Straight From the Bottle

I just had mine taken out for all of these reasons and more!  The moment it was gone it was so refreshing.  3 days without it so far and I'm feeling brand new!  Good luck to you, you will love being minus Merena!

I just had mine taken out for all of these reasons and more!  The moment it was gone it was so refreshing.  3 days without it so far and I'm feeling brand new!  Good luck to you, you will love being minus Merena!

HOORAY!

I had clumps, too. HANDFULS. I'm so glad it's out, Rebecca!

That totally sucks!  I love my Mirena (none of these problems) and I would totally have it removed if I was experiencing this.  Just goes to show you that what works for one women might be total hell for another woman.  Take a couple ibuprofen before you go to have it removed b/c you might be a little crampy, but I've had two removed before to get pregnant and it wasn't that big of a deal.  Not nearly as bad as insertion.

I had mine removed on the day TBIK and I applied for our marriage license.  Ha!  Happy day doesn't begin to describe it. :-)

I also want to say thank you to you!  After reading your previous post, commenting, and then reading all the comments (and sharing with the husband), we have also decided to kick it old school with condoms.  I have to know if the hormones in my Nuva Ring have done the same to me.  Here's to taking charge of our bodies!  Good luck to you and all the frustrated sex drive-less ladies out there!

Just a yeast infection comment - I spent a year taking Diflucan every month in college...and finally realized that my yeast strains are resistant to Fluconazole (Diflucan)and miconazole (Monistat), but that Terconalzole (Terazol) will zap the infection for good.  I do the tedious 7-day cream thing, and I have to call for a prescription, but it is totally worth it to only have an infection every few years instead of every month.  I'm not sure which anti-fungals you've tried, but it might be worth trying a different one!

But what no one is talking about is how awesome it is to never have to worry about getting your period! I LOVE IT. I have had Mirena for 3 years and no period at all. Before that I was nursing and then before that pregnant, so it's been 5 years since I had a period. Do you know how much $ I'm saving in tampons?! Plus....no carrying supplies in my purse, no worries about getting my period unexpectedly while out and about with my girls, nothing! It's so liberating. I had never had one negative thought about Mirena until just recently when I read some people talking about mood and other side effects online, and then I was like, Hmmmmm..... Because I have struggled with mood, stress, and hair loss in recent years too. Is it Mirena related? Or just life?! And, do I really want to go back to having to deal with a period every month just to try to find out? How do you KNOW it's from the Mirena???? (I have plenty of other reasons for being crabby, stressed, and depressed! Money worries, no help with two small children, relationship problems, career stress, a toddler who still does not sleep through the night, etc.! But what if Mirena is making me react to these things WORSE than I might otherwise? How do I know?)

Dude, the yeast infection thing would have done it for me.  And the hair on top of it?  On top of the sex drive??  And everything else???  I'm SO glad you're taking it out.  Sounds like that was not a good fit for you.

I'm glad to be reading this as I was debating Mirena.  Also, I totally hang my nursing bras from door knobs too!

I was just about to get mine in..not any more!

I was thinking about getting one put in, but after reading this I am definately thinking twice about it!

I was on the minipill when I was nursing, which I think is the same hormone as Mirena.  I was not happy with it.  I suppose I had all kinds of hormonal things going on due to the nursing, but that was one of the main reasons I have never gotten it.  Combined with the fear of IUDs I have from the scare that went on in the 70s.  I just can't put a plastic or metal device in my nether area.

Yup, yank that sucker out! I mean, have it removed under sterile conditions....but yeah. No.

I am sooooo happy you are getting it removed!!! I was one of the people begging you not to get it a year ago! I hate this product. It makes me angry to know that it's still available. It's great for some people I know, but more are having serious, adverse reactions. Please keep us updated on how you are feeling once it's removed. Sending positive thoughts your way doll!!!

What surprised me is that when I went to have it removed my gyno was genuinely surprised.  She said she had NEVER heard of any of her patients having side effects! So girls, make sure to tell your gynos what's going on!!!  Thanks for this blog, makes me feel less nuts!!!

Just to chime in I had the mirena put in about 9 weeks after my daughter was born. Five months later I'd lost most of my hair, gained 25 pounds (even while nursing), I couldn't have sex because of how painful it had become, and I spent the majority of the day crying.

It's almost a year later and my hair is just starting to grow back. Devils tree for sure.

Hmmm...I've been experiencing hair loss recently too.  Just like you I have to clean my brush every day, unclog the shower drain and have my lint roller handy when wearing black clothes.  I'm wondering if the 7 years of pill use has just been pushing my body slowly over the edge.  Sounds like it's time to call up the gyno!

My best friend is pregnant. And she has the Mirena. We are confused. And she is scared.

