Thank you so much for your reply. I have NOW dont just the search that you suggested and after much deliberation, I have decided to have the Mirena removed. 18th April, 2008 is the day. I wish it was now, now that I know what is causing all of my problems.When I look through this forum I realise that many of the things going on in my life are the result of the Mirena.Hair Loss - Wow I have a lot of hair anyway, BUT...MoodyDepressionUrinary Infections - 5 in the last 6 months... derr meDischarge - well with all the meds I had been on (trying to find what is wrong with me) I thought this was just a weird thrushSwollen and sore tongueNot being able to swollow - almost choking at timesThyroid/Goiter enlargementI can't believe I have spent a fortune on specialist trying to "figure out" what is wrong with me.I will keep all posted on how it goes.Cheers and thanks :)
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Thank you to all of your courageous women who have posted your experiences with Mirena. I'm so glad to know that I'm not alone.
I've had my Mirena IUD since September 2002 (5 years) and it's been a nightmare.
I've experienced extreme mood swings as many of you have mentioned. I don't even like who I am anymore. I didn't gain much weight but I have severe cramping, spotting for weeks at a time and the worst temper tantrums. My sex drive increased (ten fold) but was painful at times due to Mirena. My partner could feel the strings and I had to go back to the doctor to have them cut. Now he only feels them in certain positions. If he even comes close to my cervix - it's the worst pain and brings on cramping (again). I went to my obgyn but was told that as we age our hormone levels drop severely and that's why I have mood swings. She recommended that I take prozac to help me cope. She denied that it had anything to do with the IUD. I thought I was going crazy - I have all of you to thank for helping me understand that it's not in my mind - it's in my cervix.
I'm having it removed later this month but fear for what other options are available to women for birth control.
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Two months postpartum, I had my Mirena in for three months before having it removed. I started a decent list of side effects... depression, mood swings, irritability, complete loss of appetite, insomnia followed by never getting enough sleep, increasingly dying sex drive, nausea, muscle pains, cold sensitivity, cramping followed by the inability to lift anything heavy because of severe pain, and then I decided to get it out. Well it's a month later and I've only gotten worse. Every symptom continues, but now I cannot stand the heat any longer (had a bad fit one day when I woke up, I thought I was dying when it wasn't all that warm says my boyfriend). Heat now makes me absolutely weak, shakey, and I have palpitations. I've noticed some hair growth above my lip which absolutely was never there before, along with increased amount and darker color of hair on my legs. Noticing slight hair loss now too.Well, going by the fact that it got worse after the Mirena was removed, I decided it may be my thyroid. But it seems that I have symptoms of both hypo- and hyperthyroidism, and the combination of the two is fairly rare. I set an appointment to see a doctor, although sadly it had to be with the idiots of my town as it's all I could afford without insurance. I wrote down a list of my side effects so that I'd make sure that I didn't forget any, but the nurse (she was all I could get) was completely disinterested in them because the list was too long and simply wanted to get my blood test for thyroidism started, as that's what I asked for. I asked her to look over my symptoms and see if she had any better guesses as to what my problem may be and she wanted a hemoglobin test done as well (without looking them over still). I was suggested on another message board to have 7 separate thyroid tests run, and she refuses to do all but one, and will then do the others if the first one turns out weird. But from what I've read... it can still look normal while other tests turn out odd, hence the need to do more than one. If there actually is something wrong, I don't think it'll turn out low or high as I experience symptoms from both. I read about iodine here and wanted that checked, but that went ignored. I asked about my pains when lifting things, all she said to do was keep taking ibuprofen, I guess for the rest of my life. On top of it all, I won't know my results for two weeks. Then she seemed more focused on scheduling my yearly pap smear. She told me to stay off the internet.So I guess, I don't know, I guess I need the internet to keep being my doctor. As far as my symptoms, I think things that control body temperature would be the biggest hint as to what may be wrong. I wouldn't mind giving the iodine thing a try just to see, but I don't know what would be too much? Anyone figure anything more out?
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Hi I had the mirena coil inserted about a year after pregnancy when my weight had nearly returned to normal except for the last 5 kilos. Soon after, I noticed that I was still excercising and putting on weight. Had a blood test, found that my thyroid was not working properly and started taking medication for that. After 6 months or so I realised that I was still gaining weight and I have just gone back to my GP to see if I needed more thyroid medication.Had another blood test and it came out fine. The penny has now dropped with my GP and suggested removing the Mirena as it could possibly be it. Thats why I came looking on the net and I found your message board to be very helpful...so now I have decided to have it removed next week! Lets hope I lose this weight now!
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Beware of the Mirena! If you are an active, fit, self-aware person, this is likely NOT the solution for you. The disruption to my life and my health that the Mirena caused were significant and had a stress on my relationship that I'm hoping I can warn others of. My recommendation: If you are unhappy with it in the early weeks, you will likely not be satisfied when the symptoms "taper off" and I strongly suggest you quit now. Normally a high-energy athletic person, I became fatigued and irritable. With no change to diet or exercise, my body transformed as if pregnant including a hard distended abdomen, doubling breast size, weight gain, oily skin and acne. And horribly, my normally high sex drive practically disappeared. The good news: within 60 days of the removal my body disolved back to its original form and my spirits returned. Overall it was a 6-month strain on my relationship that I wish had never happened. Please don't take the Mirena decision lightly.
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This site is the absolute life saver. I have had my mirena in for two years and am getting it out as sson as I post this I will call my GP. I ahve been sent for every test for every disease under the sun and have only now come to the conclustion that it is all the mirena. Numbness down my left side (I had tests for ms and other serious neurological disorders), abdominal pain, swelling, headaches blurry vision acne like I never had before not efven in my teens. The good thing was it stopped my period all together but now I now haow unatural that is. Thank goodness for all your posts. If I wan;t in Australia, I would be joining in the class action. I have lost two years to this thing with constant doctors and worry about more serious implications. I have had stress leave off owrk and all the time my GP has said it would not be the Mirena
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Hi everyone. I had my Mirena removed back in March, so I am just over 4 months post removal. I had mine in for 4 years. I have had every symptom under the sun, but they come and go. They do get worse right before my period. You can read all of my symptoms in my previous blogs. I just completed a saliva hormone test that was surprisingly more thorough and detailed than a blood hormone test. It found that my Estrogen levels were dominant and my progesterone was normal to low. I think this might be what you are experiencing as well. The indication for treatment was low levels of HERBAL progesterone replacement for specific times of my cycle. After about 4-5 months, my hormone levels will start to self regulate. I did this test through my acupuncturist, not my GYN. I'm pretty angry with my GYN because she swore to me that the Mirena would not cause any problems...HA! The day I had it removed, the Nurse Practitioner told me that the Mirena was "toxic" and that it could have affected my entire body. She read a few of the Mirena forum messages and was not surprised. If I knew what I know now, I would NEVER have put it in. So...I hope this sheds a little light on the early menopause/out of whack hormone levels. It is definitely something that can be altered to return to normal. Do not give up. We will all get better.
