Post-IUD Cycle Recovery: What to Expect After IUD Removal

Question
i had mu IUD removed march 20, and had two "normal" periods right after. my next period(may 16)was three weeks late and shorter than normal. on may 28 when i should be ovulating i got another period that came with sore breasts and fatigue when will my cycle be normal and up and running?

Answer
Dear Lynn,

Most of the time your cycles should return to "normal", or what they were before insertion of an IUD, almost immediately after the IUD is removed.

Sometimes a hormonal IUD, such as Mirena, can cause the same type of symptoms that coming off the BCP would cause. The hormones released tend to help regulate your cycles and when the hormones are all of a sudden absent, it can take your body a little while to adjust and start regulating things on its own again.

However, you had two normal cycles immediately following removal, as we would have expected, and then had a late one and mid-cycle bleeding with hormonal symptoms. We need to remember that bleeding during mid-cycle does not indicate menses. It may have been ovulation bleeding. Ovulation Bleeding is different from menstrual flow. The color of ovulation bleeding varies from pink to red, is light and for 1 or 2 days duration.

Severe or long-lasting bleeding during ovulation is sometimes symptomatic of certain gynecological conditions, such as endometriosis. If this is the case or if bleeding is heavy during ovulation or lasts longer than 3 days, you should consult a doctor. Women with regular menstrual bleeding can differentiate between ovulation bleeding and the menstrual period. If periods are irregular, or it is uterine bleeding, then you are not ovulating regularly. A physical exam of the uterus helps detect causes of abnormal bleeding.

Again, your cycles should have returned to "normal" within a cycle or two, especially if you had a copper IUD like Paragard. I would suggest that you take a pregnancy test just to make sure that the irregular, shorter duration than normal bleeding is not due to a pregnancy. Aside from that, I would wait and see what the next cycle brings. If you have a repeat of this cycle's irregularities, I'd make an appointment to be seen for an evaluation by your doctor just to rule out any other possible reason for the abnormal bleeding.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda