Mirena coil fact or fiction

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Jenny1
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Jan 22, 2012 11:55 pm
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by Jenny1 on Mon Aug 20, 2012 8:12 pm

Mirena coil fact or fiction

Hi,
As I am considering the mirena coil I have some questions about it.I have heavy periods,also had complex endometrial hyperplasia without atypia and now have a return of spotting between periods so is it suitable?.
I have not had a child and so would it be very difficult (and Painful?) to insert?.Would I need to take the rest of the day off work?.
How long does it take to settle down in general.My biggest fear is weight gain,hear people either put on a lot of weight due to an increased appetite or can't lose any weight while on it.How common is this?.
If it does cause unacceptable side effects I know it can be easily removed but how long does it take for the drug to get out of the system?.
Also if it is in there for so long does it lead to an increased risk of infections?.Thanks for the advice.

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Dr Sarah Gray
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:27 am
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by Dr Sarah Gray on Mon Aug 20, 2012 11:44 pm

Re: Mirena coil fact or fiction

If you have had endometrial hyperplasia a mirena coil is a treatment that reduces the chance that the endometrial cells will become cancerous and hence it would be a very good idea for protection, to reduce bleeding and would provide contraception. Generally I find that I have little difficulty in fitting these coils even to women who have had no children but would usually offer some local anaesthetic. This will make it much easier if you are tense but you may still have a low level period type pain afterwards as the muscular wall of the womb may cramp a little. This is usually settled by simple painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen but you may choose not to work just for the rest of the day if this would be strenuous.
Dr Sarah Gray
Primary Care Lead for NHS Cornwall for Women's Health and Cancer

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