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My experience: Got the mirena IUS in March 2007 – damn I thought he was going to puncture my brain! After a couple weeks of bleeding I spotted for a couple of months then that’s it – no more periods! Everything was great until January 08 (around a month after having my thyroid removed) when I started to put on weight at an alarming rate, my hair started falling out & I had pimples everywhere. Oh, the mood swings! (Should note here that I was hyperthyroid up until Oct 07, so that could have kept the weight at bay initially.) I was expecting to put on a little weight after the op as essentially my natural metabolism was lost – but not 16 kg in 4 months! I would buy clothes one week and they wouldn’t fit me the next. My tummy bulged to the point I look 6 months pregnant. Did a bit of research & found that so many women have had the exact same problems with the Mirena and decided to have it taken out.
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I had a Mirena inserted last October, 6 weeks after my son was born. I had it removed from my liver the last day in January. The scenario: I was given a pamphlet in the office with a checklist on the back - one question was are you breastfeeding? I checked yes. The painful procedure continued. After insertion, the nurse practitioner said "I'll leave the strings long so you can make sure it stays in place" I became puzzled, asked why it would move and was told it can float around. After I was dressed, she said to watch when I wipe to see if I lose my strings - apparently an indicator the IUD has perforated - (although this was not explained). I was bleeding immediately. Was told to call if I was doubled over in pain. I called the following Monday, after a painful weekend and was told pain is normal. Went in for the 30-day check, couldn't find the thing. Said it fell out. When I requested an X-ray - there it was - in my abdomen. Having no insurance, I became alarmed that this was no longer a simple procedure. Not to mention the fact I have a newborn baby and a toddler at home and every time I lean over to hold them I have visions of a sharp IUD punching a hole in my organs and leaving them orphans. The doctor suggested leaving it in, said she had a 70-year old patient who decided to. The drs. office said "we put it in, we are responsible for it" and said they would perform the surgery at no cost, but I would be responsible for the hospital bills - $30,000. I opted for a general surgeon with more experience. Here's the question: Can I sue? Mirena or the drs.? Any advice is appreciated.
I have contacted both - Bayer Healthcare sent me the perscribing information and the drs. office said this happens.
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I have had my Mirena IUC in since November 11, 2007 (7 months). I am going Tuesday to have surgery to remove the IUC from my liver. Yes I said liver. My IUC perforated the lining of my unterus and managed to work it way all the way up to my liver. It is now poking into my liver & will be removed on Tuesday. I am researching to see if anyone one else has had this problem? Please help me if you can. All feedback is appreciated.
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Hi,I was a happy,loving and caring mom from Holland.
I say WAS,because my whole life turned into a living hell with our friend Mirena.
At first i thougt i was pregnant,because i had nausea all the time.
The tests where negative.
The nausea dissapeared,but when i look back all sorts of things where not right,at that time i did'nt think Mirena caused it.
Last year i lost 40 kilo,and i think the hormones went wild at that point.
I started hyperventilating,had anxiety and panicattacks.
Crying all the time.
I told the doctor i felt like something was wrong ,that there was something in my body taking control over my mind.
He looked at me like i was some kind of idiot.
He gave me pills for my anxiety and sent me to a psychologist,i had to wait for a month!!.
When i finally went there,something went wrong with the appointment,and 10 minutes later i was outside,with a new appointment for the next month.
I was so excausted and angry,i did'nt say anything because i knew it did'nt matter.
I went to a natural therapist,and she helped me more.
But still i felt something kept me fron healing.
She said that synthetic hormones where not right,but i had to decide for myself.
Then at a weekend,i was in bad shape,crying and hyperventilating.
I googled on hyperventilation and saw Mirena in a link.
I looked and was shocked!!.
The story's of all those women could be my story!.
i was crying,this time it was because of happiness.
this was the "thing" i talked about,the "thing" thet controled me,that made me a zombie!.
The next morning at 8 i called the doctor,and siad.
An appointment to take the Mirena out Today!.
11 o clock it was taken out,there was a female doctor,
she immediatly asked what are the problems?.
I said all the things you can think of!,and she said,ok,let's take it out!.
The first week i was in good mood,but there are still the panic and anxiety,depression.
But it takes time to heal,the hormones are stil out of control.
Yesterday my first period after 3 weeks removal.very painfull,and very moody.
But they all say it's getting better.
Keep the faith!
I will thank all the women to tell their story to support other's,it's so important.
Love from Bright By Bright - 7/7/2008 11:21 AM |
 | I want to say,that my Mirena has been in for 3,5 years.
And the weight loss was not from Mirena,but from a diet. By Bright - 7/7/2008 11:25 AM |
 | Thankyou Bright,all the best with it,hope you are feeling better soon. |
| After my 3rd child I went to my Kaiser OB/GYN for a tubal ligation. She suggested I try Mirena instead. I knew nothing about it so I asked what side effects were associated with it. Dr. H shrugged and said none. Without doing an ultrasound for sounding, she implanted the device. I noticed a few side effects right away such as no libido, weight gain, and a strange odor, but they were not so severe that they were intollerable. However, I did bring them up to her at my follow-up visit. She assured me I needn't worry and that if my husband claimed to feel strings poking him, he was just being sensitive.
The longer I had the device, the gradually worse by symptoms became. At a routine visit with another OB/GYN I complained of extreme irritability, anxiety, fatigue and mood changes and asked if the hormone in Mirena could be causing this. She said that it could not because the hormone was localized and that it was probably just that I was getting older. I kept the device in.
Finally in April of 2008 I woke to extreme abdominal pain so severe that I couldn't move and lay in bed shaking from the pain. The pain subsided in about 2 hours, but from that moment on I suffered daily headaches, loss of appetite, eczema, IBS, sinusitis and palpitations. I made an appointment with my primary care physician, Dr. N and asked him as well if some of these symptoms could be be caused by Mirena as I had just had a physical two months prior and was otherwise perfectly healthy. He echoed the other two doctors regarding Mirena and suggested I was under stress. I disagreed but trusted him and once again, allowed the device to stay in place. He prescribed some medications for what he felt was anxiety and sent me home but my symptoms persisted. It got so bad that I took leave from work and, left my two oldest children with my husband, and went to stay with my mother. Every time I called Dr. N with worry he had an nurse call me back and ask me to come in. He never responded to any of my emails. Each visit was a 30 mile round trip drive, a $10 co-pay and new prescriptions. He only danced around the real problem and never ran tests. My mother urged me to get a second opinion, so I went to his colleague, Dr. M. Balica. She said that Mirena could definitely be causing the problems I was having (that I might be sensitive to the hormone) and suggested I get it removed. I made an appointment to do just that. I had the device explanted by Nancy Jean Boyington on April 29th . I immediately noticed improvement of some of the symptoms. I had headaches but they were not daily, my appetite returned, the eczema went away and hasn't come back since removal, my libido returned, and the IBS cleared up not long after. It was during this time that I began doing my own internet research and found hundreds of women suffering from the adverse effects of Mirena. Some were idnetical to mine. It was a comfort to know I was not crazy and not alone but it was also really sad to hear that these women were not warned either. The physician's literature on Mirena is very different than the patient literature (I was not given either). The physician's literature lists all of the symptoms I suffered and many more. So why did three different doctors deny that my symptoms were caused by Mirena? Are they not reading the literature? I contacted the Mirena manufacturer's 800 number to report my adverse reactions and was told by the operator that physicians are indeed made fully aware of all potential side effects. Why are they not sharing with us Mirena's relationship to the banned birth contol Norplant? Something needs to change. I was denied a right to make a fully informed decision and am, along with other women, paying the price for my doctor's negligence. Even after removal I continue to suffer with what I hope is a recovery period from the effects of the synthetic hormone.
http://groups.myspace.com/mirenaisbad
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Medical-Malpractice-925/Mirena-IUD-Problems.htm
http://curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=1182579#i http://www.hersfoundation.com/index.html
http://www.contracept.org/iud-mirena.php http://www.mirena.forum2go.nl/links-f7.html -Claudia's Mirena Support Forum (Dutch)
http://groups.myspace.com/mirenajustsayno
www.fda.gov/medwatch ttp://www.virginiahopkinstestkits.com/mirenareport.html
http://urbanmamas.typepad.com/urbanmamas/2005/11/what_do_you_do_.html
http://www.pandamedicine.com/forum/f2.html
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/mirena-side-effects.html
http://www.mirena-side-effects.sampasite.com/ By Bree - 7/8/2008 4:07 PM |
| Here is my Mirena Story.
