Has anyone used the IUC contraceptive Mirena?

Question

I am thinking about using the IUC Mirena for birth control this time around, since my husband and I do not want another baby for at least 2 years, and we got pregnant on the pill last year. Has anyone had good or bad experiences with it? I would love to know!

Answer 1

There are several risks you might want to be aware of when considering Mirena.

1. For women who have conceived while on Mirena, half of the pregnancies were ectopic which can cause scarring, infertility and other complications
2. Getting pregnant with Mirena in place also has resulted in septic abortions, septic shock and even death in a few rare cases
3. Use of IUDs like Mirena has been associated with an increased risk of PID (Pelvic Inflammatory Disease)
4. Mirena can cause irregular Bleeding and amenorrhea
5. Mirena can become embedded or cause perforation of the uterus.
6. There is also a known link between all hormonal birth control and breast cancer.

Have you considered trying NFP or another natural method of birth control? It would be free and there would be no risky side effects. You can get more info at http://www.ccli.org

Answer 2

Well, I've had the Mirena since the end of July and I absolutely love it. I did have light spotting and cramping for 2 months, but now, I have no side effects at all. I normally have heavy, heavy, heavy periods that last months at a time, so to have just normal light periods is great! I have high blood pressure, so the Pills, the Patch, Nuva Ring, and Inplanon are out of the question for me.
BTW, the Mirena is made of silicone, unlike the original "copper T IUD", so the airport alarms won't go off! LOL!

Answer 3

I have had mine for the past 11 months. I have not experienced anything bad or abnormal. I don't even know it is there. I have read that lots of people get mood swings, weight gain and depression. My doctor told me that they have done tons of tests to see how much of the hormone gets into the blood stream. It is mainly just kept within the uterus...unlike pills, the patch, and other contraceptives, Mirena shows very small traces in the bloodstream. So, I would say that the people who have complaints, are blaming Mirena when they have no proof. I love having it...It is mainly recommended for people who have had babies and are in a stable, monogamous relationship as well.

Answer 4

I have Mirena in and I'm having it removed next week. Its awful. After having my Mirena inserted (in Feb 2007) I have had severe cramping, breast tenderness, anxiety, and moodiness. Check out this site for posts from other women who have had problems with Mirena:

http://curezone.com/forums/f.asp?f=713

I wish that I had seen this before I decided to have this inserted. You'll notice that many women complain of anxiety, weight gain, and acne. Many of these people have had specialists (endocrinologists, dermatologists, etc.) instruct them to have the Mirena removed. My internist is who told me that I should really have mine taken out. I am a very petite woman (about 100 lbs) and the synthetic hormone delivered through Mirena cannot be dosed for an individual woman's size.

I have yet to meet a woman who has enjoyed her Mirena. Everyone I've met is either having it removed, has had it removed, or is "waiting it out" to see if the side effects improve.

Answer 5

I had an IUD and I ended up with an ectopic pregnancy. I was 10 weeks along before any Dr. would try to find out what was wrong with me. The IUD had been implanted for 7 months. My right tube ruptured, I passed out and went into emergency surgery. I had 4 units of blood in my stomach and ended up losing my right tube. I now have this awful scar from my belly button all the way down to the top of my pelvis where they had to cut me. It took 42 staples to close that incision. That scar as well as the emotional scar is something that I will live with the rest of my life. It is a daily reminder of how lucky I was to survive. And no, I couldn't sue any Dr. for all of this. IUD's if you read the fine print are well known for ectopic pregnancies. If I would have laid down and went to sleep that night the blood would have suffocated me. I would weigh out all of your options and make careful considerations before having an IUD implanted. Whatever your decision--Good Luck. Oh yeah, 10 yrs. later I ended up getting pregnant again and had a normal pregnancy.

Answer 6

I had one after my second daughter was born. I always suffered from very heavy periods so this was recommended by my GP (who also has one). At first it gave me headaches but these soon passed and the first one or two periods were very heavy. After that I hardly had periods at all, which cured my anaemia problems.
I had the device removed after 5 years, to become an egg donor for my sister. Strangely I always made the alarms go off in my local Debenhams store until I had it removed, but I'm not sure this was to blame.

Answer 7

I'm interested in this IUD as well. I am anxious to hear what other women have to say about it. I was on NuvaRing when I got prego, so I am very interested in an IUD.
Congrats and good luck.

Answer 8

Hated it and would never ever have it again.
I bled constantly for 13 months before my doctors would take it out.

Answer 9

a friend of mine used it, she fell pregnant