Mirena and Depression: What Users Say

• Jus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2020

For Birth Control "I have issues with hormones any time I have been pregnant or been on birth control. I get every bad side effect possible. I was hopeful for this one. I had it in for a month and had severe headaches, cystic acne (literally all over my face & no wash would make it go away), constantly felt light-headed/dizzy, nauseous, zero sex drive, horrible mood swings, my period lasted 12 days and I was constantly bleeding, horrible stomach pains randomly when I moved certain ways. This medication made my anxiety & depression worse. So bad that I couldn’t be around my 4-year-old son because I’d get so anxious I'd have a panic attack. One day at three weeks of having it in, I had such a bad panic attack over literally nothing. I had to lay down in a dark room with a fan on me. I got so worked up I passed out. Do your research. There are a lot of harmful things that can happen when being on the Mirena IUD that they don’t tell you at the doctor. Do your research!"

• She...
• June 6, 2020

For Birth Control "I got the Mirena IUD placed 7 weeks after my second son was born. I heard good things about it from the girls I worked with. They told me they loved it. Placement was pretty painful, even though I just gave birth 7 weeks prior to it. I bled constantly for 2 and a half months. After that, the bleeding only happened when my monthly flow was coming. When it came, it was pretty heavy and would last 7-8 days. My periods were right on schedule monthly. Then I started feeling fatigue, anxiety, massive mood swings, depression, insomnia. I had to push myself to get out of bed and take care of my children. Around month 9, I started getting blurred vision. I had blurred vision when I was on the pill after my first child was born. I knew it was the IUD causing all this. I had it removed 2 days ago. I spotted a little after removal. But now have a full heavy flow. My mood has changed a lot already. I’m calmer like I used to be. Not 100% back to myself yet, but removing it was the best thing I did."

• del...
• August 9, 2009

For Birth Control "I'm 27 years old and the mother of two boys. I had the Mirena inserted one and a half years ago. The insertion was fine, mild cramping, but for the last year and a half I have experienced depression, bad acne, weight gain of about ten kilos, mood swings. Six months ago once my periods stopped altogether the symptoms got worse. I began having stomach cramps, nausea on most days, painful breasts and diminished libido and when it was supposed to be that time of the month my abdomen would bloat. I had Mirena removed last week and feel like a new person. I'm already losing weight and all the other symptoms have vanished."

• Liv...
• October 5, 2019

For Birth Control "I had my Mirena inserted in March 2017 because my husband and I didn’t want any more kids. The insertion wasn’t bad, it didn’t bother me. I had irregular bleeding for about 2 months, then no more periods. I had a healthy sex drive that crumbled with Mirena. I thought it was unrelated to the Mirena, my doctor said it couldn’t be the Mirena. I couldn’t lose weight and always felt bloated. My skin was constantly breaking out with acne. My husband and I agreed for him to get a vasectomy. I had the Mirena taken out in August 2019. I didn’t even feel him take it out. A) I started to lose weight and that constant bloated feeling. B) My sex drive is back to what it used to be, I felt broken for over 2 years. C) My skin is clear. D) I have energy and lost that feeling of depression and fatigue. Listen to your body, everyone is different. My doctor tried to convince me to keep it in, but I chose what was best for me. Some women love it, some hate it. This is my personal experience with Mirena."

• tin...
• January 26, 2010

For Birth Control "I have had the Mirena for about 2 years now and have had nothing but problems with it. My hair is falling out. I have gained weight. I don't want to have sex. I'm depressed. I now have anxiety attacks. I haven't had a period since getting it but I would rather have one than be moody all the time!"

• Cri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 10, 2020

For Birth Control "7 months since insertion. Pros: no pregnancy so far, don’t have to remember to take pills or shots, etc., no condoms. Cons: irregular, erratic bleeding, cramping, back pain, damn near growing a beard, no sex drive (and my husband is hot), weight gain, depression, anxiety, angry all the time, no motivation, a deep desire to lay in bed and sleep all day, every day, months of bleeding, an altered sense of my normal reality. Overall: I hate it!!! I want to feel like me again, but the doc keeps saying to wait it out. What am I waiting for?.... complete loss of confidence and self-worth?"

