I think I am pregnant. I might require the removal of iud coil with lost threads. Feel let down.

[cherryblossoming]

My doctor had assured me there was no need to worry about becoming pregnant if the strings got lost. The ultrasound showed the strings were there. I did raise a concern about the efficiency but they said not to worry. Now I feel pregnant. My breasts are tender and have increased in size. I am having an appointment in two days.
I am worried how are they going to remove the coil without hurting me or the embryo. I have read on the internet they have to insert a brush and try to dig it out. I have the feeling that it Is not an ectopic pregnancy. Third pregnancy scares me a lot and now the removal.
It is possible, however, that the coil has already come out but I did not feel it. Obviously I should have seen it on a pad unless it dropped right into the loo. But doctor told me l would feel it because of the cramps. Feel so let down and stupid for not insisting on coil removal.
thank you for reading.

You need to test before you do anything else. When is your period due?

I became pregnant with a coil.
My coil had moved but not come completely out and I hadn't noticed.
They removed it with no problems because of the position it was in.
I felt let down too and was in a horrible position at the time because I wasn't in a proper relationship with my sons father and was in the middle of my degree.
It's all worked out ok now though.
How would you feel if you were pregnant?
Can you buy a test so you know for sure?

Also, how long have you had the coil for?
I have horrible great tenderness in the run up to my period that I didn't have before having my coil put in.

Thank you.
I did a test about two weeks ago and it came negative. It was like a week after my periods finished. My periods were always heavy because of copper coil but last time I thought they had started earlier. I have had the coil since May 2009. During his time I have never had tender breast before periods. Breasts looked lifeless actually after breastfeedings. Now they are bigger and tender. There is some feeling in the uterus but no pain. I can tell I am pregnant even without the test. I hope I am wrong but what else could make my breasts grow for two weeks shortly after "periods".
With my last pregnancy I also had periods like blood.
I feel let down because I wanted to find a job to help to support the family. I did not want to go through it again. Also I am not particularly healthy to have a third pregancy. That is why I am so disappointed. There were too many reasons not to have another child.
If the coil is still there I hope they will be able to dig it out without making a mess.

I had the IUD removed after the strings disappeared (they curled up inside) and a scan showed it had moved from its proper place. My GP tried to remove it but couldn't manage it, which was pretty painful, so she referred me to a gynae who had more experience, and had the option of a scan to help her locate it. The gynae removed it with no problems and no pain at all - so I would recommend going straight to a specialist for a removal if you can.

I was advised to use condoms as soon as I'd realised that the strings weren't there. A surprise pg would have been disastrous for us but remember you have options, I wouldn't have gone ahead with it if the coil had failed.

Also, I had a coil fall out one time and I didn't feel it come out or have any cramping, but I did notice it because it fell into my knickers. I'd be surprised if it fell out without you noticing.

Greentips, feel stupid now but the doctor did assure me I had nothing to worry about. She said it was working as before. She did not even hint about condoms etc.
On Wed I see a GP and will ask for a referral to a specialist. I do not want it to be done by the GP considering they would not feel the strings.

Some update. I have an appointment scheduled towards the end of Oct. I still feel strange and my test at weekend was negative. I had period-like blood, very strong 5 days earlier than the previous one. It finished withing a week and usually it would take like 10 days because of the coil. I would not say my breasts are as sore as before the periods but they did not shrink. Why I am still concerned because there is some pressure to wee when I sit and in general there is some sensitivity in the uterus area. I thought if it was an ectopic pregnancy I would have sensitivity in one of the tubes. I do not have pain just some kind of tickling in the uterus and an urge to wee. Another thing is this month I have been kind of having urge to the loo after having some food. Nothing serious but still strange . Sorry for TMI. I also spotted that mucus is sometimes darker and this morning it had a streak of blood in it.
I would have liked to bring the date of the scan forward but they will not do it because of the negative test. I am only worry that the coil could have an impact on the embryo. The threads are lost so it will not be easy to get the coil out.
I have been thinking whether I am being paranoid but I would not say so. There is something but I do not know what. I have been thinking the coil must have stopped working and that is why I am feeling like that but I never experienced anything like that before the coil.

