Who knows about Mirena?

I just had a baby June of '08. He passed away in August '08 from a heart defect and we decided not to have another for a while. My insurance was cancelled and I couldn't afford my birth control so we used condoms. After becoming pregnant in December, I found that condoms are only 97% effective. I really don't want to have another baby for at  least five years. I asked my doctor about MIrena and she said she can put it in after having the baby and I don't have to worry about it except once a year for my physical and to have it checked since after i have the baby I will lose my insurance again and the pill cost too much. I was given a brochure and the doctor said we would discuss it at my next appointment. I have so many questions though and am so anxious to know about it. The brochure had some things in it I did not like. I spoke to one girl about it but I want to know if anyone else has an opinion or has used it. What information can you give me? Would you recommend it? Are the side effects worth it? Does anyone know the rate at which a horrible problem can occur? Like I read it can pierce through the uterus, you can get pregnant and the only option is pretty much abortion, One side efect is migraines too. I already have bad migraines. Will this cause the migraines to worsen? Any advice about Mirena would be greatly appreciated.

[alaysha]

I have Mirena and I HATE it. Seriously. You start bruising super easily, you dont have a regular period (which can be worrisome), i've heard if the dont cut the string right it becomes like a needle and can poke the guy when your having sex. Horrible headaches and mood swings. I'm getting mine removed as soon as my insurance goes through.

[heatherlynn22]

i have mirena and i LOVE it. my periods went from being super heavy for 5-7 days to 2 days of spotting and one day of normal flow. my cramping is virtually non exsistant. i've had mine for 6 months now and it's the best b/c i've ever been on. i'm horrible with remembering to take pills, terrified of needles and all of my friends who've had the patch have gotten super sick (in fact 2 of them had to be hospitalized). if the strings are too long you can always ask your ob to cut them back for you. mine arn't super long but they're not short. my hubby can feel them occasionally but he says that they're more annoying then anything. they haven't affected our sex life....we still manage to go at it 3-6 times a week. when you have it put it some women say it's an excruciating pain but for others (i was one of these women) it's no worse then a pelvic exam. it's just uncomfortable. you will bleed for a few weeks afterward and have break through bleeding till everything regulates but it is so worth it! and you don't have to worry about being pregnant unless when you check for the strings, they're not there. that's when you worry. my ob said that there are some women who simply can not have the mirena because it won't sit properly in the cervix or something like that. i HIGHLY recommend mirena! it's GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[peekawho]

Most women love the Mirena, and tolerate it very well.  Probably irregular spotting is the most common complaint, and even that should decrease over time.   There can be complications, as is true of almost all types of prescription birth control.  Rarely is a method risk free.

I have to say some thing about condom use, though.  From ACOG:  In one year, only two of every 100 couples who use condoms perfectly, consistently and correctly, will experience an unintended pregnancy—two pregnancies arising from an estimated 8,300 acts of sexual intercourse, for a 0.02 percent per-condom pregnancy rate.  

The key is "perfectly, consistently and correctly".  Most condom pregnancies result from inconsistent use, breakage, or brief penetration prior to ejaculation.    

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Concerning the Mirena, by comparison, less than 1 woman out of 100 will become pregnant with typical use.  

Its not true that you have to have an abortion if you become pregnant with a Mirena in place.  In that rare event, if the woman wants to continue the pregnancy, the Mirena is removed, if still in place.  Most pregnancies that occur on Mirena happen because it was expelled and the woman was not aware of it.
The strings should not bother the partner.  They may feel the string, but consider it a reassurance rather than a bother.

[jenstam]

I am one of the women that HATED the Mirena. I had a horrible experience with it and would never recommend it to anyone. But, I have a good friend who loves hers. So, it just depends. I am a bad person to ask. I got the copper IUD and loved it, but did have some issues with BV when I had it both times and I had a slightly heavier period but those things were minor compared to what I went through with Mirena.

[tatorbug40]

I also HATED it...  I tried to keep it for 6 months...  I had bad cramping every month about the time I should have been ovulating-  it was more pain then I ever experienced with my periods-  I'd get hot flashes during that time---  I hated it and would not recommend it-  my cousin had the same experiences as me...  but like Jen,  I too have friends who have it and love it-  it did cost me $65 to have it removed because my insurance changed and my new insurance does not cover birth control....  

And I am sorry to hear about your loss...  good luck with your decision.

[Momofthreecrazykids]

I just got the Mirena on the 14th of April.  So almost a month...

Honestly I like it, but I haven't stopped bleeding since I had it.  Some days it's really heavy and others it would be spotting.  But not a day pasts without some bleeding.  Not sure what to make of it because my doctor told me that irregular bleeding for the first 3-6 months is normal.  But then when I read the website, it says if you bleed for MORE THEN A 1/2 hour after getting it in, to see your doctor because its probably not in the right place.  

I've had a HORRIBLE pain on my left side (ovary area) for the past 2 year after my twins were born.  Since getting this IUD, it's made it worse.  I'm not sure what to do!

So far it's great.  I can't really complain, but the bleeding it just CRAZY because I never know if it's going to slow down or pick back up.  Not sure if its in the right place.  

Does anyone else have this bleeding problem since getting it?  

I couldn't find anything about anyone else on here that had it.  Thank you for starting this post because its helped me SO much.  Just trying to figure out this IUD!!

The cost of my IUD along with the appointment was $958!!  My insurance covered 80% and I had to pay $150 up front before getting it.  Can't believe that it's SO much!!    

[megmil]

Thank you all for your input. Unfortunately didn't help much with so many different answers. About getting pregnant while on it.... the brochure said that if you end up pregnant while on Mirena it's most likely that the hormones will kill the baby or you have to get it removed and the removal will pull the baby out. Momofthree, as for your pain, have you had any ultrasounds done? I had bad pain with my last pregnancy in the same area and it was a cyst. Cysts are really nothing so my doctor says. She told me it's not a big deal unless it gets larger or I start to bleed from it and after a few months it went away. Could be a lot of other things too but you should get an ultrasound of your ovaries.

[Tamara551]

On the pregnancy part I know a lady that got pregnant with the Mirena and now the baby is 3 years old and very healthy.  She had no problems with the removal of the Mirena and the preganancy itself.  The baby was born very healthy.