End of a 24 hour shift and did not sleep a wink

[LankyDoodle]

Bloody period pain. I'd forgotten what real period pain was like as I had the mirena in for 3 years. I still got period cramps but they were isolated to my lower back and were slight in comparison. Before the mirena I got really bad period pain around the circumfrance of my lower torso and around the top of my legs.

I was due on today. I had the mirena out on Monday after much convincing the dr it was the right thing for me as the mirena had caused me all sorts of bother (stupidly high appetite, tummy aches in lower abdomen, irregular bleeding, loss of libido, extreme PMT etc). I could only attribute these things to the coil as although I had heavy, painful periods before, they were pretty regular (despite being overweight). I also didn't suffer from prolonged, nasty episodes of PMT - they were short and to the point episodes, whereas with the coil I could literally make my husband's life hell for 75% of the time!

So I had my coil out and that night I felt weirdly hyper-happy. I had no bleeding and there was no pain associated with removal or the aftermath. Then yesterday (day after removal) I had very very slight period pain in lower back area, but that was expected as I was due on today in any case. I then had a weird, sticky mucus with an orange tinge. Bleurgh. I felt a bit dizzy and headachey, but I put that down to being TOTM or aftermath of having the coil out.

Then late last night I started getting really bad cramps all around my lower body. The cramps were so nauseating and painful that I kept waking up in the night. Then when I woke up this morning, getting myself ready, I could feel intense throbbing all around my hips and tops of legs. I just thought to myself 'oh yes, this is why I had the coil, isn't it?!' Saying that, my period pain was more bearable just before the coil because I'd been coping with it for years (I started at 13, but they became very painful and heavy at 15. I had the coil in at 22).

So I have come on spot on date, and I know it is a period because of all the pain and symptoms, which is nice because it means I know I am regular. However, I am concerned that the period may have been initiated by the coil removal and maybe if it hadn't come out then I'd have been waiting another week or so for my period.

If this IS my period, then I SHOULD be most fertile between next Monday and the following Sunday/Monday, so I plan to move over then.

Ugh. The pain comes in waves and just makes me want to vomit. I hate being a girl sometimes!

 

[Ready2Go]

Yeouch - I've no advice for you but and I hope you feel better soon (or at least OH looks after you lots and plenty of tablets and hot water bottles help you to get through it) xx

 

[Lou]

hot water bottles are the way forward for period cramps, failing that Feminax and fermaheat stickers. (they do the same job as a water bottle, but u stick them onto your tum and you can use them out and about. can get them from superdrug.) I used to use them when I was in highschool doing cross country to keep me warm.

it does sound like a period to me, but is the merina coil a hormone coil? Does it have the same after effects as the pill, i.e. a small bleed? Im not too sure because Im on the pil and havent ever used a coil, but i know when i have my bleed between packs, its always more painful then a normal period.

I think if ur in doubt ask your Doc, thats what they're there for after all.

Best wishes

Lou
xxx

 

[LankyDoodle]

Thank you.

The mirena coil works in a variety of ways. It releases a synthetic hormone called progestin, which does not override your own hormones. It works in a number of ways, including preventing the uterine wall from thickening so that it is inhospitable for a fertilised egg; creating an extra thick cervical mucus to prevent as much sperm entering the uterus; it can also prevent ovulation in some women, although I am convinced I still did ovulate; the presence of the device can prevent a fertilised egg from remaining even if it does become implanted.

Because the uterine wall does not thicken as much each month, some women do not have any periods at all, and the rest tend to have light periods or spotting. Some people don't get any period pain and a lot of people just get slight period pain. You don't get an artificial bleed like the one you get with the pill: the coil is always there and your own body regulates when you have your period (which also is determined by the presence of the mirena coil).

Once the mirena coil is removed, periods and fertility supposedly go back to normal pretty sharpish. I was due on either today or tomorrow and this seems like a normal period to me, but I only stopped having periods for about a year with the coil (started them again last year). Most people who ttc after mirena removal, do so successfully unless they have other problems. I have been looking today and most people tend to say that the first month is a write-off, but I am not going to give up on it all together. We are just going to wait and see, really.

 

[Ready2Go]

Good luck

 

[jillypoop]

aw darling, i know the feeling, trust me. Please get out and do something, the pain is sooo much worse sitting round. Even though you don't feel like doing anything, it makes you feel so better!! I did the asda shopping to make me feel better. Apparently feminax ultra are really good, I've got some but haven't used them yet, will next month.

stick a hot water bottle down your pants, it makes it better. Maybe one of those sticky heat things you put on yourself? I haven't used one of those yet but apparently they're brill

get some chocolate and a good dvd if you really don't want to go out. If you're in pain, you might as well watch a good film at the same time!



xxx