I cannot take anything with hormones in it.  I think for a lot of women it causes many problems that we do not address.  I either had a hormone imbalance or got one as a result of trying many different types of  birth control pills out there.  I found that going to an endocrinologist helped me to realize (through extensive testing) I had a minute thyroid issue and I was making to much prolactin, I took meds to straighten out.  What I didn't realize is that OB's have limited training in hormone imbalances and it is best to get testing through an endocronologist, especially if you do not feel better a few months after stopping birth control.

The symptoms you're describing all totally sound like they could be attributed to hormonal bc of any kind, not mirena exclusively. Had you been on hormonal bc in the past?

Well, crap. I thought my hair loss was only due to my thyroid flipping me the bird after I had my 4th kid....but after being on thyroid meds for over a year now, I'm STILL shedding. I've had the Mirena for almost 17 months, but never suspected it could be affecting my head. And I don't have much hair to spare. I'm interested to see if getting it removed will fix the hair loss - I've been back and forth about it for some time now, I've had a few side-effects I ain't so fond of. But the need to not have any more babies was outweighing everything - and Mirena has been the most effective/reliable BC for us. Hmmm again.  

Hi Rebecca and fellow readers --

Rebecca -- I just wanted to say I think you are doing the right thing.  Totally.  It sounds pretty scared and sucky for you to have to had experience all that stuff while trying to be a mom/wife/thriving chick in this crazy world.  It just goes to show that we as health care recipients can't always TRUST our doctors.  Someone in the above comments had mentioned that their doctor had never heard of these side effects....really...??  Come on!  It's HORMONES -- and hormones that can STOP your period -- a totally un-natural thing.  I do however, respect that you chose this and as do other women.  You are doing something totally responsible -- using birth control.  And you should never feel bad or guilty for trying this.

I've heard great things about the Paraguard IUD.  It is the same concept -- except no hormones or nasty side effects.  

If you and your husband can dig condoms -- power to you both!  

Good luck with everything and I hope that you return back to 'the old you' asap!

Oh my goodness! I had a yeastie with my Mirena and I never had one before that in my 27 years either! I didn't know that's what it was, I thought my vagina was getting worn out or something, eew.

I so love that you're not one of those women who's like, "Eh. It's a side effect. Whatevs." That scares the shit out of me.

Seriously!  Please tell me you immediately removed that thing from your body.  That last picture from the top is some scary, scary stuff.  

I would almost have to see your hair sort of styled in the same manner to really see the difference......but I hear you about not really enjoying thin hair.  My hair is so fine and thin and it really sucks...I just want a nice thick head of hair.

Crap.

This makes so much sense. I wasn't on mirena... But I had been using Nuvaring for 18 months. and my periods went all light and nice for a bit and then all the sudden my body went like. "Screw you, you piece of crap plastic ring suppressing my natural function." And no joke... I bled for a month and a half. TMI? Sorry. But these things jack you up. I'm over it. Donesky. And all of this came out because I too lost an entire wig full of hair in the process of trying to not get knocked up...again. I swear, who even PLANS getting pregnant anyways?! It's never worked for us. So I guess this was my body saying, "give it up, yo."

Anyways, here's more positive reinforcement. Good Choice Rebecca!  

Oh and P.S. Your pictures are insane! It's almost as bad as when my cousin returned from living in impoverished Ukraine for 18 months.

First and foremost, I think you're awesome. I'm not a mommy, and I still love your blog.

Secondly, I loved your post about your IUD sucking as well as this follow-up. I personally take YAZ and it has caused 1. hair thinning and 2. the eventual disappearance of any sex drive whatsoever. I have been feeling really bad about both of these things (seriously, I used to have sweet hair and I also don't mind an occasional romp, (just between you and I)). But both of these things are freaking me out.

Thanks for making me feel like I'm not alone out there in pregnancy prevention world.

THAT BITES!  I have fine thin hair, glad I never had to use that Mirena or I would be BALD!!!

I have the regular old copper T and have had it for 8 years. No hormones, hassle free. Don't give up on IUDs--just jettison the Mirena.

just curious, have you stopped breastfeeding recently?  hair loss could be from the drop in hormones.  I was not on any form of bc and lost half of my hair after breastfeeding. I also went a little bat shit crazy and had to be put on zoloft because my hormones were so out of whack.  think pms x10, NOT fun.

Glad to hear you've pinpointed the problem and have found resolution to all that's wrong. On the funny side though, did Archer ever think that your hair was just going where Dad's hair went? =)

Yoo boy! Are you preoccupied with your appearance or what? Listen, my dear, it will only get worse. You're aging, getting older by the minute. Before you know it you'll be OLD! You can glob on the makeup and dress like a 14-year-old or you can accept it and act your age. Move on. Develop other interests than staring at yourself in the mirror and posting pics of yourself online. We get it! You love you. But honey, you're not that hot. Not even close.

YOU: (In a whining talking-through-your-nose Jersey accent) "Hal! Hal!"

