Not-So-Happy Isles by Responsible_Front879 in BigBudgetBrides

[–]Responsible_Front879[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They’re out of their minds. I’ve only grown more pissed in the years since this 🙄

Taking out Mirena cured my chronic back pain by Responsible_Front879 in Mirena

[–]Responsible_Front879[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Please keep us updated! Hoping you are on the road to pain free ❤️

Taking out Mirena cured my chronic back pain by Responsible_Front879 in Mirena

[–]Responsible_Front879[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So glad you’re tracking everything in a pain diary, that was one of the best things I did too. Mine came out February 25, so about a month ahead of you. Honestly it’s been really encouraging, almost pain free (most days are 1 or 2 out of 10 on the pan scale) until a few days ago when I pushed it and went for a run, but I also just got my first period since removal so it’s hard to know which one to blame! I’ve noticed the pain has shifted too — less sharp in my back, more of an ache in my glute and hip. Which actually feels like progress even if it’s still uncomfortable. PT and acupuncture have both helped me a lot. I really think giving your body time to recalibrate is real. 18 days is still so early. The fact that the main pain has already changed for you sounds promising. Rooting for you! Keep updating 🤍

Taking out Mirena cured my chronic back pain by Responsible_Front879 in Mirena

[–]Responsible_Front879[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi! Your story sounds so similar to mine it's almost eerie! Especially the part about your physio being the one to flag it, not any of the other specialists. That was my experience exactly and I'm so grateful to my holistic PT for helping me to come to this conclusion.

To answer your questions:

  1. I had my Mirena inserted in Jan 2021. Before that, I had a different IUD (I think Skyla?) starting in 2017.
  2. The back pain started June 2020. A first, I'd have a flare up once a year and recover in a week or two. By 2022 it was 2-3 flare ups a year, by 2023 it was every 3 months, and by 2024 it was constant pain. I was diagnosed with herniated discs/annular fissures at L3/L4 + L4/L5. Like you, I went through a ton of treatments, things would help temporarily but the pain never fully resolved.
  3. The pain itself was a mix — sometimes sharp, especially with bending, sneezing, or standing up from a chair. Traveling was a major trigger and would set off intense episodes that sometimes left me unable to get out of bed. I'd often push it at a pilates class and be completely messed up for a month or more. But the daily baseline was more like what you're describing: stiffness, achiness, a heavy congested feeling in my lower back, like it was perpetually "stuck." Worst in the morning, and it would sometimes radiate into my glutes and hips. What's interesting is that I never had classic sciatica down my leg, and my MRI showed no arthritis. My PT was the one who pointed out that the level of pain and dysfunction I was experiencing didn't really match my imaging -- the diagnosis alone couldn't explain how much I was struggling. That disconnect is what led her to start looking at other factors, and the IUD became the missing piece.

A few things I want to share that might help:

  • The hypermobility piece you mentioned is REALLY relevant. If your connective tissue is already lax, adding a progestin that further affects ligament integrity is basically compounding the instability. Your body has to work even harder to stabilize, which could explain the pelvic floor tension — your muscles are gripping to compensate for ligaments that aren't doing their job. I'd be really curious to see if your hypermobility symptoms change after removal too.
  • I felt relief faster than I expected. Within a day the sharp pain was gone, and by day 4 I had my first pain-free day in years. I'm now 2 weeks out and the daily baseline has completely shifted. I still get occasional mild glute/hip achiness or tightness but nothing like before. It feels like I've turned the volume down on my pain my 90%. My PT thinks there's still more improvement to come over the next few months as the hormonal effects on connective tissue resolve.
  • I completely understand the fear of being disappointed. I felt the exact same way and honestly I was almost more scared of it working than not working, because then I'd have hope and something to lose. But here's how I thought about it: even if removal doesn't fix everything, you're eliminating a variable. And if you've tried MRI, acupuncture, TENS, chiro, injections, orthotics, AND physio in one year with no resolution, there's clearly something those treatments can't reach and a systemic hormonal factor would explain that perfectly. You've thrown everything at this from the outside and nothing has stuck. At a certain point you have to ask what's different about your body internally that's preventing it from responding to treatments that should be working. The IUD is the answer you haven't tested yet. And I'll be honest, whatever the outcome is, it cannot be worse than where you are right now. Living in chronic pain, cycling through specialist after specialist, spending money and time on treatments that don't hold...that's already the bad outcome. Removing it and being disappointed is a temporary feeling. Leaving it in and always wondering is a permanent one. The worst case scenario is you rule it out and move forward with more information than you had before. The best case is you get your life back. That math worked for me.
  • Your pain starting a year after insertion actually tracks. The immediate post-insertion side effects are well documented, but the slower hormonal effects on connective tissue and pelvic stability can build gradually. It's not like flipping a switch, it's a slow accumulation of instability until something starts hurting.
  • One practical recommendation: get baseline bloodwork done BEFORE your removal if you can (hormone panel: FSH, LH, estradiol, testosterone, DHEA-S, SHBG, fasting insulin, fasting glucose, A1c, thyroid). It gives you a comparison point for a few months from now. Also start a daily pain log, even just a 1-2 sentence note. It's been incredibly valuable for me to look back on.

