AIBU to livid with previous GP over implant

[Maybeforthelasttime]

I have a Nexplanon implant that was due to be replaced in the middle of January. This is my second implant. When I had it put in three years ago, I thought something wasn't quite right as I couldn't feel it (previous one was visible when pinching skin) and I was experiencing a strange feeling in my arm. I went back to the GP and expressed my concerns, but the GP checked and said 'that's normal, everything is fine'.

You can see this coming... Everything isn't fine and three years ago my twat former GP inserted the implant into my muscle instead of my skin.

When I went to my new GP (I've moved to a different city) to have it taken out in January, she couldn't find it. She was shocked to hear that I'd never been able to feel it, and she had me do a pregnancy test, because she wasn't sure the implant would be working!

I had to go to hospital to have an ultrasound to find it. It's still in the same place it was inserted, it's just way too deep. My GP tried again to remove it yesterday and couldn't manage. So now I have an unnecessary hole in my arm that needed a stitch, an implant that is doing god knows what and shouldn't be there, and extra oral contraceptives to make sure I don't accidentally create new life. I'm livid.

I now have to see a gynaecologist and might have to have the sodding thing surgically removed. Even then there's a chance that they'll accidentally do some permanent damage.

AIBU to be absolutely fuming??! It would be one thing if I hadn't known it was inserted wrongly all this time, but I went back to have it checked as I thought it was wrong and was dismissed. I'm trying to surpress very evil thoughts right now!

I had the same thing years ago OP! When they sent me for a scan, I (wrongly) assumed they would remove it on the same day - but they just drew an 'x' on with permanent marker and told me to keep drawing it on until I managed to get an appointment to have it removed!
I have several scars on my upper arm still, and I too needed a stitch where they finally got it out. YANBU!!!

@NaomiS1 Yes, it's just ridiculous. My arm hurts like a mofo, I am resistant to anesthesia so I'm fearful of having actual surgery, and I feel like half of the people who work for the NHS just don't give a damn, because they are overworked and underpaid. I'm thinking of bringing a negligence claim, but not sure if I'd have any chance of winning. Life can be so miserable sometimes

This does happen on occasion...that it goes into the wrong spot...but part of the fitting process is to make sure the implant is palpable by both the clinician and patient immediately after fitting, so YANBU.

I am sorry, this is horrible for you.

Not great but you weren’t harmed or injured were you?

Not great but you weren’t harmed or injured were you?

Are you kidding?!

Erm what? She has a hole and stitches in her arm and is facing surgery under anaesthesia to remove the bloody thing!

Yes, it hurts and I'll have an unnecessary scar. I'm not precious about that, mistakes happen. The main reason I'm fuming is because I specifically went back to the GP to raise the issue, got told there was nothing wrong and to just 'relax', and now I'm stuck with an implant in the muscle of my arm!

I can't get a new one as I don't want the damn thing in my dominant arm. Nobody knows how many hormones are left and how this is interacting with my body, my current GP is worried that leaving it could cause infertility issues down the line. Getting it removed though carries a risk of loss of muscle function as the thing has spent three years embedding itself there.

Surely I should be able to hold someone accountable. Why should GP's be able to get away with negligence.

You've had some really bad luck Op.
When you had it put in did you sign a consent form? One of the risks of the Nexplanon is that they can be tricky to remove. Hopefully your GP explained that.

When you see the Gynae explain all your worries and hopefully they'll be able to reassure you. They do see this regularly.

The thing is, implants that have been correctly inserted can still move and become embedded in the muscle, so it’s highky unlikely you’d be able to prove it was the GP’s fault.

It’s a very rare outcome, but does happen every now and then.

Every medical procedure has risks and potential adverse outcomes - you accept those risks by consenting to the procedure.

So, regarding a negligence claim, it’s pretty unlikely you’d be able to prove that your GP had been negligent - bear in mind that the only records of your appointment have been written by this GP anyway, and of course they’ll have written down that everything was fine.

Even if you did win, you wouldn’t be eligible for very significant damages. And if you lost, you’d be liable not only for your own legal fees but for the GP’s too.

