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

[mrsgrealish69]

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?

My first coil was fitted about 3 years after I had my twins. The woman who fitted it upset my uterus when measuring it, causing it to cramp a lot, this was because she was assuming my uterus was was bigger than it was and it bloody hurt, the pain lasted a few days. The second one went a lot better because this one listened to my fears, no pain, just a little discomfort.

@omgthepain

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

Why should the NHS bother with sedating anyone then apart from for major surgery? No one should feel guilty for demanding pain relief because the NHS has 'bigger priorities'. I certainly don't/won't. I like the Mirena coil in a lot of ways. 5 years of not worrying about contraception. But I want and expect pain relief as I found its insertion extremely palnful. A vasectomy is a choice of contraception but no one expects a man to go through it without pain relief because it's a "choice" and other choices are available.

Now I need to have it removed and the strings have got lost. I'm insisting on the search and removal expedition being done under GA. Now way I'm going to suffer through that when painless options exist. Why should I????

I've had two experiences and they were really night and day.

First one fitted by a GP. It was extremely painful and took a very long time as he had to dilate my cervix and also kept losing his grip with the forceps so kept having to reposition. It was excruciating and he should have stopped but didn't. I was very young and in so much pain I just froze and couldn't say anything.

Second one the GP, a woman this time, tried to remove the previous one but realised it was not going to be easy and she was hurting me. She immediately referred me to an experienced gynae, telling me she didn't have the correct equipment or experience to complete the procedure. The gynae took the old one out and put the new one in in less than a minute, used a local anaesthetic and I honestly didn't feel a thing.

I wish every woman had an experience like my second one. Thats how it should be.

I was told it would hurt more because I hadn't had a baby at that point and told to take painkillers. As it happens it didn't hurt much more than a quick pinch feeling for me but I was given the impression it would hurt me a lot more and when you think about it if they know generally it does hurt quite bad they should offer better pain relief.

I was advised to take paracetomol and ibuprofen together. I did that and was fine, it wasn't agony, just had some cramping. I have been in labour and dilated fully but haven't birthed a baby (1 emcs and 1 planned cs)

Okkkkk I considered having one of these now I'm done with babies but I think I'll pass on that now. Sorry you all went through this. Sounds rank! Although @toastantea it's not the earlier posters fault if it didn't hurt them! Ffs she's allowed her own experience, she's not negating anyone else's! It's absolutely not her fault that this is, in the main barbaric!

I never had one fitted because I was afraid of the pain. Same with tattoos and piercings- never had them either. I was fine with childbirth because that was my body doing what came naturally....even though it hurt.

Having something alien done to me feels different.

TBF, I would have one again despite mixed experiences because the pay off of little to no periods for five years is worth it to me, even more so now in my mid 40s as everything goes a bit haywire and unpredictable.

They shouldn’t use that calculation against us though. I would demand pain relief next time.

You are absolutely NBU!

I've had 3. the last two were by a very experienced, female gynaecologist who was just fantastic generally with my care (I had Ashermanns and was in agony).

First time, was in a GUM clinic and they couldn't get it in. Not even a paracetamol. I left with blood pouring out of me all down my white linen trousers (it was height of summer). I remember sitting on a plastic bag in the car, sobbing.
My cervix has never dilated I don't know if this made it worse, but my god, men wouldn't go through something like that without analgesics. Makes my blood boil.

This is the first time I've ever spoken about it. Terrible.

I've had two and they were a little bit uncomfortable- definitely no more than that.

They are amazing and totally stop my periods.

My periods used to hurt a lot, every month.

Please dont be too put off if you are thinking of getting one.

To be honest, I could've done with proper pain relief when I had a smear test. There's a systemic issue in healthcare with expecting women to suck up pain relating to their reproductive organs. Whether it's endo, period pain, menopause, smears, coils or giving birth. There seems to be an expectation that we just suck up the pain. It's a massive issue and it needs sorting!

@ASpoolofBlueThread

To be honest, I could've done with proper pain relief when I had a smear test. There's a systemic issue in healthcare with expecting women to suck up pain relating to their reproductive organs. Whether it's endo, period pain, menopause, smears, coils or giving birth. There seems to be an expectation that we just suck up the pain. It's a massive issue and it needs sorting!

TBH, any pain a woman might have is poorly treated. Odds on medics will either ignore female pain, under-treat female pain, or miss the correct diagnosis altogether and ascribe the symptoms to somatic illness. It’s absolutely endemic.

So in the UK it isn't fitted by an OB/GYN? I had one many years ago (pre DCs) and it was hugely painful getting it in and out but nothing like some of the really bad stories here. I'm really sorry anyone has to go through that and really angry that any woman is just told to suck it up and that the disbelief in the agony is on an industrial scale.

Here in Germany it is done by an OB/GYN in their surgery (I guess that's still true) but I'm not sure if they offer pain relief. One thing with mine was that he told me to make an appointment when i had my period - several appointments were kept free for people like me with irregular cycles - as it is less painful at that time because the cervix is softer. Is that a thing in the UK?

