Anyone have experience with Mirena IUD?

[DMImakai]

I am 37 weeks with my second and about 97% sure that this is it for us. This pregnancy has put an inordinante strain on my marriage and my family and my son and I just can't imagine doing it again. I am 36 years old and DH is 39.

The 3% that is unsure is more because I'm having a second boy than because I've always wanted a particularly big family. I've always imagined no more than 2-3 kids. I already love my new baby boy, of course, but the twinges of loss and uncertainty I get are all about not having a daughter. I look at little girls at DS' preschool, the ones with similar coloring, etc., and I think of the little girl I will not have. So far its a loss I am willing to live with, though I think there will always be a little hole in my heart.

I have already told DH, in all seriousness, that I am not doing this again and if we want another, we will adopt -- a girl. Its possible but frankly I doubt we would even do that, most likely the two boys will be our family.

I want something VERY reliable but not permanent for birth control after this pregnancy. Today I discussed the possibilty of a Mirena IUD with my doctor. She was very informative and it sounds like a good fit for my needs.

What are folks' experience with the Mirena? I am very sensitive generally, have had irregular periods in the past, and also developed bad headaches after my last round with the pill (low dose). Thoughts? I didn't realize that it can stop your period -- I found that unsettling, actually, both because it seems unnatural and I like having the regular reassurance that I am not PG.

DMI

[jarezuny]

I can tell you all about the Mirena IUD next week, when I am getting one!

For the past year, I've had the copper IUD (Paragard). I initially chose it for several reasons. I was really scared to try ANYTHING with hormones, I liked the idea of having some form of hassle-free birth control, and it's good for ten years. Since getting it, though, I have had all of the negative side effects to the extreme: very heavy (and long) periods and awful, awful cramps that come and go constantly. It's making me miserable and I really don't want to continue like this for ten more years so I decided to risk the hormones.

You might want to look into the Paragard IUD if the period-part of the Mirena is unsettling to you. Not everyone has the extreme reaction to it that I have had. It just might be what you are looking for in an IUD and maybe it will work out well for you?

[angielizzy]

I went for the coper one as i didnt like the idea of homones. periods have not yet returned for me as im breastfeeding still but it does cause cramping and spotting on occasions. My dr was fine for me to give it a try and is willing to swap to the Mirena if i have problems with it as I had heavy and long periods before i got pregnant. I also didnt want anything more permanant as im not 100% sure.
I have a boy and a girl but i always wanted 2 boys or 2 girls and dh is convinced i would want 2 more (a boy and a girl) so says no way lol

[KarenJ]

I got it in July. I am perfectly happy with it, beside for the first week. I was kinda dizzy for the first week.

Karen J

[IvyGirl2000]

I have had my Mirena for almost two years. For the most part I have been very happy with it - it is wonderful to have it placed and forget about it. I was terrible at remembering to take the pill, and I really did not want to find myself with an "oops" pregnancy given my HG experiences.

I will say that at the beginning I did have achy joints, particularly my knees, but that went away. I also do not have a very heavy cycle anymore, more like 1-2 days of very light spotting (think pantiliner only) once every 4-6 weeks.

[DMImakai]

I've had my Mirena about 2 1/2 weeks and it was fine for the first week. Since 3/15 I've had light bleeding. No pain, no real cramps, but light bleeding that hasn't stopped yet. This is apparently normal, but I think I will call the doc just in case.

Anyone with a similar experience?

DMI

[jarezuny]

I had mine put it right at the end of my period and I had no bleeding for about a week but then I spotted for about two or three weeks? Super-light, like it would only take one of those micro-thin panty-liners a day. And then that flowed into a light period. The month after that, no spotting and then a minimal period (we're talking light and one day long - woohoo!). That was a couple of weeks ago. I did have one day of spotting after that but it was super-duper light.

So, for my experience - light bleeding/spotting for about a month all together and since then it's been sporadic and lighter in each instance. At my six-week follow-up the doctor said everything looked fine.

If it's slightly heavier bleeding and concerns you, definitely call the doctor. It doesn't hurt to check in about that!

[Atsie]

When I had mine put in I bled for a good long time. It wasn't really heavy, after the first week, it was just spotting but it was for a month at least. Since then I have been perfectly happy with it. LOVE LOVE LOVE the no period thing. I do get spotting every once in a while but that is it.

And I haven't had a baby in over two years (That is big for me! LOL)

[Kenderyl]

My experience so far hasn't been good at all. You can find my post about it in this same forum category.

[daisymom]

I'm the only person I know that did not like Mirena. But I put up with that thing for a year and had light bleeding off and on 2 weeks of each month. Just not worth it to have to wear panty liner all the time.