Mirena and vulvodynia?

Has anyone here used the Mirena IUD and did you have any problems with it? I just had it inserted and foolishly didn't do much research myself before hand ( I usually do - this time I just asked the Dr the questions I had) only to see the vulvovaginitis is a side effect. Given it's link to vulvodynia I am thinking having it removed less then a week after it went in! I have read things online of people's experiences between VV and Mirena but can't find any studies or anything. Anyone have any stories? Good or bad? ( hopefully good!!).

I haven't had one inserted but I'd think the vulvovaginitis is more about how it can make women more prone to infections in the area rather than set off unexplained pain. It might be worth giving it a while to see how you go, it would be a shame to have it removed if it turned out to be fine for you. I have a friend who has dermatitis on her lady bits which flares up alot and she has a mirena fitted and swears by it. I used to take Yasmin and there's alot of women with V who mention it but I think it's probably just coincidence because alot of women are on it full stop!

I am just so concerned about setting it off after having such relief from it. It has taken me 18 months since having my son to actually get a more long-term contraceptive and the last thing I need now is for it too flare up again! Since giving birth helped so much - I joked with hubby that if it does come back we will have to have another one just so I can give birth again...he was not impressed! I have contacted the specialist I see to hear his opinion.

I got mirena coil 3 years ago because of heavy periods. While I had some vulval pain before this, I did not recognise it as such and had not spoken to the doctor about it. Having it inserted was agonisingly painful and it seemed to trigger more severe vulval pain (I've only occasionally had sex since then). When I went for my 3 month checkup, the consultant said she did not think the coil was the cause of the pain and this triggered a series of other tests and referrals. She offered to remove it, but I was scared of the pain and did not want to risk more heavy periods. Anyway, I kind of forgot about the coil until earlier this year, when I realised I no longer needed it because my periods have stopped. I arranged to have it removed (about a month ago), hoping that it would end the pain. While the removal was less painful than I feared, it has made no difference whatsoever to my V pain. I really don't know whether the insertion of the coil was a cause of increased pain, or whether it was sheer coincidence that it increased at that time. I wish I could advise you one way or the other, but everyone is different. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I had the Mirena put in about three years ago and got severe depression two months later, followed by chronic back pain, and then V. The V. has continued after I got the Mirena out, almost two years later. I'm no fan of the Mirena. It does take your period away, but ever since mine came back they've been incredibly heavy and now my doctor suspects endometriosis.

The thing is that we're all different, and it's impossible to know how much of what I have was caused by the Mirena or not. However, there are lots of women out there who have had really negative experiences with it, so be careful!

Plus it totally hurts like hell when they put it in!

Was wondering if anyone had experience with the copper IUD? This is strange, I was researching this today and then came on here and there was a link to an IUD question!

After much research with hormones linked to v my husband and I are looking for a non hormonal contraceptive. As even non latex condoms cause me irritation and we do not want a baby for about 4 or 5 years.

Anyone been on this method prior to having children? My gyno says it is fine to do so if your uterus accepts it.

What’s the pain level with putting it in? I have heard if you don't have children they dilate the cervix in order to put the IUD in?

Thanks,
Claire

Well again my friend with the mirena hasn't got any children and she said it wasn't bad having it put in, like period pains, but on the way home she came over all funny and felt sick and dizzy and that kept happening for the rest of the day so she phoned her doctor who said that's a very frequent happening after having any IUD inserted.

I have a Mirena, and have had for a few years and have had sexual relationships in that time (until this V started a year ago), and so two gynecologists have suggested that the Mirena was probably not linked. With a family history of breast cancer I've always been advised against using the pill, so after trying implanon this was about the only thing left to try!

Just an update. I emailed the specialist I see here in Australia and he said there has been no link found between Mirena and Vulvodynia but there is a strong link between oral contraceptives and Vulvodynia so I thought that was interesting. When I originally got diagnosed this finding was not yet discovered and I was on the pill from 15 years of age.

In terms of having it inserted - I did have period pain for about a week and in terms of the Vulvodynia having a speculum inserted for about 15 minutes was more of a problem and I was uncomfortable for about 24 -48 hours afterwards. My pain is largely controlled now though so it was not too bad.

I have used the mirena IUD for 6 years, actually I'm on my second one now- had to have it replaced after 5 years I haven't had a period in 5 years. just a little spotting sometimes. I have been wondering if it could be part of my problem! Regular gyno thinks not but I have been getting alot of bacterial problems last 2 years. It will be interesting to hear what the specialist I'm going to see has to say. Thanks for posting the question!

Hi Meghan, so you didn't have any problems before the mirena? I have had mine out twice with suspected pelvic infections, the last one of which was apparently not an infection (nothing turned up in tests) and was the start of the v pain. But two gynes I've seen said that that doesn't seem to be the link as I had it in for over a year, whilst having sex, without any issues, and after having it out the last time the pain didn't improve before I had a new one put in under a GA when I had a laproscopy. I also don't have periods anymore, which has been great, but I do wonder now if the mirena should come out.

ozgirl: marek has only looked into the link between the pill and v after i suggested he check it out because of what goldstein said. This was only a month ago so its interesting he mentioned the connection to you. He must have spoken with Goldstein or something. I too would like to know his opinion on iud. He has not got back to me as yet.

Aussie- weird he didn't get back to you. I usually hear from within 24hours. Even on Sundays! He didn't say much but he said there was a link so I guess its like u said.

My experince with the Mirena had been really good, the first four years I dont remember having any problems. I had it put in maybe a year after my daughter was born and did not experience much discomfort. Sex was not a problem. I needed birth control that I didn't have to think about.Then I started having recurrent vaginal infections (yeast and BV) so I decided at the 5 year mark I would have it replaced with a new one as maybe the hormones were getting low. That was almost a year ago and I have still been having recurrent infections and I do everything I'm supposed to do to not get them! Very frustrating, and now for the last month this horrible burning pain on top of it! That is what makes me suspect the device, although I realize I am grasping at straws for there may be no reason for it. My gyno does not think there is any link between the IUD and the infections, or the pain.

So I've pretty much had VV as long as I can remember... due to my pelvic floor muscles getting messed up from my crooked back. Tried a few different oral birth controls which made me moody, depressed, and the last one made the VV a million times worse. At this point its been about 6 years since I've used any birth control besides condoms, but I also haven't had sex with my husband in over a year(we've only been married for 3), which is kind of awful but truth be told I'm terrified and stressed and don't want to deal with it. But lately I'm in a better state of mind and am thinking if we could do away with the condoms maybe it wouldn't be so bad? I'm seeing mixed messages in terms of the IUD. The docs in my area don't know much about the V and it seems every doctor I go to doesn't listen to what I have to say about birth control and how it makes everything worse; hey just see a girl in her 20's that doesn't want to get pregnant and they say you have to be on something!!! I don't want to have something implanted in my uterus if its going to make it worse, but if its not going to affect it, and I can have sex again, I think it'd be worth it! So does the IUD make the VV worse or not??

Shutterbug, you can also consider the Paragard, which works using copper instead of progesterone, and if you want to reduce the amount of hormone in your uterus, you could consider the Skyla (it starts out with the same amount of hormone as the Mirena has remaining after 4 years). I have been told that IUDs are fine for VV as long as you're not experiencing cervical tenderness or inflammation, and are generally a better option than oral contraceptives because they act locally and do not contain estrogen.