@LilyTheMink
I also don't think anyone should be put off IUDs. They are indeed really a good contraceptive choice.
All people are saying here is that women should be OFFERED adequate pain relief. That's all. Even if you don't need it, surely it's reassuring that it's there in case you do!

@Brefugee

So in the UK it isn't fitted by an OB/GYN? I had one many years ago (pre DCs) and it was hugely painful getting it in and out but nothing like some of the really bad stories here. I'm really sorry anyone has to go through that and really angry that any woman is just told to suck it up and that the disbelief in the agony is on an industrial scale.

Here in Germany it is done by an OB/GYN in their surgery (I guess that's still true) but I'm not sure if they offer pain relief. One thing with mine was that he told me to make an appointment when i had my period - several appointments were kept free for people like me with irregular cycles - as it is less painful at that time because the cervix is softer. Is that a thing in the UK?

I had my last one fitted by an OB/GYN in the US. Extremely painful and not offered any pain relief (so not just a NHS thing).

One thing with mine was that he told me to make an appointment when i had my period - several appointments were kept free for people like me with irregular cycles - as it is less painful at that time because the cervix is softer. Is that a thing in the UK?

Yes that’s a thing. However insertions and removals are mostly done in primary care surgeries by nurses or GPs who have done the training, but not necessarily much practice, apparently.

There does seem to be a perpetual shortage of appointments and trained personnel. I had my first one 22 years ago and this has been the case whenever I’ve needed insertion, removal or - once - a position check. Which might contribute to the other problem; That NHS staff often refuse to remove them when women request it. They stall, wheedle and generally try to put you off.

@lifehappened

Okkkkk I considered having one of these now I'm done with babies but I think I'll pass on that now. Sorry you all went through this. Sounds rank! Although *@toastantea* it's not the earlier posters fault if it didn't hurt them! Ffs she's allowed her own experience, she's not negating anyone else's! It's absolutely not her fault that this is, in the main barbaric!

Another poster who has misread me. I'm not saying it's anyone's fault it didn't hurt them. That would be utterly ridiculous. Mine didn't hurt either. My whole point was that in a discussion about why we should have pain relief offered, as a minimum btw it's basic care, it is unhelpful for posters to simply say 'mine didn't hurt'

It doesn't matter that some people had good experiences in the context of the thread because even those who had no pain should still be able to understand that others do, and recognise that optional pain relief for women is something that we should have.

Telling everyone 'mine didn't hurt' and adding absolutely nothing more to the thread is backwards. Nobody is asking if it hurt, the thread is about pain relief being available if needed, not whether the individuals insertion hurt.

I have already said mine didn't hurt (in response to people misunderstanding what I am saying, not as my initial reply) but I absolutely recognise the need to shout for pain meds for women.

I had one put in when I was about 20 (before dc). I feel like I was pushed into it to be honest - but went ahead because I was young and thought they knew best. It was truly one of the most agonising experiences I have ever been through, I was in agony when they fit it and I remember shouting!! For the next two days I was in tremendous pain. I had to call in to work on the first day, the second day I was sent home from work as I couldn’t do anything due to the pain. I think everyone thought I was just being dramatic. I had it in for 2-3 years and then had it removed as it caused me so many problems, including hair loss :( I would never have it again. (This is just my experience, if it is something that works for others that’s great - but unfortunately I have nothing but regrets when it comes to the mirena coil).

I think the two issues are
Previously the NHS were saying "MOST women experience some discomfort"
Well discomfort to me is pins and needles or a tight waistband, not pain that makes me faint, and the survey recently done showed most women experienced significantly more pain
Second issue that pain relief isn't routinely offered when women need to know it's an option

For @minty133 I've broken both feet and ankles and walked on one of them, had cauda equina and drove myself to hospital then had 5hr spinal surgery. I still think having a coil fitted hurts!

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

Just stop it.. RTFT - the coil is a mandatory first treatment for endometriosis as PP have posted. You can't opt your way out of that. It is also one of the HRT delivery methods.

For non-hormonal and controlled-by-the-woman contraception, I can't think of any others. And when you're in tge stirrups with a doctor rummaging around in tour vagina it's a bit late fir "Oops - we should have offered pain relief"

I had one fitted years ago. It was bloody awful. I removed it myself and didn’t feel a thing. I was offered gas and air.

I had a great doctor who gave me local anaesthetic without having to ask. Not sure if it makes a difference that I am disabled/wheelchair bound. I also have a cervix who likes to play hide and seek!

@Brefugee definitely. I need non hormonal so.. condoms. Except I got pregnant on the pill so there's no way I'm trusting condoms alone!
They won't tie my tubes as I'm "too young"

I consider myself pretty hard, and took all the paracetamol beforehand, but it was bloody painful. I came out of it feeling a bit traumatised. The strings have since disappeared, and I'm terrified of the day it has to get replaced. This thread makes me feel more determined to demand proper pain management.