female only Anyone using Mirena IUD?

[clk 3,519]

I had a Mirena IUD put in the first week of November. Not for birth control but to control my endometriosis. So far, it's doing that spectacularly well. I used to live in constant pain, had pain during sex and it got even worse during/around horrendous cycles. Now I'm living almost completely pain free, the two periods I've had since it was put in were easy and light and sex is fantastic again.

But I also noticed that my weight completely stalled out for a bit there. I'm also moving, and our orders were put on hold AFTER we'd left Germany but BEFORE we hit our next assignment, so we're hanging in limbo and it's definitely a stressful time for us. I don't want to blame the IUD when there's a bunch of other stuff going on, too.

I've had the light bleeding/spotting for 5-6 weeks now. During those weeks my weight actually went up three pounds and stayed there consistently. I also lost a pant size during this time, so inches were coming off despite the stall. Now that the bleeding seems to have run it's course, I've dropped seven pounds in the past week. That's never happened before.

I'm just curious to hear from other women using Mirena - is this type of gain/stall common? I've been a bit of a sluggish loser from the start, but I wonder if anyone noticed a change once they had the IUD. Or, if anyone has endometriosis and is on a successful treatment, has the weight started falling off? I don't usually lose weight this quickly, and I hope it's not a fluke. I'm also not complaining about the stall - yeah, I'm "only" down 60 pounds in five months, but I'm between a 12 and 14 and I wear L tops, so there's nothing to gripe about.

Anyway, I'd just like to compare results with anyone that's got one.

~Cheri

[MrsMaddBroadway 1]

I have Mirena and have had it for the past 2 years. I am not sure about the stalling of weight loss because I just had my surgery 2 weeks ago. But I love Mirena!! I hated being on the pill and this is so much easier.

[Peffermintchili 0]

I have the Mirena but not had the surgery yet. I did have some fluctuations with my weight when I first got it but not as drastically like with the pill. My Mirena will have to come out in 2012 and I'm debating whether or not to replace it.... I probably will.

[Liomari 0]

Ive had the mirena for 7 years to help with my endometriosis and i LOVE it. Im not sure about stalling weigh tloss etc.. i had my sleeve 6 weeks ago and have lost 32lb. Which i am more than happy with, im not doing atkinds or low carb or counting calories, im just eating healthy(ish) food when im hungry. I know i could probably lose quicker if i did low carb. Ive lost every week, though i know its still early days. The only thing that has changed is ive had some spotting/small periods since surgery, but im assuming thats just due to hormones going a bit crazy due to changes in my body.

Lio

[creativeteach 20]

I have a Mirena and have had it for a year. I really haven't noticed any weight gains with it. It was one of the best things I have done especially since I haven't had a cycle in a year now.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

I am really curious about Mirena; does it lead to more UTIs? I am prone to them anyway.

Do the strings get in the way? Are they noticeable during sex? Don't they get dirty and full of bacteria?

I was on the pill for about 6 months and had to finally stop because i was basically just having my period constantly, I just never stopped spotting 30 days a month. What does Mirena do for the period?

It's not chemical, so why would it interfere with the weight loss? My surgeon warned against going back on the pill during my losing phase because of the way the pill chemicals work in the body and slow down loss. So what about Mirena?

Thanks!

[Bona Fide Diva 3]

I just got my Mirena on Dec 15. I feel like I dont want to lose anymore, as I am 173 and losing my curves.

My appetite is voracious and I have had spotting/period for 8 days now. I havent gained anything I havent lost in the next 2 days but its noticeable.

Im hating it! I had discharge and some "smell" for the first week after it was inserted and now the never ending bleeding.

Im depressed. If the bleeding does not subside by the time I go for my 6 week check up I'm having it removed.

[chilo1 62]

I had a Mirena for a good 5 years and loved it, couldn't even remeber or feel that I had it in(neither could my husband). Never had an UTI or discharge or anything. I went through a "period" of having very heavy periods and my gynecologist recommened changing from the pill to Mirena and my periods went back to normal. For me it was a good experience all round, but I guess we all react differently! Now I've got my tubes tied so not a prob anymore )

[NJMOMof2 17]

I've had the Mirena for about 2 years. Never noticed any weigh gain/loss issues and other than spotting the first few months, have had no problems with it. I also didn't have an UTI's or anything like that. I absolutely love it. My periods are mostly just spotting every month.

[SFOTraveler 42]

I have had the mirena since 8/09 and haven't had any problems or weight gain issues... at least none that I can directly attribute to it!!!!

I love it. I don't ever think about it. I don't feel the strings, and from what I know, my SO can't either. Definitely keeping it in til '14.

