Removal of implant doctor basically said no?!

[tvlover1234]

Hi,

Just rang to ask for my implant to be removed. They said I needed a phone consultation with a doctor.

So doctor rang me asked why. I said well a number of things really. Feel like I've put on weight, I've not had any periods which I don't like. She was like that's absolutely brilliant having no period! It's absolutely fine. I said I want to try for children in a year or two Time and worried about no periods etc. She sounded like she wasn't happy about that. Said well you should return to normal a short while after removal blah blah. I said OK well I think I want it removed still and she said well if you hace it removed I would put uou on contraceptive pill for a few months before taking the implant out. Also were not removing implants in August as we're busy as school holidays!

I was like OK I'll think about it.

Like seriously?! Why can't I have no contraception hormones in me. Why can't condoms be enough?! I'm not a child. By the time I want to try for children in 1-2 years I'll be 22/23?! I have my own house. A long term partner. A full time job since I was 16?!

I felt so patronised. I'm really pissed off now. There are all the young teens never worked. On benefits and reproducing like there is no tomorrow. Everyone that I went to school with all have a child or 2 or 3! So why must I be judged?

Sorry for the rant I'm really angry, as you can probably tell lol.

That does sound annoying tvlover!! It's your body and you should be able to decide what contraception you use! Loads of people try different methods until they find one that suits them. You may need to be more assertive with them and explain that it will need to come out!!

I'm 23 and I too find that people can be patronising. DH and I have our own house, both have jobs etc yet I feel we get looked down on more for TTC than people on benefits who are older than us.

I think you're sensible for planning ahead, especially considering how hard TTC can be. I would have come off the pill way earlier had I known how messed up my cycles would be when I actually want to conceive.

Hope you get it sorted xx

She was very patronising. I think id find it easier taking to her face to face rather than over the phone.

Yeah we wanted to plan ahead. We saved hard for years to buy our house and we have savings too. OH hoping to Get promotion next month too so money will be even better. (we have quite a bit of disposable income now that we generally save).

We both have very loving supportive parents. My Oh mum works part time and he has quite young grandparents who hace just retired. My mum and dad are closer to retirement age but could also have them when I go back to work a few days a week.

Were prepared. Were financially stable and in a better situation than most people 30+!

Like you said people who are older who have 4 kids and another on the way all by different dad's. No job. Never worked. No home to of their own. No savings behind them. Anf that's absolutely fine! but no. God forbid the nearly 21 year old who has a long term partner. Both good jobs. Bought their own home. Great support from their families?! Really is baffling. I'm SOOOOOO frustrated! Lmao x

Your reasons are irrelevant, it's your body, you get to make the decisions about what to do with it! Is there a sexual health clinic that does implant removal near you? Can you get an appointment with another Dr?

25 and pregnant with second planned dc here, 23 is hardly very young to be starting a family.

I'm looking into serial health clinic now. I'm sure there is one nearby.

I thought so too. It sounded like she was thinking I'll get pregnant now(nearly 21). But I don't want to start trying until I'm 22/23. Just want my body to be in a natural rhythm. Haven't had a proper period really for about 7 years!! Which personally I don't feel is right!

Xx

I think the problem is that it is a very expensive form of contraception for the NHS and so they won't remove it unless there are real issues with it.

I had to fight tooth and nail to get mine out to TTC - the GP wouldn't remove it for a month and the health clinic near my house insisted that I went to a "management appointment" before they would book a removal appointment!

I had had it in two years and ten months so very close to removal date but they still wouldn't budge.

In the end I went to a drop in health clinic, was seen within half an hour and the lovely nurse removed it straight away when I told her I was TTC.

She said they'd only remove if I was having heavy periods constantly. They tried to persuade me not to have it in the beginning and tried giving me the coil but I refused.

I think I'm going to go to a drop in clinic. Just have to find one now!

Did you conceive long after removal? My worry is if I keep it in till the 3 years that I'll have to wait a further year or so for my body to get back to normal and be able to conceive.

You have to be really assertive with them...I told my gp I would get it out myself if they didn't remove it!

This is why I refuse to have it put in - TERRIFIED of how reluctant they are to take it out!

I had a bad time with the implant and had to kick up a fuss before the GP removed it. Don't give up, ring again tomorrow.

Very patronising!

Also even if she prescribes you the pill, you don't have to take it, or even collect the prescription

I'm just going to go to a drop in clinic snd do it. Very annoyed how patronising she was lol x

I'm fuming. The more I think of the conversation the madder I get lol. So rude of her. She's clearly just looked at my age and obviously knows nothing about my life or situation. X

I had my first implant taken out after 2 yrs 10 months as that was most convenient for me and they happily put the next one in. Prior to that I had been bleeding lightly for 8 weeks, which they said could be as it wore off, which really worried me, wondering about how effective it is.

