Levonorgestrel and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 1, 2019

For Birth Control "Well... I didn't get pregnant, so that's a plus, right?! On the other hand, my doctors have made me feel like a crazy person because I've gained 50... yes, FIFTY pounds in the last 18 months with no change in diet or exercise routine. I kept telling my doctors that this is not normal for my body, but they kept telling me it has to be something I'm doing or maybe it is just because I turned 30... seriously?! At one point, I even hired a nutritionist and had a hard exercise regimen that I paid for and still gained more weight when everyone else lost about 30 lbs... It wasn't until I read all of these reviews that it all made sense. None of my clothes fit (I went from a size 9 to a size 12/13), my sex life has suffered, my body image is non-existent... so yes, I didn't get pregnant, but it isn't worth my continually expanding waist size OR my mental health."

• Cra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 21, 2019

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "This medication is HORRIBLE! My gynecologist suggested that I use Mirena for heavy bleeding. It's been 12 months now, and I'm going crazy. I can't wait to have this device removed. Inserting it was very painful, it was without any painkillers. I only had 3 months of no bleeding. Now I experience constant bleeding, mood swings, headaches, abdominal pain, depression, and the worst thing ever, I gained at least 40+ pounds. My eating habits have not changed. I blame Mirena. On top of that, they can't see the string, so I have to have it removed surgically. I've been bleeding now nonstop since March, we are now at the end of June. This is HORRIBLE. I have an appointment with my gyn on Monday, I can't wait to have this thing out of my body. My sex life is practically gone. Thank goodness I have an understanding partner. But the guilt of not feeling good and bleeding all the time has me questioning my role in my relationship. Hopefully, this malicious thing gets out of me soon."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 3, 2017

For Birth Control "I got the Skyla almost 2 years ago. So far, everything has gone great with the IUD. I get my period maybe every 3-4 months (light spotting for about 2 days tops). I do get cramps every month for about one entire day. It's not anything crazy or out of the ordinary (beats having periods and having kids!). I definitely recommend it. The insertion process was a bit painful, and I had cramps for about 3 hours, but with some ibuprofen and a heating pad, it can surely be tolerable. I used to be on the pill and shot for a while, but both of those made me really depressed, and I gained a ton of weight. Which is why I switched to the IUD. Skyla releases a smaller dose of hormones so that really helps to 'feel normal.' Good luck, ladies!"

• Sil...
• January 28, 2021

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I have had the Mirena implanted to help fight the uterine cancer stage 1, grade 1. I was told that I would just have abnormal bleeding for a few days. Also, that the periods would become lighter and shorter, then eventually, I wouldn’t have any more periods. That wasn’t the case at all, I had gained weight, major mood swings, and heavy spotting every single day. I’ve had it implanted 6 months ago, and I still have heavy bleeding. I still have to make sure I carry spare pads since I randomly bleed heavily. I’m at my wit's end, I keep being told that I just need to push through this time since it will get better. I honestly don’t feel like it will and really wish I was more informed of the other side effects before agreeing to having it implanted since I don’t feel like my old self."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2015

For Birth Control "I am a graduate student who has never had children and got the Mirena because IUDs have the highest rate of success (especially over time) for birth control. The insertion was painful (pain scores 7-8), but I slept for a couple of hours after the procedure, and when I woke up, the pain had subsided to a 2-3 (out of 10). I had very light spotting the first couple of weeks, but have not had a period since the insertion (I had the device placed early June 2015). I have noticed some moderate back acne and slight weight gain, but I am unsure whether those can be attributed to other life circumstances at this point. If the weight gain continues, I will write another review, but at this point, my experience has been great."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2014

For Birth Control "This device saved my sex life! Since insertion (that wasn't that bad), I've not had one thrush infection! I know people say IUDs can make infections worse, but for me, it's been a lifesaver. I have lost weight, and my mood and libido have greatly improved. I am 24, no kids, and have tried every other birth control under the sun (including Implanon). All gave me constant thrush and weight gain! Amazing how such a small thing can reap such positive changes!!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2016

For Birth Control "I got Liletta at the beginning of January. The insertion hurt pretty bad, and the day after was pretty bad too. After that, I didn't have periods, and I loved it at first. No acne, my moods even seemed to improve. By February, I noticed I gained 10 lbs, and I had been eating very healthy and working out. Previously to getting Liletta, I had been losing weight and was continuing exactly what I had done before. By the end of February, I was having bad cramps and acne. My skin was awful. Every day, there were new spots on my face. My cramps hurt so bad I had to call into work one day. The final straw was the depression that hit me. All of a sudden, I didn't care about anything and had no motivation. My thoughts were so dark. I got it removed in April."

• Ang...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 22, 2018

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I've had Mirena for 6 months now, and I'm starting to lose my patience with this thing. The first 3 months, I bled/spotted continuously with little breaks in between. Now, although the spotting has stopped, Auntie Flow has gone from my normal 5 days of bleeding to 14 days of bleeding. I am so miserable. I've talked to my doctor, and she says to give it some time, but I was hoping for things to have gotten a little better by now. My mood swings are very bad, as I find myself angry for no reason. I have gained a few pounds, and at times I feel depressed. I just don't know what to do anymore. I want this to work so badly, but I'm afraid I will just be wasting my time."

