Today was the big day! I said goodbye to my faithful Mirena of five years and got a new one inserted. I prepared for the event by taking 1g of naproxen and wearing comfortable pants, though I'd have liked an anti-anxiety pill to take off some of the edge.
Extraction:
Typical to any gyno visit, my feet went up in the stirrups. My doctor advised that it should be relatively quick and painless based on feedback he's received. He inserted a speculum and swabbed my cervix with what I assume was antiseptic. It tingled a little. Then just like ripping off a bandaid, he yanked out the Mirena. It didn't really hurt, it just felt a little weird for a second. Then it was done! He showed me the worn Mirena and it looked pretty much like a new one with just a little pink coloring to it. No big deal.
Re-insertion:
After this, my doctor immediately prepared me for insertion of the new Mirena. He explained the process in detail, step-by-step. He told me that previous patients said the re-insertion immediately following extraction was easier than the initial insertion, and that pre-doping was probably going to make my experience better too.
My doctor used Hurricane Spray, which is just a novacaine-based numbing spray, on my cervix. Then he used a small tweezer to grab my cervix. Just like before, it was a very small and dull pinch. He then used the sounding wand to measure my uterus depth. The sounding wand is a long, thing stick that measures depth. It causes a quick and firm cramp, but really isn't too bad. It also is over in a second. He then used the sound measurement to set the Mirena inserter to the correct depth.
Now that he had the equipment prepared, my doctor used the inserted to push the Mirena into uterus. This is the worst part, but it went SO MUCH better than the first time around. Thank you, naproxen. This part, from when he started the insertion to when he removed the speculum, took about 30 seconds. I know, I counted. It honestly didn't hurt nearly as much as I expected, but I stayed tense waiting for it to get really bad. I had a few hard cramps and pressure from having the device in my canal, but otherwise nothing.
Afterward, ZERO PAIN. He explained that I would probably spot for a little while and that I should avoid insertion activities (tampons, douching, sex) for five days. I laid on the table for a couple of minutes before leaving, but I really felt fine from the get-go. Last time, I got really woozy so I wanted to play it safe. I drove home, cooked dinner, and sat on the couch.
Now that I'm about three hours out, I have the mildest aches if I move a certain way and the occasional very mild cramp. I had minimal spotting on a panty liner, but no major blood. All in all, things are going well!
Monday, April 18, 2016
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Time to Re-Up
Well, I can't believe it's been five years since I had my first Mirena inserted. The anniversary is actually coming up in May, but I'm having my removal and new insertion on Monday, April 18. It's time, Shelby! It's time!
- How do I know it's time? Over the last few months, I've noticed subtle changes that tell me the slight hormonal impact of Mirena is diminishing. I put on a little weight, my oil qualities in skin and hair have changed, and I've had a day or two with very light spotting.
I went to my doctor for my annual exam three weeks ago and got pre-certified for my new Mirena. I have good insurance, but it is unfortunately grandfathered from ACA so I will have to pay most of the cost myself. This stinks, but it's still VASTLY worth it to me for the financial and lifestyle benefits. Things I'm looking for to?
- Another five years with no periods. How much has this saved me on tampons and inconvenience?
- Another five years with no babies! Priceless.
- Another five years of not buying birth control at $20-40 a month, $240-480 annually. One year of no BCP and no tampons alone makes up for the cost!
As I reflect back on my experience, I realize that I've been very lucky. I do know one girl who had a very bad side effect - septic shock - from her Mirena. I have had zero bad experiences with mine and I'll continue to sing its praises.
Here's hoping the removal and re-insertion are low on the pain scale and go quickly and smoothly! This time, I'm packing the good drugs.
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Four Year Update
I only have a few minutes, but I wanted to check back in. It's been almost four years since my last update but I haven't stopped singing Mirena's praises!
I went to my GYN yesterday for a long-overdue annual check-up. As I walked through two waiting areas chock full of massively pregnant women, I thanked science for my Mirena. With a nearly perfect effectiveness rate, I have the best birth control outside of abstinence. No surprise pregnancies for me!
