Mirena - Oak Park,IL

Have had mine for 2 years and love it.
No side effects to speak of, I still get a light, regular period, however.

Insertion was 8 weeks pp and super easy, no pain at all.
I have no plans on ever using something else again.

I've read horror stories, and if anyone should have had problems or side effects, it would be me. I was diagnosed with endometriosis at 17 and have been on and off just about every type of the pill made since then, never without side effects. Mostly depression, sometimes severe, and nausea/GI side effects, also heavy bleeding. It's been a nightmare. After several surgeries and miraculously being able to conceive, I opted cautiously to try the Mirena. I was sure that I would, as I said, have any and all side effects like I did from the pill.

It's been almost five years now and I can say nothing but great things about it! For the first time in 29 years I have not had to plan my life around my periods! For the last 4 1/2 years I've had the luxury of hardly thinking about them at all, and aside from the first few weeks I haven't even used anything as far as tampons, pads, anythings! For anyone who has suffered like I have, you will understand how significant this is.

Also just a reminder that the Mirena is NOT recommended for women who have not had at least one child, so be suspicious if your doc is suggesting it for you and you fall in this category - make sure you read ALL info from the Mirena company - they do have a website that contains those guidelines about who would be considered the best candidates for Mirena use. From what I have read, women who have not ever conceived who use Mirena for contraceptive reasons are at later risk for miscarriage or problems conceiving, so there are reasons for those guidelines.

Another thing, if after the Mirena is inserted there is severe pain, like causing one to pass out, there is a problem with insertion - go back to your doctor! The horror stories I have read were usually when people did not go back to their doctors with concerns, or when they let their doctors put them off and didn't trust their gut feelings and just insist upon going in. A 10 minute doctor's visit is SO worth the time and effort if it will correct what might have become a possibly dangerous complication had it been left ignored.

Do what you feel comfortable doing. Go into it having been fully educated; don't depend on your doctor's office to tell you when to do this or that regarding checks on it, etc., know for yourself, and if there is ever any question, err on the side of caution. If you don't feel comfortable with that then definitely try something else.

I know it's not for everyone but my experience with the Mirena has been nothing but positive.

had mine for 4 years- getting another soon (gonna remove this one and get another same day if I can). LOVE IT. I don't remember it being a totally terrible procedure as some say. It hurt but not as bad as giving birth :) I drove home myself so what does that tell you.
Bled for awhile but not too bad- can't remember so must not be a horror story. Didn't want sex for a while- but was also recently post partum that could have had something to do with it. Very few- very light periods since, (infrequent/not predectiable so that is sometimes inconvienent and at first hard to get used to because I thought I was pregnant again). No pain, cramps, bloating, PMS, etc. Very reliable form of BC- i got pregnant on pill and patch (no antibiotic use or anything either-took it as I should, never skipped). I know a "period" if you call it that is coming because I become completely wore out- dead tired from few days before until few days after. But I was kinda like that on regular BC too- only this is a bit worse because it is so infrequent that I think it all builds up. Only complaint or complication!
Love it and highly recommend it.
Doctor did explain to me that tubal pregnancy was a possibility and basically the miscarriages and such people discribe are just how the IUD works. Mirena has hormons so less likely but the non hormonal one basically allows you to get pregnant but then your uterus rejects it because the IUD makes it an "unsafe" (for lack of better word) environment for fetus.
I have never personally heard anyone who couldn't have baby after removal. Doctor said could take a while to get all hormons out of system so up to a year to get pregnant again- or could get pregnant right away. But I think it is a really great form of Long Term but NOT permanent birth control. This is the only thing keeping my husband from the big V- which I do not want him to do.
Hope this helps :)

Hi- I had my mirena put in 8 weeks PP with my son in 2007. In 2009 I had to have a D and C to have it removed. It had produced some "suspect material" and attached itself to my csection incision in my uterine wall. This compromised my uterus so that I am not able to have any more children. Please consider that the mirena can perforate your uterus and even attach onto other internal organs. Only 8 out of 10 women can go on to get pregnant after using mirena. I wish someone had told me all of this before I had it inserted.

I had horrible results on it pain, miscarrage and lots of bleeding! Congrates to Tara on no problems but I would do some research if I were you I did some and found some nasty things that they don't tell you! I am having mine removed after only a couple months and will never use it again! I thought it was a godsend till all my problems! I met a lot of women who say it causes misscarrage and I know it did with me! I personly wouldn't use it and won't ever again but I suggest you read some of the side effects. I also had nausea and the hormones were really bad on my body! My doc said I was in the 5% of those who have nausea! lol! Good luck but seriously do some research! I wish you lots of luck!