• Hat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2020

For Birth Control "I got the Kyleena to help with my very irregular periods and to use it as birth control. I've only had it in for 5 months, and I'm 23 pounds heavier (even after restricting my calories to 1000 and only eating healthy organic). My left lower abdomen hurts a lot, it makes my left leg numb. I have not had my period in 4 months (after that month-long period I had when I first got it inserted), and I'm always cramping. I want to remove it, but with this whole coronavirus thing, I have to keep it in for maybe 2-3 more months."

• Tor...
• May 16, 2019

For Birth Control "I was absolutely terrified to get Kyleena put in - I was having panic attacks and kept second guessing myself as to whether I should even get this. I knew this was my best option (I didn’t want anything to worsen my anxiety, and I didn’t want to gain weight). Anyway, I finally did it, and the insertion process of Kyleena was NOT BAD AT ALL!!!!! It literally felt like 2 period cramps and that was it. It took (and I kid you not) 2 minutes, and I was done. I’m so, so happy I did this, and I shouldn’t have been so scared to do it in the first place. IT’S REALLY NOT THAT BAD!!! Don’t listen to other people's horror stories!! All the good stories no one bothers to return here to write them, they are just off living their lives, not even thinking of their Kyleena."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 9, 2017

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I had my Mirena for five years and never experienced any abnormal bleeding; in fact, I stopped having periods after the first six months. I did, however, gain a lot of weight, which has been impossible to lose no matter what I've tried. Now that it is out, I'm hoping to see the weight go away. If it does, I'll update the post (if I can)."

• For...
• August 22, 2016

For Birth Control "I am 25 years old and have never been pregnant. Due to having migraines with aura, I needed an estrogen-free form of BC. I was on Depo Provera ('the shot') for 1.5 years and hated it. I gained 20 lb without changing my diet, spotted for a year straight with no breaks, and was an overall mess. Mirena was the obvious choice for me. Insertion was not fun ("

• Com...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 18, 2019

For Birth Control "I had chosen the Mirena insert because I needed a more stable form of birth control. One that I didn't have to take pills every day at certain times for, and one that was painless. The insertion was tolerable. I had it for about 6 months when I noticed that my periods were little to none. Then I noticed that I started gaining weight in my midsection and my thighs. I don't like it. I started feeling depressed. I've been having pelvic cramps/pain. My appetite has increased so much. I am eating excessively with no control, and I know it's Mirena. I just feel icky. I plan on getting it removed very soon. To each their own."

• mls...
• January 15, 2015

For Birth Control "I love Mirena. I am 26 and never had kids before. I had my Mirena inserted 7 months ago, little pain when MD inserted. Little cramps, but it all went away. I have gained a few pounds. Overall, it is a great birth control."

• Nov...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 6, 2021

For Birth Control "DO YOUR RESEARCH! I have had Kyleena for 2 years now, and I'm having it removed in a week. I should have known my acne would become worse since I already had troubles with hormonal acne before, and I'm super sensitive to hormones because I've been on the pill before and had to go off because of the weight gain, which then I shed the weight I gained in a month. So with the Kyleena, the weight gain has been worse, I gained 14 lbs since I've been on it, and it's been affecting my overall confidence. Also, I have zero motivation to have sex now, and my anxiety has gotten worse to the point I can't function normally some days. Please do your research before getting this put inside your body!"

• Ray...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 30, 2020

For Birth Control "I’m 42, had the Mirena put in August 2019. It is January 2020, and I am still bleeding. The doctor said to give it a little more time, well enough time has passed and I want it out. This was not a great idea, having more cramping than I had before and also weight gain."

• Not...
• January 18, 2013

For Birth Control "I am 56 and had the Mirena inserted 4 years ago because I'd had heavy continuous bleeding for months. It was Mirena or surgery. The insertion was extremely painful, but the bleeding stopped almost completely within a couple of weeks. I had lots of problems with the strings 'stabbing' me in the vagina for almost the entire first year. I finally went to a different doctor who trimmed about 3 ½ inches of string. Haven't had any problem since. I have not enjoyed sex since it was inserted, I lost a lot of hair, gained 20 pounds within the first six months, and have had to take antidepressants daily. I never had problems with depression before. But hey - no more bleeding."

• ver...
• October 13, 2013

For Birth Control "I recently had my second Mirena inserted. I had my first one for 6 years. I had a little bit of spotting for the last year or so, perhaps due to the hormones reducing. I had gained almost 60 pounds since my first insertion. But it was gradual, and I never attributed it to the Mirena. I recently went on a low-carb diet...started exercising, and voila, 40 lbs lost in a 3-month period! I guess it wasn't the Mirena after all. When I got my second one inserted, I gained 5 lbs of water overnight and bloated something fierce. I began to worry, what if I start to gain again? Well, I gave it 2 weeks, I'm down on the scale lower than ever! I'm a happy Mirena user."

