Copper Coil fitting - does not need to be painful!!

[clairewarrensmith]

Hi all - I really wanted to share with you my experiences of the Copper Coil, as I have had an unnecessarily horrible experience and I wish I'd been told a few things first....

First and foremost - the Coil is great. Periods were a bit heavier, but nothing serious. Other than that it was perfect - I couldn't feel it, I had no side effects, and I didn't have to remember to take anything, which was perfect as my track record of remembering the pill was shoddy at best. My partner could occasionally feel it (maybe 3-4 times in 2 years) but nothing off putting, and it certainly didn't 'get in the way'.

My horror story is not the coil, but the fitting of it. And before I scare anyone who is thinking of having one put in, there is a happy end to this tale - I've just had it out and when I explained how nervous I was to the nurse at the health centre she asked me about my experience of having it fitted, and then told me that it shouldn't have been like that.

The fitting. Couple of things that you should know.

1. have it done when you are on your period - your cervix is softer and wider, which makes it less painful/uncomfortable
2. If you haven't had a natural birth before then it could be more painful, so take some decent painkillers beforehandm and heed the advice below!
3. Ring beforehand and ask if they use an anaesthetic gel. This gel is used by loads of healthcentres but not by all doctors surgeries - there is no reason to have this procedure done without it, so check if your doctor uses it, and if not then consider going to your local sexual health clinic. Remember, at the clinics they are doing these procedures all the time, so they are well practiced and you are more likely to get a pain-free experience. An anaesthetic injection can sometimes be used too, but i've read that this is painful. The gel is the winner here ladies!
4. If they dont use a gel to numb your cervix then there are a couple of elements to the procedure that can be painful - they use a clip to hold your cervix in place, and I found this horrendous. Not everybody does, but my experience was awful. They then have to measure you, and the finally insert it. My doctor took 5 attempts to get it in, and it was torturous. When I explained this to the nurse at the health centre who removed it she said that I wouldn't have felt any of that if they'd used the gel, and that it is very uncommon for a fitting to take so long, so I obviously had a bad experience.
5. you can feel pretty shakey afterwards, so get someone to drive you home if you can, and give yourself time to recover. Everyone reacts differently, but if you do have a bad time, rushing back to work will not feel great! Again, the nurse who removed it said that with the use of the Gel the majority of her ladies walk out feeling totally fine.

The removal that she did was totally pain free - genuinely - she inserted the speculum, then gently pulled the coil out in about 10 seconds. She didn't use the clip on my cervix either - again, some doctors DO use the clip for removal but its not necessary, so check before you have it out, and if you don't want to have it used then go somewhere else. I felt nothing more than the feeling of a tampon being pulled out. She didn't use the gel for the removal, but I was offered it in case any aspect of the procedure became uncomfy. It really was a walk in the park.

I guess the point of the story is : You have a choice! Coil fitting does not have to be painful, and if you're worried about the procedure speak to your surgery first - ask them if they use the gel, and if not, go somewhere else! I couldn't recommend the Health Centre I used in Nottingham enough, and even though my fitting experience was awful I would not be nervous at all about having it done again. Good Luck everyone!

Thank you! I've got one in a couple of weeks at a sexual health clinic at a hospital, but they don't use the gel. Everywhere I've asked, no one seems to have even heard of it

Is there any way I can buy this gel over the counter and ask them to put it on?

I had my coil fitted at the hospital, because I was under a consultant for hormonal issues.

Mine wasn't painful, they didn't use the LA gel.
It felt a bit weird to have someone up my chuff, but in no way way it painful. We chatted through it

I know it's going to be painful because I had a smear test a couple of months ago and it was very very painful sadly

Some people get really heavy periods on the copper coil. It works by preventing implantation rather than preventing ovulation and/or sperm meeting egg, and so some consider it an abortifacient.

I had an anaesthetic (spinal), didn't feel a thing, was lying back listening to the radio and chatting away to the anaesthetist etc. Felt it after though, cramps afterwards weren't pleasant and had a lot of painkillers.

Have been told I've the option of a cervical block the next time (injection into cervix) but I really don't fancy that at all.

I've had two copper IUD's - no problems what-so-ever.

I've never been pregnant, I had my first IUD at 21 and I'm 31 now.

I didn't experience any increase in flow or cramps with the IUD - I experience hyper-menorrhoea and use a menstrual cup, I also don't experience menstrual cramps, so I'd notice if there'd been a difference.

My first IUD was done by a nurse in a local family planning clinic, mid-cycle, they popped it in and that was that - they insisted I lay down for ten minutes as they didn't believe me when I said there was no pain. I experienced no pain or bleeding what-so-ever, like nothing happened.

My second IUD was done by my GP in her practice mid-cycle, it was her first attempt and unfortunately she used the wrong equipment: she used a pair of tongs with sharp spikes to grab my cervix. If it hadn't been for those tongs I assure you it would have been pain-free and blood-free, but the tongs dug into my cervix so there was a little pain and bleeding.

I think pain comes down to two factors:

1. Training of the staff (getting better as IUD's are recommended more).
2. If you're prone to menstrual cramps...it makes sense that if you're more sensitive to the hormone-like substances that cause uterine contractions that you're going to have more problems with IUD insertion. But just like with menstrual cramps this is preventable, or at very least you can reduce pain by using things like painkillers, herbal treatments like raspberry leaf tea, etc.

I had an attempted coil insertion by my GP. The experience was painful and generally a hurried/clumsy experience. She tried several times and had to give up as she couldn't get it in. I went to FP clinic at hospital and no problems. They fit them so often (whereas my GP doesn't) that they were much more skilled and would without question go there again.

It's called instilligel

First fitting - experienced female, clamp wasn't painful, didn't feel the sound or fitting. Fitted on period with gel, took cocodamol and ibruprofen
No cramps after

Second fitting (this Friday after first one expelled after 18 months)
Male doctor (not who I had booked in with ), I swore at the gel as it hurt, and got a massive cramp as the coil was fitted. Took exact same painkillers. Cramps and bleeding after. Fitted not on period or mid cycle

Thank you OP and everyone :)

I've just spoken to the clinic again and asked to speak to Dr, who confirmed they do have the gel available! Hurray!