Bleeding.....can anyone help?

[wkm]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this but not sure where else to put it. Just want to pick some brains!.....

I've had a mirena coil for a year now, and once it had settled down all I got was maybe half a day of spotting every cycle. Until about 6 weeks ago when I started getting heavy bleeding that lasted for ages (along with what felt like period pains).

Went to the dr - been examined and she took some swabs. Examination was fine and she could feel the threads of the coil. The only thing she didn't do is a smear as I had one about 18 months ago. All the swabs came back normal. So got given some meds to stop the bleeding, to take for 10 days and referred for an ultrasound to check the coil hadn't moved.

I was told that after stopping the meds I'd have a couple of days of bleeding, which I got......but it didn't stop after a couple of days and got heavier and heavier. After a week I went back and saw another dr. She gave me a 3 week course of a different tablet and said that once I've finished I should have a 'proper' period. Now I'm on them the bleeding's stopped although sex sets it off again.

Had the ultrasound this afternoon and they said the coil hasn't moved and looks fine. I have an appointment with the gp tomorrow as she wants to do everything again (examination, swabs etc).

But as you can imagine I'm working myself up cos if it isn't the coil and there's no infection, then what on earth is it? (No idea what the exactly swabs tested for btw). I'm imagining the worst and it's driving me nuts.

Has anyone heard of this sort of thing before? Any ideas what it could be?

Rachel xx

[joannem]

Hi Rach
If the bleeding is just after sex it could be what is known as a cervical erosion - it just simply is that due to hormonal changes the cervic gets a bit delicate and as long as all infection has been excluded is nothing to worry about.

Hope this helps
Love Jo xx

[wkm]

Hi Jo,

Unfortunately although sex can set it off, it also just starts for no apparent reason.

Do you know if the dr could tell if there's cervical erosion when she examines me? Although I guess the first dr would've been able to tell that when she examined me if they can tell.

Rach xx

[joannem]

Possibly but they may not have said.
They sound like they have put you on a low dose pill which should make the bleeding subside ( I know this from my recent family planning update), but my sister also had mirena and it made her bleed continuously but she didnt take the low dose pill and in the end she had it removed.
Is there a particular time in your "cycle" that the bleeding happens?

[wkm]

Until about 6 weeks ago all I got was a bit of spotting each cycle. But this bleeding has been going on for about 6 weeks now and it only stops when I'm taking the tablets to stop it (and even then I get a bit of bleeding at times). It's getting heavier all the time and getting quite scarey.

When I was between the 2 courses of tablets the other week it got so heavy I called NHS Direct cos I was getting scared. Fortunately it slowed down after a few hours (although it still didn't stop) xx

[joannem]

Maybe the pill isnt strong enough hun?? But the mirena does release hormones into your system anyway, it may be worth speaking to your family planning clinic regarding the bleeding Rach xx
How are you feeling other than that? All that bleeding is enough to make you feel low.

[helenr]

Hi Rachel,

I'm having the same probs myself.

After coil inserted it settled down quite quickly and then the continuous bleeding started. It was put down to the antid's I was on at the time (venlaflaxine) which I stopped.

All settled down again, until recently, and I too have been bleeding for about 6 weeks. Its something I have to be very careful with as tiredness is my main trigger - how are you feeling?

love and hugs x

[wkm]

Hiya,

Saw the dr on Fri. She said everything looks normal so didn't need to do a smear. Took swabs to check for infections etc (although they all came back negative last time) but she admits there isn't any infection that would cause bleeding like this.

I have to wait 10 days for the results and if they're normal have to make an appointment with a different dr at the practice who deals with family planning etc (it was her who put the coil in originally).

She said that if everything comes back normal then basically we're left with a hormonal cause. The task then will be to try and work out if it's my hormones or the hormones from the coil that are the problem.

Rach xx

[cazfletcher]

i have the mirena coil to. here for you if you need to talk x