• Jhr...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 21, 2020

"This... omg, this has been enlightening. 1.) 30+ lbs. I have gained almost 50 lbs, but I lost almost 20 again. I have literally been working so hard to lose weight. 2.) Acne? Yes! Bad, bad cystic acne. 3.) Pain, tingling, weakness, and numbness on one side of my body. 4.) Infections. 5.) Mood swings/depression. 6.) Cramping/bloating. 7.) Stomach pain. 8.) Pain/cramping after sex. 9.) Low birth weight/premature birth of my daughter. 10.) I am honestly shocked, devastated, and determined to remove it after finding out this is all from Mirena. This is my 3rd Mirena, and I went from the 120s to the 170s and now am back to the 160-ish. I have been through so much with this, it’s unreal. Don’t do it."

• Lis...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 26, 2019

For Birth Control "Sure, it is true I did not get pregnant while using Mirena. However, the quality of life is so absolutely poor I truly wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. Effects include and are not limited to: severe depression, intolerable headaches, nausea and inability to eat, inexplicable weight gain, extreme fatigue/lack of energy, no desire to exercise, aches, soreness, anxiety, and fear. My doctor wouldn't even listen to what I had to say, dismissing it as “other problems” I must've had previously. I legitimately never write reviews, but I feel compelled to warn women."

• lav...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 22, 2020

"I would not recommend Mirena to anyone. I gave it 1.5 years, and it has made me depressed, anxious, overly emotional, hurts my relationships with friends and family. I am irritable, have a complete loss of sex drive, and feel disconnected from the people around me. It has been long enough, and my period, although light, is abnormal and lasts for a month and then doesn't come back for months. I have pain with sex, pain before period, and an increase in depression before period."

• Dow...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 29, 2019

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "Ever since I got this thing, I’ve been bleeding and cramping, depressed, and have a low sex drive. Getting this has been one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made. I was talked into it, instead of having my heavy period problem actually remedied, I was given this bad idea of a device. This has made my bleeding problem out of control. I haven’t stopped bleeding since I got it. I went to the doctor for help with heavy bleeding, and now every day since placement has been a nightmare. It seems women have been brainwashed into thinking it’s okay to be in pain. As a woman, having this thing makes me question how much society actually cares about women. Insertion was so painful I became dizzy, nauseous, and almost passed out. I had to be given a shot for the pain before I left the office. And this is normal?! No. Advice? DON’T DO IT!"

• KPa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 7, 2019

For Birth Control "I had a Mirena for 5.5 years. The last 2 months have been devastating with a Mirena crash after removal. I also had anxiety and gut issues for 5 years. These Mirena side effects gradually developed, so I didn’t link it, and doctors dismissed it (my gut is fine now after removal!). Two weeks after removal, the crash hit. I'm overwhelmed with anxiety, depression, brain fog, headaches, and sore throat. I can't function. I think my body has stopped making progesterone (in the brain, adrenals, and ovaries) because I have had the artificial form from Mirena for 5+ years. It’s not localized hormone and isn't metabolized the same. When it’s removed, your body is thrown into a severe imbalance that takes months to rectify. I’m still healing and feel frustrated that 5 years of anxiety and gut issues could also have been avoided. These issues aren’t rare, and it’s affecting a large percentage of women. I hope this warns people or gives comfort to those going through it. I’m gradually getting better with acupuncture and naturopathy to balance my hormones, but it’s been real hard."

• bec...
• June 27, 2014

For Birth Control "I have had Mirena for almost 3 years now. Getting it removed on Monday for sure. I suffer from depression, but ever since I got the Mirena, it has gotten worse, and my anxiety attacks keep coming and coming. I have severe headaches that cause my vision to be blurry in one eye, and my left side of my body goes numb. It's very scary, and I can't live like this anymore."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 10, 2015

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I'm 38 and have been a heavy bleeder for most of my life. Soaking pads and tampons many times day and night. I tried birth control pills to control my bleeding, but they made me depressed and I had to stop them. I tried the Mirena and was shocked at how fast my periods stopped. Just unbelievable that in two months I went from soaking pads and tampons chronically to wearing a small liner daily. It was a small pinch getting it in and well worth it. I really thought there was hope for my bleeding, and it has been gone for 5 months now. The first 2 months I had little periods. Then they stopped altogether. This Mirena really works. Hang with it for a few months, and your period will be gone."

