Mirena Side Effects
After I had my fourth kid 6 years ago, I decided to get some semi-permanent BC. My OB-GYN recommended the Mirena IUD. I was excited to get it because I loved the almost non-existent periods and that (and I quote my doctor) "there are no side-effects" and it all seemed so great. So a few months after I got the IUD, I went back to the OB in an emotional state thinking that I had breast cancer. He checked me and gave me the all clear, and, noticing that I was very emotional asked if I wanted an anti-depressant. I told him that I had been deeply depressed - even to the point that I was thinking of leaving my husband, but I held off getting medicated for a few months because I didn't want to become dependent on Prozac.
But my depression worsened, and I found myself back at the office asking for the Prozac and spilling my guts to my doctor about all the things that were so bad. (They really weren't so bad - but anyone who has had depression can understand making a mountain out of a molehill.) So now I had the anti-depressant and I started feeling extremely tired every day. I couldn't make it through the day without a three-hour nap. Then I noticed that I couldn't orgasm (yeah - that's fun!) - and I mean COULDN'T! I took the Prozac for about 9 months, and then I realized that it wasn't really making a difference for the depression and so I stopped taking it.
A few months later the headaches started. They weren' t bad at first, but after a few months, I was having raging migraines about 3 times a week. By the end of the second year of having the Mirena, every day was a trial. I woke up with a headache almost every day, I was tired all the time, I was extremely emotional and irritated. I was such a bad mom and wife (okay - not BAD but I couldn't take care of my family like I wanted to). Oh yeah, and I was having restless leg syndrome symptoms and my heart was palpitating after any tiny bit of exertion. My body felt horrible and I was in a horrible emotional state. Did I mention that I gained 75 pounds?
So to make a very long story only slighly less shorter, I'll say this; that when I finally put two and two together and had the OB-GYN take the damn thing out, it felt like I had been trying to live my life in a mudhole, and I finally had crawled out of it. Today it has been out for about 3 months, and I feel so much better! I am so excited to get my life back, but I HATE that I spent four years going through such an awful time. I feel like I wasted so much time and money trying to feel better, and I hope anyone who is considering getting a Mirena will know that there could be side effects. BTW, even when I told my doctor that I wanted it out because of the side effects, all he did was nod and say "Hmmm."
Soooo, I am looking for a replacement BC with NO side effects. It can't be condoms because my husband says that using a condom is like trying to get excited with a big plastic bag wrapped around it. I had my doctor fit me for a diaphragm, and then tried at nine different pharmacies to get one, and nobody had it. I had guys pharmacists with 8 inch beards telling me "I'm sorry. We don't carry those because nobody uses them anymore."
Hey Doc! Do ya think you could have told me that?
So I'm BC-less for now and open to suggestions. Plastic bag or not, I gotta use something.
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18 Comments
Hi guys
i have just stubbled across this site and i am amazed by the side effect of the Mirena IUD.
I had this put in at the end of 2004, having two boys aged 3 and 16 months i wanted a long term fix and this sounded great.
After 5 months of having it in i started to get couple of spots which then turned into 20-25 on each cheek of my face and kept on building up. Went to the G.P said it was adulthood ance . i believed him.Then my hair started to fall .As the years went by the ance gets worse speacially a couple of days before my period, my hair is still falling. I suffer from tiredness, panick attacks and dizziness.
Back of my mind i thought it might be Mirena but just put it by the by.
Now i have a face which is full of spots marks and my hair is so thin.I had so many treatements for the ance but nothing clears it and the panick attack i couldnt explain either and i have over the past 4 years put on 3 stones before having this put in i had no problem with weigth gain and had beautiful skin.
I am always upset and depressed and ever since i had this i am so emotional and have no self confidence.
This has caused me so much damage and i will advise anyone thinking of having it done not to do it.