I have had the mirena in since February 2008 and LOVE IT. Despite the horrible procedure to get it in (it was really awful), I still recommend it. I bled for a few weeks lightly but off and on. And now I haven't had to use a tampon since before I was pregnant. I have brown spotting once every couple of months but that is it.

I got mine in 8 weeks after I gave birth and I hadn't had a period yet and I haven't had a period still (2 years later lol). Doctor said this was normal. I have loved it though. Not having to worry about it... But the true test will be when I get it out. I did bleed a bit for awhile after getting it in. Not as bad as a period though.

LOVE it!! I have three small children & wasn't sure if we wanted more. Perfect! Since insertion, I have had very miniml periods, maybe one or two a year, and actually it was really just spotting. The only drawback was that it was uncomfortable when inserted (initially like heavy cramps) - but cramping lessened asd subsided in only a few hours. I highly recommend!

Do a Google search for Mirena reviews. I did when I was having problems - pretty much every side effect in the book - and I thought I was literally going crazy. I thought I needed to get on antidepressants. Sure, the lack of periods and convenience were great, but the mood swings, irritability (excessive), very greasy skin & hair, acne, weight gain, and inability to lose weight when I tried were more than I could take. My husband blamed the Mirena when I didn't, but once he found not one, but two whole forums dedicated to women complaining about it, I realized it wasn't just me, and I was not alone. I had it removed as soon as possible, and within a day felt like a cloud had lifted.

I'm happy it works for so many people, but out of myself and five friends, four of us had it removed within a year after getting it, and another opted not to have it replaced after the five years due to weight gain. Only one still has it in, and even after always being even-keel, she recently went on medication for anxiety and anger issues. I would have suggested she just get the Mirena removed, but she's convinced it's good and I'll leave it at that.

Other than that, I did cramp and spot for a few days after getting it, and removal took about 30 seconds.

In theory, it's a wonderful method of birth control. But unfortunately for me it was probably the worst time of my life. I'll always regret getting it, but how was I to know? At the time I didn't know anyone who had it and I believed all the ads. Just do lots of research so you can make a really informed decision before you get it. Good luck!

I am going with most of the posting and saying I love it. It did pinch pretty bad when I got it b/c I was not on my period. I was nursing still and so I wasn't getting my period. I kept it in for about a year and half and took it out in October. It felt like my doctor just took a tampon out she pulled it out. I never got a period the whole time I was it so I am missing it now!!!

I had Mirena for about 10 months. It took about 6 weeks or so for the initial spotting/cramping to go away, then all was good until about the 6 month mark. That's when I started spotting every day. It was really annoying - I constantly had to wear a panty liner or light pad, it interfered with our sex life, etc. My doctor did an ultrasound to rule out any other issues (all was normal) and determined that the Mirena was keeping my uterine lining TOO thin, and that's what was causing the constant bleeding. I had it swapped out last May for a Paragard and I have to say that I don't love this one either. It did immediately stop my constant spotting problem, but now my periods are really heavy and last up to 13 days. I still prefer that over the daily spotting but I'm actually going to have it removed as well. My husband had a vasectomy recently so I don't need it anymore, but I honestly probably would have had it removed anyway. I really loved the concept of the IUDs - birth control you don't have to think about - but neither of them really worked out for me. I know so many people though that have had positive experiences with both though! I'd recommend giving it a try & giving it a long time to settle in your body, adjust hormones, etc. and if it doesn't work out, you can always have it removed. (P.S. Insertion was really no big deal - felt like a pap smear to me, only lasted a bit longer. Just take some Advil about an hour before you go.)

I had mine implanted on Aug-2008. Ever since then, there hasn't been one day that I don't think about removing it since my existing depression worsened from it; I also started having anger rages and constant irritability. I went on Lamotrigine (as a mood stabilizer). I cannot have any other form of birth control since Mirena is the only one that is compatible with it...so what came first the chicken or the egg...? I won't wait to find out
Also and most annoying is the foulest smell ever (I swear I did not use to have thisbefore the IUD!!!! - of course just the "normal" feminine smell) I must shower constantly (twice a day usually) to feel comfortable. This has ruined my sex life with the huz. I am so self concious about the smell I just don't want him to even suggest it so then I shower and by then the mood is gone...(I guess I can ask him to shower with me, he he he) OK WTMI...
I probably will have it removed and will ask huz to use a barrier method or get the vasectomy, which I don't think he can have since he has hemophilia.
Best luck!