Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

I want my coil out tomorrow (got it in today)

102 replies

whyisiikethis · 30/06/2022 23:25

Hi all,

MNHQ please feel free to move thread if this isn't the right place.

I had my Minera coil in today to help with my periods but I had no idea a) how much it would hurt both at the time and after, I hobbled out of the room and cried most of the evening, felt very ill afterwards etc. B), I had no idea how invasive it would feel in terms of mental health- I've been assaulted before and I've found this very triggering. I know the physical pain/bleeding will die down but I cannot stand the way it's triggering my mental health, I very nearly went in after and asked for them to remove it but they were so nice and I thought it might just be my immediate reaction; it wasn't, I've had panic attacks all evening and I can't fall asleep. Aibu to ask for it to be removed asap, even if that's next week? I've never felt this way before (this intensely) but I know that I won't come around and that it's severely affecting my mental health. I'm so tempted to try and remove it myself but I can't bring myself to do it. TIA.

OP posts:
FirewomanSam · 01/07/2022 22:54

You mention getting it removed by a GP - did you have it put in by a GP too?

This is purely what I’ve heard and I mean no disrespect at all to any GPs reading, but I’ve always been told you’re better off going to a dedicated sexual health clinic where they do dozens of these every day, than going to a GP who only does them every now and again. I have a GP friend who has told me in the past that she hates doing them. I also don’t know if GPs have the same access to anaesthetic for the procedure? When I had mine put in I had a local anaesthetic in my cervix which was in itself not particularly pleasant, but I’m sure made the actual insertion far less painful than it otherwise would have been.

Fundamentally though it is a really invasive and uncomfortable procedure, and I get so annoyed when doctors try to pretend it isn’t. There were those articles by Caitlin Moran and Naga Munchetty a couple of years ago about how painful it is, and it pissed me off that there were so many responses from doctors saying how unusual their stories were and how it isn’t normally that bad. I’m yet to meet a single woman who didn’t find it at best deeply unpleasant.

TomAllenWife · 01/07/2022 23:00

@FirewomanSam I agree and there's plenty of that on mn too 'oh I didn't feel a thing'

Good for you!

Hankunamatata · 01/07/2022 23:12

Tiltled uterus can make insertion really painful and removal too. You may want to be asked for referral to a specialist clinic where they can numb cervix with local anesthetic and gas/air is avaliable.

Iv found cbt useful for intrustive thoughts

Ottersmith · 01/07/2022 23:16

Yes get it taken out. Those things are monstrous. Can't you go to a secual health clinic? Maybe they could sedate you or something. Did you even get anaesthetic of any kind? The medical profession is barbaric to women I tell you.

Eeksteek · 01/07/2022 23:29

TomAllenWife · 01/07/2022 22:37

This is why I have mine done under GA

How did you make that happen? I like my coil, but it was SO painful. I’d happily have another with a GA.

leavethewallalone · 01/07/2022 23:40

It takes a few weeks for things to settle down. For me it was a couple of months.

I think you need to give it a bit longer OP. I don't mean to sound rude but there are waiting lists all over the country for people to have coils, not just for contraception but to help with medical conditions, and to have them put in and taken out costs the NHS around £1000 I believe. It seems like a waste of time and money to want it out after a few hours.

TomAllenWife · 02/07/2022 09:01

@Eeksteek I had ptsd after 3rd dc (12 years ago now tho)
But I pretty much refuse to have anything done with a good local or GA
ask for a referral to Gynae and ask them, mines done on nhs and super quick

It annoys me so much that women are just expected to put up with pain that men wouldn't tolerate

thefamous5 · 02/07/2022 09:03

I hope you're ok. I have never had a coil because I I've heard so many horror stories.

No advice other than reiterate to your HCP that it is your body and you want the foreign object removed from your body.

I hope the pain settles down and you feel a little calmer soon. Sounds cliché but make sure you look after yourself, even if/when you get it removed.

