To ask if your GP tries to ‘persuade’ you to have the coil

Mine do. I went about horrific periods and they suggested the coil.

I asked if I could try the mini pill first and they said yes. It’s fantastic. My periods have stopped, no pmt, wonderful.

When I went for a check they asked if I had thought anymore about the coil! I said no because the pill is fantastic and has solved all my problems. To be fair they have now stopped asking :)

My consultant was insistent it was a miracle cure for horrific periods. Put in under a general during other treatment... had it out two years later and my cervix went into some weird shock and oh my word the PAIN. I thought she was going to pull my womb out with it.
Never did stop my periods either. Back on cerelle now and although it hasn't stopped them I've lost 1.5 stone...

I was referred quite readily by my GP for sterilisation when I was 36 after 4 kids - it was the consultant at the hospital that kept going on and on about the mirena coil.
And it was definitely the mirena he was pushing, he was dismissive of the copper coil and also of my reasons for not wanting hormonal contraception (too old and fat for combined pill and bad reactions to POP), declaring that he had never heard of any side effects caused by the mirena EVER....

I had the opposite, at the time I hadn't had children and was asked why I didn't want the pill as it's 'much easier' - I bypassed the GP and went to a sexual health clinic who happily fitted it! And removed it a year later when I had horrendous pain so I got the implant which made me bleed for weeks and weeks on end so I ditched all contraception and got pregnant instead

LARC (long acting reversible contraceptives) are a measured target for CCG's, as they're cheaper long term. Doesn't mean you should be having pressure to get one though!

Yes although last time when i said no she said 'she always turns it down too'

When I reregistered at my GP when I temporarily moved back to the UK I got 20 questions about contraception, as I am not on the pill, and won't have a coil. At the time I was rapidly approaching 48, dh was 52, and had been snipped years earlier. The push to get me to have a coil was immense, as were the intrusive questions about contraception. In the end I said dh had been snipped, so no need. The nurse was most affronted and said that wasn't in his notes. I pointed out that as he had never been registered at their surgery as he was in the RN, and they dealt with all his medical needs, I would be most interested to know how she had got to look at his file. She couldn't get rid of me fast enough after that! The coil was never mentioned again in the time I was in the UK.

My doctor tried to persuade me to have it after I gave birth. I did no.

@JacquesHammer, I'm on Noriday. It used to be Micronor. Honestly, it was a revelation.

My old gp used to mention it every time. It was before I had a baby and in my 20s, they always ask how I am with the pill I'm on first and I always say no problems and I always remember to take it so I found it a bit annoying, why change something that's working? (I came off pill to ttc so it definately worked for me!)

Like a PP I have a tilted womb and they kept trying to give it to me in spite of this. I guess they think it is very effective. Not sure. I have tried the coper coil in the past prior to the surgery which caused the tilted womb issue, it was Ok but caused very heavy bleeding. Not easy. Mireya seems to be love or hate thing. They told me many health professionals and doctors use it. Maybe why they seem to like it so much.

where it was swiftly removed and I was prescribed a norethisterone-based mini pill

Do you mind me asking which pill you’re on? I imagine I’ll need to swap mine at some point and it would be good to be able to go back having researched a particular brand!

@haworthia, I'm currently sitting near my doctor's office and off the back of vague, at-the-back-of-my-head thoughts for a while and this thread, I think I'm going to go in and ask to make an appointment to discuss sterilisation. I hope my GP isn't like this...

My GP really pushed the Mirena after DS2 was born. I developed a fibroid that was too small for surgery but made me bleed heavily and constantly. I'd tried every other contraceptive to no avail, so grudgingly agreed to the Mirena, on the proviso it was inserted under general anaesthetic, as I was almost phobic about the procedure due to a bad experience at the STD clinic years earlier.

It took 20 minutes for them to insert it, as they found I have a backwards tilting womb. The next 6 months were a nightmare: bleeding heavier than ever, severe depression and paranoia, and psychotic episodes. I already have bipolar disorder, which didn't help in the slightest. I became severely anaemic, and they still wouldn't remove it, despite me begging in floods of tears, because the Mirena costs the NHS a lot of money apparently.

I eventually went to the sexual health clinic in sheer desperation, where it was swiftly removed and I was prescribed a norethisterone-based mini pill. The nurse was appalled that I'd had the Mirena in the first place, due to my well-documented psychiatric history - it should never have been an option.

Now I never go to my GP about anything to do with my reproductive organs. I lost months of my life thanks to that infernal coil and I bitterly resent it.