I was 6 weeks post partum....I had mirena inserted...it was very painful and I was not warned about that. When my OB was telling me about Mirena and how you might stop having periods. My first reaction was "Is that safe?" Ofcourse she said "yes its safe". I also told her that I had problems with all other types of birth control that I had tried. I told her that on the pill and ring I became depressed and felt like crap. Still she said "This does not go into your blood stream...you should not notice any side effects from it"
This is why I have a hard time believing that our OB's have a full understanding of the potential side effects that can occur. They are telling so many of us that it can't be the IUD causing these side effects that it makes me wonder if they are being told about the side effects. This blows my mind!!!!!
About a week later I noticed yellowing in the whites of my eyes which I thought could be coming from a iron def. since I just gave birth. So I made sure I was eating well and taking vitamins. I told my OB about the jaundice and he said that maybe I just thought my eyes were discolored from lack of sleep since I had a newborn. WOW!! I think I can tell a difference between yellow eyes and pink or red bloodshot eyes!!! I also had severe itching at night especially on my ankles and legs. Oh and sex drive was gone. It was fine the 6 weeks after birth but as soon as mirena was in it was gone!!! I went to the doctor about a month after insertion and asked to have it removed, ofcourse my doc said it couldn't be iud causing my problems...come back in a month...So I did....within this month I started having severe anxiety, insomnia and panic attacks, to the point were I actually thought I was loosing my mind. Ofcourse again the doc told me that it wasn't iud and prescribed me an antidepressant which I reluctantly excepted. I'm not depressed...my life was perfect before mirena!!! I finally went back for the third time and decided I wasn't leaving until somebody took this thing out of me!
Here is a list of other side effects that I had/still have!!
acne
migraines
extreme lower back pain
numbness and tingling in hands and feet
vision problems
fogginess
An ADHD type feeling
inability to focus or concentrate
extreme fatigue
feeling of throat closing up
heart racing and palpitations
night sweats
sinusitus
dizziness and light headiness
headache
nausea
memory loss
The problem here is that the doctors don't even know how extreme these side effects can be and they keep telling us that it's not the mirena. PLEASE trust your instinct.....I wanted to trust my doctor but I knew in my heart what was causing my problems...I am only 1 week post mirena and I am still having alot of my problems but I can tell a difference. DON'T LET IT GET OUT OF HAND....TAKE IT OUT!!!!
DON'T GET MIRENA...IT MAY WORK WELL FOR SOME...BUT IN MY OPINION IT IS NOT WORTH THE CHANCE THAT THESE HORRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS COULD HAPPEN.....HAD I BEEN INFORMED PROPERLY I WOULD HAVE NEVER HAD MIRENA INSERTED!!
Good Luck Ladies!! By insomnia - 7/10/2008 3:13 PM |
| Hi girls, just wanted to tell you my horrible experience with mirena well it all started when i was out side talking to my mother one night and suddenly i felt like i was going to black out it happen a few times then my heart started racing and i was very short of breath and my chest was burning i thought i was having a heart attack my mother even rang the ambulance they came and said i was just having a anxiety attack this is has never happened before to me by the way i had the mirena in 5 months before my first attack and from that day on it just got worse and worse i was in and out of the doctors and er i didnt know what was happening to me i thought i was going to die all the doctors could say was its anxiety its depression and just gave antidepressants which i never took well a few months down the track never knowing it could of been the mirena being the culprit cause doctors tell you it doesnt get into your system yeah right !! until one day my mum said i think it could be the mirena so she looked up on the net for me and found curzone website and found a lot of women were going through the same thing as me i was so happy i was crying i could not believe it went to doctors next day to remove it of course the doctor didnt believe any of the side effects i was exp erincing was from the mirena after it was removed i felt really good for about 2 weeks then the crash hit me i am now 7 months nearly 8 months post removal and am still suffering from this evil contraception i hoping one day that this nightmare will end !! my symptoms were:
Extreme dizziness
extreme fatigue to the point i couldnt even get out of bed to look after my kids
numbness and tingling in hand s and feet
chest pain
just overall feeling sick like i had the flu all the time
vision problems
fogginess
there s probably more
after removal i developed joint pain and muscle weakness and numbness in my limbs which i am still suffering with to this day mainly just around when i ovulate and before and just after period for some reason i am taking a lot longer to recover it has been a roller coaster ride i just want to get off i know one thing i will never take my health for granted again thanks girls xx nikki (australia) By nikki - 7/12/2008 8:12 AM |
| Thanks for your story nikki, good to see another aussie here.
I have only had mine out 7 weeks,I cant wait to feel better,I hope it happens soon.
Good Luck. |
 | i too have been having problems with the mirena. i just had surgery on my right ovary a month ago and now i have to go to my surgeon today and might have to go through another surgery. man how the mirena has messed up my life. grrr..... i have not had nothing but pain since it was put in and even taken out. my parents werent to happy with the mirena company either. By angel - 7/17/2008 12:08 PM |
| I had a copper IUD for 10 years with no real issues apart from some heavy periods. When it was time to change, my doctor recommended Mirena. I've only had it for 3 weeks but am so miserable that I called to speak to my doctor about having it removed. Someone from her office called me back asking what questions I had. I said that I didn't have any questions, I just wanted the thing removed because of my severe headaches, nausea, dizziness, cramping, bloating, etc. She said that my doctor would discuss this with me at my next appointment and also told me that my insurance probably wouldn't pay for having it removed. I said that I didn't want to discuss it, I just want it taken out. Is there some kind of conspiracy going on here? Why is it so difficult to get the thing taken out? By the way, I called my insurance company and they said all I would have to pay is the co-pay for the visit. I'm considering taking someone along with me to my doctor's appointment. Anyone else have trouble getting their doctor to remove Mirena? By Julie G - 7/19/2008 6:20 PM |
| Following my last post - I had the IUD taken out yesterday. My blood pressure was through the roof at the doctor's. She was still not convinced the Mirena was the cause of my symptoms. A few hours after having it removed, my headache was gone. I slept like a log last night and woke up with no feelings of nausea. I've developed a slight headache today but not as bad as it was - I guess the hormone is still in my system. I'm hoping to be completely better soon as I didn't have the IUD in for very long. I'm just so relieved to be rid of it. By Julie G - 7/25/2008 7:53 PM |
| Thats good news Julie G,Im glad you got it out,I also have been getting headaches,and normally I dont have headaches,Im hoping they go away soon,I felt nausious for a couple of weeks after removal, good luck,and I wish you the best. |
| WOW! I thought I was going crazy! I have every one of these symptoms. I'm 28, and have had mine in for about 3 years. the 1st year was rough, with cramping, and pains. I went in for many ultrasounds...got cysts on my ovaries, then over the last couple of months started losing my sex drive, getting very depressed, bad headaches, mood sings, crying, the pains in my stomach, and chest, my breasts have become "fibrous" and very painful, I have had anxiety, low and or high blood pressure, and the pain during intercourse...I think it's great that these sites are available, I just wish I would have seen it a long time ago =( I have actually scheduled to have it taken out in a couple of weeks. can anyone that has had it removed say what it is like to get it removed? I hope you all get better too!!! Take care! By mimi - 8/1/2008 9:29 PM |
| Hi everyone,
My story is allready on this site.
