Please Share Your Experiences with Mirena IUC

I have had the Mirena IUC for about a year and I love it! I have no period, no cramps, no problems at all. It was the best choice for me, after I had my son, I had to be on hormone replacement therapy. The IUC has a low dose of hormone that does not effect my replacement therapy. It has been the best thing I have done for myself.

I have had my Mirena IUD in for about 1 yr and a half and love it. My sister and best friend have them too. I dont have my period at all anymore, but a few days out of the month I still have the mood swings and are extra emotional. I had to take tylenol the day it was inserted because you have cramps, but after that it was fine. You feel like you should be walking funny or something, but no. Its great.

I recommend to do so, but only if you're not breastfeeding anymore.
See link.
http://www.answers.com/topic/intrauterine-system
I used to have mind-searing painful (heavy) periods, now they are more like a discoloration and nothing more than a fullness/ bloated feeling.

I LOVE my Mirena. So do ALL of my friends. My best friend got one and talked me into trying it, then I told another friend and another and another, they told all of their friends and we are all now LOVING our birth control. The truth is, it is a little uncomfortable to have placed, you might get a cramp in your uterus for a 1/2 hour or so. Then you will spot for up to 90 days. It will be like a very mild period with really light cramping occasionally. I would plan to wear pantiliners for 60 -90 days. Then, this is the best part, it just stops, no more spotting, no more cramps. I have had mine for almost 2 years now and have had my period approximately every 90-100 days and it only last a day, if that. I don;t have any cramping so I never know when it's coming, but literally, I know this is personal, I can wipe, notice some spotting, put on a pantiliner and by the evening, it's gone. I can't feel it at all. I am VERY sensitive to hormones, and I don't notice the small amount of hormones that are in it. I didn't gain weight, I think I actually lost weight. The best part is, it is VERY reversible. Anytime you want to get pregnant, you can have it removed and get pregnant within 60 days for most people. I admit, I'm a little nervius about whether or not it will hurt to have it removed, but i guess 5 years of protection ought to cost me a few minutes of discomfort. Good Luck choosing something that will work well for you. PS. Everyone I know hated the copper IUD, they said it caused extreme cramping and is more of an "abortive" type of contraceptive, where the Mirena actually prevents both pregnancy and implantation.

I kept my first Mirena IUD for the full 5 years. When it expired, I had it removed and a new one in at the same time. Very little spotting the second time around. I couldn't be happier.

Well I have been on Mirena right after I had my son in 2006. And I absolutely love it. You get a really light period if you want to call it that. And I just love the fact that it is so worry free. You dont even know that its there and I just like the fact that I can remove it at any time if I want anymore children. I have recommended it to several friends and all have used this option and love it as well.

I agree with everyone else that responded. I had the Mirena put in after my first child and then removed after about 2 1/2 years when we decided to have another child. I was pregnant 6 weeks later. Then after our second child I had another one placed. I think this is the easiest and best contraceptive if you think you still want to have kids in the future. Also I had little to no pain with the placement or the removal. Good Luck!

I have had the Mirena since June. I have had no problems, no side effects. I only had one period after placement, although mine have always been light. I hardly have one now, but still have some pre-menstrual symptoms (headache and cramps), but very little spotting. I would highly recommend it. Hope this helps!

I have had mine for over 2 years now. I hated the pill and after my son, I was put on the patch. I hated the patch as well... that sticky thing was nasty after a week. After my daughter, my GYN convinced me to get the IUC. The first two - three days were not the best. I cramped real bad and was given 800mg of motrin. After that, I haven't had any problems with it. I no longer have a period, just some slight spotting (once in a big while). There really isn't much to it. The doctor inserts it and removes it when ever you want. It took my doctor about 10 minutes at the most. I would consider about two days worth of down time to recover because of the cramping. But I would take that over missing a pill and getting pregnant again. It's good for up to five years.

Good Luck!

A friend of mine used mirena and had a horrible experience. It was inserted wrong and she had horrible bleeding/cramping. She ended up hospitalized and can possibly not have any more kids.