HAL: "What's the matter?"

YOU: "On my GAWD! My hair!  My hair is getting thin!"

HAL: "It looks fine."

YOU" "Noooo! It doesn't! I'm balding! Oh my Gawd!"

HAL" "Look, if you hadn't  colored your hair ten thousand times and put all kinds of shit on it and had it straightened and flat-ironed and blow dried a million times your hair would be fine. You screwed around with your hair and now it's falling out. Deal with it."

YOU" "(Sobbing hysterically) Now I'm not hawt anymore!'

HAL: "Shut up."

Ack, nasty stuff! I swore off all hormonal stuff back when I was trying not to have a third miscarriage and got the Depro Provera shot. Holy cow, that stuff messed me up!! Ten day periods, even though you're not supposed to have ANY, hair loss, irritability and . . . severe weight gain. :( Oh, and I got pregnant again after two shots because the second one didn't work.

Good luck with the condoms. Bonk your man on the head if he even THINKS about saying, "I don't like the feel . . . "

Believe it or not, I LOVE my Mirena.  Yes, I suffered plenty of initial side effects--thinning hair, low sex drive, yeast infections, and my personal favorite--ACNE, really bad, horrible acne.  But then again, I had researched pretty thoroughly, and I knew that might be the case going in.

And then, about 10 months in?  Hair loss stopped--I'm back to conditioning the roots so that my hair will not be so darned poofy.  Sex drive is back.  Acne is gone, and so is my melasma--the reason I wanted to kick the pill and try the Mirena.  Weight--well, I like my burritos, OK?

Although I totally agree that some of us are absolutely not compatible with the Mirena, it really is a Godsend for others.  I've heard of other girls whose side effects tapered off after the hormones got adjusted (way after 6 months), and once that hurdle passes, it's pretty much wonderful.

I hate that your experience was so bad, but I felt compelled to chime in with a positive perspective.

rebecca -- i'm your age and quit the pill around 4 years ago.  read Taking Charge Of Your Fertility and haven't used a condom or any other bc method since.  Only got pg when I wanted to.  It's not for everyone, and you have to do a little work every day (I know you said you had trouble remembering to take the  Pill, but it's actually easier to remember to take your temp because it's the first thing you do every morning), but it's amazing and empowering (cheesy word but you really learn so much about your body) and my friends and I swear by it.  think about it! eff artificial hormones!

Why do I feel like you're going to get pregnant again? lol.

I had a NON-hormone IUD for about 18 months and loved it.  I don't know if that would have been the better option for you or if your body just doesn't like that little foreign object AT ALL.  I had it taken out in 2005 and got pregnant roughly 3 minutes later.  After I had child #4, I had my tubes tied.

I give you huge props if you can survive with the little raincoats.  We absolutely hated them.

I hope your hair comes back asap.

thank you so much for A. deciding to take that shit out and B. openly discussing this method.  since i am a complete nutso, my obgyn suggested this method-- saying that it's hormonal affects were minimal.  you, along with other balding, sexless, raging loonies, have made my decision quite clear.

good luck to your uterus, libido, luscious locks and most importantly, to your condoms.

If it helps, you still look beautiful.  Also, hormones and mirena suck.

Fuck on a stick!  I thought I was shedding more than normal lately :-(  Ok, I'm totally not a hypochondriac, but I'm terrified that all these bad things are going to happen to me now...because that's just how things work on me.  

A non-hormone IUD is the way to go. I have a copper one that is hormone free and it's been fine so far. Sorry about your birth control troubles. :(

Thank you Not A Hippie But...!!

You summed it up perfectly.

I was going to comment that all women should read Taking Charge of Your Fertility if they can (libraries have it).

I am dealing with the hair loss too, mine related to stopping breastfeeding. It sucks. My bangs are the worst, yours look awesome though! Your face is framed beautifully, and I wouldn't even notice hair loss if you didn't mention it.

I've experienced hair loss due to a thyroid disorder and now am going through it again post-pregnancy. It is really upsetting and anxiety-inducing, losing all that hair. Your hair still looks good, and you're beautiful. I hope everything goes back to normal for you! Love your blogs.

My hair is falling out like crazy too! Only, I'm not on Mirena. I had a baby 4 months ago, and two weeks ago it started coming out in fistfuls in the shower, everyday. Maybe in the first photo you were still sporting your supped-up prego hair and it's not as bad as you think?

Don't worry about it too much though, your hair is still cute.

Congratulations on dumping hormones! I went off the pill about 7 yard ago due to much icky feeling. Since then, my  husband and I have used lambskin condoms for protection. They're awesome. They are the only condoms that feel like there's (almost) nothing there. No rubber balloon barrier to kill all sensation. They totally conduct heat. They don't protect against AIDS or STD's, but I think you and Hal's monogamous relationship with each other should take care of that.

Have much hormone free fun!

