Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Women's health

Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you have medical concerns, please seek medical attention.

Original poster

I whimped out getting the coil

88 replies

saltontoast · 01/11/2021 11:38

Well that was horrific. Just as they stretched my womb I had to stop, now I'm so annoyed because it was so close to being over.

I'm going back on Wednesday to have a local anaesthetic needle beforehand, which I'm also now dreading.

Any words of advice? I'm quite annoyed at myself but it was intense pressure and I wasn't sure if I could cope anymore.

Ugh why is it so stressful.
Sorry for the rant. I took the morning off work for nothing Sad

OP posts:
black2black · 01/11/2021 19:51

How strange. I’ve had one fitted twice and felt no pain at all and no cramping afterwards.

I was going to get another fitted but I’m scared now that I was just lucky before!

TurnUpTurnip · 01/11/2021 19:53

@black2black

How strange. I’ve had one fitted twice and felt no pain at all and no cramping afterwards.

I was going to get another fitted but I’m scared now that I was just lucky before!

Tbf I would say you are in the minority Most people say they are painful
Badabingbadabum · 01/11/2021 19:54

Don't feel bad op. I had my first at 22ish and I'm not sure how I got through it. They need to dilate your cervix if they can't insert it. I couldn't believe how painful it was. I had taken some prescription cocodamol before hand and still in so much pain. It worked so well that I was happy to have a second fitted after dd2 and I barely felt that at all, but I was only 4 months PP at that point so probably not really narrow of cervix!

If they suit you they are a really good form of contraception though. And removal tends to be really simple, nothing like having it inserted.

Doveyouknow · 01/11/2021 20:02

My GP tried to fit a coil and failed so I was referred to the local hospital for them to have a go. The pain when they tried to dilate my cervix was horrific, it felt worse than child birth. Worse the doctor made it clear she thought I was making a fuss over nothing and the procedure was painless. It may be for some women...

Orangesarenottheonlyfruit · 01/11/2021 20:04

Don't feel bad OP. I am extremely tough (swam a 1k race with a ripped rotar cuff for example) and I thought the coil insertion was some of the worst agony ever.
I had 2 c sections so they had to winch open my tight cervix. I screamed the place down. It was horrendous.
I was told beforehand that I would be fine to walk home but actually I collapsed 100 yards up the road and had to call a taxi to get me home.
I was bruised and doubled up for days afterwards.
I then bled non stop for four fucking months. (Apparently within the bounds of normal).
I felt hoodwinked and furious.
Don't let anyone minimise your pain. For some of us it is a fucking nightmare.

rubydoobydoo · 01/11/2021 20:05

Don't feel bad - I have a high pain threshold and nearly aborted mid-fitting! I haven't given birth so was prepared for some pain, took ibuprofen AND paracetamol beforehand- and I screamed at the part where they measure your womb! I agreed to let them stick some local anaesthetic up there and carry on and managed to actually get the thing fitted.

latte101 · 01/11/2021 20:09

I had a GA for my mirena as I was having some cervical ablation. Removal was agony.

I've since had two DC, when looking at contraception I realised I couldn't be trusted with the pill, and don't want a coil so have had the implant. The local stung but insertion was fine. Could that be an option?

Ticketybooboo · 01/11/2021 20:10

I have a high pain threshold but found the pain excrutiating. It was initially attempted to be fitted by my Dr but I couldn't do it and so I was then referred to a gyno for insertion along with a local. It still really hurt and I was howling but totally worth it as my periods were so heavy and debilitating and it's been life changing.

CaMePlaitPas · 01/11/2021 20:20

This is nothing short of barbary. My non hormonal contraception is the rhythm method and tracking ovulation. So much for liberation.

Hormonehelp · 01/11/2021 20:23

The first time I had mine done I fainted. The injections were painful.

Second time I went prepared- I ate a meal earlier in the day, a chocolate bar 15 mins before and took ibuprofen and paracetamol. Had no injections and it barely hurt. Like a stabbing period pain.
Honestly I wish someone had warned me the previous time to eat, and raise blood sugar. I fainted Confused

Hormonehelp · 01/11/2021 20:24

I should add one friend loves hers but it took general anaesthetic to fit as three specialist tried and failed to insert.

Also friends who had copper didn’t like it. It made their periods unbearably heavy

actiongirl1978 · 01/11/2021 20:34

My GP told me to have it inserted while on my period. I've had it done twice and this was the easiest by far. Painless.

Regularsizedrudy · 01/11/2021 20:40

Yikes! That sounds horrific, is it really worth it? Why not just use condoms?

