My Mirena Experience - Part 2
If you've come from part 1, welcome back. If not, what are you doing? Read Part 1 first.
Here I am documenting my experience with the 5 year Mirena, day by day (until I forget to add to this post). I am starting with the day after insertion day. If you want to know more about my experience with insertion, please check out part 1!
Day 1 (02.25)
I woke up on day 1 feeling quite happy with my decision to go with the Mirena. Though I was hyper-aware of any sensations I was feeling in my lower abdomen, everything felt pretty much as normal. I continued to experience light spotting consistent with the last day or two of my period, but other than that I experienced no abnormal symptoms.
Day 2
Oh boy. I thought I had dodged a bullet with these Mirena side effects - I was wrong. During my lunch hour I started to feel mild cramping, not unlike period cramps. By mid-afternoon I was slouched in my desk chair feeling some serious pain. These cramps were like your worst period cramps, plus the added back pain. I was miserable, and started to question my choice. I also spoke with my co-worker who had the Mirena and loved it, but didn't feel confident that I was going to have the same experience.
Due to a pretty bad cold plus my IUD insertion, I hadn't been to the gym in 3 days. I decided to give it a shot, as working out typically helps alleviate my cramps. That was the best decision I made this day. My cramps decreased in severity, and I also had something to focus on other than the pain I was in. When I got home I chilled out with a heating pad, which also helped with the cramping.
Today I also checked my IUD strings for the first time. I was TERRIFIED. I don't know why ... I was just really nervous to do so. I can confirm that the strings are there, but didn't really check the placement. I'll take care of that another day :)
Days 3 - 13
I didn't bother updating because truthfully, the symptoms remained the same for the two weeks after inserting the IUD. I had random cramping and back pain, along with a LOT of spotting and bleeding. I switched from pantyliners to pads on day 5 after insertion, and am currently (on day 13) still wearing pads as a precaution. On the heaviest bleeding days, I was changing my pad every 4 hours or so (basically every time I went to the bathroom), and on the lighter days I changed my pad often for cleanliness, but could have probably left the same one on all day without any issue.
During these two weeks, I heavily regretted getting the Mirena, and wanted it out ASAP. I even briefly considered pulling it out myself (don't do that). But as the bleeding starts to lighten up, I'm starting to feel a lot better about my decision.
The last note I'll mention is that you should never write off any strange feelings after getting your IUD. Maybe they are caused by the IUD, but they also could be caused by something else. I was having a sharp, stabbing pain in my lower right abdomen, and worried about IUD displacement. However the pain was more in the appendix area, so after a few days, I decided to go to the doctor. Turns out that I had the beginning of a kidney infection, something that I wouldn't have known if I didn't check it out.
Days 14 to 29
Well, it's official! My Mirena and I have been together officially for 1 month! Yay (not)!
I hate my Mirena, and can't wait to have it removed.
Sometimes I think I'm being a bit dramatic, except the horrible cramping and excessive bleeding I've been dealing with would beg to differ. Over the past 2 weeks I have been bleeding quite a bit. I even thought I had a light period last week, but this week I'm experiencing my regular PMS symptoms, which lets me know that my actual period is about to show up in a few days. All of this extra bleeding has me feeling weak and tired. Iron pills help a lot, but they also make me feel nauseous and constipated so ... not always worth the trade-off.
About four days ago, I thought that my bleeding had stopped, and was actually looking forward to not having to wear any pads or liners. But the joke was on me - as I was lying in bed, on my nice clean sheets, I felt something warm underneath me. Not only had I started bleeding again, but I also bled through my pants and onto my sheets and mattress. Luckily I have light sheets, and had some bleach cleaning spray handy.
Last night (day 28), I was out for a walk when I started to experience light cramping. I slowly made my way back home, thinking little of it. An hour later I was curled up on my bed in horrible pain. I normally get terrible period cramps, but this was unlike anything I've ever felt. My body broke out into cold sweats because of the amount of pain I was feeling. 3 extra-strength Advil later, I was able to fall asleep. But as I write this I can feel the mild cramping again, and I worry that either my IUD has embedded itself in my uterine lining, or that it is about to take a journey out of my cervix (best case scenario).
Since I got my Mirena I have been under a lot of additional unrelated stress, which has caused me to lose hair. And with the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc, I just cannot allow myself to get to the point where my Mirena becomes an emergency in our already overloaded healthcare system.
For this reason, along with the fact that I just can't take it anymore, I called my doctor and requested an appointment to have it removed. I know it will take some time for them to get around to it, but I don't mind the wait.
