Mirena

Public Archive
1

I have high grade DCIS over a wide area and am due to have a mastectomy and delayed reconstruction via DIEP.

I have had a Mirena IUD since 2005 as treatment for my painful & heavy periods - aggravated by fibroids. It took a year to settle down but now I only bleed lightly.

Not sure whether to have Mirena removed now. It’s contradicted with hormone dependent cancers.

Anyone have any experiences/views?

Deborah

2

I can try to help with that …I am also on this site with bc issues but 9 years ago I had to have a part of my cervix taken away due to dodgy cells and I wanted a coil fitted and was refused by the family planning nurse as it has a coating on that enhances cervical and some form of breast cancers!

I do hope that helps some what!

wishing you the very best with it all …keep posting everyone here is a great help and it does keep you going!!

sending you big hug

loubyjane xxx

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Hiya Debora,
I had the mirena coil for 5 years and refused another one afterwards. I know it is a progesterone only device but it cant be good if you are oestrogen and progesterone positive. Are you positive?
I personally would have it out, but would ask your G.P. or oncologist.
Love Julie X

4

I had one fitted after breast cancer as it only affects the lining of the uterus and in fact is meant to be protective against uterine cancer. Unfortunately the strings disappeared so I had to have the first one removed, and lo and behold the second one’s strings have also disappeared so it looks like the new one will have to go too. But I do have a womb that faces the wrong way so it may never have been suitable anatomically

Mole

5

I have had the mirena coil since 1999. I have questioned my BC surgeon, Onc and GP and all advise that I am perfectly safe and to remain on the coil, I am triple + and really do not want to go back to my heavy periods that I suffered before.

Debbie

6

Hiya,

I had to have mine taken out, and this was done at the same time as my mastectomy. I’d always found it great but somehow it had become embedded in my womb so was due to be removed anyway. It was not suggested that I should have another one put in (I’m 35), but as my tumour was ++++hormone receptive I don’t really fancy it anymore anyway,

Kelly
-x-

7

Hi i had a Mirena after a haemorraghe (spelling sorry) - ended up in A&E had 500mls of plasma and 3 units of blood! My onc wanted me to have mine out but after lots of discssion with GP (who made the effort to talk to my onc.) her and her registrar we agreed to keep it in until I finished chemo then have it out. The logic being that if I start bleeding again once I’m off chemo they can do an endometrial abblation or hysterectomy. The Mirena gives the dose of hormone very locally - very little gets into the blood supply.
My husband is very relieved as he had to pick my up off the bathroom floor.
My thoughts are if it is not likely to cause major problems and you feel happy about it have it out - that would be the gold standard for hormone receptive BC. If there are risks of something nasty happening follow your own feelings - it maybe worth talking to someone on the BCC Helpline.

all the best - hope all goes well for you.
Love Swanie

8

Thanks for your replies. I’m going to discuss it with my surgeon and my GP.

One thing that surprises me about my whole BC journey is how much I seem to be having to push the process along. It would have been good if the Mirena had come up for discussion during one of my initial appts.

Deborah

9

hi Deb,
I have had my mirena coil in for about 3 years, dx with er+/pr+ bc last september and like you struggled to get any info off the professionals.I kept mentioning it to them over and over again! My first reaction was to whip it out,kept thinking its feeding the cancer!
Eventually Onc & surgeon decided it was fine to leave it in as the hormone released goes into the womb and not the blood supply. So I decided to leave it in during chemo and rads as I couldn’t face the thought of heavy periods and treatment!
However I’ve finished that now and just taking tamoxifen but I’ve decided to leave it in.If you look at the mirena IUD patients care leaflet,( you can google it,)Love Kay it does say that its not recommended for use with bc patients.
My advice would be If it worries you or you are in any doubt get it removed, but if you are like me and can’t face the misery of heavy periods leave it in.

10

Hi there

I had said coil in and was advised to have it removed but periods have not returned.

Diane

11

Hi Deb

I had my coil for a year , i was diagnosed a week and a half ago and i start chemo on Wedensday. I saw the Onc last Wedensday and he recommended i have it out. I went to my GP the next day and i started a period yesterday. However unlike my precoil periods it is light and not painful. I didn’t want to take any chances.

Lesley