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I had the implanon for 6 months - and hated it.
We are not 100% sure at this stage whether 5 years down the track we might decide to have another bub, but it wont be in the short term if we did have another, due to my health. If we do decide for sure that I won't be Pg again DH will have the snip.
Since the Implanon made me bleed 3 weeks out of every 4 for 6 months, would the Mirena cause similar issues with the hormones? Or should I just go for the Copper IUD
The Mirena delivers about a 5th the amount of circulating hormone, so it might not make you bleed all the time, although bleeding is VERY common for the initial period. How long did you have the implanon in? I have had a MIrena since December 2006 and i would say i bled excessively (started off 21 days a month, gradually reducing to AF for 5-9 days and O spotting for 1-2 days every month) for about a year. For me the waiting was worth it because i've had no problems since and i knew it was the best option for me for a long term contraceptive.
Bx
same here i had the mirena put in in jan this yr and it has been the best thing ever.
i had bleeding for 4 weeks heavily but i got a severe infection, but i had a d&c done and things like that.
i had a month break then a 8 day af.
so its worked well
id recomend it.
love rach xxxx
Yeah, Mirena basically works on the same premise as Implanon. Regulated dose of progestogen. Personally I wouldn't use progestogen based birth control as a long term thing as it has been known to cause irreversible bone density loss in long term users. My sister uses a copper IUD and has done for 9 years now - hasn't complained about it once.
Inertia progesterone IMPROVES bone density. That's why they give you it in HRT to help reverse osteopirosis after the menopause. The difference in bone mass using or not using progesterone-based contraceptives in women who had not yet reached peak bone mass (teenagers and early 20's) was found to be statistically insignificant. So as far as bones go, Mirena is safe. In addition it protects one from endometrial cancer.
Bx
I thought copper IUDs were the ones that caused problems - actually I thought they were illegal..
Neither sperm nor embies can survive well near the copper of an IUD because its presence causes the uterine lining to make leukocytes (white blood cells) which attack the IUD, sperm and embies as enemies, and prostaglandins which disrupt pregnancy if it occurs (an IUD can be put in up to 2 weeks after intercourse to prevent pregnancy, because it can basically interrupt an early pregnancy and cause a miscarriage.
Copper IUD's often cause heavy, painful periods partly because the body tries to rid itself of the unwanted invader every months (the expulsion rate is higher than with the Mirena) and partly, it is thought, because sometimes it is a disrupted pregnancy, not a period.
They are very legal and quite popular among those who want an IUD but cannot tolerate synthetic hormones.
Bx
I am Rhesus negative. If I was to get the copper IUD, could that increase my chances of developing antibodies if I did have a 4th due to it causing MC?
The don't give rhogum with the IUD, so i can only imagine that no, it would have no effect - if it disrupts a pregnancy it does so before the heart begins to beat.
Bx
I have no idea Ali. I had Depo previously and had no bleeding with that, and have no bleeding with Mirena either. I chose Mirena for the fact that IF we ever want another it's unlikely I will have to wait 12 months (like happened with depo) to get pg again. Plus it's in and done no matter how clucky I get I can't not take it IYKWIM?? I have to make an appointment and get it done. That way I'm not tempeted to be devious and 'accidentally' get pg, :lol:
I did spot for the first 4-5 weeks a tiny amount, like wiping on the loo paper amount, and occasionally once I'll get a little pink CM in the loo paper but that's it for me!
Hoobley is wealth of info isn't she?? Good for you Bx :D
Hiya,
I had the mirena for just over three years and in the end had it removed due to increasing side effects. It is different for everyone and although it hasn't worked for me and (four of my friends I have since found out) my doctor swears by hers and loves it.
I bled for the first 10 months continuously and then just had light monthly periods, my periods only stopped just before the 3 year mark prior to me having to have it out.
