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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be considering sterilisation?

17 replies

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 15/07/2016 08:22

I'm 33 and currently pregnant with number 2. I feel very strongly that once she arrives, I don't want any more children. DH has offered to go 'visit the doctor with the scissors' as he puts it, but I know there is a risk of long term pain in a small percentage of men who are 'done' and I wouldn't want that for him.

I also don't want to take any hormonal contraception again. So I'm thinking of asking for Essure (I think that's the name).

OP posts:

KateInKorea · 15/07/2016 08:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

branofthemist · 15/07/2016 08:31

Dh had the snip. He wanted to.

A quick google of essure, brings up a list side effects that sound, in the very least,as bad as vasectomy ones. Including increased chances of ectopic pregnancy. If you have this and dh is still fertile, is this a risk you are will to take?

branofthemist · 15/07/2016 08:32

Sorry, not saying what you should do.

It's entirely up to you. But it's not risk free. The same as a vasectomy.

Original poster

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 15/07/2016 08:39

Thing is, I've not heard of anyone having long term problems with Essure (though Tbh I'm not finding a huge amount of info generally and I don't know anyone who had it done).

I was going for it though because it's non surgical. If I was to have a c/s it would be better possibly to go for tubal ligation. I didn't know that they would do that too if you asked - would I just need to tell the midwives?

Im not too concerned about the ectopic risk. I don't appear to be all that fertile anyway (its been a long time getting to this point), and I kind of think that its always a risk so why worry.

OP posts:

nomoreheroes · 15/07/2016 08:42

I had Essure sterilisation last year as husband was advised against vasectomy for reasons I won't go into here. I found the procedure extremely painful which seems to be unusual. But it was shortlived and I've had no trouble since (in spite of the scare stories everywhere on the internet). I'm not saying other people haven't had issues after Essure - I can only speak for myself and I have no complaints a year down the line. But anecdotes are not evidence so just read up on it, talk to your doctor and decide which type of sterilisation you're most comfortable with. Good luck.

Possibilityofanisland · 15/07/2016 08:42

There are rumblings that the Essure procedure will be withdrawn in the future.

By all means look into sterilisation but I would think long and hard before using this method.

QueenArseClangers · 15/07/2016 08:43

I was sterilised last year. Bloody marvellous!
I didn't want essure procedure though after research about side effects/ litigation issue in the US.

Original poster

KleineDracheKokosnuss · 15/07/2016 08:49

At least you don't think I'm crazy . I mentioned to a friend that I was intending to get sterilised and she was really shocked!

OP posts:

GnomeDePlume · 15/07/2016 08:51

I was sterilised during my last CS. Recovery time/pain was comparable to previous CS (ie fine after a couple of weeks)

Dozer · 15/07/2016 08:51

There are risks of sterilisation, as with vasectomy.

MrFMercury · 15/07/2016 08:55

I was talked into essure. Due to my health if I'd got pregnant again I'd have had to terminate as the risk to my life would be so high. I wanted my tubes tied but was told no was too fat and talked into essure.
I wish I'd not had it. There are very lively Facebook groups of people campaigning to get it withdrawn mostly in the States but over here too. I trusted the medics when I should have done a lot more research. Just my experience.

branofthemist · 15/07/2016 10:12

I don't think you are crazy for wanting it. I had ds at 29 and very sure I didn't want anymore. Dh was more than happy to have the snip, if he wasn't I would have been sterilised.

I don't think it's crazy at all.

minisoksmakehardwork · 15/07/2016 10:27

I don't think you're crazy. We've 4 kids and I've been sterilised via essure.

When we looked into our options we felt as dh is our main earner and I'm sahm, recovery had to be factored into it and potential issues in the future - a vasectomy has just as many negative stories as essure if you look into it. Plus being at home quicker to resume duties as a parent. The recovery even for keyhole surgery would potentially have had me out of action for a day, maybe an overnight stay and then longer recovery.

With essure I was back home by tea time, recommended no heavy lifting for a while as it can cause the implants to move and apart from needing painkillers and a hot water bottle for really bad period like or afterbirth like cramping, I was fine by the next morning.

I am early into my sterilisation but so far it's very positive. Due to the shape/position of my uterus and tubes I did end up having to have a scan with dye (hysterosalpingogram, hsg) afterwards to check they were in the right position, and tbh it was more of a pain trying to get hold of the right person at the right time to book that than any discomfort I had from either procedure.

I also spent a lot more time waiting in the hospital than the actual procedure took.

I did look at the negatives of essure and spoke to my consultant about them. She reassured me that if it didn't work or proved troublesome, then a standard sterilisation would be done. She also asked whether we'd considered dh. Ultimately though, I was over 30 and had 4 dc inc twins. It wasn't the fight to get it that the GP had led me to believe.

maggiethemagpie · 15/07/2016 11:27

I too was talked into Essure and trusted the medics. Now I am hoping I won't regret it due to all the negative press it's had. I'm not sure I would have had it if I'd known.

Loubylouchirino · 15/07/2016 11:37

I was sterilised immediately after having my son by CS almost 7 years ago. I regret it every day.

I was coming to the end of a very bad pregnancy, thinking I never wanted to go through that again, my (now ex-) husband was saying it was the best thing, and I based my decision on that. I'm now getting remarried after my husband left me just over a year after having my son, and I honestly wish I had the means to get it reversed.

elliemillie · 29/07/2016 06:56

I had Essure in 2013. My periods got heavier and more painful three months afterwards. I can barely move on the first day of my period. I sit on the toilet waiting for the huge clots to pass.
18 months ago I started having pain in my pelvis everyday. It's worse during my period. I can't sit on the sofa with my legs up without feeling the essure metals pricking me. I finally went to see my GP after researching and joining a forum for women who were having side effects after the procedure. She ordered an ultrascan and they found that I had a lot of fluid in my uterus that was inexplicable. The essure is still in place but it seems my body is reacting very badly to it. I am due to see a gynae next month and I am going to ask for a hysterectomy which is the only way to get rid of it. I wish I had all the information I have now when I did it.
All they tell you is that there is a risk of perforation or it coming out and you getting pregnant.

There are lawsuits in the US and congress is debating a law to ban them. Here is a video of a case of being raised by Congressman Fitzpatrick www.facebook.com/RepFitzpatrick/videos/1074463232616170/

toribones · 14/09/2016 15:14

I had essure in 2012, I suffered horrendous ill health for the 3 years that i had essure and in 2015 I had a hysterectomy as this is the only way to remove the coils. There are thousands of women around the world that have suffered so much due to this device and there are many women in this country campaigning really hard to have it removed from the market. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, its my biggest regret in life, more babies would have been easier!!

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