The broom method! Haven’t tried that one yet!
Ladies: I have big news! Gents: I have a huge overshare! So consider yourselves informed and warned.
I got my Mirena IUD out.
For everyone who is not breathlessly following the status of my uterus (can’t imagine why), the Mirena is an intra-uterine device that prevents pregnancy by releasing a small amount of synthetic progeterone (progestin). I’ve had one for years both between babies #4 and #5 and again after Jelly Bean was born two and a half years ago. (I KNOW.) Up until just a few months ago I would have told you that I unequivocally loved it. I might have even recommended it to you. Indeed there is a lot to recommend it: totally fuss-free, completely stopped my periods and has the lowest failure rate of any contraceptive.
But then I made an unsettling connection. To know me is to know me crazy. I think it’s safe to say most of you are well aware of my, um, many quirks. Yet I was not always this crazy. After looking back over my medical history and journals I realized that the only times in the past 15 years I’ve had to be on my anti-depressant medication was when I had the Mirena in. After digging around – I had to go to the CANADIAN website for the official side effects since the US one only lists a few! – I discovered that the Mirena is contraindicated for women who have a history of depression and/or anxiety. Because it can make them worse. And this isn’t just one of those super rare side effects, mood disorders are listed as a “severe” side effect affecting 5-15% of users! With my history, had I known this I would never have gotten it.
When you have little kids, it can be hard to tell what’s you, what’s the stress of a young family and what might be attributed to outside causes. So ever since Jelly Bean has been born, I’ve chalked up my increasing anxiety issues, hair loss, fatigue, mental fog, weight gain around my waist**, inability to focus, PMS from hell and extreme irritability to the fact that I’m a working mom with four young kids, a husband in graduate school and no childcare. Which does make sense. But on the other hand, I’ve been in this situation before and not been this overwhelmed or this insane. Plus, when my doctor measured my hormone levels they told me my progesterone is so low that it is as if my body is in menopause. AT 33! Do you know what the hallmark symptoms of menopause are? Read that list three sentences up. Yeah. I pretty much had everything except the hot flashes. Considering the IUD is supposed to be giving me extra progesterone this just seemed like even more evidence my body doesn’t like the fake stuff. While it’s possible I could be hitting early menopause I think it’s more likely that being either pregnant or on hormonal birth control for the past 15 years has royally jacked up my hormones.
My doctor recommended that I switch my anti-depressant, go on Ritalin to help the concentration/focus issues and start using progesterone cream. All so I could keep the *$&% Mirena in? In the end, I finally narrowed my problems down to either getting older or getting the Mirena. And since I can’t do a thing about getting older, one week ago I got my IUD yanked. (Literally. It felt like the doctor snapped my cervix with a rubber band.) And thus the real Experiment began.
The past week has been… interesting. First, the mental fog disappeared almost immediately which was a huge relief. In the first 24 hours I peed out like two pounds of water (I didn’t weigh my own urine, just guessing, I swear!) and I lost some lower tummy bloat. After several days the irritability started to fade. Nothing major but it just felt like I wasn’t so… prickly. Feeling happy didn’t feel like such an effort. Things the kids did that used to make all my hair stand on end didn’t really bother me anymore. And even better, over the past few days I’ve even found myself seeking out their company. I hate to admit this but for awhile I’ve just felt like that while I love my kids (I really really do) I just couldn’t stand to be around them. It made me wonder if maybe I’m just not suited to be a good mom. It made me envious of other moms who genuinely enjoyed taking their kids bowling all day. It made me read a lot of parenting books and then feel guilty that I’d rather read about parenting than actually parent. All of this made me really sad. Especially since I didn’t used to be this way! So the fact that that feeling is pretty much gone and I really want to do things with them again is huge for me. Huge.
But there’s one big problem (and no it’s not an accidental pregnancy – heaven forbid!): the first night after I got it removed I had the worst panic attack I’ve had in 13 years. I spent all night sitting on the couch literally vibrating with anxiety. It got so bad I vomited and had diarrhea. While I was able to talk myself down with mantras and yogic breathing and America’s Funniest Home Videos (Thank you Netflix and years of training! In the past this type of attack would have sent me to the ER to be sedated.) it was incredibly unpleasant and it took an extreme amount of energy. And while subsequent nights haven’t been quite that bad, my panic/anxiety has definitely increased. I don’t know why this is. All I can think is that this is exactly what happens to me after I give birth – I get post-partum anxiety instead of post-partum depression – and perhaps if the IUD was tricking my body into thinking I was fake pregnant then now it’s like I had a little fake baby and am now going through fake post-partum? There’s also a lot of reports on the Internet about other women suffering from a “Mirena crash” after removal where they get depressed and feel awful while waiting for their body to pick back up production of progesterone. So maybe it’s that? Whatever it is, it sucks.
I wanted to be able to report to you that everything is amazing now and that it totally fixed all my problems. I really wanted to. But I think I need to give it more time – they say it can take up to 6 months to get all the fake progestin out of your system – before I can say for sure how I feel about all of this. Right now I just feel really fragile.
Any of you have the Mirena? What’s your experience been like? Anyone else super sensitive to drugs? And please – any tips for dealing with anxiety/panic attacks would be MUCH appreciated!
P.S. Because I know someone will ask – the paragaurd IUD (or “copper T” or the non-hormonal IUD) is not an option for me. I had it once for a few months and let’s just say that Aunt Flo staged her own production of Carrie. Not cool.
** Three of the Gym Buddies have also used the Mirena (yes, we’re that close!) and all three of them reported that while it didn’t make them gain weight they absolutely couldn’t lose any weight with it in. Kind of a problem when you get that sucker inserted 6 weeks post-partum! One Gym Buddy had the Mirena removed, lost her baby weight, and then had a new one put in once she reached her maintenance weight. The second Gym Buddy had it inserted twice and removed twice because of weight gain/inability to lose. The third Gym Buddy still has hers but also complains of irritability, extreme PMS and inability to lose weight. For myself, I haven’t noticed any weight gain from it but I haven’t been trying to lose weight either.
(NOTE: Which isn’t to say that any of this is the same for you. Lots of people love their Mirena! And that’s okay! I’m not telling anyone to quit taking their birth control or giving medical advice. I’m just trying to share my personal experience and I’m known to be extremely sensitive to any medication. 1/2 a Vicodin once knocked me out for 6 hours, is what I’m saying. Be sure to talk to your doctor and do your own research before making any decisions!)
for more of my crazy antics and uncomfortable over-shares!
{ 143 comments… read them below or add one }
I just got Mirena 3 months ago. SO far I like it, my only complaint is that now I get funny little cramps around my period (I never got cramps before in my whole life…don’t hate). I haven’t noticed too many other symptoms. I have a history of major depression and anxiety and have fortunately been spared any symptom increase. I also lost 5 pounds last month, so not sure if I can keep that up (though I’m already fairly thin).
It’s still early in my Mirena journey, so we’ll see what happens down the line….
Oh yes, everyone is different! I know lots of people who love theirs – so glad it is working for you!
I would imagine it’s the hormone issues that are causing the anxiety. I have some “Overcoming Anxiety” CDs I can copy (I think) if you’d like. They really help me talk myself down when I get worked up. LMK and I’ll send them along.
Meanwhile, I hope things get better. It makes sense that you’ll be fragile for a while. Give yourself time (and cut yourself some slack!), and overshare as much as you need. Love you!!!!!! >3
Haha – I think I already have those! But thank you!
Good on you for taking control of your (or perhaps mirena’s?) crazy! This sounds awful and only reaffirms my staunch refusal to use pharmaceutical bc. And isnt it kinda funny (funny hmm, not haha) that an anti-pregnancy device made you feel anti-kid as well?
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True! Hadn’t thought of it but you’re right!
I had a mirena iud for about a year, and eventually had it switched for paragard. I didn’t have any problems with losing weight while on it, though I did start to have a lot more severe PMS and water retention issues.
Getting it taken out did nothing to help those issues, and I had the switch made over a year ago. Finally for the extreme PMS, which came with intense days of depression (not at all normal for me), I started taking St. John’s Wort, which has really, really helped. In the several months since I started taking it, I have not once had a bad episode like I had been. Still retain water like a mofo, though. And it’s not just when I’m PMSing. It’s pretty much all the time, with maybe a couple day break here and there. I’m a bit at a loss since I don’t want to take diuretics, my salt intake is not high, all of my blood work has come back normal, and I’m healthy and active. My Mom has problems with it too, though, so maybe I’m just doomed.
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Thanks for the tip, I will def check it out! And I’m so glad you found what works for you.
Maybe the anxiety comes from worrying about getting pregnant?
New appreciation for being post-menopausal.
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I guess this is why I work at the other end of the body
Seriously, I hope this helps you! Of course the fewer medications (drugs) we can take the better it is for us. I’ve always liked that my area of work uses very few meds in treatment. Too many variables.
Dr. J recently posted..Lab Notes: Parkinson’s a Disease of the Risk Averse; Avery, Baby Girl with Bucket List, Dies
Seriously, I am SO over this whole birth control thing. I recently connected my crazy to when they switched me to generic Yaz. I was on the name brand for years and years with no issues at all. Since then I tried another pill which gave me crazy hot flashes (together we have all the menopausal symptoms! yay!) I tried to wait them out but I seem to be the minority for whom they don’t go away. So I’m off that and just trying to figure out what my next move should be. I go to the doctor next week to discuss my options and I hope they’ll check my hormone levels.
The generic Yasmin made me CRAZY!!! I was on it maybe a month and a half before I just quit taking it because the emotional mood swings were so extreme and just uncontrollable. I tried a number of different brands of the pill over a number of years and they all gave me bad side effects, but generic Yasmin was definitely the worst. I thought I was crazy, because all my friends at the time loved it.
Good luck getting it figured out! I know how frustrating med mixups can be!! Be warned though that if you do get your levels tested, they fluctuate quite a bit so just getting a single test – while it does give some info – may not tell the whole story. You really have to find someone who’s willing to go through the whole process with you. Thankfully my OB is fab – I hope yours is awesome too!
I’ve been on mirena for two years now and while I don’t have serious anxiety or depression issues, I think my moodiness has increased, but It’s hard to say since I got it put in six weeks after my first son was born. Now I’m also super suspicious of the lower belly bloat. I’ve lost weight on the mirena but I’ve had to work super hard to lose it, more than I ever would have before the baby. But before this post I just chalked it up to having had a baby. We’ve been talking about baby number two for a bit now, maybe I will get it out a couple months early and see what happens.
