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[Babsm67]

Hi,  I need some advice please - I had an appointment 2 days ago with my consultant gynaecologist regarding endometrial ablation as I have been experiencing flooding for the first two days of my period and spotting inbetween (on odd months) for some time now.  After having a scan last month, it was decided, as there were  no abnormalities (only a small 8mm fibroid), that surgery is not a necessity at this stage.  Instead, the Mirena coil was suggested & I have been given some literature about it.  I will be seen again in 6 months.
However, I have always had bad PMS & it is steadily getting worse (I had a breakdown in Feb/March & was virtually suicidal in May).  I have left jobs in the past because of it.  My PMS has a!ready started this month with a vengeance & I have had periods of utter rage in the last two days.  Yesterday, a driver tooted at me because I hesitated at a roundabout & I was swearing aloud in my car  .  Today, I am brooding on the fact that my so-called best friend has not bothered to contact me after I replied to her text promptly at the end of last month (I did text her again 10 days later but still heard nothing) & I am now starting to feel extremely angry as I am sick of chasing people.  I feel so hurt by this.  The question is, I am very concerned that having a Mirena will make my already severe PMS even worse.  My husband was cross with me this morning because I couldn't turn my phone alarm off quickly at 5 45 am & I had the rumblings of a panic attack as a result - I had to take a BB otherwise I would have been a nervous wreck at work.  I honestly don't know what to do - I am at my wits end with it.  Sorry for sounding so negative  xx

[countrybumpkin]

I have had friend who had had mirena coil fitted and all had different reactions.  Most found it very helpful but one friend did turn into a raging wreck and had it removed after 6 months but the others had no emotional side effects just the desired one of stopping the heavy bleeding.

The only way to find out is I am afraid to try it.  You can always have it removed if necessary later.

Sorry you are having such a dreadful time with pms, I have heard it can get worse in peri menopause.

[SadLynda]

sorry, no idea about mirena - still 'thinking' about it myself.

Just wanted to send you a hug for having such a sh!t time

[elsie001]

Hi, I'm afraid I've no advice to give but I'm getting the Coil fitted at the end of this month and have very similar concerns!  Will watch this thread with interest.

Elsie x

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome Madboss
I would give the Mirena a try as it may well help you - certainly better that taking progesterone in pill form as this is more likely to give you trouble. Gynaes are very keen on the Mirena for many reasons but mainly because it can sort out problematic bleeding, shrink fibroids and suits many women very well.
It does sound as though you're in the peri stage of menopause and it is amazing how it 'messes with your head' - often rational, confident women find they completely loose their cool and feel at a loss. Once you have a Mirena your bleeding should settle and eventually stop altogether which is fab and if you need some oestrogen you can add this as gel or patch. 
Have they done some blood tests to look at the oestrogen levels?
Progesterone can sometimes have a calming effect as well - I had a Mirena for over 4 years and for the first few months I slept really well!!!  DG x

[Babsm67]

Hello Ladies,  thanks for your kind words - I want to be more positive but, when I feel like this, it is such a battle!  My DH bore the brunt of my severe PMS earlier when I accused him of having someone else (he is
 not an affectionate person & all my worst insecurities come to the fore when the mad hormones flare up).          
Elsie - hopefully this thread will help you too 
Country bumpkin - that's the trouble;  everyone is different &,  as I am already quite an emotional person, I am concerned that I will be like your friend who turned into a raging wreck!                                                            Dancinggirl - All of the blood tests that I have had throughout my forties have always come back with a 'normal' result except one, which was done when I was around 40 - that was 'borderline' but my GP didn't tell me this until around 5 years later!  (I was to!d that one was 'normal' at the time, though!).  I was going to get it tested again last month around day 2 of my period but didn't get round to it because there was a huge queue & I didn't have time to wait so I still have the form ready for me to be tested when the period starts again.  My last test was in November 2014 & that was 'normal' despite my symptoms stating anything but!  The consultant I saw recently said I was perimenopausal because of my symptoms.  Stopping the heavy bleeding would be fantastic for me  & so would having a decent night's sleep!    I think the Mirena scares me because, with anything else, you can just stop taking it whereas that has to be removed - oh, decisions, decisions! 
Thank you, Sadlynda for the big hug - I hope you are OK today.    to you all too xx

[Dancinggirl]

MadBloss - I must say you sound very logical, positive and together - not mad at all.  I think it is worth trusting what the specialist suggests - most gynaes are keen on the Mirena with good reason. It is easy to remove if you feel bad on it. Trying the pill version wouldn't be the same as you are more likely to have the PMT type side effects and this might put you off trying any HRT.  It does sound as though you are in peri meno (most gynaes go on symptoms not blood results these days) and I would insist you are given a bit of oestrogen when you have the Mirena fitted to have alongside - this may help with your mood as well. I've used Oestrogel for many years as you can start really low with one pump per day and then increase as you get deeper into the meno.  Being low on oestrogen does really effect mood and sleep.  The Mirena alone will only help the bleed so I think you need some oestrogen to get the full benefit. Keep posting. DG x