I'm almost 6 weeks post-removal.
I feel better,but i'm not my old self yet.
Because the hormones are not working like they used to.
It'll take time,i've seen story's of women who say it took 6 months to feel good again.
The removal did not hurt at all.
if my cycle is good i should have my period around this weekend,so i have to wait and find out if it is.
Otherwise my hormones are still not ok.
This week i felt more anxious,and tired,and i was hyperventilating more than the weeks before.
I hope i will get my period,because then i know what is the cause,and know it's really getting better.when my hormone-rollercoaster is on its right level.
Good luck to you all,and remove the "thing"as soon as possible.
love from Bright By Bright - 8/2/2008 5:14 AM |
| So my Mirena Story: Had it placed six months after my son's birth in May 06. Had no trouble with insertion, no pain in my day to day life for the first year and loved not having a period. About the time I'd had it for a year I noticed I was losing hair in excess and had trouble with remembering words and situations. I wanted to be able to tell my mother funny things that my children were doing, but couldn't remember what I'd wanted to tell her if it wasn't an immediate call right then. I had my thyroid checked right around that time as well and was told that my levels were 'within normal limits' and was fine. I thought with my losing of hair and not being able to lose weight, for sure I was having thyroid problems. I went on with it for another year and finally coming to my 2nd year anniversary of having it, I couldn't take it anymore. I made an appointment to have it out and actually missed my appointment. Instead of waiting and rescheduling, I chose to take it out myself. I'd been told it was just like a tampon - so what's the difference right? It slid out easier than it went it and I called my doctor to let them kn ow.
I am three months past having it out. I spotted off and on for about a week and then my first period after having it out came right at 28 days. It was around here that I had a mamogram and ultrasound on my left breast because I had a painful lump - all tests were negative. I was told it was hormonal and would go away. I had a second period, basically normal 27 days after that. I say basically because the cramping was more severe, but tolerable. I am now one week late for my third period and have just come home from the ER due to abdominal pain. After a CT Scan and Ultrasound it has been found that I have three cysts on my left ovary, a corpus luteum gone bad as my doctor said that have all joined forces to be one. It is the size of a softball. I have never in my life had trouble with cysts. The plan as of now is to go on birth control to get my hormones regulated and get my cycles in line. The cyst had so distorted my ovary that the doctor would not be able to tell what was ovary and what was cyst. Because I wanted one more baby, taking the cyst out could not be an option. I would not lose an ovary and cut my chances of a baby in half.
When discussing this option originally two years with my doctor I was told that there are virtually no side effects, if I gain weight I cannot tell him it's because of the Mirena, because "there's no side effects...." I have since found out that I'm not the only one. I have since found out that doctors are paid to put these in by Mirena. I will never again allow myself to be told something that doesn't feel right in my head. Doctors are still human and they do make mistakes, even if they are led to that mistake by someone else. By Shana - 8/2/2008 12:43 PM |
| Lot of good imformation,thanks By not happy - 8/3/2008 12:28 AM |
| I had a Mirena inserted about two weeks ago and I am ready to have it removed. I wake up with major cramping and bleeding every day. My doctor told me the cramping would go away within a day or two after insertion, however it has almost been two weeks. I have had two days of bad diarrhea and stomach cramps. Separate days from each other. Two separate episodes. I am really tired now all the time, and I feel like I'm pms'ing every morning when I wake up with my cramps and bloating. Then, even though I'm so tired I can't seem to stay asleep, I get up like I used to when I was anxious about something. My doctor did say side effects can last from 3 to 6 months. I don't think I can deal with cramps everyday like this for 6 months. I will be calling to schedule an appt. for removal. Thanks for listening By Shannon - 8/4/2008 9:03 AM |
| Hi there,
My daughter is now 5yrs old. My mirena was placed in during 04. I didn't have any problems straight after being implanted. I had tried things such as the pill and the rod in my arm, which caused alot of bleeding. I have always had extreme period pain and didn't think anything of the cramping I was getting. After 12 months I noticed my hair was falling out. I asked the doctor and he told me it was nothing huge and was due to stress of being a single mum. I also started to notice a few other things that where changing with my body. I had gained alot of weight which put me back at pre- pregnancy weight and had developed dry and itchy skin, but also alot of acne. Again the doctor said it was due to stress and checked my hormone levels. I had thyroid problems. I was put on meds for that, but it still had nothing to do with my Mirena. In 06 I noticed pain just before my period started. I could only explain it in the way I felt like something was dropping and placing pressure on my girl bits. Walking up stairs was painful. I seen my GP and he sent me to the Gyno. It had slipped out of place. I was told it can happen, It was removed and a new one was placed in 06. Not thinking any of these problems where coming from a Mirena as alot of my friends had never had one and I had no access to the net, I trusted the Gyno and GP. Due to previously being on the pill and having an Implon rod in my arm and bleeding for up to 44 days, the Mirena was the only thing that stopped me bleeding.They told me that I would need to have everything removed or another Mirena in place. That was in 06. After it was put in I developed fatigue and depression. Again the doctor told me it would be from stress of being a single mum. In 08 I am now sitting here kicking myself for not asking more questions and doing more research. I am now over weight, not able to sleep, suffering from depression, bloating, cramping, feeling like things are crawling on my skin giving me the itchy's, have bad skin, a bald patch, a large amount of facial hair oh yeah and I am also 6 weeks pregnant. My Mirena has again slipped as is sitting every low in my uterine cavity and has failed to work as an contraceptive. I have had scans done and my pregnancy is not in my tubes, it is at the top of my uteuris. I am now getting blood tests every second day to check the HCG levels to see if my baby is growing. On Monday I am getting my final blood test done as it seems it is not growing fast enough. I feel gross knowing that my child is in my stomach and could be dying as I am typing this. No one seems to be able to tell me where we go from here. No one can say if they can remove the Mirena and the baby will survive or if they can deliver this baby and it be healthy. I am confussed. No one has answers for myself or my partner. Just wait and see.
Will keep you guys posted on what happens but I would never use this device again. The GP has told me that he would recommend another one being put in, but no way.
Cheers,
Mel By Melissa - 8/10/2008 6:59 AM |
| Hi ladies
I am sitting here with my jaw on the floor. I have been following stories and adding mine to various other sites regarding the 'wonderful' Mirena coil. I can't believe how bad it has been for you poor girls. I thought that my own story was bad enough but this is extreme.
