Mirena Question - Raleigh,NC

I have had a mirena for almost a year and not had any problems with it. I too run for exercise and ran in the last 1/2 marathon. I have lost my baby weight but I still could tighten up a little around the middle. I attribute that to two pregnancies and not doing enough sit-ups! My doctor assured me mirena does not affect weight as it is not systemic. Do you really need to lose weight? Maybe your body is happy at the weight you are. Also, I find running makes me really hungry and I eat a lot. No matter how much you exercise it is easy to eat enough calories so you don't lose weight.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi L.,

As with any medication, each person has the possibility of reacting differently. That's definitely been the case in the responses, so I'll add mine. I used Mirena for three years, had no periods at all and gained 40lbs. I had it removed and got pregnant three months later, so I'm not sure how my weight would have changed over a longer period of time.

This is from the FDA website regarding Mirena.

"Adverse reactions reported by 5% or more of clinical trial subjects include:

Abdominal/pelvic pain
Vaginal discharge
Nausea
Headache
Nervousness
Vulvovaginitis
Dysmenorrhea
Back pain
***Weight increase
Breast pain/tenderness
Acne
Decreased libido
Depressed mood
Cervicitis/Papanicolaou smear normal, class II
Hypertension

Other relevant reported adverse reactions occurring in less than 5% of subjects include:

migraine
vomiting
anemia
dyspareunia
alopecia
eczema
pruritis
rash
urticaria
abdominal distension
altered mood
hirsutism
edema."

Only you can make the right choice for you, but it's easier when you know what you're battling! Good Luck!

I have no proof, and my doc insists that there are no side effects, but I think my Mirena stopped, or at least really slowed my weight loss. I had lost 26 lbs the first 6 weeks, and have about 10 to go. Got the Mirena, and haven't lost much since. I've had it since June. I also feel like my belly is bloated. Had a friend that had hers removed b/c she felt the same way, but haven't talked to her since to see if it made a difference. I've also had some headaches... and one seriously severe migraine. All the docs insist though that it's not the Mirena. I have a different opinion.

I have used the Mirena for a year now and love it. Prior to that I was on the Depo shot and couldn't lose any of my post-pregnancy belly. Now I'm almost down to my pre-baby size. I personally haven't experienced any problems with the mirena.

Since these experienced moms have been really frank with you, let me feel comfortable is adding a couple thoughts.

Any hormone is going to cause changes. When I quit birth control pills, I lost eight pounds really quickly - and I thought it was the Diet Center diet I was doing - ha. Found out that it was coming off those pills.

I went to the IUD option; but my OB/GYN sent me to his partner to have it inserted ???? Found out a few years later why. My OB/GYN was Catholic and IUD's are known to cause a certina percentage of abortions - I had NO clue. I didn't know that birth control pills cause a small percentage of abortions, either. On the IUD, the concept is that *anything* strange in the uterus is likely to cause a fertilized egg to abort - just a God built in safety feature.

Just adding to your pro and con list as you gather your "multitude of counselors."

J.
www.joyboudreau.com

I have a friend who gained 30lbs in 9 months on mirena so she had it removed and the paragaurd IUD put in. Its non-hormonal so no side effects and she lost that weight and then some in about 7 months.

I'm not sure if this will help you. But I also have Mirena and my son will be 2 in Oct. I think Mirena has something to do with the weight issue. I know I'm getting older.. I'm 35 and I have just started to loose more weight. I lost at first. Then had the Mirena placed about 3 months after having him and held weight until now really. I mean I may have lost a little, but I also exercise routinely, watch what I eat and my job is helping others become active and watch heart health. So I know a little about what to do to get it off and I have been very discouraged. However over the last month I have increased my workouts doing addtional aerobic activity at lunch and cutting my calorie count even more and I've lost about 5 lbs. I think Mirena has to be the cause. Hope you get lots of hits I would love to see if others are doing the same. I never had this issue with other birth control.
Good luck on your search for the answer. J.

I haven't had any weight problems with it. I've had it for a year and 2 months and am smaller now than I was before I got pregnant. I have however been more prone to get different types of female infections that I either never had before or never had as frequently before the mirena.

I didn't even think about it causing me to lose weight until you said something. Although, my weight loss could be due to nursing. If the Mirena is the cause of my weight loss, then that is the only side effect I've had. I don't need to lose anymore weight though, I'm 5'7" and just bought a pair of size 1 jeans, and no, the does not make me happy. Other than that, it has actually helped my moods.

i have the same problem! i work out 5 days a week and work in childcare which has me running constanly and still i dont loose a single pound! i've asked my dr about it and she said it has been known to cause weight problems...hope it helps

I gained 25lbs in the year that I had the mirena, so I had it taken out recently. I don't know if it was because of that, because my doctor said it doesn't make you gain weight, however, that is when it all started. Good luck...

I don't want to be negative but...... I NEVER got a waist back again even after I had mine removed.... it made me feel like an apple from the day I got it.... removing it was very painful and I remember cramps..... I have nothing good to say about it.... I feel for you.

I lost weight on the Mirena, and it wasn't a good thing. I am already slender, and even though none of habits changed, I lost about 8 lbs. Once I had it removed, it gained it back. It also caused joint pain for me, and acne. My breasts were sore all the time. The best thing I did was have it removed.

Hi L.,

From all your other responses, you can see that everyone reacts differently, but I thought I'd share my experience since I hadn't heard ANYTHING negative before I got the Mirena. After I had my 2nd son, I dropped my baby weight quickly. I got the Mirena put in about 2 months after he was born. My period stayed heavy (as heavy as it was the couple of weeks after giving birth) and lasted for a week and a half at a time. I also had my period MORE frequently than once a month. My mood swings were ridiculous and (this may be too much information) but I felt like I smelled strange - I've never had an odor issue before, but I was really concerned. I just assumed it was all from having just given birth and that things would balance out. After six months, things hadn't changed. In fact, they got worse. I gained all of my pregnancy weight back (about 20 pounds) and my period was so heavy that I became borderline anemic. I went to two doctors and they both said it wasn't from the Mirena. I stuck it out for 8 more months. After I moved out of state, and found a new doctor, I told her what my thoughts were. She said it could definitely be from the Mirena. I had it removed that day. Within a week, I started to feel like my old self again. It's been two months and my cycles are finally back to what they were before giving birth (once a month, about three days of bleeding... not super heavy). My mood swings are gone and the strange odor is gone as well. For me personally, the Mirena was definitely not the right choice. My sister-in-law also has it and it's been a dream for her.

Hope you find your answer!

D.