Having Mirena fitted at hospital tomorrow - what to expect?

[ChickityChina]

A GP at my surgery tried to fit it and failed saying the neck of my womb was too narrow. It went on forever and really fucking hurt 😫.

Am off to Gynae at a private clinic tomorrow (NHS referral) to have it done and am absolutely dreading it. Will they offer me gas and air or diazepam or do I have to white knuckle it? Will they be loads better at doing it in hospital as it's their bread and butter stuff?

Am 44 and am getting it fitted to try and help with my near constant bleeding but am worried it won't even work and I'm one of the few who will have a negative reaction to it. Don't need it for contraception as DH has had the snip.

Anyone around to reassure or offer their experiences?

Thanks 🙏

Oh god it’s horrible OP. They didn’t offer me any pain relief, I took 2 cocodamol before. The way I get through it is to think it’s 5 mins of high pain v. 5 years of periods so just grin and bear it. And I always hold the nurses hand.

It'll be someone who knows what they're doing much better. A doctor at the GP couldn't do mine either so I went to a clinic. It is uncomfortable but over quickly. Breathe in and out slowly, there'll be a big cramp in your lower belly, don't do what I wanted to do and press your belly 😆

Same experience - genuinely nearly painless at the clinic with experienced gynaecologist

I know your pain. I refused mine and opted for a hysterectomy instead. That's how bad I found the pain at the surgery. Is your bleeding fibroids?

Thanks all.

@Doggymummar fibroids + peri I think. I keep telling myself that the Mirena has to be worth a go as currently I'm bleeding for 16-20 days per month (and not spotting proper bleeding), am exhausted and have zero sex life 😮‍💨

Am going to take anything they offer me. DH is driving me there and back and work have told me to take rest of the day off so can lay on sofa with hot water bottle and painkillers all afternoon.

@SwayingInTime That's hopeful. Am so glad you had that experience.

@ZZGirl Good tips. Thank you 🙏

@MuchasSmoochas your experience is what I'm expecting tbh 😭

You can refuse to have it done without a spinal or even a general anaesthetic if you have pain / trauma issues. I had a hystoscopy done at the hospital to investigate menopausal bleeding and I refused to have it done without a spinal: they said they could have given me a coil at the same time but I didn’t want one so declined.

Why don’t they offer pain relief?!

I find stories like this galling, especially after a (male) friend asked why my husband was having a vasectomy and could l do something instead?! I said because l had 3 rounds of IVF, twin pregnancy with endless weeks of morning sickness and a caesarean. So it’s not my turn!

Not trying to be smug about this I promise, but I had the mirena coil fitted with no pain at all and I hadn’t taken any painkillers. I put it down to the woman doing it being an expert. It is possible, I hope the same happens for you op

Mine didn’t hurt either, I had it done last year and my periods have dwindled down to nearly nothing after years of heavy periods so it was definitely worth it for me.

I have had 3 Mirena IUSs over the years and fortunately I only had slight discomfort,but I have heard some horrendous stories about women screaming in pain because it was so bad. Maybe I was just lucky each time and had someone who was an expert fitting it.I just think everyone is different. I can honestly say that having one was life changing for me. An end to heavy, painful periods. By the time I had my second one done,I was having no periods at all,at the age of 42.

I've had several mirenas. Fitting has been a very mixed experience! First time was horrendous and I stood up and promptly fainted from the pain. The last couple of times have been awfully painful, even with the numbing gel and strong oral painkillers. The doctor who did it also did the one the time before, and I barely noticed anything. I'm not sure it's only the doctor's experience but is it peri/menopause changes with tissue too?
I'd not put yourself through another fitting without an assurance of proper painkillers.

Hi OP

There is another option to take continued progesterone, one tablet an evening.

If you do decide to not go or if the coil doesn't suit you do have other options to stop periods. It's worked really well for me.

If you can , take ibuprofen before you go.

I took paracetamol before I went. The first part was as bad as a normal smear test. It was only when I think she was actually putting it in that I felt quite sharp pains for about half a minute.
I did then have quite bad cramps and bleeding for the rest of the day (Friday 13th!!!)

Yesterday I was much better. I still have a few mild random cramps but the bleeding has stopped.

I do have an abnormally long vagina, a titled cervix and as I have had no children 'It's a bit tight in here!!!!'

I can't feel the cords at all so it maybe fun taking it out in 8 years but as I will be 54 I won't care by then!

Same here, completely painless. Hope it goes OK.

Oh and I had mine done at a sexual health clinic but the lovely Doctor did say if she couldn't get it in I would have to be referred to the hospital.

And I had a nurse who was training, the lovely doctor who kept saying sorry because it took a while and a lady who was a chaperone. The doctor did say it was a good learning experience as she had never seen such a long vagina before!!!!

I had two painful failed insertions at the GP before being referred to the gynaecologist. I was pretty apprehensive but she was amazing - it went straight in with almost no pain. And it’s definitely worth it - I went from bleeding so heavily I sometimes couldn’t leave the house for one week in every 3, to a few light days of spotting every month. It’s also the only sort of progesterone that hasn’t made me horribly depressed. I hope it works as well for you.

Ask for pain relief in advance because if the pain you had at the GP. Good luck and honestly they're amazing - I was bleeding so heavily just after I had DS and had one fitted after TXA drug to stop such heavy bleeding I was soaking multiple sanitary towels in half an hour, not had any bleeding since, 12 years later

Mine was horrible. The pain wasn't too bad but I felt very faint & nauseous for several hours & couldn't get home after.

I have had a few fitted, it can hurt a bit and you may cramp after but all being well, it should be fine. Think it depends on who you get tbh, the last one I had fitted (post-baby so prob made a difference too) barely hurt at all. I have genuinely had smear tests that were worse.

Definitely take ibuprofen beforehand and book in some sofa and hot water bottle time afterwards. I hope it all goes well.

@ChickityChina how did it go? 🤞

They need to be investigating and treating your problem not giving you an unnecessary contraceptive!

It should be much better with the gynae as others have said, its definitely a skill!

I’ve had three or four, the best one was definitely in a sexual health clinic with an older woman where I barely felt it and it took seconds - when I remarked on how
painless it was she told me all she did was fit coils all day and had been doing it for years!

With a skilled practitioner is should not hurt, uncomfortable perhaps but not proper pain. It also should be quick. Not all gps are necessarily good at fitting them from what I was told whereas mine was excellent

@MrRobinsonsQuango

It didn't hurt that's why, pain relief has side effects so shouldn't be offered unless needed. Sedation means hours in hospital and inherent risks too, for 2 minutes of mildly uncomfortable i wouldn't take the risk