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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

‘All women should be offered pain relief for coil fitting’

359 replies

mrsgrealish69 · 14/07/2021 09:49

I’ve just read a news story about a lot of women finding coil fittings painful and traumatic (certainly was the case for me a decade ago) I think naga munchetty said on the radio or in an interview somewhere that it was an excruciating experience for her.
I’ve seen an NHS response that apparently guidelines state women are offered appropriate pain relief for a fitting. Does anyone know what they mean by this?

I was advised to take a paracetamol beforehand, is this what they are referring to?

OP posts:
ThinWomansBrain · 14/07/2021 22:09

I had general anaesthetic
The first attempt was really painful, and I was due to have a gynae operation, so they fitted the coil at the same time.

omgthepain · 14/07/2021 22:10

People do have choices of contraception this isn't the only option out there and if people find it painful I'd avoid it

I've had 2, first fitting was great and the 2nd one was absolutely terrible and I won't have one nor a) because of it and b) because there are alternatives

I think the NHS have bigger priorities than sedating people to put a coil in to be hones t

IARTNS · 14/07/2021 22:11

I didn't mean to minimise people's experiences with my post BTW. I know it differs for everyone.

SmidgenofaPigeon · 14/07/2021 22:12

@omgthepain sock account?

poblwc · 14/07/2021 22:17

I was told that it wouldn't hurt and would only take a few minutes, so I was fine to bring my newborn baby with me.

It did not take a few minutes. It took over 30 mins as the doctor couldn't get the right angle. For some reason the speculum kept falling out as well. It hurt a lot and I was on the verge of telling the doctor to give up as I was at my limit pain-wise.

To top it all off, after the first 15 minutes the baby started crying so me, the doctor and the nurse were all singing frere jaques.

It was a total shit show and I certainly wasn't offered any pain relief.

LavendulaAngustifolia · 14/07/2021 22:18

I've had 3 coils fitted and I fainted everytime.

Mreggsworth · 14/07/2021 22:20

I've always considered myself a fairly resilient and not remotely squeamish or precious person and I passed out having it put in from pain (only for about 5 seconds) Took me about 20 minutes to get off the bed as everytime I tried lifting my head up things kept going black. Considering they weren't worried by my reaction I'm guessing they must see stuff like that often. I had a 20 minute walk home and I remember just crouching in the street after every few steps, I was in agony for weeks. I forgot to take the recommended paracetamol before hand, but I don't imagine it would have made much of a difference somehow. They didn't offer me anything there, but I think they offered ibuprofen afterwards? Not sure, was a bit of a blur.

Rupertpenrysmistress · 14/07/2021 22:23

Mine was awful, it took an hour and the nurse had to keep popping out to get things, leaving the door open. The Doctor asked if I wanted her to stop but I said keep going, she got it in but I honestly felt dreadful, shaky, sweaty and sick. I did end up with an infection as well.

However for the 3 years I had it, it was great, removal was no problem. The thought of having another one makes me feel faint. Adequate pain relief should be offered.

Angrymum22 · 14/07/2021 22:30

I’ve had 3 fitted, first 2 with local anaesthetic in cervix but 3rd was without, apparently they found that cervix more likely to go into shock with local than without. Only the second one was painful. I had worked out by the third time that a huge dose of ibuprofen (800mg) was the way to go. It was uncomfortable but no major cramping afterwards.
I suffered with endometriosis for 15 yrs and the coil fitting pain was a 1 compared to the 10 of Endo.

Muffled21 · 14/07/2021 22:35

It was the ‘clamping of the cervix’ that did it for me! An area of the body that most definitely is not supposed to be CLAMPED! The first one was too big, second one went in eventually. But every time I had a period and needed to poop, I’d get javelin arse. Lord have mercy on my back passage. Never experienced pain like it! I crawled into my sexual health clinic and literally begged them to ‘get this fucking thing out of me NOW’ or I was doing it myself! Needless to say, they obliged. I’ll never have the coil fitted again
Hope this helps!

PandasCatsWolves · 14/07/2021 22:37

I've had 4 fittings / attempted fittings.

First - pre kids. No way they could even get the measuring device in ! Was horrendous

2nd. Pre kids. Dr agreed to do it under GA- easy once I'd recovered from the anaesthesia

3rd post two vaginal births. BIG babies. Uncomfortable but ok. Felt a bit sick after.

4th my first Mirena. It was totally fine. Pinchy when the clamp went on cervix. Same again when dr measured and again when the coil was inserted. Really was ok. I think dr was very skilled at doing it- which makes a big difference.

I'm pathetic with anything like this so felt it was important to share that it can be ok!

undecided2022 · 14/07/2021 23:00

Wow. I've never had one but despite having lots of friends and aunts who've had them over the years I had no idea it was something painful! Awful the way we suffer in silence.

Why on earth would they not offer pain relief?!Sad

OhRene · 14/07/2021 23:04

@tellmewhentheLangshiplandscoz

If men were having this done pain relief would be a given.

