To think I shouldn't need a consultation appointment

[GhostHoward]

I want to have my implant taken out. I'm in my 30's, have three children, and have used many different contraceptions in my adulthood.

I would like my implant removed. It worked really well for the first year. No periods, no hormonal issues. The second year, and into the third, however, I've had no end of issues. My periods came back, with spotting in between every week or two. My boobs are intensely painful a week before a period, during (anything up to two weeks) and for a week after. (Can you see I'm running out of days in a month for them not to be hurting?)
So yeah, I want it out. Partner and I can use condoms for a while. He's happy, I'm happy.

I call the docs to make an appointment to have it removed. Was asked why, which I explained. I was then told I had to have a consultation appointment with a doctor, prior to having the appointment to take it out, because I have to sign a form or something. Can't be seen for over two weeks, due to being busy, and was told it could be a month or more after that appointment, due to "Womens' clinic days".

I work full time, so an extra appointment is annoying, and just seems unnecessary. It's contraception they put in without a second thought, when I asked. Why the extra appointment because I've stuck it out until it's become too much, and I don't want it anymore, and don't want to wait over a month.

Has anyone else had to have a doc's appointment prior to the removal...and why?

When I had my coil out (many years ago, to start a family) I didn't have to make two appointments.

My AIBU. Would it have any effect if I called up tomorrow and questioned the need for the preliminary appointment. That I don't want it, and that I expect to be able to have it out on the day I sign the consent form. Then again, I've been suffering with it for over a year....perhaps I just suck it up and carry on.

So they can badger you about a mirena coil.

Had that, got pregnant with it in....that was fun...

you didn't have enough mirena coils then.

Just call back and hopefully speak to someone else and ask for removal appointment. If asked say it is near expiry.
I had mine removed for same reasons as you and didn't need 2 appointments.

My sister had this problem. Doc refused to remove hers until she said she was trying to conceive. I've heard of many other women having the same problem.

I got mine out straight away when I said I wanted ttc. Just lie and say you want another baby.

I ended up going to the GuM clinic and telling them I'd remove it myself there and then if they wouldn't.
My GP surgery had the extra hurdle of no one qualified to remove plus the coil gauntlet.

Horrible bastard thing sent me funny.

Urgh! Because we’re silly women who need our bodies explained to us in small words before we can make any decisions
YNBU. System is a waste of your time and the drs. I’m afraid I can’t change it but might be worth trying being a slight dick about it to see if they back down.

I got rid of mine by taking the doctor a calendar with every day that I'd bled marked on it (most).

Sounds as though they are purposely trying to make it as difficult as possible. They are reluctant to remove them because they’re expensive.

I had to beg and break down crying to have mine removed, it was horrendous and I’d never get another. Maybe try a sexual health clinic? I got mine inserted and removed at one.

I was turning into Charles Bronson.
If they had offered me one more appointment with 'Sue the practice HCP' to talk through options I would have given in to the raaaaaaaaage

you are a woman and cannot make this decision possibly on your own to remove the implant

I work in a GP practice and often think this myself. I used to have to take calls from women wanting removal and I HAD to book a consultation appointment first. I used to think 'she knows her own mind ffs'.
Now I do a different job in the practice and should have more say, but it's proved insurmountable to date.
Partly they want to push other LARC, partly, I'm convinced, it's to make the waiting time seem less, because in effect you go onto two waiting lists instead of one - one for the initial consultation and a second for the removal.
At my practice it is often to 12 weeks from a woman first requesting removal until it is actually carried out. I don't feel this is acceptable but still have no control over it, though I keep pushing.

You want the real answer?

MONEY!

They are given "incentives" to give women implants and mirena and if patients have them removed before they are due to be they have to refund that incentive so they try to "discourage" this.

Stand your ground, tell them you "DO NOT consent" to continuing the treatment and want it removed ASAP.

Many mners have had these issues, a few resorted to removing themselves!

Disgusting that women are treated like this.

I ended up going to the clap clinic and waiting for hours amongst all the itchy teenagers in order to get mine done. It had slipped and was causing a lot of pain but the GP Surgery still wanted me to jump through all the hoops.

I told them that if they didn’t give me an appointment now to have it removed I would be cutting it out myself. That seemed to work!
Mine may have made me slightly unhinged!

I went to a walk-in appointment at the sexual health clinic to get mine taken out there and then because I knew I'd be up against this type of shit at the GP surgery.

I wanted mine out because my periods were lasting longer and longer, and I was struggling with low iron levels. I was told by my gp that the implant probably wasnt causing that, and besides, it could only be removed on a thursday between 2 and 4pm at the pregnancy clinic because the doctor who ran that was the only one who could remove them. At which I couldn't make an appointment because I wasnt pregnant. I kicked up a fuss. Then the next appointment I could have was over a month away. This was after three phone consultations with two different gps, a round of std tests 'to rule out other causes' for my cycle going wonky, and a prescription for tranexamic acid which did nothing to stop my by now 22 day long period. All the while I knew it was the implant, my sister had exactly the same issues with her cycle while on it. I told doctors this repeatedly. They ignored me.

In the end I went to the sexual health walk in clinic and a trainee gp removed it under supervision and did an excellent job of it too. My cycle went back to normal straight away. (In fact I conceived 2 months later) It should not have been that difficult though.

I'm 33 with 3 kids one asd and a widow for 3 years...I asked gp to put me on the implant incase I started a new relationship so I wanted to be well prepared..Was going very well and then bang out of nowhere I was exactly like you...Went to the gp to have it removed and she asked to try take yasmin with it first before having it removed and its worked..Have a regular period no mood swings, pain etc...

I got mine removed at the sexual health clinic, I’d avoid the GP, there may be the bigger issue of very few people who can remove it?

If there aren't sufficient staff trained to remove it they shouldn't be putting the damn thing in then!

Though honestly I find it VERY hard to believe that those trained to put it in aren't ALSO trained to remove it. Or even that the training is particularly difficult!

Go to your local sexual health clinic? They fit and remove etc on the same appointment

We have a sexual health clinic where I am. I made an appointment with them for a slightly different issue because my GP isn’t into dealing with female issues and I couldn’t be arsed waiting until the locum woman doctor was on duty.

They were a million percent better than he could ever have been!

WTF? This is terrible. Is the reason Mirena is so pushed now financial? Every other friend and acquaintance is having one. A friend got pregnant shortly after hers was put in and had a very serious ectopic pregnancy. I would go to a family planing clinic. It's disgusting that women are treated like imbeciles.