My Experience with the Mirena IUC

For women of all ages the choice to use birth control is a big decision. Compared to the limited choices of the past we now have a variety of methods to choose from. It is important to research each type of birth control method so that you know exactly what you are getting into when you start taking it. This is why I am going to tell you a bit about the Mirena IUC and my experience with it. I would like all women to be well informed and hopefully my experience can help women to make a well informed decision.

IUC is an acronym for intrauterine contraceptive. The Mirena IUC is a small T-shaped device made of flexible plastic and is placed by into the uterus by a doctor. Once the Mirena IUC is placed, it starts to release small amounts of a hormone called levonorgestrel into the uterus. In addition to the hormone there are a couple other reasons why the IUC works so well.

1. Blocks sperm from reaching or fertilizing the egg.

2. It could make the lining of your uterus thin.

3. Possible stop the egg from being released from the ovary.

Nobody really knows if it is one single reason that the Mirena IUC prevents pregnancy, so it is thought that all of these explanations work together to prevent conception.

Some of the benefits are that it prevents pregnancy for up to five years, could slow or stop menstrual periods, will not cause weight gain, it is easily removed, and it also has a lower level of hormones than the pill. Unlike most birth control methods when you remove Mirena you can get pregnant immediately. For those trying to get pregnant this is a great benefit.

Before I got the Mirena IUC I did a lot of research on it, I have had problems with other types of birth control and did not want to go through some of those issues again. The big winner for me was that the hormone level was lower than other types of birth control. I also liked the fact that you didn't have to remember to take a pill every day; all you have to do is check the strings that hang down once a month. (The strings look like fishing line.) After making my decision I went to see my doctor and in August of 2007 I got the Mirena IUC.

My doctor told me that it would probably cramp for a day or so after getting the Mirena IUC placed and that I should take some Motrin or Tylenol. I did what they told me, the actual placement was not very painful. Gradually over the next few days the cramping went away, however it was very painful when I did get the spontaneous cramps. Finally after a few weeks I went back to my doctor and asked her to check it out, to see if it was infected or my body was rejecting it. I was fine.

So why was I getting these cramps all the time? These cramps got to be so bad and I was taking so many pills to ease the pain that I started to worry about giving myself some other health problems.

I must also mention here that a friend of mine received her IUC a few days after myself. She didn't have any of the cramping that I did, but hers eventually fell out. Yes, that's right, it fell out. My insurance paid for mine, but if you had to pay out of pocket that would have been about a four hundred dollar loss.

Time passed and I continued to take pills to ease the pain from the cramping. Contrary to what was said about Mirena not causing weight gain, I gained fifteen pounds by October. Also contrary to what was said about periods slowing or stopping altogether, mine increased to constant spotting. I had my IUC removed in January and got pregnant that very same day, so what they said about getting pregnant right away is true.

As you can see birth control may sometimes work for most, but not all. The information I have provided is not to discourage women from getting the Mirena IUC, but to make an informed decision when choosing birth control. I have spoken with several women who use the Mirena IUC, they have sworn that they love it and they would not use anything else for birth control.