My doctor immediately asked me how I was doing with my Mirena. "I sing it's praises every chance I get!" I'm sure it's annoying, but when IUD is a topic of conversation I can't help but tell people how much I love mine. It's been easy, clean, and effective. What's not to love? The doctor did my physical exam, which felt just like exams prior to insertion (sorry - I seriously haven't been back since 2011!). Afterward he indicated that I had just over a year of efficacy left in my current Mirena. He said that if I would like to have another inserted immediately after this one's removal next year, that would be okay. He also reminded me that once removed, fertility is unaffected and I could get pregnant during a lapse in protection. Of course I told him that I'll be getting another Mirena and couldn't wait. With that, my very quick appointment was over.
So after four years with Mirena, here are my reflections:
I went to my GYN yesterday for a long-overdue annual check-up. As I walked through two waiting areas chock full of massively pregnant women, I thanked science for my Mirena. With a nearly perfect effectiveness rate, I have the best birth control outside of abstinence. No surprise pregnancies for me!
My doctor immediately asked me how I was doing with my Mirena. "I sing it's praises every chance I get!" I'm sure it's annoying, but when IUD is a topic of conversation I can't help but tell people how much I love mine. It's been easy, clean, and effective. What's not to love? The doctor did my physical exam, which felt just like exams prior to insertion (sorry - I seriously haven't been back since 2011!). Afterward he indicated that I had just over a year of efficacy left in my current Mirena. He said that if I would like to have another inserted immediately after this one's removal next year, that would be okay. He also reminded me that once removed, fertility is unaffected and I could get pregnant during a lapse in protection. Of course I told him that I'll be getting another Mirena and couldn't wait. With that, my very quick appointment was over.
So after four years with Mirena, here are my reflections:
- I've saved at least $300 a year in the cost of birth control pills and tampons
- I've avoided over three solid years of ZERO period and cramping
- I haven't had a single bloody accident in over three years
- I haven't gotten pregnant!
- I haven't had any pain or discomfort, or for that matter other issues, with my Mirena
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
First Period
June 22 should have been my first period after the Mirena insertion. I didn't know if I should expect a period or not, so I just stayed ready for it. Nothing happened on Wednesday or Thursday, but I did start my period on Friday. At first it was light spotting, but by Saturday morning I was bleeding enough to warrant a regular tampon instead of just a pantyliner. Honestly not too bad! Over the weekend I switched to junior tampons and never came close to soaking one. So yes I have my period, but it's super duper light. I was worried it might go back to pre-birth control heaviness, so I'm glad it was light.
I've still had a little bit of spotting today, but it should theoretically be the last day of my period. We'll see what tomorrow brings! I'm not sure if I will continue spotting for a little bit or what. I'm looking forward to possibly having no period in the future.
Saturday night I decided to try feeling my strings again. I tried in the bathtub and lying in bed a few times but have yet to find the buggers. I was using a handicapped-style shower, so I put my leg up on a shelf on the side and went to feeling. I found them! My Mirena is happily in place. It felt like the strings were flush with the back of my vaginal canal, so yay. I'm glad to have the little bit of reassurance that Mirena is still there, even though I was confident it was from other symptoms. I don't go back to the doctor until August so I'd hate to have any issues now.
Overall, I love it!
I've still had a little bit of spotting today, but it should theoretically be the last day of my period. We'll see what tomorrow brings! I'm not sure if I will continue spotting for a little bit or what. I'm looking forward to possibly having no period in the future.
Saturday night I decided to try feeling my strings again. I tried in the bathtub and lying in bed a few times but have yet to find the buggers. I was using a handicapped-style shower, so I put my leg up on a shelf on the side and went to feeling. I found them! My Mirena is happily in place. It felt like the strings were flush with the back of my vaginal canal, so yay. I'm glad to have the little bit of reassurance that Mirena is still there, even though I was confident it was from other symptoms. I don't go back to the doctor until August so I'd hate to have any issues now.
Overall, I love it!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Three Weeks Out
Today makes exactly three weeks since my procedure. I've entered this entire experience with an open mind because I didn't necessarily know what to expect, I've heard mixed reviews, and you just never know how your body will react.
Cramping - I experienced super mild, pretty much just there but not painful cramps for 7-10 days after the procedure. I did find that they got worse if I was having to sit for a while, like when I took a two hour car ride. Overall not bad at all. Now I haven't had any cramps whatsoever in at least a week.
