IUD birth control and being called "dramatic"

[FlowerTomb]

I’ve seen yet more posts (mainly on Tiktok, Twitter etc) about the pain involved in having IUD birth control coils fitted. I don’t have one and don’t plan on ever getting one, but I’m just absolutely gobsmacked that not that many doctors seem to be taking this seriously. I’ve seen time and time again that no pain medication is offered, that it’s being sold as “painless” and when spoken about with the doctor, the result is that you’re called “dramatic”.

I don’t actually know anyone (to my knowledge) that has one, so I’m just wondering about others’ opinions really. Is anyone else very shocked (and pissed off!) about this, or is this just part and parcel with women’s health not being taken seriously and this whole situation is very unsurprising to the majority?

I have birth with just gas and air so not got a low threshold or prone to dramatics. I had not read up very much before getting my first coil fitted so hadn't take any pain relief. I nearly passed out and vomited and had to take to my bed for the rest of the day. It was a real shock.

2nd and 3rd weren't quite so bad as I was prepared and had taken pain relief.

Maybe it depends on the individual woman's cervix. I had a really painful gynae procedure and the obstetrician told me afterwards that I had a very muscular cervix for a woman of my age. Having given birth since I can confirm that the pain of having my cervix forced open during a procedure was worse than the pain of birth for me.

This is timely for me as I got my first Mirena this week. It was slightly painful, and definitely very uncomfortable, but was over quickly. However, I then went into cervical shock: heart raced, blood pressure plummeted and I very nearly lost consciousness. It was petrifying and I hadn't been warned it might happen. I came out very, very shaken. I had bad cramps that day and nothing since, including no spotting (I'm on day 5). Really trying to make my husband understand just how traumatic I found it, as I think there is a tendency for everyone to be dismissive as it's "just" contraception.... hoping I love it after that experience!

I had one in my 20s found it very very painful and doctor told me I had a very tightly closed tilted cervix. Tried again when my baby was about 4 months old thinking post birth would be easier... so painful I had to stop after the clamp as couldn't stand it. My midwife said I had a good pain threshold and I don't mind smears. Tho I don't think smears enter the cervix so don't think it's a fair comparison really

I,m sure i have recollections from the early eighties were Family planning clinics would only offer coils to women who had had a previous vaginal birth. I remember going for one in the early nineties and being pleased that I could get it, despite only having a C Section.
I heard the words "Just a little pinch" and felt the worse pain ever. Shot up the bed/trolley. hit my head on the wall behind me and concussed myself. Never did get the coil.
Nowhere do they explain the tenaculum. you are not prepared for it, no wonder women are left in shock. Its uninformed consent.

Sounds awful, glad I chose not to use contraception it all has so many negatives.

^Before your IUD is fitted, a GP or nurse will check inside your vagina to check the position and size of your womb. You may be tested for any existing infections, such as STIs, and be given antibiotics.

The appointment takes about 20 to 30 minutes, and fitting the IUD should take no longer than 5 minutes:

the vagina is held open, like it is during cervical screening (a smear test)
the IUD is inserted through the cervix and into the womb^

This is from the NHS website. I know the NHS likes coils because they are cheaper for long-term contraception. But nowhere is the use of a cervical clamp mentioned. The whole thing is trivialised as if it's nothing. Women report passing and out and vomiting with the pain.

It's remarkable how varied it is. I generally have a fairly high pain threshold but would rather do anything than attempt another coil fitting- it was the worst pain I'd experienced in my life, worse than childbirth, worse than having a horse stand on my broken leg. It would be interesting to know why it varies so much.

Worst pain I've ever experienced. Fainted. Felt like being stabbed with a red hot poker through cervix, then the most excruciating contraction in uterus.

@HappeeInParis

It's remarkable how varied it is. I generally have a fairly high pain threshold but would rather do anything than attempt another coil fitting- it was the worst pain I'd experienced in my life, worse than childbirth, worse than having a horse stand on my broken leg. It would be interesting to know why it varies so much.

It's varied every time for me, I've had three Last one was the least painful but I went faint after it and my BP dropped I find the sounding the most painful

I know two friends who found it incredibly painful but both had subsequent complications which required removal and medical treatment and were advised not to have it again. I don't know if it was something that went wrong with the fitting or if they were poor candidates or what but I know one of them had their initial concerns dismissed until a raging infection meant they couldn't be ignored any longer.

I have one, and I can honestly say that I’ve had worse smears. I didn’t need any painkillers, had no cramping.

First time they tried to fit mine they had to give up as the doctor had got it wrong and my cervix had gone into spasm. The pain was incredible and I was sweating buckets, which I never do.

Second attempt it went in first time but was incredibly painful, I remember getting home, having horrible cramps, vomiting and then falling asleep. Woke up fine. Totally bizarre.

I had it taken out to get pregnant and 2 years after my child was born I still haven’t built up the nerve to have a new one put in. It worked very well as a contraceptive but that insertion is probably the most shocking thing I’ve ever experienced, and that includes an induction with an epidural that kept falling out!

