Mirena - IUS

Dear All

Just to give you a picture of what IUS device is in my womb....this is the Mirena device. It is palm sized.

It looks quite scary but hopefully, it'll be my life-saviour. Here's some extracted text on how this device would help people like me who have very heavy flow and have "small" fibriod and are afraid to go for surgery.

Happy reading....:)

Most IUCD's make a woman's periods heavier, but the Mirena makes periods lighter than usual. Because of this, it is frequently used as a treatment for heavy periods, even in women who don't need contraception. As can be seen in the picture, it is made of a light, plastic, T-shaped frame with the stem of the 'T' a bit thicker than the rest. This stem contains a tiny storage system of a hormone called Levonorgestrel. Although the IUS was originally developed as a contraceptive, the discovery that it leads to much lighter periods was a great bonus. Many gynaecologists now suggest the Mirena as a treatment for heavy periods if tablet treatment doesn't work.

After 3 months use, the average blood loss is 85% less, and by 12 months the flow is reduced by 97% every cycle [2]. About one third of women using the IUS will not have any periods at all. Although women initially find it a bit unusual not having periods, it doesn't cause any problems. There is no 'build up' of blood, because the hormone in the IUS prevents the lining of the womb from building up at all. Often it is the excessive thickening of this lining that is the cause of the problems in the first place.

One study looked at 54 women who had heavy periods and were awaiting hysterectomy [3]. They all used the Mirena, and just under 70% were taken off the waiting list because they were happy with the treatment. In another study of 50 similar women, 82% avoided major surgery [4].

The Mirena is now licensed for treating heavy periods, and although this official licensing is relatively new, it has been used 'off-license' for some time in this way.

Although the IUS isn't primarily used for painful periods, two studies [4,5] have found that it does help in many cases (as often as 80% of the time). 

Large fibroids are a common cause of heavy periods. If they are so large, or in such a position that they make the inside of the womb an abnormal shape, it is unlikely that the Mirena will remain in place, and would not be helpful as a treatment. With small to moderate size fibroids, it is quite reasonable to use the IUS and one study [5] has found that fibroids are less common in women who use the Mirena. A further paper has found that in the 5 women studied, a Mirena actually reduced the size of their fibroids [6]. This is only one report, of course, and the IUS cannot be recommended as a treatment for fibroids based on this alone, though it is very interesting.

Conclusion

The IUS is an effective contraceptive and treatment for heavy periods. It reduces menstrual pain, may be used with small to moderate fibroids and has the potential as a treatment for severe PMS. It is associated with a low risk of ectopic pregnancy and infection. It may be more difficult to insert than standard IUCD's, in some women can lead to mild hormonal effects, and commonly causes irregular bleeding in the initial months, though this usually settles by 3-6 months. It is a particularly good treatment choice for women with heavy periods who wish to avoid major surgery.

Love

Theresa