OT: Mirena?

[lntsmom]

Haven't read all the posts, but one thought: unlike bcp, IUD's prevent pregnancy in two ways. The first is hormonal. The second is by preventing fertilized eggs from implanting. If your faith would lead you to consider the latter to be a de facto abortion, you would want to stay away from Mirena.

 

[Michelina]

I know someone that got pregnant about 6 months after having it inserted!
The doctors said that it was inserted properly and it was just a fluke that they'd never seen happen before. It ended up being ectopic and was taken care of with medication. They did not want to give her a new one, they said nothing was wrong with the old one but she insisted.

 

[sdoll]

This might sound odd but... Great thread. I just spoke to my Dr about getting one. I did not know weight gain was a side affect. I have gained so much weight since I had my kids. But I guess it would be better than the weight I would gain with a pregnancy. I told my Dr we needed to do something different because I keep forgetting to take my pills. I have heard mixed reviews but i guess I am going to give it a try.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Love, love, love mine!
I had my second one inserted about 5 months ago, first one was put in 5 months post partum with DD who is 5 1/2. For a few months (with the 1st one) there was a lot of bleeding but that was it and I've been practically period free for 5 years! (after a life time of heavy periods) I had tried the BCP after DD was born and did not do well at all! I was very grouchy! I haven't experienced any side effects with the Mirena.

 

[piratemamaof3]

I had mine put in about 4 1/2 yrs ago and since i had c-sections having it put in did hurt. They had to "streatch" my uterus so that was no cake and had soem spotting after but not much. No periods that is great.

My weight gain has been more recent and I am sure more b/c I nibble all the time. and I can't say if I get headaches from it or not b/c I (like all the women in my family) get really bad headaches any way so i have always had them.

On a side note and slightly TMI I have heard that during intercorse some men can feel it. Not always just "odd" feeling for them.

 

[ladulce]

I have had the Mirena for 3 years now. I had it inserted at the 3 month visit after the birth of my daughter.

It WAS painful to be put in, but, since I had just had a baby, I thought about THAT pain, and, Mirena was nothing by comparison. I had normal periods for a couple of months and have had only very light one day a month spotting since. So light I just use a panty liner.

I did gain about 10 pounds. The other problem I had is that my husband would complain about the string (which is plastic coated or something) irritating him and he could feel it when we were intimate. It actually scratched his genitalia enough to cause a mark at one point. A few months later, he told me that he hadn't felt it for "a long time". I became concerned that it had come out, and, when, they couldn't find it with a (PAINFUL) exam, they scheduled me for an ultrasound. During the ultrasound, they found that the strings had gone back up through the cervix....

So, in 2 years when I have it removed, I will have to be asleep when they remove it..... I am not a big medicine taker and REALLY don't want to go through anesthesia for this, but, it has convinced me to leave it in as long as possible!

I think it is a personal choice, and, there are good and bad to everything. All things considered, I don't know if it was worth it... I am sure it WASN'T for my husband! LOL.

 

[nyyankeegirl]

This next part may be TMI, sorry, but the only "issue" I've experienced is that my DH has occassionally hit in to something, and it is pretty uncomfortable for him. I have never noticed, but he has. HTH

Not sure if anyone has said this yet, as I haven't read thru the whole thread... but you can go to your ob/gyn & have the string trimmed. My Dr. had told me to come back if my husband complained of anything. But thankfully no complaints from him!

My only complaint is the acne. I've been really frustrated with acne this past year & just couldn't figure it out. DH says it's b/c I work out all the time, but I'm pretty sure it's gotta be the Mirena.
But I love love love the fact that I don't get a period!

 

[megthewonderful]

I have one put in about 2 months postpartum last year. I went back 6 weeks later so the doctor could make sure it was still in place to to follow up on my c-section. Well, he couldn't find it. I have to have an ultrasound done to locate it, and then they had to remove it. It was the most painful experience in my life. I was screaming in pain on the table. He offered to try and insert it again in the right place. Since I had already been through so much pain, I figured it couldn't get any worse. It didn't. It inserted with no problems and was in the right location at a follow-up appt. 6 weeks later. I did bleed for about 2 months straight, but I haven't had a period since.

