Kyleena and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Ele...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 24, 2018

For Birth Control "I got my Kyleena on 23rd April 2018, so almost exactly 6 months ago. The pill for me: depression, weight gain, migraines made worse, low sex drive, emotional, paranoid, anxious. The Kyleena first 5 months all becoming less frequent with time: cramps, headaches, emotional, bad skin for about 2 weeks. Now: occasional cramping, possibly period related. Period is just very light spotting now. Mood, weight, and sex drive have been unaffected. The Kyleena IUD is quite an investment, but so far it's been worth it. I had a few months of mild discomfort and now don't have to worry about contraception for 4 and a half more years! I'd recommend anyone who has it to wait 6 or 7 months for symptoms to calm down."

• Rit...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 13, 2022

For Birth Control "I am giving Kyleena a 10 solely because this says 'effectiveness.' Yes, it is effective in the sense that I haven't gotten pregnant over the time it has been in. HOWEVER, the side effects I have been having, and not even realizing they could be related. Good Lord, the side effects!! They have been getting worse! I've had the IUD for a few months shy of 3 years. I removed it today. I can't bear to have it another second! After coming here and seeing that I AM NOT ALONE! I've been thinking I'm going crazy. I've had some anxiety in my life, but wow! The mental side effects have almost destroyed my marriage and damn near killed me! If this is working for you, I'm glad, but please watch out and listen to yourself! If you feel any type of way that you haven't before this, please talk to someone!! I have never had cramps like this! Dizziness, depression, anxiety, mood swings, crying spells, irritability, headaches, nausea, tiredness, back pain-the list goes on."

• Man...
• July 5, 2018

For Birth Control "I got the Kyleena IUD 3 days ago and it honestly was not as bad as so many of these reviews made it out to be. I wouldn't consider myself to have a high pain tolerance, and I felt like it was essentially what everyone says - a decent amount of pressure and two intense period cramps that each last for like maybe 10 seconds each (if that). It went by super quickly! I almost canceled my appointment because I was so nervous, but I'm so glad I didn't. All BCP that I've tried have either given me depression or made me super anxious/angry all the time, so I'm hopeful that this won't happen with Kyleena. As far as recovery goes, I'd say the first day I just felt like I had a bad period, the second day I got a lot better, but still felt crampy, and now I just have this full/bloated feeling with super mild cramps. I will update this post as time goes on!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 3, 2018

For Birth Control "Kyleena was my first form of hormonal birth control. I have had it for 3 months and am getting it removed tomorrow. I opted for Kyleena because it is low maintenance and contains the lowest amount of hormones. Insertion was extremely painful, and I almost passed out afterward, but I thought the pain was worth it at first. Later in the day after insertion, a wave of extreme depression came over me and lasted for weeks. This came with debilitating anxiety, panic attacks, and mood swings. Throughout the entire time of having this IUD, I have become way more emotional and have been experiencing random hot flashes all the time. I went to the doctor and asked if she thinks all of this could be caused by the IUD, and she said no and prescribed me antidepressants, which made me feel worse. I am starting to believe that the hormones in this IUD are playing a role in the extreme mood changes that I have been experiencing. I am getting it removed tomorrow, and I hope that it is the answer."

• Gni...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 2, 2020

For Birth Control "Mirena was too big for my uterus. I could feel it when doing heavy physical activity, but as a birth control, it worked perfectly. My gyno suggested Kyleena since it was a smaller version of the same thing. I've been on it for about a year and a half now, and I'm not sure how I feel. As birth control, it works great. I get sharp cramps about a week before my period, but my periods are all light spotting for a few days, which is nice. However, over the course of a year, my anxiety and depression have skyrocketed. I've always been kind of sad and nervous, but never to this depth and for this long. I also have really bad acne all of a sudden and have gained a good 30 pounds with no change in diet or activity. I don't know if it's worth it for me anymore."