My story is in shortened form - 2 1/2 years of coil, from the start i found it impossible to maintain my weight, and then gradually the rest of the side effects crept into place.
Depression
Tiredness
Big sore boobs
Feeling and looking pregnant all the time
General Puffiness
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Mood swings
Weight gain
I have generally felt like an old woman who can hardly get through the day with 4 children.
I have to admit that my insertion and removal were not painful at all.
I am disappointed at my doctor though, who i normally trust completely. She said this was the best thing since sliced bread and that it was widely used instead of sterilisation now. I asked directly if I would gain weight, as I usually struggle to keep trim. Looking back she didn't say that it wouldn't make me gain weight, she only said that she hadn't removed one for that reason.
I visited her several times to say that I had feelings of depression, and struggled to lose a single pound of weight and not once did she say that the mirena could be the cause. Even when the IBS was really bad she said nothing!!
It does feel like a conspiracy to get these things to fitted. I don't know if they work out cheaper than the pill or whatever, but surely all these complications which require further treatment make it a bad idea.
I am about 4 weeks post removal and am trying to be positive about myself, but it is still a struggle. The weight loss is still a struggle, the moodswings are still a problem.
Hope to be back to normal after a few regular periods.
Good luck everyone, you are not alone.
S xo By S - 8/10/2008 11:58 AM |
| Hello Here Bright again,
My story is one of the first.,and this is an update.
I'm almost 8 weeks post-removal.
I once had my period,but the second one is not coming yet.
It's getting better,but i'm still not my old self.
Some days are very good,but there are still days when i feel anxious and depressed,but it's not as bad as the time with Mirena.
They say it will all get better,and i do believe that.
I hope everyone will read all these warnings.
love from Bright By Bright - 8/10/2008 3:51 PM |
| I am experiencing bad side effects from Mirena. Here's what I have been experiencing
Head Aches- occasional
Trouble Sleeping- can't get comfortable since I have a cyst on my right ovary
Cysts-I had a cyst before Mirena was put in, however my cysts have gotten worse since Mirena was inserted.
Acne
Weight Gain
No sex drive
Trouble concentrating
Memory Loss
I've got an appointment to get my Mirena out on the 20th of August. I had Mirena put in May. I was told by my Dr. that there would be pain inserting the Mirena, so I expected that. Yes, I did have pain with the insertion of it. I had cramping and lots of spotting, which my Dr. did inform me of that also. As far as other side effects my Dr. said there shouldn't be any. She gave me a DVD and literature about Mirena. I watched the DVD and was impressed by the information in it. I'll admit I didn't read all the information on it. Now, I wish I had read it and requested more information on it before having it inserted.
From experience with my other medical issues, I don't do well with medicine. If there is a side effect, I'm usually the one that gets that side effect from the medicine. I wouldn't rely on Dr.'s to tell you the side effects of a medicine. There's no way they can remember all that info on each medicine they prescribe! Do the research yourself online or looking thru the literature. Side effects of medicine affect people differently. Pharmacists help out a lot, I've received a lot of good information from them.
I called the Nurse/OB Gyn's office and told her I wasn't sleeping well and just felt the Mirena may be causing my cysts to continue and get worse. She said she didn't think the Mirena was the problem. I told her I wanted the Mirena taken out and she said that was fine and they would take it out. She gave me the appt to get it taken out.
This site is great, loved reading all the stories!
*********************************************
Thankyou for telling us your story.I think all the Dr's and Nurses say its not the Mirena,Im glad you are getting it out.,all the best,Net By Catherine Witz - 8/11/2008 5:50 AM |
| WOW...your doc gave you a dvd and literature...well atleast your doctor did try to give you a chance to think about it....I would have been thankful just to get literature on it which my doctor never offered and told me it was safe and had NO side effects:) By Insomnia - 8/11/2008 10:36 PM |
| Thankyou for your stories, they are very sad and should never of happened.
I have added some videos now,but they are very graphic so dont watch if you have week
stomach,they are well worth watching though. |
| Im obviously very very lucky, I had a mirena inserted 5 years ago and have just had it taken out 2 days ago and another inserted, I have no periods, no mood swings and no discomfort, I have just had the last one inserted by a well know Gyno who specialises in IVF. Im just lucky maybe. $35 for the Mirena, $260 for the appointment, No more tampons etc. By Karla - 8/17/2008 12:15 AM |
| Hey all,
Just letting you know the blood tests have shown my baby is growing. We are not getting our hopes up, but let you know what happens after I see the gyno By Melissa - 8/17/2008 2:55 AM |
| After reading some of the comments made by the other women about their problems with mirena I don't feel alone and now will make an appointment to have mine taken out. It seems I cry all the time and feel anxiety when I shouldn't. I'v always had headaches, but I do have problems with acne now especially on my back. Ladies it seems again that we are treated as if it's all in your head and dont worry forget about, well not this girl. By Veronica - 8/17/2008 7:37 PM |
| I too was told that Mirena was the best form of birth control out there! I too have felt like I was losing my mind latley. I got mine inserted on 7/7/08. Since then I have been having terrible lower stomach cramps. I have been unable to lose the weight that I have put on. And, my hair is falling out. LOTS! I have fine hair and a larger forehead. My sex drive is out the window and OMG does it hurt. I cry all of the time. I have been spotting non-stop! I called my Mid-wife and she said that this is normal up to 6 months post-placement. My breasts have been hurting. I'm nursing and I just thought that it was due to that. I am going to call and have mine taken out Monday. By Amanda - 8/17/2008 11:30 PM |
| All the best for Monday,Amanda,you will be so glad you got it out, I konw I am even though I dont feel back to normal yet,but my sore breasts have gone now I jus have to lose some weight. |
| WOW. The amount of posts on this wall are growing fast.
Tomorrow is the day that I see the Gyno about my pregnancy. Seeriously I was suprised to hear that this consultation is to advanced for my local gyno. They are sending me to my closest capital city to the women's hospital. I have still got the symptom's of being pregnant. But have had a little spotting.
I am not saying that this device is the creation of the devil, but it sure feels like it.
This emotional roller coaster is CRAZY.
Please ladies do your research and make sure you know what can happen to your mind and body. I never thought that I would become pregnant with the Mirena in and cause myself and the developing baby serious problems.
Cheers,
Melissa By Melissa - 8/19/2008 3:39 AM |
| Has anyone been to the eye doctor and been told their optic nerves are buldging since they have gotten their mirena? I did and I went through an MRI and they found nothing wrong. I was wondering if that was related in some way. I have every other sympton you have all mentioned. By Michelle - 8/20/2008 5:55 PM |
| Hello Michelle,I found this question tonight,on this site,might be worth a look .
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/570049
Airiin
Female, 22 years
ON
Member since Jul 2008
, Jul 14, 2008 03:11PM
Tags: Pseudotumor cerebri, mirena, levonorgestrel, iud
Hello,
My opthalmologist recently diagnosed me with PTC. I have had the headaches for almost 5 months now, all the dizzinessDizziness, vertigoBenign positional vertigo
Dizziness
Vertigo
Vertigo-associated disorders, nauseaHyperemesis gravidarum
Morning sickness
Nausea and vomiting and fainting-feeling as well as constant diplopia now for a little over a month.