I've had the IUC since Jan of this year. I love it! Now, that is. When I first received it my Dr. failed to inform me of just how long my menstural cycle would take to get adjusted. It took about 3 months straight... Now however they are light and short if at all. My hormones seem to be the same, not moody or anything like that. Hope this helps... FYI I'd do it over again if I had to.

Hi M.,
I was thinking about it too about 4 months ago and I was ready when I went to my obgyn and she advised me all pros and cons ( I trust her she is a very good doc) and she told me that a lot of women do feel it moving when having sex or at any other time, men do feel it especially and others have the problem of it falling out. The thing is that I am the kind of person that if something has a side effect I am the unlucky one that all side effects occurr to.

So, I decided to get Implanon, which is alittle stick that they put underneath your arm. Truthfully, it hurt like hell for almost 3 weeks and my period was non stop for 3 months and then I went back and she is trying to control my bleeding w/pills (which I didn't want because I tend to forget) for 2 months ...kinda to teach the Implanon how to work, but it's okay, it was doing good for 3 weeks and I'm bleeding not spotting again. It's hell! ha!

But do your research if you do have a good obgyn talk to ur doctor and I hope you find a good solution to something you will feel comfortable. Good luck!

Well I thought I'd tell you how much I loved it but since everyone else already has I'll just second Apryl B comment :)
Tip: most doctors have you go back in to get the wires cut shorter (they wait for the IUD to be drawn up into the uterus 1st) but you don't have to and be careful if you do cause if the wires are cut (too) short they will be stiff and POKE anything *ouch* I left mine and can't tell it's there.

Dear M. I am using Mirena right now as long term birth control. I have had it put in after I had my second son. I did just what you are doing. I asked my gynecologist and then I asked close friends and family and then I looked up on the internet. I wanted to make sure I asked the right questions. I had it put in an office visit. Some insurance pay for it. I had Aetna and they paid to put it in and they will pay to take it out. In the beginning I really didn't have a period, but I spotted and bled for a week or so. Then some days I got a little cramping and other time none. In talking with friends and family I realized everybody has a different experience with the Mirena. But overall I have had a good experience with Mirena.

I was kind of where you are about four months ago. I wasn't sure what to do or if I should just take the pill. My sister-in-law had hers put it and had a period for three months. My doctor recommend the Mirena. I finally just decided to do it. I've had mine in for about three months. I had spotting when they first did and only one period for a few days (before having it put it I didn't have a real period in years-I breasfed and had major surgery so I wasn't normal). I love it though. No period, sometimes still have a little cramping like you are having a cycle. I have had no problems with it. I have a friend who is currently pregnant and told her that as soon as her post-partum visit comes to have them do it.

I had this after my second child was born and it was great for the first year. At some point it perforated my uterus, which I found out when I went to the doctor in major pain. At that visit I also found out that I was pregnant and bleeding internally. I had an ectopic pregnancy that ruptured so I had to have emergency laproscopic surgery to remove the IUD, which they found sitting above my liver, and to repair the ruptured tube. I have lost function of my right tube so I don't think Mirena was really worth it for me. I know a lot of people who have great success with it, but I happened to be the 1 in a million that had a problem. I suggest reading the warning labels closely before you make the decision.

I use it, and have had no problems so far!

I have had mine for almost a year. I have a 5yr old and 18m old. We want to have maybe one more but not right now. i have had no problems at all. I have heard about weight gain and acne etc but this is all stuff that comes with any type of pill too- at least it was for me- but this hasn't happened witht the mirena. I barely even have a period too. A group of my girlfriends and I all seem to have some form of IUD and those with the Mirena LOVE it. One friend of mine was anti hormone and got the copper one. She has had the worst time-major cramping, heavy periods, etc and hates it. One of my dr is also antihormone and didn't want me to get it but I told him this was not an option. My OBGYN recommended it and told me that even his wife has one - that was how much he trusts them. I think the only time it was not good was actually after getting it- your body does have to adjust and it is a little uncomfortable- like bad pms. For my best friend she said it was a little worse and sucked getting it placed too. i think it all depends on your own body- I had easy pregnancies and always have easy paps (meaning they are not uncomfortable) so think about that too.
good luck! feel free to ask any other ?? if you want.

