To think my doctor should take my mirena out when asked???

[ScienceIsTruth]

Just that really.

Went to see consultant today as still bleeding constantly 2 years after having mirena fitted for heavy periods, although not as heavily.

Asked them to remove it as it's not really helping and the side effects (no libido, etc) are really getting me down, and they've basically refused.

They want to try me on another hormonal medication for 6 months first, whilst keeping the mirena in (because I had trouble when it was put in!).
But there's a waiting list for this medication as it's an injection they have to do, and I'm looking at least an 8 week wait.

My doctors tried to force me to have one by refusing to continue my medication which I'd been on for 12 years which stops periods. In the end I told them taking me off the meds would cost me my job and likely.my mental health so they instead forced me to have an internal scan as part of an investigation and the hospital ended up bollocking my doctors in a very harsh letter telling them to keep me on the meds.

From all these posts you'd think they were on commission to put them in and bonuses for how long they are left in 🤔

I actually pulled mine out myself. Tugged on the strings and plop... out it came like a teeny tiny tampon! All a doctor will do it lay you down and tug, so you may aswell do it yourself.

@dontalltalkatonce I believe it's cheaper. Someone said it was pence compared to the Mirena

The Tories and their austerity agenda is responsible for this. With less money to play with, it's kind of understandable (if still completely wrong) that GPs and clinics look for ways to save money.

www.theguardian.com/society/2018/sep/01/sexual-health-clinics-in-england-see-record-demand-amid-budget-cuts

Just as a comparison though, I had a mirena put in and taken out less than a year later, insertion was fine and removal was fine, so quibbles at all about taking it out so soon.

@Witchofwisteria self-removal might work for some people, it's irresponsible to suggest everyone should try it though - you don't know if you're one of the people whose implant has become embedded in the uterine wall until you try.

Honestly, anyone in perimenopause or menopause experiencing adverse symptoms head over to the topic and Menopause Matters. Also watch Mariella Forstrop's latest BBC documentary on menopause on catch up.

Perimenopause is the stage from the beginning of menopausal symptoms to the postmenopause. Experiencing symptoms of perimenopause means your hormone levels are changing in advance of menopause. It can be a life-changing stage the same as the menopause, and like the menopause, can last for years.

I’m on my third mirena coil.

It was pretty much the only contraception choice (failed condoms) and I can’t take any pills due to non absorption.

This was after having depo for a few years, they then changed the manufacturer and I went a bit mental on it. That took a few months to clear my system and then the coil was fitted. It was mooted as safe as it had a lower level of hormones.

The last few years ive had no libido, been on anti depressants, cannot lose weight no matter what I do.

It wasn’t til speaking with a friend (and the lovely people here) that I put the pieces together.

It’s been a slow creep on the depression front, but it’s there.

I’m hoping to get mine out in the new year.

Mine fell out but I also bled constantly- was awful. At 46 I am using the cross my fingers and not much sex route as not had regular periods for about two years ...may be back in a different board about older mothers soon!!

I took my own out, quick tug on the strings and it was done.

There used to be a bit of money for advising women about LARC but that’s all.

That's kind of interesting, because I had to change doctors, and when I did this, I opted to access a resume of my notes online. I found out that I had been advised on LARC on more than one occasion. For years I only went there once a year for a pill check with the nurse and this advice did not necessarily coincide with these appointments. They must use telepathy.

I can only remember being advised about LARC on one occasion and that was the day they pulled the plug on the combined pill without warning. They offered me Mirena, of course.

I have also been given an STD test without knowing. I was told to ask the nurse for a swab for 'infection' when said I had mid-cycle bleeding. It came back negative and I thought nothing more of it until I saw chlamydia on the computer screen a couple of years later. It would be nice if you were told what was going on sometimes. How are you supposed to make informed consent when you are cut out of the loop? (The mid-cycle bleeding turned out to be a result of taking St John's Wort for depression, ironically)

I removed my own, it was easy. Felt zero pain and was done quickly. You shouldn't have to attempt that if your not comfortable or confident though, nurse or STD clinic will remove it for you.

Oh my god. Mirena sent me totally and utterly batshit.

I only had it because we were approved to adopt and had to commit to contraception even though I can't have children, hence the adoption.

I had no libido, was a suicidal homicidal wreck and in the first year of adoption which is hard enough as it is.

IMHO Mirena only works because it makes you so fucking nasty that your husband won't come near you.

Quite how my marriage survived is a testament to the endless patience and forbearance and love of my husband. I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd left, I was fucking horrible. All the time.

It was hell to be honest.

And then I found myself lying in bed one day thinking about cutting my hand off and wondering how much it would hurt before I passed out from blood loss. And that's when I knew I had to go to the doctor.

Luckily my gp was wonderful and sent me straight to the sexual health clinic the day I saw her and they took it out immediately.

