u/KaleidoTales

I’ve been living in Brussels for about 1.5 years and while I’m slowly finding my feet, there are nights like these, on which I feel a bit lonely and am missing a sense of community.

I do have a few Brussels-based friends and two I see regularly, and I’m genuinely happy with that — but the sense of loneliness I experienced after moving here is still there, and the current heatwave is somehow amplifying it. Everyone’s outside, the city feels alive, and it makes me want chill in the park with a group of kind people, play music and build a campfire. For me the nice weather feels like a gift and I want to make the most of it.

Besides trying to find friends ‘the old fashioned way’ and going to climbing gyms, yoga classes, and an occasional jam session, I’ve tried: Meetup (EuroMeet and a few outdoor yoga classes) TimeLeft, and Bumble BFF. With Bumble I never managed to actually meet anyone, and with Meetup and TimeLeft it stayed at once-only encounters. I’m looking for deeper friendly connections, or ideally that campfire vibe community.

So, to all of you who once were lonely and have found a community or a small group of amazing, loving friends: how did you do this? Ans how long did it take you to find it? I have a wide range of interests (yoga, climbing, jazz music, singing, nature/plants, writing…). Where should I start looking for ‘my people’?

Thanks a lot for helping me out! ❤️

I’ve been on hormonal IUDs for over ten years: first Mirena, then Kyleena. In November, I decided to make the switch to a copper IUD, mainly because I wanted to see how my body felt without synthetic hormones after so long. But also because I experienced hair loss, wanted to check my hormone levels and according to my GP that was not possible with the IUD ‘influencing’ this.

It’s now April, and I recently stepped on a scale for the first time since mid-February. My weight has gone from my usual baseline of 56.5 kg (124.6 lbs) to 60.4 kg (133.1 lbs) — so about 3.9 kg gained in roughly two months. I’m still in a healthy BMI range, but I was genuinely shocked, especially since I noticed that my summer clothes don’t fit the way they used to.

A few things I’ve noticed alongside this:

• I’ve been extremely hungry, especially after work, and I think I’ve been eating more as a result (crackers, nuts and fruits - though I haven’t been tracking)
• I feel like I may have lost some muscle mass, though that’s harder to measure
• I have been feeling abnormally tired, especially throughout February and March.

I’m not sure if this is related to the hormonal shift after removing the Kyleena, or something else entirely.

Has anyone experienced something similar after coming off a hormonal IUD? This long after the removal moment? And if so, did it resolve on its own, or did you have to actively do something about it?

Trying very hard not to spiral, but would love to hear other people’s experiences. 🙏