Friday 11 July 2008

UnderRated Friday: Pelvic Floor Power

So, back to the story of my IUD.

Middy alert!!! Talk of gynaecological matters, menstruation and other women's stuff...


Two days after the trials of the initial insertion due to the tightness of my cervix and pelvic muscles, I woke up feeling very uncomfortable down there. I kept getting this pain that seemed to run up my back passage. When I sat down, it was as if someone was shoving a knitting needle up there. It became so bad that my vision went patchy and I was on the verge of blacking out. In terms of tolerance, I ask you to bear in mind that I had a termination without an anaesthetic and I didn't faint from that. I had to lie curled up in the foetal position for 15 minutes before the pain seemed to pass.

I have had something similar before at around the time of my period and always put it down to wind. This time, of course, I had the worry at the back of my mind about the possibility of a perforated bowel because of the recent introduction of my IUD.

I telephoned the FPS and the doctor there told me to come straight down. It transpired that the clinic didn't actually open until 11 that day but she let me in early because she was very concerned, given my history.

On examination, everything seemed to be where it should be and she explained that because it was new, it was 'settling' and could be pressing on the nerve leading to my bowel causing the pain so I went away reassured.

A few weeks later, Ruf and I managed to have sex - as instructed, with a condom, which was vile but it was a necessary evil. I passed the six week check with flying colours which meant that we could now rely on the device to do its job.

After the Flexi-T went in, I just kept bleeding and I was getting really fed up but I finally had a proper period - about 3 weeks after the 3.5 week-long one ended. The good news was that it was not as heavy as the ones I was used to having, so I had my fingers crossed that the advantages may include one that I hadn't taken into consideration, especially as the Gynae man kept saying that the copper coil would make everything worse.

The next period just over four weeks later and just before Xmas was also very manageable. Then nothing. When it failed to materialise for five weeks, I did a pregnancy test. I wasn't going to get caught like that again and, with the IUD, I needed to be careful of the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy. The test was negative. When it still hadn't appeared for 10 weeks, I did another test, just to be on the safe side as we had had two rampant weekends since the last. Again, negative. I started to wonder if this meant that I had had the easiest menopause in history and had just been incredibly unlucky to get pregnant from one of the very last eggs in the basket.

Unfortunately, my period finally decided to make a reappearance after four months. Since then, it has taken to turning up when it feels like it at about 5-8 week intervals but always with some spotting to give the warning that it is on its way and I will have a day of relatively heavy flow before it peters out again. This is a great improvement on how things were this time last year before The P Word reared its ugly head.

After eight months with the Flexi-T in situ, I was starting to get comfortable with the whole idea of this type of family planning. It was safe and easy. I decided I liked my intra-uterine device. I got used to enjoying lots and lots of great penetrative, semen-filling sex with no fear of unwanted repercussions.**

Which, of course, is when disaster struck.

After a particularly rampant and boisterous long weekend, I came back with mild cystitis. Nothing abnormal about that. My poor body had been battered and my bladder was probably bruised. I gave it the normal treatment of lots of bicarbonate of soda in a water solution drinks with neat water chasers. Pints of the stuff. Vile but it works much better than the over-the-counter flavoured products and you can use it more frequently.

And, naturally, I continued with my normal training and exercise regimen, which had been putting a lot of focus on working my pelvic floor muscles, as well as the transverse abdominal and the muscle that you use when you pee (for which I have no name).

After a week, I realised that, although the symptoms weren't getting worse, they also weren't improving. I didn't have that horrible urge to wee all the time that is the major sign of cystitis but when I did go, there was definitely a lot of irritation towards the end of the flow and I was starting to get back pain and a feeling of abdominal 'discomfort' - both of which could be explained away by the exercises I was doing or the imminence of my delayed period - but which are major factors to suggest that the infection was working its way towards my kidneys.

I hate going to the doctors so it took me two days to get around to making the call. I took the emergency appointment as, by this time, I had realised that I needed to get myself checked out... but I still felt like I was wasting her time.

The urine test confirmed that there was a definite bladder infection so she prescribed antibiotics and I got up on the table so she could check that the device was still where it should be. First, she noted a minor thrush infection, took a swab and wrote another scrip for that before moving her attentions upwards.

