IUD rant/ advice please!

Hi guys-

I just need some space to rant about the Mirena. I got it 2 days before Christmas and have felt like crap since. My usual exercise routine has been on hold for about 2 months because of holidays and weather. I have been bleeding pretty much non-stop since then. I ache all over, and now I am having trouble controlling my eating. I was at my goal weight when I got this damn thing. I am up 5 pounds and need to get back on the wagon. I feel a little down, have since the insertion, Dr. said it's all normal. I don't feel normal. I don't want to swim, or garden, or even stretch and walk, AARRGH! I want to eat healthy, I want to want to exercise, but I just don't.

Has any one dealt with this stuff before? Does anyone have some tips for how to overcome this wall of inertia I have seemed to have hit?

I feel your pain - literally!  I got the Mirena in October of 2007 and felt horrible and also had constant bleeding for two months.  I also had horrible mood swings - my husband (boyfriend then) wanted me to get it taken out because he couldn't stand me with it.   I actually went back with a request to take it out.  The doctor double checked it was in the right place and basically talked me into waiting another month.  I'm so happy I did.  During the third month I felt fine and still do!  Now I have very, very slight spotting like once every two months for a few hours.  I also have very slight cramps around the same time.  

Anyway, my advice to you is to stick with it a little while longer.  I know this is easier said then done, but if you're experience is at all like mine, it will be worth it.

I had an IUD - it wasn't Mirena though, it was about 7 yrs ago. I had it for a year - it was terrible. I had baaaaaad cramps - like physically can't get out of this chair right now cramps and doubled over in pain. I also had my period for 2 weeks every month ... it never went away. Maybe this mirena's different though ?

Alle-

Were you able to get out and exercise or anything while you were adjusting to it? I am only able to do just a very little and then I will start to cramp and bleed even more heavily. As far as emotions go, I generally get depressed, with occasional bouts of feeling mediocre. Happiness does not seem to be on the horizon. If I could do more I bet I would feel better. It is like a vicious cycle.

Wow, sorry you're going through all of that. I have a Mirena, and although I really like it now, the first three months or so were kind of rough, as I did spot constantly. Were you on hormonal birth control before you got the mirena? Some of your symptoms with the mood changes and stuff sound like perhaps they're withdrawal from that, as the mirena releases much fewer hormones.

I didn't start exercising until about 3 or 4 months after I got it, so I can't speak to how it affected my exercise routine, but for the first 6 weeks or so, I would get some random cramping. I now exercise fine, weights and cardio, and it does not bother me at all. My period has pretty much gone away, and when I do get it, it's very, very light, more like spotting. I'm a big fan of this feature. It does feel weird at first, I remember having this sensation that there was something foreign just sitting there.

It got better for me, but everybody's body and experience is different. If you can stand it, I'd try to give it 2 or 3 months, and if you still hate it then, get it removed.

I had the same thing happen to me except I was on the pill (still am).  I was bleeding non-stop for over a year and I was so moody and tired all the time.  I felt like the doctors were not listening to me so I finally got an appointment with a specialist and had an ultrasound done.  Turns out I had a tumor the size of an orange growing on my right ovary.  I had surgery and while they were removing it they noticed I also had endometriosis.  I had both removed and I have been back to normal ever since.  The tumor messed up my cycle so bad and I had a rollercoaster of estrogen that would go from low to high effecting my moods.  I am not telling you this to scare as I am young (26) and newly married...I was scared too but I am still able to have kids and my body has never felt better.  Just wanted to let you know my story in case what's happening to you is because of something else.  I hope this helps and good luck!

I'm sorry to hear that you're having so many problems with your IUD. :( I actually got the Paraguard one right before the holidays and though it was intensely painful for about two days, it let up immensely after the third and I even just went back to my normal routine on the fourth day. (I got it on a Tuesday and was doing kickboxing on Friday with no problems). I definitely had breakthrough bleeding for a week after my period was supposedly done but had a completely normal, campless time since that first period. I'm suuuper happy with the paragaurd, but they definately told me to watch out for cramping and bleeding for the first three months.

From what I understand the Minera is the hormonal IUD and because of that, it's going to act very similarly to most other forms of hormonal BC. It's just such an intense process to get it put in in the first place that I would give it at least the 3-4 month run to see if things don't normalize. I know the cramps suck hard but it really might be worth it to stick it out and see. Personally, I feel that the 10 years of no taking pills or getting shots or anything is totally worth the month or three of cramps and bleeding.

Good luck - I hope it works out soon.

Original Post by makettle:

Alle-

Were you able to get out and exercise or anything while you were adjusting to it? I am only able to do just a very little and then I will start to cramp and bleed even more heavily. As far as emotions go, I generally get depressed, with occasional bouts of feeling mediocre. Happiness does not seem to be on the horizon. If I could do more I bet I would feel better. It is like a vicious cycle.

Sorry I didn't see your question until now, but I can't really answer it.  When I got it put in I was really inactive so I didn't try to get out and exercise.   Maybe you could try to take a week off to (hopefully) help everything settle down or maybe ask your doctor if he/she has advice to get through this part.  I know it really sucks!

I've had the paraguard for almost two years. I love it. My periods are on the heavy side and and my cramps are a bit more painful but it's bearable and worth it. Like someone said before - no pills, no shots, no hormones, for ten years! The mirena I believe only lasts 5 years. Maybe just an FYI for others looking into getting an IUD, there are TWO choices. I haven't seen any advertisements for the paraguard!