Honestly? Your post and all these comments really make me wonder whether natural family planning really IS the way the go for overall female health, sex drive, side effects ... and your hair loss?  Unacceptable!  It all sounds so risky.

Ladies,

Can't help but think that the whole 'may stop your periods completely' thing should be a real wake up call for us as women. If someone offered to stick something up your but that would totally stop you pooping wouldn't you kinda wonder about how that would affect your body.

We are women and from puberty to menopause we shed our uterine lining once a month. It's how we know we are healthy and fertile and functioning as we should. A stop in your cycle should be an alarm bell not a bonus.

Condoms can work really well for some people and natural family planning, is you are diligent, works brilliantly.

Have you finished your family? Has Hal thought about the big 'V'? Because that was the answer in our house.

Still, while it sounds all mother earth and repulsive, enjoy your periods. Be glad that you are healthy and nourished and fertile and that you are a woman.

oh lady!  i am SO sorry to hear that your attempt at responsible birth control has ended so poorly!  ):  i remember reading your "i.u.did!" blog way back when, and thinking it sounded like a grand idea.  after giving birth to my daughter in april, i looked into mirena myself and decided on a firm HAIL NO - mostly because of other womens' personal comments/experiences after having it put in...  i'm truly sorry to hear that you ended up finding out the hard way that it can have some seriously gnarly effects!

i hope that everything ends well, and that you can some up with something that appeals to your personal comfort and doesn't put your mental/physical health in jeopardy.  good for you in being so upfront and honest on the subject!  best of luck, dear!

cheers!

Agreed. I'm going to check out the natural family planning book, all you ladies speak of. But to be safe? Also condoms.

No vasectomies in this house. We want one more babe someday and besides that, what if something happened to me or we broke up or he fell in love and wanted to breed with someone else?  Don't want to deprive him of second chances...

And I also agree with comments about no period = no brainer that this shit is BAD for your body.

And honestly? I miss having a period, strange as that may sound. Tampons are my friend and I miss them. Boo.

The non-hormonal Paraguard IUD has been wonderful for me- I has very similar bad experiences with birth control pills and was dead set against hormones ever again. The only side effect w/ the Paraguard was very heavy periods at the beginning, for the first 6 months to a year or so. And my periods were heavier than I was prepared for- like extra heavy super plus flow tampons that I had never needed before. But after 2 years it has totally leveled out and my periods are back to normal. I figure if you mess with your body's rhythms there will be something out of the ordinary- of all the possible issues, a heavier period for a few months in exchange for worry free and hormone free birth control was worth it. And besides, we hate condoms here and did not want to get ambushed with another baby before we were ready.

I feel your (hair) pain...except I'm 6 mos. pregnant. Apparently, some of us don't get the sweet end of the stick from the hormonal hair fairy during pregnancy as I am finding out. (...and don't worry- my midwife had my thyroid tested and everything checked out.) Yep - it's "just hormones." Lord help me if I have postpartum hair loss because there won't be anything left!

I really appreciate you posting on all the BC methods - it's a decision I'm not looking forward to making in the next 6 months, but it helps immensely to have some real life opinions and experiences in the mix.

thinking about getting the paragard-  can you take a poll about what  people  think of the non-hormonal  version of the iud????? i seriously need to know!!!

I said something like this before, but thank you. I had thought about getting an IUD and will not be doing it.

hate the hormones, so had the copper IUD put in July of 2005. Which meant I ended up having my period on my wedding day....went from a 5-day period steadily up and up and up until I had it taken out in March of 2006, at which point I had about a three day NON-period break.

Also went from normal kind of cramps to the kind that made me double over and shut my eyes. Really, really bad. And I ain't a wimp! Rugby player here!

so boo, hiss, hated it. doing the nuva ring since it's the least amount of hormones and the only thing that scares me worse than hormones is having THREE under three.

Paragard all the way...

So glad to hear you're getting that thing removed! Good for you! We girlies were given our hormones for a reason and I always got the creepy-creepies at the thought of messing with 'em. For bringing back hair and skin and stuff like that get a really good (food sourced) B-vitamin Complex (like higher-ish doses for 3 months and then back off) and Vit D3. Will help you get that thickness back :) good luck with the return to rubber wars (erm, latex).  

The whole idea of altering my body's natural cycles with hormones has always scared me, and condoms were always a hassle for my husband and I.  So, since our wedding in July of 2005, we have used a diaphragm with spermicide and haven't had any problems and/or surprises.  I have heard that this combo can lead to yeast infections for some women, but that has never been an issue for us.  For some reason, when contraceptives are discussed, the diaphragm is rarely mentioned ...  Just another hormone-free option you might consider.

Hi!

