well......here goes

Hello to all hystersisters,
Back again after being gone for quite a while. I'm going in tomorrow for insertion of a Mirena (progesterone releasing IUD) which I very much hope is going to cut down my heavy periods to a manageable level. They are really a contraceptive device but a lot of times they have the effect of reducing period or stopping bleeding altogether, and once it's in you can leave it for 5 years. So if it works, one or two of these should get me to menopause.

I'm getting rather nervous--I've never had any kids so getting the thing in there may not exactly be a walk in the park...I don't know if they sedate you or give a local anesthetic or what & forgot to ask my gyn when I was in last week to ask all my follow up questions. Or I may not be able to get one after all, my gyn says she will check with manual exam tomorrow before insertion to make sure the fibroids haven't gotten so big (since diagnosis by ultrasound a year ago June) that the IUD isn't a good idea.

I've been on oral contraceptives since early this year and they haven't really made much difference to the amount of bleeding (although I have to admit I like being able to tell my period when it's going to start rather than my period telling me when it's going to start--whether convenient or not). Other medications don't look too attractive, and other non-medication treatments all seem to have some aspect that makes me not want to try them. I've always had pretty heavy periods, and it's never really gotten pinned down whether the fibroids caused the increased bleeding, or it's just due to perimenopause--either or both could be the case (I'm 49). It just gradually got heavier and heavier and heavier....

Anyway, I hope this does the trick, 'cuz otherwise it may be next stop hysterville for me, either that or it will be grit my teeth for another 2, 3, 4, 5 years--who knows?

So, if you think of it, send up a prayer about 11 Monday morning,

cookie1956

Hi cookie,

I'm saying a now. Good luck on everything

Cookie,
I don't know if you've already left for the doctor's office, so this may be too late for you to read it. I thought that the Mirena IUD was only for women who have HAD children. (I'm not a doctor or a medical person, so I could be wrong on this.) It sounds like the goal is to reduce problems related to periods.

When I was in my 20's (long, long time ago), I had two IUD's for contraceptive purposes. The first one was a Copper-7 (CU-7). I think they took it off the market later, because it had too many side effects. Like you, I had NOT had any children. Having that one inserted was a nightmare. After six months of painful, lengthly periods, I had it removed. Good riddance. . . . Several years later, I got a "Progestasert" IUD. This one contained progesterone. The insertion was relatively easy. One small, intense "OUCH" and it was in. I had it for a year (the time limit). My periods got lighter, shorter, and I felt great. After a year, I had that one removed and a second Progestasert IUD inserted. Again, no problems. As far as I know, they do NOT sedate you or give you anything to relieve the pain of insertion. (My nurse says, "Don't worry. It's only for a minute.")

Being past menopause, I am really not aware of what types of IUD's are available, but I just thought I'd put in my two cents worth. You'll need to work with your doctor about what's best for you. Good luck !

Barbara

Thanks Troubledtabby, your prayer is appreciated.

Barbara, I didn't get your message until after my appointment. It's true that the Mirena (and IUD's in general I think) are usually used in women who have already had a child. I asked my doctor about this and if I remember correctly the basic reason is that it is possible although rare, that a uterine infection can occur after insertion, which can cause permanent infertility. But preservation of fertility isn't really an issue with me, and in any case, my doctor says at my age (I'm nearly 49), I probably haven't got much if any fertility to preserve. If I was going to have a baby I should have gotten busy at least 15 years ago on finding a hubby. As it is, even if I was getting married next week, I'd probably be getting my tubes tied or have had the Mirena put in anyway, because having a first baby at my age would (IMO) be a completely crazy thing to do.

The Mirena has been approved by the FDA (for contraception) only recently--within the last year or two I think. It has a "side effect" that it often reduces menstrual bleeding, which I am trying to take advantage of. It is starting to be used in Europe for treatment of menorrhagia, and also I think endometriosis and adenomyosis. I don't know if any studies have been done, it's pretty much an off-label use I think, but then using the Pill to control excessive menses is an off-label use too, I think. I had checked the Mirena out pretty well with two different ob-gyns in advance. I asked the first one, in his opinion which was safer, the Pill, or the IUD. He said the IUD. Also, I like the idea of a lower dose of hormone that mostly stays in the uterus where it needs to work, rather than circulating around in the bloodstream and having other effects. And anyway, the Pill wasn't doing much to cut down my period, and if the IUD turns out to be awful, I can have it taken out again.

I think most of my nerves were because I didn't know how much pain there was going to be with the insertion. They still don't give you an anaesthetic. I was talking to the doctor as she was putting it in...I said, "a spot of Novacaine wouldn't hurt anything", and she said they don't use anaesthetic so they can tell (by the amount of "ouch") whether they're putting the IUD in the right place--I guess if the patient screams and then passes out, you've got it in wrong <g>. So, it wasn't fun (but it wasn't agonizingly painful either), and I had cramps *bigtime* afterwards. I had arranged ahead of time for my dad to pick me up, so I went to the parental home, had a cup of chamomile tea and two naproxen, put a heating pad on my tummy, took a nap, and felt pretty much back to normal by dinnertime. I don't know if that will continue when the Naproxen wears off! I was warned ahead of time that inserting IUD through a cervix that had never been opened before can cause dizziness & nausea. I didn't feel queasy, but I think that was because I had had butterflies in my stomach all morning before coming in so I mooched a piece of gum from the nurse when I got there--it had mint in it which always tends to settle my stomach, but I was definitely woozy afterwards.

