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[Noheroicsplease]

I've been on the mirena coil and one pump of eostrogel since Jan. I've bled a lot on the coil - I thought it was easing off a few weeks ago, but a few days ago it's back in full force. I've got a scan on the 17th to see if everything is ok.

A few days ago I stopped the eostrogel. I'd gone up to two pumps and didn't feel great, so went down to one again. Then, because I'm having some blood tests next week and wanted them to test my oestrogen levels, i thought I'd see how I'd fare without any estrogel. I've not had any symptoms as a result, yet.

But today LOTS of HAIR CAME OUT. Around the back, not the hairline.

Could it be the mirena kicking in? Would it have taken 5 months? Or is it just a coincidence?

I've intermittently had hair loss over the years - most recently a few years ago, due to v v low levels of ferritin.

[Claireylou]

Noheroicsplease,my hair does this a lot when my iron stores are low, I use a very gentle iron supplement which usually gets me back on track. It's awful isn't it when you have clumps of hair falling out 

[Annie0710]

Can you recommend a gentle iron supplement claireylou? I've found some of them make me feel queasy.

I can't for the life of me think of the name but I'm sure it's a liquid form and think Holland & Barrett sell it, it's said to be gentle

edit:  it's called SPATONE x

[Claireylou]

I've used Spatone and Floradix with success but the one I find does the most good is in capsule form from H and B. It's called gentle iron 20mg, taken once a day. It really seems to improve my levels quite quickly 

[Hurdity]

I always take Floradix - usually only a couple of times a week or when I remember ( eg have forgotten for awhile). I also only take a small amount as I am not deficient but just think adding a little extra iron is probably beneficial at my age and as I still have a bleed due to HRT!

It's a myth that Mirena is not absorbed systemically - it is. Remember it was originally developed as a contraceptive treatment so compared to the tablet CCP types which contain the same progestogen - systemic absorption is negligible but does occur nevertheless. I had a look at the figures a whole back and the absorption of Mirena at one point ( this declines gradually over the five years) is very broadly of the same order of magnitude as Femseven sequi/conti patches - over things being equal and bearing in mind the variability between women.

Intuitively I would have thought it surprising that androgenic effects such as hair loss would become apparent that quickly after cessation of oestrogen since the longer term effects of oestrogen deprivation take some time to kick in. However never say never - but I would have thought it was either coincidence, or due to the systemic effect of the Mirena or as you say if you think you have low iron - but who knows really?

Sorry to hear anyway!

Hurdity x

[peri]

Noheroicsplease as you know I had mirena the same time as you and I haven't noticed any hair loss.  Sorry to hear you are still struggling with it x

[hoping4best]

Noheroicsplease I have a couple kinds of hair loss that started within months of my sudden-onset menopause and starting HRT. I'm in year four of trying to deal with it all, and I've found that whenever I adjust my HRT significantly, I get a telogen effluvium (extra shedding). So it might be that you've been messing with your estrogen dose, and that's triggering a shed. The hair loss specialist I sometimes see has said what Hurdity said, that Mirena does get systemically absorbed and does cause hair loss for some. But it also can be caused by fluctuations. Hang in there.