• Do...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 20, 2022

For Birth Control "I've had the Kyleena for over a year. It was good at the start, then I started getting waves of depression and anxiety. Before I knew it, they were constant, to the point I have an appointment booked for Saturday, February 26, 2022, because I'd rather be off contraceptives and have my partner wear condoms and have unprotected period sex because there are very, very low chances there. Anyway, my partner picked up on the mood swings and more depression and anxiety. In saying that, I have a history of depression and anxiety, and when you do your research, it states that hormonal IUDs have an increased risk of depression and anxiety, and the same with other hormonal contraceptives. It's great if you don't have the history and all, but be very in tune with yourself, because before you know it, you can end up like me. Constantly experiencing waves of depression and anxiety for no good reason. It's not healthy for me to be like this, and I cannot wait to get this thing out."

• Cal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2019

For Birth Control "If you are at all acne-prone, do not get Kyleena! The IUD insertion is not bad. Took 800 mg of ibuprofen about 30-45 minutes before the insertion, and it's only a bit uncomfortable for 30 seconds. 1-4 months following: heavier period with spotting every day, headaches, and extremely painful intermittent cramps. Gained 10 pounds after the IUD, it doesn't really bother me that much. I had more anxiety 3-6 months after insertion. After 6 months, that went away. After 1 year on the IUD, my sex drive has not changed at all. My boyfriend and I are STD tested, so we rely on the IUD as the sole form of birth control. The biggest side effect is the chronic hormonal acne. It is cystic acne on my jawline that hurts and itches, it is awful. Went to my dermatologist, and the spironolactone they prescribed only helped a little. Periods are now regular, and I have no spotting in between. In terms of birth control effectiveness, it does its job, and I trust it completely. I've decided to get it taken out because I just can't stand the acne."

• Vik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2019

For Birth Control "Never get the Kyleena! Although the insertion barely hurt, the mood swings began almost immediately! Not normal thoughts, depression, and insomnia...slept two hours last night and was up with racing thoughts. I am very on top of my emotional health as the Mirena had previously made me depressed to the point of medication, and as soon as I noticed this, I marched back to the clinic today, one week after insertion, and exchanged for a copper coil-the only one to use. On the Kyleena, although fewer hormones than the Mirena, the depression and anxiety were the worst I've ever felt! Don't do this to your loved ones. Look after yourself!"

• Lal...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 21, 2019

For Birth Control "I got the Kyleena inserted in December 2017. I previously had Depo for 8 years and the pill previously before that. The insertion was not pleasant for me. I had horrible cramping and was sweaty and felt like I was going to pass out. After that passed, it was okay. I was glad I had the rest of the day off from work to relax. For about a month and a half, I felt like I was sore all the time down there. I was checked twice and said everything was fine, so that was kind of strange. Other cons that I experienced: anxiety (never had that before), I've gained about 20 lbs, bad headaches, sex drive is super low (that wasn't an issue before the IUD), itchy and dry down there, random cramping, light spotting, and breast tenderness. The first time I had breast tenderness, I freaked out because I thought I was pregnant. Cons: it is effective birth control and much lighter periods. Every woman is different!"

• Loa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 1, 2022

For Birth Control "I used to fully support any birth control until I had Kyleena inserted in 2019. Pain was horrible for a few hours, my period was on for about 3 months, so I would take birth control pills just to make it stop. The doctor told me to wait 6 months. Anyway, I kept it only because they kept saying to wait. I had periods 2x a month for 10 days with horrible cramps when before it only lasted 3 days max and no cramps. After 1 year, it finally stopped, but I developed anxiety, which I never had before, and mood swings were so bad I literally started to dislike myself. I kept getting yeast infections even when I wasn’t having sex, that was enough for me, so I finally got it removed in September 2021, and my body is back to normal. I don’t even get sad like I used to and no more deadly cramps. Lol, thinking of going back to the patch, had no problems. I wouldn’t recommend this one."

