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Original poster

Pill to Coil - would you?

24 replies

SPARKLER1 · 27/05/2005 13:22

Went for a pill check this morning and everything was fine. I told the nurse that I was getting fed up with the pill as have been on it for 17 years. She gave me some leaflets re the coil. Not sure what to do now.
Would you reommend it? What was it like having it fitted?
TIA

OP posts:

Toothache · 27/05/2005 13:25

I have the Mirena Coil fitted and would definitely recommend it! After 4 months I now have very light periods with no cramps. I don't get any PMT either!

I'm not going to lie to you.... it wasn't nice getting it fitted, but it's only 15mins for 5 years of contraception!

Mosschops30 · 27/05/2005 13:26

Message withdrawn

Iklboo · 27/05/2005 13:48

Hmmm. Hadn't thought of this. DH & I were discussing post birth contraception. I won't be able to go back on the pill cos I hope to breastfeed. DH said he'd use condoms with no problem, but I hate them now (obviously always used them before I settled with DH). How soon after having baby could I feasibly have a coil fitted?

Toothache · 27/05/2005 13:51

iklboo - The mirena coil has progesterone in it, but my friend had it fitted whilst she was bf so you should be fine.

Jillyk · 27/05/2005 14:07

My doctor recommended the mini pill while I'm breastfeeding. Can't remember what brand I'm using but haven't had any problems with it.

Original poster

SPARKLER1 · 27/05/2005 15:45

I have been given leaflets for two types of coil. Haven't read them yet but apparently one of the them has a hormone in and one doesn't.

OP posts:

Original poster

SPARKLER1 · 27/05/2005 15:48

One is a IUD and one is an IUS

OP posts:

Mosschops30 · 27/05/2005 16:45

Message withdrawn

Original poster

SPARKLER1 · 27/05/2005 16:49

I'm really worried about the fitting. Leaflet says you can have painkiller or local anaesthetic if you like

OP posts:

Mosschops30 · 27/05/2005 16:54

Message withdrawn

serenity · 27/05/2005 17:00

I had the coil (not the hormone one) after DS2. I didn't find it painful to put in, no worse than having a smear really - uncomfortable and a bit crampy. However, I bled heavily for the next nine weeks, by which time I was really fed up so I had it removed. It was around this time I discovered I had thyroid problems so I suppose it could be related to that.

SofiaAmes · 28/05/2005 01:23

I went from the mirena to the pill. The mirena was not at all painful going in, and I didn't feel it at all going out (gp was waving it in my face, and I was still waiting for it to come out). I found it uncomfortable during sex and it made my periods far heavier. I also had various other symptoms that weren't caused by the mirena, but were cleared up on the pill.

ballsup · 28/05/2005 01:45

Hi,
I've been on and off the pill since I was 16 (I'm now 42 and have one DS) and no one has ever offered this alternative to me. As soon as I came off the pill - either for a break from it or to get pregnant, I would have such bad period pains I couldn't even walk or sometimes sit down. I'd have to have time off work because of the pain and it would sometimes go on for 2 weeks after I'd stopped bleeding during periods. I have put on a considerable amount of weight since having my son (because of very strong anti-depressants I'm on - honest!!) and I've been threatened with being taken off of the pill 'cos of the weight.
I was diagnosed with endometriosis whilst having a laproscopy, and the surgeon got rid of a lot of it. But if I stop taking the pill the terrible pain comes back.
Would I be able to have a coil do you think, or would the endometriosis prevent it??? Or is my GP just useless...??

assumedname · 28/05/2005 08:23

No - bad cramps after it was inserted and then I got pregnant!

Original poster

SPARKLER1 · 29/05/2005 08:54

I need to make a decision. It sounds very uncomfortable. The pill has worked well for me so changing is quite scary. {shock] at getting pregnant with the coil!

OP posts:

expatinscotland · 29/05/2005 08:56

How long can you take the Pill? Some places in the States are hesitantn to give it to women over 35 b/c of the stroke risk. How realistic is that?

I LOVED my Pill (Dianette)! It made my skin glow, I felt wonderful, and had nice, light periods.

Pinotmum · 29/05/2005 09:33

I discussed this with my GP on Friday and have the leaflets. I think I'll go for the Mirena which is the hormone one (I think). I can't take the pill for ever more though I have no problems with it. If the coil doesn't work dh is going for the snip but he doesn't know it yet

Leogaela · 30/05/2005 14:08

my doctor wouldn't fit coil with hormones while I am bfeeding. have a normal coil, no problems so far, but also no periods yet.

I had no pain when I had it fitted. Its no worse than having a smear. Just a bit wierd and a little bit invasive. took me a while to psychologically get used to having the thing inside me, was very nervous the first time we had sex.

Toothache · 30/05/2005 14:16

Yeah Mirena is the one with hormones. But only Progesterone (much like the minipill). So you get less of the nasty menstrual symptoms.
Sparkler1 - My friend was offered a local anaesthic as she gave birth by section so her cervix was tight shut. I have pushed out 2 babies and got it fitted when dd was only 16wks old..... no probs getting that tiny thing through my cervix!

Leogaela · 30/05/2005 21:57

I had a section. cervix was 2 cm dilated. having the coil fitted wasn't painful.

kikidee · 30/05/2005 22:23

I had a section as well and didn't find the fitting particularly uncomfortable - just like a smear really. It was fitted by a very no-nonsense GP at the FP clinic and there was absolutely no chance of a local anaesthetic! I got it about 8 months ago and the one thing I would say is my periods are much heavier than they were before. It's the no-hormone one so maybe the one with hormones wouldn't affect your periods so much.

Toothache · 31/05/2005 08:14

kikidee - The Hormone (mirena) coil eventually (in most cases) stops your periods entirely. Much like the minipill. Your body receives a constant dose of progesterone.

Ah perhaps my friend just had a particularly awkward cervix! Must tell her that.

The insertion of my coil would have been less undignified if the GP hadn't kept complaining that the new device to fit them was rubbish and it took her 3 attempts to get it through! Grrrrrr.

So worth it though. I don't have to think about contraception again until dd is at school.

AtHomeMum · 01/06/2005 16:10

Was on pill before children. Had coil fitted after dd3. No hassle having it fitted (easier if quite soon after birth i think - about 4 months for me). Quite like a smear test really. I had normal coil, not mirena. Mine has no hormones. Some people get side effects from mirena, but does stop mensttral bleeding. Mine caused slightly heavier bleeding i think, but otherwise no side effects. When my 5 years are up I may try mirena. Ask your GP for info or look online. I much prefer it to the pill. Also i thought with 3 under 4 yrs i would not be able to remember to take pill each morning if i could not leave by bed (which i wouldn't do with little ones about).

catgirl · 01/06/2005 16:17

I had the mirena with no problems, doc did faff around inserting it (maybe same problem as Toothache?, but it wasn't too bad - although I did take two nurofen (sp?) an hour or so beforehand 'just in case'.

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