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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

..to be really cross with the dr who fitted my coil - IN THE WRONG PLACE!!

45 replies

Swarski · 17/03/2011 08:55

I had a mirena coil fitted 6 years ago under a general anaesthetic (whilst having some other yucky stuff done) and then when it came for replacement just under a year ago I toddled along to the GP to have it removed and a new one fitted.

This time it hurt like hell - I mean really hurt to the point of tears and the doctor seemed very flustered, but said that it was all done and in the right place.

One of the reasons I liked the first one is that within 2 months I had no periods at all and after having years of endometriosis and v bad monthly pains, it was bliss! However this did not happen the second time - I was still bleeding heavily after 3 months and there was no pattern to it - sometime 7 weeks between bleeds and sometimes only 10 days!!

Eventually went to GP about it and he referred me for a scan. I had this yesterday (vv horrid internal probe!) and the sonographer has said that it is in completely the wrong place (off to the side instead of in the fundus) and will have only been providing minimal contraception!! Surprised that I was not in more pain...

Now, tracking back to the summer there was a point at which I felt pregnant - sore boobs, feeling sick, but as I had a coil thought it was my imagination....all cleared up when I had a very heavy bleed 7 weeks after my last bleed. Now think that I was probably pregnant and miscarried.

Am seeing the GP at 11.30 today to have this one removed (different GP to the one who fittted it) and am not sure how far to push the fact that I am really cross with the GP who messed up fitting it....

Any views??

OP posts:
TheVisitor · 17/03/2011 09:01

If you want another, ask for it to be fitted under sedation. I, like you, had my first one fitted under a general, probably having the same stuff done as you. My second also hurt like fuck and I went into cervical shock, but it is in the right place and still no periods. I'm having sedation next time! No harm in saying how annoyed you are with the other GP, but if you really want to push the message home, then write to the practice manager.

Lawm01 · 17/03/2011 09:03

Blimey, I think I would be a little cross too! from what you say, it seems like the doc knew that he was struggling, and maybe should have stopped when it was obviously hurting so much and asked you to come back in a few days to re-try.
Perhaps book an appt with the practice manager and speak with him/her about it? Its important that you raise this, the gp might need extra training or support. Also, if you suspect you miscarried last year, then this will be playing on your mind and you might need support in coming to terms with this.

It sounds like you've been through a horrible time, I hope the gp today looks after you sensitively and with care.

HappySeven · 17/03/2011 09:30

It might not be the doctor's fault as they can migrate. It's one of the reasons that they ask you to check for the threads. Maybe it's worth asking when go today. Also, just a thought but some women (myself included) have a retroverted uterus so maybe the doctor thought he/she had reached the top of your uterus but hadn't as it was tipped back?

HappySeven · 17/03/2011 09:32

PS Also isn't the mirena only 99% effective so there's always a small chance of getting pregnant? (I appreciate it must be upsetting to think you may have been though.)

Original poster
Swarski · 17/03/2011 10:03

I don't have a retroverted uterus and have been checking the strings and they were fine. The GP checked the strings before he referred me for ultrasound as well and said that they were fine.

Agree that there is still a 1% chance of getting pregnant with a coil, but the sonographers view was that the coil was providing 'minimal' contraception because of where it is. I really really do not want to get pregnant again. I love my 2, but we are completely happy with the size of family that we have. It was the shock of realising that I could have got pregnant that has really thrown me....

I am going to mention to the doctor about how much it hurt on insertion and just suggest that this situation be discussed with the dr to help with her future cases....

OP posts:
FabbyChic · 17/03/2011 10:14

Coils do cause you to miscarry that is the point of them.

Makingaminime · 17/03/2011 10:20

Yeah I had a similar thing - I had the coil fitted with no sedation or anything, didn't realise that was an option. It was agony, which I was told would settle down. It didn't settle down and after two months of to-ing and fro-ing with the Doctor I got an ultrasound which showed it to be in the wrong place and to have damaged something (I want to say the side of my cervix but i'm not too hot on the mechanics of it). I hadn't had any children and had an inverted uterus so was apparently a pretty poor candidate for the coil anyway. I was also told it was provided minimal contraception but I had been in too much pain to be up to much anyway!

I had it removed and remember the sheer joy and relief of that day. Smile

So anyway, I just want to say, I sympathise! And I can't believe you weren't in agony!