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It really is so difficult to tease apart the effects of the BC and what’s just life – good luck both with this and with the TTC!
I’ve never been on Mirena and I never will. When I was breastfeeding number 2, I was on the mini pill which is a progestin only pill. Kind of tricks your body into thinking it’s pregnant. And I felt like I was 10 weeks prego ALL THE TIME for an entire year. I was also completely crazy. Fine one minute then screaming at my family the next. I was completely depressed. I felt like I was in a fog all the time and sooooo tired! Within 5 days of going off of it my energy increased, my mind wasn’t so foggy, and crazy started to simmer a little. It’s been a year now and I still get crazy sometimes, but it’s not consistent like it used to be – and I really chalk it up to having 2 18 months apart, working and trying to keep my house clean and family fed. I think it took about 5 months for me to get to where I am now after going off of the mini pill. All I can say is I will never, never, never do progestin only again.
Yeah, I wish I knew then what I know now! Kudos to you for getting it sorted out sooner! And my first two are 18 months apart so I feel you! It’s tough when they’re little but now that mine are 8 & 9, it is so amazing – they are best friends and share clothes so it makes my job so much easier:)
I’ve never had mirena but I’ve had so so many issues with hormonal birth control I just completely stopped taking them and refuse to ever go back on them again. I’ve never had issues with depression, but I became very moody and developed a general malaise when I was taking birth control. And while I didn’t really gain a noticeable amount of weight, my motivation/tolerance for exercise was much lower and I could not gain any muscle. All of these effects kind of creeped up subtly and I wasn’t sure of the cause but once I was off birth control, I felt completely better…eventually.
Once after stopping birth control, it took my body 2 years to become normal again. My periods completely stopped, I lost a ton of weight that I didn’t want to lose and I started losing hair. Finally, everything normalized, but that convinced me to never mess with my hormones again.
There actually has been research done that shows it’s harder to build muscle while on BC with estrogen in it since estrogen is a fat storing hormone… And yeah, I hope to be done messing with my hormones forever too!
Mirena gave me terrible, terrible cramps when I ovulated, to the point that I ended up in the ER twice. Eventually, I ended up with Mirena AND a daily pill, to control the ovarian cysts. I got rid of the Mirena about a year ago because I just felt off all the time, and I feel way better since then. I’m tired of the pill, though, and am ready to just leave my body alone already. I’m considering Essure at this point.
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Oooh I’m considering Essure too! Something permanent would be helpful…
I wonder if I can blame my cranky-momness on my IUD… I’ve blamed it on having 4 kids.
I’ve had the Copper IUD also, and I had super regular periods that lasted for 3 days, but one of those days I couldn’t leave the house. It was bad.
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After my wife and I had our third child, my wife made the decision that I would go to Dr. Stop. Well, there is a doctor near us that does that surgery named Dr. Stop, but I went to a different guy that did a no scalpel procedure.
It was the worst afternoon of my life. But, I like the results!
I didn’t even know there was a non-scalpel option! That’s awesome that you would do that for your wife!
I have a copper IUD (no hormones) and I LOVE it! Insertion sucked, but one day of discomfort was well worth it. I do have heavier periods (and worse cramping) but it sounds like you had it pretty bad when you tried it out.
Anyway, I’m glad you are noticing a difference!
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I’m another paraguard girl. I recommend it all the time. The only thing that changed about my period is now I spot for a day before and after period. I’ve had it for going in four years. I’m actually ready to be done with bc altogether, but the hub’s holding out on the big snip because he thinks he can talk me into a third. (he can’t).
Any sort pf birth control makes me super crazy and/ or depressed. I’ve been on and off docent kinda since high school. At first I thought the emotional things were from me being an angsty teen but one day early this year it clicked that BC just isn’t for me. I still get upset that I created all that anxiety and depression for myself by being on birth control and instead of my Dr connecting the dots I was simply prescribed pills. I think this probably a much more common problem than is addressed. You put something synthetic in your body, chances are it will throw something out of whack. As for me I take no BC, therefore no anti anxiety or anti depressants and I have even overcome my adhd. I am the happiest I have ever been and I believe its because I stopped the BC.
Yay – this gives me SO MUCH hope! Thank you!!
I like how you explained what is like in the early years of parenting – is it really me or is it having young children or is it being on BC? Like most women who report problems while on hormonal BC, I had a terrible time. For me it was weight gain and depression. After I had my 2nd baby I went on the copper IUD and no one ever told me it would make it look like I had slaughtered a small animal in my bathroom. Afer my 4th and final baby, I went ahead and got snipped. Now that my baby is 2 years old, I can report what it feels like to have my body operating on a “normal” level. I havent’ had any hormonal BC or pregnancy for two years. I like my body normal. I still have to take my SSRI, but at a smaller dose and I can see and sense the difference in my body during the cycles. Maybe you should consider the big snip?
I’m definitely considering it! I’m looking at the Essure too…
I have tried pretty much every pill (and the ring) and they all make me … crazy. the hormones are too much. so I tried Mirena – it also made me VERY moody, ZERO sex drive, gain weight, foggy, etc etc .. so I had it removed after 6 months and was STILL struggling with the side effects 3 months later when… surprise! I was preggo (I am married but we were NOT ready for kids). My daughter is now almost 4 months old and I’ve had paraguard in for about 6 weeks. I am tired ALL the time (IK know, I have a baby, but really really tired and she sleeps through the night… 9 hours just isn’t enough), my milk suppply seems to have dropped (though this may be stress as my husband has been traveling every week and I work part time)… so I don’t know that it is drastically better. still no sex drive. with mirena it did say about 5% of women find the hormone level too high and I guess I am one of them.. but good for you for realizng it was causing issues and I hope it all works out!
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((hugs)) Kat! You are in such a hard place right now but it does get better I promise! I don’t know if it’s the BC or the post-partum hormones still wreaking havoc but I hope you start feeling better soon!
Good Lord!
So glad you’re trying this–you have my love and prayers while your body figures its shit out.
(…figures out its shit? stooopid prepositional phrases…)
I’ve been wondering myself if I will be able to use *any* birth control,
since the three I’ve tried over the last five years have all lead to me be suicidal and severely depressed by about the sixth month in.
All of which leads me to say, BRING ON THE MALE BIRTH CONTROL!!!
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Yes to this! Please!
It’s funny when it takes an aha moment to realize something that you’ve been putting in your body is doing you wrong. I had an all-out sobfest on the Bay Bridge during which I was afraid I would die (seriously, driving 60+ mph on a bridge while hyperventilating and not being able to see at all through the tears) and it took another few months before I was like “oh yeah, that’s about when I had started using the NuvaRing.” Haven’t used hormonal birth control in over five years (Durex what what!), and sometimes it’s a pain, neither me nor my husband has a desire to see that dark side again.
Thanks again for sharing, you always make me feel more normal! I was thinking of maybe getting an IUD since I am tired of the pill. But I haven’t had kids yet so it makes it a bit more complicated. I am so sensitive to hormones, fake or real. Trust me, no one wants to be around me when I am on my “no pill week”
I wish contraception was easier! Hopefully you go back to normal (whatever that is) soon.
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I had the paraguard IUD for exactly one month, at which point my uterus staged a coup. I walked out of the doctor’s office sobbing, mostly because I’d paid for it all on my own and it was an incredible waste of money. But since then, I’ve seen some connections to anxiety problems with paraguard too, given the copper levels. And I am hugely prone to anxiety. So between reading this (I’d considered Mirena) and reading other things, I’m trying to take this as me dodging a bullet.
Yes, if you already have anxiety I’d think very seriously before getting the Mirena. If you want more info about it, google Mirena and mood disorders – tons of stuff will come up!
Birth control is such a tricky devil. I’ve been on the pill for years because of my endometriosis but I had to try four or five different kinds before I found one that really worked for me. Recently my pharmacy switched generic brands on me and for about two months I was extra moody, extra anxious and I WANTED A BABY SO BAD!!! What the heck kind of birth control did they put me on? Inspired by your post about switching prescriptions I found a pharmacy that still carried my old brand and everything is back to normal, including our “when to have a baby” timeline (much to my husband’s relief :p)
Yayay! I love a happy ending!
I am glad things are looking up for you, and sorry about the panic attacks! When I was on NuvaRing, I felt like it really stabilized me (I basically stopped having PMS). Not sure if that would help you too – I noticed a commenter above had the opposite reaction. In general, the way I’ve been dealing with anxiety when it hits me is by facing the fears that are coming up head-on and experiencing them, which helps the anxiety kind of move through and past me. Not trying to hide from it has helped. This may not be helpful at all with a full-blown panic attack, however. I know that omega-6 consumption has been associated with anxiety, and I avoid omega-6s. I think it helps, but as usual, it’s hard to extrapolate causality when you are doing multiple interventions. Good luck!!
I’ve thought about it – a few other people have recommended it to me as well – but I’m so nervous right now about doing any hormones that I think I’m just going to try this for a while and see where my body ends up on its own. I can always reevaluate in a few months, right? Glad you’ve found what works for you!
I’ve been considering getting the non-hormonal IUD, since hormonal birth control (pills, not IUD) sent my body way out of whack when I took them in my early 20s. I don’t think I’d ever want to do hormonal birth control again. I’m neurotic and loopy enough as it is, I really don’t need any help in that department from external hormones.
Kind of a coincidence: there’s actually an article on the front page of Buzzfeed today about… a woman going off of Mirena because of mega problems with it! I actually thought it was you at first, but it’s not as well written. Still interesting though.
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Hahah – thank you! This made my day:) And yes, I agree totally with this: ” I’m neurotic and loopy enough as it is, I really don’t need any help in that department from external hormones.” ME TOO.
I am so sensitive to hormones. I have tried over 20 pills, the patch and the ring and with every single one I had horrible mid-cycle spotting. This whole ordeal lasted for nearly 5 years with my doctor’s just switching up my pills. They finally decided they wanted to start me on mirena but I just wasn’t comfortable it with. I didn’t want it in my body. So I quit hormones all together and now use the fertility awareness method (charting etc). I feel so much better since quitting hormones. And we’ve made it almost 3 years without a baby so I don’t feel worried at all about not being on a pill. The worse part is that I’m now dealing with tons of hair loss from all the hormones and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m so sad that my doctor never talked to me about that as a potential side effect.
