was tough to get the thing off my mind. I also started having panic attacks about something being in my body (the Mirena) and it freaking me out. After only 2 days of this I had enough, I could tell my body was telling me this wasn't right. I had it put in on Mon the 3rd of this month and taken out on the 5th! I felt great until Thu morning (the 6th). I got flu like symptoms that hit hard. Nausea, no appetite, diarrhea, which soon led to weakness, tiredness, and off and on anxiety also bleeding like a period. I was so ill that I could not care for my kids (the new baby and a 3year old) only lie in bed miserable while others cared for my children. I made a Dr. appointment the next day and she said it was just the flu so to eat when I can and call on Mon if I still felt sick.
On Mon I still felt sick, I went back to the Dr. and this time she ordered blood tests and thought it may be from the IUD but could not confirm and had never heard of effects like this before from the IUD. She said to just keep doing what I was doing. The sickness lasted until the following Wed then let up although there was still some depression/anxiety feelings on occasion then all of the sudden on Sunday night I got nausea again and have been "sick" again ever since. This whole time (except the 3 or 4 days I felt OK in there) I have not really been able to eat much and have lost 11 pounds- not healthy! I have also had to pass off my kids to others to have them cared for while I can't which is totally depressing in its self. My husband is at his wits end with me pretty much disabled for no apparent reason so it is certainly putting a strain on our marriage too. I know my friends and family have tried to help as much as they can but I also know they are getting tired of the situation too. ANYONE ELSE HAS THIS EXPERIENCE? HOW LONG BEFORE I GO BACK TO BEING NORMAL??? I just really want my life back and of course I would never recommend the Mirena to anyone and if I could go back in time and not get it I SO would!!!

The side effects I have been having are listed:

migraines
weak leg muscles
depression
exhausted all of the time
heavy bleeding
**when the bleeding does ease up, I get a bright yellow discharge that causes painful yeast infections
the skin on my face is red, flaky dry
extremely dehydrated skin all over my body
nausea
zero sex drive
always feel bloated

This is just not worth it...

I'm feeling the same as many of you ladies on here- it's certainly breaking my heart for all of you too. If we had known then what we knew now....
I got my Mirena about 6 months after the birth of my daughter and then spiraled into some serious depression. I'm so horrified now thinking back about how angry and ungrateful I was to my husband- I returned everything he gave me for Christmas in an angry huff. My behavior was awful AND it wasn't me. Over the next two years I had serious mood issues felt pregnant all the time (I even took to buying those dollar store tests so I could relieve my suspicions each time but not spend a fortune). And then there were the headaches. I had always had hormone related headaches (a few a month) so they weren't really new to me, but it got to a point where I was having so many I went to a neurologist for help - he asked me to chart them, I fund I was having 14 to 16 days a month with pain. I think the "off" days were just off because I was still under the influence of the pain drugs from the day before. My husband and I were planning on a third anyway- and suddenly I really wanted this thing out! I took it out, here I am, 9 months later- headache free!!! 9 months of no headaches and the "freedom" came within days of removal. I have now been trying to get pregnant for 9 months too- my period returned immediately after removal (the one perk I loved of the Mirena was no period) unfortunately, I can't seem to get pregnant. This, from a woman who seemingly got pregnant just by her husband looking at her. Literally, 3 cycles pre-mirena, meant 3 pregnancies for me. We had to be seriously careful- I'm terrified that this thing has now caused me to be infertile. I have been tracking my cycles watching for my ovulation and I can't find it despite having a regular 28 day cycle. Don't get Mirena- it's just not worth it

ive had mine in for about 3 yrs and having the same problems only until recently did i realize it could be my IUD well the migraines i knew about i could handle those but the mood swings,nausea,tiredness,back aches i dunno really thinking about getting the thing out i don't wanna get pregnant but i don't want permanent damage because of an IUD or to suffer from the side effects either thanks yall!!

ive had mine in for almost three years and im having all the symptoms yall do everything from migraines,mood swings,leg cramps, nausea, and back aches i dunno im really thinking about taking the thing out but a few months ago i had some episodes where id have nausea tiredness and a feeling of not feeling well i went to the doctor they threw around the words depression and all it boiled down to is they couldn't find anything wrong with me and they were trying to make sense out of it im startin to wonder if its the IUD and the symptoms have stopped though soo im also wondering if i shouldn't get the thing out anyways no matter if the symptoms disappeared or not because from reading all yallz comments here tells me im not the only one and it could get worse ive been putting up with most the symptoms for a long time so i also think maybe ill leave it in who knows