(While in the unlikely event the GP lost, everything would be paid by their medical indemnity insurance anyway)

What do you mean by "resistant to anaesthesia"?

I used to work as a nurse consultant in medical negligence claims and from what you have said, a claim is unlikely to be successful.

Implants carry the risk of ending up in the wrong place. Informed consent covers that eventuality.

I hope you get sorted soon.

I’ve hypermobility syndrome and am resistant to anaesthesia. For example a local has no effect at all.

I’m afraid a negligence claim will go nowhere - an implant will become embedded in the muscle in a tiny minority of cases.

You did a cost benefit analysis and decided that the small risk of something going wrong was outweighed by the benefits of three years of easy contraception. You gave informed consent.

Even if you were to argue that this GP didn’t adequately appraise you of the risks, you had had an implant before, presumably put in by another GP, and it’s exceedingly improbable that they wouldn’t have told you either.

How awful op , I'm really sorry that you're going through this.

Due to the number of these stories on MN recently I always refuse any offers of a contraceptive that has to be fitted then removed from my body. I also avoid the depo as if it causes any side effects you're stuck with it until I runs it's course.

I do hope you get it sorted.

The exact same thing happened with my implant in 2011. It took 2 years for them to believe me that it was wrong and to get it out. I had to go to a hospital 60miles from home to have it out as they couldn't do it locally. (Bearing in mind I live 5 mins from the biggest hospital in the county). I have a large scar and will never have an inserter form of contraception again.

I get that your issue isn't really with the fact that it's in your muscle. That is a risk factor anyway -despite the fact that it sounds improperly fitted in the first place like mine was- but with the fact that you knew it was wrong and have been repeatedly dismissed in your concerns. It's infuriating and upsetting and I totally understand.

Hope they can remove it without too much damage OP.

@JakePeralta I never signed any documents before having the implant inserted. I am obviously aware that it can happen that an implant is wrongly inserted. That is no excuse for a total disregard by a GP for a patient who is letting them know that something is wrong.

I first mentioned something being wrong when I could not really feel the implant directly after the procedure. Was told that this is normal and due to swelling. Went back three or four days later as I could still not feel the thing, and I was having a slightly odd sensation in my arm. No big deal, all normal. I queried why it 'looked' so different from the first time. I can't remember what I was told.

I'm going to do an access request for my medical records in order to see what's on there. I get that there are risks with any procedure, but that is not the issue. The implant also has not moved, it's stuck in the exact place it was inserted, in my muscle. When it comes to contraceptive health, women are expected to put up with major crap sometimes. How is this any different from a surgeon leaving an instrument in a patient and then dismissing said patient when they complain of problems. Nobody would find that acceptable.

@SnowyAlpsandPeaks I'm also hypermobile.

I never signed any documents before having the implant inserted.

You wouldn't have needed to. Verbal consent would be considered completely adequate in this situation.

I get that there are risks with any procedure, but that is not the issue. The implant also has not moved, it's stuck in the exact place it was inserted, in my muscle.

Doctors are human and make human errors. If they do the same procedure hundreds or thousands of times over their career, it's probably going to go less than perfectly on a few occasions.

I'm really sorry this happened to you, but you accept a small level of risk whenever you consent to a medical procedure.

Not great but you weren’t harmed or injured were you?

Yes, she was!

As you've not fallen pregnant in the 3 years since it was inserted then it's fair to say it's been a successful contraceptive for you. Yes, it's in the wrong place and it shouldn't be but that's a risk you take. It's done it's job and protected you from pregnancy. Medical notes are notoriously brief with little information bar the basics so I doubt you'd learn anything from them. They aren't going to say "possibly intramuscular rather than subdermal but we'll see how she goes." Notes will list consent, procedure, batch number and expiry date, confirmation you were not pregnant at the time and when due to be replaced.

That's horrible OP. I am so sorry you have suffered like this.

I would try and get the ghastly thing out of your body ASAP and see if there is any action you can take. Don't let the fucker who did it get away with it!

WTFis t with all the apologists today?

My implant has gone wandering in my body somewhere. Had an hour long scan to try and find it but nope! Not found. Was definitely inserted as well.

Would not recommend them to anyone.