I read a little of different experiences before getting it. I've had it a few weeks. I bleed a very tiny amount daily and periodically have bad cramps. But I'm hoping it will pay off. I was so severely anemic because I have an absorption disorder that I have trouble keeping iron, b12, and D in my blood. My vitamin D was almost 0. I was having such heavy monthly bleeding for 7 days plus cramps for an entire week or two prior to periods and spotting, that I was ready to try anything. I still developed fibroid on the pull after many years of trying different ones. I'm a migraine sufferer and so far I've had no headaches from it and the bleeding like I said, pretty minimal. I wouldn't really recommend an IUD unless you really need it for medical reasons because of the risks.

I had the Mirena put in during a surgery to remove endometriosis. My body doesn't handle systemic birth control pills well so trying this. However, I've had almost daily cramping now for 4 weeks after insertion. I don't like taking this much ibuprofen but the pain is so strong I have to take it so I can get through my day. I've also had a period for the past 2 weeks now. Most of what I've read said it can take 3 months for your body to adjust. I don't know if I'll make it to 3 months. I might give it one more month and if there are still daily cramps it doesn't seem worth it to me. I can't exercise the way I like to and definitely don't feel like having sex because of the pain.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:so i have had mine in for a year now, and it was the worst pain inmy life when they inserted it! i screamed and cried... my periods are now irregular, and i have been to the E.R. multiple times for severe cramps, i mean the worst in my life. I am 20 years old and not ready for a child, but it is getting removed in 3 days and i can't wait!

Haha good look having a child if cramps have taken you to the ER.

Well aren't you helpful.

Anonymous wrote:so i have had mine in for a year now, and it was the worst pain inmy life when they inserted it! i screamed and cried... my periods are now irregular, and i have been to the E.R. multiple times for severe cramps, i mean the worst in my life. I am 20 years old and not ready for a child, but it is getting removed in 3 days and i can't wait!

Haha good look having a child if cramps have taken you to the ER.

Jumping in so I can add to the positive IUD stories - I'm surprised at how many negative comments I've read, because the 4 friends who I know have IUDs and I have all had very similar, positive experiences with it! I just got my Mirena inserted 3 weeks ago, but my friends have had theirs for years. I'm 29 and have never been pregnant, but I didn't find insertion to be that painful. I took a few naproxen and ate lunch an hour before my appointment, and I brought a stress ball to squeeze during the procedure, but I was not given anything to soften or numb my cervix. My appointment was a couple days after my period ended. Insertion only took 5 minutes or so, and it felt like getting a pap smear plus two or three pinchy, crampy moments. I said "oof" at one of those moments and "that feels... weird" at another, and I felt a tiny bit clammy or woozy for a few seconds, but that was it! I drove home on my own and spent the rest of the afternoon with a sticky heating pad on my abdomen, Netflix, ice cream, and a bottle of wine, and discomfort was minimal. Since then I've had light spotting most days (looking forward to the end of that), and I've had 2 days this week where for a couple of hours I've had cramps. The cramps are definitely more severe than the barely-there menstrual cramps I've had before, but they don't stop me from going about my day. I can't feel the IUD inside of me, and while I have checked the strings and can feel them, they don't feel pokey or uncomfortable.

I came across this board from a search on Mirena and cramps during the first month, only because I was curious and kind of fascinated (like I said, I've been lucky to have very minimal menstrual cramps, so they've been a new sensation for me) and wanted to compare my experience with others... but I'm sure that's why what I've read is so surprisingly skewed toward negative. Women who have positive experiences with IUDs and no major issues are probably not too likely to search online for sites and boards discussing potential IUD complications and comment with their own, positive experiences (hence why I wanted to add my story here), so if you're reading a board about IUDs and cramping, you're going to get a pretty one-sided story. To be clear, I do NOT doubt the stories of anyone on here who had a negative or painful experience with their IUD. But I do want to reassure women who are interested in an IUD and run across this board, since they may walk away thinking that 90% of women with IUDs end up with a horror story. On the contrary, it's something like 80% of women who still have their IUD after a year of use (versus somewhere around 50% for oral contraceptives), so there definitely is another side to the story. I was anxious before my appointment after reading how I might scream or faint or vomit, and when I mentioned this to a friend in Europe (IUDs are WAY more common there than in the US), she shrugged it off and said, "Remember, there are tons of other women who have gone through it and are fine."

