Re: Anyone else using Mirena IUD for endo pain, and your experiences with ovarian cysts?
From: Tara (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sat Oct 8 13:46:28 2005
Hi, I just had the Mirena placed yesterday for my adenomyosis. It was
much more painful than I expected as I kept popping Ibuprofen until I
was at 800mg although I should have gone up to 1000mg because even at
that I felt like I was in hard labor. Already had 3 kids. Took two
doses of Ponstell next and woke up at 2:00 am with pain again and took
800mg of Ibuprofen again. Woke up with lots of bleeding (read flooding)
and yucky clots. Took 400mg ibu this morning as pain was lessening, but
I seem to feel the device in my uterus. Very gross.
As a note I had already been bleeding for almost 2 weeks straight when
the device went in so already a pretty nasty period. I asked my doc if
I could take Seasonale along with the Mirena to see if that would reduce
the bleeding from Mirena. She was cool with it and said I could finish
my leftover pack of 1 month Seasonale. Took Seasonale over the summer,
but stopped for a plane flight because I was terrified of having a blood
clot mid-air. I was a bit paranoid I guess. I'm 38 and have a familial
history of strokes so the estrogen component made me too nervous to
continue using it. I was excited about the Mirena though since it had
the same ingredient (levonogesteral) as Seasonale which seemed to be
about the only BCP I could tolerate emotionally.
My question to you ladies is anyone else taking a BCP along with their
Mirena? If so what has been your experience? I'm terrified of putting on
10,000 pounds and becoming a raging bitch, but I'd like to avoid the 3-6
months of bleeding that normally comes with Mirena. I will risk the
temporary clot risk to avoid anymore bleeding.
--
Tara
At Sun, 31 Jul 2005, Jennifer wrote:
>
>At Sun, 18 Jul 2004, Monica wrote:
>>
>>At Sat, 6 Mar 2004, Carrie wrote:
>>>
>>>I am new to these boards and would like to post on my experience with
>>>endo. I was diagnosed 2 years ago after a laporoscopy and cautery. I
>>>had a "hunch" that it would be endometriosis as my mother has it, as
>>>does my auntie. I have suffered painful, heavy and irregular periods
>>>since I first began menstruating as a teen and also have cycles of
>>>diarrhea and constipation, though never been scoped or diagnosed with
>>>IBS. My experiences over the years with BC pills have been negative.
>>>Even on lower dose brands like Alesse, I would find myself becoming fat,
>>>weepy, neurotic and depressed, however I did find symptomatic relief
>>>from pain with the pill. After waiting for almost a year, I managed to
>>>get into an Endometriosis & Pelvic Pain Clinic, which I am very grateful
>>>for. I have found a very supportive physician who actually listens to
>>>me. While friends of mine who also suffer endo have had issues with the
>>>medical community not taking their pain seriously, I guess I have been
>>>lucky in my encounters with them. Maybe it's because I'm also an RN, I
>>>am able to have frank discussions with my care providers regarding my
>>>care. Anyway, because I am only at Stage 1-2 of endo, and cannot
>>>emotionally tolerate the pill, my specialist has laid out my medical
>>>options as being more surgery to look for adhesions/cysts, more NSAIDS
>>>(do they ever do a number on my tummy though), or the Mirena IUD. While
>>>IUDs are usually contraindicated for endometriosis because they tend to
>>>cause heavy bleeding and cramping, the Mirena will eventually and
>>>hopefully stop me from bleeding heavily, if at all. Since I have had it
>>>inserted though, I have had nothing but pain. Cramping pain, stabbing
>>>pain, pain that makes me empathize with men who get kicked in the
>>>testes. Emotionally, I am not noticing the birth control side effects
>>>since Mirena acts locally on the uterus and is not circulating in the
>>>blood stream in a very high quantity. However, being house bound in the
>>>fetal position, and missing many shifts of work due to the pain, is
>>>taking it's toll. Insertion was uncomfortable, because I have no
>>>children, my doc ended up having to anesthetize my cervix to get the IUD
>>>in, and I did feel mildly shaken up afterward.
>>>To get to my point though, I'm wondering if anyone else has had an
>>>experience like mine. The pain after insertion grew to be intolerable
>>>enough to send me to the clinic for tylenol 3, I began to think I had a
>>>possible cervical infection, but with the absence of fever, it wasnt
>>>likely. Turned out, I has been partially expelling my IUD. Ultrasound
>>>showed I had passed the body of the device about 2 cm down into my
>>>cervix, just short of it dangling into my vagina. My doctor, on my
>>>isistance put me on antibiotics prophelactically and pushed the IUD back
>>>into uterus. Infection risk was low, so I was game to try again. Turns
>>>out I now have a cyst growing on my right ovary (where a great deal of
>>>pain and pressure has been) and while it was only ovary sized in
>>>January, it appeared almost as large as my uterus in February on the
>>>ultrasound. We are assuming this is just a progesterone-cyst, a normal
>>>(but abnormally large and rapidly growing) thing and that it will be
>>>re-absorbed by my body. While the cervical pain is gone and the IUD
>>>seems to be doing its thing (though I have now been bleeding/heavily
>>>spotting for almost 2 1/2 months now), I am getting increasing
>>>discomfort in my right side, causing me to miss more work. I know this
>>>is a long post, but I am hoping that maybe one of the doctors in the
>>>forum may be able to give me any indication that this has happened to
>>>other women. How can you tell if one of these cysts is going away or if
>>>it has burst? Can they change from fluid filled to a chocolate cyst if
>>>there is internal bleeding? I get no relief from this discomfort with
>>>naproxyn, diclofenac or tylenol. While I am a medical proferssional
>>>myself, gynecology is not really my scope of practice. I have the
>>>basics, but really want to arm myself with knowledge about my disease.
>>>Anyone out there who can relate to this, please do! This disease, like
>>>any, is different for each individual, and I know I am using a
>>>relatively unconventional treatment method, so I'd just like some
>>>feedback.
>>>~cheers~
>>
>>I also had a large cyst (18 cms long) develop IN my ovary within 3 wks.
>>I had the Mirena insterted for 5 mos when this happenned, and had it
>>inserted 2 months after delivering my last child by C section
>
>Hi,
>I too was diagnosed with endometriosis and, after surgery to remove it,
>ended up having a mirena as it appears that I also have adenomyosis..
>The Mirena seemed like a good choice at the time-- anything that might
>reduce bleeding and symptoms was worth a try! I've had the mirena for 8
>months now and in that time I've had two cysts in my right ovary. The
>first cyst I was unaware of until it burst (called a 'cyst accident'
>apparently)-- this was incredibly painful-- you'd know if this happens!
>The second time I had symptoms similar to having a UTI or appendicitis.
>Upon US they found a 4.2cm cyst and I'm waiting to see if it goes away.
>Like you I am interested in others' experiences of treating endo with
>Mirena...
>Cheers.
![[ endo@obgyn.net ]](../../images/endo_at_obgyn.gif)