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I find this really encouraging! Do you do a particularly fertility awareness method? I’ve already read Taking Charge of Your Fertility…
Taking charge of your fertility is like my bible hahah. I take my temperature every day and track my cervical mucus. Sounds gross but I actually like knowing what’s going on with my body. After a while I could figure out when I ovulated pretty easily. There’s a couple free aps out there that really help track everything. I use Fertility Friend mobile and you can link everything back to fertilityfriend.com which is all free.
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thankyouthankyouthankyou!!! I should have known there was an app for this, lol! We use TCofYF back when we were trying to conceive so I’m familiar with checking out my own mucous (although the whole cervical softness thing was weird to me – I never could feel any change!). I’ll try out fertility friend.
Yay! Glad I could help. I wish I would have learned about all of this stuff a long time ago. I would have never gone on the pill. Hormones do such crazy things to your body. And I agree. The softness thing is weird. I can never really tell what’s going on.
Whitney @ Whit Likes Fit recently posted..No use crying over spilled milkshake
I tried this with predictable results–my third child. I also used Cycle Beads. I used it when I was detoxing from hormonal bc. It helped me with awareness of my cycle but it required abstaining during a 5 day window–that always seemed to be when I was most interested in. . . not abstaining. I also found it too time consuming and it gave me a lot of anxiety about getting pregnant–anxiety that, unfortunately, did not translate into strictness with the protocol. Plenty of people have great results but I was not one of them (and I freely acknowledge that it was a combination of lack of self control and bad data tracking–100% user error). Someone as meticulous as you are about data and tracking should have better luck. It’s just that the consequence of this type of “experiment” not working out are so HUGE.
Hormonal bc was simply horrendous for me. It made me crazy and I felt like I was on drugs–my brain felt like it was buzzing all the time . I had the tubal scheduled for after my c-section with 3rd baby but decided to try Paraguard instead. Whoever described the bathroom looking like a small animal was slaughtered is so right. But it’s gotten much better–the “gusher” only lasts about 8 hours and it’s not as heavy. I’ve decided I can live with it one day a month.
I wish you good luck finding what works best for you. None of the choices are perfect!
Personally, I LOVE my Mirena – for all the reasons you said. No Period, and way less cramps. I’m pretty sure I’m going to be on hormonal control for the rest of my life to keep my endometriosis in check. It has been hard for me to lose weight, but I am finally, after really really watching what I’m eating.
It really is up to each person to decide what’s right for them and their body. What’s right for one person might not be right for someone else.
Yes, exactly – everyone needs to find what works best for their body! So glad you’ve found yours:)
No bc for me… my youngest is 21.
But for anxiety…? Research the herb skullcap. It is said to be amazing for anxiety issues… I listened to a call with Joan Shrader from Health and Wisdom last night and she mentioned several times that skullcap actually recoats the nerves so that old expression “frayed nerves” actually gets better… Just a thought…
Interesting! I’ve never even heard of skullcap. I’ll definitely check it out. Thanks!
Thats too bad. I love mine and am on my second “round”. I was able to lose my baby weight as well, but it was HARD and took some serious disciplin. I couildn’t do it while working and being around other delicious food. My symptoms are favorable as well. However I ahve always wondered abou tthe long term affects of birth control and your hormone level.
Damn, lady! I hope everything figures itself out for you.
I’m on a BC pill now, but I had a Paragard for a few years. They inserted it, then did an ultrasound and found it was too low, so immediately removed it, gave me 10 minutes to hold hands with my boyfriend (now husband) and breath deeply, then put another one in. This with nothing but 4 ibuprofens in my system. That was a sad, sad cervix day. I might try it again after I’ve had a baby, though I am really enjoying the easy easy periods I’m having on the pill. I think my never-held-a-baby uterus just didn’t like having anything in there and kept insisting on spitting it out. Oh well.
I am clutching my crotch in sympathy right now. Egads girl!
As far as the rebound thing going off… I’m not a doctor by any means, but I have gotten a rebound effect after taking Sudafed regularly for a week or two with a cold and then stopping, and doctors have said that that’s what it is. It seems entirely plausible to have it with other meds – and more so when it’s hormones!
As far as BC – I never tried Mirena but I did a number of versions of the pill and they made me nuts (in different ways and to different degrees). I finally just stopped taking birth control all together – I had originally started it for cramps, but decided I’d rather mess with cramps than the insane mood swings and not feeling like myself. Then, after a few years, I needed BC regularly again – and got the Paragard. I have loved it. For what it’s worth, my doctor told me then that some women’s periods do get heavier/more painful on it, but that it’s not THAT common – for more women, they go straight from hormonal something to the Paragard, and it’s really just their period going back to how it is without hormones (or at least partially). (Not saying that happened to you Charlotte – the doc said it definitely does happen, just that some people mistake going off the pill side effects as being side effects from the Paragard.) Anyway, my point is if anyone is considering the Paragard and feasibly can, I definitely recommend going six months or so between hormones and the Paragard – let your hormones work themselves out and make sure you can live with the cramps not on hormones before you get it put in.
Good point about the rebound effect! I think I really need to give it longer than a week before making any real conclusions. I loved everything about the Paragard and wish I could have that back in… except that I literally bled so much I couldn’t leave the house. TMI: I use the Diva cup and it has ounces marked off on it. I bled more in 1 hour than most women do over their entire period. It was either wear a diaper or get it out:(
It has been shown that birth control does not negatively affect your ability to get pregnant, provided you are no longer taking the pill. Some women get pregnant immediately after ceasing birth control pills while others take more than a year to conceive.
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I also had the Mirena and had it taken out. I had cramping for 2 months,felt blue (not quite depressed) and really irritable. Had it taken out and a ll was well with the world again.
I am so glad you’re posting on this. I have the exact same symptoms as you, have had my Mirena for 2 yrs since second son’s birth. Am exercising and eating great, and can’t get to my healthy weight for the first time in my life. Only about 7 lbs to go but I usually lose weight easily when living right. Also I have extremely thick hair that has slowly been falling out, starting to see my scalp is freaking me out. I am sure it’s either the Mirena or my thyroid, but haven’t been tested yet. With no family hx of thyroid issues, I’m thinking the mirena is the culprit. Little scared for the yanking, but would be amazing to feel myself again, rather than pmsing all the time and so fatigued. Good luck to you.
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You should definitely talk to your doc about your symptoms and get your thyroid checked! 2 years is too long to still be having all these issues! I would certainly consider the Mirena as a possible source of your problems. If you google “mirena and hair loss” or “mirena and inability to lose weight” you’ll see a lot of women have come to the same point. Just to be clear: I’m not giving you medical advice but you should get it checked out!
I’ve had Mirena for just over a year now and haven’t had any problems that I can directly attribute to Mirena. I love that I don’t have to worry about pregnancy, I don’t have to remember to take a pill daily or change out the NuvaRing monthly and I love that periods have stopped.
But, I tend to be very low maintenance on the female issues (never have had cramps except the day Mirena was inserted, have always had very light and predictable flows and only 1 month of depression in my past that was cured by talking it out). So, I’m probably not a good example for others considering Mirena.
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Thank you for posting this! There are a lot of women who’ve had very positive experiences with it and I’m so glad it works for you. It really was totally hassle-free and I wish it would have worked for me too:(
I’ve never had the Mirena, but I was on hormonal birth control (the ring) for about three years. Then I used the Fertility Awareness Method mentioned above by another commenter when I had a two-month lapse in insurance, and was so shocked by how much better I felt that I decided to stick with FAM forever. I am happier, have more focus, and a much better libido. But here’s the thing – it took about a year for my cycle to be typical, in terms of both the cervical fluid and the cervical position. I believe it took that long to get the hormones out of my body. I know that while many women report some adjustment period after quitting hormonal birth control, most have not had such an extreme experience – but I’m sensitive to medications like you are. I guess I just want to say that it may take awhile to have a typical rhythm, so don’t assume you’re abnormal just yet:) Thanks for sharing your experience!
Hoping the best for you after having your IUD removed! I imagine part of your anxiety is fear of your unknown future. Good luck.
I am a bit curious about the Paragard. Right now I take the depo provera shot (progestin) and have been on it over 6 years. I had very heavy bleeding and heavy cramping natural, so this shot was like a life saver to me. I didn’t gain any weight (at least in the beginning, have since but I am pretty sure its my hypothyroidism) or have hormonal issues that I could see. BUT, I am concerned about the long term effects and would like to get to a more natural state, as well as prepare to have a child in a few years, so a non-hormonal birth control sounds wonderful (baring a recreation of the elevator scene from The Shining). Does it help with cramps and heavy periods in any way? Thanks!
Sadly no. If you already have cramps and/or heavy periods it will either not affect them or make them worse. The Mirena, on the other hand, will almost completely stop most people’s periods. But then you have to consider the other potential side effects. No easy answers here:(
Interesting. You want to know something crazy (and personal) I haven’t been in birth control since I was a teenager. The only reason I used it then was to try and clear up my acne. I don’t think I will ever feel comfortable putting hormones in my body esp my my family’s history of cancer. We use natural family planning. My youngest is 9.5 so I’d say it works pretty well. This is way tmi but I think it’s made us closer as a couple. My dh knows my body/cycle so well it’s amazing and rather sweet. I also think it’s important to mention that we wouldn’t be devastated if we got pregnant.
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Oooh – I need to pick your brain about NFP! What method are you using! I find this really encouraging. I’d love to stay hormone free for forever!
I actually had the opposite experience: I went off of birth control about a year ago after being on it for over a decade, and then everything went haywire. Turns out the birth control was controlling symptoms of PCOS, which I just found out I’ve had for a while! I’ve been seeing a holistic doctor to fix my hormones through nutrition, and she recommended something you might be interested in: Natural Calm, a magnesium supplement. I take it nightly and it’s been great for anxiety. I’ve even found my life-long fear of heights abating. Look up the reviews on Amazon and you’ll be amazed at all the symptoms it can fix. A friend of mine started taking a magnesium supplement and found it stopped her migraines.
Thanks for the rec! I went and checked it out this weekend at my local vitamin place and they actually told me that since I already take a mag supp then the Natural Calm wouldn’t be of any additional help. They gave me theamine instead? Do you know if drinking the mag is more effective than just taking the pill? Thanks for you help! And I’m so glad it’s working for you!!
Hmmm…I googled and found this website (http://breakingmuscle.com/supplements/natural-calm-magnesium-supplement)
It says:
“Natural Calm is easier to absorb into the body because of its liquid form and therefore more advantageous than taking magnesium by pill or capsule. In addition, Natural Calm is designed to have low acidity to allow it to both dissolve properly in water and not affect the pH-balance of your body.”
