I’ve always felt lucky when it came to periods. I didn’t have cramps, they weren’t particularly heavy and didn’t last very long. Usually, I bled for four days every 32 days and was always regular. All this changed when I hit 40 and my period turned into a raging river. Thankfully help has come in the form of a Mirena Coil for heavy periods, which has given me back energy and confidence.
The arrival of the big gush
I can clearly remember when my periods began to change and I started to consider a Mirena Coil for heavy periods. My cycle went out of sync, arriving early and suddenly. I felt hot, wet blood gush down my legs while I was on stage hosting a conference. I was wearing a skirt suit in front of an audience of mostly men. How I kept it together, I do not know.
Thankfully, there was a coffee break shortly after the gush. I rushed to the loo and mopped up what looked like a murder scene. I didn’t have my usual bag with me and was without emergency sanitary stuff. There was none in the toilet and I had to invent something out of a lot of twisted loo roll to get me through the rest of the day and the drive home. It was mortifying.
From that moment on, I lost confidence around my period. I began turning my clothes around to check for leaks, secretly moving on my chair seat at work to see if there were marks and waking in the night to check the bed. I asked my mum if this was normal. She replied: “Oh yes. It just happens!” I remember feeling really angry that no one warned me about it heavy bleeding during perimenopause.
Read more about heavy bleeding during perimenopause or find out about more menopause symptoms.
Start your free online menopause assessment to see if HRT is right for you
Changing my life to fit around my period
Fast forward five years and my period became a lumpy overflowing soup of clots. I dreaded my period every month and tried to avoid booking a holiday or an outing when I was due on. I would try to work at home during the two peak days each month.
I also had to rethink my wardrobe drastically, going for black trousers and jeans to cover up any leakage. And don’t even get me started on sanitary wear. Upping the absorbency did little to help. In the end, I was so drenched that tampons just fell out. I was wearing pads made for night during the day. At night, I would wear double pads, use a tampon and pants. I would still flood the bed – I should have invested in bleach companies.
I went to the practice nurse and an ultrasound showed some fibroids, but not big enough for treatment. They suggested a Mirena Coil for heavy periods as a treatment, but at the time I was going through a year of sex-related urine infections. I think I had 11 doctor visits and nine sets of antibiotics in a year. A Mirena? No way. I didn’t want anyone messing down there after the year I’d had.
I carried on living with dreadful heavy periods and it got worse. I went to the toilet and would use a quarter of a roll dealing with clots on the floor that just rushed out. I was exhausted, tired and fed up. I began to freak out about how much worse it was going to get.”
What does it feel like to have a Mirena Coil?
It was now six years after I first noticed my periods changing and I went back to the doctor out of desperation. She talked about the Mirena Coil again. “If it triggers UTIs, we can take it out,” she said. I was so desperate that UTIs seemed preferable to losing so much blood every month and worrying about leaving slug trails everywhere.
The Mirena Coil insertion procedure was explained and I was shown the little alien sputnik-looking IUD. I would be left with two little strings hanging down that would soften over time. I had an ultrasound to make sure there weren’t any issues before insertion. The fibroids were actually smaller and she was confident the Mirena Coil was suitable for my heavy periods.
For the procedure, I lay on my back with my legs bent and the Mirena Coil was inserted. There was quite a lot of wriggling about. It wasn’t painful and it wasn’t comfortable either, a bit like a picnic on a pebble beach. The whole thing was over quite quickly.
The doctor said I would bleed for a few weeks, that I should feel for the strings in a couple of days and she warned that it would take at least 12 weeks to settle. I was given a follow-up appointment four weeks later.
Mirena Coil pain in first few weeks
The next day was painful and it really felt like I had a dry, uncomfortable tampon up there. I felt inside and could feel the strings at the top of my cervix. I was bleeding quite a bit after a week and I could feel something sharp digging in me when walking.
Three weeks later and I was still bleeding, plus the uncomfortable feeling came and went. I had to unhook my Mirena Coil strings from the top of my cervix as it felt like they were digging in after exercising. I became hyper-aware of the pain and started Googling for advice – don’t do that if you want to remain calm! I began to worry it wasn’t in the right place.
At my review appointment, I said it was still not feeling right. She had a look and said the strings had hooked around the top of my cervix and needed to be shorter. They trimmed the strings and I had an ultrasound to check all was ok. It was in place perfectly.