I say stick with it if you are ok with the hormone aspect of it - if you've taken hormonal BC before and been alright with it. If the hormone factor wasn't understood when you got it, I would reconsider in that case.

There are some great natural remedies for cramps that work well for me. Go to your local natural grocer, or look online. There are herbs, homeopathic remedies, juices, etc. that can really help. This is not the easy or cheap route, but I can tell you they are a lot better for you than popping over-the-counter pain relievers. But of course - everyone's body is different. So it's hard to say!

Good luck!

I got my Mirena April of 2008. It sucked for about 6-8 weeks. I bled for almost the whole time. The emotional aspects you're describing sound like maybe you're having issues with the hormone in it. I suggest you wait a couple months and see if your body adjusts to it.

And I know you said you just don't feel like being active, but that will help your mood quite a bit (good ol' endorphins!). The exception being that if you get so down in the dumps that you start to feel like you just don't care about yourself anymore. If that happens, you need to talk to your doctor.

A couple of people on here mentioned using it- the copper IUD.  Minera is a hormone IUD which is going to cause changes in mood, and possibly appetite ect..  Paraguard is copper (kills sperm, wont let eggs implant), so while you would still possibly spot for a while, you are unlikely to have any of the other side effects.  My close friend uses paraguard because of sensitivity to hormones and has had a lot of success.  I know the IUD process is pretty intense, but it may be worth trying to swap if you dont see any improvement.

I think April will be two years for me having the Paraguard.  I went with this because I had a very bad reaction to the birth control pills about 10 years ago.  I had been taking them for about 5 years with absolutely no problems, and then developed huge hard knots on my shins.  About 10-15 knots per leg and it hurt so bad (pins and needles)that I could not walk.  They said there was nothing they could do about it and it went away after a few days.  But it was very scary.  I also have a cousin who got the horomone sticks in the arm type of BC and went from happy wife and mom to almost killing herself.  I would not mess with those hormones ever again.

The Paraguard was pure torture getting it in, and I hurt badly (crampy) for many days.  After that, I had really bad, sharp cramps about a week and a half BEFORE each period.  They were much more painful and acute than my normal cramps.  My flow was SUPER heavy for 3 days and then gradually lighter the next 2 days, then would suddenly stop.  All this lasted for about a year and a half.  Over the last several months, all of this has been subsiding, and I am now on my period.  I almost thought I was pregnant because the early cramps did not come.  Flow did start but was heavy for only 2 days, and then done by day 4 1/2.  I definitely feel like the trial is over, and I am VERY glad I didn't give up and get it removed.

It has been so liberating not having to worry about condoms all this time.  Yes, it took a while and the pain subsided gradually, but it was not that bad after the first 3 months.  Still bad, but not AS bad.  I really thought I was going to have to get it out.  I stuck it out, and after one year, the pain was very bearable.  Now, this is pain for a few minutes several times a day, 2-3 days a month.  Worth it in my opinion. 

I know this doesnt directly address the original question.  But I thought I'd put it out there in case anyone can use the info.  I was quite in the dark when I was going thru all of this, and spent a lot of time not really knowing what to do or where to turn.

I have had the Mirena for 3 years now. It was kinda hard at the beginning but after that I liked it alot.

However, I have had an increase in urinary tract and yeast infections since I got it. A marked increase!

My doctor said that this is something that can happen but I am not sure why.

Hi everyone. Newbie here; I registered a few minutes ago. I was at my OB/GYN's office on Thursday, getting an array of things done: A biopsy (b/c I'm having heavy periods), cultures for proof of no VD of any kind, before they plan on inserting the Minera in me. Also, discussions of what could be wrong, and how the Minera could greatly improve my periods - the heaviness that is...

However, after hearing all of the complaints out here regarding how someone's physical AND mental health can be affected. I didn't know that this little Minera could cause so much pain and discomfort, even if only for a few months. Well, that's a few months too much of pain and discomfort. Nobody deserves to go through that!

I know my new insurance will cover the Minera, but two years ago I was all ready to get this new IUD (they like to insert the Minera during menstruation, as the cervix is open a bit more than usual) but my period just wouldn't start!

My OB/GYN R'xed Provera for me, so my period would start. He had to warn me that the med could make my period a lot heavier or a lot lighter. Well, of course, mine were heavier! The next day, I called the dr's office to make an immediate appt to get my new form of birth control and something to make my periods and myself feel better... I'm all for that! 

So I'm waiting and waiting for them to get back to me and finally a billing  person got on and said that she was sorry but my insurance I had at that time wasn't covering the Minera! OMG, couldn't they have told me, like before I had to take that Demon Period Blood Pill?  I was bleeding so much, I thought I would have needed a blood transfusion, no joke.

Well, take care all.. It's great to have a place to go to vent. 

I'm not sure if we're supposed to share why we're here, well... I just lost 90 pounds, then gained 11 pounds back, and quickly!  I'm so afraid I'm going to just start gaining all the weight I lost, and I worked really freaking hard to have lost as much weight as I did.  So, basically I needed to join some kind of a group, where I can lose 5 pounds, then learn how to keep the weight off!

Ok, enough ranting.