Might be something to do more research on. My only other recommendations from my own experiences would be to cut back your caffeine intake if you are ingesting any. I’ve noticed that even a couple of sips of decaf coffee can make me anxious. I’ve also heard that some food intolerances, like dairy and wheat, can affect your mood, although when you are recovering from an eating disorder, eliminating types of food is a tricky, tricky business (I’m in the process now, and it’s been very hard to balance, even though I’m removing certain foods to feel better).
If you’re interested in exploring the food/depression connection more, my doctor recommended reading The Ultramind Solution by Mark Hyman.
Hang in there, Charlotte! I know dealing with anxiety is really rough, but I think with some experimenting you’ll find a solution.
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I had my mirena removed about 18 months ago and it was the best thing I did for my mental health. I didn’t notice changes instantly,within 6 months or so and now I feel normal and happy!
Great post! I had the depression/fog/irritability with a progesterone-based oral contraceptive. Almost a year later I decided not to get the Rx refilled. Fog cleared almost immediately. I woke up one morning and said, WOW, that’s weird, I feel happy. Why my husband did not leave me during this time was probably because we had 3 little boys at the time and he got out for 10 hours a day at the office, away from psycho wife and her circus house. Wish I had an answer for the anxiety/panic. That’s tough.
How long did it take you between stopping your pill and feeling happy again? And I’m so glad you are feeling better! I can relate to being the psycho wife in the circus house;)
This post has really made me stop and think about my use of BC. I started using the Ring 8 years ago and have been on some form of BC since then, including the Depo shot and now a combo oral pill. I am married but not quite ready for kids, but with all of this talk about side effects (low libido, lack of focus) I wonder what I am doing to my body and how I would feel without hormones. I plan to do some research into natural family planning. Any resources that you find would be helpful!
My mom had a IUD for several years and during that time she seemed quite depressed, gained weight, and was more moody than ever. It seemed to enhance all of her stress and anxiety. Since she has had it removed (a year or more) she has lost weight, is more social, and seems to be able to cope with stress better now. She also went through menopause while she was on it, so its hard to say if the IUD did all of that or if some of it was “the change”.
Your posts are so helpful and easy to relate to, thank you!!
And thank YOU! Hearing other people’s experiences has been sooo helpful to me. I actually just got some info on taking a NFP class here and I’m pretty excited about it. Will let you know what I learn!
This made me feel so normal now! I just had my mirena taken out in the beginning of July. She is a lil demon! I too feel through what felt like pre-menopause. My dr did all the blood work and it came back that I had extremely low progesterone levels. No libido, super hot all the time, weight was fine but did have alot of water weight. Also my girly area was so dry it felt like a desert. Was getting infections every month (5months straight of them), I am 25 and had it in for a little over a year. Glad its gone, got the paragard in and only complaint is the gross periods I have (aka shark week lol)….my body is still having issues from the mirena, weight is fluctuating for 3-7lbs in a month and ugly acne. I cant wait for no more bc….
Hi ..I had the mirena inserted a year and half a go and six months after inserting the mirena I’m suffering from severe acid reflux and every time I ask my Dr if its the mirena he tells me no ..I’m on a very heavy dose for acid reflux and i still have it severe ,is there anyone experienced the same or I’m crazy ?
I had a very similar experience with Mirena, and I got it when I was 19-20. I had it for a year, and the first two months were ok before things took a nose-dive for me. First it was the horrid cystic acne (which has finally gone over 6 months after getting that thing yanked), then it was horrid PMS, then my symptoms of PMS would last all month, non-stop! I was the same with our kids, always down my fiance’s throat about how he’s never there for me, though he was. And I started losing hair and even started getting a few whiskers :-/ Not to mention my poor man was getting poked the few times he wanted to be with me. My last episode was blowing up the engine in my car driving in a psychotic rage on a gravel road going 100mph with my daughter in the backseat, unbuckled!!! That was it, had it removed, got back on my normal Yaz regimen. It always worked for me but insurance quit covering it until all this happened and my provider wrote it brand specific, because I had the same reaction a girl above had with generic yaz.
I just got my Mirena replaced with a Paragard a little over two weeks ago, and I had no idea I was such a raving B until I just wasn’t any more. I did have three days of horrible headaches that I attributed to decreasing hormones, but I could deal with that. It was weird how I suddenly felt “normal.” Every single thing has been bugging me since shortly after I had it placed, but it didn’t occur to me that my constantly irritability could be attributed to Mirena. Holy cow! The fog has lifted, I have more energy, and I’m so mellow and laid back now. When I told my husband that I was feeling this way, I could see him happy-dancing in his mind. I’m so glad to know I’m not alone, and I’m a little annoyed this was not mentioned when “sold” to me. I actually asked for Paragard first, but my OB recommended Mirena. Hmmm. Now I’m wondering about the pharmaceutical kick-backs. We’ll see how the Paragard periods are, but I think I can trade more AF for my sanity.
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I just took out my mirena and OMG, as it was coming out, I felt the greatest relief both mentally and physically. I was getting the worst pains for months beforehand (after not getting my flow for 3.5 months and then bleeding for 2 weeks real heavy so think it may have dislodged causing the pains). I’m due today/tomorrow so had a very low, soft cervix and it was the best time to do it. I just can’t believe the relief and needed to share
Where to begin? Let’s start here. I have been with my husband for 20 years, I am 38 now. I have 3 children. We recently moved across the country. A series of poor choices in life, lead to a nervous breakdown. I have been struggling to keep my head above water. The meds I was given did not help (Paxil, Effexor ect..) I am dealing with my Bipolar II just with personal therapy. In the mean time, I thought to make my life easier I would do myself a favor (and my husband) and try Mirena. I NEVER stopped bleeding from the very first day, Sept 16th 2012. I put up with non-stop bleeding, bloat, and a 10 pound weight gain in 4 days, the final straw however was a smell that can only be described as “rotting from your insides”. I have spent hours crying in the shower, not knowing how I was going to go on. At a time when I needed to be closest to my husband, I could not, either physically or emotionally. I had it removed Dec 10th, 2012. The bloat is gone and I have lost 5 pounds in three days. Today I woke up in a pool of blood. Not a little, I am talking CSI crime scene level. My mattress is done and I will have to have my carpets professionally cleaned, just from my walk to my bathroom. I am back to square one. BCP are not an option because they are not recommended for women with depression either. (a fact that my Dr NEVER told me) My husband has offered to get a vasectomy because he can’t stand to see me in so much agony. I am taking him up on his offer.
I wish any women the best of luck but I could never recommend it to anyone. And should anyone think I am some weak woman, I would add, I have been in 3 car accidents, hit by a car while walking and have had 3 natural child births…I would do any of those again before dealing with this devil.
I’m so sorry you had such a horrific experience! That makes mine look like a cake walk, lol. I’m glad you are figuring it out though – contraception is definitely a really tricky thing. I wish our uteruses (uteri?) just came with an off switch!
Glad I saw this! 1 week after I got mine put in I started loosing a lot of hair and feeling puffier around the waist. I’ve had it for a month and I’m officially becoming irritable and apathetic about engaging with my 8 month old. I’m getting this shit removed.
I have had Mirena for about 2 years now, and I hate it. I hate it because of the moodiness and night sweats. I am SOOO depressed all the time. Things that I used to could handle, I cannot handle anymore, but I am scared to take it out because I am so fragile now that I couldn’t imagine things getting worse. They really should have informed people more before advertising this. In theory it sounds good, but it isn’t worth the depression and mood swings.
I have had a horrible experience with the Mirena. I had the Mirena placed in February 2012, then in May I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called mixed connective tissue disease, have noticed puffiness around my eyes. I didn’t get a cycle which was nice. Well, I guess I have had flares or bouts of panic attacks, which I have never had before, I blamed it on other things until I have had to recently be on edge and anxious for probably 2 weeks straight which is not me at all. I have researched and I feel it is due to the Mirena, my husband said he noticed a change in me as well since I had it placed, no libido, moodiness, anxiety, hair loss, etc. I saw a cardiologist this morning because of palpitations and he said my heart is good and that he has talked to many women that cannot handle the progesterone in the Mirena, he feels it is what is causing me to be the way I am right now and to get it removed. I went this afternoon and they had to do ultrasound guided to get it out and apparently I had so much fluid in my uterus that it flipped the iud upside down. They were able to get it out thankfully and hopefully I will start feeling better. They told me 1% of women have anxiety of a symptom, that is hard to believe. Prayers to everyone.
Had the Merina placed on 7/1/2010 and I have hated it ever since. I immediately noticed I felt different and called my doctor to ask and was told to just “give it time” for adjustment. Well almost 3 yrs later an I am battling horrible weight gain and inability to lose it, decreased libido, anxiety, adult acne, insomnia (HORRIBLE), irritability, depression, no energy ever and like you, some days I don’t even want to deal with my two beautiful children.I am CLEARLY not myself. The worst part is I was looking back at photos of myself from the summer I got it placed and photos of me now and I can’t even recognize myself. It’s that bad. I look like I have aged 10+ yrs in the past 2.5yrs. I want this thing out of me but I am scared to death to have it out because I too suffer from depression and anxiety (I had horrible panic attacks in my 20′s). I do not want to go through this Merina crash I have read about. Thanks for sharing your experience with all of us!
Im really glad to see this post. Im only 20 and my doctor had recommended to switch from my birth control pill to the Mirena IUD after I was diagnosed with a blood clotting disorder(factor V leutin) and I have had nothing but problems with it! I have gained close to 20 pounds since I had it put in in august, in my early teens I dealt with alot of Anxiety and depression issues but I had been feeling sooo much better and since having this put in i feel like im 15 all over again! I have no energy and ive been really irritable as well! I bleed contantly for over two months after it being put in (my doctor associated it to me not having had a baby before) and now after I sleep with anyone the cramping the next day is next to unbearrable! So including the changes in my behaviour, the weight gain and the physical pain I cant wait to get this peice of junk out of me! I know now not choosing an IUD i will probably have no other choices for birth control considering I cant take anything containing estrogen because of my blood disorder! I will just have to be realy cautious and use condoms, im just hoping my body will get back to normal after I have it removed (im terrified of that day because of how horific getting it put in was) hoping its worth it though to be able to drop this weight and get happy again!
