I’m getting rather concerned about the number of women who are telling me that, during gynaecological investigations, their doctors fitted them with a Mirena IUD, saying “now you’re here, you might as well have this fitted”. It worries me, because although the Mirena IUD may well suit many women, there are forums online that run to 135 pages, full of postings from women who blame the Mirena IUD for a whole raft of horrible side-effects, such as hair loss, acne, mood swings and prolonged bleeding.

I Googled “Mirena side-effects” and found an astonishing amount of anecdotal evidence from women complaining that the Mirena IUD had made them unwell. Here’s what one woman, called Louise, said (original typos have been left in):

“I had tried umpteen different hormone treatments over the years and the last one i tried was the merena coil this was probably the most unpleasant as i suffered with all the side effects possible- hair loss, acne, mood swings, continual bleeding instead of stopping my periods. I was supposed to keep it in for 6 months in the hope that things would settle down but after 4 1/2 months i went back and begged them to take it out as i couldn't take no more.

“The merena coil has a lot of bad press and the people it works for i have to say in all honesty as i have done a lot of research on it since my bout with it are very far and few between… it definately didn't work for me, on the flip side i know a lady at school who swears by it and has had hers in for 4 years now and will defiantely have another fitted when the time comes… all i can say is that if your really not happy about a procedure being done on you dont let the doctors try and push you into having it fitted if your really not sure, you don't have to do it if you dont want to. When i went back to have mine removed i saw another consultant as mine was on holiday and she was quite off with me about removing it early and said i was "wasting their time" by not giving it enough time to work, i couldn't see them lasting much longer if they were losing their hair making all the families life a misery through mood swings and covered in spots when you never had acne before and become aneamic due to losing too much blood.

“Sorry to be all doom and gloom but in my personal opinion i wouldn't advice anyone to have it fitted especially if they've been suffereing with their hormones already.”

Other women have told me similar stories of finding it hard to persuade their doctors to remove their Mirenas – one was categorically told that her device simply couldn’t be to blame for her acne, hair loss and dreadful mood swings, so she was shocked when she started doing some online research, and discovered just how many other women were struggling since having a Mirena fitted. Despite her doctor’s assurances that the Mirena device wasn’t to blame, lo and behold, as soon as she did manage to get the device removed, her symptoms started to disappear.

Whatever you conclude about the medical value of the Mirena, there can be little doubt that a woman with her bits exposed to the air and her feet in stirrups is not in a good position (quite literally) to give considered and informed consent to a medical procedure. One woman I know, during a gynae examination, was asked (while on the examination couch, legs akimbo) whether she was in a relationship. She said no, and the doctor replied “oh well, you might as well have the Mirena IUD in just in case you meet someone”. I understand that possible side-effects were not discussed, and the device was fitted then and there. When I heard about the episode, I couldn’t help thinking the doctor’s reasoning was unusual – after all, an IUD won’t provide protection from HIV and other sexually-transmitted infections, so if this woman does start a new relationship, shouldn’t she be encouraged to use condoms?

My personal view is that it’s good to take as much responsibility for your own health as practically possible, and I encourage patients to ensure that they ask the right questions to be able to make an informed choice about their healthcare options. Conventional specialists and medical consultants are extremely knowledgeable about the treatment options they offer, so it’s great to have their advice. But you know best about you, so, if you can, make sure that you understand what is being done to your body, and why, and stay in the driver’s seat as much as you can. And of course, if you think your Mirena device may be contributing to your symptoms, tell your doctor, and ask that he or she completes a yellow card (the system for reporting adverse drug reactions) so that the issue doesn't go unrecorded.

For more information about how a professional homeopath may be able to help you stay in charge of your health, visit www.phoenixhomeopathy.com

Disclaimer: Any views or advice in this weblog should not be taken as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, especially if you know you have a specific health complaint. Prescribed medication should not be stopped or varied without conventional medical advice. Please remember that homeopathic remedies and other health measures should be individually-selected to match the whole person, not just the unwelcome symptom. Seek professional advice rather than self-prescribing if your complaint is chronic, severe or long-standing, or if you are pregnant, elderly or on orthodox medications.