My side effects included the following: Muzzy Brain, lack of concentration, lumpy extremely painful breasts with led to mammogrammes and ultra sounds, re-occuring thrush, baby like movements in my tummy, arm pain, heart palpations,migraines, mood swings, numbness in toes on one foot... all of these can be explained away by themselves but once I did some research I was astounded by other womans symptoms. I can search out a web site that I found that is a forum for women suffering from this IUD if you would like to have a look. There are a number of accounts of the IUD being lost and turning up in strange places inside women, many women getting pregnant whilst they have them. Alot of woman are suffering years after having them removed, there are many law suits across the states regarding this IUD some are trying to get it band, as I say for some woman they are wonderful but please do your homework before going ahead, the say fore warned is fore armed so I thought I would just let you know my experience.
Take care
Missy
I've had a Mirena inserted since June 08. It is the best thing i've ever done and should have done it since day one rather than taking the OCP.
My periods are regular and soooooo light that i only need to use a panty liner for a few days.
I love it, but then again everybody's body is different.
I heard that the copper IUD's have real heavy bleeding. I had no bleeding or any pain associated with its insertion. I will definitely get another Mirena inserted when this one expires in about 4 years time or just get my tubes tied.
Goodluck Ali. xxoo
I am anti Mirena now. I had mine inserted to help treat endo and it's been nothing but a nightmare since I had it put in at the start of December last year. I am having it SURGICALLY removed via D&C and hysteroscopy on the 24th of this month because when I went to my gyno to have it removed (because of the constant pain and bleeding I had, not to mention the bloating - I would put on up to 4kg during a bleeding session and lose it all when I stopped bleeding - which could be anything from 1week to 2full weeks of bleeding and just a general feeling of having no control over my body anymore) he couldn't find the strings because they had moved up into the uterus and the Mirena itself is pushed against the wall of my uterus and I have some scar tissue forming around it (I had to have a trans-vaginal scan to find it). So yeah, bloody wonderful for me. I have also just finished another 2 weeks of bleeding, my sex life is non existent (I honestly can't remember the last time we had sex) but hey, millions of women love it so its up to you to decide.
A friend of mine has a Mirena and is about to start a law suit against the hospital who inserted it because they didn't do it properly and when she was in the stirrups they moved her leg too far and tore all the cartlidge in her hip. She's had one lot of surgery to try to fix the hip but it's beyond repair.
She's had 3 years of problems every since getting the Mirena inserted. She also had similar problems during pregnancy to what you have. Please be careful and do all your research first.
not that I want to turn this into a 'Marina hating' thread, but I just had mine taken out yesterday, for so many reasons, the 15 kg weight gain the constant bloated tummy, aches and pains all over my body, migranes, massive mood swings, depression, self loathing, fogginess, lack of sex libedo geeze the list just goes on and on, I agree with what others are saying just research it before you make the final decission, I had mine in for over a year and a half, the first year was wonderful, I was so happy with it but then the side effects came thick and fast and it just got to much,
I was offered the copper 7 but decided against it as I dont like what it does,
have you thought about the Nuvaring??? that actually looks really good, personally I dont think its right for me as I am super sensative to any hormonal contraceptive so I dont think it would work for me but if your ok with the hormonal contraceptives I would seriously look into it, as it looks easy and pretty fuss free.
just to throw a spanner into the works
hav eyou thought of the NUVA RING, its easy you put it in kinda like the old diaphragm style but its a ring sits up around your cervix, its squishy like a condom when its rolled up you put it in 28 days later take it out a week later put it back in
and the great thing is it has been proven to not effect fertility and 80% of womenin teh tril fell pegnant within 6 months of stopping and after using for extended periods of time
i like the mirena but doesnt agree with everyone. dont like the copper IUD sorry not my cup of tea.
but i plan on using the NUVA RING when i am finished trying :D
some dr's even have free trials so u can test it for a month and see how you like it
90 % of men said they couldnt feel it during sexual intercourse... and women said it was as comfortable as using a tampon
oh gosh im sounding like a drug rep lol
just had the talk and intro to it 3 weeks ago as we are advising women on contraception now as part of our role :D