Mirena - Pros and Cons

Love it, love it, love it! I am on my second one (6 1/2 years) with NO side effects! I spotted for about 4 months and have not had a period or breakthrough bleeding yet. A little cramping when it was inserted but other than that, no discomfort. Go to a doctor that has multiple patients using it - they do need to have experience with it. It was one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I hope you find something that works for you.

I don't think it hurt that much to have it inserted, a little crampy and weird for the rest of that day, but I was still able to drive myself home and care for my 2 yr and 6 wk old. I've had mine in for almost 4 yrs. I loved it at first, little to no period, super convenient for an active lifestyle. Over time though, I've found that I have had more breakthrough bleeding, not so convenient:) I'm getting it removed in a few weeks. I've had some hair loss, inability to lose weight (not really weight gain), acne, fatigue, irritability, etc. I'm not blaming the mirena for all of these symptoms, but I am going to rule it out by having it removed, as those could be symptoms of a ton of other issues. Besides, my poor body hasn't been under it's own control since high school, and I think it 's time.
It's likely that you might not get a period, and it does take some getting used to. But I didn't have any problems with it. If you've responded well, with no side effects from other HBCs, I think it's worth a try. Everybody responds differently, and overall I loved the worry-free aspect of it! I would recommend continuing to do some research, don't be scared off by what you read--remember it's usually only people who aren't happy that post, and go with what you think is right for you and your body. Good luck!

My experience is in line with what many of your previous replies state. But I'll just share my thoughts as well if it helps.

Pros: little to no pain in insertion or removal. No cramping and very light, predictable periods. No mood swings or weight gain.

Cons: The string actually caused pain to my husband. Roscea was set off in part by having the Mirena in place.

I had it put in after baby was 6 weeks old. I had it removed within 4 months of putting it in. Main reason for removal was the string as mentioned in the con.

Hi there - for me there was too much hormonal changes! i gained 30 pounds in 3 months, i was cranky all the time and i got skin pigmentation. However, I could never take birth control pills for the same reasons so maybe it is just my body. I do not recommend it at all since you do not know how your body will react to it. The paraguard does not have hormones and from what i hear its so much better. I ended up tying my tubes instead. good luck to you :)

Please check out these two websites before you make a decision to get Mirena:

http://www.medications.com/se/mirena

and

http://www.everythingmom.com/our-blog/mirena-crash-the-mi...

I had Mirena for 40 days & then decided to remove it. The side effects were HORRIBLE! (I posted my side effects on the medications.com website & right now they're on page 7, February 9th @ 5:38 am and again at 2:48pm. My user id is katiedid70.) I read all of the literature my doctor gave me before I had it placed & I even went to the pharmaceutical company's website to check it out. I didn't think to google "Mirena side effects" until I had already been suffering for all those days. Neither of those sources tells of the true side effects of Mirena.

Some women love Mirena, many do not. I just think you should know all of the facts before you choose to get one. If I had found out the truth before getting it, I never would have agreed to it.

Wishing you the best of luck with your decision.

K.

I had it and hated it. Hated isn't actually strong enough to describe what I feel for that particular IUD. I was moody, I constantly felt pregnant, I looked pregnant, I gained 50 pounds while eating a far healthier diet than I ever had in my life. It was awful. I was achy all the time and just felt miserable. I also had what they term breakthrough bleeding which for me meant that I would just bleed any time with no rhyme or reason and certainly no way to prepare or predict said episodes of bleeding. I never had a regular monthly period while using Mirena and that led to the taking of many pregnancy tests since I felt preggo all the time anyway. I felt better within 2 weeks of having it removed. That being said, I do have friends who love it and have not had problems. I also have one friend who did become pregnant with the IUD in place. Unfortunately she just lost the baby at 20 weeks. I have no idea if Mirena had anything to do with the loss but I know there is increased risk when allowing the IUD to stay in place during pregnancy rather than having it removed. I also had a miscarriage shortly after having Mirena removed and it is unknown if I was pregnant before it was removed or if the residual hormones caused the miscarriage.

I had Mirena placed after having my son about 4 yrs ago. I ended up having in removed last yr due to hormonal changes. It took me awhile to put two and two together, but I am positive the changes were due to Mirena. I would have anger outbursts, and feel like I had PMS 3 out of 4 wks of the month, which is nothing like my normal personality. After having it removed I started feeling better after just about a wk, and got better with time. My doctor says the Mirena is not to blame, but it just seems too coincidental to me. To answer your other questions, no it did not hurt to have it placed. I had some mild cramping afterwards, but nothing bad. It was really convenient not to have to worry about birthcontrol. My best friend also went with the Mirena after having her daughter and she is doing fine with it, so maybe it just didn't agree with me. Hope this helps.

Okay so every woman is different so you will ge a wide range of comments here - but my PERSONAL experience was horrible!

