SO AF is here now and I'm supposed to call in to my OBGYN for an appt next week for insertion of a Mirena IUD.

I have a high deductible health care plan (HSA) so we pay for our medical bills from a pre-tax savings account, so almost like paying out of pocket. The IUD is going to run me $700

Next, I am begining to think I might be hypothyroid and have an appt with my reg. Dr. next week to have some labs run. Is the Mirena "ok" if it does turn out that I am hypothyroid?

I'm also afraid of the side-effects. I can't afford to lose what little sex drive I have left. I don't want to gain weight. And, all the birth control pills made my mood swings way worse, even Yaz for my pre-AF craziness. I'm worried my emotions/mood swings will just get worse on the Mirena. I'd just hate to insert the IUD then have issues with it, a big waste of $700!

Anything to calm my fears?

I wish I could calm your fears.. because I have all the same ones. My insertion is free, but the IUD itself is about 300 bucks.. money I don't have right now. I wasn't going to bother with birth control again, but I figure it would be cheaper to go with the IUD and some IC hpts for the next several years than paying $40 a month for birth control I don't want to take.

I have a hypo active thyroid, and my doctor recommended the Mirena. HOWEVER, any hormonal birth control is going to make you gain weight in the beginning. I put in 20lbs with the nuvaring.. and I'm a week into my first cycle with out it and I've dropped all 20lbs.

Have you thought about going with a copper one... or are you going with this one so it stops your period?

I don't really care too much about my periods. I do have a friend though who's menstrual cycle picked up considerbly since she got on the copper IUD.

And I've just finished losing 25 pounds so I won't be happy if I start gaining again!!

Sigh...... Why isn't there a reversible vasectomy yet?!

I have had the mirena IUD for almost 4 years. A little weight gain, but only about 5 pounds. Mirena does have progesterone, but it is locally absorbed and will be absorbed systemically in only minute amounts. I have had blood clots before and can't can't anything hormonal, but my Ob/GYN recommended the mirena, and it has been beautiful. I do still get some pms, but much better than when I was on the pill. i did not really affect my sex drive at all, occasionally, I would have a really low sex drive, but at the same time, something really stressful would be happening, so I can't totally blame the IUD. I also stopped getting a period for almost 18 months about 6 months into getting the IUD, so that was great and now it did come back, but I am still very regular and have shorter lighter periods. HTH

Oh and almost forgot, dh said it felt weird DTD at first because he could feel the strigs, but after a few times, he was fine and now doesn't even notice them anymore.

Thanks for the info and stories!

My OBGYN told me not to even tell DH there would be strings hanging out. She said just telling the guys this "makes" them feel it... Haha... I did tell DH though so he's aware.

Like I said, it isn't really a problem, dh said it felt a little weird, for like 2 weeks, but obviously not that weird if he still waqnted to DTD and had no problems, *wink, wink* After that, its been fine.