Help me get contraception

[Fannycrabcake]

Name changed because I’m not sure how common this situation is.

Im 34, just had my second and final child after 15 miscarriages and 10 years of trying to complete our family.

The reason for my miscarriages has turned out to be endometrial hyperplasia, which I was diagnosed with in December 2023 after bleeding continuously for 5 months. I ended up in hospital very anaemic hence why they finally decided to do something about it. Hysteroscopy found abnormal cells and confirmed the hyperplasia.

I was given progesterone therapy to treat it, but didn’t want to have the hormonal coil at that point because we wanted another baby. I fell pregnant in May 2024 and continued with progesterone until 16 weeks, the result of which was a live birth and healthy baby boy born in January 2025.

I went back to my GP at 6 weeks PP to have the coil fitted and was referred to the sexual health clinic. I went, they refused to fit it due to the endometrial hyperplasia diagnosis and said that gynae needed to do it instead because they’re only funded to fit them for contraception and not for medical reasons. I need it for contraception AND medical reasons.

I went back to the GP, they have done the referral to gynae but the waiting list is 12 months. After my first live birth, my hyperplasia returned within 6 months (although didn’t know that’s what it was back then) and therefore I need to have the coil fitted before this gets bad again and i end up poorly. The GP is refusing to prescribe the progesterone pill in the meantime because of the gynae referral PCOS, my weight and the fact I’m 4 months post partum. Add to this that my abnormal cells risk turning cancerous the longer you wait to get the hyperplasia under control.

Does anyone know what route I need to go down to try and get this coil fitted faster?? Can you go private for this? What would I need to search for? How much is it likely to cost?

I just need a coil fitted, I don’t care which clinic does it!

Just go to a clinic and tell them you want it for contraception. Don't mention anything about medical need.

I don't know, but I would think a private gynaecologist would be your best option at least for a consultation

Can you not take the pill or get the implant until you’re at the top of the list for your coil?

This.
Is there a sexual health clinic near you?

I can’t now because I’m now on their system apparently, I tried that!

I cant have anything hormonal other than the progesterone only pill because of my weight/ PCOS. GP is saying they won’t give me the progesterone only pill until gynae have seen me in case it makes the hyperplasia worse/ messes me up even more. It’s a nightmare.

use condoms until gynae have seen you. How long will that be?

Your nearest city (possibly big town) will have a private hospital with a gynae clinic. If you are happy to pay you can self refer. Just Google private hospital near me. Then look up who does gynae there and contact their secretary. The gynae will want to scan you before fitting the IUS. You might also have a private women’s health or menopause service near you who might also be able to scan and fit Mirena.

Your GP could also send an ‘Advice and guidance’ email request to NHS gynae to ask if it’s ok for you to have the progesterone only pill while you are waiting. (It should be fine but your GP obviously doesn’t want to make that decision without specialist advice.)

Yes we are doing - the waiting list in my app says it’s a 12 month wait to be given an appointment date, then from there it can be 6 months. It’s not contraception I’m worried about - the coil is the long term treatment for my endometrial hyperplasia, which is a precancerous condition if left untreated causes me to bleed heavily for months on end and has an 8% chance of being cancer within 5 years. The coil stops the overgrowth of endometrial cells and solves the problem.

Ffs!!!! Nothing helpful to add I'm afraid but it makes me so angry that women's gynae health seems to be something that barely registers as being an issue. Is it down to complete ignorance? Lack of specialised doctors? Or just that we are seen as not being important enough.

I mean with all due respect the post was titled help me get contraception. There are private clinics that do coils but it will be a few hundred pounds. Until then use condoms.

Thanks, I’ve never had any kind of private healthcare before so wasn’t aware there were private clinics that did contraception given it’s free and usually quickly available on the NHS. I assumed there’s not a lot of demand for it privately on that basis, hence why I posted and mentioned going private in my post. I do need the coil for contraception, but I also need it for the hyperplasia. Both things are true at the same time.

We are using condoms, but I’m terrified of accidental pregnancies (we fell pregnant with my youngest while I was receiving progesterone treatment AND using condoms, turns out progesterone isn’t always a contraceptive depending on dose!) and although he was a very welcome surprise, we do not want a third baby. Also having just been celebrate for a full year during my pregnancy and post partum for various reasons, celibacy for a further 18 months isn’t massively appealing either.

private clinics do it both while awake (cheaper) and under Ga. The reason I was going to go for it is because I wanted it under GA and wasn’t sure how long the waiting list was, however couldn’t afford it and thankfully got put up the waiting list due to my autism and epilepsy medication. I believe it’s around £400 to get it done without a Ga.

Use a fake name.

They looked up my NHS number so guessing it’s all linked to a system somewhere.

Gosh that’s private ruled out then, £400 while I’m on mat leave isn’t doable sadly.

Can you not just say you need emergency contraception - then they have to fit it within 5 days of unprotected sex to be effective.

although that would be a cooper coil so not sure if that’s what you want

Is there a sexual health clinic attached to a hospital near you? I had to attend one rather than my local community clinic because I have endometriosis and they wanted to scan me before fitting the Mirena coil although it was all done in one appointment. It meant I had to travel but could that be an option for you?