I am so glad I found this site. I had the Mirena IUD inserted in July of 2005 after my best friend had been raving about hers since that March. I can't take bc pills because of the hormonal fluctuations so I thought that this would be a great alternative.

But after the ob/gyn put it in I knew it was going to be bad. I had taken two tylenols before I went in, I took two more immediately after, I then had to stop on the drive home to take two extra-strength excedrins, I got home and took two more, and after I still thought my uterus was going to fall out I took a Vicodin which I had saved from when I was sick a few months prior and only then did the severe cramping subside. I took up to 8 excedrin every day for the next week to stop the cramps. But that was just the pain because I also had to deal with a period which continued for two months straight, and it was not light. The bleeding stopped at the beginning of September and resumed in late October at the same force as before only to end again in late November which has been the last time I have had it.

I have become used to the achy, full, bloated feeling since then and I have forgiven the 15 pounds I put on eventhough my lifestyle has not changed. However, the cramps are back and have become horrible. A few weeks ago I was in the bathroom and when I stood up I literally fell to the ground in pain. It was like someone had just opened me up and dropped in a 15 pound weight on my cervix. I slowly got up and bit through the pain because I was at work and had to return to my desk! I did not move for a solid hour because the slightest jolt since stabbing pains throughout my abdomen. I called my ob/gyn and they told me to come in but I felt like the pain was starting to subside so I wanted to wait it out.

I now have daily cramping and every now and then I feel a sharp stab on the left side of my lower abdomen. After seeing this site and figuring out that I am not insane I called my doctor today and I am having it taken on this coming Monday. Thank you all for sharing you stories and saving me from who knows what down the road.

(Oh and my best friend still loves hers eventhough it caused her to form a cyst on her ovary which could have resulted in surgery. It luckily went away after lots of medication and bed rest.)

I just discovered this forum this morning and I am so pleased that I did.
I had the Mirena inserted on 16th January this year, 2006, its now 45 days later and
I haven't stopped bleeding at all, not even for a day. I had it inserted to stop
very heavy periods.
I have had cramps daily, sometimes bad, sometimes like mild period cramps, my lower
back has a niggling ache most of the time, my breasts are so sore I feel like crying,for the last three weeks I have had constant mouth ulcers - I have never suffered with mouth ulcers like this before, just the odd one every six months or so, if that.
I have my 6 week check-up appt this afternoon at 3, and I've decided that the Mirena is going.
Thankyou everyone who has contributed to this site - I was thinking that it was just that something was wrong with me.
Has anyone else suffered with the mouth ulcers?
I will let you all know how it goes.
Kind regards

Hi...

I had my IUD inserted December 17, 2005. Today is March 9, 2006 and I've had sore breast (similar to the breastfeeding), NO sex drive, I've gained 6 pounds, have constant bleeding and my tummy looks like I'm about 4 months pregnant. My Dr. says it's all in my head and none of these are side effects of the IUD. After finding this site, I'm glad to know that she's wrong. I will have my thyroid checked, but I think that this thing has got to go. Thank you for sharing.

I Have the exact same symptoms as you did in the beginning with the bleeding, I have also lost my sex drive and my mood swiongs are off the chain. The only thing is now I have stopped bleeding completely which is confusing me cause now i dont know when i am having a period. I am going to have mine removed, because it just seems to weird and complicated for me.

With the Mirena you should really wait 1 year before deciding to have it removed; your body takes about a year to adjust completely to it... The cramping goes away, your periods even out and become predictable within 6 months. The sex drive thing also mellows out. Mirena isn't any different then the pill, since it uses the same hormone. Your body 'thinks' that it is pregnant so it doesn't produce an egg. You need to switch to water, and eat several small HEALTHY meals a day with complete organic foods to experiance no weight gain. Keep up a 2,000 cal diet and excersise (30min walk once a day, pilates/yoga tape 2-3x/wk) eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. When I started to do that the weight gain mellowed, and may have dropped. Pants started to fit a little better (when they weren't ripping... :( )


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I had mine in for a year and that 'fullness' did kind of go away, but I did gain rapid weight gain during that year and when from 190lbs to 224lbs. My fiance wants kids, and while I don't directly "want" them, I know I'll never say "ok, lets try". I had mine removed because I'm tired of the hormones controling my thoughts and feelings, and I kind of do want the option to have an "accident".

But I had it removed on the 19th; and today is the 29th... I'm going through some SEVERE depression. I feel worthless, hollow and empty inside. Lifeless. Incapable of love. It sucks. I'm crying for no reason at all... has anybody else gone through this? Is is possible that my body is reacting to no longer having the birth control hormone after being on it for 4 years? (I'd gotten preg. twice on the pill; abortions; switched to Merina...) Its CRAZY. Horrible mood swings; I don't know what to do!