[Babsm67]

Hi Dancing girl, thanks for the advice - I started a thread today about severe perimenopausal PMS as I have been horrendous today - in floods of tears & feeling angry again.  I flew into a rage with DH because he didn't think to turn on the oven when I was later than usual coming home after visiting our daughter (I told him I was picking up something for tea at the supermarket on the way home & texted him when I was !eaving the store).  I suppose I should have asked him to turn the oven on but I didn't & assumed wrongly that he would think to do it. This has to be the worst bout of PMS I have had since May.   It resulted in us having a row & him saying he had had enough of it so it is crucial that I get something done before it is too late.  I will have a read up on the Mirena  & other forms of hrt & take steps to get something sorted asap.  I have 2 unopened bottles of Oestrogel from last year which do not expire until 2018 so they are ready to use alongside the Mirena.    xx

[Dancinggirl]

If the bleeding is really problematic then the Mirena will be your best option I think. There are lots of horror stories about the Mirena on the Net - people rarely post about the good things. Pleased you have some Oestrogel already  - just start with one pump per day - you may be surprised how good you feel.  DG x

[GypsyRoseLee]

Like you I have always suffered with PMS. About ten years ago I had the Mirena fitted. It gave me PMS 24/7. Some of my rages ended in a pile of broken crockery and me storming out off my poor MIL's 50th birthday party having screamed at my poor DH.

I felt out of control much of the time. I routinely fell out with shop assistants and waitresses. I reduced my lovely Mum to tears several times. After 9 months I had it removed and within 36 hours I felt so much calmer.

Oddly enough I am now on the Pill, taking the packets back to back, and I'm doing much better on it than I did on HRT. My mood is much more upbeat and contented. My mood swings are much less.

[Babsm67]

Thanks, Dancing girl & GypsyRoseLee,
I tend to flood for the first two days of my period then it goes back to a normal flow. A couple of months ago, though, I started spotting (I would assume around the time of ovu!ation?) &, combined with my period, this lasted 16 days which definitely wasn't great!  I haven't had this since but, as we all know, nothing is consistent with perimenopause!  What I do know is, if I don't get something done about this severe PMS soon, my marriage will be finished as my husband has said that he has had enough of it (I have been married 27 years).  He thinks the answer to it all is to take AD's but the side effects really are that bad for me that I cannot face that.  They also make me feel 'not with it'.  The insomnia I suffer with them, is unbearable (I had to take sleeping pills with them before &, in the end, nothing worked).  DH said yesterday, "You are like this every month" which shows that this is a hormonal problem.
Dancinggirl - I think the Oestrogel is a good idea - I just need to be careful that I don't end up with too much in my system again so will err on the side of caution (that's the beauty of using the gel as it can easily be adjusted  .  )What GRL has said about herself is me to a 'T' - I have had the same problems for years & had PND twice over so there is a history of emotional problems caused by hormones.
GypsyRoseLee,  what you have told me is exactly what I am fearing will happen on the Mirena.  My mood swings are already really bad & I was horrendous on the POP.  I know I definitely cannot tolerate some of the progestogens - I tried taking norethisterone to delay my period when we went on holiday 2 years ago & I felt so ill that I had to stop taking it.  Yesterday, I was on the verge of smashing a glass on the kitchen floor but I was stopped in my tracks because my autistic son (aged 20), was in the living room & got upset when he heard me swearing (I normally avoid swearing like the plague so that is so unlike me). I then ended up in floods of tears because I had upset him & DH was angry. I cannot go on like this & 'feeling out of control' sums me up perfectly at the moment.  I would say that this hideous problem must start from the time of ovulation onwards (and my cycle is now 23-24 days) so it doesn't leave me with much 'quality' time any more.  I have been reading your thread 'My Pill Diary' with interest & can see that the BCP has improved your quality of life.  I would go on it if I was allowed - not sure if, at 48, the dr's will think it is too risky.   I only stopped taking the BCP at 40 because I started to get menstrual migraines (without aura) & was told to take the POP instead. In the end, I was sterilised at 41 as I had had enough!
On my other thread, 'Severe Perimenopausal PMS' CLKD suggested emailing Dr Currie & I think I will do that too.  In the meantime, I will get my Oestrogel out of the cupboard & see what it says about starting that again.  I could do with merging the two threads together!  xx