I had the Mirena coil fitted 4 months ago for heavy periods, with fibroids and adenomyosis. I had to wait a year to get a gynecology appointment, and had a hysteroscopy, and the Mirena fitted at the same time. I have not had a follow up appointment, and have been finding it hard to even get through to get an appointment with a GP, though I will keep trying. I was prescribed tranexamic acid to control the heavy periods, before this, and it was working well to a degree, but I was told that I needed to either get the Mirena coil or have a hysterectomy, and I felt somewhat pressured into getting it. Since it was fitted, I have not had much period pain at all, but the periods have been extremely long and heavy, with many massive clots and flooding, worse than before. I looked up drug interactions, and found that it was not good to take tranexamic acid with Mirena (I checked before i took any-- luckily- there are blood clotting issues),. I know it can take up to 6 months to settle, but the heavyness of the periods have been frightening and debilitating. is this normal? is there still a chance for this to settle? I got the coil fitted to control the heavy periods. thank you.
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Mithomp
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hiya, i don’t have the coil however i am on the contraceptive pill and i know that that can cause prolonged bleeding / periods too, if it doesn’t change something like the pill would help more? i went on it for the same reason (heavy period) and it really helped me, it seems with all kinds of contraception like this long term bleeding is common but everyone is different, you’re not alone
thank you. I will keep trying to talk to the GP, I think I am probably a bit anemic now too with all the blood lost over the last few days. Thats good that the pill you are on has helped you. How long did it take to help?
oh no! that doesn’t sound good i hope it all sorts itself out for you, and i think it only took about a month or 2, i started it when i was on my period so it “protects you” (from becoming pregnant) right away and that made my period about 2 weeks long, but from then on theyre around 4 days and super light! it worked really fast for me x
I’m on the pill but I’ve heard mirena can cause extremely heavy bleeding for the first few months while your body gets used to it. I’d definitely bring it up to your doctor tho (or find a new doctor if your usual is too hard to make appointments with lol I just had to do that) just to make sure nothing out of the norm is going on and to get some reassurance/relief.
thank you! its hard to get an appointment at the moment, it feels like maybe everyone that had been putting off seeing a doctor for ages is now trying to get an appointment! I dont even have a usual doctor, i want to talk to any one, and hopefully they can refer me back to gynecology, though it took a year to get an appointment there somehow, last time (due to pandemic, i think it would not have been so long usually, well i hope, anyway!)
This sounds a lot like me and it does get better but I found it took a fair bit longer than everyone said it would take. I had the Mirena coil fitted Sept’19 for really heavy bleeding for the last few years (way more than ‘normal’ and it was affecting my everyday life). I’m peri-menopausal and was 49 at the time. I had a hysteroscopy to remove polyps and an endometrial biopsy at the same time. I was on tranexamic acid (& naproxen) for heavy periods before that, which helped - but not enough. so I opted for the Mirena. I was told to stop the tranexamic acid when the Mirena was fitted and haven’t taken them since. After the Mirena was fitted, I had really heavy bleeding on/off for about 18 months and was put on the list for a hysterectomy as I felt the Mirena didn’t seem to be helping with the heavy periods. I was almost at my wits end thinking what a waste of time etc but now, after a few more months my periods are much much lighter and I’m finally starting to feel ‘normal’ again. Due to my age I’m having several menopausal symptoms but my periods are way lighter, barely any pain and I’m finally starting to feel more positive and don’t think I’ll be needing to go through with the hysterectomy after all - unless something changes significantly between now and when my appointment comes through. It could be the Mirena or my age - or both but hope that helps!
thanks for your reply, I also just turned 49 today. At the moment I wish I hadnt had the mirena fitted, as the tranexamic acid did improve the periods considerably, though they were still heavy, and now with the Mirena they are currently much worse. I am going to try and speak to a GP tomorrow, its really hard to get hold of one at the moment. I was scared to get the Mirena, but I am more scared about a hysterectomy-- lets see how it goes. The gynecologist I spoke to after I had a scan basically said that I would need to have the Mirena or a hysterectomy, I have adenomyosis, which to be honest I dont really understand very well- I joined a facebook group for it and people just had horror stories, and were all just waiting for hysterectomies. For me its not generally been the pain thats the issue, as it is for some people, but its the heavyness of the periods, which seem to be getting worse, and definitely interfere with life. I hope i can get a referral back to gynecology again, at least. Thank you
In case anyone is following---- I Just spoke to the GP, and she said that there was NOT an issue with taking Tranexamic Acid while having the Mirena coil, and is prescribing me more of that, as well as Mefanamic Acid, and said to give it 2-3 more months to see if the periods settle down. I am also going to go in for a check up ( to see if the coil is in place, i am assuming, she was pretty casual about this, even thought in what i had read, you are supposed to get a follow up 6 weeks after the Mirena is fitted, and its been over 4 months). NB-- I think that taking Tranexamic Acid with the Mirena can potentially increase clotting issues, so its probably good to check with a doc about your individual situation, but in my case, the doc thought that it was not a risk. On the Drug interaction checker online that i used, it did say that there was a risk, but the GP dismissed this (and I immediately took some Tranexamic Acid that I had, as my period came back with a vengeance again this afternoon, out of the blue, on day 14-- its been too much),
You could ask if you could have an ultrasound to see if the Mirena is in the correct position and not migrated. I know from experience they can and if it’s low the hormones are not reaching the uterus thus bleeding heavily. However I also have fibroids to throw in the mix and I’ve also expelled coils a few times through excessive bleeding and passing huge clots. Nobody should have to endure prolonged periods they are horrendous. I’ve experienced ones lasting a good few months with a couple of days respite then starting again. I hope things settle and you get answers.
thanks so much, I hope yours are better now? I do have fibroids, as well as adenomyosis, and had the coil fitted by a gynecologist 4 months ago, who had just done a hysteroscopy, and she said that there was a place to fit the Mirena, where the fibroids wouldnt interfere, so I think it was fitted as well as it could be, but I have had enormous clots since-- I feel like it is in there, because I feel different than before (not necessarily in a good way! except period pain is much less), but am also going to get it checked by the GP next week. It is possible it could have come out with the clots. I will ask the GP about an ultrasound again, if she can't find the coil. she wouldn't refer me back to gynecology again at this point, though I did ask.
Things are slightly better! Coil has migrated I’m waiting for surgery to remove! and replace by gyne as it wasn’t working due to position! I’ve had a coil previously worked like a dream no periods for entire time it was in situ! I’m now on Zolodex for the bleeding! and waiting for more surgery on fibroids! They are trying everything as I’m not keen on getting a hysterectomy due to the down time to recover. Feel less like I’m running on empty no longer spending what felt like a mortgage on sanitary pads. I’m hopeful things are moving in right direction as last 3 years have been horrendous.
Update-- I just went to get it checked out by the GP, and she couldnt find the coil, so has sent me to go for a scan (probably about a month's wait) to try and see if its in there or not! perhaps it came out,, hence why it was not working, lets see. Good luck with your next steps. x
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