Mirena and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• May 7, 2010

For Birth Control "I have had this for about 5 months now. I had NO IDEA others were going through the same things I am. I am tired, moody, and have gained about 25 lbs. I have been working out more and couldn't figure out what was going on until now. I am dry during sex, not in the mood most of the time. Acne has been pretty bad, didn't know why that was either (don't usually have acne). For a few weeks now, my body feels like it is pregnant. The moods, tired, etc., but all tests say not pregnant. It makes me uncomfortable to have so many things going on."

• 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!"

• 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."

• JMa...
• August 20, 2020

For Birth Control "I have had the Mirena in for nearly 2 years. It was okay for the first few months, odd cramp here and there. 6 months after insertion, I got my first (of many) bacterial infections. Cramps, pain during sex, brown smelly discharge. It always cleared up with flagyl and cream. I can’t even count how many I have had since then. It’s awful. I have 0 sex drive which makes my partner and me feel awful. Every time I get spotting, it always puts fear in me that it could be something more sinister, which escalates my anxiety. I have made an appointment to get it removed, as I can't live like this anymore."

• JMa...
• August 20, 2020

For Birth Control "I have had the Mirena in for nearly 2 years. It was okay for the first few months, odd cramp here and there. 6 months after insertion, I got my first (of many) bacterial infections. Cramps, pain during sex, brown smelly discharge. It always cleared up with flagyl and cream. I can’t even count how many I have had since then. It’s awful. I have 0 sex drive which makes my partner and me feel awful. Every time I get spotting, it always puts fear in me that it could be something more sinister, which escalates my anxiety. I have made an appointment to get it removed, as I can't live like this anymore."

• 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!"

• Anonymous
• January 20, 2010

For Birth Control "I first would like to thank all of you that posted comments. After reading them, I felt I'm not alone. It's not just happening to me, there is nothing wrong with me. I'm 34, with one child and had Mirena for 5 months. The insertion was almost painless and the first month was fine. Right now, I have gained 10 lbs, loss of sex drive, have headaches, back pain, insomnia, constipation, hair loss and general depression - OF COURSE that's going to cause to have mood swings. I'm waiting on an appointment to have it removed. ANOTHER IMPORTANT ASPECT is that I had suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of my child 4 years ago and honestly I was worried that these side effects (especially depression) were a sign that I was still not okay."

• 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."

• 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."

• luc...
• January 23, 2016

For Birth Control "This is my experience so far for anyone considering a Mirena coil. I ummed and erred for months because of negative reviews, and my concerns were: 1) Would insertion hurt? The answer was no, I've had more painful cervical smears than the insertion of my Mirena coil. 2) Would it mess with my monthly cycle? Yes, it did. I bled constantly (in an array of colors!) for the obligatory three months that the GP told me to wait until my body got used to it. Then it was another month before I finally went back to my GP and said, 'Help.' She gave me a progesterone pill and told me to take it for a month. I only took it for one week! It did the job, I stopped bleeding and have gone on to a normal cycle. My periods only last a couple of days, do not hurt, and are light (just a smear of blood). I am 47, and compared to the heavy periods I was having before, it's a walk in the park. 3) Would I put on weight? No, not so far. I feel thinner around the middle. 4) Would I lose my sex drive? No, not so far. I was worried about this, however, I am happy to say that I have noticed no difference. Sex is just as welcome and enjoyable as before. 5) Would I get spots? No. The doctor told me that this was less likely because the hormonal content is tiny and localized to the womb. She was right. All in all, it was the right decision for me. I am very happy. I hope this post helps others."

• 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!"

• Mam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 10, 2014

For Birth Control "I decided to read the reviews for Mirena after I got it. Wow, am I ever glad I waited! Reviews that stated spotting for months, and painful intercourse would have been enough to put me off for sure. However, I've had a fantastic experience with Mirena so far. Spotted for 1.5 days (not months - DAYS) with only mild cramping. Intercourse after 3 days, and it was as enjoyable, if not more so than before. As I understand, it's better to have had children before using Mirena. I can see why - insertion would likely have been more painful had I not had 1 child. High recommendations, but of course, your doctor will know if Mirena is your best choice. Right down to the tilt of your uterus - there are many factors to take into consideration."

• TRM...
• March 10, 2013

For Birth Control "I got the Mirena in August of 2012 after having our 3 little blessings. Since then, I've had weird periods. One month, I bled almost a month, then wouldn't have one for 2 months, and when I did have a period, it lasted over 10 days. The past few months, I bleed after intercourse, and it is very painful afterwards, and hubby doesn't understand why I don't want to anymore. Also, sharp, constant pains in my lower abdominal area."