As sometimes the symtoms take time to develope
After reading this i will get this out of me a.s.a.p
Thank you all for your comments
and please let me know if the ance cleared up and the hair stops falling for those you have taken it out
Thanks a bunch
Hello ladies,
I too have the IUD Mirena, I got it on May 2005 and I have read all of your experiences and come to realize that I do too have all these symtomps or side effects, but i never realized that my IUD was making all this to my body. I have decided to have it removed I just maded my appt for tomorrow. I will do it finally.
I only have one son he will be 4 this month. I have gained weight without any changes in my diet. I eat pretty healthy and excercise regularly so I blame the weight gain to the Mirena. I have constact upper/lower back pain, acnes develop all over my body,, like white heads and I also have mood swings uncall for, I feel depressed for no reason and want to cry at all times.. I became very emotional.
And my hair falls out 24/7. I agree on loss of memory. It's unreal on what the IUD does to your body , But why dont doctors tell you this... is crazy.
Oh and all this with no period at all for almost 4 years, plus the 9 months that i was preggo.. so i need to have a period now.. i cant believe that i am going to say this , but i actually miss my period.
That is funny that you say you miss your period! I do too! I had a 3 day period and it was nothing. Now I am still on my 28 day cycle, but I am experiencing cramping, bloating, fatique, mood swings AND to top it all off, I am have a week long period. It isn't even solid, it is on for a day or two then off like it is done, and then, on again for the remainder of the week. Rediculous. I think I will make an appointment too to get mine removed. There are so many negatives that are being discussed, you think the doc's know something and are required by the CDC not to say anything until their guinea pigs (us) have tried it out? I am really leaning towards that.
I demanded to get mine out this morning and just had it removed. I am hopeful that this will help my issues. I am on the verge of losing my job and my boyfriend and two step-children because of the anxiety and anger attacks and depression and crying that happen for no reason at all. He says he doesn't even know who I am anymore and how my mind works and he can't live this way. My daughter wants to know why I'm not happy and cry so much and me and him fight so much. This has been so awful and emotional. I also had stomach trouble and they were supposed to remove my gall bladder in a few weeks to cure me of my nausea and stomach aches because they have no other explaination. I talked with my doc today and told her all my thoughts and she said for sure that she thinks the longer the mirena is in, the worse the side effects are. It would have been two years this April I've had the IUD. It's been great without periods but omg I would gladly take them back to get rid of this roller coaster emotional ride I've been on. I am scared about the crash but hope that I can get through it okay, knowing that there will be an end to it. He is going to get fixed in a few months and in the meantime we are back to the good old condoms. I refuse to put anymore hormones into my system. Let my body be is my motto for 2009...it has to be better than what me and my family have been going through. Thank you ladies for your honesty...I really thought I was going to have to check myself into the pysch ward to get this figured out. Now it is wait and see and pray this helps, I don't want to lose my family. God's blessing to you all.
I am sitting here crying my eyes out. SO I am now 28 got it implanted at 24. I have 3 kids and I am finished. My doctor told me I was perfect candidate for IUD, no side effects, so I was all for it. I had my mirena removed yesterday. I was searching for side effects of having it removed. I am very dizzy and bleeding like im on my period. Will this pass? I am thinking I am recovering from the hormones.
I have had it for 4 years. After reading all the posts I am so angry I just cant get over it. My life has been hell for the last 4 years and I never, never once thought it was my iud. I have had stomach ulcers (they think) and been treated for, rectal bleeding. Dizziness, heart palpatations, mood swings, acne, rapid weight loss and gain over and over. I have had 2 abnormal paps ( no hpv, thank god) And undergone a colposcopy,cone biopsy, and I have had a lump in my neck for 2 years so not fun! My doctor did not reccomend removing my iud until recently when she couldnt find the string. I went in yesterday for a pre-op exam to have it surgicaly removed and tie my tube at the same time. I felt the string that morning and asked her to try and remove it in her office. She did and I cancelled my tubal litigation. My doctor sat me down and explained she had same side effects I had had with her IUD she said I need to stay off the BC for 3 months then re think my options. I have convinced myself that im a hypocondriac and there is nothing wrong with me, but my symptoms were real and Im angry now. So now I wonder if there are long term effects from having a Mirena Iud. I want to hear from you. Did you have any side effects after getting the iud removed? I am FREAKING out.