MrsDeWinter · 02/07/2022 10:46

I had one in for 3 weeks and it was awful, it was 3 weeks of non stop Labour pains. In fact after the insertion I went from the clinic to the a&e department to wait for my lift as they had seats there. I looked so awful that 2 nurses came out and tried to triage me in my seat in the waiting room.

I went back to the gynaecologist who refused to remove it as it would "settle down". I believed him like a fool. Nothing changed. So I went back again, and he refused again.

I replied if you don't remove this today I'm going home to do it myself...they removed it but told me I had wastes nhs resources.

Later I was found to have endo and am waiting for a hysterectomy so he can still his attitude up his hole.

So if you come up against any refusal or medical staff trying to persuade you to try it for a little longer, just say you are going to take it out and they should then do it.

Disclaimer - I'm in no way encouraging op to remove this on her own

orion678 · 02/07/2022 10:51

I had a copper coil fitted many years ago. I also have a tilted uterus and it was excruciating to have it fitted (and it immediately popped out so they had to do it twice!) I honestly think it's barbaric that they do it in this country with no pain relief/anasthesia as a matter of course. In other countries they fit it under GA. Like you, I felt violated after and honestly quite depressed. I stuck it out for a few weeks because I struggle with hormonal contraception and we were actively trying to avoid pregnancy. Then I got quite a lot of cramping and felt it starting to expel itself. Had a battle to get the sexual health clinic to remove it as they had something going on and were only seeing emergency cases. Removal was nowhere near as traumatic or painful, relief immediate, and I firmly refused their offers to replace it.

motogirl · 02/07/2022 11:12

I have a tilted uterus and it really was fine, after a couple of weeks the light bleeding stopped and I've barely had a bleed since, just a little spotting every 4 weeks, but some months none. The pain subsided after 24 hours

motogirl · 02/07/2022 11:15

@TullyApplebottom

It's no worse than a smear, it's only discomfort for about 20 seconds. Do you really want the risks of sedation? I hated sedation when I had polyps removed and have since had 4 more procedures without, they are far worse than a coil

wellhelloitsme · 02/07/2022 11:47

motogirl · 02/07/2022 11:15

@TullyApplebottom

It's no worse than a smear, it's only discomfort for about 20 seconds. Do you really want the risks of sedation? I hated sedation when I had polyps removed and have since had 4 more procedures without, they are far worse than a coil

It's no worse than a smear, it's only discomfort for about 20 seconds.

How can you state this as fact after reading the thread?

It was no worse for you but clearly for many, many women including dozens on this thread, it was not just uncomfortable but incredibly painful. Some said the pain was on par or worse than contractions.

They aren't lying about it so stating as fact that 'it's no worse than a smear' seems so dismissive which is the last thing women need when it comes to listening to them recount the pain they had from medical procedures.

Or do you think they're exaggerating?

Morphine agrees with me after operations and doesn't make me sick, but if other people say it makes them feel incredibly sick and groggy and they hate it, I don't say "it's no worse than paracetamol" just because I haven't experienced what they have. I don't like to dismiss or disbelieve other people's pain.

BrownTableMat · 02/07/2022 11:48

motogirl · 02/07/2022 11:15

@TullyApplebottom

It's no worse than a smear, it's only discomfort for about 20 seconds. Do you really want the risks of sedation? I hated sedation when I had polyps removed and have since had 4 more procedures without, they are far worse than a coil

Lol at ‘no worse than a smear’. I once tried to have the Mirena inserted. The GP poked and prodded and tried to get my cervix to open for half an hour while I clutched the hand of a kind nurse. I have never had a smear like that, thankfully! In the end the attempt was abandoned as my cervix and tilted uterus just weren’t going to cooperate. They offered me a referral to have it done under GA by a gynaecologist but I turned it down.

No worse than a smear… honestly!!

orion678 · 02/07/2022 12:02

motogirl · 02/07/2022 11:12

I have a tilted uterus and it really was fine, after a couple of weeks the light bleeding stopped and I've barely had a bleed since, just a little spotting every 4 weeks, but some months none. The pain subsided after 24 hours

Bravo for being so dismissive of other women's lived experiences.

