No one will remove it!

[vinotinto88]

So long story short - we are hoping to TTC our third and final baby.

It's pretty much now or never - certain work opportunities and home finances etc, plus my age. And I'm so broody it's unreal.

My GP won't remove my implant, no clinic within a 20 mile radius will remove my implant.

I've called and hassled and nagged everyone. The last person I called said it'll be well over a year before their clinic is up and running again.

I know this is totally a first world problem. And it's more a whinge than seeking any kind of solution. I just had my heart set on it.

Has anyone else up and down the country managed to get their contraception sorted?

I was even tempted to try and have a go myself at getting it out but realised I didn't have enough hands.

No one 😞

Interested in this also OP.

What contraception do you have? Is it a coil?

Any chance a private clinic or gyno might do it? Something tells me no but I can't think of any other options!

I have the nexplanon implant. I've just looked online and a private doctor is £300 - which I would pay but it's bloody miles away and I can't get there within work hours.
Gah. I have no control over my own body.

Pretty shocking considering it's contraceptive! Do you live in quite a rural area?

Yes it’s very frustrating that they’re not including this as essential treatment. They’ve made getting abortions easier than ever so clearly stopping pregnancy is the only option that matters.

The same happened to me. I had an NHS appointment (at a sex health clinic as my GP doesn't do semi-perm contraceptives) to remove a coil back in March but then the lockdown happened and they cancelled it, saying they may not open until August at the earliest. We'd planned it so much and like you said everything was just lined up that we didn't want to wait another 5 months. We rang a handful of private clinics in the city every single week and eventually one agreed to do it the other week! We paid £180. Keep trying, every week the situation is changing.
Don't feel guilty for feeling like it's a just little thing or a first world problem, I was totally devastated and cried every week when we rang. Everyone has their own things going on and what's important to them or that they feel sad about without comparing to others.

Everyone I've spoken to will happily post me the contraceptive pill but not remove the implant.
I'm not even rural I'm out the outskirts of London. I have about 20 clinics (some I didn't even know existed!) nearby and not one will see client face to face at the moment.
After looking at a few YouTube videos I'm seriously considering removing it myself.

@yarrow89 I've read on here some ladies have removed their own coils and it's been quite straightforward? Not that I would recommend it!

Have you tried lying and saying that you’re getting some kind of nasty side effect? It’s really unacceptable that you don’t have any control over your body like this. Hormonal contraceptives do terrible things to some women, I can’t believe that health professionals would refuse to remove one.

@vinotinto88 When I used to have the implant and they removed it, they had to numb the skin and then make an incision, but the implant was a bit deep so they had to wriggle around a bit fishing for it. I don't know if it would be possible to do DIY.
I did consider self removal of coil but then thought logically what if it goes wrong, it's not worth it.

@CovidicusRex (love the name!) Well the first three phone calls I couldn't even get past the receptionist. Eventually I said I've had massive issues with bleeding/headaches (not all entirely untrue but manageable) and she said the GP would call me back. When she called she said wait two weeks. Then another two weeks. And now we are back to "no appointments".

@yarrow89 It's awful as I was thinking well if it goes wrong I'll have to go to the doctors and they will have to fix it. Although it's in my arm, not my cervix.
I just find it so insulting they won't even entertain it without a risk assessment nor PPE.
I've even tried tapping into friends who have medical training/nurses etc. No joy.

Hi OP! It’s not just lockdown that is the issue. Doctors do not want to remove these types of contraception until they are are due as they don’t make as much money off it..... I kid you not! They get paid a certain amount for putting it in and the full amount if you keep it while lifespan of the contraceptive.
I had problems with the implant as it made me incredibly depressed and anxious, the doctor refused to remove it so I went off on one (not like me but not in a good state of mind) and threatened to cut it out myself. Eventually they agreed to remove it.
Had similar issues with the coil, bad reaction, needed it out earlier and they refused. Again threatened to take it out myself and they did it for me.
Hope you managed to get this sorted.

@OlivejuiceU2 Do you really think it's worth me either attempting or threatening to remove it myself so that they listen to me?

What's frustrating is that it's such a simple procedure and takes ten minutes.

Just wait it's not the end of the world to wait. I have had 5 put in and removed, you do not want to try it yourself they numb your arm the cut it out, and it also takes time one of mine took nearly and hour to be removed, it's not worth risking a life for it to be removed your life their life ect if you try it yourself you will end up in hospital not the doctors and they will still not remove only repair the damage you would have caused yourself.

My sister had the problem and it took her threatening to get her husband to remove it before they agreed. And she had massive problems with her mood and constant bleeding so it's not like it was working for her.

@Hamm87 I wouldn't mind waiting if there was an end date in sight, a few weeks or months. But the last nurse I spoke to at a clinic said that they will not be seeing face to face patients for a year!

That’s really horrible. I hope you manage to get it sorted by someone.

@vinotinto88 completely understand your frustration but removing it yourself is a really bad idea! What would you even use to do it?! Lockdown is easing up so keep trying clinics and hopefully someone can help you in the next few weeks.

It will not be a year more likely September as more rules relaxx however removing it yourself puts you more at risk and even thinking about it makes me worry about your mental health you are talking about harming yourself or even threatening to to get your own way sorry but to me that is the biggest concern and rises big red flags

@Frariedeamin My god, I hope you're feeling better in yourself now? How are you?
I'm seriously considering it. If they tell me another year again then I'll have to give it a go.
The red tape is absolutely ridiculous they won't remove it but will see you if you need stitches. What a joke.