Bleeding - I did experience spotting for about two weeks after the procedure, then I started ovulating and the spotting went away. At its worst I spotted maybe a teaspoon of material, if that. Most days it was a few drops a couple of times a day. Not bad! I don't know if my spotting is just stopped because of the ovulation or if it's stopped completely, but we'll see.
Ovulation - I find it so interesting that I can feel when I'm ovulating. I've been on hormonal birth control pills since January 2001 and the only time I can recall feeling ovulation was one week earlier this year when I skipped a week of pills. Sore boobs, excessive gooey discharge, a little twinginess, SORE BOOBS. I swear, my primary symptom of ovulating is the boobs. OW. I tried running that week and wanted to die. This time the boobs were not nearly as bad, maybe because I still have a small amount of hormones in my body? Hopefully ovulation doesn't prove to be too bothersome going forward.
Strings - I cannot feel my strings. My doctor did trim them twice - one before insertion, once after - so maybe he made them too short and they curled up into my uterus? I know that while I have it in this isn't really an issue, but I do wish I could feel them for reassurance. I can guarantee you that my Mirena is still in my uterus though. Occasionally I can press just-so on my lower abdomen and feel a little pressure/soreness there.
Side Effects - So far the only notable side effect is oily hair. Oh my god, it is a grease ball. I've always had moderate hair and I could easily go 2-3 days without washing if I didn't get it gross or use a lot of product. Even at that point it was more of a "have" to wash than a "need" to wash. Now? One freaking day and I feel like I've rubbed oil in my hair. It's not intolerable, but I do have to remember to wash my hair every night or deal with it the next day. I hope this will even out, but if not it's certainly not the worst side effect to experience.
Overall I'm still very happy with Mirena. I'll continue to update regularly as I have more to share.
Cramping - I experienced super mild, pretty much just there but not painful cramps for 7-10 days after the procedure. I did find that they got worse if I was having to sit for a while, like when I took a two hour car ride. Overall not bad at all. Now I haven't had any cramps whatsoever in at least a week.
Bleeding - I did experience spotting for about two weeks after the procedure, then I started ovulating and the spotting went away. At its worst I spotted maybe a teaspoon of material, if that. Most days it was a few drops a couple of times a day. Not bad! I don't know if my spotting is just stopped because of the ovulation or if it's stopped completely, but we'll see.
Ovulation - I find it so interesting that I can feel when I'm ovulating. I've been on hormonal birth control pills since January 2001 and the only time I can recall feeling ovulation was one week earlier this year when I skipped a week of pills. Sore boobs, excessive gooey discharge, a little twinginess, SORE BOOBS. I swear, my primary symptom of ovulating is the boobs. OW. I tried running that week and wanted to die. This time the boobs were not nearly as bad, maybe because I still have a small amount of hormones in my body? Hopefully ovulation doesn't prove to be too bothersome going forward.
Strings - I cannot feel my strings. My doctor did trim them twice - one before insertion, once after - so maybe he made them too short and they curled up into my uterus? I know that while I have it in this isn't really an issue, but I do wish I could feel them for reassurance. I can guarantee you that my Mirena is still in my uterus though. Occasionally I can press just-so on my lower abdomen and feel a little pressure/soreness there.
Side Effects - So far the only notable side effect is oily hair. Oh my god, it is a grease ball. I've always had moderate hair and I could easily go 2-3 days without washing if I didn't get it gross or use a lot of product. Even at that point it was more of a "have" to wash than a "need" to wash. Now? One freaking day and I feel like I've rubbed oil in my hair. It's not intolerable, but I do have to remember to wash my hair every night or deal with it the next day. I hope this will even out, but if not it's certainly not the worst side effect to experience.
Overall I'm still very happy with Mirena. I'll continue to update regularly as I have more to share.