As always, I will update periodically. Check in to see what happens next!
xoxo, Jayy
Here I am documenting my experience with the 5 year Mirena, day by day (until I forget to add to this post). I am starting with the day after insertion day. If you want to know more about my experience with insertion, please check out part 1!
Day 1 (02.25)
I woke up on day 1 feeling quite happy with my decision to go with the Mirena. Though I was hyper-aware of any sensations I was feeling in my lower abdomen, everything felt pretty much as normal. I continued to experience light spotting consistent with the last day or two of my period, but other than that I experienced no abnormal symptoms.
Day 2
Oh boy. I thought I had dodged a bullet with these Mirena side effects - I was wrong. During my lunch hour I started to feel mild cramping, not unlike period cramps. By mid-afternoon I was slouched in my desk chair feeling some serious pain. These cramps were like your worst period cramps, plus the added back pain. I was miserable, and started to question my choice. I also spoke with my co-worker who had the Mirena and loved it, but didn't feel confident that I was going to have the same experience.
Due to a pretty bad cold plus my IUD insertion, I hadn't been to the gym in 3 days. I decided to give it a shot, as working out typically helps alleviate my cramps. That was the best decision I made this day. My cramps decreased in severity, and I also had something to focus on other than the pain I was in. When I got home I chilled out with a heating pad, which also helped with the cramping.
Today I also checked my IUD strings for the first time. I was TERRIFIED. I don't know why ... I was just really nervous to do so. I can confirm that the strings are there, but didn't really check the placement. I'll take care of that another day :)
Days 3 - 13
I didn't bother updating because truthfully, the symptoms remained the same for the two weeks after inserting the IUD. I had random cramping and back pain, along with a LOT of spotting and bleeding. I switched from pantyliners to pads on day 5 after insertion, and am currently (on day 13) still wearing pads as a precaution. On the heaviest bleeding days, I was changing my pad every 4 hours or so (basically every time I went to the bathroom), and on the lighter days I changed my pad often for cleanliness, but could have probably left the same one on all day without any issue.
During these two weeks, I heavily regretted getting the Mirena, and wanted it out ASAP. I even briefly considered pulling it out myself (don't do that). But as the bleeding starts to lighten up, I'm starting to feel a lot better about my decision.
The last note I'll mention is that you should never write off any strange feelings after getting your IUD. Maybe they are caused by the IUD, but they also could be caused by something else. I was having a sharp, stabbing pain in my lower right abdomen, and worried about IUD displacement. However the pain was more in the appendix area, so after a few days, I decided to go to the doctor. Turns out that I had the beginning of a kidney infection, something that I wouldn't have known if I didn't check it out.
Days 14 to 29
Well, it's official! My Mirena and I have been together officially for 1 month! Yay (not)!
I hate my Mirena, and can't wait to have it removed.
Sometimes I think I'm being a bit dramatic, except the horrible cramping and excessive bleeding I've been dealing with would beg to differ. Over the past 2 weeks I have been bleeding quite a bit. I even thought I had a light period last week, but this week I'm experiencing my regular PMS symptoms, which lets me know that my actual period is about to show up in a few days. All of this extra bleeding has me feeling weak and tired. Iron pills help a lot, but they also make me feel nauseous and constipated so ... not always worth the trade-off.
About four days ago, I thought that my bleeding had stopped, and was actually looking forward to not having to wear any pads or liners. But the joke was on me - as I was lying in bed, on my nice clean sheets, I felt something warm underneath me. Not only had I started bleeding again, but I also bled through my pants and onto my sheets and mattress. Luckily I have light sheets, and had some bleach cleaning spray handy.
Last night (day 28), I was out for a walk when I started to experience light cramping. I slowly made my way back home, thinking little of it. An hour later I was curled up on my bed in horrible pain. I normally get terrible period cramps, but this was unlike anything I've ever felt. My body broke out into cold sweats because of the amount of pain I was feeling. 3 extra-strength Advil later, I was able to fall asleep. But as I write this I can feel the mild cramping again, and I worry that either my IUD has embedded itself in my uterine lining, or that it is about to take a journey out of my cervix (best case scenario).
Since I got my Mirena I have been under a lot of additional unrelated stress, which has caused me to lose hair. And with the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc, I just cannot allow myself to get to the point where my Mirena becomes an emergency in our already overloaded healthcare system.
For this reason, along with the fact that I just can't take it anymore, I called my doctor and requested an appointment to have it removed. I know it will take some time for them to get around to it, but I don't mind the wait.
As always, I will update periodically. Check in to see what happens next!
xoxo, Jayy
Comments
Post a Comment