• Squ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 29, 2021

For Birth Control "Everything was great at first. I went from birth control pills for four years to an IUD. My OB prescribed me a cervix dilation medication to take two hours before the procedure. I had to have it inserted while on my period, which made me feel a little self-conscious, but oh well. Insertion was pretty painful with bad cramping for about twenty seconds. Afterwards, I was able to drive home but was cramping all day and night, so I had to call out of work the next day. While I loved the positive aspects (shortened period length, lighter period, and even skipped sometimes, no kids!), the bad outweighs the good. I’ve experienced painful acne on my cheeks, worsened anxiety and panic attacks (which I’ve never had before), and complete loss of libido. Recently, I’ve also been having days-long migraines around my time of the month. I plan on getting it removed after trying to make it work for two years."

• Kri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 10, 2021

For Birth Control "So I have the Kyleena IUD since the beginning of 2019. As far as the insertion process, I will say it was absolutely terrible and painful, so bring someone to drive you home. After getting it placed, I had cramps for about 2 weeks, between barely noticeable cramps to extreme, which I assumed was because I had a foreign object in my uterus and needed to adjust. Those went away, and everything was great: regular light periods, minimal cramps, and effective at preventing pregnancy. About 6 months in, that’s when it started going bad. I never had true anxiety besides before an exam or interview, but I was waking up with crippling anxiety attacks. I toughed it out, saw the doctor, and carried on and tried to be as normal as I could. Well, now about 2 years in, I am an anxiety-filled mess. Now I am predisposed to anxiety disorder as it runs in my family, but nothing this bad. I do not feel normal anymore. So be aware about anxiety, I currently still have mine placed but plan on removing it very soon."

• Bri...
• March 18, 2018

For Birth Control "28 years old, no kids. I got the Kyleena on Jan 11th. It was the worst minute of my life, to be honest, it was traumatic, really. The first 3 days, I had severe cramps to where I couldn't get out of bed, pain medicine didn't help, but a heating pad did. The next 1.5 months, I had sporadic cramps and discharge/bleeding that went away, and my period has gotten shorter/lighter. Two weeks after insertion, I started noticing severe anxiety/depression to the point that it was debilitating. I gained about 15 pounds in 1 month (I'm 5'5, I was 130, got up to 145ish), my diet/activity did not drastically change. Just when I was ready to have it removed due to the side effects, month 3, the anxiety and depression went away almost overnight, and I have started losing weight. I still have bad cramps a few days before my period starts, but they are few and far between. Tylenol does help now. It was a REALLY bad 3 months, but I'm glad I stuck it out, it's worth not stressing about birth control for the next 5 years."

• Gir...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 2, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm 26. Never had children. I've had Kyleena for 6 months now. The procedure to get Kyleena placed was easy and not painful. I took 800 mg of ibuprofen before my appointment and didn't feel anything except slight pressure. The day after insertion, I tried to work but ended up in tears because I was having stabbing cramps. The first 3-4 months, I pretty much bled constantly, but it was light. My cramps increased and would be so painful I would be toppled over crying in pain. I have had depression and anxiety that I never had before this. My sex drive has decreased, and my orgasms have become almost nonexistent."

• Wai...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 7, 2021

For Birth Control "I was told Kyleena's insertion pain would be the worst of my experience... Boy, were they wrong. I took 600 mg of ibuprofen, a cervical dilator medication, and some anxiety medication the OBGYN gave me. Fair warning, none of it seemed to help. I was still incredibly anxious, which made me tighten up and made the pain so much worse. I was told to give it a year to see if I liked it. I was a few days shy of 1 year, and I made an emergency visit to my OBGYN to get it removed. Halfway through every cycle, I had pain at ovulation, and I could tell which ovary it was. I had an ovarian cyst every month as well, leaving me in pain until my period. My period had bad cramps, and heat pads nor ibuprofen would help at all. I would take 800 mg of ibuprofen and get no relief. My doctor said because I never had kids, my uterus is small. She assumes the pain on my period was from my uterus cramping against the Kyleena, and I could have punctured my uterus. Not a pleasant experience at all."