 

[KadysMom]

I am on Depo. I gained weight at first, but I think it was my eating more than the depo. I joined Weight Watchers, and I have lost 52 pounds so far... So I dont think the weight gain was Depo related

 

[tzolkin]

I did gain about 10 pounds. The other problem I had is that my husband would complain about the string (which is plastic coated or something) irritating him and he could feel it when we were intimate. It actually scratched his genitalia enough to cause a mark at one point. A few months later, he told me that he hadn't felt it for "a long time". I became concerned that it had come out, and, when, they couldn't find it with a (PAINFUL) exam, they scheduled me for an ultrasound. During the ultrasound, they found that the strings had gone back up through the cervix....

So, in 2 years when I have it removed, I will have to be asleep when they remove it..... I am not a big medicine taker and REALLY don't want to go through anesthesia for this, but, it has convinced me to leave it in as long as possible!

Hmm... Mine was stabbing the first few times we were intimate. I tried to feel for the string and actually stabbed into my finger, so I know my DH wasn't just being overly sensitive. I went to the doctor and they cut the string shorter. I have not been able to feel it since. Even at my last pap smear the midwife couldn't see the string. She just said it wasn't a problem. It's in there and doing it's job, checking the strings isn't necessary.

I was a little worried about the removal recently and talked to my DH about it. He said not to worry about it, they have a few instruments that they can use and they can get it out about as easily as they put it in. Now you're making me really nervous. Has anyone else had this issue?

 

[mommy2lt]

Hmm... Mine was stabbing the first few times we were intimate. I tried to feel for the string and actually stabbed into my finger, so I know my DH wasn't just being overly sensitive. I went to the doctor and they cut the string shorter. I have not been able to feel it since. Even at my last pap smear the midwife couldn't see the string. She just said it wasn't a problem. It's in there and doing it's job, checking the strings isn't necessary.

I was a little worried about the removal recently and talked to my DH about it. He said not to worry about it, they have a few instruments that they can use and they can get it out about as easily as they put it in. Now you're making me really nervous. Has anyone else had this issue?

Yes !! When I went in to have mine removed they couldn't find the strings. The doctor said that I had 2 choices, I could have surgery to have it removed , or I could let her DIG around to see of she could grab it. After about 5 min of UNBELIEVEABLE PAIN she got ahold of it and pulled it out. My DH also said that it hurt him sometimes too.

 

[tzolkin]

Yes !! When I went in to have mine removed they couldn't find the strings. The doctor said that I had 2 choices, I could have surgery to have it removed , or I could let her DIG around to see of she could grab it. After about 5 min of UNBELIEVEABLE PAIN she got ahold of it and pulled it out. My DH also said that it hurt him sometimes too.

Well, that's good. Not that you were in pain, but that they were still able to get it out that way. I know it's ridiculous to worry about it now (I still have 3 more years). My DH seems to think they will be able to get it out, but he obviously has no idea what it feels like to have your cervix grabbed with those instruments and have them opening it and shoving things in there. He also says in the 6 years he's been working in to OR at our hospital they've only had 3 people in for issues with an IUD.

Did you have another one put in? That's actually my main concern. This is really the only BC that has worked for me and I'm fairly young (late 20s), so I have many years to worry about it. I may just tell them not to cut the string at all if I get another.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

No experience with Mirena, but I have been on Depo for 12 years and LOVE it.

At my first injection the nurse said she had seen people gain 5 pounds, and she had seen people gain 50. I have put on 10 pounds in the past 12 years, but I eat a LOT of sweets and I never exercise, so I can't blame the Depo. I am also 38 years old so it's not like I have the metabolism I had way back when.

 

[~Kristina~]

I've had 2. The first one was horrible for me. I got another one inserted in September and have absolutely loved it!