Rainbowshit · 02/07/2022 12:36

motogirl · 02/07/2022 11:15

@TullyApplebottom

It's no worse than a smear, it's only discomfort for about 20 seconds. Do you really want the risks of sedation? I hated sedation when I had polyps removed and have since had 4 more procedures without, they are far worse than a coil

I've had many smears with no issues, I gave birth twice with just gas and air. Having a coil put in for the first time made me vomit and nearly pass out.

I was really unprepared for it. Second two times were much easier and I made sure I had the afternoon off to recover.

This current one will be my last coil but I would still recommend them to others as it's great to not have to think about periods or contraception anymore.

Having them put in is NOT anything like as easy as a smear though.

TullyApplebottom · 03/07/2022 16:37

motogirl · 02/07/2022 11:15

@TullyApplebottom

It's no worse than a smear, it's only discomfort for about 20 seconds. Do you really want the risks of sedation? I hated sedation when I had polyps removed and have since had 4 more procedures without, they are far worse than a coil

Who said anything about sedation? Local anaesthesia Is simple, makes the process painless and carries next to no risk.
I am glad you found it painless, but it seems incredibly obtuse to think your experience should be the determinant when so many women here are very clear they found it far more painful.

SunshineLollipopsAndRainbows · 03/07/2022 16:47

I am absolutely with you OP. My previous coil was ok but the last one I had hurt me so much & I couldn’t believe my state of mind - I was all over the place! A doctor took it out after I think only a few days & I immediately started to feel better.

FirewomanSam · 03/07/2022 17:55

Having your cervix prised open for a cool insertion is absolutely, undoubtedly more painful than a bit of scraping around the area for a smear, although I find the latter really uncomfortable too.

Coil insertion is also meant to be less painful if you’ve given birth before, so I’d be interested to know whether the dismissive ‘it’s not that bad’ comments come from women who had kids before getting the coil. I’m a ‘nulliparous’ woman and I’d have a hundred smears before I’d go through coil insertion again.

TullyApplebottom · 04/07/2022 18:39

I had two vaginal deliveries (the last one of a nine pounder) before getting Mirena. It still fucking killed. I thought I was going to throw up. When I got up I blacked out.
but someone else thought it was no worse than a smear so guess I imagined it

bellsbuss · 04/07/2022 18:43

Just the thought of one makes my fanny hurt

DiamanteDelia · 04/07/2022 18:57

FirewomanSam · 03/07/2022 17:55

Having your cervix prised open for a cool insertion is absolutely, undoubtedly more painful than a bit of scraping around the area for a smear, although I find the latter really uncomfortable too.

Coil insertion is also meant to be less painful if you’ve given birth before, so I’d be interested to know whether the dismissive ‘it’s not that bad’ comments come from women who had kids before getting the coil. I’m a ‘nulliparous’ woman and I’d have a hundred smears before I’d go through coil insertion again.

I've had two vaginal births and I'd rather go through another one than have another coil. The most painful and shocking experience of my life, I think- opening the cervix was ok but the actual insertion felt like being stabbed. It's very odd as a few years previously I'd had a copper coil with no issues at all.

Stabbitystabstab · 04/07/2022 19:12

motogirl · 02/07/2022 11:15

@TullyApplebottom

It's no worse than a smear, it's only discomfort for about 20 seconds. Do you really want the risks of sedation? I hated sedation when I had polyps removed and have since had 4 more procedures without, they are far worse than a coil

Good for you.
Mine was absolutely excruciating.
Go and patronise someone else

DiamanteDelia · 04/07/2022 19:15

My polyps didn't hurt at all. Coil was hell. We're all different.

KatVonlabonk · 04/07/2022 19:15

I'm on my third. For me it's been brilliant. The worse bit was fighting for mine to be fitted.
I think there clearly needs to be more research into why its straightforward for some women, and awful for others.

Op I'm sorry it's been so upsetting, I think making the appointment to have it removed is the best thing.

Swipe left for the next trending thread