Wow I am so glad I found this…I’ve had my Mirena since July 2012 and every month my symptoms seem to just get worse..not to mention 9 day periods!!! Inability to loose weight (i do crossfit 5days a week and eat a semi healthy diet) Mood swings, lethargy, adult acne, decreased libido, hair loss, the list goes on. I have also suffered from anxiety and depression to which these pms symptoms make it 1000xs worse! I also have hypothyroid condition yet my thyroid has recently checked out just find BUT I have NO progesterone in my body which Mirena is supposed to release! So weird! Needless to say I am having my Mirena removed in a week! Pretty bummed because this was the second Mirena for me…I had no issues with the first one. But I want to feel like myself again and not a raging B! Thank u for posting this so we know we aren’t alone! Krysta
I have had the mirena for a little over a year now and I have never liked it. Though It stopped my periods which I enjoyed I always felt it poking me in the stomach, I could feel it in a painful way whenever I got “turned on” I can’t focus and I have had severe depression about my life that I have never had before, I even felt that way about not wanting to be around my kids which makes me feel extremely guilty. At this point I have thought about getting rid of the mirena a lot but I am scared of how much it will hurt, and what I will go through.
This is my 2nd go round with Mirena. My first was placed in August 2007, and by October 2007, I had to have a tennis ball size ovarian cyst removed. When I approached by doctor about it, she said it was impossible for the Mirena to have caused it. I had it removed a year later. My 2nd IUD was placed about a year ago. In that year I have gone crazy, literally. It got to the point where my anxiety was so high I did a mental health intake because I was having bad thoughts and couldn’t control my temper/rage, was depressed and couldn’t focus on anything. They labeled me with non-specific mood disorder, ADHD combined, depression, and anxiety. I have been put on Lamital, Xanex, Wellbutrin, Abilify — of course not all at the same time. Now after reading and researching, I am not wondering if all of this can be stemmed from the Mirena. I am considering having it removed. Anyone else ever been mis-diagnosed with a mental condition, have the IUD removed, and mental disorders lessen or go away completely?
Just had my mirena taken out today after 3 yrs…..have had all the symptoms mentioned above, mental fog, terrible memory, extreme irritability with my husband and 3 children, no energy etc. A naturopath told me it tricks your body into thinking its 3 months pregnant…..!!! I have just forewarned my hubby of the potential crash and told him to tread very lightly lol. I too am sensitive to medications, had PND after my children along with antenatal depression from about weeks 5-10 in the first trimester. So relieved to have found an answer to my “crap”!! Good luck to everyone
Just had my mirena taken out today after 3 yrs…..have had all the symptoms mentioned above, mental fog, terrible memory, extreme irritability with my husband and 3 children, no energy etc. A naturopath told me it tricks your body into thinking its 3 months pregnant…..!!! I have just forewarned my hubby of the potential crash and told him to tread very lightly lol. I too am sensitive to medications, had PND after my children along with antenatal depression from about weeks 5-10 in the first trimester. So relieved to have found an answer to my “crap”!! Good luck to everyone
I had my first Mirena inserted in 2006. I didn’t have a period or any side effects. I had it removed in 2011, and a new one put in he same day. I drove myself home after the appointment. About an hour later I had this strong feeling of dread and panic come over me. My heart started beating hard and I became dizzy. It felt like I was going to vomit and have diarrhea. I started sweating and felt cold at the same time. A loud ringing developed in my ears. I thought I was going to die-like my heart was going to explode. I was home alone with my three small children. I had to try to calm myself down. I grabbed the waste basket and walked to the living room and laid down. I did vomit and felt better afterward, but my body was real shaky. The next day I felt off- like I was depressed. It went away the following day. I have never had a panic attack before. When I went back to the doctor I told him what happened and that I thought I had a panic attack. I can’t remember what he called it but he described it to me as all of my blood leaving my organs and going to my uterus because my body recognized trauma in that area. I told him I thought I was going to die – he assured me that wasn’t the case. I’m afraid to have my second iud removed in four years if not sooner. I’m afraid of having a heart attack.
I had my Mirena taken out today, and am really hoping to be back to myself soon. Had it inserted about a year ago, and the last month has been hell. Deep depression, intense anxiety, insomnia, acne, and cramping. I’ve been seeing a therapist and increased AD, but I continued getting worse. My therapist brought up the possibility of it being hormonal, so I googled “Mirena and depression” and….. BINGO!!! Hundreds of stories of women with the same symptoms as me! Today I went to Planned Parenthood and got it taken out. The NP was intent on telling me she didn’t think Mirena was the cause of my problems, but I told her I wanted it out anyway. As soon as it was taken out… HUGE relief. Probably the placebo effect, but I am already feeling better, about 2 hours post-removal. Can anyone share about how long it took to have the depression/anxiety/”brain fog” go away? I can’t wait to get back to myself, and so glad to have this damn thing out!!!!
For me the brain fog went away almost immediately. Within several days it was just… gone. The rest of it though, well, I’ve had the Mirena out for almost a year now and I’m still dealing with that stuff. It’s markedly better but it wasn’t overnight. I’m told it takes 6 months to get all the synthetic hormones out of your system. Good luck!
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I had my Mirena removed 3 months ago after almost the full 5 years. It’s just now that I’m learning about all the potential side effects. I wish I had known about them years ago! I would have had the Mirena removed!! I’m very sensitive to medication and I’m prone to depression and anxiety and I see now that it only worsened while on the Mirena – especially the anxiety. It was borderline crippling. My husband and I are trying to start a family and I’m now worried that my fertility won’t return to normal post-Mirena. Things just don’t seem the same. Whatever the outcome, I will NOT be using the Mirena again. Thank you for sharing your stories. They have been very helpful.
I just have a Mirena inserted in mid-December… unsure at the time if I should even get one because my identical twin sister had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and I was unsure if that would be the best decision for me, with the fear that this could increase my chances of breast cancer as well. I have suffered for years with the pain of endometriosis and heavy periods, so this was the option given to me. I have had such paralyzing anxiety attacks and have been suffering with depression for the past month. To the point where there are days I struggle just to get out of the house and to work. I fear that if this continues I may not be able to leave my house. I have suffered from depression and anxiety before, but nothing this extreme. Although my life is extremely stressful over the years, I have been able to cope, with the exception of being prescribed medication for depression after a mis-carriage 15 years ago, and anxiety for a short term. (which looking back may have been during the time I was receiving the birth control needle). I am now waiting for an appointment to discuss my issues with my doctor, but have to wait 2 1/2 weeks to get to see her. Hoping she will remove it at that time. (which if it is as painful as it was going it I am not looking forward to!!!).
Hi there everyone, I have tried the Mirena two different times and lets just say they were both horrible experiences. I ended up with weight gain, hair loss, HORRIBLE anxiety and worst of all my first one made me hypothyroid. With both it took a good 8 months for the symptoms to really get me down, before having it removed. I am now pregnant with baby #4 and will be getting a tubal ligation as long as my OB doesnt still insist on the new procedure ESSURE. Essure is another one that after actually researching I will never do.
Wow. I had mine in 4 years ago and have decided to have it removed and have been bombarded with info I should have looked up years ago! Having it removed next week. So many symptoms I put down to just ‘me being a bitch’ or overly-emotional, but have no idea of where my cycle is at, feel like I need to have my period to ‘cleanse’ myself after 3.5years of not having one.
This site has been so helpful. I just had the mirena removed roughly 1 week ago. I only haed it in 5 months but was having achne break outs which kept getting worse each month. I had constant itching and what i thought was a yeast infection but was a bacterial infection. I was also getting sores along with the itching. I had the mood changes, tired., emotional, etc. When it was taken out a week ago i felt immediate relief also. I could tell all the funky shit going on down there was because of the Mirena. At the time it was removed i was on my cycle and had just finished the antibiotic for the bacterial infection a few days prior. I thought i still had the infection but since i was on my cycle he couldnt check at that appt. I thought i would see if it got better since the mirena was out and i would let my cycle finish. Well off my cycle an the mirena for a week or more and still itchy and feels like i have the infection. I also am sore to the touch down there. I went in today and yes i still have the infection. He also check my soreness and tested for herpes. I have been with my parnter and had none of these issues before. My mood has improved but frustred with all these vaginal issues. Acne improved and is almost gone again.My head aches have also decreased but not elimitated completely.I am hoping the herpes is negative and it is all going to get better in time with being off the mirena.. Also since taken out i have started getting sick with sore throat, head aches. It could be a fluke and i could just be getting a cold. I am in Wisconsin 30 degrees and snow. lol
Thank you everyone for sharing your stories it has been a huge help to me. Hope we all get better soon.
Had mirena for 3 years at first i loved it and hey i never got pregnant but throughout those years i was on it was horrible i was getting bloated all the time was always nausous lost alot of my hair aggervated with everuthing had alot of ups and downs i was tired all the time never had energy what so ever ..an never had a period till about 5months ago along with a trip hospital for severe bloating i thought it was my appendix so did dr but did a ct scan turnd out to be a cyst thatt ruptured and the pain went on and the heavy bleeding began i thought i was dying because it was judt pouring out of me so scary so i did some research to see if this was normal thing going on w mirena and i seen so msny stories like mine ..so i gt it out a week ago and im in such a great mood im no longer tired oand i lost alot of watrr weight and look so much thinner already r weak..im not aggravated anymore its judt a whole new oitlook im back to me i love it !! ……
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Had mirena for 3 years at first i loved it and hey i never got pregnant but throughout those years i was on it was horrible i was getting bloated all the time was always nausous lost alot of my hair aggervated with everuthing had alot of ups and downs i was tired all the time never had energy what so ever ..an never had a period till about 5months ago along with a trip hospital for severe bloating i thought it was my appendix so did dr but did a ct scan turnd out to be a cyst thatt ruptured and the pain went on and the heavy bleeding began i thought i was dying because it was judt pouring out of me so scary so i did some research to see if this was normal thing going on w mirena and i seen so msny stories like mine ..so i gt it out a week ago and im in such a great mood im no longer tired oand i lost alot of watrr weight and look so much thinner already r weak..im not aggravated anymore its judt a whole new oitlook im back to me i love it !! ……
Hi Charlotte, information like this is so helpful the doctor tells you nothing and the after effects are unobtainable! I had my mirena for just over 4 years. I’ve always been a happy relaxed person (apart from around my period) but now I put 2 and 2 together and realize the past 4 years I’ve been pretty highly strung and stress cause anxiety! So since we want to start a family at the end of the year I thought it best to part ways early with my Mirena. The day I had it removed I felt quite dizzy, the next day I felt great, happy, we went away with friends and nothing irritated me, I was calm…. The calm before the storm! On day 3 I started with a headache controlled by paracetamol, day 4 I was crippled by the worse migraine that caused pins and needles and face numbness, no matter what I did or took it wouldn’t shift, day 6 back at work and had terrible panic attacks that had me shaking, crying and hyperventilating. I sent myself home to work remotely so when I do get panic attacks I’m home and can control them. I’m now on day 8 of removal and I’m sleeping better, but my hair is dropping out, I have issue passing water (mainly after a panic attack) and I still have the anxiety chest crush. I’m hoping this passes soon as I get upset because it’s so out of character, I then get upset for the people that feel like this all the time… I think my hormones have gone haywire!