I have an IUD.. not this Mirena one, mine is without hormone.. because I know I cant have any hormones, it makes me crazy.. really. So what I wanted to say is, I have this IUD for 1 year and it works perfect for me.. I have nothing to complain about it, it works great, I don`t have to remember to take a pill every day, I don`t have any side effects from hormones and I have my period once a month.. I`m losing hair though.. a lot of hair, not like you but still its a lot of hair.. I never thought it could be from an IUD and maybe it isnt because mine doent have hormones..

Why dont you just trade yours for the regular non-hormonal IUD?? It works great..

Anyways good luck with the condoms!

(BTW I think this is the weirdest comment Ive ever made in any site)

oh its the copper one Ive got..

Never had the IUD but thought I'd chime in with my experience.  I have an HMO and on it, only have 4 brands of options with BC pills (they generally only do generic).  I've been through every one.  The first 2 caused my migraines to just get worse, the third made me spot all the time- as in every day of the month and lose my sex drive entirely (though the two things may have been linked), and now the fourth is causing hair loss (I already had thin hair so it's really noticeable), longer periods than I've ever had before  and horrible monthly migraines.  I give up.

We are going with the Fertility Awareness Method, so thanks for these posts in which I heard about it and knew to look it up further.

I had a breast yeast infection from nursing that I took fluconazole for 6 weeks, yes 6 weeks, to get rid of the infection.  Like clock work 8 or so weeks after final medication my hair started falling out.  It fell out for 3 months at the rate of about 300-500 hairs per day at the height.  No I am not exaggerating.  I had to do manual hair counts for the specialist I saw.  The only thing they could come up with was taking the medication for so long and possibly low iron stores (ferritin levels).  You might consider checking your iron.  Anyway, it's taken a year to come back but finally getting better.  So I totally know how you feel.  IT SUCKS!!! I loved my hair before. Good luck.

I know that it's no consolation, but at least you didn't get disgusting cystic acne!

avalon organics thickening shampoo with BIOTIN B-COMPLEX totally saved me on the thinning hair front. hope that helps x

I've recently been dealing with my ridiculously thick curly hair disappearing before my very eyes.

At first I thought it was the 'oh your hair changes every 7 years' BS, then I figured we're getting married! Buying a house! It MUST be stress. But I was never and still am not stressed over any of it. Then I realize it must be my BC. I've been on Loestrin 24Fe for 3 years now. And its killing me hair.

Its particularly great to read this post right now, because my OB/GYN isn't taking me seriously. He told me to lose some weight and he switched my birth control pill. A trip to a dermatologist who wanted to shoot me up with cortizone because if I, "really truly felt like something was wrong, she guessed she could do that", because "EXACTLY how much hair are you losing in a day?"

I was beginning to feel like I was making it up. But I'm not. I can see my scalp whenever I put my hair up, it has to be arranged just so, so I don't show bald lines. And I was never able to use those silly alligator clip things to keep my hair up, and now it takes one small one.

So thank you. Seriously Thank. You.

When I was on the patch (you know, the birth control that looks like an oversized bandaid you stick to your arm or belly), I almost lost all of my hair.  

I also lost tons of hair on the birth control pill.  Now that I'm not taking the pill I noticed my hair is super full again.   And this whole time I thought it was stress...

Thanks for sharing your experience - I was considering getting Mirena after I have my second kiddo, but I never liked the hormone aspect of it.  Tired of pills with hormones too - hard to figure out what to do!  I also think it is crazy to not have a period, really they aren't that bad, and it is natural to have them so anything that interferes with that seems not good to me.  

I had to bid farewell to hormonal birth control too -- hair loss being the very least of my problems. (The more compelling ones included inexplicable weight gain, complete and total loss of sex drive, and debilitating depression.) My husband and I joke about a thermometer being our birth control now, but the fertility awareness method has been great to us. I chart what my body is doing, we use condoms on fertile days, and I've never felt healthier. No more hormones screwing me over!

Try talking to your doctor about the "European" IUD. I don't know the name for it, but it does not have any hormones and it lasts for 10 years. I have had mine for 6 & no problems, although I still get my period. I don't mind though, I think I'd freak not having it & thinking my birth control isn't working & I'm pregnant again!

But seriously though, if neither of you likes condoms, don't you think you could get pregnant again pretty soon? I know how the feeling of "I don't want a baby just now but if I get pregnant oh well" can pop in when you're having sex and then you're not as careful with the condoms...especially if you want another kid sometime anyways. Just think, Fable would be 2-3 years older and Archer would be 5-6 years older, which are nice gaps :-)

UGH! I totally feel your pain with hair loss. My thyroid went crazy after having my daughter and a side effect of the medication to fix it is hair loss.  I was heart broken!  It was constantly falling out. At the end of the day my clothes would be covered in stray hairs and I dreaded taking a shower.  UGH! Finally I was able to go off the  medicine, but it was still falling out.  My dermatologist recommended Nioxin shampoo and conditioner. You can get your stylist to pick it up for you cheaper than  you could get it at Amazon.  I used it a few times a week for a month. And started noticing the slow down after week two. At the end of the month I wasn't losing any hair in the shower.  Also, the derm put me on Matrix Complete vitamins for hair, skin and nails.  It helped jump start the regrowth.  Four months later and I'm working to maintain the short hairs through out. My husband got me a Chi hair dyer for Christmas to help tone them down.  But quite frankly, I'm just so happy they are growing back I don't mind them at all.  --Best of luck!!

