Embedded coil removal

[Roaringlions]

I've got the copper coil, and it has been found to be almost fully embedded in the muscle wall of my womb.
They've mentioned surgical removal, but nothing further as to what type of surgery.

I'm waiting for an urgent gynae referral, but does anyone have any ideas what type of surgery it might be?

When I was looking to find out how coil removal was dealt with, there no information out there. I had the coil in by ga and was just told my GP could pull it. Very hard as I’ve recently had a colonoscopy where sedation through medication is offered as standard.

I eventually got seen at a hospital and 3 nurses in a room with a chair that seemed better then the sexual health clinic who tried to take coil out previously I was offered to be rescheduled under a ga (to my mind that would have added months and been an actual hysteroscopy type procedure) so I went with an injection or two of anaesthetic gel down below if you know what I mean, was offered gas and air too I think but as the first removal of the coil failed under that, I wasn’t keen. Still I managed to board a train an hour later, get something to eat in hospital cafe and then walk to station, visit a supermarket etc on my own. Fully with it. Finally the different road trips and begs/complaints to get the mirena removed were successful along with the differing advice someone must look and know the strings are there.

It’s usually removed via hysteroscopy if the main body of the coil is still inside your uterine cavity. If it’s gone through completely and is mainly outside the uterine cavity (which is very rare!), it may be laparoscopic surgery.

@WetBandits it hasn't perforated through as far as I can tell from what they've said, but one arm and the bottom bit are fully in the muscle I think.
It sounds like there is one arm still in the womb cavity and the rest is stuck.

Mine was removed from my abdominal cavity through a laparoscopy. Spent months (straight from the fitting!) telling anyone who'd listen that I was in agony but because it was so unlikely, nobody would take me seriously.

I had this and then later when I got pregnant the placenta grew into/stuck to the scar and required some extra caution - something to be alive to.

I had one removed and replaced under general anaesthetic. It was assumed to be at least partially embedded (from hysteroscopy) but turned out to not be so bad once they got me under. It was not so bad.

Good god some of these stories!! Us poor women having to put up with this trauma on our bodies. I would be sticking to condoms or not having sex rather than put myself thru this ha!

I had mine pulled out vaginally by some miracle worker gynecologist- previous attempt by others had been agony and broken all the strings because it was embedded

I'm hoping it's straightforward. I've had it for a year without any problems, then had a scan which showed it was low so ineffective, went back to clinic for removal and they couldn't find it so sent me for a scan which showed it was almost fully embedded.
I'm a bit worried about hysteroscopy because in clinic they were poking around looking for it and it was the worst agony I've ever felt, even though I was dosed up on codeine paracetamol and naproxen due to the abdo pain from before the appointment (which turns out was presumably it embedding itself as the strings were felt a couple of hours prior to that).

You could ask for them to do it under general? I have all my coils put in under general anaesthetic because they perforated the wall the one time they did it without. Query if it is strictly medically necessary to have a general but I ask and they humour me. I can see that others have done similarly. Or you can give it a go and if it is too painful ask them to stop and try again under general? Best of luck either way.

I think my copper one was embedded. It was giving me a lot of pain so I went to have it removed by my OBGYN . When he pulled at the string they came away in his hand leaving the coil in place. They tried to dilate my cervix and retrieve it while I was awake, but it was agony so I had to have mine done under sedation. They said it came out easy, which didn't make sense to me due to the pain and the separation of the strings. I suspect it wasn't inserted correctly in the first place and had thus embedded, but they didn't tell me. Anyway, on a positive note I felt immediately better after the removal and had little recovery time.

@Spybot I'm glad you felt better straight away!
I've been waiting since the end of May now, it's awful. Constant dull stomach pain with occasional sharp spasms and cramps. I've also not bled properly since around then either.
The strings are nowhere to be found according to clinic, but the ultrasound said the vertical (and one horizontal side) bar is embedded in the back muscles of the womb so assuming the strings are also stuck there.

Hi everyone,

Thank you for this thread and sorry that you're having trouble, OP

I'm just jumping on as I went for a hysteroscopy today to remove my Mirena. My consultant said that there was a 95% it would come out today but it turned out to be embedded in the muscle and I've been referred for surgery under general anesthetic.

Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences 🥰

God it sounds horrific what you've all been through. My friend is in the same boat. The GP couldn't get it out so she's been referred to a gyno. She's scared of the pain.

Quick question, if you need a general anaesthetic and get referred for that in due course, do you get kept in hospital overnight?

Just wondering what my friend could need me to do (so I can put in for leave if required now before anyone else books that day off and I can't).

It's my understanding that I'll be in and out within the day, unless there are any complications. But .... it probably depends on the individual to be honest 😊

Just updating for anyone that's interested. After my hysteroscopy on Wednesday, I got a letter to say that I'd been referred for surgery. My pre-op is Tuesday morning, so things are moving really fast 😍

I'll update as and when I know more ☺️

That's really quick! I'm still waiting.
I'm wondering if they'll offer me general straight away based on your experience because the scan showed it's almost fully in the muscle, only one arm out.
I just can't see how they would be able to do it via hysteroscopy without it being absolutely horrific.
I will update when I hear anything!

Pre-op was quick and easy: no issues. I told them that I was happy to accept a short notice appointment and am just waiting for a call now.

They said I'd be in and out the same day but I will have to have a friend stay over that night as I live on my own.

@Roaringlions I'd definitely push for going straight to surgery. If it's well and truly stuck, it could be difficult to remove via hysteroscopy. Mine wasn't horrendous but it was definitely uncomfortable. I do tend to have a reasonable tolerance for that sort of procedure and can imagine it'd be very unpleasant for some women 😢

Good luck. Please update if you can 🤗

Quick update. My surgery is a week on Friday (27 September). All being well, I'll be going to the footie the day after 🙏

Checked in at the hospital. My op is scheduled for 1.30pm. Hope to be home in time for dinner and Coronation Street 🙏

All done via hysteroscopy. No need for laparoscopy. My surgeon is an absolute star 🥰 I feel absolutely fine and will be off home soon 🥰

Thank you, NHS 🥰🥰🥰

Just in case anyone is still watching this, I'm still waiting for my gynae referral to come through.
Managing the pain with co-codamol and naproxen, and taking the contraceptive pill for contraception as can't rely on the pill.
I'm still bleeding almost daily regardless of the pill though, and have since May.

Did you get your referral yet Roaringlions?

I’m also on waiting list to have my perforated coil removed. The perforation occurred during very painful insertion 18 months ago. I complained to GP a year later that I could still feel it but wasn’t believed. She said it was just the strings needing shortening. Eventually (by luck) a more understanding nurse referred me for ultrasound which found the perforation. GP then called saying I needed it out asap due to risk of infection (having denied there could be a problem originally). I asked would there be pain relief and he lamely said they could maybe give me a diazepam. I refused as the insertion was so god awful I couldn’t face them pulling it out of my uterine wall with no proper pain relief (and no guarantee it would come out).

So I’m now on an endless waiting list for referral to gynaecologist. I would never have it put in without proper pain relief again. I had it in for my HRT and it really helped my moods hence hoping for a reinsertion when they take it out under anaesthetic. I don’t even want them to do another examination I’m slightly traumatised by the whole thing!

@yeahwhatev sort of. I phoned gynae about a week after I last posted and they said I would be seen early January and if I phoned mid December they would book me in. I phoned when they said and the woman on the phone basically said oh they were wrong it will be at least May before we will see you, you've only been waiting 30 weeks you need to wait 50.
So I emailed PALS, got an appointment for January about 2 hours later.
I also put in a formal complaint to the hospital, the gynae manager phoned me a couple of days later and said for me to go in that day.
So I was seen just before Christmas, the doctor basically said yeah if they couldn't get it in clinic you will need a hysteroscopy so I'll do the referral. So now got an 8-12 week wait for that to come through.
But at least I'm further ahead than I was! And if I hadn't complained I would still be waiting for the first bit for another 4-5 months.

@Roaringlions Thanks for the update and glad you’re further along than you were, though sorry you had to make formal complaint just to get seen - the waiting lists for gynaecology are crazy. Do you know if your hysteroscopy will be under local or general anaesthetic? I’m wondering about going private as I don’t want to wait a year to get seen but I’m also anxious about not having the option for general anaesthetic.