I had it inserted at our 6 week checkup. I didn't know I was supposed to take some medicine before hand (for pain) so the nurse gave me some before the procedure. The procedure itself wasn't all that horrible - it did hurt, but it was pretty quick overall. I had cramping and spotting that day. From that point on I felt like I could 'feel' it inside of me. It was almost like a constant pinching feeling. I was so uncomfortable all the time.

From then on I was more moody than normal (which was a terrible thing for me because I was already experiencing depression and such from losing a child)...but this added to my mixed up emotions. I called the dr by week two and said I wanted it removed - she told me to wait another few weeks to make sure. Well I tried to wait and finally went in and demanded it be removed - I couldn't take the feeling of being pinched - the hormonal changes and I couldn't lose any weight at all - no matter how much I worked out. I did notice that I was losing a TON of hair while was on it too. The dr said it was just the normal hair loss that happens after you have a baby - I had been through this 2 times before, I knew what to expect - this was more! It also gave me horrid headaches...so in I went and had it removed. I IMMEDIATELY felt better once it was out. That pinching feeling was instantly gone - my headaches improved within the week and the hair loss went away!

I will NEVER EVER EVER put that into my body ever again. I keep waiting for the tv to show commercials of "if u have used mirena and had such and such side effects please contact our law firm" - like they are now doing for Yaz and such! It was 'that' bad!

Now keep in mind - I got the mirena thing removed and then a few months later (when our baby was 8 months old) we got pregnant - totally unexpected! Thought we 'had it under control' LOL Looking back now, i wouldn't change a thing because we are SO blessed by a beautiful baby girl - but, it was a shock at the time! ha

Anyway - that's my personal experience from it! Hope that helps a little bit...

If you ask 100 women you will get 100 different answers. Here's mine. I had Mirena inserted in September. Yes, it hurts. Had a period in October and have not had one since. Love that!! I hear that it is not as painful to have it removed. Mine was probably more painful because my uterus is tilted backward. I haven't had any noticeable changes in hormones. Feeling pretty good.
Hope this helps. Best wishes!!

I just got mine taking out. You do not feel anything. It was less than 2 minutes. I had to ask are you finish. It was very simply. I am trying for #2 so I took it out couple months early. It's good for 5 years. My doctor was good cause I taught it was going to be painful. I had not problems at all.

But it may be different for you. Just talk to your doctor and let them know your issues so they can help you make the right decision for you. Go in with a positive mind. That helps. I love my OB. I feel like we family. She has great bed side manners. She care and it shows. Women Wellness Dr.Lewis off Owen Drive

I had the Mirena inserted when my son was about 4 mo. old. I was wary of it just because of the hormones. I'd had issues with Nuvaring before (headaches, and loss of sex drive) but my Dr. assured me that it was such a low dose of hormones in Mirena that it was very unlikely to effect me at all.
The procedure was definitely uncomfortable, felt like pinching/cramping. But after a day or so I couldn't tell it was there. I bled for a good 6 weeks off and on, but it was more like spotting, and never really a flow. I also stopped the weight loss that I was experiencing previously. The pregnancy weight was coming off nicely... until the Mirena. Then the headaches and hair loss started. I noticed my sex drive never came back after the birth of my son (I got it back @ about 6 months with my daughter.) I was always tired, moody, my stomach felt bloated, and I just felt sluggish all the time. All of these symptoms my doc tried to explain away as part of the post-pardom process. But something in me said different.
Then, one morning I woke up and couldn't feel my right arm. For a few minutes I just thought I had slept on it, but when I started feeling dizzy just from rolling over in the bed I knew something else was going on. My son was in the bed beside me, and my husband was down the hall where he'd fallen asleep with my daughter after she got up in the middle of the night. I had to hold to the wall just to make it down the hall, my head was pounding and my arm was still numb.
I tried to explain to my husband what was going on and realized that my speak was beginning to slur and the words weren't coming together the was I wanted them to. Yep, symptoms of a stroke. To make a long story short, I ended up in the ER and eventually the neuro ward of the hospital for 3 days. I went through all kinds of tests to rule out a stroke, and was told it was just a severe migraine that gave me the neuro symptoms. After all the docs telling me that it "couldn't" be the Mirena that caused it and a $14,000 hospital bill, I started looking online for others that had the Mirena and their experience. Needless to say, I found other women that had similar stories and I called my OBGYN to have it removed. I am so glad I did. I started to feel better within hours of getting it out. I obviously am sensitive to hormones, but the more I talk to other women about it I realize that I'm not the only one. I know that's a lot for this kind of post, but I was angry that all the docs kept telling me that it wouldn't cause those kind of side effects, and I felt like I was the only one. So I wanted to tell you that those kinds of side effects are possible, and obviously more common than doctors may tell you.