Right around the 4th postpartum month, my hair started coming out in major fist-fulls in the shower, this continued until right around the 15th month postpartum.  I never went back on any form of birth control (my husband had a vasectomy).  My doctor had my thyroid levels checked just to make sure that it was just a hormonal thing after giving birth.  The weird thing is that it never happened after my first two deliveries..

I heart my Paraguard.  No side effects, no prep like condoms used to be, just good old fashioned when-you're ready-you-are-SO-ready-doing the deed.  Love Love LOVE the Paraguard.  Look into it! I think it was the best chouce for me, since after my second baby I did not adjust well to hormones of any tpe AT ALL...

wow i have had mine for about 2 months now and i was just saying today "i wonder why im losing so much hair?" i went and got new shampoo.

Rebecca,

I lost GOBS and GOBS of hair within the year of each of my kids.  Then it all comes back.  I go through phases where the drain is jammed packed full...so full I have to pick it up by the fist full and slap it on the wall in order for the shower to keep draining.  I've NEVER had an IUD or use birth control in over 26 years.  Lasts about a month or so and boom, back to a full head of nice hair again.

So, perhaps a blood work up at the doc might be a good move.  Something to consider.

My gawd. You are all freaking me out with your birth control stories!!

Maybe condoms and the natural method the way to go after all? (Unless you are 100% convinced you are done reproducing, in which case I suggest one the pair get 'fixed' and since it so much easier on the male body..)

Am 43 and due to husbands vasectomy have not had to worry about this stuff for the past 10 years.  And must admit when I did have to worry about it the options so much more limited (and tested in the case of the pill..)

If you are not sure if you would like another child keep on with the condoms and natural method (just letting it be known hubby and I conceived twins using both methods!)

But for us after it was all said and done a vasectomy has worked so very well for us :)

I have had my Mirena for over a year and I LOVE it! Not having a period is the best gift ever! And the immediate return to fertility that an IUD offers is great! Since I've never had kids the insertion was painful but oh so worth it! I was a fine pill taker, but got the IUD because I was afraid of my insurance coverage ending and not being able to afford the monthly cost of pills, the Mirena was so economical- even cheaper than 5 years' worth of condoms. The Paragard sounded like an awful option for me, most of the women who get it have heavier, longer, more painful periods which would put just as much of a damper on my sex drive/activity as a little bit of hormone. But, either way, IUD's are a great birth control option. I would urge other women to keep trying different methods of birth control until they find one that really fits for them. Not just one pill, etc., because they can affect people so differently. Also, keep in mind, that every time a woman changes birth control methods/pill types/etc that it takes your body 3-6 months to fully adjust to that new method (usually in the form of irregular bleeding). And there are benefits of hormonal birth control methods, specifically increased effectiveness and reduced cancer risks if they're used for at least 10 years. I wouldn't close my mind on any option of birth control without personal experience because what works for some doesn't work for all- but IUDs are the most widely used reversible birth control world-wide, over 160 million women are currently using IUDs. All of that being said, do what feels right for you. From someone in the field though, your healthcare provider isn't trying to push some agenda on you when helping you choose birth control, overwhelmingly the feedback is very positive for IUD's- the Mirena in particular-not 100% positive, but probably 95% positive in my own experience (as both a healthcare provider and a user of the product).

The thing with your hair...that aint right.  I lost a lot of hair after my last pregnancy and the worst thing was when it started to grow back and I had all these funky little hairs all over the place.  

Hormone free is the best way to be.  We don't need anything else screwing with our bodies.  They're kind of screwy as it is with out any help, thank you very much mother nature.  Bitch!

Yeah, the only time I got regular yeast infections was when I was on the pill, long long ago. Now if makes me hurl like the exorcist, so with that last c-section, I got my tubes tied. I'm done, and I know it.

Do they not make IUDs without hormones?

Hey,

First and foremost I LOVE your blog!  

I use to have the mirena and had to have it taken out thanks to the massive cramps 3 weeks out of the month and the never wanting to bang my husband:)

We had a baby 8 months ago and he just got weaned from breastfeeding and I would love a birthcontrol that is not such a PIA but I like you go nuts with hormones:(

Have you looked into the minipill?  Also after I had my son my hair shed like something awful.  If you saw me now you would thing that I had some weird mullet becasue the sides of my hair (you know the ones people tuck behind their ears) look like wings!

