MIRENA IUD: Soliciting positive and negative experiences?

Hey UKY Folks,

Have you or your S.O. gotten a Mirena IUD? I am scheduled to get one a week from tomorrow and I was wondering if anybody has had a problem with it or a positive experience with it. Has it caused weight gain, decrease in sex drive or moodiness for you? Menstrual stuff? I know it's a very tiny amount of hormones which is what the doctor told me but I'd really rather just get a flippin' copper one if the side effects are such a problem.

also, can I call the hospital tomorrow even though my consultation was today, and ask for a copper one instead?

Thanks.

I don't have direct experience, but for what it's worth I was told that they are more than a little uncomfortable to fit in a woman who hasn't had children yet and that you should take ibuprofin an hour before going in and have it done during your period (toward the end obviously) to make it a bit easier.... Then I heard a couple of stories about constant bleeding, chickened out and went for a Depo Provera injection instead....

evidently I will be getting 20 Micrograms of progresterone a day..

I've had one for three years.  No problems here.  It was not a comfortable insert, but significantly less painful than child birth.  Some spotting for the first month after insertion, but after that Aunty Flow rarely visits.  No complaints from me.

And then I was the one who had horrible bleeding problems that wouldn't go away! (Which is very uncommon)

aaaah do you still have it in? how long did the bleeding go on? any weight or mood issues?

No weight or mood issues (well, not related to the IUS!) and I had no problems with bleeding the first 3-4 months...after that I would bleed for about 3 weeks at a time (not to be too graphic, but extreme flooding and huge clots) and then at 10 months the whole thing started to dislodge so I had it out.

I have a very good friend in the states that just had her 2nd one put in and she has had no problems these past 5 1/2 years with bleeding at all...most of the time she never has a period.

The weird thing for me is that I never had bleeding problems in the past. Life just has to be difficult for me these past few years!

They have suggested I get one to see if it won't help with my migraines...let me know how it goes!

I got a second opinion and I guess I will get the thing. we shall see. If it sucks I will get it taken out.

There's a three month wait list to have one fitted here in Edinburgh.  I'm going next week for the exam.  Went over my options w/teh doctor at the family planning clinic today and it's the best option for us as we have completed our family. 

I have two children and apparently they're not too hard to fit in a woman who's had kids.  There are two wonderful female doctors who do nothing but fit these things two days/week.

I never had weight/mood issues on the Pill, but at 35 (next month) and w/a strong history of heart disease and hypertension on my dad's side of the family (my dad's had 2 heart attacks and two bypasses, his niece dropped dead from heart attack last year at 39, his brother died of heart attack at 63, and his other brother had two heart attacks by the time he was 40), the combined Pill, injection, patch, implant, etc. aren't really good options for me.

Taking a mini Pill doesn't really fit w/my schedule, either.

There's a three month wait list to have one fitted here in Edinburgh. 

Three months?!? Wow! I very nearly decided to have one (for complicated reasons) last week, but decided against it. Anyway, they were willing to fit it that same day here in Wales!

There wasn't much of a wait down here in Hertfordshire either.

There wasn't much of a wait down here in Hertfordshire either.

I wish that it weren't so long here, b/c it means we have to use another form of birth control till then.

I'm going to be part of a new study.  The University of Edinburgh is testing a drug that is supposed to help cut out the irregular bleeding that generally follows insertion of the coil for the first few months.

Woohoo!  I was like, 'sign me up!' 

My appointment's not till 16 March, tho.

I had a copper coil fitted today, and it hurt like a motherf*cker. I haven't had kids, so it's more painful than for ones who have given birth, but I thought I was going to die. Didn't, but it was the worst pain I've ever experienced.

It's a bit better now, I just feel like I usually do the first couple of days of my period.
Words of advice:
1. Get it done when you're on your period, not after. I read somewhere the optimal time was 1-10 days after your period. WRONG.
2. Take painkillers beforehand. I forgot. Tee hee, how silly of me. NOT.
3. Have somebody go with you. I am eternally greatful to MrPicky for squeezing my hand and telling me it was going to be ok.