Vanishing Mirena strings

[topaz447]

Hey all I meant to post this in sexual health but it wouldn't work, so here it goes, I guess.

I had my mirena IUD inserted in August last year, hurt way less than I had expected... At my follow up appointment the doctor said the strings were shorter than they should be, and sent me off for a pelvic ultrasound, which confirmed that the mirena is properly placed (or at least, it was in October ) The doctor told me the strings had probably just coiled up inside my uterus and might come down again on their own, but were fine where they were.

About a week ago I noticed that my strings had gotten a lot shorter again so I've been checking daily. They seem to be moving around, and at their shortest, like they are right now, I can just barely feel the sharp ends at the opening of my cervix. I don't really know whether I should be worried about this. I'm mostly worried that when I see my boyfriend again he's going to find them uncomfortable or painful during sex because they sort of poke directly down out from my cervix and can't flex anymore, if that makes sense? I have also been reading horror stories of people who this happened to who had to have their cervix dilated or even a laparoscopy done to get the thing out, so I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to stop the strings going inside completely and avoid all that drama down the track.

I'm kinda scared to go back to the family planning clinic where I had it put in because I'm worried that if there's any chance something is wrong they'll insist I have it removed... I just recently lost my full-time student status and I really can't afford to arrange some other kind of contraception right now, I don't want to lose something that is in place and seems to be working well for me. (If I hadn't been full time when I got the mirena it would have cost me four weeks' rent...) What do you guys think I should do? :/

Thanks heaps for this awesome website btw

[Sam W]

Hi topaz,

Thanks for the kind words I think going to the clinic to talk to them is a sound choice (especially because they'll have the tools, or be able to refer you to places that do, to figure out if anything is up). If you're concerned about losing your long term BC, I would definitely explain that to them during your discussion.

[Heather]

I'd also add that -- particularly given providers usually know how much IUDs cost, and how access to affordable methods is an issue for many, if not most, people -- it would be very unlikely for a provider to say an IUD needed to be removed if it really didn't. In other words, unless this is an issue where your health is at risk, or your IUD may not work properly, both reasons it really should come out or be adjusted, they're not going to suggest that it does.

You don't want to avoid healthcare with this you may need due to concerns about keeping your IUD in. If it needs to come out, that's because there is a problem, and you don't want to avoid that.