Mirena IUD?

**DoulaRelle** · October 16th, 2007, 09:57 AM

Wow I am glad I found this thread, I have an appointment to have one on the 30th October. So do they always do a 6 week check up to make sure it is where it should be, and obviously you can bleed quite erratically for the first few month?

Have any of you found that you have less headaches and moodiness with that instead of the pill?

paradise lost · October 16th, 2007, 07:36 PM

I still get the pmt i always had, i think because it changes fertility whereas the oestrogen stops it. Most women still ovulate on Mirena and the period IS a period, not a whithdrawal bleed like on the Pill. It acts on mucus making it inadequate to support sperm and hostile and thick so they cn't get through and thins the uterine lining so there's nowhere for eggs to implant - that's why periods are lighter/disappear. So i feel relatively normal, neither more or less moody/PMTish. I know one girl who can't take the pill etc because of migraines and she is fine on Mirena - i think it's oestrogen that causes them in her case though.

Bec

**Ilithyia** · October 25th, 2007, 02:55 PM

I had my put in on the 21'st of September at my 6 week checkup. I was still spotting lochia a bit when it was inserted. Then i started bleeding on the 23'rd of September. I am still bleeding now!! It stopped for a few days a couple of days ago but it has started up again now. I have also had a bit of cramping too. Just period type pain but thats it.

I really hope this does'nt continue for the 3 months that the booklet says it can. I am sure the Dr who put it in said that if i bled for longer than a month to go and get it checked. But ofcourse when i rand the hospital and Family Planning everyone just palmed me off.

**Kazbah** · October 25th, 2007, 04:38 PM

Sara - I had mine inserted 4 weeks ago, and had no bleeding for the first week, but have been bleeding ever since.

Make sure you keep your iron intake up!

**Ilithyia** · October 25th, 2007, 05:24 PM

Kaz - Yeah that is my main worry. I lost 1.5L of blood due to a retained placenta and snapped cord after i had Colby. So my iron levels are already bad. I am taking 2 iron tablets a days as it is. I think i might have to head back to the Dr soon to have my heamaglobin(sp??) levels checked.

**Kazbah** · October 25th, 2007, 11:15 PM

Oh Sara, I do hope you don't need to get iron injections - I had the course of them (1 per week for 5 weeks) and still have the iron stain on my buttocks.

Of course, the cheap & nasty way to get iron levels checked is to nip into Red Cross - they will tell you what your levels are before taking blood!

**JoMarie** · October 26th, 2007, 12:24 AM

I had mine inserted in June this year and had a few weeks of spotting afterwards. For the first 2 months, my period was slightly heavier than normal, and lasted longer (5-7 days instead of about 3-4) but now I don't really have a period at all. I didn't have a check up after having it out in though, but my Ob said just to call him if I had an problems. So far, I am loving it as I could never remember to take the pill, and I find this is better for me as I don't seem to get as bad PMT. I have had no cramps either.

**Maruschke** · October 27th, 2007, 05:47 PM

Just wondering how much this costs, if a normal GP can put it in, and if it is covered by Medicare? Ta!

**Ilithyia** · October 27th, 2007, 06:08 PM

Oscar - It cost me $32. Apparently it used to cost around $300 so i think it must be covered by Medicare now. Not sure if a normaly GP can put them in. Maybe a GP Obstetrician. Family Planning puts them in.

**DoulaRelle** · October 27th, 2007, 08:30 PM

I am going to my OB/Gyn as he said that not all GP have the insurance to cover them for the insertion of the IUD. I guess like any doctors appointment it would be covered by medicare though.

I am getting mine in this Tuesday.

**MantaRay** · October 27th, 2007, 09:03 PM

My ob/gyn did mine too. She has done tonnes and tonnes of them and I would want someone who knows what they are doing inserting it. I think it takes some experience to get the strings right etc.

The Mirena itself is PBS, so the same cost as a script, eg the same as 3 months worth of BCP. Then you also pay the out of pocket expense for your ob/gyn, but you can probably get it done through family planning for medicare only (not sure).

***Elle*** · November 5th, 2007, 12:50 PM

I had mine put in on the 26th of Oct and so far I really like it, I only spotted very slightly for about 4 days and nothing since I have had only a small amount of cramping and I did get a lower back ache that lasted for about half a day and thats about it so far,
I love that I will not have to worry about contraception for 5 years its great as I fel pg with my DS on this pill cause I always took it here and there LOL.

I had it fitted by my Ob/gyn and he did a perfect job I only felt a slight discomfort when he put the tube thingie in other than that I was suprised when he said thats it all done hehe, it cost me $30.70 for the mirena itself as its covered on PBS and for my appointment it was $107.00 but I got back $102.50 of that as we are over the safety net but if your not you still get about $80 back out of that amount, I have to go back in a couple of weeks for a 4 week check up to see how it is going and make sure all is well and the strings can easily be located etc and that there is no perferation,

My Obgyn said he had 2 perferations in 10 years and he has put in alot of these so the odds were pretty good. I am not so sure I would trust a regular GP eaither I think when you compare the cost of the pill to the total cost of the marina including your appointments its much less considering it guves you 5 years.

No headaches and I think I cold almost say it has made them better as I was getting headaches alot but we will see what happens when AF is due an a week and a half.

Relle how did you go???

JaneD · November 29th, 2007, 11:10 AM

I've had my mirena for about 2 years now and I'm really happy with it.

I'm wondering what anyone has experienced on removal of it? I'm planning to start TTC#1 early next year after I get married so will have it taken out shortly before the wedding but now I'm worried I'll have heavy bleeding or something. I haven't had AF for at least the last year, just a day or two spotting.

**katnap** · November 29th, 2007, 11:32 AM

i got my IUD put in last tuesday (20/11) and i had horrible cramps after it was put in for about 6 hours, some bleeding (TMI looked like lochia after about 4 weeks...) and that went for about 3 days... now nothing! im due for ovulation this weekend, and i'll see how my period goes... my mums involves her going for a wee, wiping, and thats it... i hope mines the same!!

I love mine!!

**DoulaRelle** · November 29th, 2007, 11:58 AM

Well I had mine in 4 weeks ago now and had some cramping for the first few hours, no bleeding for a few days, but have been spotting bright red blood everyday since. I have a 6 week check up on the 11th December, so I am hoping that the bleeding has stopped by then.

I actually forgot to ask what is involved in taking it out, can anyone fill me in?