To think the nurse fibbed?

[sheetspread]

Had a smear this morning and while making conversation with the nurse, mentioned that I'd had difficulty with the speculum when my coil was being fitted.

After she'd finished up she said all the usual about there being a wait of up to 4 weeks for results, but that my cervix looked normal and my coil strings were definitely in the right place.

I was in a huge hurry leaving so almost didn't process what she'd said until I was out of the door but - I don't have a coil in anymore! I haven't for years! Indeed have had a vaginal scan, a second baby (and so multiple more scans!), a caesarean section etc since the coil exited my body. I definitely haven't had another fitted in some kind of fugue state. I'm completely baffled by why she'd say that about the strings when there can't have been any visible because they're not there. Is there any way there'd be something in there anatomically that might give the appearance of coil strings? I'm stumped!

• · Today 18:31 Terloz · Today 17: otnight · Today 17:05 Some of the care experienced by posters here is appallingly awful

this!

putting a coil in without consent, appalling disregard for women’s fertility and body choices. Leaving women not even knowing it’s there?? I’m
appall and sad for anyone impacted. Surely that’s assault?

Not when it happens to women*

agreed

Also wondering why it’s women who are taking on the contraceptive responsibilities especially when the device seems to often cause pain or even go awol in the body.

Have you tried to feel the strings yourself?

Love the idea of a Minnie Mouse coil instead of a Mirena!

Am also absolutely baffled and terrified by some of the replies here, especially considering the horror stories I've heard from friends in college back in the day who decided to try the coil... And how nonchalant other posters seem in the face of something so... Insane imo.

I've just gone off contraception to start trying, and the thought of being fitted with a coil after just giving birth is utterly terrifying. I've been debating even wanting to go on contraception again at all, I don't like how it messes with my body.

Is this something that needs actual media attention and scrutiny? It can't be right that so many women are seemingly being forced onto contraception?

She lied to reassure you. As you were leaving, she remembered you mentioned the coil and just said it was fine.

Excuse my ignorance, but why would a surgeon fit a coil post c-section without consent?

This. Does this actually happen?!?

Call the doctor and get an appointment to have it checked right away. If a coil has been fitted without your consent you need to know. If the nurse lied you need to know. I hope that all will be ok.

Email her to ask what she meant?

Which if OP WAS relying on the coil as contraception and it wasn’t present would be just as bad!

Another one here aghast at the concept that putting coils in without the woman knowing or consenting is an actual thing.

I'm a practice nurse. I chat far less shit than some of our GP's. Even the patients will tell you that.
FWIW though, I think she lied too.

@ZairWazAnOldLady if she's got worms in her vag she's in trouble 🤣

I had this last week OP. Had a routine blood test for FBC, Thyroid etc( I have Thyroid issues so have to get blood checked every so often)and Cholesterol. My doc called me to say it was fine and I asked what my thyroid was as I had been feeling more tired than usual. He said "oh it's okay, borderline, but that's okay". I didn't say anything as know they wouldn't increase my dose for that.
Then I got a phone call from reception asking me to book another blood test as turns out my thyroid was tested ! So he just bullshitted me!

If you definitely don't have one then it is weird she said that, she shouldn't be saying all looks fine without actually seeing it- which she wouldn't have as there isn't one! I would feed it back to the surgery to be honest, I say this as a practice nurse myself so I'm not about getting them into trouble but I think they need to be mindful in future.

*sorry wasn't tested.

Technically no, but there’s certainly a grey area when it comes to consenting women for things in active labour. Same as asking women in the very early PN days if they want an implant fitting, I don’t think it’s appropriate as I don’t think women are in the right headspace to make that sort of decision. It wouldn’t surprise me if women had agreed to a coil in the moment and either forgotten or regretted it once they’d recovered. AFAIK it’s not common practice for emergency CS though, more often offered when booking an elective.

Not wanting to derail the thread but also don’t want people to panic they might have been fitted with a coil in secret! OP I think I would ask to see my notes. It’s a bit concerning if she’s said the strings were there just to reassure you - what if you actually did have a coil that had shifted out of place but she’d said it was fine?!

This is very odd. Why lie?

Sorry this was a reply to
@oakleaffy, not sure what I did!

Your body is also more likely to reject it if its inserted immediately after birth or cause other issues, we won't fit them until after the 6 week check at a minimum unless there's extenuating circumstances in which case one of the GPs will review.

They don’t even fit coils post section, women have to wait for minimum of six weeks and that’s been the case for at least twenty years. I’m sure someone will probably come on and say they had one fitted during the section but if you have that’s poor practice. I’m a midwife and have never seen one fitted in a 20 year career.

Some do, they take the view that there's already pain relief in place so it's better for the woman, debatable/unlikely they outline the risks doing it at this point though, thankfully doesn't seem overly common now.

yes, nurse lied.

They don’t even fit coils post section, women have to wait for minimum of six weeks and that’s been the case for at least twenty years. I’m sure someone will probably come on and say they had one fitted during the section but if you have that’s poor practice. I’m a midwife and have never seen one fitted in a 20 year career

Practice does seem to be changing or at least variable on this. I had advised I wanted a coil fitted during my section, I had consented and it was in my notes that I was to be fitted with a coil during the section.

The surgeon doing the section then said no, he wasn't going to do that, he wanted it to be 6weeks post partum.

I went to the sexual health clinic to have it fitted around 12 weeks post partum and told the doctor this and she wasn't happy. She said I should have had it during the section on request.

It actually worked out ok for me and I've been happy with it all but it definitely felt like not everyone was on the same page.

Fibbed

I have felt my cervix in the interim and indeed had internal exams and a vaginal ultrasound, since the c-section - absolutely zero chance of a coil being in there unless I was kidnapped and anaesthetised in the night at some point!