• sta...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 10, 2023

For Birth Control "I had such high hopes for Kyleena. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for me. I was scared of gaining weight on it, which ironically ended up being pretty much the only side effect I didn't get. My anxiety got to the point where I almost had to go to the mental hospital. I was so tired and distracted with brain fog. It took almost two years for the breakthrough bleeding to stop. I lost so much hair. Probably the worst thing, though, was the cystic acne it gave me and the permanent scars I have from it. I've been rid of this IUD for a year and a half, and while the breakouts have stopped, my cheeks are covered in pockmark-like acne scars from the hundreds, if not thousands (I wish I was exaggerating) of pimples that it gave me. Tretinoin has helped the texture a little bit, but I probably will have these scars, at least to some extent, for the rest of my life."

• Luc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 4, 2019

For Birth Control "I've had my Kyleena for 1 month, and I'm wondering why I didn't choose this sooner! I used birth control pills previous to having Kyleena, and I was absolutely miserable. My estrogen levels were too low, causing irregular bleeding, anxiety, depression, weight gain, etc. I needed a pill with a higher dose of estrogen, however, my doctor would not prescribe a higher dose pill due to my high blood pressure, which was already being worsened by the low dose BCP I was taking. In fact, high blood pressure is the main reason my doctor encouraged me to switch to an IUD. One month in, and I feel like a new woman! My anxiety and depression, while still a bit present, have improved significantly. My blood pressure has dropped to within a normal range. It's freeing to know that I no longer have to remember to take a pill at the same time every day, and I don't have to remember to pack my pills when I won't be at home. I'm acne-prone, and I feel my skin is clearer now than while on the pill."

• WLH...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 31, 2020

For Birth Control "I have had three different kinds of IUDs in the past 14 years: Kyleena, Copper, and Mirena. I have had back problems ever since I've had IUDs. I could not walk when I woke up in the morning due to back pain. It was even hard for me to bend over. This lasted for 13 years. I went to physical therapy. I would often throw my back out and have a painful week or two trying to recover. Then I read some reviews on IUDs and found out that there might be an issue with the weakening of muscles or ligaments in the pelvis. I asked my doctor about this, and they didn't think it was related to my IUD. I decided to get a tubal ligation last year. I have had no back pain since. It is a miracle. I can say I'm certain that my back problems came from my IUDs. (I also had major anxiety and panic attacks while I had the Mirena. That is another story.)"

• Kyl...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 5, 2019

For Birth Control "I'm 22 (weight of 100-105). All of my teen years, I had terrible periods that lasted 2-3 weeks. I was underweight and became very anemic. My cramps were unbearable and eventually kept me from working. I spent almost 2 years in total pain every day, regardless of me being on my period. I finally went into a women's health institute, where I was told I needed to be on a form of birth control. My gynecologist recommended the Kyleena. The insertion was indeed painful. In fact, I passed out on my way home, thank goodness my husband was driving. The first 4-5 months, I bled randomly, but I was used to it. After about 6 months of having it, my body began to accept the IUD. My everyday cramping went away, and my period normalized to what a normal woman should have. I've had the IUD for almost 2 years now, and I am so happy. To help with the onset of anxiety I gained with the IUD, I take herbs and fish oils."

• jor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I've had Kyleena for about 5 months now. The insertion was honestly horrible. I was sweaty, I puked, and nearly passed out. The first month had lots of cramping, but it wasn't too unbearable. Overall, I like the Kyleena as my birth control because it isn't something I have to worry about too often. My periods have stopped completely. I just get some light spotting a couple of times a month. My only complaints would just be that it has caused me to have lots of mood swings and depression and anxiety issues, and I've ended up gaining some weight, but that could be my own fault unless the birth control makes my appetite increase a lot."

