Copper coil experiences

[Jaffacake007]

Hi

I've been on many different types of contraceptive pill since I was 16. I'm now 27 and have an 18 month old daughter and within the last 6 months have been very poorly having had a pulmonary embolism after covid.

I was taking Dianette at the time which is notorious for blood clots apparently, but my respiratory consultants believe the clot was more likely from covid with how my body responded etc.

I have decided I finally need to sort myself out some contraception after feeling healthy again. My GP prescribed desogestrel mini pill as obviously I can't take the combined pill anymore as oestrogen raises the likelihood of more clots. However, after googling, I've discovered that desogestrel may still be more likely to cause blood clots than older, progesterone-only pills.

I'm now at the point where I have been off contraception for 6 months and I'm wondering why I'm considering pumping my body with more hormones and being worried it is going to affect my health... so now I'm considering the copper coil.

I had a difficult birth and PTSD all during the beginning of the pandemic where my partner couldn't be present for examinations, induction of labour etc which really affected me as a FTM not knowing what to expect. So I am incredibly nervous about having an invasive procedure. I have had a smear test since giving birth and that was fine, but I'm worried (hearing stories from friends) that it is really painful. During one of my examinations after being induced I was screaming in agony and actually passed out from pain.

Now I feel like I can't really avoid not having the coil as my options are limited and would prefer not to use condoms. I am keen to try and conceive again in the next couple of years so hoping the copper coil is the right method for me.

Is anyone willing to share their experiences of the procedure, how it affected your periods/mood/health, your fertility after having it removed etc?

Thanks so much in advance

I got one between my two kids because if had the mirena previously and had issues conceiving the eldest because it gave me a thin endometrial layer. The copper coil seemed like a good choice as GP said it was less likely to effect the EL and wouldn't mess my hormones up (i was keen to TTC again by the time my eldest was around 18m so wanted to keep things level).

All good in theory. However, It gave me horrendously heavy periods. I'd always had quite heavy periods, as in five days with two of those changing the heaviest flow tampon or pad every couple of hours. But these were something else. I managed three months of terrible cramps and week long flooding and had to take time off work all three months due to the pain and flooding. Then month four I came on in the queue on Sainsbury's, soaked through my trousers in the less than the ten mins it took me to queue and pay and then fainted in the car park.

When I was seen in A&E I was told that this I alarmingly common in young women on the CC (especially those who've had a baby within the previous 3-5yrs) and the doctor was cross I hadn't been warned. I ended up needing a transfusion that day.

Obviously I get that the hormones limit your choices but please do do your research and talk to your doctor candidly before jumping in. It's a pain to get removed too, so not only did it make me ill but I then had to go through getting it ripped out after just a few months.

Good luck, it's a bloody minefield.

I have had 2 x 5 year mirena coils, then a 10 year copper coil which I had removed after 18 months and now replaced with another mirena.

I had the copper coil removed early because it gave me really really heavy periods for between 7-10 days each month. The mirena coil has mostly stopped my periods (probably 1-2 very light days a month).

The pain of both insertion and removal is quick and sharp but over very quickly and I was left with period like cramps for a day or 2 after.

I can't speak for fertility after as I have been using them for so long in order to avoid ever getting pregnant again 🙂