Mirena & Weight Gain

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2003
Mirena & Weight Gain
5
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 4:28pm
I was wondering if anyone has experienced weight gain with Mirena? I have put on a few pounds and I've had it for nearly two months. I don't know if I can attribute it to the Mirena or what.

Anyone else have this problem?

Thanks

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-15-2004
Thu, 04-22-2004 - 4:41pm
unfortunatly I don't have an answer for you...I haven't gotten my mirena put in. But that is one of the things that I was worried about with the (low)hormones involved. I hate the effects that the hormonal pills and patch have one me (weight gain etc..) and that's what I want to get away from with getting the IUD. My doc. assured me that even though there are hormones present, they are in such low amounts that they won't effect me like the pill did.

Has anyone else experienced the weight gain with this IUD?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2004
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 4:00am
Hey, I posted to a previous IUD question for someone who had concerns about putting it in.

I've had mine for 4 months and lots of wacko hormone changes so far, probably more from going off the pill.

I haven't gained weight but I have been trying to lose it and the scale won't budge despite exercise and slightly more conscious eating habits.

I will say I am hungry all the time. Late at night too and that's the worst! Giving in to those urges might explain some weight gain.

I try to stave it off by drinking water. I take it warm with lemon juice. If I have to eat I try for a healthy snack, fruit or vegges.

I've been reading posts from other Mirena users and it seems that Mirena will have side effects for about 6 months. So hang in there, only four to go.

Best of luck!

Nora

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Sun, 04-25-2004 - 4:52pm
I did have weight gain. I gained 5 or 6 lbs on it in about two months of using it. I had it removed because I coudoln't have any orgasms with it. I"ve had the copper IUD and didn't have ANY side effects other than longer heavier periods. The Mirena did affect me despite it saying its so low dose. Wasn't as bad as weight gain at all as on the patch. I gained 4 inches around my waist in 6 weeks of using the patch!!!!!! I quite it 3 weeks ago and have lost all 4 inches from my waist. Its amazing.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-16-2003
Mon, 04-26-2004 - 9:30am
I can say now that I believe that Mirena did cause the weight gain. Check out this site....http://pandamedicine.com/ and click on "round table" then click the Women's thread. There is a whole slew of posts from women that believe Mirena to be responsible for their weight gain. Granted the site seems to centralized in England, but Mirena has been used by women in England for 10 years, whereas, in the US, we've had it available to us since 2000.

I researched and came up with my own conclusion. Mirena contains progesterone and so does Norplant. Norplant's dosing is slightly higher than Mirena and tapers off over 1 year. Norplant goes from about 85mcg in the beginning to 30mcg and remains that way until removed. Mirena's dosing is 20mcg. Norplant's side effects include weight gain! So why heck are our physicians telling us that Mirena's dosing is so small that it "shouldn't effect the body, only the lining of the uterus." What a load of crap.

Of course there is an interest involved in pharmaceuticals, if doctor's openly advertised that Mirena causes weight gain, what woman on earth would buy into it? It's propaganda and I feel angry that I've been mislead.

Read the threads on this site and consider what people are saying about Mirena.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Thu, 04-29-2004 - 2:33pm
I know....there are mor ewomen on the england boards complaining of weight gain with Mirena because more women have used Mirena there than in the US so far. Also, I have a male obgyn friend and he said absolutely you can have weight gain and loss of libido or orgasm w/mirena. (he practices in london). Also he sais you can have weight gain w/the pill and if you ask most nurses or doctors they know from EXPERIENCE women can gain weight with the pill despite what the companies try to prove with their research. If women drop out of the study due to side effects of course the reuslts of the people left in the study because they didn't gain weight aren't going to show any weight gain. But most women who start to gain weight rapidly will drop out of the studies.