• Dia...
• May 6, 2019

For Birth Control "I had the Mirena inserted first, but had to get it removed due to severe side effects, which were severe agitation, anxiety, very emotional, muscle pain, severe fatigue, weakness, blurred vision, headaches, and joint pain. Went to see my gynae, she said this was common and recommended Kyleena as it was less than half the dose of Mirena. Got the Kyleena 5 weeks ago and have to say the agitation and anxiety decreased, but the muscle pain and fatigue are still quite severe. I just don’t feel myself, very off form, been bleeding on and off for 5 weeks, breasts and underarm very tender and sore. I am miserable overall. I am unfortunately one of the few who reacts quite severely to IUD, so I am getting it removed ASAP."

• Bre...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 23, 2020

For Birth Control "From ages 18-19, I was on the pill, which gave me extreme anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Eight months after stopping the pill, I got Kyleena because I was worried about being on birth control that would disrupt my mental health. I had no mental health effects from Kyleena but had sporadic bleeding for the entire 18 months I had it, which was incredibly annoying. I got it removed and am considering Mirena but really am confused about which direction to go."

• Amb...
• January 3, 2019

For Birth Control "I have had Kyleena for a little over 4 months now, and I am deciding to get it removed. After putting up with symptoms for much longer than I should have, I feel that the benefits do not outweigh the risks. I am 20 with no children. Insertion wasn't too bad, being that I usually tolerate pain pretty well, but I have to admit that it was 3 waves of extremely strong cramps, which is exactly what my gyno told me to expect. Post-insertion, I bled for 2 months straight, basically like having a period every day. I also had terrible cramps every day that had me keeling over in pain, which I had never experienced in my life. I decided to put up with it for at least 3-6 months because I really wanted to give it a chance after everything my body had gone through already. I also gained 10-15 lbs, which I can't seem to lose no matter how much or how little I eat. I already have a history of depression and anxiety, and Kyleena only made it far worse. I didn't, and currently don't feel like myself at all."

• DSB...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 25, 2023

For Birth Control "Have had this for 1.5 years now. The insertion process is -10/10 painful to the point where I am already dreading having to replace it. I premedicated with ibuprofen and Cytotec. Side effects - sex drive plummeted and is only starting to come back recently. Mild to moderate cramping for weeks, worse with exercise. Previously had heavy, painful periods that lasted 7 days. I experienced intermittent light to medium bleeding for the first 4 months, then stopped getting periods altogether (AMAZING). I experienced some mild acne in the first several months, which has since cleared. My boobs are 1-1.5 cups larger. I experienced mood swings during my first 6 months - intense irritability, anxiety, and depression. My ob/gyn insisted this wasn't from the IUD, but it's the only thing that changed. Yes, hormones are released locally and slowly, but they still circulate and cause some side effects. Overall - a rough first year, but I'm not pregnant, my boobs are big, and bad effects mostly wore off."

• Jen...
• August 20, 2018

For Birth Control "I got my Kyleena on June 14th, 2018. I started bleeding two weeks after insertion. Insertion felt like contractions, and I had to lay in bed for the day. I still have a normal sex drive. It cured my dry skin and no acne. I also dropped 3 pounds in a month. I started bleeding on June 27 and stopped bleeding on August 17. At the beginning, I was bleeding enough to count it as a period. The next 2 weeks were casual amounts of light period. It was enough to switch out a liner twice or three times a day. Then there was a week of only one liner a day. Then there was a week or so of only bleeding when using the bathroom. I naturally have bouts of severe depression and generalized anxiety. After taking Kyleena, I've noticed that the depression comes in shorter terms. Where I used to have 3-4 months of depression, now it hits for a week and then fades. My anxiety got a little worse but manageable. If you're still hurting 3 months in, it is time to go get a check-up to make sure it's in the right position."