Mirena IUD experiences

[Mama2 '05'06]

I'm looking for any and all experiences with a Mirena IUD. My biggest questions: After removal, how long did it take to get pregnant? Did you like it?

[jenn5388]

It was my first time with any kind of birth control.. I had it for 3 years 2 months.

Pros: Spotty periods; not even need for any kind of Protection from them they were so light, NO CRAMPS (had horrible wanna die kind of cramps Pre IUD) Birth control you didn't have to think about everyday, every month, ETC..

Cons:
Ugh.
The spotty periods would last for 2 weeks.. I bled for the first 6 months after getting it.. straight. Horrible Headaches, NO SEX DRIVE AT ALL.
Later learned the last 2 were "rare" side affects of the Mirena IUD. Also been on and off Depression meds for the last 3 years too. don't know if it's related or not.

I should mention it didn't hurt going in.. Felt it, but it wasn't bad at all.. no cramping that tylenol or something could cure in a minute.. Also barely felt it coming out. had a bit of cramping the following day.

I got it out for the headaches and the no sex drive.. Got it out on the 14th. My Sex drive is back.. I can't answer the pregnancy part yet.. but I wouldn't go by me anyway because it took 2 years to get my first. lol

because of the side affects I won't be getting it again.. I'll be going for the Non Hormonal one next time around.

Good luck

[sarahbeara87]

had it in for about a year and a half have had it out for 3 months havent gotten pregnant yet but thats not a very long time. I liked it because I didnt have a period but eventually I wasnt cofortable with the idea of artificial hormones inmy body and I was ready for the possibility of another baby.

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by Mama2 '05'06

My biggest questions: After removal, how long did it take to get pregnant?

Gosh, I'm hoping my answer is years. LOL!. Just had it removed about almost a month ago, hoping not to get pregnant for a few more years, if ever.

Originally Posted by Mama2

Did you like it?

No. I hated it with a passion. I read all the posts on here about the IUD (Mirena, in particular) and thought "that won't happen to me, I'll be fine!". Only I wasn't. The IUD sucked. I bled. A lot. It hurt. We lost the IUD. Had to have an ultrasound done. Then I gave up and had the d*mn thing removed. That hurt even more. You can read about it here and the follow-up here if you really want to.

I will never get another IUD. Right now I'm going bc free until I get AF back (giving my body a short rest), then I'll start back on the pill.

[Spark]

Originally Posted by Mama2 '05'06

I'm looking for any and all experiences with a Mirena IUD. My biggest questions: After removal, how long did it take to get pregnant? Did you like it?

My Mirenna IUD was removed in October of this year. I HATED it. For about a year I spotted & cramped. The first 5 or 6 months I spotted & cramped almost continuously. Then, every 10 days to 2 weeks I'd spot & cramp. Sex hurt. Orgasm hurt. Ugh. I hated that thing.

Insertion was no big deal, but the gyno didn't leave the strings long enough, so I couldn't check to make sure it was still there & then extracting it was a bit tougher, too.

Then, when I finally got it removed, the gyno must not have known that it's "safest" for birth control purposes to remove it during a period. While I was about 3 weeks from my LMP, I apparently hadn't ovulated yet. She pulled the IUD and we used condoms from then on... and yet... here I am pregnant from the week she pulled the IUD. (I'm not complaining, I'm SO happy to have this baby coming, but still it was not a planned conception!)

So, good review for conception. Bad review for usage though.

[camotyka]

I just typed a long reply and it disappeared .

Here goes try two. I love mine. Insertion was uncomfortable. My periods were lighter but still full of cramps and bloating. Both of which I had prior. The only thing that I didn't like was DH could feel the string for the first two months. I went back to get the string checked but they said it was short enough. I gave it another month and it got better. Now he only feels it during my cycle when my uterus tilts. Thats also when it is easiest for my to check it. I'll be getting mine out this month so that we can TTC. We planned to try months ago but lifes happening moved the date back. I can say that I love mine so much that I'll be getting another after this baby.

[rinnerin]

I know you asked this awhile ago, but I just found this thread and wanted to share my thoughts. I have endometriosis, so my periods are awful, and I need some type of hormonal control for them or else I'm on narcotics most of the time. I've had my Mirena for almost 2 years and I love it. My periods are really light, although I do spot on and off for about 2 weeks. Very little, if any, cramping. Insertion was ok, hurt a little, but not bad. I am having it removed next week so we can TTC #2. I haven't had any problems with sex drive, or headaches, although I have had some trouble with my weight. They are the same problems I would have on BCPs though, so it's really the lesser of two evils for me. It has really been a miracle for me, and I haven't had an endo flair since before I got pregnant with DS almost 4 years ago due to pregnancy, nursing, and the IUD.

