To think this is ridiculous?

[Cerry]

Really struggling at the moment. I had the contraceptive implant put in around 4 months ago and since then I have not had a day where I'm not bleeding, heavy like a period. I also feel incredibly low, unmotivated and really down and crying most days.

But I'm really struggling to get anyone to take this horrid thing out of my arm.

I finally managed to get hold of the GP and they are saying they can't get me in to remove it until the end of July despite the fact they were quick enough to put it in.

I honestly don't know how to cope for another 2 months. AIBU to think a 2 month wait is ridiculous when a patient is experiencing these symptoms?

@LannieDuck I think what shocks me more is the fact that it's NOT shocking. It's actually the norm!

We are putting up with being fobbed off, ignored and our wishes overridden by the medical community, particularly males, but the second our men want to knock us up, the doc says, "sure thing! Let's get that out!"

There are plenty of women out there who's doctors who want the go ahead from the women's spouses before they'll agree to the women's hysterectomy!

This really is appalling isn't it? We've had access to birth control since the 1960s, yet over 50 years on women are still being given a tacit message that their choices are unimportant or denied, and that procreation is more of a priority

I'm so glad you've got an appointment @Cerry.
Dreadful treatment.
Surely the power of the women of Mumsnet can put enough pressure on the powers that be to change things ?

For Godsake they have just rang me and said they'd made a mistake when they booked it in early and the only appointment available is still the end of July.

I am so upset. I was so close I don't know what to do. I've been crying since I got the call.

I just want this fucking thing out of me. I'm seriously considering doing it myself tonight.

I've been reading from other people who've done it and it doesn't sound that hard to do.

I'm trying a local walk in tonight, not going to ring because they'll say they can't do it, just going to go and explain how low I'm feeling and basically beg on my knees if I must.

If they won't then I'm buying some numbing cream and bandages and I'm getting it out myself.

This is a good reason to hate the NHS. When they decide to fuck with you, there's nowhere else you can go. In a non-monopoly system, there would always be someone willing to fulfil a legitimate medical need.

(Yes I know some private healthcare exists in the UK, but the dominance of the NHS mean it doesn't do everything and isn't as widely available. Also, not everyone can afford to pay twice for healthcare, so that when one provider fails they can rely on another.)

I had exactly the same years ago (10 +). I was told the implant costs too much to not give it a fair try. The Dr didn't seem to think that almost a year of daily bleeding was me giving it my best shot. They put me on the pill to appease me and stop the bleeding so I had double hormones. I am sad that this sort of refusal to take it out still goes on.

@Cerry

So it seems MH issues and constant bleeding is just not worthy of their time because I told them I was TTC and I now have an appointment to remove it early next week. After being told there was absolutely no way I could have it taken out until end of July, despite begging.

This is awful!

I'm on the phone to 111 now. I just said I know it's probably not the right reason to ring but I don't know who else to go to about this. Just waiting on hold for their advice now.

I'm so worried that if I start talking about depression and stuff I will get reported somewhere because of my baby

OP don't worry about your depression being reported somewhere because you have a child.
Loads of people have depression and have children and they're not reported. I've struggled massively with depression in the past and even when my children were tiny I wasn't reported to anyone.

I had one put in 13 years ago. I remember them saying I had to be sure etc because they were expensive and they liked people to have them in for the required time. I had it taken out after 3 months

Also I’ve had depression, you must say something. I thought the same as you and as a result didn’t get help for ages which wasn’t fair on my kids x

you won’t get reported for depression! i had the same problem with my implant. ended up phoning all the sexual health clinics locally and said i’d cut it out myself if nobody else would and they took it out the same day.

I was ok with my implant, but it was so difficult to find someone to take it out when it was due, it’s still in my arm several years later!

Guy from 111 has called my GP surgery and said they need to contact me to get an earlier appointment so I'm waiting for them to call me now.

I know it sounds silly about being reported but I think this is part of the whole thing, I feel so anxious and worried about everything, things I wouldn't have even thought about before.

I also feel like they'll try and blame it on being a new mum instead. Perhaps try to suggest its post natal instead.

I'm shocked you're being treated like this, I had no idea that this was a thing. I hope you get somewhere soon..

I too have had this and tell anyone who will listen not to have them put in, they will not remove them and I will never lose my autonomy over my body again.
Hound them OP. Ask how to complain and then go to A&E.

Doctor has just rang me, still saying they have nothing until the end of July but they are sending me a text with a number to ring for an urgent care centre to ask them to remove it.... We will see.

Do you have a sexual health clinic near you? My best friend couldn't get hers out through the doctor so rang them, lied and said she'd had it over three years now and rather than replace it was ready to try for a baby. She had it out two days later.

I've had a similar experience with the mirena coil. I knew very quickly that it wasn't suiting me and I wanted it removed.

It had been put in to reduce the size of my fibroids and help with my heavy flooding periods. In the 13 months it was in it did neither. I bled for most of that time, the bleeding got even heavier and the fibroids bigger and more numerous.

Each time I approached a GP in the first few weeks I just got told to give it more time!! Then Covid and lockdowns struck and I was trapped with it until January this year when a particularly massive bleed scared the shit out of me. I phoned my GP's Surgery, stated that I was definitely throwing in the towel with this thing because it was causing far more problems than it was solving. This was a different GP this time and she gave me an appointment to come in, at which she removed it without question and referred me back to gynaecology.

I will never have anything like it again. I felt so trapped and out of control. This type of treatment is unacceptable.

I really hope you do get what you want tonight. Really lay it on with a trowel about how ill it is making you and refuse to leave with the thing still in place. Say you are utterly desperate and fed up of being pushed around from pillar to post.

They've sent me the number for the urgent care place but it closes at 3?! I feel like I'm just going round in circles.

Contact the practice manager and explain to her that this is not acceptable to leave it in place for another two months and you want an immediate appointment as your mental health is suffering