Monday, September 12, 2011

the mirena edition (not for boys)

So.

As many of you know, I've been quite unwell lately.
What actually happened was, I felt dreadful, went to the doctor, had some bloodwork done, and the results were appalling -- my haemoglobin was shockingly low and I had to have an iron transfusion (not the funnest ever way to spend a day, I might add)

This is because I was slowly bleeding to death. Every month, I lose in the first couple of hours what a woman could expect to lose over the course of a whole normal period.
It's something I've spoken about before and I sort of accepted that was just how life was, but as it turns out I was just one heavy bleed away from some (probable) VERY SERIOUS complications. Like possible cardiac arrest.

So, once my iron levels semi-stablised, I had to have a D&C -- again, not massive amounts of fun -- and now, in a last ditch effort to ward off a hysterectomy, I'm having a Mirena IUD fitted in about a week and a half.

You get a prescription, and buy the thing from your chemist, then you take it in to your doctor on Appointment Day (which will be the day before my birthday. Wheee.)
So I did what every computer addict would and Googled MIRENA -- and everything I read said "Don't be alarmed by the size of the box!"
When I picked it up today, I had to laugh. I mean, check this puppy OUT!!

It's a good thing I know that's mostly packaging.

14 comments:

  1. HOLY BOLLDY COW Toni ... that sure is ONE BIG PACKAGE !!!!!! hope this sorts out the dramas once and for all xxxxxxxx

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  2. hahaha I remember what I thought when I first saw the box too! lol. Hope it works for you - even if only for the 'shorter' term. xoxox.............................yes you can still join our group....................... <3

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  3. I have been very happy with mine. I know people have had varied times with how long it takes to lessen the period flow. I didn't notice any lessening for a few months and then over the next 12 mths it gradually dwindled to nothing. I know this product has made a real difference for a lot of women who would otherwise have to have had surgery.

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  4. Haha. I imagine that box would frighten a lot of people off. Good luck. i hope this works out so you can avoid major surgery.

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  5. Geez! That is very scary Toni. I did a bit of social research about the Mirena in the shape of a blog post: http://pilesofwashing.blogspot.com/2011/05/talking-contraception.html

    It has settled for me a lot in the last couple of months.

    I wish you the best x

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  6. Gosh I hope that works for you. Being so severely iron deficient is not at all good. My own girls had the same "first days" trouble, with the older girl almost going into shock each month as she sat on the loo sweating and shivering, passing gallons of blood while vomiting into a bucket. Several trips to the doctor saw her taking the pill at a very young age to try and control it.
    She finally had a solution when she switched to a female gynaecologist about 10 years ago.

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  7. OMG the size of that box made me want to cross my legs! Thank goodness it is mostly packaging.

    Happy to hear you have found some answers to your recent health issues. Hope all goes well, and please, make sure you extra-celebrate on your birthday. xx

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  8. Whoa. On both counts.
    I hope you are feeling much, much, much better now.
    Friends have had great experiences with the Mirena - particularly with the lessening the flow factor.
    I would let Hubby believe the 'myth' that that scary box perpetuates!! Pull in some sympathy votes!
    :-)

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  9. Fark, it looks like something else might be contained in that there box.

    I hope this settles you, Toni. Nothing worse than hormone hell and out of control periods. Shite, what do you even do to control that?! x

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  10. Holy (*^%@(&( hell!

    Man, you are one tough lady to be even brave enough to OPEN the box (let alone your legs).

    I am so relieved that there is a strong possibility of a solution in your future.

    All the best. I think of you everyday. Mwoi :)

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  11. Mercy!! I hope it's a good solution for you though!

    I had an Implanon implant inserted into my arm for birth control a couple of weeks after my second...and I made the mistake of opening the box when I picked it up from the chemist too. The implant is the size of a matchstick but the needle was about as big as a knitting needle. Yowzers. Luckily it didn't hurt at all - and it was in my arm, not my lady parts ;)

    GOOD LUCK! xx

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  12. I have a mirena too...but for me it's a bit weird. I had spotting every day for months - probably about 6 months. And now I have bleeding for about 10 days every month - very clockwork! But also very light....just annoying!

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  13. thanks for all the comments, folks -- I've done a lot of reading and it seems the reactions to the Mirena are varied so I have no idea what to expect... I guess I can have it removed pretty easily if I turn into the PMS Bitch From Hell though.
    In all honesty, it would have to be pretty bad or not working to put me off though -- not much could be worse than slowly bleeding to death!
    So -- fingers crossed.... and watch this space for updates :)

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  14. OMG Toni. are you ok? I had the same thing! THe exact same thing. Including iron injections and Mirena. Call me and we can talk about it. I'll email you.

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