Reviews
Mirena coil reviews
3.5
534 reviews
Every 8 years
Frequency
Over 99%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Reviews
3.5
534 reviews
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Community reviews
Used for 3 - 6 mo
28 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Prepare for an immediate & severe drop in mood after insertion, coupled with intense pain for the first few weeks. My mood has stabilised a bit after 5 months, but overall I am much lower in mood and lack energy and motivation. The headaches are persistent and I have gained 1 stone. I bled for 3 months straight and now I bleed for approx half of the month, with painful periods and severe bloating.
Very negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
I have found the coil a very useful and relatively stress free form of contraception. I find the lighter periods much easier to deal with, my PMDD has been a lot more manageable with the coil and I appreciate not having to remember to deal with contraception regularly. My only issues have been some uncomfortable cramping occasionally and I did have an ovarian cyst which the doctor thought could be related to the hormonal contraception. The cyst did require an overnight hospital stay for pain relief but didn’t require surgery to fix, it went away on its own. Overall, taking everything into account I would still recommend the hormonal coil for ease etc - I think it is worth it!
Somewhat positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 18th Nov 24
Mostly happy but dryness is a big issue, making sex uncomfortable and sometimes not possible. No other issues so will persist but was not an expected side effect!
Somewhat positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 3rd Oct 24
The mirena coil overall worked very well for me. It took a few months to settle initially, and I’m glad I stuck it out. However, at the 5 year mark I started to experience unpleasant symptoms - hair loss, pelvic pain, recurrent thrush. So I’ve now had it removed and gone for kyleena coil, so will see how that goes!
Gained weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 16th Sep 24
The mirena coil was excruiciating to have inserted, I am so shocked that no pain relief was offered and i had to spend the rest of the day in bed with severe cramps which continued for a few days. My skin had a very poor reaction and i developed quite bad cystic acne across my face, chest and back as a result, which I did not have previously.
Worse skin
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 30th Aug 24
Mirena prescribed for painful, heavy, irregular periods in peri-menopause. My quality of life improved dramatically as a result. I had some bleeding daily for first 6 weeks, but my periods have now stopped other than an occasional slight spotting episode. No more pain, flooding or embarrassment, with my iron levels restored, so feeling energetic and less tired. No side effects other than breast tenderness and some mood changes initially. Life changing.
Very positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 29th Aug 24
After being on the combined pill for the last 13 years for my heavy periods I was ready for a change and I am so happy I did. I had previously tried to have a coil fitting at my local GP surgery but the pain was so much so that I asked the procedure be stopped. I went back a few months later and asked for a topical local anesthetic which really helped and was able to have it fitted successfully. The coil has honestly changed my life, just over six months in and my periods have now virtually stopped. With only a day of light bleeding. My mood has massively changed and I feel so much happier in myself, I don't think I even realised the full affect the combined pill was having on me, even my husband has commented on how much happier I seem. It was definitely worth it!
Very positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 23rd Aug 24
Honestly life changing. I decided with my GP to try the Mirena Coil for heavy painful periods and endometriosis symptoms. My periods had gotten so bad that they were having a significant impact on my life. Insertion wasn’t comfortable but the nurse was amazing at explaining everything and making me as comfortable a possible. I spotted for the first 8+ weeks, which was annoying but I would take this over the heavy bleeding and severe pain I had been dealing with any day! Once the spotting stopped, I haven’t had any bleeding or periods since - and none of the horrible symptoms. This contraception has changed my life and my only regret is not trying it sooner. I was terrified about going on hormonal contraception and read many reviews on this site before giving it a try and I hope this review can maybe help someone who’s also scared about trying contraception.
Very positive mood
2 helpful
1 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 13th Aug 24
So I was on the hormonal coil for about 9-10 months. The actual insertion wasn’t pleasant and was very painful, although, it wasn’t as bad as people were making it out to be, it was bearable. I didn’t enjoy the coil as I had non stop breakthrough bleeding the entire time I was on it, and it wasn’t red blood, it was horrible brown sludge, it really began to effect my sex life with my partner and made me feel a bit gross about myself. The coil also made my skin horrible and made me very emotional. All in all, not a good experience and definitely prefer the combined pill.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 14th Jul 24
My experience with Mirena wasn’t fully bad. I started using Mirena back in 2022. The insertion wasn’t all that bad because my doctor didn’t use the Pozzi clamp (or tenaculum). I had 3 insertions already so I’ve gotten to realize that the worst part is the pozzi clamp. The first 2-3 months, my body adjusted to the IUD and therefore I had cramps here and there but nothing more than usual period cramping. The bleeding started to elongate though. Prior to Mirena, I had Kyleena and Jaydess and my main issue with those. was the constant spotting. It was always around my period but it lasted 10-20 days. With the Mirena it stayed at about 10 days every month. So I was fine with it. Other side effects I noticed but didn’t bother me were more body hair, my breast got smaller and most of my pms symptoms were gone. After about 1.5 Years, the bleeding started to get worse (25 days a month, I was lucky if I even got a week free). So that’s when I decided to change. My overall experience wasn’t bad, I just wished the spotting wasn’t there. I will now be switching to gynefix (copper IUD without arms).
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Mirena coil benefits
Some of the benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this contraceptive
Adenomyosis
Endometriosis
Heavy periods
Menopause
Period pain
Mirena coil alternatives
Contraceptives that work in similar ways, or brands that have close or exactly the same hormonal ingredients