The shit we have to put up with Angry

This is the case with soooo many medical procedures, medicines and contraceptives. Women are expected to deal with it. Put up and shut up. Weren't the male contraceptive pill trails scrapped because the men developed the very same side effects we women are expected to deal with as standard? Depression, acne, mood swings, weight gain, libido loss etc... Perfectly acceptable for us but the men shouldn't have to deal with that?
SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 14/07/2021 23:38

@undecided2022

Wow. I've never had one but despite having lots of friends and aunts who've had them over the years I had no idea it was something painful! Awful the way we suffer in silence.

Why on earth would they not offer pain relief?!Sad

Because women’s pain has been minimalised and ignored for years - no - centuries - @undecided2022. Women still get less pain relief than men, for the same/similar pain, and are more likely to be dismissed by doctors when they seek help.

Pain relief for a painful procedure ought to be a given - we shouldn’t even be debating whether it is necessary or not, or whether women deserve the valuable resources of the NHS - because we do.

I am lucky - it didn’t hurt when I had my Mirena taken out and replaced - but there is no way I would dismiss the pain of other women, or belittle it, in the way that @omgthepain and @minty133minty did.

SteveArnottsEyebrows · 14/07/2021 23:55

I had a copper coil fitted by my GP. Experienced dreadful pain - felt sick, thought I was going to faint and uncomfortable for a couple of days.

Once it settled, all was well for around a year until I started experiencing abdominal pain. I was sent for a scan which showed the coil had embedded itself in the lining of my uterus.

I eventually saw a consultant who offered me a further appointment for a GA to remove it, or he could try and pull it out.

My DC were young at the time, and going in for a GA would have been a hassle so I said to just remove it - despite a lot of tugging, the pain of it coming out was nothing compared to it going in.

Completely agree that men would not have to put up with this.

EmeraldShamrock · 14/07/2021 23:59

A smear test hurts me.
The nurse said some women have a sensitive cervix others don't flinch.
Thanks for the thread. I was considering one before the thread. I might just go for the contraceptive bar in my arm.

Sxxyfing · 15/07/2021 00:05

Considering when I asked for pain relief after giving birth and having an episiotomy I was told to get my husband to pick up some paracetamol on the way home, I'm not really surprised at any of this...

Holothane · 15/07/2021 00:28

Read Women under The Knife by Ann Dalton, I’ve had it for 30 years brilliant book, it will tell all about how women’s problems have treat over the centuries.

Fizzbangwallop · 15/07/2021 00:50

I fainted when I had mine put in. I waited for over 10 years to get it removed as I was scared of it being as painful. I also refused to have a smear test for the first few years after it was fitted. The removal wasn’t as bad, although I felt slightly dizzy after.

I would never have agreed to have a coil inserted if I had known just how painful it can be.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 15/07/2021 00:57

God this sounds awful!

Very glad that I always stuck to condoms.

MollyBloomYes · 15/07/2021 01:10

First one I had fitted before having babies. Utterly horrific. Wasn't advised to take anything beforehand. Truly awful experience

Second one I'd laboured but not actually given birth vaginally (one emcs and then one elcs). This was a different dr who said she didn't fit coils to anyone who hadn't had a baby because it was so often such a difficult experience for them. With the experience of what happened last time I'd doses myself up with the tramadol I have on prescription for a different condition but actually this time was much better and although still quite painful wasn't as brutal as the first. Not sure if that was the tramadol or the more 'favourable' cervix that had been through pregnancy and labour (I did get to 10cm with my first birth just couldn't push the bugger out)

Removal of the first coil was very swift and easy which was a relief tbh

JustCallMeBubblesDahling · 15/07/2021 01:10

DD (23, no DC) had a Mirena put in a few months ago due to really painful, heavy periods that she’s had for years and also because there’s less risk of blood clots (concerns due to WFH so not moving around as much and having the Covid jab) than the contraceptive pill she was already on.

I warned her to take ibuprofen a hour before and to relax, not tense, and she said it was totally pain free and she didn’t realise the doctor had put it in. She has a retroverted uterus as well like me and it wasn’t painful when I had them put in either.

Obviously all women are different but I just wanted to put that out there in case women are put off having one after reading this thread. It’s not a given that everyone will find it painful. DD is delighted she has no periods now and she doesn’t have to worry about forgetting her pill, or if she’s sick or on antibiotics.

GrimDamnFanjo · 15/07/2021 01:17

I've never had one and won't be having one, but I'm appalled at what I've read recently and when I think back to it being offered as a contraceptive choice in my 20s.
WTAF?

Taytotots · 15/07/2021 01:26

I'm not in the UK but because I had a c-section not vaginal birth GP wouldn't refer me to the local clinic to have it done. Had to go to gynaecologist in hospital and get anaesthetic. Reading your experiences I'm glad.

stayathomer · 15/07/2021 01:40

Oh my god yes, it seems it varies. I've had two in and nothing like any of these stories, I wouldn't have hesitated to get it in again