Desperate Ex-Mirena User (R for whole thread)

Hello,

I've been haunting this board for a few years now and I really appreciate everyone's input and candor about their Mirena nightmare.

I had my IUD in for one year (Feb '07 to Feb '08) and pretty much all the side effects experienced by everyone else, but the still lingering and very depressing side effect I still have is the 20 pound weight gain, as well as the water retention. I have been Mirena free for 26 months now and nothing I do will shed this weight, not a single pound dropped. It's not burnable at all and eating is certainly not the culprit, as I watch what I eat and on top of that, I am a vegeterian. I'm 44, by the way, and was in perfect health and great shape before getting the device.

I have seen an ND and was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue and treated with the appropriate herbs. (Also, the blood tests my GP did, showed my T3 a point and a half away from being at the bottom of the normal scale.) It's been about six weeks since I started with the protocol for my adrenals and am beginning to feel better that way. My ND seems to think perhaps the weight (fat actually) is an insulin resistence problem and I did read about blood Sugar problems on the Mirena forum. He's given me a product to try for that as well, but so far, no positive results.

When I go to exercise, I do experience a kind of exercise-induced asthma, shortness of breath, although I have to say it used to be worse. It's gotten a little better since removal, but makes running (which used to be my exercise of choice) out of the question. I have wondered for awhile now if the drug could be lingering in my system. I note it's a five-year birth control method...is it possible for it to linger in your body that long after it is removed? I wouldn't think so.

I haven't had my progesterone/estrogen (and other hormones) levels checked yet and that is the next thing I'm going to do, but wondered if anyone had any thoughts about this or was in the same boat. I note some people lose the weight so fast, I just wonder if something didn't kick in with me as it did for everyone else. It's very depressing some days.

If anyone can enlighten me,it would be much appreciated!

Mitch Tweet