'Well, it's still there because I can see the strings quite clearly and.... Oh!'

Now, that really isn't what you want to be hearing when you're trying to relax with a speculum and somebody's finger up your jacksie.

'It's not really surprising you've been having these problems. I'm afraid I can see a lot more of your coil than I should be able to. It's half hanging out of your cervix and I shall have to remove it.'

And, with that, she pulled and the tiny little pink plastic - and rather crumpled - Flexi-T appeared painlessly in her hand, hanging by its blue strings.

At this point, I suddenly had the most hideous flashback to last year and what the consequences of failed contraception could be. The tears started bubbling up but there was nothing for it. I had to go to the chemist for my prescriptions and two pregnancy tests.

The first one has come back negative and I have to do another on Monday - two weeks after I last had sex - prior to my appointment with the Gynae to see what he has to say about my future method of preventing an unplanned pregnancy.

I keep thinking that it could just have been dislodged by the pounding of the rough sex that weekend, but I have a horrible suspicion that the new exercises are the culprit and the addition of some weights has meant that I have actually physically expelled it with the strength of the abdominal and pelvic muscle contractions involved in the repetitions.












I have opined at length about the superior tightness of that part of my anatomy and always viewed it as a good thing. But now it seems that very advantage has come back to bite me on the bum.

I'm not sure if I should even be surprised by the extent of their power when, in normal circumstances, they are put into play in conjunction with those of the uterus itself to evict a being that can weigh as much as 10% of it's host mother's bodyweight.

I have always had great difficulty when it came to being pulled apart for internal examinations and smears but, as I continued to religiously perform my Kegels, I definitely under-rated just how much of a drawback such power could actually become.

The question is, I guess, since the IUD has come out after only nine months, is it really safe to rely on another one even if I revert to some less effective lower abdominal and pelvic floor training?



**Safe Sex at all times. Please remember that Ruf and I are involved in a committed, long-term, monogamous relationship which commenced after clean bills of health had been obtained. If in doubt, always use a condom.


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40 comments:

Kyra said...

Wow. I had a horrible time with the insertion of my IUD. I always assumed I had a high pain threshold. Clearly nothing compared to yours!

My periods were absolutely horrendous for a full year afterward. It took another four months to get normal. At it's worst I could soak thru a super+ tampon in an hour. It was embarrassing.

But it is worth it to avoid getting pregnant, which I know for a fact my husband would love. I've had it 2 yrs and have no intention of removing it.

But now you have me paranoid about the fact that they couldn't see the strings but still insisted it was placed correctly.

Still all of that pales against your troubles. I hope you find a good method. I think I heard there is a tubal method that doesn't require surgery.

PS I would have chosen Mirena had my insurance covered it despite the fact I don't like hormones. The Pill was awful after the kids were born. I was always 'flat' emotionally and with no sex drive.

Anonymous said...

A. You are a dumb ass for getting an IUD.

B. "ruf" or whatever it is can get a vasectomy with less complications than your IUD came with.

C. WHY why why why why would you assent to a procedure that hurts, takes many months to adjust to, might never stop causing problems, and so on? A tube tie or hysterectomy would have hurt more in the short term, but caused less problems in the long run. Now what? Duh.

D. Then I read crap like your first commenter. WTF? She endured all that to avoid the pill???? Is she stupid? "they couldn't see the strings but still insisted it was placed correctly"

E. I just don't fucking get it. I fully expect to see you posting about how you are filing a lawsuit against your doctor for suggesting these things to you, that you requested in the first place.

Kyra said...

If you're going to be a fucking judgmental asshole, you should at least have the balls to leave your name.

Anonymous said...

My name is carrie.

And yes. The IUD has killed people.

Super+ tampon in an hour? holy hell.

You'd have better birth control with the rhythm method.

I know condoms ruin sex, I don't use them either. But at a certain point, an abortion is safer that what you all are enduring.

And you are all old enough and experienced enough to know better than to hurt yourselves like that.

Love, carrie.

Kyra said...

Well, Carrie, I'm completely suprised that you're a woman.

I change my comment to "fucking judgmental bitch" instead.

I'm very well educated on various methods and assuming I get confirmation it is placed properly (via ultrasound this time) I have no intention of getting it removed.

