Anyone Use the Mirena IUD?

Hi, S.! I too was interested in birth control besides the pill, especially since it went thru my digestive system & hated condoms! And I wanted to have another baby, but not for a few years. My friend got an IUD and loved it. I got an IUD about a year ago. My doctor said after a year, I may not have a period at all. That hasn't been my case & certainly everyone is different! My periods are still irregular~lighter, but seem to drag on. The first few months were very painful with cramps and bleeding. My body didn't react the way the doctor said, but again, every woman's body is different. I do love the convenience of it for sure & it is still my preferred choice of bc. Hope this helps!

Hi S.,
I feel like we've looked through all kinds of methods trying to find what fits us best. In the end, we've opted out of the IUDs because of the large possibility that we'll be losing fertilized eggs (and we do believe that life begins at conception).
I am not a big condom fan either, so we have chosen to do Natural Family Planning, with condoms only during my fertile phase. It's not hard to learn, and because of what I know, I knew the date that both our babies were conceived. One book I highly recommend, is "Taking Charge of Your Fertility". You can learn all you need to know from that book, and save money on condoms because you only need them for a portion of the month.
Good luck, and if you have any questions about NFP or the 'fertility awareness method, feel free to contact me!

I had the Mirena for almost two years and it was a great form of birth control. I didn't get my period at all almost immediately after having it inserted. A couple of problems though. My husband didn't like it (figure that one out on your own;), and it caused me to retain about 10lbs of extra weight. The makers of Mirena swear that weight gain is not a side effect, but I have always been super sensitive to BC hormones and Mirena was no exception--no matter what I did, i couldn't shake those pounds. I had it removed for that reason and lost about 7 of those pounds within three weeks of having it removed. I'm thinking about having another child relatively soon, so I'm on the pill for now, but after baby #2, I think I will get the traditional copper IUD--no hormones!

Hi S.,

I decided on using the Mirena IUD as I am breastfeeding my first baby and can never remember to take pills plus don't like condoms. I've only had it in place for 3 months and have had some spotting but otherwise haven't had any problems. Putting it in was a little painful, but I think that's due to my uterus being tilted a little backwards. In about a year or so I plan on taking it out and working on baby #2. Everyone has told me (including my OB) that once it's out it shouldn't take that long to become pregnant (unlike some other methods of birth control). I don't know about the periods as I haven't had any yet, but I think that's because I am exclusively breastfeeding.

You also can't get pregnant with this IUD because your body already thinks you are pregnant (much better explained in someone else's response).

Good luck!

Hi S., I have the mirena and have had it for 6 months. I got it when my son was born. And i have not had my period at all. I love it and have some friends who have it and love it to. I cramped for a few hours after getting it put in but after that i felt good. good luck

Have it! Love it! I had mine inserted 6 weeks post-pardom and experienced a little discomfort during sex for a few months...my uterus was still going back to normal. I would say after a year my periods lightened up, no pain in sex, and 4 and a hlf years later...still loving it. I do get cramping with my periods, but little bleeding.
Go for it!

I've had my Mirena for 4 years now I have a period every 3 months with light spotting the second month. My periods last 2 or 3 days, spotting the same. I can't comment about PMS cause I've always had it bad. I'm on antidressants and medication for adult ADD and they have helped my PMS. I've had no problems with the IUD.Next year when its time to take it out I'm going to do something more permant. There's a new procedure called Essure , it's non surgical , the problem is that it's so new not many Drs do it yet.

I had Mirena for almost a year and suffered from some severe mood issues like uncontrollable anger. I have a history of being very sensitive to hormones from BC of all sorts, so I was not surprised when even the local hormones in the mirena iud messed with my moods.
I didn't have a period at all and the insertion didn't really hurt that much. The IUD slipped down a little further than usual and I ended up getting poked with the "strings" the whole time I had it in. Taking it out wasn't pleasant.
Overall mine was not a great experience, but I have a friend who got hers at the same time and still has it in & loves it.

I have the Mirena IUD and love it! I have had it for 4 years. If I remember correctly, the first few months I had some spotting, but thereafter, no periods. I have several girlfriends who have it too and have had the same experience of no periods. Its great. As far as a fertilized egg, you should probably talk to your dr about it. I have never noticed anything that looked like that. On occasion you might get a little discharge but that is your period. I have really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone. Godd luck.

