Things sucked with the Mirena since literally day one. The insertion was miserable, and I’m not kidding you when I say I was bleeding buckets of blood. Tiny buckets, but it was a lot. It felt like someone turned a hose on. The gynae gave me a liner as if that was going to keep the red sea at bay. I switched to a pad about 20 seconds later, which was good because I was a FAUCET. I traveled home with my hand holding my crotch because I was scared I was going to bleed on the bus seats. The rest of the day I was bleeding a ton and was in so much pain.
The stomach aches and cramps literally never stopped from there. For months. I got Mirena in January, got it removed in September. I had a stomach ache every single day. I looked into food issues and whatnot, but the timing made me think Mirena. I got cramps constantly. For MONTHS. Doc said maybe I just needed more time than normal to adjust. Checked it by ultrasound, it was all cozied up where it should have been.
I was getting crazy acne places I’d never gotten it before- all over my neck, my cheeks, my forehead, my chest. Really painful blistery acne.
I was swinging into the worst depression I’ve ever had. I stopped caring about eating or cooking (which I love), I had no motivation at work, no motivation at home. I felt empty. I stopped loving myself, and finally, I realized that I didn’t feel love towards my boyfriend. I KNEW that I loved him, I just couldn’t feel it. That was the day I made an appointment to get it removed. I knew something wasn’t right.
The removal was so easy and almost painless. I immediately got started back on my favorite pill, but it took weeks to adjust. I had beat myself up daily for “not feeling better yet,” but luckily I have the most supportive boyfriend in the world. He let me cry, and panic about how I felt and assured me that it wasn’t me talking and saying heartless things, that this wouldn’t last forever.
And he was right- it’s now November and my skin is clear, my mind is back to normal and I’m happy again. I’ve noticed such a big difference getting that Mirena out.
I know a lot of you probably love Mirena, and that’s great! It just wasn’t for me and that’s okay. If you feel the same way as I did, just know you’re not alone and you’ll find something that works. Just ask your doc to help you out. If my story sounds like yours, don’t be afraid to be your own advocate and ask about your options.
Below are some of the possible side effects of Mirena IUD.
Mirena can cause serious side effects including:
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Some IUD users get a serious pelvic infection called pelvic inflammatory disease. PID is usually sexually transmitted. You have a higher chance of getting PID if you or your partner have sex with other partners. PID can cause serious problems such as infertility, ectopic pregnancy or pelvic pain that does not go away. PID is usually treated with antibiotics. More serious cases of PID may require surgery. A hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) is sometimes needed. In rare cases, infections that start as PID can even cause death.
Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these signs of PID: long-lasting or heavy bleeding, unusual vaginal discharge, low abdominal (stomach area) pain, painful sex, chills, or fever.
Life-threatening infection. Life-threatening infection can occur within the first few days after Mirena is placed. Call your healthcare provider immediately if you develop severe pain or fever shortly after Mirena is placed.
Perforation. Mirena may become attached to (embedded) or go through the wall of the uterus. This is called a perforation. If this occurs, Mirena may no longer prevent pregnancy. If perforation occurs, Mirena may move outside the uterus and can cause internal scarring, infection, or damage to other organs, and you may need surgery to have Mirena removed. The risk of perforation is increased if Mirena is inserted while you are breastfeeding.
Common side effects of Mirena include:
Pain, bleeding, or dizziness during and after placement. If these symptoms do not stop 30 minutes after placement, Mirena may not have been placed correctly. Your healthcare provider will examine you to see if Mirena needs to be removed or replaced.
Expulsion. Mirena may come out by itself. This is called expulsion. You may become pregnant if Mirena comes out. If you think that Mirena has come out, use a backup birth control method like condoms and spermicide and call your healthcare provider.
Missed menstrual periods. About 2 out of 10 women stop having periods after 1 year of Mirena use. If you do not have a period for 6 weeks during Mirena use, call your healthcare provider. When Mirena is removed, your menstrual periods will come back.
Changes in bleeding. You may have bleeding and spotting between menstrual periods, especially during the first 3 to 6 months. Sometimes the bleeding is heavier than usual at first. However, the bleeding usually becomes lighter than usual and maybe irregular. Call your healthcare provider if the bleeding remains heavier than usual or increases after it has been light for a while.
Cysts on the ovary. About 12 out of 100 women using Mirena develop a cyst on the ovary. These cysts usually disappear on their own in a month or two. However, cysts can cause pain, and sometimes cysts will need surgery.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects with Mirena. For more information, ask your healthcare provider.