I’m after a little advice. I hope someone can help.
I have RA and fibromyalgia and take hydrox, methotrexate & amitriptyline. Like many of you my condition causes my blood ‘stores’ to get low. (I’m told this isn’t the same as anaemia but it does make me feel pretty rubbish when they get really low!?).
So I’m thinking of having a Mirena coil fitted in the hope it will stop or reduce my monthly bleeding. My thinking being that this would hopefully keep my stores at a good level.
(I’m 50 by the way so we all know what’s just around the corner. And I don’t need the coil for contraception.)
However, I have concerns about the possible side effects. The risk of infection mainly - being immunosuppressed. And also how my fibromyalgia might affect how I cope with the pain, while it’s being fitted, while it’s bedding in and maybe even long term.
I have spoken to a family planning nurse and they’re happy to go ahead and fit one but I’m not sure she understood my concerns with regards to the RA & fibro.
Hope someone can help.
Written by
jdavies38515
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hello , I had the Mirena years ago in my early 40s. I’m 69 now. Look surly if your 50 years old you should be stopping your periods naturally ? I wouldn’t go on it at that sort of age. Ask at a Well Woman Clinic . Good luck to you . 😊
Many years ago I had a coil fitted which made my periods very heavy and painful. It fell out after about three months. We are all different but a common response to the coil is heavier periods. It would be worth having a further talk to the family planning nurse about taking a low dose pill with few or no breaks perhaps?
I think you maybe thinking about the normal coil rather than the Merina coil. The merina coil releases low levels of hormones directly into the uterus so periods are usually lighter and often stop.
If that’s what they told you I’m sure they were right, however heavier bleeding is usually associated with the traditional copper coil not the merina one. You were very unlucky.
From what I've read on menopause forums, the Mirena can be great for controlling periods as you start peri-menopause. Some do find that their periods become lighter but flooding can be common in peri-menopause. An added bonus can be that if it suits you and you feel that you need to consider HRT (which was a life saver for me) the Mirena gives you the progesterone you need to protect your womb so you only need to add estrogen.
It is possible to have a Mirena IUD fitted with local anaesthetic to the cervix which makes the fitting much less painful. Ask the Clinic.
It shouldn't cause any problems settling in if it is correctly fitted. (I fitted lots) . The risks of infection are minimal - everything comes in sealed sterilised packets and the only risk would be from small amounts of your own bacteria in your own genital tract, which your body is used to dealing with.
It is usually excellent for reducing the loss of blood from the uterine lining, and, as someone else has said provides the progesterone so that you can have oestrogen only HRT if necessary.
You might want to consider oral progesterone tablets as an alternative - you take them continuously and you tend to get intermittent light bleeding, or none. But the dose of progesterone is higher than with an IUD delivering it locally and some people find it doesn't suit them.
Hi, I suffered from my early 40's with severe period pain, the consultant suggested the mirena coil, it was a godsend, no more periods, no more pain, I was told that it lasts for 5 years and that I wouldn't have to have it removed as I would probably be menopausal by then and it wouldn't do my body any harm.
After 5 years nearly to the day, I started to bleed after sex and a smear, was referred to gyny who removed the coil and said everything was ok, within a couple of days I was in pain and bleeding again, saw the same consultant I'd seen before who conducted a scan and just said everything is ok I've just got a funny womb and to have another mirena fitted, this was 6 years ago, no problems at all since, I was worried that 5 years later I'd be in the same boat but luckily not.
I hit menopause in my early 40's and was given HRT, when I had the coil it was changed to progesterone only which were brilliant at stopping the hot flushes etc.
I wasn't suffering with PsA at the time so can't say anything about how it would affect you but honestly, I wish I'd had the mirena years ago, it's slightly uncomfortable when you have it and I did have a slightly sore stomach after, like mild period pain but didn't last long.
Good luck with it if you decide to go ahead, I've told lots of my friends to have it as I've been very happy I did x
My rheumatologist recommended I have a merina coil fitted about 8 years ago (I’m on my second one now). As I’m always anaemic she said I couldn’t afford to lose blood every month.
I love it! No more periods makes life so much easier. I’m in my mid forties now so we’ll see what happens when I get to the menopause but the doctor who fitted the last one said it may even help with menopausal symptoms and certainly wasn’t a problem having one at that stage of life.
They are a bit like marmite though. I love it but if you look online there are some who don’t. However, remember they can be removed quite easily so it’s not a permanent thing if you don’t get on with it.
As for infection risk I guess there is a very small risk as with most medical procedures but it is all done in sterile conditions and I’m sure my rheumatologist wouldn’t have recommended it if she thought it was a big risk (I’m on Rituximab and leflunomide).
As for pain, it was a little uncomfortable as they were fitting it but they used anaesthetic gel so not really painful. Afterwards it felt like mild period pain for a couple of days (but definitely not as bad as normal period pain -another benefit every month!!) and ibuprofen or paracetamol helped.
I had a normal coil fitted when i was in my late thirties. This caused the most horrendous periods, which didn't settle. So I eventually had a mirena coil fitted. It only worked for about 18 months for me. I had some investigations done, and the consultant removed it whilst removing fibroids. Ok for a year or so. Then the heavy periods were back, so had a second one fitted. This time, it reduced the rate of flooding, but my periods lasted up to 2 weeks, with some dripping even between these. So, I decided to have the coil removed. My word that hurt! It had got embedded, and the poor GP was hot, sweaty and in a state of near panic as she was struggling to remove it. I know mine was a pretty extreme and unusual case, so you almost certainly wouldn't have that problem. But, importantly, I still didn't get any infection from it. I wasn't on any meds at the time, though
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
and to have another mirena fitted, this was 6 years ago, no problems at all since, I was worried that 5 years later I'd be in the same boat but luckily not.
RA diagnosis without joint deformity
RA and fibromyalgia 
Help understand IVIG Infusion for RA/SJROGRENS
Feeling sad and worried 
Hi people I’m newly diagnosed with RA and Struggling with how fast it’s effecting me!
