This is definitely similar to my experience. They market Mirena as having low side effects, but it’s still hormonal birth control and I think women end up being surprised if they don’t react well to it. There are tons of stories online of OBs telling women that their side effects can’t possibly be attributed to their IUD because it has no side effects. I’m not sure why that seems to be the case; it’s not the copper IUD so clearly some people are going to have bad reactions to the hormones involved. It may be that it’s less frequent but it still happens.
My doctors were surprised that I wanted to have it removed after only having it in 4 months. It’s just not worth it for me, I’d much rather go back to another form of hormones that I know I react well to.
I wore an IUD a few years back, not the hormone added types. It was supposed to be changed every 2-3 years. When I went in to have it replaced at 2.5 years, the string was gone. The Dr. confirmed that this happened because my uterus had increased in size. the IUD was near the top, apparently, and the string was pulled up into the uterus as it enlarged. The reason for increase in uterine size was simple- I was pregnant. Nine months later, my daughter and IUD came out together. The pregnancy was considered high risk because of the IUD in place, but it didn’t cause any trouble. Of course, it didn’t work either…
I had a mirena inserted in August for horrible periods, I’m 47. The insertion was horendous, I was in bed for 3 days because of a bad hormonal reaction, and then I bled for 4 months. That said, my periods have been nearly non existant and I’m a lot happier during what would have been my cycle. No weight gain, no pain. And on the upside, I should be through menopause when it’s time to remove it.
My Mirena IUD is also currently on tour of my uterus.
I had a cervical biopsy a few weeks ago – completely unrelated – and while she was in there with a hoo-ha microscope, she went checking for my “fishhook.” Couldn’t find it. Can’t see the string.
I asked if frequent vigorous sex could push it up into my uterus. (What?) :: blush :: She said, yeah, probably that’s it. As long as I hadn’t had any excruciating pain or cramps or weird breakthrough bleeding, she wasn’t too worried about it. They are concerned with uterine perforation, but my OB/Gyn said that is quite rare, so don’t get to worried about it. My doc didn’t even bother ordering an ultrasound, as long as I’m not having problems with pain or bleeding. She did warn me that it might be a bit tricky, getting that fucker out of there in a couple years when I’m due to replace. I’m dreading that day, but fiddle dee dee, tomorrow’s another day.
I had one decades ago. As per standard procedure I went back a few days after the installation for a followup. Doc couldn’t find it. An xray found it – it had migrated out through a fallopian tube and was on a tour of my lower abdominal innards. I had to have major surgery that same day so they could remove it before it damaged anything important.
This was my *exact *experience with Depo as well and precisely what I said to the PP doc that put me on it.
Prior to that, I had gotten pregnant while on Ortho-Novum 7/7/7 and suffered from cramping and mood swings. After the Depo incident, I went back to prophylactics and spermicidals. Once I was firmly established in a relationship, I switched to Ortho Tri-Cyclen, but my doctor eventually talked me out of estrogen-based oral contraceptives (which I have always hated) due to increased dangers related to age + smoking. Went off that and had my daughter, at which point I opted for a Paragard IUD. Had it for 11 years with no complaints about it whatsoever. As I got older, my period did become heavier, longer and more painful, so last year my GYN suggested I replace the Paragard with a Mirena.
I had the Paragard removed, which was fairly painful, and the Mirana installed in November. So far, the pre-mentrual cramping I used to get that alerted me to the coming period is gone. Good. I have gone from week-long gushers to spotting for days before a relatively mild, but prolonged period. I can’t feel the string (I couldn’t really even the first day) and neither does my husband, as far as I know. I go back on Thursday to have it checked out. Not worried in the least.
I had a mirena for two years. When the doc put it in, she cut the strings too short, so they were poking about 1/4 inch out of my cervix, stabbing my husband in the penis. He was Not Happy. So I went back and she cut the strings even shorter, so that they would disappear into the cervix, which fixed the stabby problem, but when it came time to get the thing out it was more difficult. They had to dig around in the cervix for a while and were finally able to grab what was left of the strings. It was painful, but not too terribly bad. I took some tylenol 3 before I went in, because I knew it was going to suck.
Overall, I liked that I didn’t have periods while I was on it, but I do wonder if it screwed me up somehow because since I got it out 1.5 years ago, I’ve had irregular cycles and 3 miscarriages (never had problems before it went in). I probably wouldn’t get another.
I gotta say, it helps me tremendously to know I’m not the only gal whose IUD is MIA. Two days until the ultrasound, c’mon clock!
I also was on the Depo shot some 16 years ago when I had my son. It was a poor option for me, I think, since I shot up 50 lbs in roughly 6 months. There’s no telling how much of that was being a stay at home mom of a mostly-sleeping infant and how much was the fault of the Depo, but I didn’t want to risk it so I eventually gave up on the shot.
Yazmin made me sleep almost all of the time for the couple of months I was on it, Trinessa worked okay, but I came back with a positive D-Dimer test a few months back when I was in the hospital for mild pneumonia and, although they didn’t find any actual blood clots anywhere, it kind of soured me on the idea of the pill. I recognize the Mirena also has hormones, but since it’s a much lower level of hormone and it’s designed to release locally, my doc agreed it would be a better choice.
The strings on my first one schlorped up far enough that you couldn’t feel it and the gyn couldn’t initially see it. Dildo-cam confirmed it was indeed there and appropriately placed, so she went looking again and could juuuust barely see the end. She couldn’t get hold of the string with an extra-long hemostat, no matter how she tried. And oh, how she tried. Taking it out was no biggie–they knocked me out for about 15 minutes, dilated me manually, snagged it out and put a new one in. They were calling my husband back in to fetch me before he could snag some breakfast.
