They can’t find my coil…

[LaughingCat]

Eeep! Not looking for advice as such, just a bit disappointed and wanted to share that with someone (we’re not telling anyone that we’re ttc so can’t talk about this!).

I was booked in three weeks ago to get my copper coil removed at my GP but it got cancelled due to staff sickness that day. Bit gutting when we were getting all excited to finally get started but did the whole chin up and went for a December start instead.

Got there today and had two nurses rummaging around inside me (weirdest feeling ever!) but they couldn’t find the strings. They were lovely and really sorry that it was a bust but booked me in for in another fortnight, just before Christmas.

Then after that, if the GP can’t find it then it’s referral to a gynae and scans/X-rays, which could take three-five months (I’d consider going private but money is very tight at the moment!).

I know this isn’t a great length of time in the grand scheme of things and some people have to wait years to conceive, with much greater struggles and actual heartbreak but…I was just so excited today. We were finally starting on the journey, no matter where it goes.

So, now I’m a bit deflated. Which I’ll get over…but wanted to share it with you guys because I can’t tell anyone bar my other half. Who is also gutted.

Does anyone have a penny for the world’s smallest violin solo here?

Obviously, at the back of my head is also the fact that if it has fallen out at some point in the last seven years…then we’ve been unable to conceive naturally in all that time despite plenty of, erm…basting. Which is also gutting.

@LaughingCat sorry I don't have any words of wisdom as never had a coil but just wanted to say that it completely sucks when your excited to start and something crops up 💕 I hope they find it on the second go and you don't have to wait forever for an X-ray 🤦🏼‍♀️ just sending you a big virtual hug xx

I had a coil removed from inside my abdominal cavity recently because it had gone for a wander.
Was deemed as emergency surgery once they finally listened to me that the pain was unbearable and something wasn't right with my coil. I knew it hadn't just 'fallen out' ffs.
2 A&E visits after multiple calls to the sexual health team that put it in and they finally confirmed it was AWOL.
I had a laparoscopy to remove it.

This happened to me. Saw the nurse who couldn't get it out. Another appointment with another nurse who was brutal, made me bleed and still couldn't get it out. She spoke to gp who said I needed gynae referral. Got letter and went to small hospital who said they couldn't do it there and to wait for another letter to go to bigger hospital. Went to big hospital and they scanned me and got it out in seconds!! First appointment was august and final appointment was the following February. Good luck

My Mirena wandered north a few years back. I wondered if a smear test might have dislodged it?
I had to beg for an ultrasound which proved it WAS still there, just not reachable. Eventually had it taken out with a camera poked up there to help locate it. Not pleasant but not awful.
The issue you're going to have these days is getting the run of appts to make all this happen - which I can understand must be very disappointing / frustrating.

Thank you all! This was exactly what I needed.

@mummatara - thank you ❤️ It means a lot!

@BingoBang - that sounds so traumatic! Often seems like they just don’t listen. My friend had the opposite where they kept maintaining that it was just ‘lost’ inside her despite not showing on any x-rays or scans and two children later 🙄. They still refuse to insert another now.

@iloveyankeecandle - August to February. sighs Six months is a long time to wait for a resolution…sounds like I might need that luck!

@CranberryPecan - with the backlogs in diagnostics/general outpatients at the moment, I think it will take a long time to get through. I might have to Google how much a private ultrasound and coil removal would be…£350. Is it too late to ask friends and family to just give me money for Christmas? 😂

Thanks again everyone, being able to discuss this means the inside of my head isn’t quite as overwhelmed with it all!

The issue you're going to have these days is getting the run of appts to make all this happen

This.

Must be 7 years ago the strings for mine went AWOL. GP referred me for an ultrasound straight away, think the appointment came through within a month. Fortunately was still in place and wasn't actually too bad to remove in the end. The strings were just sat higher in my cervix. One very persistent nurse got them with the help of some local anaesthetic!

Hope everything is sorted quickly for you OP

I’m sure private “early pregnancy” scans are much cheaper… and might help locate it

@EdwardianDream - a month would be absolutely perfect but yes, doubt that’s the case at the moment. Desperately hopeful mine is just like yours and it’s merely made itself comfortable a bit higher. The thought of having an injection down there doesn’t fill me with joy though 😂

i didn’t even know this was possible, it sounds terrible! And I’d be a bit miffed that I was getting passed around for everyone to have a rummage! Sympathies op, good luck on your ttc journey

@Potatomashed - just looked at those - they are FAR cheaper! Not sure they’d take it out at that point but presumably, I could take that back to my GP then and they could sort relatively quickly.

My strings got lost. See in gynae and dr located them in womb and was able to retrieve the coil.

Got to see the inside of my womb on screen!

Jeeze. This is why I don't want a coil! 🙈🙈🙈

@Regularsizedrudy - it is a VERY weird feeling. A bit, “Oh good, your fingers too. That’s fine. Anyone else want a quick feel to find the string?”
Like the world’s worst carnival game.
Maybe I’ll offer prizes, see if that works. 😁. Thanks so much for your kind words!

@qwerdi - That’s so cool! Literally in utero. I’d have been taking photos 😂

@dancingqueen123 - in every other way it has been amazing. I am terrible with hormone-based contraception like the pill or the implant so this was a lifesaver for me. Until now 😂

My strings disappeared (copper7) and I went for a scan which revealed it was partially through the womb wall, it also revealed a baby.

After the birth I had an X Ray and it had disappeared, and no the baby didn’t arrive waving it in their hand!!

So if it’s not in place maybe you could still get pregnant.

@fairislecable - ahhhh, I remember that story! 😂 Imagine a coil being your first in vivo toy 🤣. That must have been quite a surprise to find both baby and errant coil at the same time. Did they just stop looking for yours when it disappeared?!

They never investigated any further and decided it must have been in the placenta - although one poor nurse was given the job of sifting through it and didn’t find it.

Mine went MIA, I went to a sexual health walk in centre and asked for removal - it was at a hospital though. Took 2 of them to find it, plus a trainee so Just as well I’d had a bit of a trim before I went! Oh and the tools they used were bloody archaic to look at. When he found it he held it up like a trophy, think he was disappointed I didn’t applaud 😂

so unfortunately not unusual to go missing, and maybe worth checking if other options are available

I'm very lucky I didn't fall pg, we relied on it as contraception for a few months...
I knew from the outset it wasn't right, the pain of having it inserted was unbearable and I was almost at the point of asking then to stop.

I was warned by a GP last year that they can't always locate the strings and if she couldn't I'd need a scan to help get it out. It's not uncommon apparently.