Fuckityfucksake · 01/11/2021 21:15

I've not had/got one but I have had my fill of getting one forced upon me. It's the go to answer for all female reproductive problems it seems.
I've not taken any form of hormone contraception since my mid 20's and have managed to prevent further pregnancies just fine so now i'm peri and my hormones are all over guess what I'm being offered as a solution.
No thanks I'll pass. (this thread alone is enough to put me off but I've heard other horrific stuff as well from women I know)
Sadly I'm not shocked that no form of pain relief is routinely offered, anyone who has had the misfortune of Colposcopy biopsies/treatment will literally feel your pain - as the barbaric fuckers there don't give it neither.
Yes to whoever said if it happened to men it would be different. Way way and pain free different for sure.
Op I hope it goes better for you at the next attempt x

Original poster
saltontoast · 02/11/2021 07:52

Sorry about the lack of replies everyone, the whole thing is really getting me down. I've had lots of procedures, including ivf and complications with a miscarriage so I'm not sure why I couldn't handle the pain of the coil.

Speaking with DH, if this doesn't work I will use the pill. He says he will get the snip, but I doubt that will happen.

I'm going to go in and keep telling myself it'll be over soon, then afterwards have a huge glass of wine.

We had years of male factor infertility, so I've never used contraception (other than condoms)

This is all a bit grim for me. I wanted hormone free as I've had so many hormones in my body over the past 4 years I wanted a break.

I also worry about hormones effecting my moods, weight and other symptoms.

I know everyone experiences pain differently and unfortunately I struggled Sad

OP posts:
Iwantcollarbones · 02/11/2021 08:10

Don’t beat yourself up. It is painful.
I had my first one 5 years ago and I was so shaken by it I had to sit in my car for half an hour before it was safe for me to drive home and it wasn’t even that painful then. I had it replaced a couple of months ago and it was horrendous. I meant to take painkillers before I left home but it was a manic morning so I didn’t get chance. I was offered a spritz of lidocaine, like that was going to help, and afterwards because I was shaking so violently I was given a dextrose tablet. If I didn’t need a coil to stop the continuous bleeding I have without it I would send dh off for the snip. At least he would be given adequate anaesthesia during the procedure.

Sahgah · 02/11/2021 08:15

When I had mine put in I found it as painful as contractions and that is how I would describe it. Luckily it only lasted a short time. I’m already dreading it being replaced in 2 years time.

TitoMojito · 02/11/2021 08:17

So did I, OP! It was just too painful and they said they weren't comfortable continuing when it was clear I was in so much pain. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It's sore!

fedup078 · 02/11/2021 08:45

@saltontoast honestly op don't beat yourself up
I'd rather push out another large baby with no pain relief than have someone fucking about with my cervix again. I'm more traumatised by the lletz procedure I had 10 years ago than any other medical procedure I've had
As you can see from all the posts you are far from alone

LadyHalesBroach · 02/11/2021 09:23

Not to divert the thread, but has anyone had one and then the other? I had copper before, and my doctor was trying to guide me towards mirena. I only opted for copper before because i liked the idea of having no hormones in my system, but the copper did make my periods about two weeks long (though about 6 weeks apart).

I was going to go with the copper again but what's every one else experiences with mirena?

ProcrastinationIsMySuperPower · 02/11/2021 09:35

I had my coil inserted during a colposcpy under local anaesthetic, so didn't feel a thing. It has worked very well for me, and I didn't have a period in nearly 5 years. Sadly it's now well overdue for changing but the strings have disappeared 😕 and I found the nurse rooting around up there with something that looked like a bottle brush really uncomfortable so I am dreading having my cervix dilated to retrieve it. The hospital sent me a lovely letter advising me to take 1g of paracetamol beforehand. I think I'll insist on local anaesthetic as a minimum!

ProcrastinationIsMySuperPower · 02/11/2021 09:41

And OP, you didn't 'wimp out'. People's pain thresholds are different; you can bet that if this was a procedure performed on men, decent pain relief would be standard.

fedup078 · 02/11/2021 09:45

Can you imagine if there was a something akin to coils / smear tests and so on and so on for men?
😂
It just wouldn't happen

Duckrace · 02/11/2021 10:22

I had a coil inserted previously and it was fine actually.

3peassuit · 02/11/2021 10:33

I remember the intense pain I felt when I had the coil fitted. It was well over 30 years ago so I had imagined things would have improved by now. It’s horrific that so many women still go through this and the pain is just referred to as discomfort on the NHS website.