Will you get an ultrasound when you have your appt?

It sounds very stressful. I have no experience of the coil myself but I have heard of babies being born with the coil still in, so presumably it's not impossible for the pregnancy to continue if there is one?

Have you been tested for a UTI? If not, go to the GP ASAP and if you describe the symptom of urgently needing to wee they should test you there and then. I've had UTIs so bad that they actually messed up my periods but had no idea until I finally went to the doctor.

Fuzzpig, thanks. I do not think it is an infection. I want to wee when I am in a sitting position. This reminds me when my uterus was growing and made pressure. I hope they will make an ultrasound.

I guess they will have to do the ultrasoubd because of the lost threads. They would have to locate them to take the coil out.

It will be best if they do as at least you'll know for sure either way!

I'm having an ultrasound tomorrow, I managed to get one in less than two weeks (I love my GP!) after describing ovarian pain. I am also having a lot of pregnancy like symptoms (including the aforementioned ovary pain which I had both times in pregnancy - even had early scan for my first as we were convinced the pain meant ectopic! Thankfully we were wrong and it just seems to be a standard pregnancy symptom for me) but have POAS twice at home and a few times for various doctors... Weird :(

Fuzzpig, you are lucky. Finding a good doctor is like finding a gem. I will see how it goes tomorrow. I think i had a light neusea this afternoon. Like a wave. It scares me so much. If it happens tomorrow then I will have to ask to bring the date forward. What if it is ectopic and I have to collect kids from school.
Let us know how it goes tomorrow.

I absolutely agree! I have a, shall we say, controversial condition (ME) and there are several doctors at our large surgery whom I refuse to see because of their outdated, judgemental attitude towards my specialist diagnosis. Unfortunately they have a high staff turnover - previous awesome doctor, who is the one who organised my assessment/treatment for the ME, already left so I really desperately hope this one doesn't leave too as she is a great listener, takes issues seriously and is very proactive.

Sorry am totally off topic now it's just an issue close to my heart! Anyway, am quite nervous about the scan tomorrow - hopefully just abdominal but may need a vaginal one if it's not clear.

Definitely keep persisting if symptoms get worse.

BTW when I thought my first pregnancy was ectopic, the doctor sent me straight to A & E - I was admitted and had a scan the next morning in what I think was a gynae ward. Perhaps it was quicker and treated more urgently as I'd already had a BFP, but still you should consider it if the symptoms are severe as an ectopic would put you in danger as well as the baby.

Is there anyone who can look after your DCs if you need to seek more urgent help?

Fuzzpig, how did it go?
I have been thinking that although I am in no pain I could actually have an infection in my bladder. There is some pressure there and tickles and I do go to the loo more than usual. If it is not an infection then I do not know what it is. I also had a strong cup of coffee and as you can imagine I should not have had :)

I have been also thinking that may be my last strong periods was a miscarriage. My breasts started getting bigger a week after my previous periods. They were heavier and tender. Not something you get before periods. Then I had cramps and my periods started 5 days earlier. With my copper coil I did not experience cramps before and during periods. They were just long and heavy. So, I thought whether it was a miscarriage. There were a few small clots. May be there were more when I was using the loo. Then after periods my breasts stopped growing, became lighter but did not shrink to the original size (after two pregnancies and breast feedings they have become unnoticeable). I have also experienced some tension in my uterus and ovaries after that but no pain. Now it is different. I had cystitis a few years ago and my back was killing me. I also had to wee very often with burning sensation. I had to take antibiotics. So this time it is all confusing but I will have to ask tomorrow for a test. At least then I will know what are those tickles.
I probably sound paranoid but I should have asked my GP to change the coil. Once the threads are gone they should offer it to change. I would even pay for a good coil than got pregnant. I cannot afford being pregnant again but I also respect life. Because of this coil and other symptoms I have become almost paranoid :)

Hopefully I can see the nurse tomorrow. No coffee for me :))

Best of luck for tomorrow, I hope they sort it all out for you.

