IUD Mirena causing Vaginal Infections

I'm relieved my MD was forthright in discussing side effects including that an IUD can contribute to pelvic infection that should be treated with antibiotics and possibly the IUD should be removed if one's body responds like this. It's not right for docs to withhold vital information like that. Good job ladies on researching this info!

I've had to the mirena twice, both for two years at a time. Each time I was plagued with yeast infections and the last time I noticed a fowl, garlic smell during sex. My doctor said that the mirena could be responsible for the yeast infections since it's a foreign object in the body and it messes with the vagina's pH. I also experienced larger breasts, and although they looked great, they felt so heavy and sore.

Yes I'm having the same problem. This is so irritating and embarrassing!! Should I get it out???

Probiotics is what you need to balance your PH.

I did..and things haven't been the same for me every since

Ugh!!!! This is exactly what is happening to me!!!!! No one told me anything like this would happen. Thank you so much for posting this!

Yes!!! This is exactly what is causing it. You can leave it in if you want. But mine has been out for 9 months now and I am still trying to get everything down there back to normal.

My friend kept hers in, she is on year 3, she gets BV about 4-5 times a year. She can not take the pill (or really any other hormone type) due to heart problems, so she just lives with it. When she first got it in, she had BV for a whole year till her body got used to it I guess.

I have another friend who is on her 3rd one and she loves it, nothing bad ever happened.

So... if it is bothering you, get it out, I wish I had mine taken out as soon as the first infection started. Then maybe it would not have gotten so bad. I am 100% sure it caused permanent damage. I now have something called IC/volvodinia, that was caused by all the antibiotics/Diflucan they gave me. Doctors say it not possible, but sometimes you have to just not believe them. They can't say anything that might get them sued. I have not met many woman who said the same exact thing happened to them and my doctor laughed at me when I asked why it was not being investigated.

Good I'm really glad, I'm sick of Doctors right now.

I'm not back to the same yet either. But I am better, and getting better every month. Make sure to get probiotics in your diet and to stay away from to much carbs and sugar. It really does help. Also ask to use boric acid instead of antibiotics or Diflucan. It wont kill as many of the good bugs and it wont mess with your gut.

Can I ask you did everything get better after the removal?

I had my mirena put in nearly 3 months ago. I did not have any problems with it and everything went rather well for me. the only annoying thing is random bleeding at times and it's just weird blood... like bright red and has a funny smell sometimes. I have had BV issues and yeast issues for years now though long before I got my IUD. but they always cleared up with meds. this time, it's not working. I've gotten it twice since my IUD insertion and the treatment did not work for me because it came right back after maybe 3 days (which pissed me off bc the antibiotics are horrible horrible little pills.) I have BV now (only a smell/discharge. no itching or burning of any kind though I have had that kind of BV before in the past and its just plain torture.) but I started spotting/bleeding randomly 2 days ago due to the IUD (oh so much fun) so the smell has somewhat subsided which it usually does I've noticed from past experiences only to return once the blood has stopped. I have been really relieved with the break from the smell though because that sh*t is GOD AWFUL. like the worst smell ever. sometimes it's fishy.... but sometimes it smells like just straight up rot. I worry that my boyfriend can smell it but he's never said anything. it doesn't really smell during sex (thank god) but it gets really bad when I'm having to walk around a lot. I can smell it fully clothed standing up and I think if I can smell it that easily I wonder if others can too. I started taking probiotics to hopefully help treat this while I wait for yet another appointment. but I fear that another 7 day round of the metro. will not cure it. it's pretty terrifying thinking you may be living with this forever. and I LOVE LOVE my Mirena. I'd hate to have to take it out. :( I don't think its solely the cause but it must not be helping my already proneness for BV. I have read somewhere that putting a Vitamin C tablet in your vagina for 7 days helps. and also douching with hydrogen peroxide or apple cider vinegar also can help. I have not tried any of these because I'm afraid it could be harmful. but I'm almost desperate enough to try anything at this point. that smell will bring you to the brink of insanity.

Putting the vitamin c in my vagina one time over night did rid me of the smell. Then I continued with probiotics. The douching was not as effective, but did help.

I am in a very similar situation. Got my Mireya placed in December and noticed that my discharge increased dramatically and started smelling foul...probably just a week or so after placement. Waited until my one month followup, when they tested it and sure enough I had BV. I went on a round of Flagyl and it cleared up for about a month, but now I have the BV symptoms again. The smell is AWFUL, after a few hours I can smell it through my clothes if I am not changing a pantyliner on the regular. I've literally needed a pantyliner almost everyday since I got my Mirena, except for that one brief reprieve after my first dose of antibiotics.

I've only had one BV diagnosis ever (after 8 years of being sexually active) before this. I hate to blame it on the Mirena without trying some other options to balance the pH because I was so excited to have a long-lasting BC option. I guess I will try probiotics before I give it up, so discouraging though!

i've had this same problem after getting the IUD. I love it as a birth control and how it helps my periods. After several rounds of flagyl, clindamycin and having my husband treated my doctor talked to me about using boric acid suppositories and a vaginal prebiotic. I found a good article online about vaginal prebiotics. It sounds as if the bacteria within the vagina is changed by the IUD and the pre-biotic with boric acid helps to correct it. Ive been using their product now for several months and the odor is gone. I don't use it every day but have begun to notice after sex or around my cycle is when I'm most prone. Dont let them talk you into removing your IUD!

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Thank you so much for the link! I am so relieved that I am not the only one experiencing this! I am ordering the pre-biotics with boric acid today!