After the having second in 2 years I started to get really heavy week on 3 days off periods. This was the summer before I went travelling and like you couldn't get an appointment for 6 weeks so had to go with it in. Fortunately the bleeding stopped with noristerine (??) tablets and I was fine for 6 months. When I got back, I just wanted it out, and again had to wait 6 weeks. By this point this one was 2 and a half years old and they were reluctant to remove it so early but I pointed out the last one 'wore off' only 3 months later than this one was and that seemed to shut them up.

I went on the mini-pill (due to migraines) for a year until ready to TTC but that was my choice.

If they insist you take the pill, which I don't know how they can (what if you weren't in a relationship and therefore didn't want to unnecessarily have drugs running through your system??) then just agree and don't take it. They can't make you, but at least it will keep them and probably their statistics happy if you take the pill.

Good luck and just be more assertive. It is your body.

Sorry, I was angry on your behalf!

God I'm so glad I never had it put in (sorry I know that's not very helpful for you!)

I think it's your body and decision. you are within your rights to request removal so they should action as soon as reasonably possible and not try to put you off.

It sounds like what she was saying was reasonable, but her manner/consultation skills maybe weren't. I am a GP, I fit and remove implants. Of all the people who come wanting it taken out, I actually remove less than half as so many of the requests are based on misinformation and after a discussion of the facts, rather than the urban myths, the patient often changes their mind.

She was doing her job to make sure you had the facts to hand, even if it sounded patronising. I'd agree this is better done face to face. It is expensive and some side effects are more common in the early months, I'm not sure when you had it put in but I really try to discourage removal before 3 months as things often settle down.

Also were not removing implants in August as we're busy as school holidays!

Perfectly reasonable - if they are very short staffed then urgent things have to be prioritised and this can wait.

I said I want to try for children in a year or two Time and worried about no periods etc.

She will have been trying to reassure you that your periods stopping on the implant has nothing to do with future fertility. Over 95% of people ovulate within a month of their implant coming out. It is a very common misconception that you have to have a few months of normal periods after the implant in order to get pregnant, or that having no periods is "unnatural" and will affect your future fertility, which it won't. If you need contraception for 1-2 years then keeping the implant would be sensible. The only contraceptive method with a hangover period to get full fertility back is the depot injection.

Feel like I've put on weight, I've not had any periods which I don't like.

as above - you should have been told when it was fitted that periods stopping was a likely side-effect. have you actually put on weight and can you, hand on heart, say it's not to do with food or exercise?

If you really want it out then by all means go to the FP clinic, but it's a very reliable method and if you don't want a baby for a year or two, and you are one of the lucky ones whose periods stop (rather than being annoyingly irregular) then don't get it taken out just to spite the doctor! good luck with your deliberations.

so they should action as soon as reasonably possible and not try to put you off.

as soon as reasonably possible may be September if they are short of doctors over the summer.

How long has it been in? Why did you want it so much?

In the end she wants it out. I think that should be the definitive reason for it coming out - the owner of the body wants it out.

People don't have them put in or taken out for fun. I have the Mirena and have been very happy with it despite some issues (yes weight and no I haven't been overeating ) but I'd have been reluctant to have been persuaded into it if I'd known I don't have the ultimate say on whether I wish to continue with it or not.

With regards to concieving after having it removed, I had my implant just over 2 years and then got pregnant within 2 months

I wanted it as I was 18 and had been using the depot injection for years and the doctor informed me they no longer like young women using the depot injection because of the fertility changes that can happen. I didn't want the coil as really don't like the thought of it. Although me and my partner always use condoms the implant was am added protection for me as clearly at 18 with no house I didn't want to get pregnant. I'm now nearly 21. Waiting to move into my house and my partner is long term. Therfore we would like to start a family in the next year or two.

As for August being busy that is fine with me. I will go elsewhere. Or alternatively private and pay. Not a problem either way.

She was very patronising. Sounded like she didn't want me off contraception. She said she'd put me on the pill for a few months before removal. When I'd asked to go off all contraception and will continue to use condoms to give my body a break.

Tbh I don't want anything in my body that 'shouldnt be' right now. I had breast implants at 18 which I have also now removed due to health reasons and have come to realise I should probably not put artifical things inside my body. Just how I feel personally. And yes I'm a worrier and worry that the implant could effect my fertility. Depot was apparently perfectly fine 7 years ago when the doctors put me on that to control my periods. Took that for years ans years and suddenly I'm told that it's no good for me!

If you've had it for nearly three years it's nearly up now, so it's a moot point.

As I said before, it sounds like consultation skills/manner weren't great, but vague worries like I don't want anything in my body that isn't natural and I worry that the implant could affect my fertility (it won't) are exactly the sort of thing that people often approach me with and after a chat they decide that they want to keep it, so she was doing her job. I'm sure you are capable of using condoms, but if I had £1 for every termination referral I've done after someone decided to give their body a break from hormones and use condoms, I'd be on my island in the Caribbean (ok maybe a slight exaggeration but you get the point), not a GP in the NHS! It is our job to let people know of the pros and cons of their decisions - thus fully informed it is of course entirely your right to make your own decision.

Depot was considered fine for "years and years" 7 years ago but we now know that long term use can cause bone density problems and it isn't advised for more than two years at a time.