First, refer to Baroness Cumberlege's two year report on how stunningly badly women are treated in the NHS.
Then ponder how it sank virtually unmentioned.
Use the test of comparing what would have happened if the same results had involved racism.

Bear in mind the exhaustive Canadian statistical investigation proving women surgeons treat men and women patients equally, but male surgeons treat fellow males better than they treat women patients. Ponder how that, too sank virtually unmentioned.

Women think men and women are equally important, but the world is run by men, who think women are a less important sub-species of human

By the way, among the top-to-tail revolution needed in NHS, is specialism. The people on the Indian cataract train can work fast, cheap, and brilliantly well. So can the specialist women's services mentioned by one or two posters: Do something all day, every day, and you are highly likely to be good at it.

I've had 3 fitted.
The first was pre having a child. It was fucking agony.

The second 2 were after I'd given birth. Mildly uncomfortable at worst!

I don't know why people (Doctors etc) find it hard to comprehend that different people can have different experiences. I'm really not a drama llama in the slightest it my first experience was absolutely awful.

I had one pre children and it was horribly painful but relatively short lived. Pain killers are ineffective because of the way they work. I'm not sure if a local anaesthetic spray would work but it wasn't offered, and I think it should be.

In 2003 my Mirena was fitted under general anaesthetic on the NHS. Not certain this was strictly necessary but it’s what happened.

Yet again women’s health and pain levels are ignored. Am certain that childbirth, periods etc do not need to be as painful as they are for many women. The stories I have heard from friends re no epidural available, period pains are deemed a MH issue by doctors.

Women are not taken seriously, look at the amount of women who are denied sterilisations, I have also found that female GP’s are also far from sympathetic….

I had mine fitted with a local anaesthetic which feels very similar to having an anaesthetic injected into the gum. I phoned round family planning clinics until I found one who would do it with the local anaesthetic.
Had it in for less than a year though as when being scanned to be diagnosed with PCOS, it turned out it was sitting in my cervix and not where it should have been.
So had I it pulled out and that fucking hurt.

I had one after kids fitted at the GP and it was fine - uncomfortable and momentarily painful like a smear but fine. My second was done the same time as an ablation so I had a local anaesthetic anyway. When I took my 15 yo for an implant the GP said she could have a coil if she liked and I was really surprised. In my day they weren’t recommended if you hadn’t already had kids.

I've had four IUDs, the first one pre any kids, and it wasn't particularly painful or traumatic at all. A bit pinchy for literally half a second. I took no pain relief. Loved mine and the only reason I don't still have one is DH is now snipped.

I had one (a Mirena) after kids and no pain on insertion or removal. No problems and no periods with it in situ, fantastic thing!

@Potatoesdonthavefaces is right in that the difference in what women experience seems to often be due to their anatomy and presumably number of pain fibres and reactivity of their particular cervix. I fit coils and mirenas and have had several coils myself.Their positives are huge ;long acting, very effective, fully reversible contraception and in the case of mirenas thinning of the endometrium to reduce menstrual loss and stabilise the lining of the womb as required for HRT. The common side effects are usually acceptable and if not it is a one minute's job to remove the device.of course there are rare , significant risks . It is really important that the fitter has fully discussed the process and the risks before fitting. It is an invasive procedure with the risk of pain and symptoms of shock.It isn't always possible to do the fitting.Having said that, there is a lot of training and updating involved in being a fitter and so those that do it become quite expert.IUCDs are used for emergency contraception very effectively and of course the counselling process is curtailed in that case but in normal circumstances the fitter should have allowed time for the recipient to think about their choice and be prepared for it.
Where I work , and at the local DGH, cervical block ie injections of local anaesthetic to the cervix , is not routinely used.It is a question that is discussed from time to time but currently very few practitioners in our wider area are practised enough to offer this .We do offer anaesthetic in the form of gel ; it is not very effective but probably does something and along with ibuprofen is the best we have on offer .
Having said all the above and recognising that it can be unpleasant and painful( I fainted during one insertion myself) for most women it is the equivalent of three or four nasty period type or contraction like pains over 5-10 minutes and then a day or so of crampiness. Almost everyone who has a coil or mirena( particularly mirena) is pleased with it and usually they go on to have another as the benefits outweigh the downsides.
Some women don't seem to be made for them although they could in theory be fitted under better anaesthetic and sometimes are.

Even if it's a case of some women having bad experiences due to the position of their cervix/pain tolerance/experience of the person inserting it etc, there seem to be enough seriously bad experiences that a solution should be found/anaesthetic offered. It's just not acceptable that so many women are caught off guard due to the procedure not being explained. I think I'll stick with condoms!

Among other sex discrimination, there is statistical evidence that women are offered inferior pain control and every other measure of health service.
(And the Cumberlege report, and the Canadian surgeon results)
It's incredible that men can get vasectomy on request, while women can't get sterilisation, because they are deemed mentally incapable of making such a decision

(As an element of overseas aid, contraception was the first to be stopped, and as a response to Covid, it was culled in UK too)