Mirena coil and IBS

[sickandsore]

Just a question for any fellow ladies who have had the mirena coil..did you find your IBS symptoms got a lot worse after having the coil fitted?

I as most of you who have read my previous postings know, have had IBS since childhood, but I am querying whether the coil has made things worse as it seems from a pain perspective that since the coil Ive had more severe attacks of IBS.

Having googled mirena and IBS I came across a lot of reports to suggest it could well be making my symptoms worse but just thought id ask on here also.

Thanks x

[rachelt]

I am on the mirena coil. My symptoms flared up to start with and then settled down. I have been using it for over a year now and my ibs-d has improved, but I had to preserve with it.

[sickandsore]

Thanks for the replies..I think having read a lot of feedback online on different forums ive decided that Im definitely having it removed have booked into the hospital clinic on Monday evening.until i can rule out its the hormones I wont know where to start with deciphering what the hell is going on with me. For months the diet seems to have helped with the odd bad day here and there but my symptoms have really flared up and seem to correspond to bleeds and lower abdo cramping plus severe headaches. i used to have bowel problems exacerbated by taking the contraceptive pill and i had hoped the coil wouldnt do the same, ive persevered for just over a year now, think its time to rule it out!

[hel98]

i am on my 3rd mirena over 15 years and have had no problems

[whiteladder42]

I stopped my contraceptive pill a couple of months back and have noticed a difference in that I am getting less severely ill each time. I still get "attacks" most days but they aren't landing me in A&E each time! Seems hormonal contraception doesn't agree with me somehow, but non-hormonal alternatives are not very reliable it seems hormones and links to IBS haven't been researched like they should!

[sickandsore]

Hey well i had the coil removed and glad I did it was actually falling out anyway, so causing some discomfort..I have to say my IBS symptoms havent worsened or improved as yet so Im assuming til im back in a regular cycle I wont know for sure, but i actually feel a huge sense of relief that its gone and im going to maybe rule out another possible link to worsening IBS or find the reason for the worsening symptoms!!

[doolys7]

I had the mirena coil fitted a few years ago, and am now wondering if there is a connection with ibs, had not thought anything about it till now, thanks for that info

[sickandsore]

I have to say that generally im feeling better in myself a week or so on, I did have some major bleeding though for several days after it was out so be warned if you do decide to have it removed! I think in general hormone based contraception really doesnt agree with my system.

[JH16]

I agree with the whole thing of hormonal contraceptive not agreeing especially in some people with IBS. I've been on several different pills over several years for heavy and painful periods. My IBS is very bad at that time of the month and so GP has advised mirena. I can't go off everything completely as a year off any contraception made things worse so wondering if mirena is lesser of two evils?!

[sickandsore in reply to JH16]

Have they tried ablation (where they burn away layers of the womb to ease the bleeding) or do you want to have children/more children? my sister resorted to a hysterectomy as tried a lot of things to stop the bleeds and nothing else worked

[sickandsore]

NOOOOOOOOOOO dont do it!!! I took that route and my problems got even worse< ended up in hospital several times in extreme pain, felt sick and bloated every day. In the end i went to a community clinic and had the damn thing taken out< i put up with the symptoms for a year being consistently fobbed off by doctors that my it couldnt possibly be the coil causing things to worsen...after having it removed i had weeks of awful bleeding and it took a good few months for my cycle to get back to normal< I feel loads better< Of course everyone is different but if you think this wont affect your IBS then go for it, my advice tho as the pill affects you this coil will too as it still releases hormones into your system, same stuff the pill does.

I dont use any hormone related contraception< my partner wont have the snip so he has to use protection now as i refuse to put my body through any more abuse from artificial hormones!! I have 3 children and dont want anymore so will possibly be sterilised when my GP will agree to it

Also just want to add my symptoms are contolled best by diet< a lot of my problems believe it or not are related to not just wheat but certain fruit and veg< I realised this by trying the low fodmap diet it was a real eye opener, I eat a much more varied diet now but by doing the diet for 5 months I was able to identify which foods upset me..def worth a shot. x

[poing in reply to sickandsore]

I'm in the same boat - cried off hormonal contraceptives a long time ago, and the copper IUD really messed up my mineral metabolism (do not have one if you have a tendency towards low iron and zinc). Hubby does not really want the snip... but honestly, I think us women take the lion's share of responsibility on the contraception front, then we have to push beach-ball sized babies' heads out of our vajajays, so it's about time the men stepped up!

[sickandsore in reply to poing]

A lot of men are real cowards when it comes to anything to do with whats in their pants!! my friend basically refused to have sex with her hubby til he got the snip..lol it worked!! I havnt been that mean but if I had a pregnancy scare i probably would as dont want anymore children!! I hate condoms but better than getting pregnant

[flirtygert]

interested to read this as my IBS problems only started a year after getting the Mirena coil. When my periods started as a teenager I was bothered with cramps, diahorrea etc and very heavy periods and after having my 3 kids this didnt really improve. having taken various oral medications for heavy periods etc my gp recommended the mirena and a year later literally overnight my nausea, fatigue, morning diahorrea etc started. Obviously it gets a lot worse during the few days of my period but the dr didnt feel it was related to the mirena as I had already been suffering before i got it.... as i am still suffering nearly every morning would it be worth getting mirena out or could it be food related??? (all gluten and lactose tests back clear so just eating normal diet (when nausea lets me!!).

[sickandsore]

Hi flirtygert...I have no doubts at all that the mirena coil is adding to your problems, I did a lot of research online about ibs symptoms and the mirena coil and came away convinced that it just does not suit some people..Also when i think back to being in hospital waiting to have my Op ( i had laparoscopy and they fitted the coil same time) 2 other ladies waiting both warned me against getting it put in, in fact one said it felt like shed had the devil inside her the other said it had made her feel really ill and put weight on..still I went ahead and yes i can say i def got worse..

With regard to diet though i was also tested for gluten and dairy allergy and had neither, however after trying the lowfodmap diet it became obvious that my gut did not tolerate wheat especially and a multitude of other foods..certain fruit and veg also make me feel terrible the only way to find out tho is to go on a very drastic diet cutting out quite a few foods we all eat routinely..from my own experience tho it was well worth persevering with as its only for a short time and you can re-introduce foods to see how you feel after then you know what your body will tolerate. Do look up the lowfodmap diet and maybe ask to see a dietician as its really best to do this diet under the guidance of a dietician. start by getting that coil out tho..be warned you will bleed A LOT and it will go on and on for weeks on and off, so get in some heavy duty pads and pain relief, its not nice and nobody warns you about this happening, i had to look up online as was worried thought Id haemorrage and found out it was quite common but worth that few months of intermittent bleeds as now feel a lot better in myself..IBS not cured but symptoms not so severe and I now know if im naughty and eat a troublesome food that i will suffer afterwards! good luck

[Swimseasand]

Hello everyone, just signed up to this platform as I feel rough as a badgers ar**I had the merina coil fitted three months ago, I’ve noticed I’ve had a few more IBS flareups but this month is something different altogether.

I feel awful, No energy, bloated tummy, feeling sick, can’t stomach food as my IBS is just awful. Never had IBS this bad so far. I really have to psych myself up to have the energy to go to the toilet.

From everyone else’s responses, I can’t rule out the coil causing complications with my IBS