Did you by any chance have the Mirena? My daughter had it and expressed the same thoughts about the hormone-based IUD. She had tons of issues with depressionh, anger etc. As soon as it was removed she felt like her old self. She just gave birth to baby #2 in November, and is planning to have a Paragard (non-hormonal) IUD in the next month or so. I certainly hope she has less problems with that.
Well I never heard that one. I can’t tell you all how sorry I am to hear your unfortunate stories, and I’m not saying this to rub it in, but 22 years later zero problems, except a really bad, cramping first period after the first insert. I’ve had three - every five years although they were recommending two, so the last one has actually been in for seven years - oops - need to make an appointment - financial constraints. Now and again I would be able to feel the strings, so I would just get in there and sort of coil it around my … um marble?
You know what bugs me - I could get the pill free here, but not the IUD - makes no sense.
I don’t have a hormonal IUD - it’s a simple plastic thing with a piece of copper I believe.
I’ve been feeling exhaustion, gaining weight, and generally vaguely depressed since around when I had my Mirena put in - which also, as I told my husband - corresponds to when the holiday season began, so I suspect those are totally normal feelings. Anyway, I know I ate like crap during that time period, so we’ll see how my attempts to get my eating back to normal deals with all of those symptoms.
Plus I haven’t had an honest-to-goodness migraine since a couple weeks after getting it put in, which was part of the hoped-for results. So I am definitely more than willing to give it a longer chance.
Yes, it was Mirena. My OB was surprised I didn’t like it. He said in so many years he’s only ever removed one once for the same reasons, and he said that patient reported her symptoms improved afterward as well. He said to focus on sorting out my depression and to consider getting it put back in once I’m feeling better, but I doubt I will. It was just such a clear decline in my mood starting the week it was inserted, I’d much rather use other methods.
It seemed odd to me that he was so keen for me to use it, so I asked why exactly it was so preferred. His response was that the targeted hormones meant less side effects like blood clots and migraines, but clearly in my case it’s not working out so why would I want to try it again? It seems odd that he pushed it so hard. Personally I’d rather be at higher risk for blood clots than be seriously considering curling up and dying most of the time.
But thankfully for me both the insertion and removal were easy-peasy. Now I just have some killer cramps, but it’s manageable.
The first time I read the word ‘perforated uterus’ in literature about the IUD, I knew whatever else I read, however many testimonials I got, however much I wanted it, it was not for me.
Honestly, no one seemed too concerned. A perforated uterus is the sort of thing one is likely to notice, it seems; as long as I don’t experience any suspicious symptoms, we’ll all just assume it’s still in place.
I’m another one who had a terrible experience with an IUD. After the emergancy surgery, my doctor told me that I had been several months preggy…but I didn’t know that because the IUD messed with my body so much. I was lucky, I didn’t (and still don’t) want children and the problems the IUD caused me meant that I never have to use birth control again. I still cycle monthly, tho. Only 20 years to go for menopause and then I can get that out of the way as well.
I read your posts and feel the same. My doctor said the same things. There was no way these symptoms were from the IUD. The implication being it was in my head or I was eating way too much. At the removal, he seemed very irritated. When he removed it his words were “well there’s nothing else I can do” meaning the birth control.
I had been talking about permanent solutions but he would not do it because I was divorced and might change my mind. He talked the IUD up as if it were the best thing ever. He never mentioned a copper one.
He is now my former doctor.
Way back in 1978 I had a copper 7 IUD fitted. For the first two months I had a permanent period with severe cramps that started at 4 o’clock each day. I checked if that was somehow psychosomatic by spending a day not looking at clocks until they started. On returning to the clinic the highly unsympathetic nurse persuaded me to keep the thing in.
After two months things settled down for a while then I felt something poking me when I went to the loo, and discovered the strings had descended so far they were pricking my labia. Back to the clinic where highly unsympathetic nurse pooh poohed the idea that such a thing could be happening. She got the doctor in to examine me and I was very pleased to see the shocked surprise on her face when he said that yes it * was* on its way out and needed to be removed right away. She then asked if I would like another one and didn’t seem to understand why I said no – or rather NO!
I couldn’t be altogether upset about the whole experience as I never had such severe period pain after as I had had before. And it was better than what happened to a coworker, she went into labour with hers and hemorrhaged.
I have Mirena and LOVE it. It’s my second one, and I conceived my daughter very quickly after 1st one came out. I have NO periods with it, which is fabulous. The downside is that I needed to have both of them put in under general anaesthetic because my cervix doesn’t play ball. Removal was no big deal at all, a second or two of intense cramping and that was it.
There is a 3rd option your doc hasn’t mentioned in addition to perforation and lost strings- expulsion. About 1 in 20 of the things falls out, and you’d be surprised how many women just don’t notice and flush it. It most often falls out in the first month after insertion, either during a period, or any episode of straining, as that is when the cerix is most likely to be a litttle more open because of the recent insertion.
The MOST important things if you can’t feel the strings.
Take a pregnancy test
Use an alternative contraceptive until the IUD or Mirena is located.
The strings often coil backwards on themselves- there is even a special device called a thread retreiver your doc can use to get them out- it is a piece of plastic with little barbs on the sides.
When it works, Mirena is the best invention since sliced bread, when it doesn’t…well, it really doesn’t. It is the only contraceptive I have seen where people love it so much they will recommend it to neighbours, friends, sisters etc. and this huge enthusiasm for it can mean people forget that the love isn’t universal.
Anyway, I know I ate like crap during that time period, so we’ll see how my attempts to get my eating back to normal deals with all of those symptoms.