Mirena coil and period like cramps

I’ve been using this method for 11 months now upon recommendation of a nurse as I suffer from heavy periods, and the mini pill gives me more trouble than it’s worth. I’ve had cramps before, but nothing like I have experienced with the Mirena coil. I am currently waiting on a hospital appointment for surgery to get it removed as it has gone missing. I was told it was so rare to experience this that it shouldn’t even be of any concern to me, and yet here we are! I have been waiting a month just to be seen to be told it’s missing, always listen to your body ladies!

I had the Mirena coil for about a year and a half to manage menorrhagia and for contraception. The insertion procedure was better than I expected; while I had been warned it could be very painful by others, I found it more uncomfortable than painful. I do have a high pain tolerance, so that might have helped. However, the next seven months were horrendous. I experienced intense cramps and back pain, worse than anything I'd ever felt. Some days, I couldn't get out of bed, and even walking made me faint and dizzy. I relied heavily on pain medication and even resorted to using weed to cope. During this time, I became incredibly depressed, but my doctor advised me to give it six months. My periods, although lighter and lasting about five days, were followed by weeks of spotting, necessitating the use of pads or liners. They were also extremely irregular, they never were before. This constant bleeding made me less confident and significantly reduced my libido as I had issues getting aroused which made me 'dry', making sex both unappealing and painful, especially in the first few months. While the Mirena coil did make my periods lighter, the prolonged bleeding was a significant downside. Additionally, I could sometimes feel the coil, which was uncomfortable as it seemed to scratch my cervix and vagina. I eventually had it removed because my doctor suspected that the issues might be related to the hormone. I honestly should've removed it a couple of months in, and I regret that I didn't, as it clearly was not for me. I have now started the combined pill and feel much happier. Overall, although the Mirena is great for some, it was a horrendous experience for me, but I'd recommend people to give it a go regardless, as its effects seem to be case-dependent and it may be brilliant for some!!

The merina coil was not for me. I chose the merina for the benefits of inserting and forgetting and that the hormones released were localised, therefore less side effects on the rest of the body (in theory). What I was underprepared for was the discomfort and pain in the insertion and the intense cramps following, lasting for around 1 year. I had considered having it removed after around 6 months which is when they say the cramps should have stopped. However, where I was living (abroad) it had cost me a lot of money to have the procedure, it also gradually did decrease in frequency and intensity after the 1 year mark. I decided to keep using it for a further 2 years (3 in total) until we talked about having children. Since having it removed the cramps have completely gone which is a huge relief. I definitely recommend getting a wide range of views and stories, not to put you off but so you’re fully prepared. I feel that the leaflets supplied describe generally how most people feel but don’t give the whole picture of how it can affect different people. I will say the removal was incredibly easy (if the stings are visible) and so can be tried and removed if not working.