Mirena Coil

# 176

Posted: 30/03/2008 17:40

does anyone know what the consequences are if the coil isn't removed or replaced after 5yrs, mine is in nearly 7yrs and i'm terrified to go get it replaced. Getting it in was a horrible experience and afraid to go thru it again.

thanks

# 175

Posted: 28/03/2008 23:29

Hello
My wife is in 9 year's of remission of cancer. During the course of her remission she had the Mirena Coil Procedure done. After having it done her moods were all over the place this baffled her Gynae / Oncologist. In the end it had to be removed the side effect's were too much. Ireserarched at the time on her behalf & foun that she was not the only woman who had side effect's. She then went onto an Injection called Depo-provera . That was even worse so it had to be stopped today her mood's can be quite bad so bad she imagine's she is having a breakdown & she gets emotional. We have been informed the Mireana coil & then the Depo-provea will take 10 years for side effects to leave her body. My wife is of the impression that she maybe going throught the change. Yet my research on this I am running into brick wall's.
We have turned too alternative medicine Female Essences help only help. dont cure the moods
Sepia & or Agnus Castus Homeopathic remedies she is also taken seem to give my wife a break. She is bookrd in for a blood test but my research has found even a bloodtest does not give a full picture for closure on her ailment's
WARNING WE HAVE SEEN PROFFESSIONALS & THE ABOVE ARE ONLY SUITABLE FOR MY WIFE. I WOULD MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH AN ALTERNATIVE PRACTICIONER BEFORE EMBARKING ON MY WIFE'S PRESCRIPTION WHY NO 2 PEOPLE ARE ALIKE.
And a note for men .
MEN CAN & DO SUFFER CHANGE OF LIFE MOOD'S.
You may keep it a secret if you want to. But you wont be helping yourself my advice face it seek medical attention Alcohol I know Men who have turned to drink but it makes matter's worse.
Dont be afraid to open up about it talk to someone who UNDERSTAND'S.

---

Warm Christian Love & Good health.

# 174

Posted: 28/03/2008 19:30

Thanks Lisa,Anonymous and Barbie86 for your replies to my query. I'm due to have it fitted in april so i'll go and give it a go. I also hate the idea of having to remember to take the pill every day. Thanks again Sonia.

# 173

Posted: 26/03/2008 15:26

I'm due my six week check tomorrow. On the whole, so far so good. My period stopped the day after I had it fitted (14/02/2008); I spotted for a further 1 1/2 days and since then nothing: no spotting or period.

I've noticed a couple of spots on my face and shoulders which I think could be connected, but nothing major. I've also noticed some mood swings, but nothing as bad as those I had on the pill.

I was expecting to put on weight, as I did with the pill, but I've been surprised to find I've actually had less of an appetite, and have lost a couple of pounds. I'm now at what I call my 'healthy weight'.

The only downside is that for a week I've had stomach cramps, which have been crippling at times. I've seen the doctor and everything is OK; the cramps occurred when my period was due and continued through what would have been my period. The doctor thinks it's just part of the settling in, and also my body going through the motions of a period without actually having one. The stomach cramps have eased since Saturday, so if the worst comes to the worst, it might mean that for a few days each month I have to take it easy and take strong pain killers, which in balance I can cope with.

I'd suggest giving it a go for a few months, then if it isn't for you have it removed. Regarding the pill to expand your cervix, I don't know anyone who's had this. If anything fitting is much easier when you've had children; the cervix stretches much more easily. I haven't had children which apparently makes it more painful; they used anaesthetic gel and the fitting itself wasn't too bad at all, painful for a few seconds, though afterwards I was in agony for a few hours.

# 172

Posted: 25/03/2008 10:50

Sonia, I have had some symptoms but it has been well worth it. I never had the tablet to expand my cervix tho - but then I never had children.

