IUD Pregnancy?? UPDATED

[stardogs]

I think I'm just being paranoid, but it's late at night and I don't want to freak DH out by mentioning anything to him, so I figured I'd ask here.

Any idea how to tell if you might be pregnant if one has an IUD?  I have had my Mirena for a year and do not have periods, at all.  Cramping occurs occasionally, roughly every 28-35 days, and that's as close to a period as I get. 

For the last week to 10 days I've noticed a slight twinge on my right side, about the level of my belly button, an increase in emotionality (very puppy/baby crazy, teary at times, easily upset, etc.), some hip pain, period-like cramping that comes and goes, fatigue, and some low back pain.  It's about 5-7 days after I felt some cramping like my "period" cramping.  I had a spot of blood a few mornings ago, which is odd, but nothing since then.  DH and I have been dtd more recently, so that could explain the spot and some of the other stuff I suppose - overuse?? lol.

Of course me being weirded out by this new side twinge (which of course is mentioned in some of the pregnancy symptoms lists I've seen) and spot(ting) means I'm hyper alert - after my shower tonight I even tried to see if my tummy looked different! It doesn't help that I had a dream two nights ago in which DH told me that I was 7 weeks pregnant! :O

Should I get a pregnancy test?!  Will someone with an IUD even be able to rely on a poas test given the hormones in the IUD??

[Naturallove]

If you are concerned I would buy a pregnancy test. To the best of my knowledge if you are pregnant and have enough HCG built up in your system to test the test should come out positive. I do not think that the IUD would effect the test. Good Luck!

[stardogs]

Ok I did some reading and it really sounds like some of this is fairly routine for the Mirena.  I'm not so worried now (I tend to be a bit of a hypochondriac), but will keeping track of what I'm feeling.  I may end up going to see my PCP next week though, just to talk to her about things I should be watching for and answer some of my questions.

[MyFullHouse]

I got pregnant on the Mirena.  The IUD itself will not cause a false positive.  Test!

I don't want to freak you out, but I do want to stress the importance of finding out.

My pregnancy was ectopic, I had no pain, and I was a perfect candidate for methotrexate.  Somehow, I still wound up going through a month-long ordeal that ended with a rupture and emergency surgery.

I love the Mirena, and would absolutely get another one if it were medically advisable after an ectopic, but I stress testing to ANYONE who EVER thinks they might be pregnant with an IUD.

[stardogs]

MFH - how'd you figure out you were pregnant?  I've not ever been pregnant before and when I asked my dr. before the IUD was placed, she just said it would be obvious if one were to get pregnant while having an IUD. :\

*sigh* I never thought I'd ever wish I had regular periods lol.

[MyFullHouse]

Originally Posted by stardogs 

MFH - how'd you figure out you were pregnant?  I've not ever been pregnant before and when I asked my dr. before the IUD was placed, she just said it would be obvious if one were to get pregnant while having an IUD. :\

*sigh* I never thought I'd ever wish I had regular periods lol.

Technically, I suppose I was fortunate in that my periods never actually stopped. (I never would have guessed I'd be saying that!)  They were much lighter and shorter (maybe a day or two of pantiliners), but still pretty regular.

I REALLY don't agree that it would be obvious, otherwise.   I never had any of the classic signs of pregnancy, let alone an ectopic pregnancy, other than being a day or two late.  And I had had 4 births and a miscarriage before this, so experience didn't really count for much!  Even when I did rupture a month later, I never had any sort of pain, just two separate dizzy spells in the final 36 hours.

The chances are definitely very slim.  I think it's something like .01-.1%?  Even then, it doesn't always mean ectopic.  It's just that the potential consequences are so serious that I firmly believe it's worth peeing on a stick!

For what it's worth, I was the first Mirena "failure" in my mw/ob/gyn practice, and it's a pretty busy practice!  Online, it's certainly going to seem more common, because that .01-.1% seek each other out.

[Eresh]

It's also possible for the Mirena to dislodge, so even if you have a negative pregnancy test, you might want to confirm the iud's location if you're still having twinges and unusual spotting.

[stardogs]

Thanks for the input everyone!  I have an official negative pregnancy test now, so at least that's off the table. :) I'm going to schedule an appointment with my PCP to discuss the weirdness tho - IUD displacement is a big concern for me of course and I know this sort of thing isn't normal for me, so I also wonder about a cyst.

[stardogs]

Just got back from my doctor's appointment.  So far the PA thinks that it may be an ovarian cyst, usually benign, so I'm going to set up an appointment for a pelvic ultrasound.  She also did an exam/urinalysis/tested for yeast/sti's just to cover all the bases; didn't seem worried about pregnancy at all given my negative poas tests earlier this week.  Will update further when I know more myself.

[stardogs]

Still no idea what's going on after a negative ultrasound, but at least I know the IUD is where it is supposed to be.  Guess it's more searching for me...

[Tink1044]

Hi, I need help badly. I am 17 and have had my Mirena Copper IUD since 8/19/09 and have constantly gotten my period. It either is very unregular and spotty, sometimes comes everyday for an entire month straight, extremely heavy, or doesn't look like a period color wise or texture wise, but then sometimes it does look like normal. (Will save you all the details) I am very nervous that this could may interfere with the effectivness of my IUD? Lately I have felt as if I am going to vomit, I have been peeing like crazy, craving weird food, become kind of moody, and my nose has become very sensitive. I'm kind of freaking out a little bit. I went to the doctor about 6 months ago as soon as my periods became severly out of wack. They did ultrasounds and the IUD is supposedly in the right place, nothing is wrong with my thyroid, and then I think they stopped taking me seriously.

[dashley111]

Originally Posted by Tink1044 

Hi, I need help badly. I am 17 and have had my Mirena Copper IUD since 8/19/09 and have constantly gotten my period. It either is very unregular and spotty, sometimes comes everyday for an entire month straight, extremely heavy, or doesn't look like a period color wise or texture wise, but then sometimes it does look like normal. (Will save you all the details) I am very nervous that this could may interfere with the effectivness of my IUD? Lately I have felt as if I am going to vomit, I have been peeing like crazy, craving weird food, become kind of moody, and my nose has become very sensitive. I'm kind of freaking out a little bit. I went to the doctor about 6 months ago as soon as my periods became severly out of wack. They did ultrasounds and the IUD is supposedly in the right place, nothing is wrong with my thyroid, and then I think they stopped taking me seriously.

Have you thought about getting the IUD taken out?  It really sounds like it is NOT the kind of birth control your body can handle- and that is not an uncommon experience for people who get Mirena.  It does NOT work for everybody, and pain and bleeding are not uncommon in those it doesn't work for.  I would say that you definitely need to see your doctor again, and insist that they find an alternative- you may be young, but you still deserve to be listened to, and have the best care and treatment possible.  Bleeding constantly since August is NOT healthy, and puts you at a high risk for anemia and lowered immune system.

Have you taken a pregnancy test?

[stardogs]

Pregnancy test first, doctor second regardless of the result!  Bleeding like that is not normal and they need to take your concerns seriously - if they don't, don't hesitate to get a second opinion from another doctor!

I will update further to say that my weird symptoms turned out to be a UTI that's been solved with several rounds of antibiotics, so that's a possibility as well.  Make sure your dr. checks for that when you go in.  I didn't have *any* normal symptoms (like increased frequency of urination, burning), just nausea, side pain, crampiness, etc.