Experience with Mirena

I just wanted to post about my experience with Mirena. It seems like a lot of people just want to know how it has affected other people so that they can compare(Like Me).

I got my Mirena in January 19, 2010, 6 weeks after my third child was born. I do want to add that I had never been on birth control until I got it. Our first baby was unexpected but the other 2 were planned.
After getting Mirena I bled for the average amount of time. I think it was about 8 weeks. I got my normal(5 days) AF in April, skipped May, my AF in June was only about 3 days, July was 2 days, skipped August and September was a spotty 7 days. Before Mirena my usual cycle was 28 days for about 4 or 5 days. Around September my AF started to always come a week later than it should have and it was always spotty. So my cycle was about 40 days? Which was crazy. My AF was only a few days in Dec and Jan. I haven't had an AF since January '11.

Symptoms:
The early symptoms were awful! I had nausea, headaches, dizzyness, feeling of bloating, discharge. I have always had fatigue so I don't know if I can really count that one. After about 9 months the symptoms started to go away. I wasn't able to drop my baby weight from the pregnancy, but my weight has been stable since having it. After the 9 months was over I started developing acne and stray black chin hairs. The acne isn't too bad but if it gets worse I am not keeping it in. And I can just tweeze the stray hairs.

I think I should also add that I wasn't really the type of person to get cramps. I would feel bloated the day before my AF and that was it. I still do get a feeling of being bloated every now and then. Sometimes I get a feeling that I think may be my left ovary usually around the time I would have my AF. I am assuming.

I always try to read up on other womens experiences with Mirena so I could get an idea of what's kind of normal. I am not a member of babycenter,com forums but there is group that I view there about Mirena/Paragard Users. Usually I google "pregnant mirena paragard users" and it comes up. It looks like everyone worries about getting pregnant on an IUD. My husband and I haven't used any other protection and so far we are doing well (knock on wood). But it seems like a lot of people getting pregnant are using paragard.

So I hope that this helped someone and maybe could help encourage others to post their experience, because I am sure someone out there would want to read it. Thanks and if you have any questions you can just ask it here I guess.

[KAMY130]

I really feel at a loss right now and not sure how much longer I can go on like this.  I am 39 years old.  I got my Mirena early April 2011.  For the first month, I bled heavily & consistently on a daily basis.  I went in for my follow up appointment in early May.  When I told my OB/GYN that I had been bleeding (heavy) non-stop for a month, she told me that can be common in some women and can last 3 - 6 months... was told to be patient.  So... here I am, almost at the end of the 4 month mark and I am STILL bleeding!  My periods come about every 10 - 14 days, and when I'm not bleeding heavily, I have light (annoying) bleeding in between periods.  As of lately, I am now noticing a horribly foul odor that I've NEVER had before.  I'm at the point of wanting to have this removed, yet feel like the money I invested will be a complete waste.  The whole point of getting Mirena was so I could be sexually active with my boyfriend however since I'm bleeding all of the time, it's been a major mood killer.  Has anyone else experienced what I am?  If so, do you have any advise?

[madamvee360]

I have had the mirena in since june 2007 almost 1 year after i had my daughter mia. I had it put in after splitting with her father and choosing to parent alone. I had a curette done as part of an exploritory surgery whilest having it put in for post pregnancy pain. I had periods heavily but not regulary for the first six months of having it in then they stopped all together, and it actually stopped my acne but i have had weight problems trying to loose it then putting it baack on and bouncing back and forth. around three weeks ago i started suffering nasty mood swings and depression after 4 yrs and 4 months wheni had been advised that they had a 5 year shelf life. But my doctor never advised me that every woman is different or of the side affects when they start to run out. Im not sure wether to have another one put in where like other women i chose to have one put in to be able to be sexually active without the risks of pregnancy as none of the contraceptive pills have ever worked for me.