I do not have the mirena iud. but i do have an iud I have had it for 2 1/2 years. It is good for 10 years. This one has no hormones and you will not gain any weight. It took me about two months after it was put in to get reg. and not have any cramps. I do not have any mood swings and no cramping now. If we decide to have another child we can have it taken out and we could concieve that month. You can not tell it is there. You need to make sure that you do get checked each year to make sure that it has not moved any.

Hi S.,

I was considering Mirena after having my third and last baby this past summer. However, my doctor recommend NuvaRing, which has the same hormones as the pill, but much more convenient. You insert the NuvaRing and leave it in for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks you remove it for 1 week and then insert a new one. This has worked out great for me! I really love how convenient it is and I set a reminder on my cell phone calendar for the dates I need to put in or take out. I always forgot to take the pill, which was an issue for me. I absolutely love it. Oh, my periods have gotten extremely light. I do get a bit of cramps during the first 2 days of my periods, but Tylenol takes it away.

Good luck!

Hi S.-
I had the EXACT same issues as you (spotting). I was on the pill since I started my period at 13. And I wish I was offered an IUD rather than birth control pills. I am now 38 and have 3 kids. After my 3rd child, I refused to get back on the pill so I opted for the IUD. I hated the side affects of the birth control (ie: weight gain) and I could never remember to take it. It is the best decision I have made for myself. It was painless when i had it inserted, you don't even know its in you (neither will your husband/partner), and my periods are little to none (1-2days). You can even have it removed if needed. It last for 5 years. After 5 years they replace it for a new one.

Good luck!

I am currently using the Mirena. I still get periods and for the first year, I spotted frequently. I know it is common for some women to stop periods altogether, but this has not been my experience.

First of all, PMS indicates nutritional deficiencies, so I would go to the health food store and ask the vitamin person what they recommend. Second, I have had the Mirena since January, love it! I spotted at first but now I don't get my period anymore, and haven't since June, PMS ended then, too. I feel great. As far as the fertilized egg goes, I talked to my midwife, and she says they don't know for sure, but no one she has talked to or heard of believes that fertilized eggs are lost. So I decided to believe that. I have been gleefully giving away and selling my baby stuff. So happy to be able to move on and not look back. We decided not to do a vasectomy because it can cause a man to lose his drive - not just sex drive, but ambition.

I had very light periods with little PMS. I took Tricyclen up until I got pregnant with son. I then had problems getting pregnant and had to take Clomid. I didnt use anything but pull out method and occassional condom until second baby (2 years later)(another clomid baby). I was pretty sure that she would be my last or at least not for another 2-3 years so my doctor recommended mirena or paragard. He liked the mirena saying the stopping period effect etc. Once i had it installed my periods were more and more severe, my PMS was like a bull and I was a totally different person. I went nine months like that waiting for things to calm down. They never did. I finally went to them and they took it out. I have since gone back to very light periods and non existent PMS. They said that they have never heard of my symptoms and that I must be the one in a million.

I have had Mirena a litle over a year and I love it. I could not take pills because it made me bleed like crazy. I noticed a huge change in my periods after I had the IUD put in. My Dr told me that most women do not even have a period but I did go to have a normal period. Like I said eariler the pills made me bleed like crazy I would bleed any where from 2 weeks to a month, but after the IUD it was like 4 or 5 days. Now after a year I only have a period for 2 or 3 days. My husband and I are not sure if we want to have anymore childern but this was better than me having a hysterectomy.I hope this helps!

I haven't used an IUD personally (we use condoms), but I do have a close friend that used it was the .1% that got pregnant with it. It actually detached and was floating in different areas in her body. It was most likely not inserted correctly but she had problems with it obviously and had to have it surgically removed from her intestines. I was just make sure that your doctor inserts it properly so that you don't have an experience like hers.

I opted for the Paraguard IUD (has copper) and I have not experienced a perior or mood swings oddly enough...I know someone who opted for Mirena and they still experience their cycle...but they had to choose that one because of medical reasons...(frequent radiology/MRIs which are not possible with copper).

I have had one and I know at least 4 other people who have it. Everyone except me has been VERY happy with it. I was one of those rare cases, even my doctor could not explain it, but I bled for the entire first six months of having it in and then my period was so erratic after that, I just told my doctor to take it out. My mom had the same problem back in the 70's when they first came out. Anyway, it's worth a try b/c it gives you a lot more freedom and convenience. My four friends who have it couldn't be happier - they never get periods or PMS.