Mirena, Irregular Mc's & a Possible M/C?

Hello everyone,
I apologize for the graphicness and for potentially upsetting anyone, but I just need to hear something, anything, from someone who has been through similar/knows more about what I just went through. I have had a Mirena IUD since March 15, 2015, but I think I *might* have just gone through a miscarriage.

So, like I said, I had my Mirena placed March 15, 2015. I was never trying to avoid pregnancy (I was single and a virgin at the time); I had it placed because I was having extremely painful periods that were heavy enough to lead me to becoming anemic. Since the placement, my periods have stopped – I think. Every 4 months or so, I get slight cramping and 2 days of barely-noticeable spotting. Before my Mirena placement, when my periods were regular, I would get the slight cramping/spotting when I ovulated. So that’s why I say I *think* my periods stopped because I don’t know if these occurrences of spotting are a period or ovulation. I would think, however, I am probably ovulating at least occasionally because I have EW-like discharge every now and again. Sometimes it happens around the cramp/spot occurrences, and sometimes it doesn’t.

I have been dealing with a large bowel problem for well over a year now. I have pain almost every day in my abdomen, which extends into my pelvic cavity. So sometimes distinguishing uterine cramps/general gynecological pain is difficult. It’s also why when I do have pelvic pain, no matter its severity, I usually don’t think twice about it.

I have had intercourse about 1-2 times per month since the beginning of this year (monogamous). I honestly cannot remember how many times it would’ve been unprotected, but I can say that when condoms were used they’ve always been polyisoprene because I’m allergic to latex, for what that’s worth. The last time I saw my former partner was on June 17, 2017. That would also have been the last time I had intercourse. We had protected intercourse – however, I feel it’s worth noting what lubrication that was involved was scant. So I wouldn’t be surprised if the condom tore because it’s happened in the past when insufficient lubrication was involved.

That evening, I felt some slight cramping and had the barely-noticeable spotting. Same thing the next day, June 18. As I’ve explained, don’t know if it was a period or ovulation.

Roughly 5 weeks later, I began to feel a little unwell. I started having frequent bouts of nausea (on one occasion did it actually result in me dry-heaving and heavily salivating, but no vomiting, weird?), and my breasts had that feeling they get during PMS, of being “heavy”/tender and my nipples being sensitive. My breasts felt that way every single day.

Fast forward to August 15. I’d been having cramping that was more painful than usual all day and started bleeding that afternoon. The bleeding was not heavy. However, since having my Mirena placed, it was still unusually heavy -for me-. I have never had such a heavy or painful period since my Mirena placement; my nausea/breast discomfort persisted after the bleeding, which lasted for 6 days, subsided. I continued to have on-and-off cramping that was not as painful.

On September 14, I had some mild cramping and spotting so light I probably wouldn’t have even noticed it had I not been “looking for” it since the most recent cramping spell I’d had was persistent. The cramping, one again, continued intermittently and was mild.

I woke up September 24 with cramping that was more painful than usual – like what I had in August – and a very painful lower back. I went about my morning thinking maybe it was a period that had been trying to get started since September 14. About 5 hours later, I went to urinate and felt something trying to “slip out.” I bore down, and along with a copious amount of thick mucus, I passed what I can only describe as an oval-shaped mass of clear mucus that appeared to contain a smaller, darker mass. I tried to catch it to examine it, getting fresh blood from it on my hand, but it fell out from under me. When I examined it in the toilet, I saw that the darker mass within the large clear mass was a very dark red-to-brown in color and was roughly the size of a grape. I swear that I saw on this mass the tiny, perfect curve of the back of a head, which continued down into the natural curve characteristic of a spine. I know blood clots can have an uncanny resemblance to a human figure, but I have had blood clots before – always prior to my Mirena. And they never, ever looked like this, nor did they pass enclosed in a larger mass of mucus/fluid. Also, lo and behold, my cramping and backache ceased immediately upon the passing of this mass. My nausea and breast discomfort subsided, too. I did not retrieve the matter I passed and flushed the toilet, telling myself it was just my out-of-whack menstrual cycle. I was still pretty shaken, though.

On September 25, I called my GYN, with whom I have an appointment October 2 for a regular STD screening. I told the medical assistant all the events thus far and described the matter I passed as best I could. She called back about an hour later after speaking with the GYN and said that firstly, if I have any further symptoms, especially bleeding, to come in before October 2. As far as the possibility of a miscarriage, she was doubtful based upon the fact I have an IUD but couldn’t say for sure one way or the other. She expressed a concern something is wrong with my Mirena and said we’ll be checking the strings at my appointment. Later that day, I had a lot of thick discharge that appeared to be tinged with blood.

As of today, September 26, I had thick discharge similar to EWCM that didn’t seem to have any traces of blood. I also have been having the occasional MILD cramp since the passing. I had some stabby pain in my pelvis today, but I couldn’t tell if they were gynecological or just my colon. They were, however, severe and persistent enough that I started questioning maybe I should go to my GYN before my appointment next week.

So to conclude, I have no idea why in August my mc (if that’s what this is) decided to go haywire. I also have no idea why I was dealing with nausea and breast discomfort about a month after the last time I had intercourse that persisted even after the bleeding spell. I keep thinking that the August bleeding spell was a missed miscarriage and that the expulsion didn’t happen until the other day – is it possible for bleeding to accompany fetal death even though you’re unaware you’re pregnant? And to never get an infection during that long a period of time between the bleeding spell and actual expulsion of the nonviable fetus? And is it even possible for a miscarriage, in the unlikely event that’s what I just experienced, to happen with such unremarkable amounts of pain and bleeding?

I know that what happened on the 24th was probably just a blood clot. But given the symptoms, the intermittent cramping and spotting, and the nature of the mass I passed and the passing itself – I know what I saw. Even though I know it was most likely a blood clot, I just can’t get the image, the experience, or the possibility of pregnancy, no matter how slim, out of my head. I had this feeling since I initially started feeling sick that something was up, but I didn’t know what. I never bothered taking a pregnancy test because I just didn’t put the pieces together and realize my symptoms are often associated with early pregnancy. But after the passing, that feeling of something being out of place went away and was replaced with an inexplicable feeling of loss, one I’ve never felt before. Maybe it was because I was so convinced I saw a baby. Either way, I can’t stop thinking about this and have no idea how I’ll survive until my appointment next week.

I am 23, smoke 2-3 cigarettes a day, and have tried loads of medications unsuccessfully throughout the past several months for my colon. I also take 3 prescription medications for panic attacks and bipolar disorder. Thus, I was never TTC. I don’t want to consider motherhood until after my colon issue has been resolved and I am ready to stop smoking (and have my psychological health managed well enough to re-evaluate my medication situation given the not-so-great correlation between psychotropic medication and pregnancy). Still, I have been denying/suppressing very strong feelings of loss (and guilt).

Anyway, I apologize for my graphicness and rambling on. I really appreciate anyone reading this and offering feedback. Lots of love!