I'm sorry that Cake suffered greatly from it. I'm not sure I could advocate for anyone to use abortion as birth control. But just like abortion, birth control decisions are between an informed woman and her doctor.

Anonymous said...

Bitch is way better that asshole!
Thanks ;-)

I don't advocate abortion, but I do advocate taking care of yourself.

You, and everyone else happy with their IUD have all my support. Cheers!

Just so we're clear, I'm ok with any kind of birth control... pill, IUD, patch, surgical, PlanB, whatever you are OK with. Even abortion.

I question physical discomfort, and long term suffering, for a method that winds up being ineffective. Clearly, epic fail for Cake. So What next?
Love, carrie

Kyra said...

I agree with everything you just said. And eager to hear Cake's next move.

And PS I should have taken back the balls comment.

PS With more women in medical fields I would wager our daughters will have more choices without the negative side affects.

Anonymous said...

You were right to call me out on the anon posting. "balls" or not.

And, balls or not, figuring out safe birth control and disease control at the same time is important, regardless of gender.

Love, carrie

wrenna said...

I feel awful that better methods haven't become possible, more women in medicine or not. The standard of care Cake describes doesn't sound allright to me at all.

How awful.

xo Wrenna

David said...

Carrie, I don't know how far back you've read here, but there's a certain history. I don't think your first comment here would have been quie so assertive if you knew the whole story.

I'm lucky to count Cake as a friend. She knows that her choices involve a fair amount of compromise, not least in the moral arena, but she's also not one to avoid responsibilities. It's not an ideal situation, but there's little need to post judgemental comments: like the majority of people who blog similar situations, Cake's perfectly capable of judging herself, honestly. That's why she has so many readers.

Anonymous said...

I haven't been reading you for very long, so obviously don't know your back story. My apologies in advance if my suggestion is inappropriate. Unfortunately, we women still get a rough deal when it comes to contraception. I couldn't take the pill (the hormones made me hell to live with), the coil (thought of) repulsed me and I had a blocked tube anyway, so chose to have a tubal ligation when I gave birth to my second by elective c-section. That was almost eight years ago, and I've never regretted it. Maybe that or a vasectomy are worth considering if your family is complete.

BenefitScroungingScum said...

Oh no, I'm really sorry to hear you're having these problems. I can totally empathise about the pain as you know my IUD came out and got stuck half way-it is horrible!
Email me if you want to talk about this more in private (I promise to reply!)
BTW, I don't know if you're aware but I'm having increasing problems getting your site to load properly, I could only open it today by using IE instead of firefox. When this has been a problem for other sites I believe it's to do with the amount on the front page.
I hope you get something sorted asap-it's a grim situation to be in, hugs BG x

Joanna Cake said...

Morning peeps. You have been busy whilst Ive been asleep :)

Kyra - First, I should clarify that they could see the strings every time they checked so it was in place. If ever the strings cannot be seen or felt, there is a real problem and I know my healthcare professionals would have taken the situation very seriously if that had been the case at any point.

The problem is that I am not able to feel my cervix, so I cannot check it for myself. Im pretty sure that the new exercises have found me clenching and twisting everything in a new way on a regular basis and that, combined with the rough sex, has managed to push the device into my cervix which is when I started to feel uncomfortable and got all the associated symptoms because it was pressing on my bladder and a foreign body in my cervix. If they do agree to put another one in, I shall be going to get my strings checked every other month just to be on the safe side.

Thanks for sticking up for me x

Carrie - Hello and thank you for joining the debate. I am also glad that you have moved out of the shadow of anonymity and ameliorated your initial tone. Sometimes we write things in the heat of the moment and, whilst our passion is apparent, our wording can be offensive and not conducive to debate which means that the post can deteriorate into name calling which does no good for anyone, particularly on some of the more sensitive issues where others in a similar position might be coming to gain information and advice.

Im assuming from some of your comments that you're a fair bit younger than me and sometimes things seem so much clearer with the benefit of youth. And they're definitely easier to decide without all the life baggage some of us fossils are carrying around :)

Having had an abortion, I can assure you that the idea of using that as a method of contraception should be completely out of the question because of all the ethical issues. When I first read that some women were doing so, I was amazed and I can only suggest that they would take that option because they are protected from the full horror of what they are doing by not being shown the baby growing inside them when they are dated by ultrasound and then having it removed through the intervention of two little pills or sucked out whilst they are sedated against the pain.

