Can only have a hysteroscopy if I have a mirena coil.

[Bubbles2002]

Hi all, I have been suffering with very heavy periods with blood clots. This has got worse within the last year and I have also bled occasionally between periods. I had an ultrasound scan which showed a bulky uterus and possible fibroids. Just before Christmas I was feeling very ill and they took blood tests and I was sent in the same day for a blood transfusion as I was so anaemic. They told me in the hospital they wanted to rule out anything sinister so would hurry up the hysteroscopy I was meant to be having. I had been waiting 11 months by that point. I then had a hysteroscopy under local anesthetic but they said my cervix was too tight for them to do it or to obtain the endometrial biopsy. So was told I would need to have it done under general anesthetic. I have now been for the follow-up appointment and seen a different consultant and she basically said my options were either the mirena coil put in during hysteroscopy or a laser ablation. She basically said there was no point having the hysteroscopy if I didn't have the mirena coil. I have quite a few reasons for not wanting the mirena coil, but i just want the peace of mind in knowing that there is nothing "sinister" going on by having the biopsy and hysteroscopy. Should I just not bother to have the hysteroscopy and biopsy if I don't want the coil? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Can I ask why you don't want a mirena ?

I had horrific periods with blood clots.
Totally cured by a Mirena coil. My GP said they save 1000s of women from needing hysterectomies.
I imagine your doctor is fairly confident there is nthing sinister and wants to kill two birds with one stone.

That's nonsense - of course you can. I did!
I was lucky, my gynae put me under no pressure to have the Mirena fitted, but I've heard of others that have.

I had the Mirena and personally found it very beneficial for my absolutely horror movie style periods , maybe consider it ?

Absolute rubbish. I had a mirena fitted just over a year ago (heavy bleeding, diagnosed multiple fibroids) and it caused me nothing but grief - bled almost constantly at some level of intensity and cramps like I'd never had before. It seems to have expelled itself after a particularly heavy bleed at the end of last year and I'm not awaiting uterine artery embolisation to treat the fibroids. I had a hysteroscopy a couple of weeks ago to do a biopsy and general investigation, and the plan had been to remove the mirena if it was still there. I went private but the nhs consultant wouldn't do anything without a biopsy as I'm over the age of 40. I had mine done under general (I believe the NHS might not offer this as standard) and it was fine, had no pain relief other than what they gave me while I was still under, very mild cramps afterwards, but I would have been fine to go home at lunchtime after procedure first thing (had to wait around for X-ray to confirm mirena hadn't perforated my uterus!).

Bollocks. Of course you can have a hysteroscopy without having a mirena coil fitted.

I had a hysteroscopy under general anaesthetic last December and was given the option of whether to have a mirena or not although there was definitely pressure to have it. I could have had the hysteroscopy without the mirena.

I agreed to try the mirena (heavy periods, same reason as many women). I bloody well wish I hadn't agreed to have it. I have now permanent PMS and low mood. I have bled on many of the days since it was fitted and I want to get it removed soon. The problem is that they are reluctant to remove it once it is in there.

I should have stuck with my original decision of many years ago, which was to never have contraceptive devices inserted into me and to steer clear of hormonal contraception (DH had a vasectomy after DD3 was born, so contraception for me is not necessary).

Stick to your guns. If you don't want the mirena say that you want the hysteroscopy in order to check things out, but you don't consent at this point to having a mirena coil fitted. That you trust that they will respect your wishes etc. etc.

Ah thanks so much all for your advice. The main reason I don't want the coil is I have suffered terribly with migraines for the past few years, I have now got them under control for the first time ever and I am reluctant to have the coil that might then tip the balance as I have read they can sometimes cause migraines. I guess my main concern is that I just want them to rule out anything untoward. It's good to know that I am justified in asking for just the hysteroscopy and biopsy.

If they try to refuse you the hysteroscopy without you agreeing to have the mirena coil inserted then perhaps ask them if that means they are now refusing to rule out anything untoward?

Otherwise, it seems like an attempt to force you into having the mirena without respecting the fact that it is your body, so your choice.

I honestly don't see why the mirena is flogged so obsessively. All options should be put on the table and fully explained, right from POP pill (mini pill), the mirena, hysteroscopy and ablation through to hysterectomy. Instead, the mirena is touted as the magic panacea for absolutely everything, and those of us with reasons for not wanting it are all but dismissed.

I don't think the doctor should pressurise you but from her point of view say she does not find fibroids or anything else but just a bulky uterus (could be Adenomyosis but even hysteroscopy cannot confirm it) so what is she to do then and resolve your heavy period problem? You would be under general anesthesia so she can't discuss with you at that time so she would have to finish the procedure and then when you wake up inform you of the situation and then tell you that there are 3 options : you can live with it , you can have mirena or you can have ablation. And if you decide any of the last 2 she has to again book you in and put you through general anesthesia and hysteroscopy again.
Instead of doing all that she is being forefront and asking you what you want and of course telling you what she prefers.
She is definitely not a good communicator if you are missing the point and feeling pressured but she is offering you to get everything done one time. Whether you take that choice or not is entirely up to you.

she would have to finish the procedure and then when you wake up inform you of the situation and then tell you that there are 3 options : you can live with it , you can have mirena or you can have ablation

Having gone through it myself last December, and with the value of hindsight now (what a great thing that is), I would say that is exactly what should happen.

I wish I had been given all of the options when all of the information was available (i.e. after the hysteroscopy rather than before). I would have liked to have considered them properly rather than feeling pressured. I have since found out that there was at least one other option available to me that wasn't even discussed, but which I think I would have preferred if given the choice. I would probably have come to a very different conclusion, and I feel rather aggrieved and let down now. It isn't even resolving my problems at the moment, and it is creating more (low mood and permanent PMS with unpredictable bleeding).

This is shocking OP. Of course you shouldn’t be railroaded into accepting a Mirena as part of investigations into a problem.

Insist on the hysteroscopy and biopsy first, then decide what to do.

I am waiting for the same procedure but have already made it clear I am not having a Mirena. It caused me nothing but trouble before (although I know it’s great for some) and never again. It’s just pushed as a cheap option with little regard to its effects. Plus it can easily be put in by your gp if you change your mind.

Stand firm! I’ve been learning that we have to to get proper treatment.