I think this is the first time I've ever posted. Obviously, I feel it's important to put my 2 cents in! As said many times previously, you're going to get multiple different answers. I'm so glad to hear that many women have had success with the Mirena. The concept is good but just didn't work out for me. I had my inserted when my 3rd son was about 3 months old and had it removed a little over a year later. My symptoms are very similar to those expressed by the other women, as well. But I'll add in one "con" that no one else has mentioned:

Pros: "Mindless" non-permanent birth control (no pill to remember, etc.) which is important with 3 little children; spontaneous sex life without constant thoughts of "did I take my pill ontime?"; easy insertion and removal

Cons: small amt of cramping with insertion but spotted for about a month; fatigue & extreme moodiness (I was yelling at my children all the time); decreased sex drive; headaches (I've never been prone to having them); inability to lose weight despite a great diet and breastfeeding, but that could be a part of having a third baby & my increasing age; a little bit of acne but not as bad as reported by others; CONSTANT discharge of some sort - my periods returned at around 7-9 months but were never consistent - periods were light but when I wasn't bleeding I had a whitish discharge that was driving me crazy (later explained by the OB/GYN who removed it that it's the body's way of trying to fight the foreign body that's present in your uterus); LASTLY, I had 2 ovarian cysts that burst. First time happened about 6 months after it was inserted and then about 11 months after inserted. I thought I was having an appendicitis. So painful I was doubled over on the floor, couldn't speak or breath from the pain and luckily my 3 children were safely playing while I contacted a neighbor to come over (my husband was deployed the first time it happened). I was told by the OB who removed it that ruptured ovarian cysts are quite common in his experience.

I had it removed in Dec and have felt much better ever since. I've started taking the pill again which doesn't give me all the side effects. It was hard to put into words how I felt when I had it in but I just didn't feel like myself. I kept telling myself it was because I was getting older, had 3 small children, my husband was away a lot and I was doing it all myself, etc. But I just kept thinking, I think it's the Mirena. I hope all the info you're getting from these posts are helping, rather than hindering your decision. Good Luck!

my friend was on this, it got dislodged and hurt when she went in to have it removed she found out she was pg with twin and lost them both. it was horrible. ps this is not the first time i have heard of this

I had one in for 5 years, and it made my periods horrible! It hurt something awful getting it put in but it was no biggie when they removed it. I've had it out almost 1 year and my period still isn't regular. We've been trying to concieve for about 6 months and nothing. That IUD screwed my periods up, permanantly I'm thinking and I'm wondering what else it did because now I can't get pregnant. Don't get it!
I think it is not common to get pregnant while on one but unheard of.

I agree about "it depends who you ask". To me the Mirena is a GAMBLE. My sister has one, swears by it, loves it! So I followed suit. Just a pinch or two and cramping for insertion. Then came the light bleeding. For 4 MONTHS I had to use panty liners (and sometimes lite tampons) every single day. I was sooo sick of it. Then one day the bleeding stopped. It was great not to deal with that anymore! But then came other weird symptoms. Acne! (I don't get acne but I did on Mirena) Then I noticed the pounds were coming on when I wasn't eating any differently. And believe it or not (I sound like a hypocondriac but it's TRUE! lol) I started getting heart palpitations! Scary. Had to go get some tests done on heart. Along with boobs that were so sore 90% of the time I couldn't even think of going for a mammogram and feeling depressed I decided it was time to have it yanked!

The string had disappeared so my doc had quite a time getting it out. You won't have that prob I'm sure...I have a tilted uterus. Oh and the doctor said I was not the only lady coming in complaining about Mirena and that she had removed quite a few. While the doctor next to her said, oh I have it and I love it! So see why I say it is a gamble?? LOL (and my acne, heart palps, ect went bye-bye after a few weeks)

Wish I had a better exeperience! Good luck with whatever you decide. :)

I had one for a year. Had it inserted at my 6 week postpartum visit. It is a little painful to have it inserted, but it is short-lived. If you are allowed to take ibuprofen or naproxen, take one of them at least one hour before the insertion. You also may get some cramping after which can be controlled with the same medications. At 6 months postpartum, I got my period. It was very light. Eventually, I stopped getting my period - I loved that! The only reason I had it removed was my acne was horrible postpartum. So I went back on Yaz - which solved my acne problem. Mirena is a great option and is 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. If it wasn't for he acne, I would have stuck with it!

It did not hurt- either insertion or removal. The insertion was like a pinching/cramping, very brief.

Cons: spotting and irregular, sometimes heavy periods. I would have no spots for 6 wks, then 2 light days, then nothing for a week, then a sudden gush for a day. Not really bad, just irritating. I ruined several panties with the unexpected "gush".
Sex drive seemed to diminish. Granted, I had it inserted 6 wks post partum and removed when baby was 20 months- so that might have something to do with the drive!
Husband could "feel" the string sometime during intercourse, and sometimes I would have to adjust my hips during intercourse b/c it was uncomfortable.
Pros: Able to have sex "spontaneously" , or at least once the baby was asleep and we both felt like it!
Not at all worried about getting pregnant.

Outcome: I will talk to my provider about a different form of birth control after our next child. I REALLY did not like the unpredictable bleeding.