I read the other PPs and they had some great insight. I do not have it, but I am considering it also. I am currently pregnant and would like to get this placed at my postpartum checkup. I have heard nothing but horrible things about the copper IUD (severe cramps, heavier longer periods). I have a really good friend who has a Mirena and she has had nothing but praises for it. She has not had a period since it was placed.

The only negative I have heard about the Mirena is sometimes the men in these women's lives complain of painful intercourse. They feel the strings. But aside from that I have heard nothing but wonderful things. I look forward to getting it once this pregnancy is over!

M. ~
I had Mirena inserted in Feb. '08. The procedure wasn't too bad...about the same as a pelvic exam with a little more cramping. Then I spotted for a couple weeks, and now I hardly have a period - yippee! This is great for me because after the delivery of my son, I had very long, very heavy periods with cramping that I'd never had before. Not to mention I couldn't remember to take my pills. So far, so good...I highly recommend it.

My youngest daughter is 2 1/2 years old. I had mine put in at my six week check-up. I've had no issues at all. I have not had a period since having it put in. I do feel slight cramping and bloating at times but nothing like having a period. My midwife has checked at my two previous annual exams and can still see the strings...last time she told me that she could pull it out. I told her no (I already have three children).

My sister-in-law also has one. I think she has some slight spotting with it and experiences some other PMS symptoms. We both agree that it is nothing like having a period itself though.

I recommend the Mirena to anyone who asks me. It's not that I want to have another child but I am not ready to make that permanant decision yet. My girls are still fairly young (7, 5 and 2) so I want to know that I have an option without having to think about it everyday. I used Depo after my second and experienced the weight gain but not this time.

Hope this helps.

I hated it! I got it in after the birth of my 2nd child. About 2-3 months after. I had it in for about 6 months and I bled hard the entire time. I was unhappy, depressed, and fatigued. I was not myself. I gained a ton of weight and I am still trying to get it off. (I am actually bigger now than I was after the birth of 2 kids!!!) I had the one with hormones, the plastic one, not the copper. I was unhappy with life and now that its out I realized how much it was doing to me as a person. It was such a bad experience that I am scared to get any kind of birth control now. I have been asking everyone what birth control has worked for them and what didn't. I had a few friends that also had problems. My best friends got infected and she was in the hospital for a week to heal the infection.
I am not sure the difference between an IUD and a IUC but please be careful because I had such a bad experiene. I would hate to have anyone go through what I did. My husband and kids are so much happier now that I have it out and now that I am back to normal.
I am not really sure if I will ever go back on BC after this. I might just leave it up to god and see if I get pregnant again, we want three but I would like to wait a year or two before the next. Maybe I will have my husband get a vesictomy after that. If you have any more questions about what happened to me let me know.
Good luck what ever you do, everyones body is different and yours might accept it just fine, my just didn't

E.

I know I am late in responding but I've had mine since Feb 08 after my second vaginal birth.

-I love it...now.
-The insertion was nothing--less uncomfortable than a pap smear.
-My friend who had it put it who had 2 C-Sections had a lot of discomfort the first couple days which her OB said was because she didn't fully dialate.
-My OB offered the wire trimming but said if I didn't even say anything to my man about them, he probably wouldn't even notice and that has been the case.
-The first several months, it seemed like I had to always be prepared for spotting.
-I still feel like I get PMS-y around the same time.
-I have some breakouts around my chin.
-I have a couple days of light bleeding if at all.
-My insurance doesn't cover any BC so it wasn't covered but I am doing a monthly payment plan of $50 through Mirena.

I think you just have to decide if you want to try it and give it a few months to see how your body reacts before really deciding.

I've also done the NuvaRing and LOVED it!

I just had mine put it two weeks ago. It didn't hurt to be put in at all, wasn't any more uncomfortable then a normal exam is. I recently had a baby and am nursing so that is why I chose this bc. The first two days I had mild cramping and a light period that went away and exactly one week later I started the heaviest period of my life. But now a week after starting that the period is mostly spotting, although sometimes heavy spots. My midwives told me I could spot for a while, but that when it stops. I would take some ibprofen before you go to have it put in. Then you may not feel the cramps at all.