Monday, May 30, 2011
The Days After
Friday I woke up feeling relatively normal. I could feel very minor cramping in my lower abdomen if I thought about it, but nothing even close to being disabling. I packed my prescription bottle of naproxen for work, just in case the cramps got any worse. I was spotting, but so light that I barely needed a panty liner. I will go on the record as saying that I HATE menstrual pads, liners, etc. Once I went tampon in high school I never went back. But my doctor said no tampons until Monday (four days post) at the soonest. So I had to suck it up and wear a tiny pantyliner for the three drops of fluid leaving my body. Boo. I had my first post-procedure bowel movement today with no issue!
Throughout the day I felt minor spurts of dull cramping, but overall it wasn't bad at all. I had physical therapy around noon and they made me do squats, light ab work, and a few other twisty exercises. I was worried that I might hurt trying to do these, but they actually made me feel better. I even went home and rode my bike 20 miles and didn't hurt AT ALL. In fact, I was pain-free for hours after exercising. So make a mental note that if you are cramping, try some exercise. This goes for period cramping, Mirena cramping, just about anything.
Saturday meant a long car ride up to visit family in the hospital, followed by lots of sitting in the hospital. I find that I'm a little more crampy if I sit still for too long. I'm not sure why it's like this, but I make a conscious effort to move around a bit if I'm going to be sitting for a while. Just a stretch here and there really helps, and this is honestly a good thing to do anytime you'll be sitting for long periods.
Sunday meant pool party time! I was a little apprehensive since I've been spotting, but my spotting all day Sunday amounted to less than six drops all day. So basically I could have cut my finger in the kitchen and bled a lot more. I decided to go for it and swim. I had zero issues! No pain, no discomfort, no bloodshow. I even drank a few beers and saw no additional bleeding, even though alcohol usually sets me off like a fountain.
Monday is the first day I haven't taken any pain pills. I only took one Naproxen on Sunday before my two hour drive home, so that wasn't too bad to begin with. So far today I've cooked, cleaned, and gone on a 24 mile bike ride with no issues. My spotting seems slightly heavier - like 12 drops instead of 3 - but I'm still doing well.
Throughout the day I felt minor spurts of dull cramping, but overall it wasn't bad at all. I had physical therapy around noon and they made me do squats, light ab work, and a few other twisty exercises. I was worried that I might hurt trying to do these, but they actually made me feel better. I even went home and rode my bike 20 miles and didn't hurt AT ALL. In fact, I was pain-free for hours after exercising. So make a mental note that if you are cramping, try some exercise. This goes for period cramping, Mirena cramping, just about anything.
Saturday meant a long car ride up to visit family in the hospital, followed by lots of sitting in the hospital. I find that I'm a little more crampy if I sit still for too long. I'm not sure why it's like this, but I make a conscious effort to move around a bit if I'm going to be sitting for a while. Just a stretch here and there really helps, and this is honestly a good thing to do anytime you'll be sitting for long periods.
Sunday meant pool party time! I was a little apprehensive since I've been spotting, but my spotting all day Sunday amounted to less than six drops all day. So basically I could have cut my finger in the kitchen and bled a lot more. I decided to go for it and swim. I had zero issues! No pain, no discomfort, no bloodshow. I even drank a few beers and saw no additional bleeding, even though alcohol usually sets me off like a fountain.
Monday is the first day I haven't taken any pain pills. I only took one Naproxen on Sunday before my two hour drive home, so that wasn't too bad to begin with. So far today I've cooked, cleaned, and gone on a 24 mile bike ride with no issues. My spotting seems slightly heavier - like 12 drops instead of 3 - but I'm still doing well.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Insertion
It's the big day - my Mirena insertion. I have a 3:15pm appointment, which means I get to sit at work and make myself nervous all day. It's the second day of my period, which is thankfully light, so theoretically the insertion won't be quite as uncomfortable as it would be during any other part of my cycle. I wore a dress today because I figure that I'll want comfortable clothing after the procedure, and nothing is more comfortable to me than a simple dress.
I arrived at my doctor's office just about on time, so of course the doctor is running way behind. When I finally make it into the room - more than an hour and a half after my appointment time - he tells me that he had four surgeries come up. I feel horrible for the women having to endure that! Suddenly my impatience seems pretty petty.