I am really curious about what makes pain levels during insertion and after vary from person to person. It doesn't seem determined by general pain tolerance, and can't totally be predicted by whether or not you've been pregnant / given birth. Maybe your level of usual menstrual pain is related? Or cervix sensitivity? I suspect a lot of it comes down to how skilled your doctor is - my OB/GYN inserts IUDs all the time, and she was AMAZING. She gave me all of the knowledge I needed, was comforting, and also made it clear that if she tries inserting the IUD and encounters resistance, she won't force it (avoiding perforation, overly lengthy or traumatic insertions, or issues with uterus size). Be aware of what could happen and prepared for it - definitely take ibuprofen/naproxen before the appointment, eat some food an hour before to cut down on potential wooziness, have someone available to drive you home if needed, and have heat pads / ice cream / wine / whatever waiting at home for you to look forward to during the procedure - but also know that plenty of women have insertions that are no big deal, and try to relax as much as you're able. I also found it helpful to STOP reading horror stories and instead educate myself on what would happen during the procedure and why I might feel certain things (clamminess, wooziness, etc. are due to vasovagal response, which is far less scary when you understand why it's happening!). Good luck to all of you ladies!!

I love my Mirena! Remember that most of the comments you are reading are by people who had bad experiences. It really depends on individual differences. I had super high anxiety going in before I got mine (due to reading these posts) it really wasn't that bad.. I would suggest trying it out and not reading these forums.

I had my IUD (Mirena) inserted yesterday. I am a teenager who hasn't had a baby, but my doctor did recommend taking 4 2000mg of ibuprofen before hand. The insertion was painful, but I had a good doctor who has inserted many IUD's. Overall it lasted a good 15 seconds and it was placed, however right after I experienced major cramping. After about an hour the pain started going away and I didn't feel too bad. I would have to say the night of was very uncomfortable though. I took two more ibuprofen pills and went to sleep. I woke up this morning with cramps, so I placed a heating pad. Honestly I don't do well with pain, but I'm getting through this very well.

I've had the mirena for about 2 months. The first two days after it was placed I had SEVERE cramps. The week after it was placed I had my menstural cycle, it lasted 5 days with no cramping. I had my next cycle about 20 days later, which is way better than what i was having before with the implanon bc. I had light bleeding and NO CRAMPS!! it's been about 25 days since my last cycle and I'm cramping horrible now! I almost fainted it was so bad. My husband insisted on taking me to the ER but I told him to wait. It's been 30 minutes since that cramp "attack" and I feel fine. My doctor told me that it can take up to 6 months for you body to get used to the iud.

Anonymous wrote:Ive had my mirena for 2 months normally I cramp for a week or so as of today im cramping but the strange thing is it only happens at night. Huh.. other than cramps im happy to have it. Ive been married 4 yrs and I am 28 yrs. oldnot ready for kids, this is the safest birth control ive found...I think its worth it.

I am having the same experience I got it put in 2 weeks ago and have been spotting ever since but i have severe cramps every night like shooting pains through the night that go away in the morning. Did yours go away?

I got my mirena put in in 2012 and I bled for a straight month after insertion, now almost five years later I'm still having severe abdominal cramps and bring me to my knees, it's almost unbearable especially when I know when I'm about to start my cycle.

Whenever I seem to search for Miren related question I have all I see are negative comments about it. I have had mine now 3 years I love it. Did it hurt going in yes but that is because I never had a child. Periods stopped 3 months in, cramps here and there for a few months after that. One thing to remember is you still ovulate so you will have some of the same symtomps you've always had right before your period...boobs bigger, bloating.
I think the best route is always making sure your doctor is knowledgable and you feel comfortable.
Pill doesn't work for everyone...so Mirens is same way!