Side effects
Mirena coil common side effects
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
59% of Mirena coil reviewers reported period like cramps
40% of Mirena coil reviewers reported tender breasts
39% of Mirena coil reviewers reported vaginal discharge
30% of Mirena coil reviewers reported lower back pain
24% of Mirena coil reviewers reported breast enlargement
Mirena coil rare side effects
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
4% of Mirena coil reviewers reported discomfort wearing contact lenses
3% of Mirena coil reviewers reported high blood pressure
2% of Mirena coil reviewers reported a latex allergy
Possible Mirena coil side effects
Data is taken from self reported Lowdown user reviews
- Period like cramps (59%)
- Tender breasts (40%)
- Vaginal discharge (39%)
- Lower back pain (30%)
- Breast enlargement (24%)
- Vaginal dryness (21%)
- Thrush (18%)
- Body hair increase (16%)
- Sweating more than usual (16%)
- Nausea or vomiting (13%)
- Body hair getting darker (12%)
- Cystitis (12%)
- Headaches (11%)
- Migraines (7%)
- Pelvic infection (6%)
- Dizziness (5%)
- Migraine with aura (5%)
- Hair loss (4%)
- Discomfort wearing contact lenses (4%)
- High blood pressure (3%)
- A latex allergy (2%)
Reviews
3.5
600 reviews
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Community reviews
Used for 12 - 18 mo
24 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Not pleasant to put in but completely stopped by periods after few months. Reassuring that no pregnancy, however absolutely 0 sex drive and this effects relationships.
Decreased sex drive
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 days ago
Initial 3 month settling in period is intense, lots of bleeding and emotional side effects plus insertion pain. After 3 months it settled and I thought I had found the holy grail, emotionally stable and no side effects. At 6 months I developed a large ovarian cyst which put me in agony and A&E, doctors said this was caused by the coil and had to remove it. Unfortunately I cant recommend, the search continues.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
27 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 5 days ago
No periods but developed acne. I also get cysts now regularly (never had before) that burst and hurt so bad that the first time it happened I went to the ER.
Worse skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
only had mirena coil fitted 3 weeks ago but so far it’s been good, i have had quite a lot of lower back pain but other than that i don’t feel any different
Lost weight
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
29 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
Prior to having the mirena coil I had the most horrific periods literally to the point of passing out. I can say I have had my coil in for nearly 6 years and not had a period since and now I feel like I have my life back! It has been one of the decisions I have ever made and also hardly had any hormonal side effects.
Very positive mood
2 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I loved the mirena but over 3 different coils, shortly after insertion I would get kidney infections that didn’t respond to antibiotics. The link was only made on the third despite me asking the gyno about it. Such a shame because I loved it otherwise. Kidney infections mostly skipped the uti stage and went straight to them but bacteria wouldn’t grow in pee. If this sounds like you remove it!
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 month ago
occasional cramps and sore boobs but I'll take that for no periods and no babies!
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
42 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 15th May 26
I've had the mirena coil for four months, I'm still bleeding irregularly (period every 8 days) and lots of spotting. I've been dizzy for months, I'm feeling very low, I have water retention and a lot of lower back pain that feels like a pinched nerve so I'm battling to concentrate on work. I really want to have it removed but I'm terrified of going back to the alternative of extreme heavy periods that made me anemic.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
33 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 7th May 26
I've had great success with a Mirena for treating jawline acne, after getting it to prep for going onto Roaccutane it actually cleared my acne up amazingly and now I just get the odd spot every month when I'm due on. I get irregular, yet light periods, and occasionally some spotting, and overall my period cramps have been lessened. My sex drive is not what it is when off hormonal contraception, but as I've been on hormonal contraception my whole adult life, bar a couple of years here and there, this hasn't been an issue overall. I have put weight on gradually, but I've also aged (now 34), so its more likely to be metabolic changes rather than a side effect. The only thing I would say is that the coil itself has moved twice, resulting in removal and replacement (I'm waiting for another removal, and will likely explore pill options again as its just too painful getting it replaced every 2 years!). It should last 8 years, but for whatever reason, maybe my anatomy, mine moves to be too low, and then the long process of getting it checked, ultrasounds, appt waiting times for removal, and everything else, means its not something I want to continue using at the moment. Overall though, it has been a really good method for me, and just because mine hasn't stayed where it should be, doesn't mean someone else won't have a good experience, its probably down to my anatomy only!
Improved skin
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
43 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 26th Apr 26
I was very worried about trying this method as I’d not used hormonal contraception before but overall it has been positive. The insertion was quite painful but not unbearable. It took about a week for me to recover, with me having to stop exercise for that time and then slowly increase again. Bleeding has been the most annoying part as my periods are very irregular now (previously they were regular as clockwork) and I have light spotting for up to a week before each period. But it’s getting slightly better each month and I’m hoping I’ll be one of the lucky ones who eventually gets to little or no bleeding at all. I’ve suffered no other symptoms of note.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
1 comments