When I walk into the exam room, the nurse tells me to strip from the waste down, have a seat on the reclining chair-table thingy, and put a white sheet over my lap. As I'm getting half-naked I notice a rather large box sitting on the counter. My Mirena! The box was at least a foot long, probably 4-6" wide, and an inch or so deep. I'm horrible at perceiving measurements without a ruler in front of me, so don't take my word for it. I peeked in the box but didn't want to mess anything up, so I really didn't get to check the contents out too well.
My doctor arrived pretty quickly after that. He had me assume the standard feet-in-stirrups position with my booty near the edge of the chair-table. He started walking me through the procedure: he would insert the speculum, apply a little antiseptic to my cervix, use "tweezers" to grab my cervix, use a sound to measure the depth of my uterus, then insert the Mirena. He warned me that the tweezers would feel like a little pinch, the sound would cause a quick cramp, and I would cramp briefly while he actually inserted the Mirena. At this point I start psyching myself out. For whatever reason I always get sick to my stomach at GYN visits. The little scraper thingy they use to collect cells during a Pap smear makes me especially sick. So my anxiety levels started going up immediately.
I laid back and tried to take some deep breaths. He warned me "little pinch" and that's exactly what the tweezers felt like. No biggie! I feel compelled to take this moment to say that I had no idea what a cervix looked like so I was imaging he was tweezing a little flap of flesh that somewhat resembled the tail flap on a raw turkey. If you do a quick internet search you'll learn that the cervix actually looks like a fleshy, gooey donut gem. Fun. So he tweezed the cervix and then warned me "hard cramp" when he went in with the sound. OUCH. Hard cramp was no joke. I don't usually get too many menstrual cramps, so I feel really awful for anyone who has to deal with that on a regular basis. Luckily it was over pretty quickly. He fiddled around for a minute on his work surface, trimming the strings or measuring the Mirena I imagine, then turned back to me. He said, "Okay, now the Mirena. You're going to feel a hard cramp when I stick it in and it will cramp until I pull the inserter out." I KNOW this part took all of a few seconds, but when your poor uterus is being invaded and you are having these hard cramps, it feels like forever. I'll admit it, I yelped a few times. It wasn't a stabby pain but it was definitely uncomfortable. Fortunately, he was out pretty quickly. I believe he reached back in to trim the strings a little further, then he removed the speculum and said he was done.
I took this opportunity to hit my doctor with a final litany of stupid questions. Can I wear tampons soon? I am on my period after all. "No tampons until at least Monday (four days post procedure). No sex either." Bummer. Should I worry about any straining, like the squats they make me do at PT? "No, exercising shouldn't be an issue." What about bowel movements? Would that cause it to come out or dislodge? (I seriously asked this. Pooping is a big deal to me.) "No, bowel movements won't be an issue." Will I be in severe pain? "No, just mild cramping." Well what if I am in severe pain? Should I go to the hospital?! "Just give me a call, but that shouldn't be an issue." My doctor is clearly the patron saint of patient doctors willing to answer stupid questions from nervous women.
After the procedure the doctor asked if I'd taken anything. I said, "No, but I have Ultracet in my car." He had his nurse get me what he called a "fast-acting Aleve" and instructed me to stay on the table for a few minutes. His nurse was so kind to me and said that I should relax as long as needed since my uterus would be angry at me for a little while. I'm stubborn, so of course I was up quickly after that and headed to the cashier. "That was easy," I thought as I strutted out. Well, it didn't take very long - the two minutes it took to get to the cashier, actually - for me to start to feel bad. I think my anxiety got the best of me and I started having cold sweats and feeling a bit light-headed. I sat down, paid my bill, then asked if I could go lay down somewhere. The nurse came back and got me, and let me lay down in an empty exam room. I stayed there for probably half an hour. Honestly, the anxiety was gone almost immediately and I felt better, but I was starting to feel crampy. The nurse and my doctor checked on my repeatedly until they were confident that I looked well enough to leave.
At this point I would have LOVED to go home and sit with a heating pad on my lower abdomen, but unfortunately I had to go to a work function. Sitting around eating free dinner for two hours wasn't so bad!
I arrived at my doctor's office just about on time, so of course the doctor is running way behind. When I finally make it into the room - more than an hour and a half after my appointment time - he tells me that he had four surgeries come up. I feel horrible for the women having to endure that! Suddenly my impatience seems pretty petty.