# 171

Posted: 25/03/2008 06:02

Sonia ~ I have had the mirena coil fitted after having only one child and was also given the medication and it worked wonderfully. The procedure was a little uncomfortable but nothing like I imagined it to be. I was also very stressed prior to getting because of all the horror stories but I can tell you I have had mine since December and have had no problems. The first month after I had a very lite cycle and since then I have had nothing. The only thing I have had to deal with is a little more acne but it is finally starting to go away. I love my mirena and can't imagine having to go back to remembering to take a pill everyday I have recommended it to all my friends.

# 170

Posted: 21/03/2008 15:38

I have been advised to have the Mirena coil fitted after having two children. I'm booked in for it to be fitted by my gyn. As they have to give me a tablet to expand my cervix. Am a bit nervous now with all the horror stories that i am reading is it worth getting it done now or not. I have lots of questions now that i need answering before i get it done. Has anyone got it done and not ended up with all the above symptoms.

# 169

Posted: 19/03/2008 13:20

Thank you Mac and Anon,
I will just have to bite the bullet, make the call to my Doctor and get it sorted...I feel a lot better about going now as other women have obviously been in similar situation...I will post back on how I get on....thanks

# 168

Posted: 18/03/2008 13:18

Marianne,

Sorry about the ectopic pregnancy, but I'm very happy that you're doing well. It's a scary experience, but if it's caught early can be dealt with.
Glad to be of help.

Marti

# 167

Posted: 18/03/2008 10:57

Hi Marti,
Thank you for your advice... I was pregnant and it was ectopic. Had an op last week everything is fine but i lost my tube. Doctors were amazed because the coil didn't move, apparently its very unusual. Thanks again.

# 166

Posted: 15/03/2008 12:46

i have the mirena coil in for nearly two years now and my periods are now lasting for nearly two weeks recently and the pain is starting too. doctor cant see the threads at all so have to go for an ultra sound scan. the doctor says now i am inflammed too from it. am sick of the coil now. was going too get it removed altogether but am going on holidays for a week next friday and feel if i get it out before that i will have pain and worse periods. dont know what to do for the best.

# 165

Posted: 14/03/2008 17:12

Hi,
My doctor has advised me to get the mirena coil fitted as i am now suffering with very bad migraines,and have to come off the pill.I am in 2 minds as iv heard bad stories,anyone help??

# 164

Posted: 14/03/2008 16:58

Tee you are not being stupid - if you can not find the strings and couldn't since day 1, I think it means that the strings were cut too short. I could not find the strings either and I had a scan done to ensure the coil was still there. My GP tried to find the strings to remove the coil but to no avail. I was referred to a gynae and she could not find the strings either. So in the end I had to have a D&C to have it removed.

# 163

Posted: 14/03/2008 15:44

Tee, I too could not feel strings from day one. and had to have it removed after 2 months because of really bad pain and bleeding. My GP couldn't remove it and referred me to my gynie who did - it took awhile and was uncomfortable and a little painful but manageable. Not half as bad as I had envisaged and certainly not as painful as it was whilst I had it in!

# 162

Posted: 14/03/2008 13:35

Hi...I had the mirena coil fitted almost five years ago now and have not got the courage to go and have it removed...I am so terrified as I could never feel the 'string' from day one and it was so painful getting it in that I have been putting it off....I attended the local hospital to have it inserted...I envisage major drama when they are trying to remove it...has anyone else been as stupid as me and if so whats the worst case senario I can expect?!

# 161

Posted: 11/03/2008 15:46

Confused,

The Mirena coil prevents a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus. Anyone who has the mirena coil inserted and thinks they are pregnant should see their doctor immediately, as there is a strong risk of an ectopic pregnancy. This is a pregnancy in the fallopian tubes and can be extremely dangerous (sometimes life threatening). An ectopic pregnancy is not viable and needs to be removed.

# 160

Posted: 11/03/2008 11:47

have the mirena coil fitted for the last four years and am experiencing a lot of pain for the last year and also bleeding has become heavy again. Any advice from anyone?

