Coil Removal and Pyschological Response

[warmestwishes]

Can't really think of a suitable title to describe the issue but anyway here goes....

Whenever I have had vaginal internals, Smears/coil fitting cyst related issues, I respond in a way that I can't control. My rational head wants to get it done and over with but despite that I just get all light headed and sickly, I've often turned green and been close to fainting. If people talk about periods or pelvic pain, I start feeling that way too. I feel utterly pathetic and am certainly not choosing to respond like this.

I've birthed 2 children, one of whom was 11lb and even had an ovary removed and lots of cysts. I always attend smears and just force myself to get through it. Sometimes I am not that bad and can respond semi normally other times I get really woozy and sick. Behaving like this makes me feel so embarrassed.

Anyway I have a coil that needs removing and it turns out the strings have gone missing. So will be having to see someone who specialises in removing coils where strings have disappeared. I don't know what they do differently and I don't want to know. Even typing this out is making me nauseous.

Is there anyone out there that experiences this and has found a solution? I've thought about hypnotherapy vaguely but I had it years back for insomnia and it didn't work. I can't think of anything else. On my last appointment I took a Valium but I think the feeling of being out of control made it worse.

Yes I had the missing string scenario and I have to say it went very smoothly and fast - she just hauled it out in seconds. Maybe have someone with you to handhold? Well done on having kids feeling like this! Hypnotherapy didn't work for me and GPs won't give valium so last tooth extraction I was a wreck and made a right fool of myself so you are not alone.

Oh that's really good to know. I haven't googled because I thought I might read something that will increase the panic. If it is just seconds I should be ok.

The gp has given me Valium and doubled the strength but last time I took it, I felt like I was fighting even harder to stiffen up and fight against the effects of the Valium combined with the procedure. My mind says relax and my body says fight!

Thanks so much for your reassurance!

I have this with tampons, i fall sweating to the floor and faint (so cannot use them) and i learnt on mumsnet that what i have is a vasovagal response. Was a relief to know what it is.

Ha! I did have something like that with tampons but not so extreme, as with internals and smears. One good thing about the marina coil is subsequent lack of periods, so no need for tampons.

It's just the getting it out business!

That's a vaso-vagal response; the faint & sicky feeling (DH gets like that with blood tests & stitches!).

It's often not logical at all, it's a physiological response.

If you know it happens to you, it's worth telling the HCP doing the extraction. They'll probably make you lie down for a lot longer till it passes!

I found extraction of a coil to be vastly less unpleasant to insertion, btw! (But vasovagal responses don't give a shit about that!)