• Sab...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 24, 2019

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I have had the Mirena in for over a year and a half now and have gained 10 lbs. Before, my periods were heavy and cramps sucked. Within 3 months, I noticed my periods were getting lighter. At 6 months, I stopped having periods but still had light spotting during what would be my period week. The spotting only lasted about 3 days. Now I am constantly spotting, light and heavy, and PMS terribly. Currently, I have been spotting for 15 days in a row with some discomfort. I have made my appointment to get it removed."

• Lei...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 16, 2019

For Birth Control "I’ve had Liletta for about 1 year. This week, I’m finally getting it removed! NEGATIVES: 1. WEIGHT GAIN! Before I got this IUD, I had lost 60 lbs. I finally felt the best about myself that I ever had. BUT after getting this IUD-despite zero changes in my diet/exercise-I’ve gained almost 50 lbs. 2. ACNE! I have never had acne... until I got Liletta. I’ve now developed cystic acne all over my cheeks and in random spots on my face. 3. MOOD! I’ve always been super joyful and generally very happy-until I got this IUD. I cried randomly every other day the first 6 months that I had this IUD. Now, I get irritated VERY easily, and my anxiety has reached an all-time high. I can’t express how much this IUD has harmed my mental health. 4. PERIODS! I never used to get cramps, but now I get very painful ones all the time. Also, my periods used to only last 3 days, but now they last 7+ days. The only POSITIVE that I can think of is that I didn’t get pregnant!"

• Car...
• May 24, 2016

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "I got Mirena inserted about 3 months ago, and I am so happy that I did. I had been on 4 different types of birth control pills, and each of them affected me differently. I gained weight, had terrible mood swings, didn't have a sex drive, and was always fatigued. Now that I have gotten Mirena, everything has changed... I lost almost 10 pounds, now back to where I was before I ever started the pills! I weigh around 122, and when I was on the pills, I weighed 132, and I was miserable. Mirena has made me have light bleeding here and there, but my doctor said that it is just my body adjusting. I am very satisfied with it, and I hope that it treats me well for the next 5 years!"

• KNK...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 30, 2020

For Birth Control "The only thing I like about Kyleena is how low maintenance it is. My insertion went about as smooth as possible, with no cramping afterwards at all! With that being said, the part of the insertion where it is pushed up through your cervix was the most intense pain I've ever felt, even though it lasted 1/5th of a second. Unfortunately, for me, it wasn't worth it. I have had the IUD in for almost two years because I wanted to give it a good shot and really let my body get used to it before swearing it off, but the side effects are unbearable for me. Within a month of the IUD insertion, I started getting horrible migraines, really painful ovulation, bleeding during ovulation, severe PMS, severe cramps during my period, acne, weight gain. I had a blood test to rule out any other causes, it seems the IUD just didn't react well with me. I will say, though, that it made my periods a lot lighter or less painful."

• Jea...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 13, 2019

For Birth Control "I did not love Mirena. In the 2.5 years I had it, I had vaginal odor, lower libido, weight gain (25+ lbs), anxiety, and IBS symptoms. It did make my heavy periods much lighter, but did not improve cramps or PMS. I went back to normal fast after having it removed. Odor, anxiety, and GI symptoms went away, and I lost the weight. I had 3 months of super heavy 'rebound' periods, and now they are back to how they were before. I would recommend Mirena to anyone looking for reliable BC/lighter periods, with a caveat: If you notice bad effects, don't wait more than 6 months to see if they improve. Your doc may brush off your concerns. I have heard horror stories of women who suffered for years because their doc insisted they were exaggerating side effects or that they must be caused by something else. I had 2+ years of side effects before I got it removed. Don't let your doc tell you you're wrong about how you feel. There are other options if Mirena isn't right for you. The only way to know is to try it."

• Rev...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 28, 2015

For Birth Control "I have had the Mirena for almost a year. The doctor I had was amazing and explained it perfectly. Worse pain for about one second and a break, and then even worse pain for about 1 more second. You can seriously count to 1, and it's over. I am someone that got extreme cramps before, and my cramping was bad the first three months. I spotted and cramped and hated it! But my boyfriend (a doctor) told me to give it three months, then decide, so I did! And I'm very happy I did. My only concern is I've gained 45 lbs since the insertion. I'm not sure at this point why? Four months now, I have changed my diet and work with a personal trainer 3-5 times a week. Fingers crossed I get my body back!!"

• Lau...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 7, 2018

For Abnormal Uterine Bleeding "This product fixed my awful bleeding - but at what cost? I went from 70 kg to 85 kg within 10 months. I’m vegan and very active. Weight gain, overwhelming sadness, unmotivated for the first time in 32 years. Very foggy. With my BMI now very high, I have to get it out as the weight is increasing with a lot of diet restrictions and heavy exercise but unable to shift it. Never had any issues dropping baby weight either. Tread carefully with this! Do your research from people who have had it, not from what the drug companies want you to believe."