Today I am off to a homeopath to see if they have any magic potions, I’ve already tried acupuncture which helped the migraine but not the moods. Fingers crossed I feel normal soon.
Thanks for sharing your story
Thank you so much for sharing your story. I found your blog because I had my mirena out two days ago because after 1.5 years I FINALLY made the connection between all of the issues I’ve struggled with since having our first born and the mirena IUD. I was irritable, tired virtually ALL of the time (even after our daughter started sleeping well through the night), had persistent awful night sweats, anxiety, hair loss. My brain was a foggy mess, and I felt completely overwhelmed. I spent time and money to have a therapist tell me that My issue was clearly adult ADD and he prescribed vyvanse. Even with vyvanse, I felt a fog and a fatigue – which normal people would never feel while taking an amphetamine like vyvanse. So I topped it off with at least two cups of coffee and two diet Cokes a day. Did I mention I NEVER drank caffeine before or during my pregnancy with our daughter? I went from needing no caffeine to needing prescription drugs plus ridiculous amounts of caffeine just to make it through the day.
We are in the process of planning baby #2 and so this led me to research what to expect when I have my IUD removed. All I had to do was google it to find hundereds of women like you and I with all too similar (and scary) stories. I called my OB the next day to have it removed.
I made that call a week ago and had the Mirena out on Thursday. I can’t believe that I’m saying this – but I already have SO much more energy. Clearly, I do as I am writing this at almost 1:44am. I haven’t seen this late (early) since before I became pregnant with our first. I did take vyvanse today but had no other caffine as I felt like I was about to jump out of my skin from the energy I had. Clearly my body does NOT naturally need vyvanse and I’m horrified that the FDA allows the Mirena to be on the market today.
Again, thanks for sharing!
Best,
D
Thank you soooo much for this article! Now I know I am not crazy. I had the Mirena put in 5 weeks after I gave birth to my daughter which was my third child. I have two boys and she was our third and that was all I wanted after she came. I don’t want to have anymore children because I think 3 is more than enough that I can handle especially when my husband and I are the only two who can care for them (my parents and siblings live in another city), God bless you and your husband for having four
. I have had the night sweats, irritablility so much so that there are times I lock myself in the bathroom to give myself a “time out” so I don’t lose it around my kids, I even thought about calling my doctor to prescribe me anti-depessants or something for anxiety, I lost some weight like about 10 lbs since I had my daughter and she is now 17 mos old, only to gain it all back seemingly over night when I eat fairly decent but I also work out 6 days a week and the weight doesn’t seem to be coming off which is terribly frustrating because it’s like I can’t lose the baby weight at all. I also have random cramping and lately I have been feeling extremely fatigued. My daughter does not “still” does not sleep through the night so I don’t get the usual 8 hrs of sleep, I am a stay at home mom as of now until my 4 yr old starts school in August and I get up early to get my 10 year old (who has Type 1 diabetes) prepared for school, so I’m exhausted but lately its been so bad that even coffee in the mornings is not keeping me afloat 
I figured I must have a hormone imbalance because there is no way that I lost 10 lbs and then it came back on in a week that’s humanly impossible especially when I’ve even been counting my calories. My husband is certified in nutrition and personal training so tonight I told him that I wanted him to put me on a strict diet plan for 3 weeks so I can see if I will lose any weight and if I didn’t then I was going to go to the doctor to have my hormone levels checked. I started doing some research online before I came across your article and took a hormone imbalance questionaire that looked as if I had menopause, I am also 33 years old so I’m like there’s no freakin’ way I’m going through menopause that’s crazy my mom is like 52 and she hasn’t even gone through menopause yet so I’m like no way in heck is it happening to me. So then I came across your article. Thank you so much for writing this because now I don’t feel as if I have lost my mind or need to make a 911 call to my doctor in the morning lol! I believe it is the Mirena that is making me feel like this and its preventing me from losing weight. So I am going to get my hormone levels checked after I go on the strict diet my husband prepares for me just to prove my point and so I can take it to my doctor to let them know I’m not making this up. I am afraid to get the Mirena taken out because of how you described it and I know it hurt like heck when it was put in so a bit of a pause on that. Plus I don’t want anymore kids and I do not want to get my tubes tied I think that will just make me have more issues I’ve noticed over the years that any birth control method doesn’t agree with my body after a year so getting my tubes tied just doesn’t sound apealing to me at all. So I guess I will be working on my husband about getting a vasectomy which is probably not going to go over well (eyebrows raised) :-/ Anyway thank you again for this article because it is reassuring to me that I am not losing my mind or going through menopause.
- Shaquetta
Hi everyone.
I had the Merina removed three (3) months ago, and started to feel my sensitivity levels increase, and was able to feel loving emotions again. I lost almost ten (10) pounds during the first two months after removal. I noticed an increase in heart flutters, and anxiety. I am still feeling the heart flutters, and anxiety. The flutters are happening daily. The anxiety is extreme. I have a history of wpw (heart condition) that was cured with an ablation twenty (20) years ago, but the increased heart flutters are now concerning me. I’m going to go see a cardiologist on April 5th to have some tests done on my heart, and try to find out why I’m having all of these heart flutters, and extreme anxiety.
I have read on several posts that women are having heart palpitations, and anxiety. Possibly due to low progesterone levels afterbhaving the merina removed.??? Has anyone tried ways to increase/balance out their progesterone/hormone levels, and has it helped? I’m going to go see an OBGYN now that I’ve read these posts. I really hope there’s something they can do. I just moved to a new state, and do not want to live in anxiety, fear, and heart pounding chest pain that has been sending me to ER.
All of this started a few weeks after having the merina removed. I really hope all of this stops soon. I’m no longer on birth control. I wish I hadn’t trusted the merina. It may have possible helped with menstrual problems, but what I’m feeling now is way worse.
Hi AB, I’ve had the same for 2 weeks. Went to a naturopath and she’s put me on a number of supplements. Adrenal complex, ppmp (potassium phosphate and magnesium phosphate) st. Mary’s thistle (cleanse and help the liver) magnesium and then to help my hormones don quai and natural progesterone cream. Also changed my diet to a whole food diet. I do rattle when I walk
but I’m sleeping better, less stressed etc. My doctor wanted. To put me on the pill but that’s adding more chemicals to the problem. You just need to support your body whilst it adapts, unfortunately it can take 6 months 
Good luck and hope you feel better soon
Hi AB, I’ve had the same for 2 weeks. Went to a naturopath and she’s put me on a number of supplements. Adrenal complex, ppmp (potassium phosphate and magnesium phosphate) st. Mary’s thistle (cleanse and help the liver) magnesium and then to help my hormones don quai and natural progesterone cream. Also changed my diet to a whole food diet. I do rattle when I walk
but I’m sleeping better, less stressed etc. My doctor wanted. To put me on the pill but that’s adding more chemicals to the problem. You just need to support your body whilst it adapts, unfortunately it can take 6 months 
Good luck and hope you feel better soon
Thank you for responding. That’s a lot of great information. I’m not sure if I can go the natural route because of the past wpw, and other female irregularities but I will mention it to my doctor. I have hot flashes now, too. My hormones have to be lacking something or producing to much of something or both. The anxiety, and heart flutters increase during the hot flashes. I’m going to have a blood panel ran, and check everything. It makes sense to have my hormones struggling a little to be normal. I had the mirena in for 4 1/2 years. If like to give my body time to see if it will balance everything out without meds but the anxiety is to intense. Hopefully lo loestrogen can help get things back to normal or something else. Thank you so much for sharing your information. I do really appreciate it.
Can you please post the address to the Canadian website? I am having trouble finding it. Thank you.
Well – I don’t know how helpful this will be to you as they make it pretty darn difficult to access but here’s the Canadian site for the Mirena insert: https://secure.mirena.ca/Login.aspx Unfortunately you have to login with the # from the Mirena box you were prescribed. You keep your Mirena box? Yeah, me neither. When I was writing my post, a reader from Canada kindly logged in for me and then e-mailed me the PDF – which I can’t find in my inbox anymore (I don’t think I saved it… dumb). But this site http://fogbegone.blogspot.com/2010/09/mirena-iud-depression-follow-up.html quotes the Mirena pamphlet. It doesn’t have the numbers in it but it’s a good start. Lastly, here is the official Bayer template for the Mirena IUD package insert – while I don’t think this one is specific to Canada it does include the information about psychiatric disorders in the “common” side effect category and that in case of a history of depression/anxiety the IUD is contraindicated. http://www.bayer.ca/files/MIRENA-PM-ENG-20JUL2012-150412.pdf
ive had mirena in for 2 months.
