horror stories

I am nearly 50 and I had the Mirena coil fitted in January 2008 because of heavy bleeding, blood clots etc. I have now had it nearly 8 months and it does make things worse for the first 6 to 8 months or so. However it is worth persevering with it as the bleeding and pain will eventually reduce or even stop altogether. I have also been taking Norethisterone tablets as well which has helped considerably. I have just come off the tablets and this month the bleeding is a lot better. I normally then go back on the tablets after about 2 weeks or I wouldn't stop bleeding. Unlike you I don't have periods any more I just bleed continuously without any treatment. I was on the tablets a year before I had the coil so I know the difference and I did get more pain and bleeding initially but it has now improved. I am hoping that this month I can stop taking the tablets as I get severe headaches each time I stop.

I suggest you give the Mirena coil a go but you will also need to take tablets to help control the bleeding for awhile and give it a good year to settle in. Good luck!

Thank you so much for your advice. I have just had a bleed that has lasted a month (and still going), heavy with clotting, so the doctor has just today prescribed Norethisterone whilst I am awaiting the gynaecologist appointment. Still unsure what to do. I suppose try the coil and isf it doesn't work, go for the op.

[quote:91ec17f885=\"julie's friend\"]Thank you so much for your advice. I have just had a bleed that has lasted a month (and still going), heavy with clotting, so the doctor has just today prescribed Norethisterone whilst I am awaiting the gynaecologist appointment. Still unsure what to do. I suppose try the coil and isf it doesn't work, go for the op.[/quote:91ec17f885]Hi Julie, I hope it's not too late to encourage you to try the Marina for heavy periods. I had to keep leaving my work station to dash to the loo with flooding for several days. After a few months with the Marina my periods only needed a panty liner. Sore breasts were sorted with Evening primrose oil - took about 3 months to take full effect. Occasionally the bleeding- more spotting now really- lasts a week but so worth a try rather than surgery. Also I went ahead after a friend with similar problems to mine had her life back after having one fitted so good luck M

It is so good to know that I am not alone! I am 46 years old and have spent the last 3 weeks (all xmas and new year) bleeding so heavily I have rarely left the house. The doctor prescribed me Norethisterone tablets, but I dont like taking them as they give me headaches. I am on the verge of having a marina coil fitted, and after reading your experience, will book an appointment with my doctor tomorrow. I need to return to work in a few days. My office chair is still stained from my last period! I dont want a thermal ablasion (spelling?) so I will try this first. I just hope the marina doesnt cause moodiness and depression as I have found with the pill, as my poor children do not need a fire breathing dragon mummy!

Had a merina fitted in october for very heavy bleeding , wish i hadnt bothered,i have bled every day since with bad pains in my lower back, my pelvic region in general is so uncomfortable that i cant wait to have it removed.Think very carefully before having one fitted.

I had a mirena coil fitted originally in May 2005 and whilst the actual fitting was somewhat uncomfortable the excrutiating agony that followed was excrutiating. I had labour type pains for the rest of that day and bad period type pains for the following 2 days after which it was the best thing that I ever did. My periods stopped completely and I'd never felt better. Unfortunately following several dodgy smears I ended up having to have LETZ treatment. The coil was removed, the treatment carried out - not at all pleasant - and another coil fitted. Unfortunately I then contracted several infections the coil came out and I had to wait several months for the infections to clear up before I could have another coil fitted. The current coil was inserted in August 2008 and I didn't feel a thing. My horrendous periods with which I used to suffer are no more and once a month I merely now have a slight discharge rather than actual bleeding which needs nothing more than a panty liner or sometimes a small sanitary towel, which is just as well since following the LETZ treatment I am unable to wear tampons.

It really is worth it!

I was due to have a mirena coil fitted in Nov 07 and bottled it. At 47, I was not given enough information and was too scared to look for it. Prior to that I had bled heavily and constantly for over a year (+ lots of clots) and become anaemic. The gynaecologist prescribed Norethisterone which I took with relief when it stopped my never-ending \"period\" for 3 weeks. It did however, make me feel sick and headachey. An appointment at the hospital showed fibroids in the uterus; one almost attaching itself to the tissue behind an ovary. The doctors said that as I was pre-menopausal the fibroids would \"clear up\" naturally and diminish over time. Hysterectomy was also suggested, then the mirena coil. After stopping the Norethisterone I stopped bleeding for over 10 months. I assumed I was in the menopause so didn't bother about mirena coils or hysterectomies. I concentrated on lowering my blood pressure so agreed to go on Lacipidine (a calcium blocker) in the new year. On xmas eve 08 I started bleeding profusely again. When I started the lacipidine a week ago, I bled so much with massive clots of what looked like the lining of my uterus that I stopped the lacipidine (depsite the doctor saying that he had never heard of the drug affecting periods). Clearly the drug was thinning my blood to such an extent that I was bleeding far too much. Now, I am quite reluctant to go back to the doctor or the hospital which is why I guess, I'm writing on this site. It's very refreshing to read some other stories. I do feel isolated as I do not have any family to talk to about it and my female doctor of 20 years has retired. Has anyone else had similar problems? I have not had any children and I am 49 now.

Hi I am now 47 and despite reading a few horror tories I had a mirena coil fitted just over a year ago, i haven't looked back. I had the coil due to endless heavy periods with large clots, and although i did have bleeding on and off for about 11 months nothing compares to what I had suffered for years, it has now settled down completely and I don.t sem to have suffered any side affects. You need to weigh up the pro's and cons and remember like any medication it isn't suitable for eveyone, my friend had hers fitted today and hope hers will be as successful as mine. I say give it a go, at least it can be removed if it doesn't agree with you. GOOD LUCK

I have just had a Mirena coil removed after 2 years - I bled continuously for 2 months and then just had a bloody discharge for nearly 2 years. I felt uncomfortable, had constant pelvic twinges and pain with a feeling of 'heaviness' in my lower abdomen. My husband could feel the coil on the couple of occasions when I actually felt comfortable enough to to consider sex and so I decided I had had enough. Sadly, within a week of removal I was back to very, very heavy bleeding with huge clots etc, very anaemic and having to take large doses of prescribed iron so now I am on a waiting list for ablasion. I am 52 and I keep being told that it's not worth having a hysterectomy as my periods will only last a year or so longer so I am really hopeful about the ablasion.