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Original poster

Can’t get coil fitted- any one else think this is ridiculous?

34 replies

WhoNose21 · 18/02/2019 15:43

Currently on the pill but have been doing a lot of research into other methods of contraception and after a lot of thought have decided the mirena coil is the best for me.

I called my doctors but they don’t deal with contraception/fit coils there so they advised me to call my local sexual health clinic. Called them and they advised I would need a consultation first. No problem, asked to book me in... oh no we can’t book anyone in, we have changed our systems and can’t book appointments BUT you can come to our drop in sessions (which get very very busy so expect a wait) to see someone. So I agree I can do that then ask when I would then have the coil fitted to be told that after the consultation, they can’t actually fit the coil (even if I then attend another drop in session) and with the system overhaul they are ‘looking at the end of March for appointments to start but no guarantee’.

Does anyone else think this is ridiculous? I know nhs cutbacks are to blame and I can use alternative contraception but what about the poor girls who need a long lasting, effective contraception? Or people who can’t take the pill etc? Tried calling a neighbouring city but they can’t help as I’m not a resident. Just all seems so ridiculous!

OP posts:

CountessVonBoobs · 18/02/2019 15:47

It's got a lot harder to get IUDs or IUSs in many areas. If I recall correctly insurance coverage for people who do insertions changed to massively disincentivise people who do them as only part of their job (e.g. GPs) and so loads of people stopped. My old GP used to do them but stopped completely and now you usually have to go to a specialist sexual health clinic. It's a pain. I was lucky that in my new area they did an initial phone consultation and were then able to book me an appointment for insertion within a few weeks. In my old area I waited 4hrs at a sexual health clinic to get it done.

I don't have any practical help I'm afraid but keep trying all the local clinics and see if you can find any that do appointments or try Marie Stopes for a private appt. And blame the insurers.

AcaiSmoothie · 18/02/2019 15:56

What if you needed it as emergency contraceprion? That seems nuts! I called up and had consultation and inserted in same appointment.

AgentProvocateur · 18/02/2019 16:10

If you think it’s bad trying to arrange getting it put in, wait till you try and arrange a removal. It took me almost nine months to get an appointment at the docs then the wrong sexual health clinic, then eventually the right clinic, to get a new replacement one.

Interested in this thread?

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General health Women's health

sagradafamiliar · 18/02/2019 16:41

In theory it sounds complicated but the drop in sessions are really convenient and after your initial appointment, will usually try to fit you in the following week.
I can't think why there would be over a month's wait? I'd probably say that doesn't work for me and see if they actually turned me away once there in person. If not, use something else in the meantime.

user564534 · 18/02/2019 16:48

I had this problem. My GP surgery could remove the coil but not replace it with a new one, which had to be done at sexual health clinic, where there were no appointments for 3 months! They would only fit the coil during a period but as I had such irregular periods, it was impossible to time the appointment correctly! I gave up in the end.

GregoryPeckingDuck · 18/02/2019 16:53

Can you afford to have it done privately? NHS access is patchy at best. Has been ever since I moved here. I’ve just learned not to expect affordable healthcare in Britain.

PinkDaffodil2 · 18/02/2019 16:54

That’s rubbish! Sexual health services have been cut to the bone - if you’re in London I can recommend some clinics that you can book appointments and same day discussion / fitting. When you do manage to get an appointment make sure there’s no risk of pregnancy (no sex without condoms for the previous 3 weeks) or you’ll need to come back later which is a pain.

ohmydaysagain · 18/02/2019 16:58

I had an appointment to have a coil fitted with my GP she refused to fit as I was on my period. Clinic for coil fitting was 1 Friday every 4 weeks I was advised to go to the drop in sexual health clinic. I went waited 2 hours to be told that I needed to come in towards the end of my period to have it fitted. As I was in the middle of my cycle and hadn't been using contraception they wouldn't fit a coil unless I was on my period. That period never came so they did the right thing. My OH had the snip then as our family was complete.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 18/02/2019 17:00

It was like this where I live. I went private and got an appointment the next day. £175 for the copper coil to be fitted.

Auntiepatricia · 18/02/2019 17:00

Well, I have a 1 yr old that wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t taken me 6 months of back and forth and appointments all over the place and messing about like you describe.

But recently my GP surgery has a women’s contraception trained GP set up!!!! I was her second patient😀 One appointment, in and out in 20mins. She was more nervous than me. And the day after my DHs vasectomy referral arrived after waiting 2 yrs for it. I guess the 1 yr old was meant to be😅

Chocspreadandpb · 18/02/2019 17:07

It's because GP's don't want to do them anymore and so they are all being passed along to sexual health clinics. It can be the responsibility of one clinic to fit coils for all of the patients from 10-15 different GP Surgeries.