WinterOfOurDiscountTents · 17/03/2011 10:21

No, its not Fabby. Honestly, every time I see you you are telling someone complete nonsense.

BettyCash · 17/03/2011 10:23

I would raise it with the 2nd GP. It's just not cool to have a coil mis-inserted and that person needs to know they inserted it wrongly - if only for future coil fittings. Sorry OP sounds like a horrible discovery!

WildAndCrazyHorlicksDrinker · 17/03/2011 10:24

Coild prevent implantation, nothing to do with causing a miscarriage, Fabby. You can't miscarry if you're not pregnant Hmm

BettyCash · 17/03/2011 10:25

PS. Fabby They don't cause you to miscarry, they just increase or change the womb linings to stop fertilised eggs from getting embedded in it. You were a bit off.

harassedinherpants · 17/03/2011 10:30

I would definitely speak to someone tbh. I'm not sure if I would take it further, but would be concerned about an unplanned prg and any other problems it could have caused.

I'm also a bit Shock about the amount of pain some of you have had when having these inserted as I've had only minimal discomfort. Were the GP's that inserted trained in Family Planning? My gp is family planning specialist in our practice, so wondering if that makes a difference.

Ignoring the whole "coils cause mc", having recently had a mmc Hmm.

TheVisitor · 17/03/2011 10:34

My pain was down to never having given birth the normal way and an introverted womb, oh, and my body likes to be awkward. My doc was the trained family planning one in the practice and did loads of them.

Zippylovesgeorge · 17/03/2011 10:37

That is not good Sad

I had my first fitted under a GA after the doctor failed to fit it at the surgery - he spent long enough before deciding due the angle it wasn't possible -left me in a pain for weeks.

Hospital did it easily.

Not long had it swapped over - this time under heavy sedation - felt like a GA to me!!

No pain - no probs and no periods :)

Hope you get sorted asap - this time by someone who knows what they are doing xx

Makingaminime · 17/03/2011 10:38

What TheVisitor said - that was also the explained cause of my pain.

Original poster
Swarski · 17/03/2011 10:43

I had not realised that sedation was an option. Was planning on not having one refitted and thinking of other options, but have had an awful time with pill in the past so think that I will ask about the sedation option.

It was only when speaking to friends that I realised that insertion of a coil should not feel like having knives stuck up you. It was really awful and then the dodgy bleeding afterwards was just more to cope with.

Am hoping that there has been no damage done in there. I did not ask the sonographer yesterday as I was so shocked when she said that it had not provided any significant contraceptive that I did not think about anything else.

I don't plan on having any more children, but could do with out damaged inerds...

OP posts:
harassedinherpants · 17/03/2011 10:43

Sigh.........oh the joys of 3 kids lol. I'm glad it's nothing bad though iykwim!

Original poster
Swarski · 17/03/2011 10:46

I was given no explanation for the pain. I don't have a reverted uterus and I have given birth to 2 large babies vaginally with just gas and air. I have a pretty high pain threshold and so it was a bit of a shock to have such pain - the dr did not give any explanation at the time, but as I have said she did seem a bit shaken but was confident that it was in ok....

OP posts:
piratecat · 17/03/2011 10:54

but surely stopping a fertilised egg implanting, is stopping an already forming whatever from growing, so isn't that losing a 'life'?
Yes i know it's cells.
I see how it's not exactly the same as a miscarriage, in that the egg/cells haven't implanted.

The thought of that has always put me off the coil.

WinterOfOurDiscountTents · 17/03/2011 10:57

Not by most definitions, but your opinion is your own.

And its not remotely the same as a miscarriage, please do not be so offensive as to compare the two.

Original poster
Swarski · 17/03/2011 10:58

Piratecat - Not sure that it is any different from any other contraception in that it stops a 'life' from developing, but can see why you may form that view...

OP posts:
harassedinherpants · 17/03/2011 11:02

Pirate - I find that really offensive.

Swarski I wish you all the best, but won't be coming back to this thread again. I'm sure you can appreciate why.

Original poster
Swarski · 17/03/2011 11:03

Well off the the dr I go to have it removed....

OP posts:
Gemsy83 · 17/03/2011 11:05

Im shocked you didnt have a regular coil check and it took this long to find out....however as another poster said they can move so how can you be sure it was the docs fault?

confuddledDOTcom · 17/03/2011 11:07

It depends when you see life from. If you believe it's conception then that's what it's doing if you believe in life from implantation or a later stage then it's not.

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