HUGS

K

well, let me add my 2 cents here. i was doing the nuvaring for 3 yrs, after our second and i was supporting us while hubby is finishing nursing school. we decided a few months ago that i needed a break from hormones. and so, we too decided to kick it old school like high school, and did rhythm method and condoms...

well. i got preggo. last month. guess the condoms, oh and both my kids getting swine flu for xmas, kinda through us... totally not ready for the third to say the least. (for real. i mean i nursed both my kids for years and i am not the mom who wants to go back to work w a 6 week old...)

be sure you know the risks. condoms suck, and aren't the most reliable. rhythm method has a 25% failure rate.

just be careful, and know what you want.

needless to say....

i am not longer pregnant

what?! hair loss too? i've had crazy hair loss. again, i just blamed it on nursing or something. sheesh. i feel like you just told me my bff made out with my boyfriend! ladies, meet your new frenemy: mirena.

Okay, the "tampons are my friend and I miss them" line is a little odd.  I think the Mirena might be making you a little insane.

Anyway, this whole conversation has been great to read!

I too had suffered from some weird hair thinning for other reasons. I started using Nioxin shampoo and tonic and my hair has come back to it's natural thickness. It'd be worth a try.

I kind of feel the need to chime in on this topic. I do not argue there are side effects with the Mirena. I have also had the same yeast infection issue, but with a daily supplement of acidophilus things are perfectly fine in that aspect.

The one thing to be aware of is the hair thing. I do know you are of similar age and child birthing status to myself. My mom is a cosmetologist and has guided me through the hair loss issue. I too lost handfuls and tons of hair. Thankfully I had enough in the first place it hasn't been emotionally scaring for me. Several things to consider and give weight to. One being age. Majority of women go through a stage of hair loss right around 30 years of age, some a couple of years before or afterm its actually very common. Second is your hair has been accustom to pregnant Bec for the past handful of years. Now that you aren't, and your body isn't producing those life supporting hormones/chemicals (pregnancy and/or breast feeding). Your body is attempting to balance and change to accommodate this again. You may also notice your body hair growing slower as well as your finger nails. Its common post pregnancy stages.

I know you know your hair by feel, and you DO know there is a difference, but don't give to much faith to those photos. Yes, you are losing some hair, but its possibly not as bad as it seems. Some things to keep in mind. Styling differences. It looks like in the first photo you are wearing some (fantastic) layers. Also along styling, one could have been blown dry or you drove with the windows open etc. And product. If you switched products that can also make a difference (as well as stress out your hair). Season of year also plays impact your hair and its behaviors. I seem to remember you aren't an every day hair washer as well. Hair will always have more volume and life fresh after a washing, if photo 2 is day 2 or 3 hair it will be much more lifeless and limp just from your natural hair oils and its own weight. Also I do know you've changed your diet. This also can play a big part on your hair and its performance.

I will be interested to see if you see any difference in the months following your IUD removal, but take these (many) other factors into account too :)

@tiffany-

That, oh it takes your body 3-6 months to adjust is most people's response when I say that none of them worked for me.  I was on each pill for a minimum of 6 months before throwing in the towel.  That's 6 months 4 times over on not so fun side effects- which is over 2 years.  It may have had something to do with the fact that the first three were the generic versions, but the fourth was Yaz.  That's the one that I'm almost positive made my hair start falling out and gives me horrible migraines every single month when I get to the last week.  Also, they were supposed to give me shorter, lighter periods and yet I've been on them for 9 months and I get longer, stronger ones.  I also get cramps which I didn't before, and since I'm having to take my migraine meds I can't take anything for the cramps or I'll OD.  Overall- just miserable.

I'm with Joanie here--followed the family planning method to the letter and it worked for us for 7 years until...it didn't.  Since you are planning for another babe, it may be worth the risk, but for us it was really awful and tough decisions were made.

FYI, you (and your hair) are beautiful!

When I stopped taking the pill almost two years ago, three months later my hair started falling out.  I quickly realized the one thing that could bring me to my knees faster than anything else in the world.  I seriously thought I was going to have to get a wig or something.  Then one day, suddenly it stopped and that was my first clue that I might be pregnant.  I was, and wonderful hair followed.  Had the baby, and three months after that hair started hitting the floor again.  From everything I've read, and believe me, I read IT ALL, this was pretty common.  The good news is now my hair is totally back to normal, and you best believe all of this experience played a heavy hand in picking a new form of birth control which is why I went with the regular no-frills IUD.  I'm so done with monkeying around with hormones.  I've seen what it did to me, and after determining that my mothers breast cancer 5 years ago was hormone fed, I'm saying no thank you!  The way I see it is we ladies are like walking nuclear plants - we harness enough energy to create life!  So dont go in there and start screwing with the dials and switches.  Stuff gets out of kilter and bad things happen!  Dont worry Rebecca - get rid of that thing and your body will get its balance back.