I'm not having one ever ever again.

ibet don't assume. I'm a practice nurse, never taken a coil out in my life. Never been trained, and wouldn't have a leg to stand on if I attempted it without.

This is crazy. I really don’t understand why this allowed to happen. Who has given them the authority to tell a woman they cannot remove a foreign object from their body? I just do not get it.
I haven’t rtft OP but I hope you get this resolved quickly 💐

Dontalltalkatonce - yep - sick to the back fucking teeth of women being treated like/assumed to be lying, legally insane, thick servants to men! By the medical profession - inc the women in it!

NO we are intelligent, honest & lucid people with the right to the SAME respect you give your male patients!

On my thread re misogyny there are posters who've only got the right treatment for non female specific conditions due to their husband/partner speaking for them and iirc at least one where she and the man both had EXACTLY the same infection saw the same dr and she was sent away and basically told "suck it up" it'll run its course while the man was given medication to alleviate the symptoms - how fucked up is that?!

If there isn't a financial incentive for mirena then why is it being pushed even above the copper coil? Nope definitely not buying that.

Even IF we accept the apparent party line that GP's are merely compensated for the additional costs of training etc to fit the coil that's STILL an incentive to them as opposed to them bearing the costs of other contraceptive methods for which they're not compensated or other treatments for gynae conditions.

Imarocketman I'll wager your meds are expensive and that's the real reason they wanted you off them.

This makes me so angry costs should not be the main consideration when deciding a patient's treatment we aren't in a private system with Drs being bribed by drug & medical equipment reps yet

Melamin - oh that's interesting and well spotted - so they're getting paid/rewarded every time they discuss it? That might go some way to explaining hard sell.

But also - recording they've had the discussion when they haven't - wouldn't that be fraud?!

According to my medical records I have sought advice on giving up smoking and how to lower my alcohol consumption - none of these statements are true. I have never smoked. I drink an occasional glass of wine. I would call it fraud.

I had zero libido on Mirena, and believe me, I have a high libido and always have. Mine's even higher than my husband's. That was my first indication that something was wrong. It dropped to nowt for the first time since I was 16. I was even chomping at the bit after a mid-cavity forceps delivery and after my second was born I was practically on top of my husband shortly after an uncomplicated and quick birth.

I never stopped bleeding, even with oral drugs to stop it, still brown blood.

My mood utterly tanked, for which I was offered anti-depressants.

I developed cystic acne all over my shoulders and chest, cysts that broke and bled all over my clothes and made it painful to carry a handbag on my shoulders.

Was told it was impossible it was from the Mirena, until I downloaded the leaflet that came with it.

And still, still, it was only with my husband present that they agreed to remove it.

When it works, it works brilliantly, but when it doesn't, it often goes very wrong but so many are still told to keep it in and try to keep it in with other drugs.

My sister in another country experienced the same problems for 18 months, but she had it in to treat heavy bleeding and ultimately had to engage a solicitor and threaten to sue them if they didn't take it out. They did this at the same time as ablation and she's never had a problem since (she is now menopausal).

According to my medical records I have sought advice on giving up smoking and how to lower my alcohol consumption - none of these statements are true. I have never smoked. I drink an occasional glass of wine. I would call it fraud.

I would actually engage a solicitor to have my own records amended. My FIL had to when 'excessive alcohol consumption' appeared on his records that he requisitioned, when he hadn't drunk a drop in over 40 years. He was on a variety of drugs to treat unstable type I diabetes and high blood pressure but they refused to believe he was teetotal when his liver started to develop problems.

GPs are definitely paid by commissioners to insert LARC in some regions, I know that for certain. Practices submit their activity monthly and are paid depending on which form of LARC is provided and the numbers undertaken.

It's a bit grim >

And in no way saying anything about doctors this is about the system

That they are incentivised to persuade women to have things stuck up their cunts

I mean as if we don't get enough of that in day to day life!

This goes for aggressive pressure to attend for smears with some women (on threads here) having been threatened with removal from the practice list if they don't spread their legs like good girls.

Would this happen with anything else???

Wtf are these GP's playing at with the false & fraudulent claims of "advice given"???

This AND the LARC bribery is an absolute fucking scandal!!

"And in no way saying anything about doctors this is about the system" the system isn't making them LIE!

This is really shocking!

I can see there being backstreet clinics again, except this time for larc removal instead of abortions. Women will start finding ways to get what they need and if it's not via medical professionals then it's going to be dangerous, that's clear from the number of people self removing.

Jesus that's a terrifying prospect - but not necessarily an unrealistic one.

In seriously impressed at people taking out their own mirenas - eye watering stuff!
I would always take out or put in mirena when asked - except if I thought under danger significant harm when I would have a talk and say come back in a week or 2 . Your body. Your choice.
I would write to consultant concerned and tell him/her how you feel and explain being in charge of body is important concept.