• Che...
• January 20, 2021

For Birth Control "I can honestly say that the Mirena IUD almost ruined my life, and even now, 4 years after having it removed, I'm still having problems that I never had before I got it inserted. I had the Mirena IUD for a year. I noticed drastic changes in my mood. I had the worst depression of my life, and it shattered my sex drive entirely, to the point I didn't even want to be hugged by my boyfriend. Not to mention, the string never softened as I was told it would and constantly cut my boyfriend during intercourse. Within a month of removing it, my mood drastically improved, but I didn't start getting my period again until 2 years later. I now suffer from incredibly irregular periods that I didn't have before. Sometimes I go half a year without one. Recently, I had a horrible month-long period where I was bleeding through the highest absorbency tampon you could buy in less than 45 minutes, as well as menstrual cramps where the pain reached all the way up to my chest."

• Aud...
• December 2, 2016

For Birth Control "I am almost 24, and I have never been pregnant. I also work at an OB/GYN (so I have access to good information and doctors). I was on the pill, then the NuvaRing, and back on the pill. These methods made me lose my libido, and I started going through waves of depression. I was going to do Paragard to get rid of the hormones in my body. My doc advised trying Mirena instead, and I followed her advice. I took painkillers before and after the procedure. I also scheduled for the near end of my cycle. The pain on a scale of 1-10 would have been about a 6 (and that lasted about 1 minute). I went back to work, and I feel pretty normal. Everyone is different, don't let reviews sway your opinion, talk to a doctor first. Will follow up in a few months."

• Bal...
• October 18, 2019

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "Got my Mirena inserted in April '19, today is Oct. 17, roughly over 6 months. So far, all the days were nothing but one horrible pain covered with never-ending bleeding. I will dismiss my headaches, almost like horrible pressure and cystic acne (always been envied of my skin), nausea, mood swings, insomnia, feeling depressed, and lack of libido. However, I can’t believe that something that small could put me through this hell. What else can this be called if for the past 6 months I didn’t wear a pad maybe for 5 days tops? This past week it got so heavy and long with so many huge clots, I feel more insecure than I’ve ever had on my worst period day. My spouse is very supportive, but it’s me that is losing patience with it and about to lose my marbles. Will call my gyno the first thing tomorrow morning to have it removed and won’t leave the room until I see it outside my body. I refuse to be so naive as to be told to wait months to see results. Will keep you posted once I have it out."

• Agr...
• September 22, 2019

For Birth Control "I lost 3 years of my life due to using a Mirena. In 2015, I got the IUD. A few months later, I sought help for depression. I had become deeply depressed and in such a dark place. I had had some depression before in my life, but this was a deep depression that made me question my existence. My depression got worse over the next 3 years. My doctor put me on an antipsychotic to help with depression. I gained about 45 lbs from the antipsychotic. My depression got worse, and I was at my lowest. In 2018, I looked up Mirena on the internet and saw many stories and studies about it being linked to depression. I talked to my doctor, who assured me the progesterone in the Mirena was localized and could not be the cause. In November of 2018, I had it removed. Around January 2019, I was a completely different person! I had lifted from the cloud of darkness. I returned to the person I was in 2014, before the Mirena. I have been depression-free ever since having it removed."

• Ven...
• April 14, 2015

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I have had it since September 2014. I am 40 and have had problems with heavy bleeding, frequent periods, painful cramps, and depression during PMS since age 35. This has been great for relief of all my symptoms. Until my doctor mentioned this, I was looking at having a D & C done. I have had no weight gain, I actually lost 5 pounds. Some spotting in the beginning, but very light periods now. No more depression the week before my period. It was a very positive experience for me."

