Coil fitting- pain?

[Coilt]

I’m getting the coil fitted on Friday and I’m so nervous. I need to have it done because I have a genetic condition that is dominant and has a 50% chance of being passed down but a 100% chance of causing the issue if passed down. Think Huntingtons kind of thing.

Im so scared but I also fully anticipate it being painful and DH is driving me home as I intend on taking full whack pain killers (been prescribed tramadol)

can anyone tell me about your experience so I’m prepared?

I had 3 mirena coils fitted over past 15 years.
Yes it was a bit uncomfortable for couple of minute whilst being fitted, and l did suffer stomach cramping intermittently for several days after, which is normal as the body will naturally try to expel any foreign object, but for me nothing compared to having to endure painful periods every month.
Last year l went for my third mammogram and was recalled. It had picked up l had stage one breast cancer. One of the GP' s at my local surgery did mention she thought there hadn't been enough research done between this coil and breast cancer, but that was just her opinion.
I have seen many doctor's, consultants and nurses since, none of them have ever voiced same opinion.

I was never told to take pain killers and not had kids but had the copper one fitted because I felt like hormonal contraceptives really impact my mood. The fitting itself was painful momentarily but bearable, the pain for me was 10 mins later when she was talking me through how to check it, she had to stop and do a US to check the placement because was concerned it had gone awry! Then had to lie down with a heat pad for an hour before they’d let me get the tube home. It did improve but had incredibly painful periods and just never quite felt right so I only had it for 6 months in the end. That’s just my experience though, I have friends who absolutely love it and the convenience of not having to worry about pregnancy!

Unfortunately for me the pain was horrific. I couldn't walk out of the surgery after.
I'm generally ok with pain, but this took me by surprise. However I wonder if my pain was down to GP error. It definitely wasn't inserted correctly as I went on to have so many issues with it, it was eventually surgically removed.

I had mine fitted under a general anaesthetic so it was a breeze 😂😂. Sorry, not helpful, but I wanted to point out that this is an option for some women.

I have a retroverted uterus which makes it exceptionally difficult to fit a coil. The consultant said there’s no way she could have done it if I wasn’t asleep as I wouldn’t have been able to tolerate it. It took literally 10 mins from going under to being awake again.

I had cramps for almost a month afterwards but I didn’t need anything stronger than paracetamol or ibuprofen. The bleeding took about 5 months to settle but now it’s brilliant. It has helped with the endometriosis pain and perimenopause flooding - both have now gone. I do have the Mirena though.

Highly recommend

I had no problems at all with my fitting.
No pain. No cramps afterwards.

And best of all it stopped my constant bleeding.

I was so happy with it, I was really reluctant to get it taken out. Had it in there for years until my gyno insisted on removing it .😅
Removal was painless too.

I think it's easier if you've had children because your cervix is then more open.

I've had the copper coil fitted and it was completely fine, the same as a cervical smear. I've had lots of friends who've also had them fitted and no one has had any problems. I was also really scared but it was not painful.

I would take a paracetamol before, just in case.

Gosh it’s a wide range of experiences !!

Mine was horrific. I've had a spinal block/ epidural with no numbing and the coil was 100 x worse pain.

I've had one fitted 8 years ago- ended up having to have it done in hospital as my cervix kept moving or something so needed a proper tilty bed! I don't remember any pain or discomfort at all. Little bit of spotting afterwards but certainly nothing to stop me having another if I was young enough to need one.
Got to get mine out this year, phoned the GP and am now number 141 on the list 😂so heaven only knows when I will actually get it out or if it will even come out as the threads are wrapped around it!

I had the copper coil and genuinely didn't find it at all painful, I was worried they hadn't fitted it right because of the horror stories I've read on here!

I've birthed two kids and found it unbelievably painful and almost couldn't go through with it. Didn't have pain killers as didn't think it was going to be painful. Although I do have a bit of a weird uterus apparently (staff have commented during smears), so maybe that explains why others have found it OK. With all my friends I was like OMG it was so painful, is that normal, why did no-one ever tell me?? Apparently removal hurts too... My coil will take me to menopause so just one final hurdle.

I think I have quite a high pain threshold.

In your situation I'd just be using condoms for a few years before you're ready for IVF. We'd used condoms for decades as I didn't want hormonal contraception, so similar situation.