I would never deny a woman the right to have the inconvenient cells removed but if it seems to be happening on a regular basis, I would suggest that such women should undergo the procedure without the pain relieving anaesthetic - as I did. Because, apart from anything else, it REALLY REALLY FUCKING HURTS!!!! And it takes months to get over the physical aftermath and years to deal with the mental trauma.

Contraception is a big part of safe sex but so is the avoidance of STDs. For anyone not in a monogamous relationship, condoms are the ONLY way.

Hope the above doesnt sound like Im talking down to you but I felt I had to stress both of those points for anyone else reading.

After the termination, we went through all the choices to stop it happening again.

At this stage in our relationship, it would be wrong for me to ask Ruf to undergo the male surgical procedure. If things should go wrong between us or if something should happen to me, he is still young enough to be able to have a family of his own. It would be unconscionable for me to actively deprive him of that possibility.

Im allergic to latex and the non-latex condoms are like shagging a plastic bag.

Diaphragms and sponges are out because, just as I cannot check my strings, I cannot be sure that I could position either of them sufficiently far inside me for them to be effective.

The Pill/Mirena Coil is a definite no-no because my hormones are already erratic as I am approaching Menopause and my mother had a huge allergic reaction to HRT so I am very loathe to start messing around with synthetic hormones.

The Rhythm Method has got us into enough trouble already and with my erratic menstuation is no longer reliable.

The only viable options were the copper IUD or getting my tubes tied but at the age of 47, it seems like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut to opt for the surgery when we are talking about probably five years at the most until pregnancy will no longer be a consideration.

Difficult times but I will be talking the options over with the Gynae man on Monday.

Joanna Cake said...

Wrenna - I hope it doesnt sound as if Ive been complaining about the standard of my care because the health professionals have been extremely kind. It has been 'unforeseen circumstances' that have made the whole thing such a rigmarole. Ive never been 'your average woman' :)

Your Grace - Awwwwww, Duke x

Orchidea - As I said above, I cant ask Ruf to be snipped and the problem with the tube tying is my age. It's a lot of money and a big procedure for five years. It also takes some weeks and some counselling to arrange. They were rather loathe to do it when we talked about it last time. I shall ask them again. Im laughing at your reaction to the IUD. Mine was exactly the same. But it does seem to have made my periods lighter and it really wasnt so bad once it was in. I could only feel it in positions of deep penetration so I am inclined to want to try it once more.

BG - Sometimes our lives are pretty similar arent they :) I will email you direct x

Kyra said...

Cake - thanks for the additional info. Immediately after insertion the the strings disappeare. (sucked into the huge cavern of my uterus?) they did a vaginal untrasound to confirm proper placement.

Given your issues, you might consider requesting that on occasion should you get another one.

The last time I went in, my mind was occupied with other topics (my husband's STDs) and I simply didn't think about it.

Once I recovered from the procedure (24 hrs?) and my periods went back to normal (yes a year with some moments of hell) it has honestly been the most worry free of birth control methods.

The only one I consider a viable alternative for me is tubal - at the time of my 2nd c-section I was convinced I wanted a 3rd. And I would still consider it if I divorced and remarried.

I agree with you 100% on the aftermath of abortion.

Cake - thanks again for the post. We don't often cover topics of birth control in these blogs. Given a lot of them are about sex, we really should!

Joanna Cake said...

I am now LMAO because I made a comment on another site and the anti-spam word was

'ipfreely'

How very inappropriate! I'll keep taking the antibiotics :)

Joanna Cake said...

Kyra - Im sorry, I misread your comment. Your strings disappeared! Well at least you have the ultrasound confirmation that it's in there but will they have to do that every time you go for a checkup?

Im really lucky in that with the British NHS and Family Planning Service, we dont have to pay for our contraception devices or care. I would imagine that you would have to pay for all those ultrasounds tho?

Like you, I thought I wanted a third as well. One of the problems with getting my tubes tied is the amount of scar tissue they will have to get through after two c-sections.

This is why it's all so difficult. There are no clear cut solutions. Each has its own disadvantage or potential for going awry.