My doctor diagnosed me without doing a lumbarBack pain - low
Cerebral spinal fluid (csf) collection
Secondly, I also asked him if my Mirena (IUD-levonorgestrel) could be the culprit for the PTC, he advised me it wasn't, but all these problems have seemed to start after I had the IUD implanted in November 2007. I have read that certain oralChondromalacia patella
Deep venous thrombosis, iliofemoral
Oral cancer contraceptives can cause PTC. Could this be a reasonable/possible explanation?
Thanks in advance for your help. |
| Hello,
Just a quick update for anyone reading, but more so that I can write and vent myself. On Tuesday I went to the womens hospital and seen a gyno.
They done a scan and realised the Mirena was very low and my pregnancy was very high. My first ultrasound showed no yolk or fetal pole. But on Tuesday they found movement, fetal pole and a fetus at the age of 7 weeks and 3 days. They removed my Mirena and I am now housebound and on bed rest for the next 3 days due to the fact that chances of a miscarriage is now 98.7% = ~ (
Guess only time will tell.
Onething that strikes me as strange is all doctor's ( and there has been a few in the last 2 weeks) have asked me if I had planned to get pregnant, is it just me or is that what the Mirena is ment to prevent?
Cheers,
Mel
**********************************************
Melissa's Update..........
Hi,
Just wanted to let you know I am going aswell as can be expected.
I had my Mirena out and was told I would lose the baby in the first 48hrs.
Now almost 2 weeks later I haven't lost it. WOW. My partner and I have been together for over 2yrs and we are stable.
I have a 5yr old daughter, just started a new job and now I have BUMP too.
We as a couple are scared as we are not really financially stable to have a child and just not the right timing.
We are both SCARED. Ok yes there are options to terminate but my parents had myself and my brother threw IVF.
There is that fear in mine and my partners mind that when we are wanting to have another child is might not be that easy.
I/ we both just feel so cheated I guess, because we feel we have no choice, this little Jelly Bean has got threw a Mirena and hasn't been lost in the process of removing the Mirena. It's determine and obviously is ment to be. It just shouldn't have happened like this.
I know everyone has there own story and I understand that, but I feel so cheated and we both have been put under so much more stress than what has been needed and the emotional stress that goes with the situation is amazing.
Having said that NEVER will I resent this Jelly Bean and NEVER would I make it feel like it was a mistake, it maybe a mistake but it's also a miracle.
Cheers Mel By Melissa - 8/21/2008 8:14 AM |
| I had the mirena in for ten months and it has completely messed up my body and affected my mind. At first there was no obvious side effects, but over the last seven months I have experienced nausea, irritability, increasing depression, anxiety and recently panic attacks with heart palpitations and breathlessness. After googling mirena side effects I realised that all these symptoms were most likely due to the mirena, as there is no other obvious explanation. It was such a relief to find that I wasn't crazy - I always felt that something was going wrong with my body which I couldn't control by positive thinking. It's been such a struggle.
I had the evil contraption out two days ago and don't feel any better - bad cramping and bleeding today, probably my 'period', anxiety, my heart jumping so violently it is actually visible, aching all over, flu-like feelings, and - I note someone else had this as a side effect - a feeling that my throat is closing up.
I am so angry because I was really pressurised into having the mirena (for suspected endometriosis and extreme period pain; I am 47). I asked my gynae over and over again whether I would experience any side effects (I suffered from post-natal depression after both my children were born) and he assured me that the hormone was localised in the womb and didn't get into the bloodstream. These side effects are so much worse than the pain they were supposed to treat - if I had known I would never had let them put it in me.
I have warned my daughter never to have the mirena as I feel it has stolen so much from me. I would say the same to any woman considering it; it is not worth the risk of these side effects. I know it is going to take time - maybe months - to feel like the person I used to be. I am just so thankful for websites like this and others that enable women to share their experiences. Maybe one day the medical profession will take note of what is being said and at least warn women about what could happen to them. By Sarah - 8/21/2008 10:50 AM |
| Thank God for the Internet. I had my mirena placed in January of 2007. I am 25 years old and have never had any children so my doctor should never have agreed to insert the stupid thing in the first place. I like many of you other women was told that there were no side effects and that I would enjoy mirena because my periods could disapear. I was also told that the terribly painful crampingI have had all my life might go away as well. I was such an idiot to believe. I haven't had some of the horrible things that many of you have had happen, but like most of you I have gotten the regular life altering side effects.
I work in a hospital and deal with sick people all the time. I used to love my job, used to be friendly to EVERYONE. Now I am lucky if I can turn around before I make a disgusted look or say something. I am irritable. My fiance will irritate me after 5 mins of being with him, even if he's not doing anything. My cramping is getting worse then it was before the damn thing. I look like I am about 6 mos pregnant even though I work out 3 days a week, eat well, and am definately not pregnant. I am always tired, and seem to be very emotional. I cry ALOT, for no reason what so ever. This is the most horrible thing ever. I called a new GYN this morning and made an apt for next week. Maybe if I am lucky he will take it out that day for me! By Christy - 8/21/2008 1:26 PM |
| I just wanted to update. I went to the Dr. last week to have mine removed, and she could not find the string. I was in a lot of pain when she was digging or whatever she was doing down there...lol So she wrote me up an order to go get an ultrasound which I did this morning, and that he will probably have to have me come back and give me some meds to dialate my cervix so she can go in with a camera, and take it out. So that should be fun...=( I'll keep you posted as to what happens. Take care! By Mimi - 8/21/2008 1:47 PM |
| OMG Mimi I am so sorry. I am afraid that is what is going to happen to me on Monday. I have been in pain for 3 years now. But my a--hole of a dr. wouldn't take mine out. I am taking my husband with me Monday and believe me, he will take it out. I bet it will have to be surgically removed with the pain I am having. Good luck girl. By Michelle - 8/21/2008 8:07 PM |
| Hi again net just wanted to ask is it normal after having the Mirena out to still be having suicidal thoughts and still be a bit down its really starting too scare me now.I'm due my first period in a week this will be the first after having it re -moved so I'm thinking this is why I'm getting all the feelings.And also i never stopped having a period the whole time i had the Mirena in.Thanks.
****************
Hello coreen,
I only had spotting for the first 6 months then nothing for over 3 years,I have a feeling the longer you have had it in the longer it will take to get back to normal.
You might have heavy period and blood clots, but dont worry that happens to most women.
I still feel down just before my period it wasnt so bad last month though so I guess its getteing better each month,I have had 4 periods since getting mine out,I get my priod every 3 weeks,very annoying.I think it will be different for every woman some will get over it faster than others.
Good Luck and I hope you get back to normal fast. By coreen - 8/23/2008 12:55 PM |
| Hey. I haven't had a period in about a year now. I think that is dangerous isn't it. I mean they say those birth control pills that make you have 3 a year are dangerous. anyway, I think there is an emotional low after having it removed. I am having mine taken out in 3 days, thank god. I guess I'll be going through that in about a month. Joy Joy. Are you on antidepressants? I take zoloft. I've been on it for 3 years now. By Michelle - 8/23/2008 3:31 PM |
| yes I'm on Prozac but hate taking then i'm going to see a concealer next week and I'm going to ask can i be taking off them.I,ve heard they can make you worse By coreen - 8/23/2008 4:47 PM |
| Thanks net. By coreen - 8/24/2008 5:19 AM |
| Thanks for all your great advice and hard work reseaching. By sandy - 8/24/2008 5:44 AM |
| I couldn't make it without my zoloft. It helps me so much. I had bad post partum depression. I actually got a divorce after I had my 1st child. We got remarried and after I had my son, my husband took me to the dr and said give her something for this depression because I am not going thru this again. I did take Prozac once and it made me sick too. Just try different ones until you find the one that is right for you. Do you know if there is a class action suit against Mirena? By Michelle - 8/24/2008 8:51 AM |
| Yes i think there are a lot of people suing the company.You should ask net she would know more.