• Coo...
• January 29, 2013

For Birth Control "I had Mirena for a year. Insertion was a small pinch and not bad at all. I spotted the whole time I had it in, experienced more headaches, lower back aches, and cramping. The spotting wasn't really a lot, but I always had to wear a liner. My sex drive was low, and I would get panic attacks and have horrible mood swings. I also gained like 15 lbs. I had it taken out today, so I am hoping I feel better. My husband is happy I am getting it out, he said I just wasn't the same with it."

• 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."

• ZEN...
• June 17, 2015

For Birth Control "I had my 1st child in November 2014 and got Mirena in January 2015. I spotted for the 1st month and a half. I've had cramping, no sex drive, lack of energy, acne, hair itching, and gained 20 pounds in 4 months. I finally got Mirena removed today, 6/17/2015, and I already feel better. No cramps. I've been able to work from 5 am to 1:30, go to the gym, go shopping, and play with my baby without fatigue. The RN was giving me a hard time and stating my research is wrong and Mirena doesn't make women gain weight due to such low hormones, but I told her everyone's body is different, and this was not the right birth control for me. I told her even all my coworkers that have it right now are experiencing the same issues, so what does that tell you? She acted like she had an attitude because she couldn't talk me out of removing it, but I don't care, it's my body, my choice. I hope that this helps someone. If this is what it costs to not have a period, I'd rather have mine!"

• 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."

• mom...
• February 3, 2010

For Birth Control "Well, I have always been a little heavy... not an avid athlete or calorie cruncher. However, when I had the IUD put in 4 years ago, I was only 10 lbs. from my pre-baby weight. Since then, I have gotten progressively moody, have close to no sex drive, and have gained close to fifty pounds! I was told that these were not side effects by my doctor. When I told him that I was having mood problems, he prescribed me Prozac. (My OB/GYN) Now that I have read some reviews, I realized that maybe I am not crazy... I had no pain when inserted and have had no periods since I had it put in, which is great. There has been a clear discharge, almost monthly, some odor, and I have absolutely no bladder control. Time to take it out!"

• Che...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 23, 2020

For Birth Control "Was no pain getting it put in or taken out. I removed it after two months. Gained weight, snappy, low sex drive, highs and lows, and really made me feel crazy and hungry and bloated. I wasn’t myself at all. Totally altered my mood. It did not work for me."

• MsL...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 19, 2013

For Birth Control "I am 47 years old. I had my Mirena removed today after 5 years. The removal was easy and painless. I had a really good experience with this method of birth control. However, my sex drive was very low, and I experienced minor contractions (that's what I call them). They were more intense than cramps, nothing that a couple of Motrin couldn't handle. After the second year, my period completely stopped, I still had PMS but no bleeding for the next 3 years. I'm taking a break trying the pill again for 3 months. Any problems, I will not hesitate to have another Mirena inserted."

• 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."

• Bet...
• July 13, 2015

For Birth Control "I had the Mirena inserted 6 months ago, and slowly but surely, my mood and mental state have been deteriorating ever since. Where I would normally have PMS, I now cry so much I can't go to work or even answer the phone. My mood crashes with the suddenness and intensity of having a bucket of ice water poured over my head. My sex drive is gone. And this for something the doctors keep saying doesn't influence your moods because the hormones are localized in the body!? And when I finally got hold of someone from Mirena themselves, they just told me to go on anti-depressants. I can't wait to get it out of me tomorrow."

• JoM...
• June 24, 2021

For Birth Control "I was suffering very long and heavy bleeding once my second child was weaned off and periods had come back. So it seemed a good idea to try the coil. The insertion was quite painful, and I had some cramping and bleeding, but it was manageable. However, what I didn't expect were all the side effects I was having. Hair loss, bad headaches, bad skin, backache, joint ache (couldn't run without knee pain... I have never had knee pain in my life), hot flushes, mood swings, teary, and it reduced my sex drive to nothing. I have had it in for almost a year now, and while some of the symptoms have gone, like the headaches and hot flushes, the hair loss, mood swings, joint aches, and low sex drive have stayed with me. It helped with my overall health in terms of having no periods, and therefore I had no other illnesses, but the sum of all side effects outweighs the benefits in my case."

• Tyg...
• July 30, 2013

For Birth Control "I switched to this because I was tired of forgetting to take the pill and had horrific side effects from the ring. I've used it for a couple of years now. Pros: Most convenient method of birth control I've tried, since you don't have to remember anything. My periods immediately became lighter and stopped after about 6 months, very few emotional or sexual side effects that I've noticed. Cons: a little cramping and nausea in the first few months, a little weight gain in the beginning, but I lost it easily, painful when first inserted. Overall, I am glad I chose this method."