I've never been asked about a coil

Honestly, I find the idea of having a little contraption forced through my cervix and permanently residing in my uterus absolutely horrible. It really grosses me out. I can’t tolerate progesterone either, so my contraceptive options are REALLY limited.

So I picked up a leaflet in my GP surgery called “Thinking of female sterilisation?” Opened it and it basically said “Get a coil!”

Should have opened it straight away and put it back on the shelf

I completely understand why GPs encourage the coil - it is relatively cost effective, has been proven to be effective in a large majority of women etc.

HOWEVER, it infuriates me that they won't listen to women's arguments. I don't mind them suggesting it. I DO expect them to listen to me when I explain that I am not going to do it because I can't have the Mirena (not allowed hormone contraceptive) and I'm not interested in sticking a piece of copper inside my body that can only be removed after a significant wait for an appointment after I've experienced multiple issues with weird allergic reactions during and after pregnancy.

Also, while I accept that most women are fine, it is one of those things where everyone knows at least one woman who has struggled on it. It's not like the failure rate is so tiny as to be almost unnoticeable.

A friend who has been suffering has really struggled to get hers removed. Her husband is resistant (what the actual fuck?), and the nurse at her GP practice basically told her she was wrong to take it out and her husband's views are important so she must go away and think about it some more (on the day she was scheduled to have it done). Absolutely mind blowing.

Clicked on this because I was talking about it with a friend the other day. We were wondering why on earth there is such a push. Between us we know instances where women have gone for completely unrelated problems and they were almost talked into having it fitted there then or given an appointment for one. I find it so sinister.

It was only contraceptive I was "allowed" in last GP practise as I was early 30s. Sexual health service there didn’t deal with over 25 year olds. Copper one was ruled out due to uninvestigated history of heavy periods. I knew several women in that area who’d had coils and got pg with them – they insisted didn’t happen which didn’t inspire confidence.

Moved changed practise – nurse was horrified we were relying on condoms – push coil heavily – again couldn’t be copper one – then prescribed pill said they could do that till 40 with monitoring.

Didn’t do well one the pill – loss of libido and anxiety that was starting to impact on normal life– hadn’t done well second time either I’d had it and they wouldn’t change pill versions and pushed Mirena – as despite it being hormonal its’s complete different, which it might be, hormones don’t travel they are unaware of anyone not liking it. So it sound like if it didn’t suit it would be a battle to get it taken out – which puts me off.

They don't seem to want to give us any more options.

Massive yes to this!! Really pissed me off last year, I had to have a biopsy of the uterine lining and I was asked a zillion times that whilst I was under G.A. I might as well have the Mireya fitted! Told them a zillion times I didn't want it! Fast forward to when I'm lying on the operating table just before I was taken into theatre and the consultant came over to me checking everything with me and said we are also fitting the mirena today aren't we?!!! Jesus how many times did they have to be told NO!!
What is with these doctors I am not having a coil inside my body full stop so I've been left to deal with my own symptoms because of my refusal to have a coil!!!

I have a copper one but they always try and push the hormonal one every time on me

Yes, long acting reversal contraception is the preferred option for anyone who isn't looking to TTC soon. It's more cost effective for the NHS, carries less risks and generally is more effective in preventing unwanted pregnancies, so it's often what's recommended for all those reasons.

I have a copper coil. I don't love it, but after nearly 20 years on the pill and being done having children, it was the best option for me. But you can always just say, I'd prefer something else.

I used to end up with an appointment for the gp in my surgery who specialises in women’s health. She has consistently tried to push me into getting the coil even when my appointment is for a completely unrelated matter. I now refuse to accept appointments with her when I visit as I’m more than happy with the contraception I’m using. Also apparently the gp receives a bonus for anyone they manage to refer for long term contraception e.g the coil, the implant etc. Unsure to how true that is though.

My doctor told me that the coil was my only option post 40 because lm overweight. I had an implant and bled constantly. We use condoms, which is a pain. Might go back.

or perhaps the Mirena coil has better contraceptive effectiveness, reduced health disbenefits and/or cost effectiveness for some patients?

Perhaps it does, @Zilla1, but I don't need contraception and I've already explained - both here and to my GP - what the (quite serious) health 'disbenefits' are for me. And it sounds like I'm not the only one by a long chalk. So I don't know what your point is, except to try and deny the experience of nearly every woman on this thread. As for cost effectiveness, what could be more cost effective than saying 'no, thank you'?

Yes, mirena coil. The answer to everything apparently. I had it in the end, and didn't like it, so now they don't.