I fight dizziness all the time. I feel Mirena has caused me to feel dizzy all the time even when sitting. I now see that there are many other symtoms that I have that may be from the Mirena!!! I also have hot flashes (when the dizzyness is going on), inrcreased motion sickness, (I always get that ,but it's worse because of the dizziness, hair loss, loss of sex drive, anxiety, and moodiness, and oh yeah, I almost forgot, memory loss. I have been worried that I have early signs of alzhimers (sp) !!! Also when I do a lot of gardening (bending/scrunching over) I swear the thing pokes me, and rubs and makes me sore inside. I'll gladly take my periods back to not feel dizzy all the time. I can fight my dizziness by telling myself to remain centered, turn my head slowly, remain very calm. I noticed that I had a dizzy spell along with hot flashes on the 2 days prior to starting my small (2 drop) period. That's when I realized that this has to be related to the Mirena! Then I got on this site and realized OMG these other things are related to it too. I'm getting it out on Oct 16, 2009. I can't wait. I almost want to call and get it out sooner. I'm a little worried about having it out, for the crash? I think any crash is worth it however.
Check out our Mirena IUD group!
hi im dara and i just got mine in today but i havent herd anything bad about it untill i got h0me my friend told me it gives you badd acne and pms... should i give it a try or no but im unsure what birth control has low or no badd side affects?
Oh wow, I am not alone. I know Mirena works for some people, I'm sure it helps balance them out. But not me, I realize how happy I was before I had this thing put in. My baby girl is 5 months old now so I've only had the Mirena for about 3 1/2 months now, but it is getting worse. After I had my baby, I lost almost all my weight and felt good that I only had 10 lbs to lose, that was until the Mirena was inserted. Here are my side effects:
Depression (not suicidal) but everything else!
Weight gain
PMS
Nightly hot flashes
Stuffy nose that never goes away
BLOATING - still look prego
Cramps
Spotting
Longer periods
Headaches
High blood pressure
Always hungry, even when full
I'm so confused! Weight gain is my main issue, I worked so hard before I got pregnant and if this stupid IUD is the issue that its all back I want it out asap! Just not sure if I want to take the pill again :(
Oh man... I am so glad that I stumbled across this website!! It is funny, just today I went to the doctor because I have been having issues with being tired all day long and I normally have no issues with being tired. I had the Mirena put in last year after my second child was born, thinking that it would be a great thing to have. Well it was for a while...I didn't have any periods (which was awesome) and when I did have one it only lasted for about 10 minutes then it was over. But lately like I said, I have been really tired and couldn't figure out what my problem was, even my sex drive has gone downhill and I feel so bad for my husband because he thinks that it is him and I have tried to explain to him that it's just me and I don't know what the deal is. I went to the doctor today to have my iron level checked thinking that I was getting anemic or something, but that test came back just fine. Also had my TSH checked along with my T4 and there was no problem there. My doctor said that there is a certain hormone in Mirena that can cause weight gain and fatigue and your libido to drop. Which is everything I am experiencing along with getting light headed and dizzy every once in a while...Sometimes I feel like pins and needles go through my body it is so weird!! Just trying to find out if anyone else has felt this way??? I have also gained weight and let me tell you what....I work out at the YMCA 2 times a week and then the other 3 days I am jogging 4 miles...so the gaining weight thing is really starting to piss me off!! So I told my husband that if we are done having kids, he is just going to get snipped!! I can't feel this way anymore!! Please let me know if anyone has had it, then took it out....did your symptoms go away???