Advice on contraception please!

recovering_spendaholic

Mrs_Optimist wrote: »

Can I ask a question to those of you in the know please ?

I had the Mirena Coil fitted 6 months ago to combat extremely heavy periods. I am not having to use it for contraception as DH had the snip after the birth of our two children !

I am sat here at the moment feeling the worse kind of labour like pains as I am due on - I was advised that after 6 months my periods would more or less stop. Last month I had a heavy period, the month before a light one - is this normal ? When I first had it fitted my next period lasted 3 weeks !

I am seriously considering having it removed and begging the GP for a hysterectomy as I am sick of having to suffer every month - who would be a woman eh ?

My experience is very like yours. I had it fitted 6 months ago because I was having extremely heavy periods and was anaemic, and it has given me mixed results. I am still having periods although they are a bit erratic and they are generally still heavy, although not as heavy as before (they were absolutely horrendous before - I was using two packs of Always nighttime and a whole box of superplus tampax every day - I was frightened by the amount of loss). The two things which I find difficult are the terrible period pains (I never really got them before) and fluid retention. My GP says that the fluid retention will settle but it's taking a long time!

Mrs_Optimist

Glad I'm not a freak then ! Everyone I know that has had one fitted told me how they never bled again, never had any pain blah blah. I was wondering what was so wrong with my body that I bled so badly to need a coil in the first place - now to find that I am having awful cramps (and I have had 2 kids so I know what labour pain is like and it akin to that) It does make me feel a little better to know I am not the only one.

Horasio

I couldn't get on with the pill so used a condom. The pill gave me migraines and made me very aggressive. Pre pill, I was quite placid but did have mild PMS, being on the pill made me have permanent severe PMS. At least the periods were lighter and regular, plus I didn't get pregnant.

I had my son young, then waited four years and decided not to have more children, then had a hysterectomy. It wasn't just for sterilisation though. My hormones were never right and the pill made them even worse. Four years ago, I had my ovaries out as well, as the hysterectomy didn't stop the PMS. But it did stop me getting pregnant again and had no periods!

Lobell

Skint_Catt wrote: »

I'm on it too because of my high BMI and can't wait to get off it :mad:

I've heard it causes problems if you want to concieve at a later date (for me this would be next year) and is currently stopping any diet from working

Really? I've lost 20lbs since starting Cerazette 10 weeks ago I've lost 4 stones in total since February. So I haven't found it has any any detrimental effect on my diet efforts at all.

suki1964

Mrs_Optimist wrote: »

Can I ask a question to those of you in the know please ?

I had the Mirena Coil fitted 6 months ago to combat extremely heavy periods. I am not having to use it for contraception as DH had the snip after the birth of our two children !

I am sat here at the moment feeling the worse kind of labour like pains as I am due on - I was advised that after 6 months my periods would more or less stop. Last month I had a heavy period, the month before a light one - is this normal ? When I first had it fitted my next period lasted 3 weeks !

I am seriously considering having it removed and begging the GP for a hysterectomy as I am sick of having to suffer every month - who would be a woman eh ?

Mine too was fitted for the constant bleeding i suffered and I no longer bleed.

If I do continue bleeding after a few months then I know the coil has moved and I go back to the GP and get a new one fitted

Thats happened three times to me so far

The mirena does have a higher tendency to "wander" then other coils because of its size and your body's natural urge to reject it - hence the very strong pains like labour pains - contractions

So pop along and ask for check up. Once its fitted correctly you should see just a bit of spotting and perhaps the odd very strong pain at the time of ovulation (as is my experience over the past 10 years)

oystercatcher

I had a normal coil for a few years, was brilliant contraceptive wise but my periods gradually got heavier and heavier. Eventually it was changed for a mirena coil. I bled almost every day for 18 months mostly just lightly but I still had periods as well. Apparently this happens to about 1 in 10 women who have a mirena, most find they have no periods at all.
I didn't find it painful having either coil inserted, mirena did make me feel a bit bloated and hormonal though. The progesterone has the effect of constant PMT !

I had the mirena removed so we could try for a baby (didn't happen) . My periods became very very heavy as described by Mrs Optimist.
In March this year I had an endometrial ablation, a much simpler procedure than a hysterectomy and after a month or so of light bleeding I haven't had a period since. This has been absolutely life changing, fantastic. So it's worth talking about this with your GP Mrs Optimist. (Is only suitable if you don't want any more children though).

Mrs_Optimist

Definately not having more children - hence Mr O having the snip after the birth of our second child. Thanks for the advice, I will make an appointment at Family Planning (My GP always refers me to them as he seems to dislike discussing womens problems!) and see if they can help me at all.

barbara_anne

I just had a copper coil fitted yesterday. I passed out - they don't warn you that might happen. Apparently there is a nerve near the cervix and if the doctor hits it, that's it! When I came round I didn't know where I was - I thought I was dreaming about dying and was so confused. Very surreal.

Bit crampy today but I'm hoping it will all be worth it. I hate hormonal contraception!

charlysez

i think all these are very trial and error, i was on the pill for years and then developed migraines so had to come off. started on depo and love it, i havent had any side effects and no periods is just great, its been 4 years now.

teabythesea

Do not use depo, please. I was put on it, it made my life HELL. I was bleeding every single day, I cried all the time I felt hideous. Not only that but it can cause oestrophoris (sp) please don't use it... when you come off it it's even worse!