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Women's health

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Original poster

Coil insertion - how painful is it really?

64 replies

piglet81 · 27/11/2023 16:03

Just had my implant taken out due to low mood and 0 libido. Nurse/dr recommended a mirena coil instead as the hormone dose is lower…but I feel sick at the thought of having it put in. She blithely said ‘oh, it’s probably no worse than a smear’ but I simply don’t believe having something poked through the cervix isn’t going to be agony. Really not sure I can bring myself to do it but on the other hand she said I need contraception until age 55 (I’m 42) which is a bit of a long haul.

I haven’t given birth vaginally but did get to about 8cm dilated before emcs. That was 8 years ago though.

Please tell me your thoughts and experiences!

OP posts:

Suasthuasanuas · 03/12/2023 14:56

I'm a mum of 2, both vaginal births. On my 2nd Mirena. Have to say the 2nd time around it was painful to gt put in and very bad cramps similar to contractions for a few hours afterwards. I was worried I'd have to go back to have it out. But once that settled down absolutely no subsequent discomfort.
Amazing to not even have to think about periods or pmt. Life changing really. My GP was a great advocate for it and convinced me it would be a goo d idea. Only sorry I didn't listen to her sooner.
Oh and I would say, while I got mine put in without sedation, GP said she got knocked out for it herself which I thought was interesting.

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 03/12/2023 23:48

I think it depends on the skill of the person doing it. The more they do, the better.

Destiny123 · 04/12/2023 00:07

Bit uncomfortable wouldn't say any worse than cramps. They struggled to get it in as tiny cervix/no kids

supersuss · 04/12/2023 00:19

I've had two copper coils, first one as emergency contraception at a sexual health clinic while I was still at university. They kind of sprung it on me (I wanted to take the 5 day morning pill instead) and I felt quite scared. It definitely hurt and I had bad cramps for a few days, but all completely manageable and got some painkillers to take home with me. I'm glad I did it.

Second time round, I had that one taken out and a new one put in during the same appointment - it was so quick and painless that I didn't even realise the gyno had swapped them round. This was done privately.

Not sure if something about my anatomy changed in those 5 years, or if maybe I was less anxious the second time as it wasn't an emergency and I was somewhere with cucumber water instead of a gritty STI clinic? 😅

supersuss · 04/12/2023 00:20

No kids btw... yet...

WilloTheWispy · 04/12/2023 00:21

Fecking awful. Took 3 people (in a specialist sexual health clinic) over an hour trying to get the fucker in, and none of them could. All the while I was being poked and prodded, and it was hideous. They suggested I come back and try again. I decided not to. Obviously.

clopper · 04/12/2023 00:36

I found it agonising and was shaking with pain… sorry. However, I also find smears very painful and can feel it for days afterwards so maybe I have a very sensitive cervix or something.

Katy231 · 04/12/2023 00:41

The actual painful part is when they measure your cervix. Not the actual insertion.

First time I had it, it felt like a period pain that lasted 30s

Second time... Omg. It was so awful. Wtf did she do, I do not know. She couldn't measure my cervix as I was on my period (sort of, I think it got triggered with the insertion or maybe it wasn't a period, I don't know). Anyway there was blood everywhere it was a disaster.

I gave birth vaginally without pain control so I have a decent pain threshold.

Katy231 · 04/12/2023 00:43

Also why not the kyleena coil? It has less hormone than the mirena...

TedandRebecca4eva · 04/12/2023 02:33

tomatoontoast · 27/11/2023 17:03

Horrific. Truly horrible.

Me too. I literally screamed with the pain.

To111ornotto111 · 04/12/2023 02:58

Before kids, excruciating. After each baby (emcs both times but dilated each time), barely felt it if at all.

CazandOli · 23/08/2025 11:04

I've just had it done today. 2 Csections, most recent one 2.5yrs ago. My cervix was 'hard to find' and 'tilted'... Lucky me I guess

NeverDropYourMooncup · 23/08/2025 11:15

It was fine. Bit of a weird sensation, but nothing particularly unpleasant (I'd had a planned section for malpresentation, so had never got to even the pre-labour stage) and all I did was do a 'resigned sigh' to ensure I was physically relaxed. Soon as it was done, I wanted to get up and go, but the GP who fitted it and the nurse insisted I sat down for a couple of minutes first, which I really didn't need.

Not having periods for years made a huge difference to my life, completely separate to being an effective form of contraception - my only issue was the ex moaning that he could feel the threads, but in all honesty that was more likely because he wanted me to have another baby (or three, he decided he wanted at least five kids) and I wasn't budging on that, hence the Mirena in the first place.

stayathomer · 23/08/2025 11:17

Personally I found the smear more uncomfortable than the coil going in. Just a lot of deep breaths

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