Mirena IUD not controlling my bleeding... options?

I also heard bad things about Essure... my gyn did not recommend it either... and I didn't like the idea of metal coils implanted permanently in my tubes! Let us know what your gyn says about tube removal vs clip/tie!

My surgery date is April 3 at 7:30 am, I am the first surgery of the day.

That's great that you don't have to wait too long!

Just an update, decided to cancel the ablation and get a second opinion from another doctor. Appointment is on the 27th.

Have you ever considered embolization (UAE or UFE) for your heavy bleeding? It resolved mine immediately. With UAE all fibroids are embolized at one time. It is a great option for fibroids where ablation is not. Fibroids often grow very large after ablation especially those in the muscle. I would have done the same thing.

	Quote:
Originally Posted by Athena775 Just an update, decided to cancel the ablation and get a second opinion from another doctor. Appointment is on the 27th.

Just to give another option. Similar situation to you, heavy period, very anemic, iron pills, etc.
Tried ablation, Novasure. Failure due to fibroids, but like you I did least invasive first.
I was offered Mirena, BC pills or a Laproscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy. My doctor didn't feel the embolization, was going to wotk either.
I had my LSH in July 2016. They took my uterus and Fallopian tubes. Everything else stayed as it was normal. Overnight stay in hospital, but very minimal pain, fully healed in 2-3 weeks. Golfing at 5 weeks.
Best decision I've made. After many years of HEAVY periods I decided enough was enough. It became about quality of life for me.
Best of luck, if you need any other help please ask.

So on the 27th I saw my new doctor. I really liked him. He spent a good half hour or more going over my health history, explaining things in detail, answering questions ect. He agreed with me that cancelling the ablation was a very good choice. With my history of polyps and fibroids it would have failed within a year.

He is unsure about a myomectomy as the fibroids will return and if they do it most likely means a hysterectomy. He does like Mirena even though it's not controlling my bleeding I am getting beneficial effects from it including protection from certain cancers.

He sent me for an ultrasound which I got yesterday. It was within the same practice and the sonographers are specially accredited for gynecological ultrasound. Interestingly enough the tech was able to see my left ovary on the abdominal ultrasound but not when doing the trans-v one. She thinks it may be higher in my abdomen but wasn't going to look for it as it would cause me significant discomfort. She was also not able to get a visual on my IUD and I don't know why. I don't think I have expelled it and you would think the first doctor I saw this month would have told me if the strings were not there. Before anyone asks no I have not done any self checks...I can't quite reach and I have short fingers so can't feel much of anything anyways.

My doctor should have the results in a couple days then we will discuss what my options are.

Couple of things... if you have fibroids, they could have pushed the Mirena out of position. That happened to me in 2015. I did a monthly self check and all of the sudden after a couple of years with it, I coudln't find the strings. My gyn couldn't find them either by exam or by ultrasound, so I got an MRI, which showed the IUD pushed up out of position by a new large fibroid. I had a myomectomy in 2013, with the IUD placed a couple of months after, so at least at the time of placement there were no fibroids. My gyn said that she would not recommend another IUD for me for that reason... too dangerous to potentially have a perforation. So anyway, please ask your doctor for an MRI to affirmatively identify the location of your IUD... if you expelled it, that would logically explain why it's not controlling your bleeding!

One thing to consider re how you treat your fibroids ... while many women who have their fibroids removed (or treated via emboliation) do have new fibroids grow in the future... many women do not. I have friends and family members who had myomectomies who never had another one grow (even decades later). Each woman is an individual.

So got a call from my doctor's nurse today. After reading the ultrasound report he has decided first to do an in office hysteroscopy. He thinks the Mirena has shifted so he wants to take a look and if possible put it back in place.

The nurse reassured me that they have an anesthesiologist who comes in for the in office procedures to administer conscious sedation. I am very thankful for that. The endometrial biopsy I had last year was absolutely no fun and my cervix was having none of it.

I will get a call in the next few days to schedule it.

I guess once we really know what is going on in there we can go from there.

That's the same hysteroscopy exam I had done to ultimately remove my Mirena once they found it on MRI. Don't worry - it's very easy and pain-free and will be over fast! Awesome that you can get a conscious sedation... I wasn't offered any!