If I had my time again I'd have told DH to get a vasectomy if he wanted to ditch the condoms. I didn't push it when we were younger in case I died young and he wanted more kids. But I'd hope he'd be done now too (we're 47).

I’m having one fitted in a few weeks and the nurse told me that I can have local anaesthetic spray applied - maybe ask if that’s an option?

@Coilt Ask them in advance for pain tleeif, take ibuprofen and paracetamol an hour before, ask for a Licodaine injection into your cervix, numbing gel or spray and soemtimes they have extra things. I'd call in advance so it's all prepared as otherwise they may not be able to do it.

I'm a coil fitter and have had 2 coils fitted myself. Women's experiences vary, but the majority of women I see find it not as bad as they were expecting. I would never dream of fitting a coil without some sort of local anaesthetic - I use anaesthetic gel, spray is common too. It's possible to have a numbing injection to your cervix but often requires someone with a bit more training.
It's very rare that I've had to abandon a procedure due to pain - I always tell women beforehand that they're in charge and can stop me at any time. Situations where it can be more difficult can be - if a woman has not had children/delivered vaginally, previous treatment to the cervix (for abnormal smears), perimenopause (oestrogen deficiency changes to the cervix).
Taking pain relief beforehand helps, anti-inflammatory types (ibuprofen, naproxen) if you can take them, are better than paracetamol/opioids as they relax the cervix muscle a bit. A good assistant who chats, reassures, distracts the patient is invaluable.

I admit I've been very apprehensive when I've gone for my own coil fittings - I know what they're going to be doing! There were crampy moments, no worse than the worst period pains (and mine are bad!) and I had milder cramping about an hour or so later. Both times I left thinking "that wasn't as bad as I'd built it up to be".

Best of luck!

I haven’t had children and found having the Mirena fitted very painful. I know people who have nipped out at lunch, had it done, then back to work but I definitely could not have done that! I was on holiday and had it done at 10am, spent most of the day in bed after. I did take both ibuprofen and paracetamol before.

This is possibly just me being stupid, but in case it’s not - I didn’t think the procedure would cause bleeding and had to go and buy pads on my way home. (Had previously been on the PoP with no periods).

I would say when I had a mirena fitted it was horrible, I bled pretty heavily after insertion, she got the initial speculum sizing wrong and only used the Licodaine injection after she had used her fingers to size it up and I was bleeding. I do have vaginismus though, and so insertion is always pretty bad and my cervix is very sensitive, the pain relief helped slightly but not too much and I bled for quite a while after (around 1 week and a bit), I also couldn't walk after my legs were shaking for around 2 hours. But I'd caveat with anecdotes aren't facts and my experience is quite unlikely even for people who find it painful, I didn't do anything after, just slept. My coil also took a while to settle - 7+ months but again I had different complications and as you're getting the copper one it's quite different. I did also have stronger pain meds before than paracetamol, I had some opiods but even that wasn't too helpful.

Zero for me. It was a game changer

It hurt enough for me to say fuck but was quick enough that was all I managed to say
like a giant period cramp
then afterwards I do tend to have period type cramps for 24hrs

Pretty painful. The doctor was training a nurse so it was quite a long experience! Dr did give me a squirt of local anaesthetic which was nice. Measuring was painful and then I felt this whole wave of pain through my pelvic area. Felt pretty woozy after and stayed lying down for a bit. Left, walked home, and felt perfectly fine then.

I have had 2, both were fine and I took no painkillers.

The key is to relax, it can’t make pain not exist but by being stressed it makes it so much worse. I used to assist at many an op for people having local and general anaesthetic and the ones who freaked out had a much harder time. Your body tenses when upset.

Mine were copper coils. I suppose I’m relatively hardcore in that I had to have a gynae procedure and most have it under GA but I opted for the local.

I had mine replaced not long ago, I took paracetamol before I went as advised. I’m not going to lie it did hurt (doctor said it was when the arms of the coil ping out and tap the side of the uterus) but honestly it was just a few seconds. I was absolutely fine to walk out of there and drive home.

Horrific

Ive got another being fitted next week as I can’t tolerate the progesterone part of HRT.

I’ve been given diazepam for before hand this time though.