Mirena and its leftover hormones can suck my...

erpetdoc

I'm so frustrated in this quest to get pregnant.  I know many of you have been trying longer, and I get that the frustration probably only increases as time goes by.  What irks me the most is that when I had my IUD removed, the OB said, in response to my question about when we could start trying, that with it out, women return to "normal" fertility immediately.  The first cycle (didn't chart that cycle, used CBEFM, OPKs, checked CM) my LP was 5 days long.  The second cycle, I moved up in the world to a 7 day LP. 

Today is CD26, with FF CHs at CD19...another 7 day LP.  I can't 100% confirm that AF is here yet, but when I checked my cervix tonight, I got bloody CM, so that is fairly indicative.  I did have implantation spotting with my DD, but if I remember right, that was around 8-9dpo, and was brownish/pink, not red. 

I had an appointment with the OB on Monday (her nurse and I were not communicating well about my concerns of having a short LP, so I just made an appointment).  She increased my progesterone for this cycle (I now take 200 mg twice daily from 5dpo til either AF or BFP each cycle due to low progesterone with my m/c -- previously it was 100 mg twice daily).  She said that my charts look great, she knows I'm ovulating, but that a short LP can be blamed on Mirena leftovers.  She said the hormones from Mirena can last THREE TO FOUR MONTHS after it is removed.  She said to talk to her again if we're not pregnant by March (6 cycles... I'm 32.) 

Honestly, had I known that when I had it put in, I wouldn't have done it at all.  I would have done Paraguard, or maybe another form of BC all together.  Mirena trashed my sex drive, and now this... short LPs are for the birds, and I'm completely venting.  Thanks for reading.  :-( 

erpetdoc

So, if I've got blood now when I check my cervix, what is it?  I know Prometrium can irritate the cervix if taken vaginally, but I'm on oral.  I took Prometrium at 9:30 this morning and 9:30 tonight. 

I'm a veterinarian, so I have some idea of hormones, and I, too, thought that progesterone would delay a period.  It didn't on 100 mg twice daily, and if this is period bleeding, then it didn't on 200 mg either. 

When I m/c'ed, my beta was 440, and my progesterone was 9.  I didn't chart (I was naive to all of this with our 1st pregnancy.), but was probably just about 4 weeks pregnant.  My betas didn't rise, and started to drop with the 48 hour blood draw, and I started bleeding 10 days later.  I was put on progesterone with my second pregnancy, which resulted in my daughter, and was told that with each subsequent cycle off BC, it would be necessary to start progesterone at 5 dpo. 

I'm fully on board with doing whatever testing is necessary whenever it is suggested.  If I could do it tomorrow, I would... but she is now blaming the problem on Mirena.  Would you get a second opinion from another OB or stay the course? 

erpetdoc

All right then...done checking my cervix for this cycle (although I said that last cycle too when I spotted at 5dpo, too). 

And you're 100% right about driving myself nuts.  I'm an emergency vet, and haven't seen a patient in over 2 hours, so I'm spending much more time obsessing than I should. 

Being scientific, though, I like black and white.  Do this, get this result.  And unfortunately, I'm learning the hard way that TTC isn't black and white.  (I didn't learn that the first or second time around since we got pg the first cycle trying with the m/c and the first cycle after the m/c with our beautiful daughter.)

staycee

GhostMonkey:

Just an FYI- you likely won't get a period on 200 mg 2x daily of progesterone until after you stop taking them. Your doctor should be fully aware of that and you should have a plan when to stop taking them. My RE had a test date of 14 dpo, and if negative, then stop taking them. I would call and ask for further clarification on that, because that high of a dose can delay your period.

This is the dosage I was on.  With my RE it was 16dpo to test, and if BFN stop taking the progesterone supps.    Once I stopped taking them each cycle, I usually started 3 days later - so 19 day LPs.

Bethbsn06

Interesting about the short LP's. I get my IUD removed Thursday to restart the TTC road...

Thanks for sharing. I'll have to ask my mid-wife about that when I see her. 

erpetdoc

Bethbsn06:

Interesting about the short LP's. I get my IUD removed Thursday to restart the TTC road...

Thanks for sharing. I'll have to ask my mid-wife about that when I see her. 

Let me know what your midwife says...I'm interested in 2nd opinions on the side effects POST removal.

KNemo

Mirena did all sorts of fvcked up things to my cycle, both in and removed. I didn't regulate for 6 months. My first cycle was two weeks long. My second was three. And so on and so forth. But I also bled and spotted on Mirena for the entire time I had it in (6 months). I hope you don't have the experience I had!

erpetdoc

KNemo:

Mirena did all sorts of fvcked up things to my cycle, both in and removed. I didn't regulate for 6 months. My first cycle was two weeks long. My second was three. And so on and so forth. But I also bled and spotted on Mirena for the entire time I had it in (6 months). I hope you don't have the experience I had!

Love your picture!!  :-)

I will *never* get Mirena again.  If we do an IUD after the next child, I will do Paraguard.  But quite honestly, considering NFP. 

I spotted for like a week with it at insertion...and then nothing...glorious nothing for the whole time I had it in place (almost a year).  I thought that was the best thing ever, but it seems like it's more hassle than it is worth post-removal. 

curlylocks3

I'm sorry you had that experience and I hope it gets better. I feel your pain on the side effects of the Mirena- I'll not use it again either. 

hannahc7891

I feel your pain too.  I was on BCP for 8 years and then went off (just out of curiosity) and had two perfect 28-day cycles followed by 6 months of utter chaos - horrible mood swings, sore breasts, nausea.  No one tells you this stuff when you go on BC.  It was so not worth it.  I try to get the word out when I can.  Ugh!

PenelopePond

Mirena is one of those things that is definitely different for everyone.  My sister, sister in law and myself all had Mirena.  No problems while it was in or after removal.  Sorry you're having problems.