I don't really trust any anti depressions,i was going to try the HTP5 i think that's what there called,there like a natural form of anti-depression. By coreen - 8/25/2008 11:45 AM |
| Took my first period today,since having the Mirena removed i did en stop having my period even when i had the awful thing in.Which i was actually glad about,but I'm in alot of pain i don't think I've had such a painful one in years but i don't seem so down i hope this is the start of the recovery. By coreen - 8/25/2008 11:51 AM |
| Hey ladies. Well I have an appointment for the 23 of September to have my mirena taken out. When speaking to the receptionist to make the appointment I asked to speak to the nurse because I had question about the procedure. After being on hold for 20 minutes I asked to nurse what happens if Im bleeding due to my periods are all over the place. She said no problem and I continued to ask about the strings which I haven't been good at checking all the time. She said we are expereinced at getting the mirena out and it shouldn't be a problem. I have to admit Im keeping my fingers crossed. Sometimes I think doctors and nurses seem to forget that some of us have children and it isn't always easy to have child care available. My time is precious and I will admit that I can be anal about it especially since Im a stay at home mom and family and friends are not always availble to baby sit while I go to the doctors not knowing how long the procedure will take. Sorry ladies for venting about that. Anyways I ll update later after the procedure and let you know how it turned out. Thanks for listening.
P.S. Did I mention that Im scared. Has anyone else had theres removed and what happend? By Veronica - 8/25/2008 4:25 PM |
| If you go to curezone.com and go to Mirena IUD Forum you will see a link to the laywer doing the class action,thats what I done. The link is below.
http://www.curezone.com/forums/f.asp?f=713
Im trying to find out about one in Australia at the moment.
Good luck. |
| Hi Veronica,just wanted to let you know there was no pain at all getting it out,but a bit of pain cramping,spotting afterwards,best thing to do is take pain killers just before you go to the Doctor,All the best. |
| Atlast "the demon AKA Mirena" is out of me. My doctor was a smug b---tard and didn't want to take it out. Even went as far as to say, if yall had sex last night you can get pregnant as soon as I take this out. Then was like I hope your back pain goes away and you can find out what is causing it because I know it wasn't mirena. Yea right, it felt better asa I stood up. He gave me two packs of birth control pills. It did cramp for a minute afterwards. I had taken advil and two adiband nerve pills to calm me down. Then he was fussing at me for not being in for a pap in 18 months. OMG i have never had an abnormal pap. I don't think missing it by 6 months is a big deal. So anyway, I am going thursday for that. After that though, I am seriously considering switching doctors. I just don't know why a doctor should treat you like your dad. And not even a dad who doesn't want whats best for you. By Michelle - 8/26/2008 7:54 PM |
| Good for you Michelle on getting the awful thing removed my doc reused to take mine out and for 3days.But on the third day he finally removed it.I hope you start to feel better soon. By coreen - 8/27/2008 6:53 AM |
| i had Mirena inserted Oct 2007 to help control my heavy periods. I'm 46 and had issues since i was 12. About May 2008 i started feeling light-headed, foggy, dizzy. By this time my periods had completely stopped. the dizziness and fog was so bad i finally went to the ER--i was very close to fainting and quite scared. I had a CT Scan, tons of blood work, EKG, echocardiogram, Holitor monitor and ultrasound on my carotids. Everything came back normal. To allow me to function i was put on Valium (15mg/day). I requested i have the Mirena removed. She didn't disagree that it was a bad choice, but wouldn't confirm that it was the cause of all this. Doctor told me i should expect my next period in 4-6 weeks. It was less than 48 hours and so heavy that i ended up in the ER. According to the doctors my body went into hormonal shock and that was how my body decided to deal with the immediate lack of hormones. They did an ultrasound and found cysts on my ovaries. to try to stop the bleeding they put me on very high doses of Depo-Provera and have brought me down slowly. After 3 weeks the bleeding has since stopped. the dizziness and fog however has not. I have seen cardiologists, neurologists. I've had another MRI and more and more blood tests looking for auto-immune diseases, cancers, etc .(All tests normal). The symptoms have returned so they have upped my dosage of Valium to 30mg a day . I have no idea id Mirena is the cause of these issues. It has only been 4 weeks, but even if i had to do this all again i would to get this removed. Emotionally i feel more like normal, sex drive is returning and I'll take my painful bad periods over all of this especially if this is really the cause.
Good luck to all--I wanted to share some of the possibilities that are out there.
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!!! By Terri - 8/28/2008 12:38 AM |
| Hi everyone, I'm writing from Australia and really grateful for this website, and others, for giving me information on the Mirena and helping me realise i'm not going mad, these are just symptoms of this devise. I'm now feeling angry that there is such little advice from Drs/Specialists and that when you try discussing it with them they effectively insinuate you're the one at blame!
I had the mirena fitted in July 07 following a laparoscopy for endometriosis. I had happily been using the depo injection for 4 years before hand with no symptoms at all.
My endo specialist advised this was the best form of treatment for endo and also the best option for preserving fertility for later in life.
Almost immediately I had excruciatingly painful breasts (which lasted for 9 months) so that high impact exercise was ruled out during that time. My breasts also grew and I'm now a full cup bigger than I was and I'm now almost going into the next cup size (a 2 cup increase).
I have also steadily gained weight despite going to weight watchers religiously and following the program (no cheating!) as well as intensive exercise. I have now put on 6 kgs (1 stone) which is very depressing.
As a result of this constant weight gain I have seen a dietician who has been monitoring my daily food intake, as well as my weight watchers leader, and both feel my food intake is extremely healthy and shouldn't be resulting in this constant gain.
I have also been able to feel the coil almost daily, often getting cramping and pain down one leg. It sometimes feels like it catches on something which sends a wave of nausea through me.
The only benefit for me has been the complete stopping of periods, which have been traditionally heavy and painful, and I can now have sex pain free (but this is probably due to the laparoscopy than the mirena).
I think the mirena could work wonders for people who are suited to it but it clearly has some very negative side effects for others.
I have a doctors appointment next week and I will be having it removed as I think being happier and weight less is far more important than period free and fat! |
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September 4, 2008
Todays interesting forum letters
From forum today.......
hello everyone. I am a massage therapist who had never heard of these Mirena IUD's, however a client told me she had one but does not have periods anymore (she is 20 years old). She has it because her mother had strokes in her 30's.I am shocked at what I am reading here. Where can I get more info about the side effects of Mirena?would any of you have believed the problems it can cause before you began having problems?thanks for the input
Reply1
hi, if you go to the address you will find official details on side effects of mirena, cautions etc....
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/100001706.html
if your client has a family history of stroke, she should NOT have it, as it can cause stroke - my doctor thought i had a mini stroke due to mirena.