• Pam...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 12, 2020

For Birth Control "I've had the Mirena almost 3 years. I can't get this thing out fast enough! I'm scheduled to have it removed tomorrow and switching to the NuvaRing. Honestly, the best part was no period with only very slight spotting once a month. It did prevent pregnancy. About 6-8 months ago, I noticed a lot of symptoms like anger, depression, anxiety, excessive sweating, headaches lasting a week, but the WORST was hair loss. My hair became very brittle to the point I had to cut it short to blend in the breakage. I went to see my OB doctor 2 weeks ago to get it removed, and she didn't seem to believe the Mirena was causing these symptoms and refused to remove it until I get a second opinion with a rheumatologist, which now I'm scheduled to see next week. My OB finally agreed to take the Mirena out since my estrogen level came back very low. I'm just praying my hair starts to get back to normal with the NuvaRing. I rate it 3 stars just because I loved no period."

• Mic...
• October 9, 2015

For Birth Control "I decided to switch from the pill to Mirena because I was not great at remembering to take the pill, and I am 21 and not ready to have a baby, so I wanted something I could not forget to take. I went online and read reviews and almost did not go through with it because, even though there were some great reviews, the bad ones terrified me, especially because I had a lot of problems on multiple birth control pills before (depression, mood swings, sore breasts, etc.). The initial procedure for me was not bad at all, and the pain was less than a normal period cramp. Since then, I have had no pain and no adverse side effects, and I have nothing but great things to say. So much better than the pill, and honestly, the best decision I have made about bc."

• Anonymous
• October 20, 2015

For Birth Control "I had Mirena put in in January of 2015, and I have an appointment to get it taken out next week. I'm really upset that this didn't work for me. I have always used the pill, but after a while, I decided to try something new. The insertion was pretty simple, and it didn't hurt that much. The cramping was very mild. After a few months, I still felt really crampy, but I held out hope that it would subside. It never did. I'm a fairly active person; going to the gym at least four times per week, and I still managed to gain 35 pounds since the insertion. I also would get crippling migraines, mood swings that led to serious bouts of depression, and my sex drive is pretty much nonexistent. Mirena has been extremely effective; the side effects were just too much."

• Lau...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 12, 2021

For Birth Control "I have tried pill after pill, and each time I am left feeling depressed, anxious, and not myself. The last pill I took left me feeling out of whack for 3 months after stopping. After that, I decided it was time to look for a different form of birth control. I was recommended the Mirena IUD. I was absolutely terrified and worried that I would feel out of body again. Hate to break it to you, the insertion was pretty painful, but let me tell you, so worth it. I have now had my IUD for about a month. I feel perfectly fine, nothing painful or odd. My first period with the IUD was completely manageable, minor cramps at most. I feel protected, comfortable, and most importantly, myself. Again, EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. But I would seriously recommend the Mirena."

• Mom...
• October 27, 2019

For Birth Control "I had the Mirena put in because I had severe periods because of my endometriosis. It wasn’t fun to put in, but similar to a pap, I guess. Felt sick to my stomach and had cramping afterwards. Was happy to have my husband with me. After 6 months, I went for a follow-up and had a lot of the bad symptoms (severe depression, excessive weight gain, excessive water retention, cysts). The positive: had light periods, not very regular, but so much better than it was. The pain from my endo was so much better. But the negative side effects were nothing I could live with. It’s not been a year and a half, and I’m going to get it removed. I had to take time off my career (I’m self-employed) to focus on my mental health. I gained about 30 pounds and cannot get rid of it no matter how I try. I have a trainer, nutritionist, nothing helps! I now have trouble getting out of bed. Loss of all motivation and will. This is horrible for me! Will follow up with results!"

• mon...
• February 11, 2013

For Birth Control "I got the Mirena about a year and a half ago, and everything started out great. I had a couple of periods, and then they stopped, which was nice! The only downside was at about a year in, I started to get very depressed and have anxiety attacks. They just came out of nowhere. So I got the Mirena taken out about a month ago, and the symptoms have gone."

• Anonymous
• June 15, 2009

For Birth Control "I have been on Mirena for over a year now and have experienced some side effects. Side effects to watch out for are severe mood swings, hair loss, depression, acne, dizziness, headaches, memory loss, and insomnia."