Coil fitting

[BlueberryOats]

I'm 45 and went for a coil fitting, my second one. We had to abort mission as it was painful.

Would vaginal estrogen help? It was partly the walls that were hot and irritated.

Also the pinching, I'm thinking maybe I should take codeine. Valium? Gas?

I have a slightly tilted cervix, never had kids. First one was painful but I got through it as wasn't expecting it. They have referred me to the hospital but I don't know if I want to wait months and months.

I came down with flu the afternoon of the coil attempt, so maybe that was part of my low pain tolerance as well.

I always have a GA, why should women go through excruciating pain

Ooo I feel for you! I’ve had 3 which weren’t too bad but I know everyone’s different physiologically plus I’d had 2 babies by then. I think I’ve seen before on here that GA is good as the pain can be horrible

Had the coil as first line treatment for a fibroid. March 24 in by ga. I only wish I’d got up and said where is the exit on the day.

coil out without ga July 2024 there is no action of ga to take it out or it is a very long waiting list to go back via the route they hoodwinked you to begin with.

Improved totally without the coil and whilst older now have better periods than my younger self with a fibroid.

I had first without anaesthetic and second under GA (at same time as hysteroscopy).
I found it very painful the first time.
It might be worth asking GP about estrogen if the burning sensation is something you get regularly.

2mg of Diazepam plus a very experienced gynae made a big difference when I got a Mirena fitted last year. No children, 64 at the time.

ETA Gynae injected a local into the cervix. Also did a hysteroscopy and a biopsy.

I’ve been in excruciating pain both times I had them fitted/removed. I don’t get on with GAs so can only have them in a real emergency, else that’d be preferable. I only still do it because it’s then 5 years of zero trouble with periods, fibroids, migraines etc after a lifetime of living by the calendar to plan what I can and can’t do.

Wow by GA do you mean general anaesthetic?!

A GA for a coil? Surely there must be an alternative contraceptive if that's necessary? A vasectomy is done under a local.

Yes my last 4 coils have been done under GA

Wow, they wouldn’t even let me have something local when they were having to fish out a misplaced coil as they said it “wasn’t worth it”…(yes they were women!)

Was that under the NHS?

2 private 2 nhs

@collectkdsasmed that’s disgusting! Imagine them saying that to a man!

I love a GA, it’s lovely feeling

At 45 you very likely would benefit from vaginal oestrogen. I can’t imagine that the flu would have helped, either!

I take diazepam before a coil fitting. Makes the experience bearable. I also take paracetamol and ibuprofen, but I’m not convinced they make much difference. The diazepam is key.

During the procedure I have tried all sorts of breathing exercises. I can never maintain them. The most effective, I find, is to quietly recite a longish poem I know. It focuses my mind and regulates my breathing slightly.

Once it’s over you don’t have to think about it for the next 5y or more. I have Mirena, originally as contraception, now as part of HRT.

I was concerned about this because my previous two had been inserted and removed under anaesthetic (as part of laser ablation for endometriosis).

I found a place by googling that would do it privately with plenty of local anaesthetic (topical and injected). It still hurt a bit but they were expert (consultant gynae with experienced nurse to help), reassuring and quick!

Cost £600 but well worth it.

You're in a very vulnerable position with these treatments and I personally don't want to make myself vulnerable in that way with people who aren't very expert and/or don't take pain relief seriously.

I'm only expecting the level of customer care and pain relief you'd get from a decent dentist!

Oh and the Mirena was prescribed by my GP so I didn't have to pay for that part.

My first was under GA during treatment for endo.

I have tilted cervix and two children both born c-section. Removal and second one was done in the GP nurses room in Covid with a mask …I screamed and swore!! Even though I had taken pain killers just before. Very unlike me..I usually have a high pain tolerance.

Dreading the removal and new one due next year ….im tempted to save and have private with drugs.

Very good advice, yes I think opiates are key. Good advice about a poem.

Diazepam (Valium) is not an opiate. It is a tranquilliser and muscle relaxant. AFAIK it has no analgesic qualities. But by helping you to relax it helps you to not resist the procedure and therefore, possibly, have less pain. Very importantly you don’t really remember the pain afterwards. I know that the insertion was unpleasant, but there’s no trauma response to that vague memory.

Could the GP surgery give me diazepam? That might save me having to wait to go to the hospital. Though I'm thinking maybe wait 1-2 months anyway to make sure the pinching of the last attempt has healed!

I had my changed recently. I'm 44, one kid , retroverted uterus, on systemic and local oestrogen.
GP couldn't find the strings so i had to go to the sexual health clinic. I was anxious about the fishing around for the strings and worried about bleeding because I'm on blood thinners. It was mildly uncomfortable and barely bled at all.

I'd recommend going to the sexual health clinic, they fit so many coils that they are really good at it

Yes. I always get it via the GP, but I also have the procedure done there. I don’t know whether it’s different if you have the procedure elsewhere.

The pinch you described may not be any sort of injury that needs to heal. I think it is your cervix staying stubbornly shut and refusing to allow the applicator tube access.

Also remember the vaginal oestrogen. Go to your GP asap to discuss both. Vaginal oestrogen takes 2-3 weeks to show an effect.