Hormonal coil (IUS) and lighter periods

How our community feel hormonal coil (IUS) has affected their periods

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

Stopped

48%

Don't know

3%

No change

2%

Out of the 813 reviews for hormonal coil (IUS), 211 people (26%) reported lighter periods.

Reviewers that reported lighter periods as a side effect

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

Used for 6 - 12 mo
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

I've always had painful periods and the month before I got my coil, my period hurt so much I actually threw up and that's when I decided I would do something about it. I've been on the pill before (rigevidon/microgynon) but it negatively affected my mood, I had terrible anxiety and generally felt horrible all the time so I stopped. When I got the coil, the sexual health clinic I went to used spray anaesthesia, but it still really hurt. The thing is, it only hurt for about a couple seconds, where it basically felt like your insides are being crushed and you're having the worst possible cramps ever (x10). Afterwards, I had normal (period-like) cramping for the rest of the day but they gave me a heat pack which really helped. I had spotting for about 3 months afterwards (yes, every single day) but it was fine and after a while I got used to just wearing a pantyliner every day. I'm really glad my periods are very light now (I've missed it once only) but it's still there. I don't know whether it will disappear or not, but one of the reasons I chose kyleena over mirena is in hopes my periods won't completely disappear, just for peace of mind that I'm not pregnant lol. I have terrible breast tenderness sometimes, like it hurts to even touch, I can't tell if it's before I get my period or during ovulation, but it definitely appears once every month or so. My breasts didn't grow though so that's a bit of a disappointment compared to the pill.... All in all, I haven't noticed any mood changes, I'm still definitely very attracted to my partner, and he doesn't feel it during sex. There were a few times early on when he thought he did, but I got it checked and it was all good, I think he just had it in his head.

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Top side effects not reported

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Used for 3 - 5 yr
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  27th Feb 25

I had the Kyleena twice. It worked very well for me in regulating and making my heavy periods lighter. It probably masked my symptoms of endometriosis for years, which was diagnosed after removing the coil and going hormone free for a while. A few months after having replaced the first IUD for the second one as it had nearly been five years, my relationship broke down and I no longer needed contraception. When I went to have the coil removed, my doctor saw that it had been dislodged, had moved downwards, and would have not protected against pregnancy. I had heavy cramps at the time which I did not link to the IUD until I learned about this. Due to endometriosis and not being able to take the pill anymore, I have recently gone for the Mirena. I hope that without period cup use this will stay in place. In terms of side effects, the Kyleena gave me adult acne but this was managed with prescription cremes. I also had hair loss for about a year with the onset of this side effect around month seven after insertion. While I lost a few kilograms following the insertion I also gained them back so I cannot judge whether it affected my overall weight. Other than that this method worked very well for me. While I feel slightly ambivalent after having dislodged a coil, I really hope that the Mirena will work just as well for me as the first Kyleena did.


Worse skin

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Used for 6 - 12 mo
31 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  24th Feb 25

Insertion was incredibly painful and had cramping for 3-4 days following. It's mostly been fine and no massive changes apart from excessive bloating and nausea. Since going on the coil I've been diagnosed with IBS which I didn't have symptoms for before so I wonder if it's linked. I had no periods for 5 months and now just really light or spotting for a few days.


Decreased sex drive

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Hormonal coil (IUS) common side effects

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

63% of hormonal coil (IUS) reviewers reported period like cramps

44% of hormonal coil (IUS) reviewers reported tender breasts

40% of hormonal coil (IUS) reviewers reported vaginal discharge

29% of hormonal coil (IUS) reviewers reported lower back pain

27% of hormonal coil (IUS) reviewers reported breast enlargement


Possible hormonal coil (IUS) side effects

Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews

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