I was told before i had it, that it could cause depression, acne and headaches in people already prone to these problems - i didn't have any of them, so thought i would be ok. I did have high cholesterol, which the specialist knew, but obviously took no notice of. It was only later that i found out that it should not be given to anyone with possible high cholesterol or indeed anyone with a history or family history of blood problems (ie thick blood or too thin blood). The whole idea of mirena is to stop your period - i had mirena not for contraception but because i had polyps and thickened uterus which caused constant bleeding. I was assured mirena would stop the bleeding - which it did (completely), after about 6 months. It was when i had completely stopped bleeding (just a bit of spotting here and there when "period" time came round) that all my big problems started. Though i did have a severe dry mouth almost immediately that i only realised afterwards was a side effect of mirena. (it can cause all mucous linings to become severely dry).
For me, main side effects were :- numbness starting on left side of my face and in my head, going all down the left side of my neck, into my arm. Also in my left leg and foot (later also in my right leg and foot). The numbness would not be constant but cyclical, which was what made me think it may be hormone related and therefore mirena related in the first place. Along with the numbness, i had a dragging feeling in my face and left side of my body, as if my skin were being pulling downwards. I felt like i was going to die, and when it got really bad one day, i literally lay on the sofa, with my feet up at one end, just trying to breathe slowly, not move, and stay alive - that is how bad it got. Along with this numbness i got terrible migraine, never experienced before in my life!...other lesser side effects included bad acne, severe period pains, feeling washed out all the time, some mild depression (though not half as bad as some people have had the depression - some people get suicidal, i never got that bad, thankfully). Really it was the threatened stroke that was the life threatening side effect. I saw the top neurology guy who is also part of the migraine association or some such organisation in uk - he rubbished the idea that mirena could cause even headaches, let alone migraines and numbness, and declared me fit and well - i saw him after i got mirena removed, and by that time the numbness had gone lol.
It has been nearly about a year and a half since mirena was taken out - my doctor took it out when i showed her the print out of cautions from the above web address i have given you.... the bit where it says report to your doctor immediately if you get any of these symptoms - .....numbness...etc...
numbness went within 24 hours of it being taken out. However, it has left me being prone to migraines and headaches now, and i have a constant pressure type of feeling in my left temple and side of my face. i used to use this forum at around page 25 - 35 ish - the pages have moved on a long way since then lol. but i and some other ladies did a lot of research into mirena, and its long term side effects. The conclusions were basically that although it gives the body artificial progesterone, which in itself causes the initial side effects, when it is taken out, the body (for many people) is unable to get its own progesterone back into production properly - we therefore become estrogen dominant very quickly - i now know that i must have been estrogen dominant before mirena, otherwise i would not have been getting the polyps and thickened uterus in the first place! Anyway, after mirena, many of us initially have the side effects go, only to either be replaced by new effects or have the old side effects return some months later - this is due to the body struggling to make its own balance, but not succeeding. Estrogen dominance is easy to achieve, even without mirena's help, because of our modern life styles - hair dye, plastics, sugar, caffeine, non organic meats and so on all make us estrogen dominant.
With this in mind, i tried going on a low estrogen life style program and also rubbing in a NATURAL progesterone cream for a month or so. I gradually phased it out, because i didnt want my body to become dependant on that either, but in the short term i found it helpful. I am still having treatment in the way of sorting out my lymphatics and have improved my liver function also, to help clear excess estrogen from the body - it seems to be working, and the symptoms are generally better, with only mild returns here and there. But it does take time - we are looking at months for some people and YEARS for others, of strict routine and life style, and of course, NO MORE artificial hormones of any sort!! - before the body could be said to be completely normalised. I am not only generally better from side effects (apart from this pressure in my head, which i suspect is a physical blood vessel weakness which is probably permenant now, because of mirena), but due to this life style, my heavy bleeding (that i had the mirena for originally) has not returned, though no doubt it will return if i cheat and start eating and drinking and doing the wrong things for my health. I do have some muscle and cartilige problems due, i am told to my hormones still not quite being balanced - the muscles get weak due to the estrogen, which in turn does not give the skeleton support - which in turn causes bones to be pulled this way and that, causing my vertabrea to click in and out all the time, and my knees to creak when i go upstairs - but this should be sorted out in time if i stick to the low estrogen life style properly.
Please get your client off of this before it causes a stroke - i remember other ladies on here in the past have been left with severe high blood pressure and heart problems with mirena - and they were absolutely fine before mirena, only having the damn thing for contraception, no other purpose. It is better to keep your legs crossed than die for want of sex, to be perfectly frank! Though for those that persevere there is always natural birth control, combined with condoms and spermicidal cream for extra safety. There are many other side effects that people can get with mirena, that i didnt have. Perforation of the uterus is quite common, not just for mirena but all IUDs, but it is worse with mirena, because even when it gets lost in the body - and not everyone can get it out afterwards, because it can embed itself into vital organs, which cannot be operated on easily - it still pumps out the progestogen. So there are women out there who not only have the agony physicaly and emotionally of knowing they have mirena embedded or floating around somewhere in the body cavity and doctors refusing to operate, but they have to suffer the other side effects of mirena and cant do a thing about it. Depression is common and that can be very severe for some people - there have been cases of suicide, marriage break ups and other tragic and sad endings. Hair loss is also common, particuarly after the removal of mirena - i have also suffered with this, over 6 months AFTER mirena removal and my hair is still very thin - again, due to the way mirena left my body chemistry, rather than the direct side effect of mirena itself. Estrogen dominance can mimic thyroid disturbance, and cause the same symptoms. Also joint pains, creaky joints, muscle aches and pains, not to mention the direct side effects of cysts in the ovaries etc and the more long term effects of estrogen dominance such as cancer. It is not good to muck with hormones, not just with mirena, but with any chemical contraception - they can all do the same thing in susceptible women - and none of us knows who is susceptible until it happens to us, and then it is too late. good luck, i hope you can get educate your client and keep a watch out for any future clients who may be experiencing odd symptoms!
Reply2
I had it inserted a yr ago.. doctors are still trying to remove it. It's perforated through my uterus, and now is physically attached to my colon.I have had several procedures to have it removed..laproscopy and hysteroscopy.. none of which successful. Now i have to have a colonoscopy (fun) and maybe part of my colon removed, which could result in a colostomy (poo bag on my side)Again, stay away.. i wish i did.
1of the Replies to this......
Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. If I were you, I would join the Mirena class action if you have not already... It is there for people like you. In addition to your own legal pursuit, be sure to call the law office of the class action- to be sure your name gets on the list and written legal confirmation that you are on it. I was researching Mirena, and I found that there is another company making a new IUS without the hooks or what is called a "frame". It releases 14 micrograms of LG (MIRENA releases 20). Not out there for public use yet- but the change in design and dose indicates that IUS manufacturers know the old school one is too dangerous and over medicating.
Mirena is radiopaque- so it can be found on XRAY. It seems to me that they should cut into you and fish for the location indicated. If I were you and there was a chance of being on the bag- I would find the best surgical specialist at a University/ medical school near you. Your primary doctor should want the best for you as well, so, tell him that is what you want- get a referal from him. If so much as looking for it is dangerous- then a simple BM could be bad too. You want your third time to be a charm. God bless you and your family.
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2008
11:24 PM