Mirena Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others

Mirena isn’t currently known to interact with other drugs. But this doesn’t mean interactions with Mirena will not be recognized in the future. For example, new drugs may be approved that interact with Mirena.

For this reason, before having a Mirena IUD inserted, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Mirena interacts with supplements, herbs, and vitamins, see the “Are there other interactions with Mirena?” section below.)

Mirena may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Mirena.

Does Mirena interact with supplements, herbs, or vitamins?

Mirena isn’t currently known to interact with supplements, vitamins, or herbs. But this doesn’t mean interactions with Mirena will not be recognized in the future. For example, new products may be approved that interact with Mirena.

Before having a Mirena IUD inserted, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

Does Mirena interact with food?

There are currently no reports of Mirena interacting with food. If you have questions about eating certain foods while using Mirena, talk with your doctor.

Does Mirena interact with vaccines or lab tests?

There are currently no reports of Mirena interacting with vaccines or lab tests. But this doesn’t mean that such interactions won’t be recognized in the future.

For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before getting any vaccines or lab tests done while using Mirena.

Does Mirena interact with cannabis or CBD?

There are currently no reports of Mirena interacting with cannabis (commonly called marijuana) or cannabis products such as cannabidiol (CBD). But as with any drug or supplement, talk with your doctor before using cannabis with Mirena.

Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you use Mirena. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Mirena for you. These are known as contraindications. The list below includes contraindications of Mirena.

If you’re pregnant or could be. Mirena helps prevent pregnancy. But you should not use it for emergency contraception. You shouldn’t have Mirena inserted if you are or could be pregnant. If you think you could be pregnant while you have Mirena in place, see your doctor as soon as possible. They can discuss your options with you.

If you have certain uterus problems. Your doctor won’t insert Mirena if you have certain uterus problems. These include:

• unusual bleeding from your uterus that is undiagnosed
• inflammation or infection of your uterus lining following childbirth, abortion, or miscarriage
• conditions that change the shape of your uterus, such as fibroids

You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.

If you have genital or pelvic infection. If you have a genital or pelvic infection, your doctor won’t insert Mirena. Examples of these infections include:

In addition, your doctor may not insert Mirena if you have a higher risk of genital or pelvic infections. Factors that may increase this risk include if you have multiple sexual partners or a weak immune system. Your doctor can tell you about other treatments that may be better options for you.

If you have breast, cervical, or uterine cancer. Your doctor won’t insert Mirena if you’ve been diagnosed with or have suspected breast, cervical, or uterine cancer. They also won’t insert Mirena if you’ve had breast cancer or other cancers sensitive to progestin before. (Mirena contains a progestin hormone and could encourage these cancers to grow or come back.) You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.

If you have liver disease or liver cancer. Your doctor won’t insert Mirena if you have liver disease or liver cancer. (Mirena contains a progestin hormone that could worsen these liver problems.) Your doctor can tell you about other treatment options.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction. If you have had an allergic reaction to Mirena or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Mirena. This is because using the IUD could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.

Before having Mirena inserted, talk with your doctor if any of the factors above apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Mirena is safe for you.

Mirena isn’t known to interact with alcohol. But Mirena and alcohol can cause some similar side effects, such as headache, nausea, and depression. You may be more likely to have these side effects if you drink alcohol while you have Mirena in place.

Mirena also isn’t known to cause alcohol intolerance. (With alcohol intolerance, the enzyme that helps your body break down alcohol isn’t working properly.)

If you have questions about consuming alcohol while using Mirena, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Mirena. Before having Mirena inserted, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Mirena is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Mirena include:

Migraine. Mirena can cause headache or migraine in some people. If you have a history of migraine, talk with your doctor about whether Mirena is right for you.

Certain uterus problems. Your doctor won’t prescribe Mirena if you have certain uterus problems, such as fibroids or undiagnosed bleeding. To learn more, see the “When should I avoid Mirena?” section above.

High blood pressure. Mirena can increase blood pressure in some people. If you already have high blood pressure, talk with your doctor about whether Mirena is safe for you.

Genital or pelvic infection. If you have a genital or pelvic infection, your doctor won’t insert Mirena. See the “When should I avoid Mirena?” section above for more information.

Heart attack, stroke, or blood clots. In rare cases, heart attack, stroke, and blood clots have been reported in people using Mirena after the drug became available for use. If you’ve had a past heart attack or stroke, or you have a higher risk of blood clots, talk with your doctor about whether Mirena is right for you.

Breast, cervical, or uterine cancer. Your doctor won’t prescribe Mirena if you have breast, cervical, or uterine cancer. For details, see the “When should I avoid Mirena?” section above.

Pregnancy. Your doctor won’t prescribe Mirena if you are or might be pregnant. To learn more, see the “When should I avoid Mirena?” section above.

Breastfeeding. Mirena is usually considered safe to use while breastfeeding. But when your doctor inserts Mirena, you may have a higher risk of the device piercing through the wall of your uterus or cervix if you’re breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor to learn more about this.

Liver disease or liver cancer. Your doctor won’t prescribe Mirena if you have liver disease or liver cancer. To learn more, see the “When should I avoid Mirena?” section above.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Mirena or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Mirena. This is because having Mirena inserted could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Mirena and possible interactions.

Can anything make the Mirena IUD less effective?

Unlike some other forms of birth control, there aren’t any drugs or supplements that are known to make the Mirena IUD less effective. Mirena works locally in your uterus, so it’s unlikely to be affected by other drugs.

The only things known to make Mirena less effective are if the device comes out of your uterus or pierces the wall of your uterus or cervix.

Symptoms of these problems can include:

• excessive pain or bleeding when your doctor inserts Mirena
• worsening pain or bleeding after having Mirena inserted
• not being able to feel the threads of Mirena

If you have these symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible so they can check that Mirena is still in the right place. In the meantime, you should avoid having sex or use a barrier form of birth control such as condoms.

Do Mirena and Kyleena have similar interactions?

Mirena and Kyleena are two intrauterine devices (IUDs) with the same active ingredient, levonorgestrel. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work). Neither of these drugs interacts with alcohol, other medications, or supplements.

But having certain health factors may raise the risk of interactions with either Mirena or Kyleena. Examples include:

If any of these factors apply to you, talk with your doctor about your treatment options and whether either of these IUDs is safe for you.

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Mirena. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a medication list.
• What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Mirena treatment.

It’s also important to understand Mirena’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Mirena, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.)

If you have trouble reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.

If you still have questions about Mirena and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.

Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:

• Given my health history, is Mirena the best option for me?
• If I have certain health conditions, will I be monitored more closely while I’m using Mirena?
• Do I need to tell you if I start taking another medication or supplement while using Mirena?

To learn more about Mirena, see these articles:

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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.