*headslap*

[shadesong]

The weight gain and the craziness?

It's the Mirena IUD.

You have no idea how much better I feel, knowing that.

I am getting this thing removed upon my return from the wilds of Florida.

Comments

[pixelmonster.livejournal.com]

I did the same with my NuvaRing last week upon the same effects happening to me, ormones and fibro-brain= bad combo:) If you find something that works, lemme know!

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

IUD = The Evil

I am glad you are having it removed. If you'd ever like to be bored to tears, I can tell you the long awful saga of mine...although I'm pretty sure such a telling is banned by the Geneva Convention!

Removal is unpleasant, but then woo, you are going to feel better.

[dindin.livejournal.com]

Mirena isn't associated with weight gain. Mood swings are possible, just really rare.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Not officially associated, but Google turned up lots of reports of Mirena weight gain...

[dindin.livejournal.com]

You know anecdotes don't equal data. I'm sorry you're struggling with your weight, but it's really unlikely it's the Mirena. I'm not even saying don't get it taken out, just to look at other reasons you're gaining weight.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

You know anecdotes don't equal data.

...but I also know that I'm the queen of unlisted side effects. Witness my first and second neuros telling me that the loss of 30 pounds in two months was unrelated to the Lamictal...

I'm checking out the iud_divas community now, and finding still more. It seems to be pretty well taken for granted there that Mirena causes weight gain, specifically abdominal weight gain... links on my screen right now:

http://community.livejournal.com/iud_divas/839237.html
http://community.livejournal.com/iud_divas/772662.html

One comment that jumped out at me: "One problem I've had with side-effects from medication is that they generally only use healthy people (or people with only the condition being studied) in trials, so there's rarely information on how medication interacts with (other) medical conditions, even common ones. I've got ME/CFIDS, a serious condition which often makes sufferers respond badly to most medication, and which is very little researched. When I first went to the Family Planning Clinic wanting contraception seven years ago, they recommended Depo Provera and I asked what the side effects were like and if they'd had anyone with ME on it. They said that it was pretty harmless and that they'd had several girls with ME who were fine. I then proceeded to get diabolical side effects, including a host of menopausal-type symptoms, and a severe worsening in the ME and my general health, but the FPC refused to log these side effects as being caused by the Depo because they hadn't heard of their being caused by Depo before (although a few other doctors had, at least for some things like the hair loss). As a result, they're probably still telling ME sufferers that they're not risking anything on Depo, although medical opinion on Depo has changed quite a bit by now so I hope they're being more sensible."

ME/CFIDS is very closely related to fibromyalgia. At my rheumatologist's office yesterday, he asked if I'd tried Flexeril...

Me: "Yep. A full tablet knocks me on my butt for a day and a half."
Him: "Aha! You pass the fibro stress test."
Me, laughing: "Excuse me?"
Him: "People with fibro tend to be *very* sensitive to certain medications, much more so than the general population. What you describe is the usual response in fibromyalgia."

I didn't think to mention the fibro to my gynecologist in Atlanta, because I didn't know it could be relevant. Of course, judging by the commenter's experience, she wouldn't necessarily have known.

[diamonddustshoe.livejournal.com]

"People with fibro tend to be *very* sensitive to certain medications, much more so than the general population. What you describe is the usual response in fibromyalgia."

*nods emphatically*

I wind up asking for the lowest possible dose of everything and then breaking it half. Thank you for confirming this for me; I have run into some who get in a huff when I want to start meds low and one at a time. "How can we help you when you won't cooperate...(blah blah)." I want to know how they can help me if they're not listening...who's been walking around in these bodies all this time, anyway?

[rhiannonhero.livejournal.com]

I also had doctors tell me for years that birth control pills weren't the cause of my yeast infections, but lo and behold, within two weeks of stopping birth control pills, my previously chronic yeast infection went away entirely and I've never had one since! So, really, even if a symptom isn't officially "associated" with a medicine in general, it doesn't mean that it can't be associated in the specific individual, and 'song makes a good point about the interactions between meds, and the difference between well people and sick people, etc. I think it is interesting that the weight gain came on right after she put in the IUD, so....

[ahf.livejournal.com]

What led you to this conclusion?

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

A friend's LJ post about her issue with her Mirena.

[omnia-mutantur.livejournal.com]

Most of the time I love my Mirena, because I'm not incapacitated for one week a month, and it's definitely been less crazy-making than being on the pill. The rest of the time, I wonder if I'd be/feel even better without it.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the pill drove me batshit crazy. That, and it gave me migraines like whoa. :(

[omnia-mutantur.livejournal.com]

I started getting migraines two months after I had my Mirena put in. So far, they're only once a month and respond well to Imitrex (I had no idea how poorly the Relpax worked until I switched off of it), so I'm considering it mostly worth the trade.

I wish there was a good answer, rather than a least-bad answer to reproductive systems woes. I hope taking it out helps.

[tempestteapot.livejournal.com]

I had one of those things. *ugh* Getting it out was the happiest day...well not of my life...but close.

I'm STILL working to drop the fricking 15lbs it made me gain.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

How long have you had it out?

[tempestteapot.livejournal.com]

Since February or so I think. Though I will be honest that my 'working out' has been a bit lackluster. But at least I'm no longer bi-polar. Me and birth control drugs don't mix nicely apparently.

[mrf-arch.livejournal.com]

Knowing, or suspecting? Have you confirmed that the Cymbalta wasn't at fault?

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Strongly suspecting... and it's continued post-Cymbalta.

[chelona.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I have loved my copper-only IUD. I was very against any hormones because of my bad experiences with Depo.

Good luck with your Mirena.

[fiddledragon]

hrm...

I haven't had any problems with my IUD...but I have been struggling with weight gain...specifically since starting trileptal. Since they cut my dose in half and added topomax, I dropped a bunch, but not all, and definitely not in my belly.

But...I don't have what 'Song's got going on, just whatever is what *is* going on with my body....and...my Mirena's due to come out in a year and a half....so I have some time to think and do research.

The copper is ok? The reason I didn't go that route was because I was worried about heavier/more painful flow. The hormones in Mirena have (for me) not been an issue, and I had a HORRIBLE response to the pill.

[chelona.livejournal.com]

I like the copper quite a bit. I can't say that my periods are any more heavy or painful than they were before. I have developed endometriosis, but that is not related to the IUD. The copper one can last twice as long, is covered by more insurance companies, and generally has less side effects. But if Mirena isn't causing you a problem, then maybe just get another one of those?

[fiddledragon]

Well, and that's the question...because the more health problems that develop (because they are getting worse) the less optional chemicals I want in my body...so...when this one needs to be replaced, I may think seriously about replacing it with the copper one. I do *really* like having the IUD. I like not having to think about my bc...because my brain and remembering things (although pills at this point are a non issue anymore other than that whole side effect thing) are really a bad idea :)

Thanks!

[glowkitty]

For some reason, I thought you had a copper one. I've had Mirena since November and I love it, except for the greasy hair and face that I've since developed. I was crazy and fat before I got it, so I haven't noticed any changes in those departments. ;) Sorry you're having a shitty experience with it.

[gows.livejournal.com]

IMO, synthetic hormones=the devil.

Non-hormonal IUDs, however? Rockin' the casbah.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

glad you've narrowed down a cause and that it's something easily fixable.

[aki-dreaming.livejournal.com]

I see Ahnold...
My brain is completely broken.

[storme]

Depo really did unhappy things to me in that direction too. Weight gain, crazy exacerbation of my (pre-existing) bipolarity. I started hallucinating towards the end of my 2.5-year span on the stuff, even.

Brr.

[slipjig.livejournal.com]

Oh, good gravy....

[never1eighty.livejournal.com]

I've got a Mirena and the only time I've had crazy was when I was also taking Lyrica. No weight gain though. I hope removing it helps.