# 159

Posted: 08/03/2008 21:48

Hi is there anyone who got pregnant while they had a mirena fitted?

# 158

Posted: 07/03/2008 10:09

Hmm, the fact that the mirena was ok but all the trouble start AFTER an examination woudlbe make suspect the actual cause.

# 157

Posted: 06/03/2008 20:02

week in hospital in UK with mirena 4 years ago. pelvic infection. never again as painful as labour but was fine for first year. it was after the check up it all started

# 156

Posted: 05/03/2008 22:32

thanks abbey, feeling better now its been removed. my doctor has said it is definately not the thing for me, that was suprising! i did tell them that. back to normal now and grateful for it, i have a normal sized tummy and have enough energy to light a town! good luck to you all, i hope all of you with problems get them resolved and those without i hope you stay problem free. xx

# 155

Posted: 03/03/2008 19:09

thanks girls,have phoned my gynae, hopefully this can be sorted,it's uncomfortable to say the least.

# 154

Posted: 29/02/2008 17:02

Seemingly Mirena does not suit 1 in 5 women. Had mine removed after just 2 months as was suffering unbearable pain and constant very heavy bleeding

# 153

Posted: 27/02/2008 14:26

Good info to have barbie. Thanks. I didn't realise that.

# 152

Posted: 27/02/2008 12:17

Re. bleeding: I was told that bleeding or spotting was totally normal for at least 3 months after insertion, and up to 6 months after insertion. This is because the Mirena thins out the lining of the uterus so that an egg can't implant itself. It's also normal to have heavier periods for the first 3-6 months, after which they generally become either very light or stop completely.

I would say though that if you're experiencing heavy bleeding, it should probably be checked out. It's worth keeping a diary too: I have a calendar where I've been marking down if there's bleeding, spotting, or pain. Then you can show this to your doctor.

So far I've been lucky: it's been two weeks now and I've only bled/spotted for the first three days. I'm not sure if this will last though so I'm preparing myself for more bleeding just in case

# 151

Posted: 27/02/2008 09:46

Aka, seven weeks seems long but my post--mirena bled was nearly as long. I would worry more about it being heavy tho, expecially if you're losing enough blood to leak when you sit down.
I'd say give your gynae a ring - first of all check and see if you can switch back to tampons, for your own comfort and security. There shouldn't be any problem with them 7 weeks after insertion.
Then query whether such heavy bleeding is normal, especialy if you've never had it before.

# 150

Posted: 27/02/2008 09:07

Sheena, My friend had the vary same thing. Well her insertion was painless because it was done under general aneasthetic but she had light spotting for a few weeks afterwards, then only two bleeds in five years - both very light. Personally, despite all its other advangtages, I miss not having my period every month. Well, I don't miss having to remember tampons but I miss the great energy rush I used to get every month. While removal was painless last time, I don't think I'd be brave enough to remove it myself tho'. Strange, it was the pill which brought on chloasma for me, which resolved by itself but thankfully I never had the despairing feeling you mention. I wonder would the mini pill or implant have the same effect, seeing as its made from the same hormones?

# 149

Posted: 26/02/2008 21:20

hi i had mirena coil fitted 7 weeks ago and have had heavy bleeding ever since apart from 2 days where i had nothing,have had spills while i m out which is embarrassing as if i sit down i m worried that when i get up from the chair that there will be a leak left on the chair ,can anyone tell me if this is normal as i dont want to ring my gynae in case he says this bleed will last months as i ll have to get it out as pads i wear are also leaving my skin swollen and uncomfortable ,can anyone please advise,

# 148

Posted: 26/02/2008 18:03

I had the Mirena in for five years. Insertion was no problem and after a few weeks of ongoing light bleeding or spotting I had almost no bleeding for the five years, which was great. Unfortunately it did give me chloasma (pregnancy mask, not a big deal) and make me feel down, irritable and at times despairing(a very big deal). It took me along time to realise and I think it came on very gradually. Shortly (a week or so) after removal (which was painless and easy DIY) I felt I could recognise myself again, which is well worth the return of the periods.