[maxmama]

Originally Posted by Mama2 '05'06

I'm looking for any and all experiences with a Mirena IUD. My biggest questions: After removal, how long did it take to get pregnant? Did you like it?

Um, about five minutes.

I'm on my third Mirena. I never have any bleeding or spotting with them, but two were placed postpartum (when I was spotting anyway) and I do BF, so YMMV.

I love it love it love it, especially since with two kids, a job and grad school there was no flipping way I was remembering a pill every day.

[Contrariety]

I had a love hate relationship with my IUD. It was only slightly uncomfortable to have inserted. I spotted for 4-5 months after insertion, had 5 blissful months of spot-free birth control followed by one month of hellacious cramping that ended with it being expelled from my uterus. The sucker got stuck in my cervix and my CNM had to remove it.

All things considered, I'd give it another try. If we weren't thinking about having another within the year, I would have another one right now.

I was really bummed that it fell out. It was a sad day.

[DanelleB]

I guess I'll add mine too. I've had mine for 3.5 years. It hurt a bit going in, but not too bad--just a little worse than a pap. I got it when DS was 6 months old and was nursing, so I didn't have a period for a good 6 or 7months. Even then the periods were very light. They tapered off and stayed away until a few months ago (and they're still sopratic). For 2.5 years I had zero problems. I had headaches, but I blew them off as just sinus headaches (now I realize that it's the IUD). But this last year on the IUD has been rough. There are many times I feel like I have PMS and morning sickness at the same time (nausea, sore boobs with cramps, lower backache and moodswings) and my headaches have grown to full blown migranes. My strings are now also missing, so I don't know that it's still even in place.

I still have mine, so I personally can't answer how quick one can get pregnant afterwards, but I do have a close friend that had hers out 6 months ago to TTC and hasn't had any luck yet.

[christigpa]

I got mine in March 06 and had it removed this past October. Insertion was horrible - I passed out from the pain (NP wasn't doing a great job and bumped my vagal nerve {sp?}). Insertion pain aside, within mere days DH and I were back in business.

Within three to four months my usual (3 day) light periods withered away - probably didn't have one for six months at a time. The last six months however I had lots of cramping (sim to period cramping), migraines and general PMS (sore breasts, etc.). Still having migraines so they may not have been related to the Mirena.

October I had the Mirena uneventfully removed. Six weeks later I had a normal AF, nothing like the "weeks and weeks of a heavy AF" that some forums led me to believe. Since then I've had two normal (complete with feeling actual ovulation) 28-day cycles. I did get an extra AF (very light - only two days start to finish) this month, mere days after ovulating. Guess my system is still getting back on track.

Can't say how long it takes to get pregnant - our "go" date to officially start trying is when my house goes to settlement next week. Time to make baby #1!!

All in all, even though insurance didn't pay for insertion or the actual IUD, we would look to an IUD again - it was so darn SIMPLE! Just not the Mirena due to the extra hormones it releases into your system.

[Nathan1097]

I have had mine since October, 2003. (They're good for 5 years.)

I had had the copperT380 in 2000, so I knew what insertion was like. Not a big deal- cramped and spotted a bit after.

The first six months or so, I had off and on spotting. But then, my periods actually got very regular! Lighter flow, but like clockwork at 28 or 29 days! I had lost some weight, too, which I'm sure had something to do with it.

Now, my periods are every 2 or 3 months and very light. When I say light, I mean they start out with PMS and cramping and finally bright red spotting. You can see it when I wipe, and I do need a pad, but only because a liner wouldn't be enough.

I have had headaches, but there could be lots of reasons for those. I have had really bad PMS in the last year, though. I am on other meds for that, but this time (on my period now by coincidence!), it was really bad. So I'm gonna talk to my dr. tomorrow about that.

I don't plan on having any more kids so I can't answer how fertile I am after I get this one out (I plan on getting another one), but after I had the Copper-T IUD taken out, I was pregnant within a week or so! I got it out on January 2, 2001, and found out I was pregnant on January 25, or so. My periods on the CopperT, though, were VERY heavy- heavier than my regular periods, and DEFINITELY heavier than they are now. Not fun.