HRT plus IUD

[Anonymous]

Wondering if any women are on HRT with an IUD. I've been on estrogen only HRT for a year or so because I have a mirena that has progesterone ... but my doctor said that since my IUD is now 5 years old, I should start adding in progesterone. I'm wondering if others are hearing the same and, if so, what dosage/type they are using. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

I have a copper iud and hrt but I understand plenty of women have Mirena and take estradiol and progesterone for symptomatic relief. If the doc thinks the Mirena isn’t producing hormones, I don’t see the point of keeping it in - does the doc think it’s still effective for contraception? Weird I think. I like 200 mg progesterone taken cyclically with .1 estradiol but it’s individual I think what works for each person.

[Anonymous]

I’m on the patch and mirena IUD. I started with progesterone pills but was bleeding on them so my doc suggested mirena. I just got it about a month ago and I’d not previously ever had an IUD. So far, so good.

[Anonymous]

I started with oral progesterone then moved from the copper IUD to the mirena IUD because adding the hormones restarted my period which I didn’t want to have. It’s my understanding that the amount of progesterone provided by the IUD diminishes over time. It can still be enough for effective birth control, but not enough for HRT purposes. Though when it came time to need to supplement with oral progesterone, I would just get a new IUD.

[Anonymous]

I have a Liletta and use estradiol gel. Works for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a copper iud and hrt but I understand plenty of women have Mirena and take estradiol and progesterone for symptomatic relief. If the doc thinks the Mirena isn’t producing hormones, I don’t see the point of keeping it in - does the doc think it’s still effective for contraception? Weird I think. I like 200 mg progesterone taken cyclically with .1 estradiol but it’s individual I think what works for each person.

Different poster and not on HRT but do have a Mirena. Yes, even when the hormones subside the Mirena IUD has been studied and is effective in preventing pregnancy for up to eight years. The presence of the IUD and the low levels of hormones do enough to thin the urine lining. I’m on year 6, and while the hormones are lower and I get a period every month it’s a very, very light period. Clearly the IUD is doing its job of thinning the uterine lining and there’s no way that it would support an embryo.

Pre Mirena my periods were seven days and varied between medium and heavy days. With Mirena, it’s 1 to 3 days of very light spotting. It’s night and day.

[Anonymous]

Dr. said my chances of pregnancy were so low at this point (54 and no period for 8 months) I shouldn’t worry about it. Had IUD removed.

[Anonymous]

I’m considering replacing my copper IUD with mirena and my doctor also noted that the progesterone released by mirena only lasts about 5 years. If I do it, I guess I’ll just reassess my options at that point. I’m also struggling with heavy periods on oral progesterone (and estradiol patches).

For anyone currently on mirena—have you experienced any side effects?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m considering replacing my copper IUD with mirena and my doctor also noted that the progesterone released by mirena only lasts about 5 years. If I do it, I guess I’ll just reassess my options at that point. I’m also struggling with heavy periods on oral progesterone (and estradiol patches).

For anyone currently on mirena—have you experienced any side effects?

Five years is outdated information. The mirena IUD has been approved for preventing pregnancy for up to eight years. It was recently approved in the US a couple of years ago but it’s been approved for this length in Europe for over a decade. Several large scale studies show that there is significant protection for preventing pregnancy up to eight years.

Progesterone is still active after year five. There is a different IUD, the Lyleta I believe it’s called, that is only approved for five years. It sounds like your doctor is confused.

But yes, I have had Mirena in for many years, I’m on my second, and I have never noticed any side effects. It is not particularly fun to get it in and out, but I had had two vaginal births by the time I got my first one and so it was manageable. Some doctors will numb you as well if that’s something you would prefer. I highly recommend it.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all — doesn’t sound like many in my exact situation (figuring out how to supplement estrogen HRt with a mirena 5 years or more).
I don’t have the mirena for birth control — I had my tubes tied ages ago. But I had massive bleeding when Peri stated — basically 2 years of flooding bleeding that nothing else would stop. The mirena stopped it immediately and it hasn’t come back so that’s been a lifesaver. The plan was to leave it in until I was 55 or so with the idea that by then my uterus would be all dried up or whatever. I really just wanted a hysterectomy at the time but the doctor wouldn’t do it. (I think my mom had the same thing in her 50s and did get the hysterectomy so that’s what they did back then.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dr. said my chances of pregnancy were so low at this point (54 and no period for 8 months) I shouldn’t worry about it. Had IUD removed.

Same. Early 50s.

[Anonymous]

I have a Lilletta and it's approved for 8 years.