Mirena IUD Vs. Breast Cancer Relationship

Jud · 11-17-2010, 04:01 AM

Last year around September 2009 I had my mammograms and also, around the same time I was inserted Mirena IUD (plastic w/ Levonorgestrel) from that day I noticed changes in my body, loss hair, sleep patterns, mood changes, headaches, etc. hormonal inbalances. On sep this year when I was diagnosed with Breast cancer I keep thinking on how those changes in my body started . This is so much coincidence and of course Icannot proof that the hormone in the IUD has something to do with it. I know Drs sd that the amount of hormones are minimum but if you read the list of risk of adverse reaction published by the same company you wonder how such "small " amount of progesterona can produce: nausea, nervousness, vulvovaginitis, dysmenorrhea, back pain, weight increase, decreased libido, cervicitis/Papanicolaou smear normal/class II, hypertension, dyspareunia, anemia, alopecia, skin disorders including eczema, pruritus, rash and urticaria, abdominal distention, hirsutism and edema. Also, I found out shocking that there were spontaneous reports of breast cancer during Mirena postmarketing !
simply Mirena point out : ". Because spontaneous reports are voluntary and from a population of uncertain size, it is not possible to use postmarketing data to reliably estimate the frequency or establish causal relationship to drug exposure". I wonder if people considered healthy from this group had the same experience, please let us know.

05-26-2012, 01:17 AM

I had the Mirena inserted in October 2011. I was just diagnosed with breast cancer this week (May 2012) I am also wondering if there is a correlation

sarah · 05-26-2012, 05:05 AM

Hello,
october 2011 to now to have caused breast cancer seems far too quick and very doubtful.
You would have to check if trials have been given concerning this to find a correlation between the two but I would doubt it given that millions of women have used IUDs.
Jud it seems you've had some allergic or emotional reaction and that this is something you should discuss with your doctor and prehaps discontinue using.
I think too often we look to blame something we have done to be the cause of our cancer but guess what, it isn't, shit happens and so does cancer. It's not because of an IUD or an abortion or because we ate too much meat or dairy, it just happens. Don't blame yourself, it's not your fault. Vegetarians get cancer too.
be well
sarah

SoCalGal · 05-26-2012, 10:24 PM

"Last year around September 2009 I had my mammograms and also, around the same time I was inserted Mirena IUD (plastic w/ Levonorgestrel) from that day I noticed changes in my body, loss hair, sleep patterns, mood changes, headaches, etc. hormonal inbalances."
Don't know if there's a correlation, but in the future, if something makes you feel this crappy, I would recommend that you take it out.

Jud · 05-29-2012, 07:01 AM

I am sorry about the bad news. Altough, we can't be positive about what really triggers this disease, it is important to hear those signals that our body sends when something is going on inside of us. If it is true that thousands of women use it and they haven't got it, we can not always override a possibility. Thinking in a possibility Willl help us? May be yes ,maybe not. I wouldnt be surprise at all if they found out years later. Like many medicines or products in the market that get pull off because of dangerous side effects
At least we voice our concerns and maybe we can get heard.

06-08-2012, 09:48 PM

I am also looking into correlation between the Mirena and breast cancer. I had mine in for 3 years and am getting checked for breast cancer next week. It's been a year and I'm still not right. I'd love to prove and sue the company because my life has been hell ever since!!

06-08-2012, 09:54 PM

At Sarah- I had to go into the ER 3 different times because of the problems associated with the Mirena. My friend out of no where started having arythmia in her heart only 2 months after she got the Mirena and took it out and now she's fine. I also experienced the "mirena crash" and I collapsed in front of my parents. I also have cysts in my ovaries and now my right breast is discharging and swollen. It effects everybody differently but if you spend time reading blogs, and all the problems it's caused women across the board it's amazing they are still able to keep it on the market. I say you don't want babies? Don't have sex or use a condom. I will never use birth control again. I'd rather get my tubes tied or my uterus removed than put that devil in me again.

KristinSchwick · 06-09-2012, 04:34 AM

I feel like Sarah is getting attacked in these posts- so I want to voice my support. I agree with Sarah- shit happens to perfectly healthy women without IUDs. IUDs are extremely popular in Asian populations- and their incidence of BC is reduced compared to ours.

Everyone's response to a foreign object in their body is different. And that depends on their immune system, the physician's technique inserting it and the environment of their uterus. Some people are more prone to inflammation and the hormone derivatives in the IUD. That is not a reason to deny millions of women access to a "potentially" wonderful form of birth control. Its just like chemo- some women breeze through tough treatments and others really suffer from significant side effects. Our bodies are all unique and respond differently.

For me personally, I was on oral birth control, then my IUD and I loved the IUD and had lots of complaints on the oral birth control. Neither of which I blame for my cancer.