Mirena coil insertion pain

[LemonStork]

I had a Mirena coil inserted this afternoon around 3pm, after experiencing extreme unexplained pain on my period a few weeks ago (I honestly thought I might die) which led to 111 sending me to A&E, where I was fobbed off with painkillers despite it being like nothing I'd ever experienced. I had the Mirena fitted to try to reduce the pain (which hasn't gone away, but has decreased to be tolerable most of the time) lesser - possible endo?

Anyway, I'd been under the impression that coil insertion is a quick procedure and isn't majorly painful. I had some ibuprofen beforehand and didn't worry about it. Silly me. The insertion was excruciating and if it had taken much longer I'd have probably given up. I do NOT have a low pain tolerance but I was crying out - possibly the worst pain in my life behind my recent episode.

I took Buscopan (recommended by my doctor for ongoing unexplained stomach pain I've been experiencing) and cocodamol, but it's barely touched the pain. It's not getting worse but it's certainly not getting better.

The booklet I was given says, 'If you get severe pain or fever shortly after Mirena has been inserted, you may have a severe infection which must be treated immediately.' But I really don't want the faff of going to A&E. I think it's more likely just that the procedure really hurt my cervix. Has anyone experienced anything similar? How long did you put up with pain that painkillers wouldn't manage before going to your doctor/111 etc?

You won’t have developed a severe infection within four hours of insertion so please try not to worry about that just yet. The pain and cramping can indeed last several hours (days if you’re very unlucky), my best advice for now would be to stay on top of painkillers, rest and get a hot water bottle on the go. The insertion procedure can be pretty hard-going for some women as it involves manipulating your cervix in three different steps, then your uterus recognises that there’s a foreign body in there and will cramp and cramp and cramp to try and get it out, which can be intensely painful.

A&E won’t do anything with coils, they will just give you pain relief at the most, and pass you back to whoever fitted it. If you start getting a strange discharge or a fever, those are signs of infection in which case you do need to go back to whoever fitted it, or any sexual health clinic regardless of whether they fitted it or not. If the pain lasts more than a couple of days, please do go back to whoever fitted it and ask them to check the positioning as even the most skilled coil fitter can inadvertently perforate your uterus. We can’t tell at the time if that has happened, it only becomes apparent after the event.

I’m sorry you’re in so much pain, I’ve had two Mirenas and thought I was dying with my first one so god knows why I went back for more!

I’m sorry to hear you’re in so much pain. I have Endometriosis & Adenomyosis (Similar but inside the uterus)

Now, I’ve had 3 coils altogether. However, I’ve never had an insertion whilst awake; I’ve always had them done whilst having other gynae surgery (apparently it’s also routine that if they fiddle around in that area, they have to change the coil - who knew!)

So, whilst I don’t understand the pain - I do generally believe that the world has fobbed off pain experienced from insertion for FAR too long. If you think, colonoscopies, endoscopies; you’re most of the time sedated to make it bearable but for women… hysteroscopies and coils are listed as bearable and to take some ibuprofen/paracetamol beforehand. It’s rubbish! The expectation of discomfort has left me so anxious that I’m now awaiting an appointment with my consultant to insert a coil under some level of sedation.

If the pain is getting worse, it might be necessary to ring 111 again just for some further advice. In certain cases, they will remove coils as the afterpains shouldn’t be so bad that any pain relief won’t touch it. My body began to reject my coil and it wasn’t until I presented in A&E with such severe cramping and pressure that they removed it. Women are really shamed upon for any female-health issues and pain. Please don’t suffer in silence. You should be able to take pain relief and see an effect from them.

This is reassuring, thank you. The pain has persisted but hasn't got worse. Thinking of calling the clinic either tomorrow or Monday if it doesn't improve. It's like bad period pains - painkillers don't do much.

Update - saw a gynaecologist on Monday and had my ovaries and uterus scanned. Apparently everything is perfectly fine and I just need to continue with the pain relief. I'm taking 2 X cocodamol 20mg 4 times a day and 500mg Naproxen twice a day.

The pain has gone nowhere but I'm now nauseous too. Housework and work are a struggle. I'm normally very active but I just want to sit because of the pain and I'm bored out of my mind. Horrible.