Mirena Coil and lighter periods
After week 8 of the Mirena Coil, no periods (compared to before)! The bleeding stopped and I didn’t notice that it was in place anymore. I had a period at week 12 and it was so light, it didn’t even make a mark on a pad. Can you imagine the joy of that? Even if I get my period now, it’s so light no one is going to know. I am almost at the point where I feel lighter colour trousers could be an option and I can move out of my temporary goth era.
A Mirena Coil does need some perseverance at the beginning as the last thing you will want when you suffer heavy periods is a long period for weeks and some discomfort. Yet, for me, it’s well worth the few weeks of tricky settling in!
How it feels having a Mirena Coil eight months on
Eight months on from having a Mirena Coil for heavy periods, I am no longer ruled by my menstrual cycle. I rarely notice when I have a period, it’s usually barely leaving a mark on toilet paper. I have used one pad in the last five months. I haven’t left any marks in my clothes or on the bed sheets. I don’t have to worry about staying at someone’s house if I have my period. It is liberating.
In the first three months I was aware that there was “something inside me” and it felt a little weird. Sometimes I thought I could feel it when I walked. But over the last five months, I don’t notice it being in place and I can’t feel the threads.
Start your free online menopause assessment to see if HRT is right for you
Mirena Coil FAQs
How does a Mirena Coil work?
The Mirena Coil releases progesterone hormone into your womb and is a great treatment to regulate cycles, reduce blood flow if you have heavy periods, as well as being a form of contraception.
It works by thickening the mucus in your cervix which prevents sperm from fertilising an egg. It also thins your womb lining, reducing bleeding. This is why a Mirena Coil for heavy periods can really help.
Remember, that a Mirena Coil does not protect you from sexually transmitted infections so use a condom if you have a new partner.
How is a Mirena Coil inserted?
A doctor or nurse will ask you to lie on your back with your knees bent and parted. They will open your vagina, just like a smear test, and insert the Mirena Coil through your cervix and into your womb.
The procedure takes about 30 minutes and they will check if it is in the right place. You will be asked for a review appointment to check all is well and sometimes you may be asked to have an ultrasound to check position.
How long does it take for a Mirena Coil to stop periods?
A Mirena Coil can be ideal for women with heavy or painful periods as it usually results in lighter and shorter periods, even stopping periods for some women.
It does take a while for your body to settle after a Mirena Coil is inserted and it’s a good idea to allow at least 6-12 weeks for your body to completely settle into a cycle of no or lighter bleeds.
Keep in mind that when your Mirena Coil is inserted, you may find that your periods are longer or heavier than usual for the first three months. If symptoms persist past this time, you should go back to your doctor to be reviewed.
Does a Mirena Coil hurt?
When a Mirena Coil is inserted into your womb via your vagina, it can be a little uncomfortable, similar to a smear test.
You may feel tender for a day or too after the procedure and suffer cramps similar to premenstrual syndrome. Take painkillers if you need to.
What are the side effects of a Mirena Coil?
There can be some side effects when using a Mirena Coil, including breast tenderness and mood swings.
What does a Mirena Coil look like?
A Mirena Coil is a t-shaped plastic device that is inserted into your womb. It has two threads that hang down into the very top of your vagina. You can feel these to check the Mirena Coil is in place.
How long does it take for IUD strings to soften?
At the beginning, you may be very aware of the ends of the threads. Over time, the threads will soften and you won’t be able to feel them.
Often the threads can be an issue in relation to sex, feeling uncomfortable or experiencing pain but usually, this can be sorted by your doctor. Your doctor may trim them so they are shorter.
How long does a Mirena Coil last?
A Mirena Coil lasts five years and is a great option for a long-lasting but not permanent treatment. You can get it removed at any time.
Find out more about the stages of menopause, and more on our blog.
Try our menopause clinic
The latest
The news may have you believe you can now buy your HRT from your pharmacist. Spoiler alert! That’s not quite right as it’s not for all HRT. Find out more here.
Do antibiotics, D-mannose or cranberry juice treat UTIs? Why do UTIs happen after sex during menopause and how can you minimise infections? Find out…
Black cohosh, devil’s claw, red clover, evening primrose oil and flax seeds – do these natural supplements for menopause work and are they worth the money?
If you are under 55 or not postmenopausal, you still need contraception to prevent pregnancy. You also need it to prevent STIs.
Have you noticed a change in your weight since you’ve started HRT? Some people report weight gain – or even weight loss – when they start HRT. Find out more.
The Stella app incorporates evidence-based techniques and treatments, chosen by reviewing clinical research and guidelines to manage menopause symptoms.
PCOS can make it tricky to spot signs of menopause, since there can be similar symptoms. Find out everything PCOS sufferers need to know about menopause.