im getting it out this friday. Stumbling across this blog has only reconfirmed my suspicions. ive had foggy brain, dizzy spells, aching back, tummy and really sore boobs, cant focus, had 3 major panic attacks in 2 months and shake with anxiety all day, and cant sleep at night. and my family are walking on egg shells around me due to my volatile mood swings 
I had Mirena inserted in Feb 2009. Other than hair loss, I have the same symptoms you describe. They hit me like a ton of bricks around Feb/Mar 2012. Prior to that, no symptoms at all. I eat right, exercise, and generally take excellent care of myself. I felt like I was going to faint on multiple occasions, had numb/tingling hands and arms, anxiety, heart palpitations, inhaling sharply to catch my breath, yawning repeatedly, and brain fog. I went to my OB/GYN for my annual visit in April 2012, a couple of months prior to the one-year mark. The doctor that I saw was not my usual doctor. She was kind of rude, asked why I didn’t just go to a general practitioner. I told her my insurance covers one well visit per year, I might as well consolidate. She reluctantly completed my exam and pap, making sure to state that coming in prior to 12 mos was “not indicated.” She then told me to see a GP for my other issues. I went to see the PA that I’ve seen off and on for the last 3-4 yrs. I have seen her for a few illnesses, and an episode of depression, (sneaks up on me every few years, but I’ve NEVER had anxiety). She convinced me to begin taking Wellbutrin, (which I have taken previously for depression). I told her I still wasn’t sure that anxiety was the issue. She asked me some personal questions, and said that she really thought I had a lot going on in my life at the time, and perhaps getting older, (33 at the time, just turned 34 two wks ago), was keeping me from being able to deal with stress as much. I still didn’t agree, as I was in the best shape of my adult life, feeling great just a few months beforehand. I still asked that a complete battery of bloodwork be completed, hormones, thyroid, etc. Everything came back normal. After a couple of months taking the meds, I felt better. By the end of the summer, I felt crabby, easily irritated, not sleeping well. I toughed it out and ignored it. Entering the new year, I began to feel very foggy again. Agitated all the time. I decided maybe I wanted to go off the Wellbutrin. I carefully weaned myself over a period of 5 weeks. Mistake. The anxiety was intensified. I suffered for about two weeks, (while taking my family to Disney World, there’s no room for anxiety and irritability there, yikes), then gave in and began taking the medicine again. I have now been back on it for 7 weeks. Symptoms are getting worse. My hands feel half asleep as I type this. I can’t focus, my vision feels like it goes in and out of focus, like I am starting to space out. I yawn constantly no matter how much I’ve slept, I have a nervous feeling in my stomach and chest almost all day. I can’t live like this. One week ago, I decided to check into the link between Mirena and anxiety. I was floored. And then relieved. Could this be the answer?! Will I finally stop suffering? I haven’t felt like myself in over a year. I am distracted from my family, my children, my job. I want my life back. I want to enjoy it again. I scheduled an appt for removal tomorrow. I have now just passed the 4 yr mark, symptoms began at 3 yrs. I’m so glad to have found your blog. I have since read other posts, and I find a lot of similarities in myself with how you relate to yourself and your emotions, (feeling intrinsically flawed, etc.) I am looking forward to tomorrow and hoping that this is the answer. I want to continue to read your blog, as I find it humorous, inspirational, and it’s comforting to find other people like yourself out there.
I will update over the few days to let you know how it is going, and for others who may find your post in their search for an answer. Even 2 months ago, I would’ve recommended this method of contraception to anyone and everyone. Now I need to make a list of people to email my story and a link to your blog and other articles I have found.
Well, I finally got mine yanked out today too. I was a blubbering mess in the office and downright shaking afterwards. I was so afraid that I might have made the wrong choice. I feel so bad now though, that I just decided how could I feel any worse? I did start on the pill immediately to ease me off of hormones he said. So I came straight home and took LoLoestrin FE. I am to take them for 3 mths and then reassess. I am hoping and praying that I will be feeling like my old self again and soon! So glad I found you earlier this year and I got inspired by you r story to take mine out too.
UPDATE** I decided to ditch the pills after 10 days. I have gained another 5 pounds since starting the pill which puts me at an all time high of 185 ( which is what I weighed when I gave birth last time). Ugh! The good news is that little by little I am starting to feel like the old me again. I keep getting these little twitches in the ovary area. Kind of makes me think they are firing back up again. Also, I have some brief moments where I have felt almost panicky. I can’t help but think its the swing in hormones. I took my last pill 2 days ago, going cold turkey from here on out. Will most likely have the worst period ever coming soon!! I can almost see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I am by no means not there yet emotionally or physically, but I am getting there. I will update again in a few weeks.
i found this tonight and it was like reading my own words at some points. i have a 3 year old and a loving husband. after my daughter was born i had mirena put in. it was presented in such a great way i was like omg where has the been it was the “dream” birth control. in the last three years ive been riddled with anxiety and depression and regret to share i too shared similar feelings to my life and daughter, i chalked it up to being a 20 year old mother and also being broke. for the last three years i have been on 20 different medicines to control what i was beginning to believe was my true mental instability and extreme anxiety, i had mirena out 2 weeks ago and also have stopped all my so called “needed” medicines which at the end included bi polar and narcotic anti anxiety meds. i have since begun researching mirena and im appalled. the medical system is not telling us the whole truth and the only thing i have learned on this hellish road is that I have to take my own health into my own hands, i wanted to thank you for your blog, its so great to know im not the only one. i dont feel 100% but for the first time in three years i feel truly alive. I believe that its moms like you who are honest and brave for sharing your life online who are helping moms like me feel like im not alone.
Update: It has been 11 days since my Mirena was removed. I don’t really feel different. I still feel foggy. I have had a couple of days where I feel in and out. That’s the best way I can describe it. I feel little blips of myself here and there, but the general fogginess and irritability remain. 3 days ago I had a terrible episode of extreme agitation and just being completely unreasonable. I realized later how irrational I was being, but couldn’t get it under control at the time. My husband is so patient. I think I’d leave me if given the opportunity.
I am still taking my Wellbutrin daily as I have been for the last year. My OB/GYN did give me an Rx for xanax in case of a total meltdown, as I have read of other women having after removal. It just makes me fall asleep. I hope that my reproductive organs are going to wake up from their 3 year hibernation soon, (I seem to remember my last period was January/February 2010), and maybe after having a period, I will start to feel better. I went ahead and got an Rx for the birth control pills I took for seven years before kids, (Ortho Tri-Cyclen), and I will probably start those after a month or two of letting my body rest. If I don’t start my period in the next few weeks, I will go see the doctor again, I suppose.
I had Mirena for 4 and a half years and just got it removed today because me and my husband decided we are ready for another one. I have no complaints about it whatsoever. I still had periods but they were really light…I only needed a pantiliner and it lasted two days. As soon as it was out though, I felt better more like me if that makes sense. Not that I was depressed or unhappy before but now I just feel more relaxed and carefree. Is this normal for other people getting it removed?
Christy,
I felt more like me at first, too. Happy again. I felt like I had a lot of loving feelings. Way more sweet emotions than before. It was great.
Two to three weeks later I started getting heart flutters, hot flashes, and anxiety. I thought it was all related to stress even though I was on vacation at the time.
All of the symptoms I mentioned above got worse. I feel like I’m vibrating from anxiety. I have up to 50 or more heart flutters a day. The hot flashes come, and go depending where I am on my cycle. So I just went, and had my hormone levels checked. I’m waiting on the results.
I’ve been dealing with this for almost four months now. I’m on lorazepam for the anxiety. I stopped drinking caffeine, stopped eating sugar, and have changed the way I eat. I ate pretty well before this happened just to be clear, and I didn’t drink coffee or energy drinks either.
I had the mirena in for 4 1/2 years. I’m guessing my natural progesterone is either depleted or is very low due to the mirena, and it’s synthetic progestrin. Leaving me estrogen dominant at the moment. Hence, causing these symptoms. If you start to feel any of these symptoms go talk to your doctor right away. It gets intense!
Christy,
I felt more like me at first, too. Happy again. I felt like I had a lot of loving feelings. Way more sweet emotions than before. It was great.
Two to three weeks later I started getting heart flutters, hot flashes, and anxiety. I thought it was all related to stress even though I was on vacation at the time.
All of the symptoms I mentioned above got worse. I feel like I’m vibrating from anxiety. I have up to 50 or more heart flutters a day. The hot flashes come, and go depending where I am on my cycle. So I just went, and had my hormone levels checked. I’m waiting on the results.
I’ve been dealing with this for almost four months now. I’m on lorazepam for the anxiety. I stopped drinking caffeine, stopped eating sugar, and have changed the way I eat. I ate pretty well before this happened just to be clear, and I didn’t drink coffee or energy drinks either.
Christy,
I felt more like me at first, too. Happy again. I felt like I had a lot of loving feelings. Way more sweet emotions than before. It was great.
Two to three weeks later I started getting heart flutters, hot flashes, and anxiety. I thought it was all related to stress even though I was on vacation at the time.
All of the symptoms I mentioned above got worse. I feel like I’m vibrating from anxiety. I have up to 50 or more heart flutters a day. The hot flashes come, and go depending where I am on my cycle. So I just went, and had my hormone levels checked. I’m waiting on the results.
I’ve been dealing with this for almost four months now. I’m on lorazepam for the anxiety. I stopped drinking caffeine, stopped eating sugar, and have changed the way I eat. I ate pretty well before this happened just to be clear, and I didn’t drink coffee or energy drinks either.
I had the mirena in for 4 1/2 years. I’m guessing my natural progesterone is either depleted or is very low due to the mirena, and it’s synthetic progestrin. Leaving me estrogen dominant at the moment. Hence, causing the
AB,
Thanks for replying to my comment. I’m trying to see what’s ahead for me now that I’m mirena free. I have heard from other people on other forums that they have had some of the same symptoms as you. I think they call it the “mirena crash”. I plan on keeping everyone updated on here as to how I’m feeling and what’s going on.
I am on Day 17 since removal. On day 13, I felt okay, really weepy, but not terrible. Day 14 was horrible. Very agitated, couldn’t focus at work, couldn’t do anything when I got home, picked a fight with my very patient husband for no reason at all. And once I realized what I was doing, I couldn’t do anything but just sit down on the floor and try to figure out what to do next. Sleep? Eat? Cry? I was just empty. It feels so horrible to have no control over my emotions and the physical symptoms as well. I’m still waiting to see if my period is coming. I hope that everything will get better after that. I am going to go ahead and schedule an appt with my regular doctor to have my hormone levels checked. I will keep checking back in as time goes on.
Has anyone experienced this crash BEFORE having it removed? I’m two weeks from my 5 year mark on Mirena. It’s been a mostly positive experience for me. No periods or pain & maintenance free. The first couple years I had constant bacterial infections (finally solved with daily…ummm…use of hydrogen peroxide – since this seems an appropriate place to overshare it might help someone else. I’m deathly allergic to the other cures for it). And now that I’m reading this I’m pretty sure it’s caused acne & issues with losing weight (granted the second part of that could be getting closer to the big 3-0). Anyway the last week I feel like I’m in a fog. I’m emotional which is something I’ve always prided myself on NOT being. My anxiety is through the roof. I can’t get motivated to save my life. My thoughts and feelings are so far from their norm that it has me freaked out. I dont have any other explaination for why I feel like this. Nothing in my world has changed. Life is good. Kids are great. Husband is a man child but aren’t they all
So does anyone know if its possible to start crashing at the end of the Mirena life cycle? I haven’t called my doctor to make an apt to get it remove yet. I’m stalling on making the decision to get a new one or to pull the goalie so to speak.