Just a thought for all of you experiencing hair thinning/loss, you may have a problem with your thyroid.  I experienced the same symptoms, depression, fatigue, dry skin, lots of clogged drains...and attributed the symptoms to stress.  But my gyno did a test and I had a totally non-functioning thyroid-you'd be amazed how much that sucker controls in your body.  So it may be worth a little bloodwork to find out.

Holy Shit.    I'm scared.    I mean, this thing was too damn expensive to take out for no reason, but I don't want all my hair to fall out - it's all I have left since pregnancy took my ass!

I have had the Paraguard (copper/non-hormonal) IUD since June 2008, about 6 weeks after the birth of my 3rd child.

I mostly love it.  It's easy--never have to remember to get scrips refilled, or take a pill every day, etc.  It's in, it's there, it's non-hormonal.

The side-effects have been minimal.  Weight-loss has not been affected, except for maybe, positively. (I have lost 107 lbs since my youngest was born, which is about 47 lbs more than I gained with him.  Of course, some of that was left-over from #2, so it's nice to finally be rid of that.)  I haven't "dieted" since the babe was born, and I haven't dramatically increased the amount of exercise I do.

For the first 18 months, I barely had my period (nursed exclusively the first 6 months, finished nursing by about 12 months).  Although, for most of my life, I barely had a period (think spotting for about 12 hours--not even enough for a light pad--and that was it for the month).

Suddenly, in November/December, I started experiencing cramps for the first time.  Ohmigod!  I was doubled-over in pain, feeling bad for all those times in high school I thought my friends' were just being wimps about their periods.  (Sorry, Wendy, I really just never believed how bad it could be...)  (Red raspberry tea works wonders for cramping, btw.)  

And as far as volume?  Holy jeez!  I'm 31 y/o and have never really needed pads or tampons before in my life.  My period now lasts 5 bloated, crampy, heavy-flowing days.  I went from no pad, to a pad an hour some days.  I have heard this will level out, but had I had a normal period pre-Paraguard, I don't know that I would want to risk having an even heavier period (although, buying pads and tea is a bit cheaper than having another baby...).

My hair is not falling out.  It's actually growing quite nicely, as opposed to after my first two babies stopped nursing and I was losing clumps at a time.  For the first time since I've known my husband, I've been able to grow my hair past my shoulders without it getting all scraggly.  (Although, I have also stopped using shampoo altogether, so maybe that has more to do with it than anything.)

My sex drive seems to be the same as it's always been (with the exception of the low-points, ie. 38-42 weeks preggo--why were all my kids late?--and the months immediately post-partum.)

We did have a string issue at first.  Apparently, my husband likes to be the only one doing the poking.  I went back to my midwife and she trimmed the strings, so he doesn't feel anything any more.

www.urbanmamas.com has a HUGE discussion about IUDs under the post "What to do when 2 is enough" or some similar title.  It's a lot of info to read through, but really kind of fascinating.  After reading it, I ended up going with the Paraguard over the Mirena, just because SO many women have side-effects with Mirena.  Side-effects their health-care professionals either didn't warn them of, or even worse, side-effects they don't believe are caused by the Mirena.

All that being said, I'm kinda looking forward to menopause.

LadyComp.  Seriously.  It works for me (and not everything has).  No hormones, no pee strips, and you only have to use condoms for one week out of the months.  A deal at twice the price, no joke.

ladycomp-babycomp.com/.../index

Keep in mind that it is TOTALLY NORMAL for women to lose hair--sometimes a LOT of hair--after pregnancy and during the hormonal changes associated with postpartum, nursing, and weaning. It can be totally unrelated to birth control.

Rebecca, how do I love thee...

I had no idea that this stupid thing was the cause of my monthly crotch fire!  I hate yeast infections and I had only one in 30 years prior to Mirena.  I told my OB at my last appointment and I got diflucan to take every month.  I'm calling tomorrow to have that bitch removed!

Low sex drive, mild depression.  Bonus.

Let us know how it goes (as if you wouldn't).

Oh wow. I just got my Mirena removed in September after five years of depression hell and my hair looks almost exactly like yours and I NEVER even attributed the hair loss to the IUD. Am stupid. Think it will thicken up again?

I am praying that they will be able to remove it with no problems.  I had to have mine surgically removed because it had slipped up into my cervix and the doctor couldn't grab the strings.  I had to go to inpatient surgery, get knocked out, and then pay the bill.

Best of luck.

I recommend the old fashioned diaphram.  It can be put in hours ahead of time, no hormones and to me, much better than a condom.

ok after your stellar recommendation (and tons of research) i decided to get an iud of my own. then you wrote this. i had second thoughts but went ahead and got mine anyway but without the hormones. i had it put in today and it only hurt a bit. like a shot, by the time it hurts it's over. hopefully without the hormones i'll have all of the fun and none of the side effects. wish me luck!