Mirena and low sex drive?

[Caitlin0919]

I just wanted to know if anyone else has used Mirena and had problems with a low or non-existent sex drive. I already have an appointment to get mine taken out because I'm having all kinds of other issues, but I wanted to know if the sex drive issue was something others had experienced. I'm soooo ready to start TTC #2 but DH is hesitant because of the sex thing. The fact that I never want to have sex (and I mean NEVER) has really taken a toll on our marriage and he wants to make sure everything is on more steady ground before we get pg again. I'm hoping getting the Mirena removed will help bring my libido back. Any experience with this?

[lactatinggirl]

I don't know if it's the Mirena or having a baby then toddler, but my husband has complained in the past that I never initiate it. Actually, I'm almost sure that for a while there, if he hadn't initiated it that we just wouldn't have had sex at all! 

Lately it's been better even with the Mirena still in, but my husband thinks that's because we've started talking about having #2, so it's gotten me all excited. 

[stik]

I hated Mirena while I had it.  I'm convinced that it messed with me in a million ways - libido, moods, cramps, a period that lasted for two months (NOT spotting), fatigue, nausea, headaches, painful ovarian cysts, I could go on and on.  Every issue I brought up with my Gyn, she informed me could not possibly have been caused by Mirena.  But I notice that I didn't have any of these problems before Mirena, and most of them went away after I got it out.  So yes, IMO, it could be messing with your sex drive.  Probably worth getting it out to see, no?  You could use an alternate method of bc for a while so you and your dh can work on your relationship issues before TTC.

[Caitlin0919]

When I first got it, everything was fine. I gained a little weight, but it was only about 5 lbs. so I wasn't too worried. Lately, I've been having all kinds of issues with it, including a couple pregnancy scares. I haven't gotten a period since I had it put in in May '09 and then in November my boobs started to be really swollen and sensitive, my nipples were sore from nursing my 2-year-old and I would feel really crampy when I nursed. Since I wasn't getting a period, I was freaking out. I took two pregnancy tests but they were both negative. Then I actually got a period the week before Thanksgiving so I thought, I guess I get a period now. In December, I started having similar symptoms so I thought I was going to get another period. I had light spotting one day so I expected it to come the next day. Instead, all the symptoms just disappeared the next day. Now I'm gaining even more weight all the sudden and I look like I'm about 4 or 5 months pregnant. I know I'm not because it'll all squishy and flabby, but it seems like it's all concentrated around my abdomen so I have this big belly. I made an appointment after the non-period and I go in on the 7th to get it removed. I plan on getting a prescription for NuvaRing since I've used it before and never had any issues with it. I might wait a month or two to start using it though, mostly to give my body a break from the hormones but also to see if removing the Mirena will have any effect on my libido. We'll see how it goes.

[TrishWSU]

Originally Posted by stik 

I hated Mirena while I had it.  I'm convinced that it messed with me in a million ways - libido, moods, cramps, a period that lasted for two months (NOT spotting), fatigue, nausea, headaches, painful ovarian cysts, I could go on and on.  Every issue I brought up with my Gyn, she informed me could not possibly have been caused by Mirena.  But I notice that I didn't have any of these problems before Mirena, and most of them went away after I got it out.  So yes, IMO, it could be messing with your sex drive.  Probably worth getting it out to see, no?  You could use an alternate method of bc for a while so you and your dh can work on your relationship issues before TTC.

 Um, yes, ditto to all of this!! I had absolutely no sex drive what-so-ever and everything stik posted. If you google "mirena side effects" you'll find hundreds and hundreds (no exagerration) of other women who have had all the same problem while their dr's swear it can't be from the Mirena. I experienced the same thing plus absolutely irrational anger over the stupiest things. I took my out (myself) about 2 months again and feel so much better although I can still tell I'm a little off hormonally from it. I figure it'll take a little while for all those hormones to work their way out.

My cycles have been weird since it was removed also, so you may not want to immediately jump into TTC if this happens to you, too.

[lactatinggirl]

Originally Posted by Caitlin0919 

When I first got it, everything was fine. I gained a little weight, but it was only about 5 lbs. so I wasn't too worried. Lately, I've been having all kinds of issues with it, including a couple pregnancy scares. I haven't gotten a period since I had it put in in May '09 and then in November my boobs started to be really swollen and sensitive, my nipples were sore from nursing my 2-year-old and I would feel really crampy when I nursed. Since I wasn't getting a period, I was freaking out. I took two pregnancy tests but they were both negative. Then I actually got a period the week before Thanksgiving so I thought, I guess I get a period now. In December, I started having similar symptoms so I thought I was going to get another period. I had light spotting one day so I expected it to come the next day. Instead, all the symptoms just disappeared the next day. Now I'm gaining even more weight all the sudden and I look like I'm about 4 or 5 months pregnant. I know I'm not because it'll all squishy and flabby, but it seems like it's all concentrated around my abdomen so I have this big belly. I made an appointment after the non-period and I go in on the 7th to get it removed. I plan on getting a prescription for NuvaRing since I've used it before and never had any issues with it. I might wait a month or two to start using it though, mostly to give my body a break from the hormones but also to see if removing the Mirena will have any effect on my libido. We'll see how it goes.

OMG I am having the exact same issue with my weight! It's like a lost my pregnancy weight and everything looks normal except my stomach. I still get questions of when I'm due (maybe partially because Peanut is almost 2, so that's the "normal" time to get pregnant again). 

[stardogs]

Libido change hasn't been an issue for me (DH usually has to initiate, but less so now that I have the IUD oddly enough) and after getting Mirena I saw a reduction in period pain (and now no periods at all), but I do think I've had a cyst or two, and that was never an issue before the Mirena.  I think if you google a given side effect and Mirena you'll find people reporting it, but whether it's actually the Mirena or something else, you'll never know.  My dr. said that the level of hormones in Mirena is low and not circulated systemically, so who knows.

[Eresh]

I had no libido with the Mirena .. no other negative side effects.  I started charting immediately after having mine removed.  I had two odd cycles before they normalized.  I also had noticeably improved cervical fluid each cycle until I conceived DS2 (5 months post removal, first cycle TTC).  I'm not getting another Mirena.