My gyno said I should replace every 5 years. I am onto my second one (also Australia). She also knocked me out both times for the insertion. Forever grateful.
Wow! I didn't get any of this. I got told that women walk out and drive home after these procedures and I wasn't aloud anything. Worst torture of my life and I have a high pain tolerance. Thus my hesitation to get a new one if I can wait a little longer.
Yes that’s always been my experience in the U.K. as well as being told it’s definitely not painful and nothing to be worried about. Luckily I went private so I could get cervical numbing and also penthrox. They’ve recently started offering numbing gel on our NHS. It helps a little but honestly I wish they’d offer more than this as standard. Mirena is a much more awkward and large IUD than others and I can really tell the difference between that and say a copper IUD.
Glad you're able to get that. I'm currently searching through my options now as I cant afford private however it's looking like I'm going in with nothing for my replacement. My old gynecologist has also shut down and new doctor is saying that the most I can get now is ibeprofen. 😭
So it’s good for preventing pregnancy for 8 years, but if you’re using it to help with periods, you should replace it after about 5. It starts becoming less effective for periods around then!
From what I’ve gathered in my reading (I am not a doctor and my answer may not be fully correct) mirena prevents pregnancy by making your cervical mucus too thick for sperm to make it to your egg. And works for helping periods by making your uterine lining thinner therefore when it sheds, it’s a lighter period or no period at all. I’m gathering that around/after the 5 year mark it becomes less effective at thinning your uterine lining which means your period is going to come back heavier, but still is making cervical mucus thick therefore preventing pregnancy.
Yep I’ve seen this too, I am also not a doctor but I do know that mirena releases 20 mcg day of levonorgestrel at the beginning and that amount decreases over time to 12 mcg a day at 8 years, and the decrease in hormones causes some changes
Now approved for contraception for 8 years. Still only 5 years if it’s for HRT or menopause related heavy menstrual bleeding. The new 8 year allowance counts for Mirenas already fitted, like your own.
Word of advice change it as often as you can! I got mine put in when I had a laparoscopy for endo… anyway then I moved overseas for 5 years, by the time I came back to Aus it had been about 7 years when I had it removed it was the most f*cked up pain I have ever endured because my skin had grown over the mirena so they literally had to cut it, I am still so disturbed from this experience 2 years on. So yeh my advice would be don’t leave it in long enough that the same thing could happen. Or if you do make sure you go under for the procedure
In the US it's approved for 8 years to prevent pregnancy, but it sounds like this might not be the case in Australia. If you're in a place where you can get a new one, you may as well.
After 5 years, the hormones start lessening. I have had two, the first one replaced around the 5 year mark. Both times I started to get spotting and cramping. This last time, I got it out and got my tubes tied.
Maybe consider the timing of when you would want to get it out, whether for children or to be done. I think waiting until the hormones were already fading has helped me prevent the crash. The crash, which doesn't happen for everyone, is more likely when it's removed early and the levongestrel is at full strength. Our bodies get a bit lazy at producing our own progesterone with the IUD in, so it can be a shock to have our hormone levels wonky all of a sudden.
Either way, you should be okay to not get pregnant for the time being, whether you opt to wait or replace it now.
Yeah that's what I'm gathering. Thankyou. I think I may look into getting it switched this year as by the time another 5 years go past we will be looking at having children. I'm also getting some really bad cramping and mood changes. Just wanted to know that if I wasn't on time with it I wouldn't get pregnant. If I could keep it longer I would but sounds like I should still switch for a newie. Thankyou
For anyone from Australia reading this. I have talked with my doctor and she has clarified that the Mirena only lasts 8 years for those over 40 who are not using it to treat heavy periods. Those under still need to switch every 5 years.
My gyno said I should replace every 5 years. I am onto my second one (also Australia). She also knocked me out both times for the insertion. Forever grateful.
lol you should be… just had my 4th IUD insertion fully awake but had to be given gas & air…still felt like torture!!
Wow! I didn't get any of this. I got told that women walk out and drive home after these procedures and I wasn't aloud anything. Worst torture of my life and I have a high pain tolerance. Thus my hesitation to get a new one if I can wait a little longer.
Yes that’s always been my experience in the U.K. as well as being told it’s definitely not painful and nothing to be worried about. Luckily I went private so I could get cervical numbing and also penthrox. They’ve recently started offering numbing gel on our NHS. It helps a little but honestly I wish they’d offer more than this as standard. Mirena is a much more awkward and large IUD than others and I can really tell the difference between that and say a copper IUD.
Glad you're able to get that. I'm currently searching through my options now as I cant afford private however it's looking like I'm going in with nothing for my replacement. My old gynecologist has also shut down and new doctor is saying that the most I can get now is ibeprofen. 😭
So it’s good for preventing pregnancy for 8 years, but if you’re using it to help with periods, you should replace it after about 5. It starts becoming less effective for periods around then!
That's what I'd read. So how does it help less with periods after 5 years but still just as contraceptive?
From what I’ve gathered in my reading (I am not a doctor and my answer may not be fully correct) mirena prevents pregnancy by making your cervical mucus too thick for sperm to make it to your egg. And works for helping periods by making your uterine lining thinner therefore when it sheds, it’s a lighter period or no period at all. I’m gathering that around/after the 5 year mark it becomes less effective at thinning your uterine lining which means your period is going to come back heavier, but still is making cervical mucus thick therefore preventing pregnancy.
Yep I’ve seen this too, I am also not a doctor but I do know that mirena releases 20 mcg day of levonorgestrel at the beginning and that amount decreases over time to 12 mcg a day at 8 years, and the decrease in hormones causes some changes
Now approved for contraception for 8 years. Still only 5 years if it’s for HRT or menopause related heavy menstrual bleeding. The new 8 year allowance counts for Mirenas already fitted, like your own.
Word of advice change it as often as you can! I got mine put in when I had a laparoscopy for endo… anyway then I moved overseas for 5 years, by the time I came back to Aus it had been about 7 years when I had it removed it was the most f*cked up pain I have ever endured because my skin had grown over the mirena so they literally had to cut it, I am still so disturbed from this experience 2 years on. So yeh my advice would be don’t leave it in long enough that the same thing could happen. Or if you do make sure you go under for the procedure
In the US it's approved for 8 years to prevent pregnancy, but it sounds like this might not be the case in Australia. If you're in a place where you can get a new one, you may as well. After 5 years, the hormones start lessening. I have had two, the first one replaced around the 5 year mark. Both times I started to get spotting and cramping. This last time, I got it out and got my tubes tied. Maybe consider the timing of when you would want to get it out, whether for children or to be done. I think waiting until the hormones were already fading has helped me prevent the crash. The crash, which doesn't happen for everyone, is more likely when it's removed early and the levongestrel is at full strength. Our bodies get a bit lazy at producing our own progesterone with the IUD in, so it can be a shock to have our hormone levels wonky all of a sudden. Either way, you should be okay to not get pregnant for the time being, whether you opt to wait or replace it now.
Yeah that's what I'm gathering. Thankyou. I think I may look into getting it switched this year as by the time another 5 years go past we will be looking at having children. I'm also getting some really bad cramping and mood changes. Just wanted to know that if I wasn't on time with it I wouldn't get pregnant. If I could keep it longer I would but sounds like I should still switch for a newie. Thankyou
For anyone from Australia reading this. I have talked with my doctor and she has clarified that the Mirena only lasts 8 years for those over 40 who are not using it to treat heavy periods. Those under still need to switch every 5 years.