The Mirena was a nightmare for me. I developed reactive hypoglycemia, which I never experienced before. It’s pretty awful…the shaking, the nausea, almost passing out if I don’t eat immediately. My doctor tested my blood sugar, and it was not good. I also started having anxiety problems. And anger issues. While it was great skipping my period and not having to worry about birth control, it was making me nuts. I just cannot do synthetic hormones. It’s so not worth it to me. I went to the gyno to have it removed. The doctor tried to talk me out of it. She told me there’s no way it could cause issues like that, especially since all of the hormones would be gone at this point. She actually said that. From what I understand, it releases the hormones every month. I told her to take it out anyway. I feel WORLDS better. No more anxiety, hypoglycemia gone and blood sugar tested normal. Some of these doctors have no idea what they are prescribing, then think its all in your head when you go for help. It does work for some people, but not for me.
It has been a little over a month now. The crash is over, lasted about 10 days. I went back to my regular doctor, (just a few days before crash was over, and it was at its worst), and gave her the update on my visit to the gyno, having the Mirena removed, etc. She prescribed Celexa to take in addition to the Wellbutrin I have been on for a year. After the crash ended, (thank goodness, that was horrific, I’ve never felt so helpless), I felt really good, and realized I hadn’t remembered to take the Wellbutrin in 2 days, nor had I began the Celexa. I opted to stop the Wellbutrin, NOT start the Celexa, and just detox my body for a while. I am still drinking coffee in the morning, which does cause a little amped up feeling, and maybe one tea or diet soda in the afternoon, but mostly water all day. I am trying to exercise as much as I can motivate myself, and find the time in between trying to focus on all my other work and parenting responsibilities. I feel better than I have felt in months. Almost my old self. I still haven’t had a period, (it has been 32 days since removal to be exact). I anticipate that as the school year and my kids’ sports seasons wrap up in the next few weeks, the remaining anxiety, (which I believe is just regular stress right now), will be gone. I think I am just a little sensitive to stress given the events of the last year, and especially the last few months. I truly believe that the Mirena was the issue, and I am so glad I made the decision to have it removed from my body and my life.
So glad I read your blog! I really hope everything has started to sort itself out for you
I started to have cycles from hell around the time I was 17, super heavy flow that lasted forever. No one could figure out why, I also grew large twisting ovarian cysts like they were going out of style. For lack of any good option and finding out I have a blood clotting tendancy amd cant take estrogen around the time I hit 20 I went on depo. I stayed on depo for 5 years until I lost weight to the point doctors were getting concerned (at 5’6 and 115lbs) and my bone density was dropping. My only other option was mirena or a consistant mini pill (and I’m terrible with pills).
Mirena was the worst drug I’ve ever been on, I had every side effect started gaining weight and started having longer and heavier cycles on it too. Who has an anxiety attack when you’re next in line at a gas station??? lol At the four year mark I started my hunt for a new obgyn. I had a total hysterectomy at 30 with no children this past February (cervix and uterus) 9 days before my mirena was due to come out. Even despite the fact I’m sure the drug was/is lingering and it takes awhile for my ovaries to get blood flow (and wake up again) I emotionally felt like someone lifted the black curtain. Turns out on top of heavy bleeding and cramping the mega pain over the past couple years was probably due to the fact I had a small spot of endometriosis on the back of my uterus, just enough the scar tissue pulled my uterus back and my ovaries were sitting in front of it. Today is 13 weeks, I’m nowhere near 100% hormonally or physically but I’m closer to it than I’ve been in years. It was worth my sanity (my husbands too!) and the lack of a cervix makes intercourse great!! I’m still not used to anticipating that jabbing pain!
5 and half weeks since IUD removal. Started my period last Friday, so exactly 5 weeks to the day after removal. Very heavy, lots of cramps, tired, about what I expected. My normal periods (without any contraceptives), are 7-9 days, cramping for a day, maybe two, and otherwise don’t interfere with my life beyond a minor inconvenience. This past weekend wasn’t so fun. Now, I am on day 6, and hopefully it will be going away soon, and I will see a normal schedule return next month. Anxiety comes and goes, but I still think a lot of it is the regular stress of a hectic schedule. Also, I have had a terrible sinus infection for the last four days, (as if I needed another inconvenience to deal with right now). I am sure it’s just from being exhausted and my body being weaker. I am on the mend, and hopefully will continue to improve. Now, time to talk hubby into that vasectomy…..
just want to share my experience with mirena. i got my mirena inserted in february 2013. it was very painful and i had problems the entire time i had it. it started with long periods and progressed from there. my period lasted the entire time i had it in and every time i had sex the bleeding gotn even worse. slowly over time, looking back, i realizze that my life started going downhill after i got the mirena inserted. i was moody, exhausted, and anxious. fast forward to april 2013. my heart is racing, chest and left arm hurting and tears are rolling down my face. i am in a full blown nasty panic attack that i have never suffered from before. i legitimately thought i was dying from a heart attack. i got over that and went on with my life. as the next month passed my panic attacks became more frequent and more severe. these are the things i feared in different panic attacks: heart attack, stroke, blood clot, tumor, anaphelactic shock, seizure, coma, hole in throat. the main one was a heart attack. in early may i began having daily panic attacks about the things above that i mentioned and every one of them felt so real to me that it became crippling. i lost 10 pounds in seven days, i wasn’t eating sleeping, drinking, talking, anything. mmy life felt ruined. on may 17th i made the connection that the mirena was the problem when i googled “mirena panic attacks” and found many other women with my same problem. i called my doctor and immediately got in removed. today is may 21st and im already feeling tons better. i havent had a real panic attack since i got it removed and every day i improve a little bit. im determined to get my story out there to help other women. do not get the mirena!
I don’t know if this has been mentioned, but I was never made aware of the abortifacient component of Mirena. It prevents embryos from implanting in the lining, rather than preventing the egg and sperm from joining, thus causing very early abortions. This horrible, rarely disclosed component of Mirena is appaling for those of us who are pro-life and I do believe is the cause of so many of these awful side effects. Please take into consideration the moral ramifications of using this birth control, as I am saddened to say I did not until 6 years after using it.
Hi Charlette. Your story has given me hope that my anxiety has come on because of the Mirena. After having my daughter in 08, I got the Mirena put in. Thought it was awesome…now I am realizing all of the side effects that were not just “in my head.” After 18 months, I started havng major panic attacks, going to the emergency room thinking I was dying. Finally they ruled out any heart problems and MS and I was put on Prozac. It literally saved my life. I never once thought it could be the Mirena. I have not gained wait but I did suffer hair loss and depression as well. After researching things over the past several months, I now am convinced the IUD is the culprit. I got it removed 3 weeks ago and I have been doing seemingly fine until the last few days. I have been foggy and slightly depressed. Also, rapid heart beat (which almost leads to the panic attacks). I am hoping that this is very temporary, as I don’t want to be looked at as crazy nor do I think I can handle this for very long. I am curious as to how you are doing now? Has your anxiety gotten better? I really hope that it will for me soon. Thanks for sharing your story.
Im going to the doctor to insist on having mine out tommorow!
3 years later I think I can blame the exact same symptoms as your article on the Mirena ! I dont think im crazy but thing is probably making me crazy!
Shall prepare for the crash but cant wait to get it out
I was suffering from panic attack long time ago and after I went for CBT I was felling much more better, when II read this story I realise that all of worsening of my symptoms (the panic attack came back, I lost lots of my hair and I feel depressed ) from the time that i fitted the Meina coil.
Thanks for sharing your story
Removed Mirena after 1year because it a) killed what was previously a very awesome sex drive b) made me the Sahara desert. All at the ripe age of 24. Aftershock: suicidal depression- took over 6months of my life- fibroid tumors, ovarian cysts – almost every month now, heavier periods, yada yadda yadda. Totes wasn’t worth it. It’s been over a year since removal and I’m still dealing with the after effects :-/
I got the mirena in February. I had a cyst 2 weeks after insertion and really only cramps since then, I never really noticed many mood problems. About 3 weeks ago I began getting really nauseous in the mornings and randomly throughout the day, it finally hit me when I gagged at the smell of popcorn that I could be pregnant. Tests were negative, but nothing else explained it, and I know HPTs are finicky. I got the mirena out last Thursday because of some concerns of mine and my boyfriend. I got a fever that night. Friday night I threw my guts up. Saturday morning I started spotting and through Sunday, not heavy just spotting and some cramping. I stayed on top of pain reliever because of my past cramps. I thought maybe I wasn’t pregnant, all of a sudden my symptoms stopped, until Monday. I had a miscarriage. I wish I never would’ve gotten it. But everything happens for a reason right? I haven’t felt 100% since I got it removed, obviously. Time will heal all.
I got the mirena in February. I had a cyst 2 weeks after insertion and really only cramps since then, I never really noticed many mood problems. About 3 weeks ago I began getting really nauseous in the mornings and randomly throughout the day, it finally hit me when I gagged at the smell of popcorn that I could be pregnant. Tests were negative, but nothing else explained it, and I know HPTs are finicky. I got the mirena out last Thursday because of some concerns of mine and my boyfriend. I got a fever that night. Friday night I threw my guts up. Saturday morning I started spotting and through Sunday, not heavy just spotting and some cramping. I stayed on top of pain reliever because of my past cramps. I thought maybe I wasn’t pregnant, all of a sudden my symptoms stopped, until Monday. I had a miscarriage. I wish I never would’ve gotten it.
Thank you for writing this, because I have had a nearly identical experience, and your story, though covering all the unpleasantries, was the funniest & hopeful. I just did some research before getting to your blog, and read in the many stories of other women the EXCT WORDS that have been coming out of my mouth for months with NO ANSWERS from doctors except ZOLOFT. So, first I cried tonight, as I literally read my own sob story again and again, and then I laughed out loud and feel hopeful and confident about my decision to remove the IUD. THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH, you witty blogger you. <3 Love & encouragement to all the women who need there's yanked, I hope your search leads you here for a laugh and the right message: you're not crazy (not that crazy), and Mirena IUDs can have more serious and dangerous side effects in more women than we were misguided to believe. <3
PS: pardon my spelling errors, the IUD’s still in and I am still using that excuse until at least 6 months after it’s been yanked. PPS: so sorry to hear of the pain each woman has gone through, but I’m really proud of all of us for speaking out to help one another and report the TRUTH. WOMEN ROCK.
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