My two cents worth to anyone contemplating using one of these would be, have someone pick you up, especially if you aren't driving to the doctor. I went to my office this morning, and from work to the doctor, on the bus. I'm glad I arranged to be picked up rather than taking the bus home (with a 2-block walk from the stop to my house). I probably would have made it OK if I had driven myself to the appointment, *if* I could have been sure of finding a parking space very close to my doc's office, but given its location that isn't very likely. If your gyn is at a clinic or something with its own adequate parking lot, driving yourself there & back could probably work, but if you're anywhere that you'd take the bus, or have to find parking on the street which might be a few blocks away, I would strongly suggest getting picked up. I signed out for sick leave tomorrow, which I don't know if it was really necessary but if I'm still having lots of cramping after the Naproxen wears off, I'll probably be glad of it.

And that's my Mirena experience (so far).

cookie1956

Dear cookie:

Please keep us updated, so we will know if your story is a success!!

I am sending huge cyberhugs

Cookie,
I am SO happy that things worked out O.K. for you, with the Mirena IUD insertion. The explanation was a good one. Best of luck to you !

Barbara

Hi Hystersisters,
It’s been about a week and a half since insertion of the Mirena IUD. Here’s another recommendation: if you’re having a Mirena inserted, take a sanitary napkin or two with you. I didn’t bleed a whole lot, but enough to have gone through my underwear to my outer clothes if I hadn’t had a napkin. I don’t think a pantyliner would have been enough. I didn’t ask the doc about tampons since I don’t use them ordinarily, but I would imagine since the cervix has been opened, napkins might be a better idea. If I had thought about this ahead of time, I might have remembered to bring one, but I just didn’t think of it since I had just finished my period. As it was, I had to get one at the doctor’s office--fortunately they had a whole tray of them.

I had a little spotting the second day after insertion. For a couple of days, my abdomen felt “different”. I don’t know whether there are actually nerves there that could tell me my innards had been shifted around a little, or if it was all in my head. At any rate, it didn’t hurt, it was just something I noticed, sort of like you notice that new shoes don’t feel the same as the old ones did.

I am continuing with the Pill for a few months, since the literature on Mirena says that bleeding can be irregular or spotting between periods occur during the first three to six months. I hope that staying on the Pill will keep that under control, but I plan to go off eventually, maybe after I’ve finished my next three-month refill. I had a little spotting today but that could just as easily be due to the fact that I’ve taken my pill late several times in the last week or so.

Anyway, at this point it’s still “so far, so good”. I’ll report back again later.

cookie1956

Hi Cookie!
I was so glad to hear that you finally got the Mirena IUD and that the insertion went well.

Thanks for your well-written detailed description of the whole procedure.

I too am very interested in this device as a way to deal with fibroids and menorrhagia without major surgery. Unfortunately, I may be too "lumpy" to get one without first having a hysteroscopic resection . I'll have to ask my doc if that could work.

I hope all goes well for you!

Please take care and keep us updated!

K

Hi Cookie

I had a Mirena put in 18 months ago. For the first couple of months you should keep a diary of your bleeding/spotting issues so the gynae can see what it happening.

It will certainly help in stopping those periods - that is what I had mine put in for. The Mirena is very common in Australia, much more so than in the US.
Probably our links with the UK.

I got some cramping for the first few months. By the third month I had stopped spotting and had a wonderful 3 months with nothing. Then I started spotting again which was unusual but the gynae thought I might be cycling again. Oestrogen dominance.

Eventually I found I had an ovarian cyst (the ovaries still function normally, its just the uterus doesnt build up) that turned out to be a tumour - unrelated to the Mirena - and I had an LAVH and BSO. So no more Mirena!

Persist with it for 6 months at least, because that is when it should be working properly. I didnt have children either, but it was inserted after a D&C and general anaesthetic - I think you were very brave!

I am now a couple of days into my first period after insertion of the Mirena IUD. Unfortunately I have no reduction in bleeding to report for the first month. Just about everything I have read (manufacturer's website, patient literature, etc) says it takes three to six months for the bleeding to slow down, and I guess it is going to be the same with me. I hope it's closer to three than six. It would be nice to have something next month to be able to point to and tell myself "it's working", even though the full effect isn't seen yet.

I've had more cramps than usual this month--ordinarily I'm not much bothered by menstrual cramps--but I'm not going to blame those on the Mirena, because I had lots of cramps last month, before I had it put in.

Over the three weeks since insertion, I have had occasional spotting, usually light enough for a panty liner to handle, although I did have one incident of "period-like" bleeding when it wasn't my period, similar to the last day or so of an ordinary period. The spotting seems to occur only for a very short time--by the time I realize it's happening and start using a pantyliner, it' just about gone away again. After a few days I decide, "well, I guess I don't need to use a pantyliner now", and then back it comes. There doesn't seem to be any regularity to the timing although I might have a more accurate idea about this if I were writing the incidents down. I wanted to get a small diary to record these incidents in, but after several visits to various stationery and office-supply stores, I can't find one that starts before January. Maybe I can make do with a small notebook...

Anyway, that's the update for today.

cookie1956