I can never feel my strings. I have to get my boyfriend to check them for me. He checked them the other day because I was cramping really bad. He said he felt something hard. When he touched my cervix It got really painful. I showed him a picture of the IUD and he said it was the knot in the strings that he felt. After he checked, I went and showered and had him feel again after. and He no longer felt the knot. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this? I'm kind of concerned about it. I'm not sure if it's staying in place and therefore effective. Ive been experiencing almost pregnancy type symptoms that I have never had before. Tender extremely swollen breast, cramping, nausea but no vomiting, spotting while I'm supposed to be on my period. I've been on the Mirena for almost a year and have had lots of problems with it. I've been feeling different than I have the entire time I've had it and am getting kind of paranoid