# 147

Posted: 26/02/2008 10:46

Abbey, there is no 'test' available to see if the mirena is suitable. I wish it were that simple.
Dee, My first period on the Mirena lasted over a month - tho I had been on the pill for years before that. It wasn't light but there was no cramping or pain. I'd say get that investigated if it persists.

# 146

Posted: 25/02/2008 23:26

I had the mirena coil inserted last month to help me cope with bad PMS, I find it brilliant for my moods and am alot more relaxed but I got my period over two weeks ago and although it is very light bleeding it seems to be going on forever. I thought my period was ending yesterday but I started cramping and bleeding again today. Before insertion my period only ever lasted for four days max. Has continuous bleeding been a problem for anybody else? Will it ever stop?

# 145

Posted: 25/02/2008 21:43

Hi anon, sometimes I think they just say yes to everything in this country! Bet they didnt even test to see if you were suitable. Obvoisuly the symptoms you have are not normal I feel so sorry for you. I have never had it in but I can just imagine, your bound to be down after going through all that. Keep it out and get the infection sorted, things can only get better now.

Good Luck !

Abbey xx

# 144

Posted: 24/02/2008 10:34

I HAD THE MIRENA COIL FITTED IN OCTOBER TO TREAT ENDOMETRIOSIS AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT EVER SINCE.
LABOUR LIKE PAINS,INTERMITTANT BLEEDING AND STRANGE DISCHARGE, ALSO CONSTANTLY FEELING UNWELL AND SO BLOATED I LOOKED 4 MONTHS PREGNANT.
I HAD IT REMOVED LAST WEEK AS FINALLY ADVISED TO AND WAS TOLD BEFORE THEY EVEN TRIED TO REMOVE IT THAT I HAD AN INFECTION, PUT STRAIGHT ON ANTIBIOTICS AND IT WAS SENT AWAY WITH A SWAB TO BE TESTED.
3 DAYS AFTER I STARTED BLEEDING REALLY HEAVY AND WAS IN AGONY YESTERDAY WITH THE BLEEDING AND FEELING SO UNWELL,BUT NO BLEEDING TODAY JUST FEEL WORSE AND WITH A TERRIBLE HEADACHE. I DONT UNDERSTAND IT, I JUST WISH THAT IT WOULD ALL GO AWAY, AND IM SURE THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE CANT SEE YOUR SYMPTOMS THEY DOUBT THAT YOU HAVE ANY AT ALL! ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE HAD YEARS OF IT. I JUST WONDERED IF THERE IS ANYONE OUT THERE THAT HAS HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM?

# 143

Posted: 20/02/2008 20:41

Hi Barbie i'm glad you had a pretty good experience. Mine went as well as yours did and I am now almost 2 months since it was inserted and it has been great. The 1st month i had some light spotting but nothing major and this month I have had nothing! I was on the pill for about 10yrs, except when I was pregnant with my son, and this has been much easier. The only side effect I've had is my face is breaking out but I can live with that. I really haven't had any mood swings and haven't gained any weight! So maybe you will be just as lucky!

# 142

Posted: 20/02/2008 15:27

Hi,

I had the Mirena fitted on Thursday so it's early days yet, but so far so good.

I'm 21 and haven't had any children. I've been on the pill for nearly 6 years and decided to come off it because of the risk of cervical cancer, as I'm already at an increased risk due to some minor abnormalities. I decided the Mirena looked about best for me.

I was led to believe that because I haven't had children it would be an experience from hell; it really wasn't. The doctor kept warning me it would be very painful, and other people I'd spoken to said the same. The insertion itself was painful for about 2 seconds, and when they clamped my cervix open that also hurt for about 2 seconds. The doctor used lots of anaesthetic gel which obviously worked to great effect. I also had my partner with me which I think helped me relax, and I concentrated on breathing deeply.

I felt faint and a bit sick afterwards, but then I feel faint and sick at pretty much any mildly invasive procedure! Afterwards I was in quite a lot of pain for a few hours, I won't deny that: severe stomach cramps that had me laid up in bed, the worst pain I've ever felt to be honest. I've taken it fairly easy since (I work part-time and called in sick on the Saturday to be on the safe side). I've had very mild, occasional stomach cramps since, that are getting less each day: today I'm pain free.

I bled quite a bit until Saturday morning (though I was on my period too, so hard to tell what the blood was); I had mild spotting Saturday and Sunday, and nothing since.

It was not the bad experience I thought it would be. I know I've probably still got mood swings and weight gain to come, but I had that with the pill so it's no big deal to me.

One thing I would say about the Mirena is don't get it done if you're half-hearted about it, I think it's important to have a positive mind-set

# 141

Posted: 08/02/2008 11:22

Hi Gonky iI'm right with you. I had a similar experience but not as bad. This happened on my secoind mirena. The first was painful but I was fine the next day. I thought the second one would be similar however,
My cervix had to be dilated manually - again very uncomfortable and unpleasant. The pain for me started during the insertion. It felt like the mirena was scraping the inside of my uterus. Then I experineced three contractions ( yes actual contractions like when a women is in labour) agonising enough to make jolt me upright and scream - in addition to to ensuring that I'll NEVER want to have children (which means another 20 years of contraceptive care). ,My blood pressure also dropped rapidly and I almost passed out. I had to lie down for an hour and spend another half hour in recovery. The pain continued after insertion, into the next day even with pain meds. Luckily enough I recovered sufficiently not to have to be transferred to hospital and admitted or anything. I will go back on the pill next time and I knowI will probably need another mirena eventually, but I will have it done in hospital under full aneasthetic as a day patient.

# 140

Posted: 08/02/2008 01:52

Hi everyone, i had a dreadfull experience with the mirena coil. it was recommended by my gynacolagist because my periods were very heavy. I knew it could be uncomfortable getting it inserted but i never thought i would experience such pain. the first problem was the insertion. he tried a few times but failed so i had to be dilated. very unpleastant. finally got there. after about 15mins i started to have severe pain. docter was called back gave me pain relief but it didn't work. pain got so bad i tought i was going to die. blood pressure dropped rapidly and i passed out. i had to have it removed straight away. doc said it was the first time in 25 years practice that he had to remove one. was kept in hosp over night. hopefully i'm one of the unlucky ones. never again!!!!!

# 139

Posted: 04/02/2008 09:35

No Anonymous, this is simply an old wives tale. Afterall, older ladies don't have a monthly bleed and their wombs are perfectly healthy and beastfeeding mothers may not have a bleed for the entire duration of breastfeeding.
You don't have a bleed becuase the action of the mirena means that the lining does not build up the way it would with the pill so there is simply no need for the bleed - like with seasonale or the type of pill which is taken continuously and results in a period every couple of months or every year.
Some ladies have a small period with the mirena and some don't. It depends on the person and its perfectly normal.

# 138

Posted: 02/02/2008 00:34

hi had my 1st coil fitted 17yrs ago, (found it impossible to remember to take the pill) to this day i have never had a problem with it in, inserting or removing it . all i got to do is remember to change it every few years when i go to the family planning center where i can also have a smear done. i dont have any spotting and my peroids are as regular as clockwork. i'm 40 with 2 teenage children

# 137

Posted: 01/02/2008 15:14

I have used Mirena for 7 years and have never had a period. I was recently told that to keep my womb healthy I should be having a bleed every month. Is this true. I'm a bit worried now as the period who told me seemed horrified that I hadn't had a period for 7 years. I'm 45 years old.