My scan was fine, I was annoyed though as the letter said to drink loads of water etc, and said only if the abdominal scan was unclear would they do a transvaginal one. So I drink as required and am completely desperate to pee, then I get called in to find out that the dr had already specified a TV scan and therefore I had to empty my bladder - so I'd done all that for nothing

Anyway, the scan was ok and not too uncomfortable - I said I tend to be nervous about internal exams (have to get diazepam for smear tests!) and the nurse stayed with me and it was fine :)

Not pregnant - which is for the best, though I still feel sad that what I thought might be there is in fact a figment of my imagination :( they mentioned a few things like the fact my uterus is backwards?! And I have to see the doctor next week about it. I don't think they found anything terrible anyway.

Fuzpig, you are so funny :). It is good that you are not pregnant as you did not want to be anyway. Imagination can be so powerful but never works if I want to win a lottery. What are they going to do with your uterus? Has it always been like that?
My previous GP also mentioned something about the position of my uterus but I do not remember what it was.

I asked "does that mean it's always been back to front" and they said they didn't know. Having googled it though, it seems it can either be genetic or caused by labour/childbirth. Very strange! It's not a problem though apparently so not worried :)

Oh, good. Hopefully nothing to worry about.

I completely forgot that early pregnancy signs are frequent urinating.
"In early pregnancy, the uterus grows and pushes on the bladder, triggering the urge to urinate more often."

I am not googling anymore. Need to do a test of urine and then worry. I also have one more pregnancy test left. Do not know whether to use it tomorrow or not. It was £3.50. Wonder if the price affects the accuracy.
Off the internet. Too much reading before bed is no good.

My urine has been checked and no infection has been found. I am also awaiting for the blood test results. I think my GP think s that I am making things up. She said if the pregnancy test was negative then I cannot be pregnant. That is why there are blood tests. If the test comes negative then there is something wrong with my body. There is sensitivity where my bladder and uterus; I urinate more often; my breasts have become firmer again and the nipples are sensitive. That is a week after my periods or may be it was not periods. I also have pain in my left shoulder and arm. Not constant but frequent. With the coil still in side I would be worried. It is like they are going by the text book without doing any additional research.

the pain in your left shoulder/arm is a worry along with all the other symptoms. have you considered ectopic pregnancy? often a negative result. i think you should get a 2nd opinion.

Thank you ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts. The pain is not constant which is good. I did not have it yesterday. In three days I will have to call to ask for the test results. If it is negative then I will have to wait for the ultrasound and see why do I have these strange symptoms. My nipples are definitely sore and the breasts have become fuller too. Not significantly but my bra cups are full. Some feeling where uterus is. My GP was annoyed with me. She said if it was an ectopic preg-cy then the test would have been positive. Will be waiting for the results.

I had a coil for several years and one day I noticed my period was late. I did a test and it was showing a faint positive. I went to the GP who referred me straight to the early pregnancy unit at the local hospital. They did another pregnancy test, which again showed positive, and gave me an internal scan which showed no pregnancy sack.

The scan did show, however, that the coil had almost hanging out and I was told that the body will always view a coil as a foreign body and try to expel it - that's why you're always told to keep checking for the strings. I wasn't insitu properly so fertilisation had taken place and pregnancy hormones, which triggered the very sensitive pregnancy test, had started to be produced. They said that the coil had done it's work, albeit late, in interfering with the pregnancy but a concern remained that I could still be having an ectopic pregnancy.

I had the coil taken out the same day at the hospital and then had to have blood tests at intervals to check that the hormone levels were dropping. Thankfully they did and I had a bleed as usual and that was the end of the episode.

Needless to say there was no way that I was having another coil put back in after that. I know exactly what you feel when you say you felt let down. I could never have trusted it again after that.

Afterwards, DH had a vasectomy as soon as we could arrange for him to have one. We've never looked back.

QueenoftheSarf, your GP is brilliant. Luckily everything turned out to be fine for you. I doubt my DH will go for the vasectomy. Actually I am tired of mine contraception. I have suffered with nearly anemia because I am kind of vegetarian. Coil does have its own disadvantages. If I am pregnant then I will have to carry on. If not then I want a break from the contraception. I want my DH to think that it is also his responsibility to think of contraception. I wonder whether vasectomy has any side effects. Many women who have had sterilisation wish they never had it because of the pain they encounter during the sex.