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Anonymous

Today I had the MIrena removed and Paragard inserted. My story is - age 30 had my 3rd child and had Mirena put in. I went the 5 years without (I thought) a side effect. I will say that I spotted for FIVE months (yes, for real) when it was first put in. I gave it 6 months to try it out and after that ended I never again had a period or anything - for 7 years.

I had the first one from 2006-2011. 2011 I opted to have a new one put in. Again, no issues. No bleeding, nothing. But then I started thinking how I never really "recovered" mentally from having #3. Scattered...kind of all over the place. A few days every month I would have the LOWEST energy level and drive to do anything at all. I chalked it up to the possiblity those were the days I would have AF, if I did. I am a very active, go get them, organized person otherwise. I even tracked my mood, motivation, etc. It seemed to also relate to sleep (duh) if I had gotten less, but that had never affected me to this degree in the past. I chalked it up to getting older, kids busy, working more, etc.

Eventually the low libido started really affecting my relationship w/my husband. I mean I feel nothing. Not even affection.

I looked into it and realized I have quite a few side effects that I never associated to MIrena - hair loss, extreme exhaustion at times. I wondered if the new one in 2011 was stronger in some way? I will say though that the majority of 7 years I have NOT been unhappy with it. I mean, I would have switched out long ago if I were. NO cramps, nothing horrible anything as others described. NO weight gain, nothing went horribly wrong. I debated removing it a year ago at my annual, due to the libido loss along. I Literally kept it for the no period bonus.

I again tracked mood, motivation, sleep, etc in January-April thinking it just had to be me. Took Vitamin D. Took DHEA (horrible side effects of acne). Looked again at forums of Mirean taking women with side effects and others saying "I didn't realize this was Mirena related til I went off!" (mental cloudiness, scattered thinking, low energy, low libido, hair loss, migraines - although those I've had in past ) I decided 2 weeks ago this was it. I had been on 7 years and I don't know what normal feels like (I think, ha-ha). I need a break. I need to see what I truly feel like, hormone free. I took the pill for years and never noticed these things - but #1 I was younger then and #2. it's not the same drug and #3. maybe I just didn't notice these things? Made the appt after debating other BC methods. I hate condoms, I didn't want something with a monthly copay if I could avoid it, pills suck - remembering them and then antibiotics, etc - need I say more? - , and I went with Para gard.

I am hoping that since I went from an IUD to an IUD that the old uterus stays calm and I avoid the cramping, etc etc I read about. It's been ohhhh, 3+ hours since I switched out, so I am seriously brand new at this change. So far so good. I had initially very minor cramping due to Hey something happened in here...sort of wakeup call but other than that my fingrs are crossed and no other issues to note. Pulling the Mirena and getting this one was easy-peasy, as it was with the other mirena inserts. Minor cramping, pinch and over.

By the way I'm now 37 and not willing to go tubal and undergo that surgery if I don't have to. Husband could do V but I like taking resp. for myself. Weird but there's my reasoning for this.

I'm hoping to avoid the "MIrena crash" I read about. Going to get extra sleep, extra fluids and take care of my emotional health by walking, reading, getting out with friends, kid playing..pick the things that make you happy and do them, sort of thing. Hoping the old libido wakes up and saves me.

Other than that and the return of AF (sad I can't avoid that one anymore, it's been a great 7 years in that respect), I have a hopeful anticipation for the future without Mirena.

June 24, 2013 - 6:15pm

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