What's been your experience with Mirena.....

So my ob want's me to get the Mirena to help control my periods. I had my son 7 months ago & had my tubes tired. But my period's have been horrible. So I've deen reading about this online. And I've seen more negative reviews then positive reviews. Do you ladys have any opinions on this form of birth control.......

So far this is what I don't like about  Mirena...

weight gain (worked to hard to get it off)
bleeding for weeks at a time (for up to a year)
horrible cramping
acne
oily hair
and did i say WEIGHT GAIN

Thanks

If you've already had your tubes tied, is there a reason they won't do an endometrial abalsion or thermal ballon abalsion?  I've heard good things about the procedures in terms of helping with bad periods.  They've "suggested"  I might need one for my horrible periods, but obviously it hasn't been seriously considered (yet), as it pretty much makes you infertile...and I still want to have kids someday.  But since your tubes are tied, I don't see what the drawback, if any at all, would be.  And then you would not have the risk of weight issues with the hormones.

Just a though...

~Katherine

I've never even heard of these procedures. I will ask my doc..Thanks

Okay- you asked so this is what I found...with mine. (oh- and mine was for b/c)
Extreme exhaustion
VERY bloated (which added some weight)
Bleeding for 3 1/2 months (at which point it was out of there!)
Lots of Hair loss
Hair growing in places it shouldn't be (and I am paying lots to have lasered away!)
Ovarian pains ; like I had cysts (we didn't check)
Skin issues- very dry skin (extreme scalp issues- which I NEVER EVER had before)
feeling like I couldn't empty my bladder or I had a UTI (I was checked and didn't)
Pinching feeling occasionally when have the sex

When I went to have it checked after placement it was just right-about 4 weeks after placement...went back for my pap and said all the problems I was having and told them I wanted it out...well apparently- it was already partly out...cause he said "well this isn't doing anything there and that string is WAY to long"  
Conclusion it decided to expel itself.  But I was bleeding- not spotting the whole time not just at the end when it was coming out (which I could not feel- except maybe that is why it began to pinch with sex)  Its been out just over a week- I have more energy, my bladder is better, my bleeding has stopped, bloating is gone (just baby weight left now), my hair is only coming out a tiny bit- no cramps or weird abdominal pains.  So- I hated it...but I must say as b/c it was nice not to have to worry about a pill or anything.  I should have known- I am so sensitive to hormones and medication and mirena releases hormones. 
That being said I know lots of other woman on here have had great success and no weight issues or anything unusual.  I'm sure hoping in a month I don't have another side effectt (pregnancy) since it decided to come partly out.
If my tubes were tied- I would definitely look into non hormonal ways to treat your symptoms (like the previous post mentioned)

I love my Mirena IUD.  I'm having it removed next week to TTC but once we have another I will be getting another one put in asap.  I have had no periods this whole time.  I had a few weeks in the beginning of spotting but then after about 2-3 months it went away completely!  I will definitely miss the no periods while we ttc.  I haven't gained any weight, nor do I have acne, cramping or oily hair.  It's been a great choice for me.

These are the same results I have experienced!  I love it!

I had Mirena for 5 years before I got pregnant and I got a 2nd one put in 8 weeks after I gave birth. I love mine! No trouble at all with weight gain (the hormone dose in it is VERY low). No trouble with periods, in fact, after a while, I stopped having them. No cramping, except the first few days after it was put in. Certainly no acne or oily skin. a lot of these sounds like side effects of systemic birth control and/or the old copper IUD to me.

I had one for 4 years. It hurt fairly bad going in, but I've never given birth either. After it was in, I had lighter and lighter periods for about 3 months, then I never had a period again until it was out. That part was really nice!
 
I had no extra weight gain from the IUD.

After a few years though I started feeling kind of bloated in the stomach area with some pain, like bad gas. I was moody (more than normal). I had some acne, but not much more than my period time breakouts. I also had occasional "pinching" type pain during sex. After four years with the Mirena, I decided to have it removed to see if this stuff would go away, and it did. My period returned to normal in about 30 days from having it removed. I then got pregnant about 4 months later.

P.S. It hurt just as bad coming out as it did going in. However, I think if you've given birth, it wouldn't be bad at all.

Good luck with what you decide.

I just wanted to thank everyone for all their help. i will be talking with my doc to see if their willing to do something else for me....

Thanks again.....