[AnewMe@28 38]

I love love love love my mirena. I recieved it 11'08 after having my second child. I just had surgery 12/14/2010. Immediately after my surgery I experienced (sorry if TMI) one of my heaviest cycles, but getting much better now. I have to have my mirena taken out in 2013, I will definately be returning to the Mirena family.

[Liomari 0]

I am really curious about Mirena; does it lead to more UTIs? I am prone to them anyway.

Do the strings get in the way? Are they noticeable during sex? Don't they get dirty and full of bacteria?

I was on the pill for about 6 months and had to finally stop because i was basically just having my period constantly, I just never stopped spotting 30 days a month. What does Mirena do for the period?

It's not chemical, so why would it interfere with the weight loss? My surgeon warned against going back on the pill during my losing phase because of the way the pill chemicals work in the body and slow down loss. So what about Mirena?

Thanks!

The strings dont get in the way, you can feel them if you kinda squat and search for them (which you do occasionally just to make sure the coil is in place), if you have any problems when feeling them during sex you can get them trimmed. Ive never had any problems. I dont know about UTI's i dont see why it would lead to more. As far as i know, the mirena lessens/stops periods in most women.. i have endometriosis so had a constant period for about 8 months before i had one put in and i havent had a period since.

It is actually a chemical, the IUD (old copper coil) was just a coil, but the Mirens is an IUS (intra uterine system) it has a little capsule/sleeve on it that releases levonorgestral. When i went on the pill years ago i put on lots of weight, but not as much when i went on the coil, and am losing steadily since i had my sleeve.

[Globetrotter 1,340]

The strings dont get in the way, you can feel them if you kinda squat and search for them (which you do occasionally just to make sure the coil is in place), if you have any problems when feeling them during sex you can get them trimmed. Ive never had any problems. I dont know about UTI's i dont see why it would lead to more. As far as i know, the mirena lessens/stops periods in most women.. i have endometriosis so had a constant period for about 8 months before i had one put in and i havent had a period since.

It is actually a chemical, the IUD (old copper coil) was just a coil, but the Mirens is an IUS (intra uterine system) it has a little capsule/sleeve on it that releases levonorgestral. When i went on the pill years ago i put on lots of weight, but not as much when i went on the coil, and am losing steadily since i had my sleeve.

How expensive is the Mirena? If it is chemical, doesn't it affect your emotions like the pill? So, is it a combination pill/coil? I have this idea that you end up with strings, like a tampon, hanging out, which sounds unpleasant to me.

[KabinKitty 10]

I had an IUD years ago, it was called the Copper 7. I lost it, and didn't know until I got pregnant. After the baby was born and I did some research, I learned that IUD's don't prevent conception. The IUD just prevented any fertilized egg to implant itself into the uterus. I was horrified to think that I probably spontaneously aborted many babies the year and a half I had that thing in. Maybe the newer ones work differently....I hope so!

[clk 3,519]

Globe, most insurance will cover Mirena. I have Tricare Prime Overseas and they did it with no problem. Tricare is usually behind the rest of the insurance plans as far as coverage.

The way Mirena works is still really unknown. It does release birth control (levonorgestrel, as a previous poster mentioned) which is used in birth control pills. The device itself is supposed to also thin the uterine lining, making implantation much more difficult. If you remove the device to conceive, most doctors will tell you to wait for two cycles before trying again, because the uterine lining might be too thin to sustain a pregnancy. The questionable aspect for many people is that nobody is really sure if Mirena stops sperm from reaching the egg or if it simply prevents a fertilized egg from implanting.

What a lot of people don't understand is that most women wouldn't conceive every month anyway - or even every year. So assuming that each month an egg is released and then fertilized, resulting in a spontaneous abortion is a bit much. It can happen, though, so for that reason many Catholics and other religious groups are completely against the use of the device, even more so than other forms of contraception.

In my case, I opted for Mirena solely for control of my endometriosis. In that respect, it's the ideal treatment. My husband has infertility, and even if he didn't, I have no religious beliefs that would cause me to question the use of the IUD.

The only side effect I could possibly say that I experienced *might* be a slower weight loss. But I can't be sure. I'm still losing, and still at a very good rate, so it might just be a natural slowdown as I get closer to goal. I have had none of the awful side effects I had with pills in the past - acne, moodiness, depression, weight gain and constant cravings for junk food - so for me, it's a great option. Another choice, if your insurance covers it, is the Nuva ring. Again, some people love it and some people hate it. I loved it, again, for endometriosis control (I left it in an entire month and went right to the next ring with no break). It simply isn't available in remote overseas locations, however, so I had to go with a different option.

Best of luck to you. But check with your insurance, Globetrotter. I'd be willing to be they cover it already.

~Cheri