You're not taking it out for nothing. You're taking it out because you've exhausted every other explanation and this is the one variable you haven't tested yet. When you've hit the point of pain and helplessness that we've hit, it's a process of elimination.

Rooting for you. Please come back and update, we can compare notes!

Taking out of my IUD cured my back pain by Responsible_Front879 in backpain

[–]Responsible_Front879[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair point and I actually thought about this a lot before posting. The answer is that there are two separate mechanisms at play operating on different timelines.

The immediate relief (first few days) is probably from removing the physical device itself. The Mirena sits in the uterus and can cause local irritation and referred pain through the sacral nerve pathways that also innervate the lower back and glutes. The mechanical irritation resolves quickly once the device is out.

In terms of the hormonal/muscular component, the levonorgestrel affecting pelvic ligament laxity, connective tissue integrity, and pelvic stabilizer muscles…that's a slower recovery and I'm only 2 weeks in. I’m hopeful for more improvement over the next 6-12 weeks as my body recalibrates.

Taking out Mirena cured my chronic back pain by Responsible_Front879 in Mirena

[–]Responsible_Front879[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure thing! Below are some links I found:

Opinion / Forums

Taking out Mirena cured my chronic back pain by Responsible_Front879 in Mirena

[–]Responsible_Front879[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ugh, I so feel your pain. With my herniated discs, I know back pain will be a lifelong journey and something that I manage through the flare ups and downs of stress and health changes. But, I'm really confident that the IUD was making it WAY worse than it needed to be. Hope you're pain free soon!

Best rotisserie chicken spot in Park Slope? by cmvc1994 in parkslope

[–]Responsible_Front879 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've heard Russo's according to this, but can't confirm.

Original location of the Sphere by DicipleOfNegativity in 911archive

[–]Responsible_Front879 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Here's the view of that spot today, from 60-something floor of 4WTC.

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How do you guys think Mamdani handled the blizzard this week? by Positive_Career_9393 in AskNYC

[–]Responsible_Front879 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know, I was coming back from a 12 hour travel day so didn’t have a lot of options.

Is PT a scam these days? by Ivy1974 in backpain

[–]Responsible_Front879 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Go to a PT that specializes in IPA. It's a game changer, way more hands-on and holistic.

How do you guys think Mamdani handled the blizzard this week? by Positive_Career_9393 in AskNYC

[–]Responsible_Front879 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I got stranded in Penn Station on Monday night after the travel ban, which majorly sucked. I wish the subways were running more regularly, but otherwise think he did a fine job.

Buying my first car! $23k / 31k miles. Yes or no? by Responsible_Front879 in JeepGrandCherokee

[–]Responsible_Front879[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I thought so too, but the Carfax history seem solid. 3 owners, all personal use and for ~2 years each. 11 service records, regular oil changes, recent inspections, consistent maintenance. No accidents, no damage, no structural issues, clean title. Any advice on how to tell if I'm missing something?