When I walk into the exam room, the nurse tells me to strip from the waste down, have a seat on the reclining chair-table thingy, and put a white sheet over my lap. As I'm getting half-naked I notice a rather large box sitting on the counter. My Mirena! The box was at least a foot long, probably 4-6" wide, and an inch or so deep. I'm horrible at perceiving measurements without a ruler in front of me, so don't take my word for it. I peeked in the box but didn't want to mess anything up, so I really didn't get to check the contents out too well.
My doctor arrived pretty quickly after that. He had me assume the standard feet-in-stirrups position with my booty near the edge of the chair-table. He started walking me through the procedure: he would insert the speculum, apply a little antiseptic to my cervix, use "tweezers" to grab my cervix, use a sound to measure the depth of my uterus, then insert the Mirena. He warned me that the tweezers would feel like a little pinch, the sound would cause a quick cramp, and I would cramp briefly while he actually inserted the Mirena. At this point I start psyching myself out. For whatever reason I always get sick to my stomach at GYN visits. The little scraper thingy they use to collect cells during a Pap smear makes me especially sick. So my anxiety levels started going up immediately.
I laid back and tried to take some deep breaths. He warned me "little pinch" and that's exactly what the tweezers felt like. No biggie! I feel compelled to take this moment to say that I had no idea what a cervix looked like so I was imaging he was tweezing a little flap of flesh that somewhat resembled the tail flap on a raw turkey. If you do a quick internet search you'll learn that the cervix actually looks like a fleshy, gooey donut gem. Fun. So he tweezed the cervix and then warned me "hard cramp" when he went in with the sound. OUCH. Hard cramp was no joke. I don't usually get too many menstrual cramps, so I feel really awful for anyone who has to deal with that on a regular basis. Luckily it was over pretty quickly. He fiddled around for a minute on his work surface, trimming the strings or measuring the Mirena I imagine, then turned back to me. He said, "Okay, now the Mirena. You're going to feel a hard cramp when I stick it in and it will cramp until I pull the inserter out." I KNOW this part took all of a few seconds, but when your poor uterus is being invaded and you are having these hard cramps, it feels like forever. I'll admit it, I yelped a few times. It wasn't a stabby pain but it was definitely uncomfortable. Fortunately, he was out pretty quickly. I believe he reached back in to trim the strings a little further, then he removed the speculum and said he was done.
I took this opportunity to hit my doctor with a final litany of stupid questions. Can I wear tampons soon? I am on my period after all. "No tampons until at least Monday (four days post procedure). No sex either." Bummer. Should I worry about any straining, like the squats they make me do at PT? "No, exercising shouldn't be an issue." What about bowel movements? Would that cause it to come out or dislodge? (I seriously asked this. Pooping is a big deal to me.) "No, bowel movements won't be an issue." Will I be in severe pain? "No, just mild cramping." Well what if I am in severe pain? Should I go to the hospital?! "Just give me a call, but that shouldn't be an issue." My doctor is clearly the patron saint of patient doctors willing to answer stupid questions from nervous women.
After the procedure the doctor asked if I'd taken anything. I said, "No, but I have Ultracet in my car." He had his nurse get me what he called a "fast-acting Aleve" and instructed me to stay on the table for a few minutes. His nurse was so kind to me and said that I should relax as long as needed since my uterus would be angry at me for a little while. I'm stubborn, so of course I was up quickly after that and headed to the cashier. "That was easy," I thought as I strutted out. Well, it didn't take very long - the two minutes it took to get to the cashier, actually - for me to start to feel bad. I think my anxiety got the best of me and I started having cold sweats and feeling a bit light-headed. I sat down, paid my bill, then asked if I could go lay down somewhere. The nurse came back and got me, and let me lay down in an empty exam room. I stayed there for probably half an hour. Honestly, the anxiety was gone almost immediately and I felt better, but I was starting to feel crampy. The nurse and my doctor checked on my repeatedly until they were confident that I looked well enough to leave.
At this point I would have LOVED to go home and sit with a heating pad on my lower abdomen, but unfortunately I had to go to a work function. Sitting around eating free dinner for two hours wasn't so bad!
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