Mirena - good or bad?

After struggling from day 1 with problem periods and a major escalation in the last 4 years to bleeding 3 weeks out 4, major cramps and killer pms, frankly I am done. I've been tested, tried many BCP and Nuvaring, had a lap....I just want resolution. My Dr wants to try Mirena before we go the surgical route, but I have reservations about an IUD. My Mom and Grandma both had hyst for the same problems by 32 (I'm 38), and I have grow up with the assumption that this is happen for me. My dh wonders why I want surgery and why wouldn't I try Mirena. I suffer from migraines and I read that Mirena should be used with caution for migraine sufferers. I have also read that 20% of women experience heavier bleeding after, and 40 % of women who get an IUD for heaving bleeding end up with a hyst within 1 year.
So, after such a huge post - what are your experiences? Am I rightly afraid of an IUD?

I have had a history of heavy bleeding and severe cramping, which only got worse after a tubal. I have tried hormones and other medications, and my 3rd doctor recommended I try the Mirena before giving up and having a hyst.
I agreed to give it a try. What I discovered is that though the literature says it should take about 3 months to work, it actually is more like 6 for many women. For me, it hasn't worked properly at all. I don't have the very heavy days of bleeding I was having, but now I'm lucky to get 10 days in a row with no bleeding at all. I still have some cramping also though usually not as severe. My quality of life hasn't really improved. My family doc thinks it is time for me to give up trying things to see if they work and have a hyst. I am 34 by the way.
Now to be fair I have heard of a lot of women who feel that the Mirena is wonderful. It has done exactly what it was supposed to do and they couldn't be happier. Unfortunately, you can't know if it will work for you or not without trying it.
I wish you the best of luck with whatever you choose. This forum is a fantastic source of information and support.
's,
Kimberley

Thanks for your reply Kimberley! Neat that my first post reply is from the same province...
Our symptoms sound similar (except I didn't have a tubal). I guess that I am hesitant to try Mirena because I am afraid it won't work for me either. After all this time what is a few more months, but I am so fed up with the whole thing - I want my life back! I haven't felt like myself in years, and I don't like it! As well, the timing for my surgery date is great, I would be fully recovered part way through the summer and in time for going to school full time in the fall. That will be busy beyond belief because I will be commuting 3 hours a day as well. To me it makes the most sense to resolve the problem rather than try something that may not work, and draw this out for another 14 months until I will be able to consider surgery. I'm under some pressure to try Mirena from the doctor and my dh. Normally I would want to try anything to avoid surgery or even medication for other issues, but for this.....

I had a Mirena coil for about 18 months before surgery, it was fitted when I had laser treatment for endo for the third time. I had some months without bleeding at all but my periods returned, and although they weren't heavy, they were very painful, went on for eight days a time and very frequent. It was almost non stop towards the end. I had severe PMT too. So it didn't work for me!! I had endo and after surgery, I was found to have ademyosis (sp?) and some little fibroids too.

However, my sister had one fitted at about the same time as me, and it has been a great success. It has improved her PMT including migraines and she hasn't had any bleed at all after the initial weeks.
Hope that's useful..
Good luck in making your decision.

Hi CrazyforDisney

I'm sorry you are having the painful & heavy periods, I know how awful that is. I haven't tried the Mirena myself (although I wish I had known about it way back when…) Anyway... My younger sister suddenly developed severe migraines and was taken off bcp and switched *to* Mirena at the suggestion of both her neurologist and GYN. When I say her migraines were severe, I can't emphasize it enough. She would have uncontrolled vomiting with her headaches that was like something we'd never before seen in our family. (Spinal tap left her with a spinal fluid leak, which caused even more vomiting whenever she'd lift her head, and she ended up needing a blood patch to seal it.) Poor thing was really bad. –
When she told me they wanted her to use the Mirena (for bleeding issues & birth control) I was picturing the days of old and those types of IUD's and worried about her using an IUD. After reading about it I felt better for her. Her docs said the hormones in Mirena are safer for her because they are delivered mainly right to the uterus and not so much through her system like the bcps and other oral hormones are. It can thin the uterine lining so there is less to shed every month. Headaches are not a problem for her now. Everyone is different in what causes their headaches and some women might have them even on Mirena, but wanted to share her story since her switch was specific because of headeaches. It was frustrating for her the first few months because she had a long bout of spotting, but they kept telling her to hang in there, and she's now very glad she did. Lucky girl hardly has a period at all now. Only needs a panty liner.

I know not everyone has the optimal results, but gosh hon, I really do think it might be worth giving it a shot. I know it's frustrating when trying other options doesn’t work, but I think we owe ourselves the chance to try them because we have a lot less to lose with them than we do with the risks of major surgery and it's recovery.
When you say you don't want to try something that "may not work", try to keep in mind the other side of the coin that "it may work.” I'm probably messing up the sports saying, but it goes something like "You'll always miss 100% of the shots you don't take." I think so many of us put up with our menstrual problems for so long, that by the time we decide to seek help we are at the end of our rope and don't want to hang on anymore, and I understand that completely.

My older sister (reluctantly) had an ablation when she wanted her GYN to do a hyst. Her ablation was a perfect success and she never had another period. With me, I had an ablation that didn't work (because of adenomyosis) but I don't regret trying. When it failed, I knew the hyst was the correct decision. I felt confident going in to my hyst that if I had any complications or side effects I'd have to live with, then I'd at least know they could not have been avoided. Since my hyst things are not the same for me in the area of intimacy, and I've also developed frequent UTI's and a 3rd degree rectocele < things that can commonly occur after a hyst, but you don't hear about them as a result of some of the alternatives, like ablations, Mirena, UFE, etc.
If you look through some of the posts in the Bladder Matters forum or the Sexual Dysfunctions forum you'll see some of the things some ladies have to deal with. It's comforting to know most women don't have problems with the surgery, but we never know who will sail through and go on their merry way and who won't. . Many women really do find the end to their suffering without having to resort to hyst but we don’t see them posting here on a hyst site.


I didn't mean to write a book (sorry) I mainly wanted to share some experiences from my family & offer some encouragement that trying the lesser options are valuable, even if they don't work out. I also want to send you a as you work your way through your decisions, I know this isn’t easy. A second opinion is always a good idea and can be very helpful with these big decisions. Whatever path you choose, we’ll be here for you.

Best wishes & gentle s,
Beth
Mirena Website

Thanks Marianni for your reply - it is good to hear both sides of the coin.

Beth - wow - thanks for all your insights....I should be thankful that my road has not been as bumpy. Your comments are helping me to deal with my "end of my rope" mentality and try to keep the big picture in mind. I know that there could be all sorts of problems afterwards, but because those possibilities are 'maybe's' and intangible, it is so much easier for me to focus on what i am dealing with now and how desperately I want this to end. I am not concerned about the surgery - we will get through it and I believe life will be better afterwards. Since the age of 13 I have believed this was likely going to happen for me given that my Mom and Grandma both had hysts by 32 and my sister is experiencing the same problems I am. Acceptance I guess the best way to describe my reaction to this possible next step. Right now I just can't get past my frustration to accept more potential negative/failed attempts. Even if I do proceed I will have lots of time to wait and learn so much from everyone here. Thank you so much for your encouragement and support.