The reason we don't fit coils on the same day as a consultation is because that would take a double slot and the second part of your slot might be wasted if you were not suitable for it to be done on that day. You could have had sex in the previous 3 weeks , sex since last period, may have fibroids and we need a copy of scan report, may have brought children with you and we can't do it. So many reasons. If you needed an emergency coil we would squeeze you in for that but otherwise this is completely normal.

You can go in for a temporary method while you are waiting for your fitting appointment and 9/10 chose to do that. Coils cost a lot of money to order in and fit with 3 members of staff required to be present while it's done(the fitter,HCA/Chaperone and usually another nurse to be in the same building meanwhile. They are free and we are lucky to be in that position, it's a coil not an emergency procedure.

adiposegirl2 · 18/02/2019 17:07

I think lady luck was with you!

Do not get the coil- it's the devil.
The medical profession claim it has no side effects however that devilish device slowly drains your life, joy and mental faculties from you.

Please do more research on the negatives of the coil. Should you still decide to get it, keep a diary of your moods and health.

Chickenvindasaag · 18/02/2019 17:12

adipose utter bullshit

fruityb · 18/02/2019 17:13

I love my coil but also had a nightmare with getting it sorted. I had a Jaydess fitted at the GP - though learned later they give that coil to teens generally and not women of my age! - and absolutely hated it. Heavy periods and it made me miserable. Getting the fucker out was awful. The gp just kept giving me the pill “to calm it down” and it would all just start again when I stopped. I demanded it removed and kept getting fobbed off at GP to then be told they don’t remove them anymore. I had the jaydess removed at the family planning clinic and then the mirena put in about two weeks after.

It changed my life. I do blame it for my moody tendencies and my weight fluctuation but in terms of my periods it’s loads better.

It’s crappy isn’t it - I wanted that jaydess out and I just couldn’t get anyone to bloody do it!!

fruityb · 18/02/2019 17:14

And it’s not a devilish device at all - it’s solved all my problems and I am so happy!

adiposegirl2 · 18/02/2019 17:39

Chickenvindasaag

"Utter bullshit"

Really eh?

I and the hundreds if not thousands who have experienced it/ still have it in and have not made the connection have much to say about it.

SpaceCadet4000 · 18/02/2019 18:05

Adipose- the plural of anecdote is not data. The coil works for many, many women and discussion of its benefits and side effects is best done with trained medical professionals, and not through google searches.

And I say this as someone who had her coil removed. It just didn't work for me.

OP, sounds like a huge faff, and a massive risk for women to need to wait so long to get actual fitting appointments. When I had mine fitted they also ran STI tests at the consultation to check I was okay to have it fitted, so I'm confused as to how they'd factor that in too.

Auntiepatricia · 18/02/2019 18:39

I think it’s perfectly relevant to the thread for Adipose to comment on it having had a big impact on her, and others, moods. It’s certainly not new news.

Auntiepatricia · 18/02/2019 18:42

I’ve been wondering about that. It’s like my Mood tanked after getting it. I feel a bit less volitile now many months down the line but I did notice immediately an impact on my temper control and lack of balance on my mood. I’d read about other people experiencing similar so didn’t take it to mean I was sinking into depression or having real problems, just that my hormones were taking time to adjust. My sister is a specialist GP cool fitter (not the official title) and she says it’s not uncommon.

Auntiepatricia · 18/02/2019 18:43

Coil not cool😅

YesQueen · 18/02/2019 18:45

@adiposegirl2 depends what coil. I have a copper one with no issues. I can't cope with hormonal contraception

billybullshitterz1 · 18/02/2019 19:32

I ended up going private. I've just had it taken out privately as I'm having gyne issues.

WeAreGerbil · 18/02/2019 19:37

I had a similar issue, no sexual health clinic near us, went to the GP and had the swabs I needed before it was fitted, tried to make an appointment - no appointments because "my" doctor (who I'd never actually seen) didn't fit coils and I had to make an appointment with another doctor who did, but because they weren't my doctor there was some complication and I couldn't get it done before my swabs would expire and need to be taken again. I also couldn't request a female doctor, even though I have experienced multiple sexual assaults. I gave up and never got one. I also changed GP practices and am now with a much better one (though getting a coil never came to the top of my list of priorities again).

Tomtontom · 18/02/2019 19:51

the plural of anecdote is not data.

There are thousands of reports online of women having problems with the Mirena. All because they don't form part of an official study, does that mean those women's voices don't count? I think they do.

GroggyLegs · 18/02/2019 19:53

Same here OP, three month waiting list for one afternoon surgery. As soon as new dates were released they were filled...

Thankfully (?) I went in for minor gynae surgery under GA and they did it then, but I'd have been waiting a long time.

After a couple of months settling down the copper coil has been the best thing though, I don't even think about it. No long lasting effects and certainly no mood swings. I felt grim on hormonal contraception after having children.

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