Perhaps I should just give up sex. When I was a kid, my ambition was to become a nun...


... maybe not :)

Kyra said...

Yes, they should check with ultrasound every appointment. I honestly forgot all about the damn thing during my last checkup. (Not having much sex, vigorous or otherwise gives me little cause for concern. *sigh*)

I much prefer your system for medical care. But I am fortunate to have good insurance coverage thru my employer. So I paid only $50 for insertion and regular copay fees for checkups (usually $20), no extra fee for the ultrasound.

My insurance would not cover the Mirena, I suspect it was too new at the time. I hear most insurance is covering it now. I'm not sure about the tubal.

In any event, I am fortunate to have lots of options with good health care insurance. Not everyone in the US is so fortunate.

Helga Hansen said...

Wow... reading all this makes me feel quite lucky that having a man who has had the snip means I don't ever have to worry about birth control.

I must just add that any woman who uses abortion as a (regular) form of birth control really does need her head read!! An accidental/unplanned pregnancy is one thing, but to have it happen on a regular basis is quite irresponsible!

Redhead Editor said...

Well, I'm glad I wasn't in the middle of this earlier, but it was a fun read. We women and we bloggers do get emotional (and pissed off) when it comes to birth control options. Some good, some bad, most all on our shoulders.

I, for one, really talked up the IUD with Cake last year. I had had 3 at the time and all with great results. I am the poster child for IUDs. Not one problem. I have had the 1-year (no longer on the market), the 12-yr (with slightly heavier periods from my normal light), and the Mirena which took my periods away for 5 years and then 3 extra when it was left in. A thing of beauty.

I recently had another Mirena put in as a way to release hormones into my system during peri-menopause so I didn't have to pay $50 a month for the meds! And to do away with my periods whilst (I learned that word from Cake) on the boat. Well, as my blogger friends know, I don't need that last excuse any more.

This time around, I have had some annoying spotting continually for 3 months now but nothing to speak recently so I hope I am on the way to 5 years of no periods. My doc says it will correct itself within 6 months. (God, Kyra, a year? Ugh!) And my Mirena was covered the first time by insurance but not this time. It's much more expensive (no longer experimental) than the Copper Coil which is why many insurance companies don't cover it. But like it or not, the IUD is an excellent form of birth control... when it works well for the patient. Damn US healthcare system will often not pay for birth control but will pay for pre-natal care and delivery! We are still figuring out that prevention is the key across the board. If my IUD had expelled, it would have been $$$ down the drain! No refund!

The birth control you're talking about that is not a tubal and does not use hormones but is permanent is Essure. (essure.com/) Something to look into. And those of us who have fought long and hard for choice are appalled at anyone who uses abortion as birth control. But having worked in the trenches for abortion rights, I know those people, thank God, are few and far between. With better birth control and better education, we wouldn't need abortion.

I sure am sorry for all your gyn woes, Cake, and hope everything works out in the end. You have always been so educated and amazingly organized when it comes to your medical care. I know this will work out, too. But thanks for reminding me why I don't exercise much. I sure wouldn't want to expel my IUD. Yah, that's why I don't exercise!

Kyra said...

To clear up for the record, my periods for that first year were regular, but very heavy. The super+ per hour was maybe 1 day of my 4 day period. That day was utter hell, I can't lie. The other 3 days were heavier, but not unbearable. The rest of the 24 - 26 days of my cycle were fairly normal, with some occasional spotting (unusual for me). So 12 days in that first year sucked. When I reached the 1 year mark I said to myself enough. The next month was normal and normal ever since. (Was it so easy as to have willed it as such?) And now I consider myself an IUD poster child. It was unquestionably worth that year and is by far my best post-partem birth control experience.

Thanks for the information on essure. If I ever have it removed I will look into that!

Kyra said...

Sorry, Cake, feels like I took over your post. Not my intent :(

Joanna Cake said...

Helga - Yup, count your lucky stars. Me? Im off to find a couple of house bricks :)

RHE - As usual, a calm voice in the storm x But you know I'll never stop exercising :) The Essure looks very interesting and I shall ask my gynae man about it, although I must admit the idea of having somethign inserted all the way to fallopian does make me rather squeamish.

Kyra - It's fine. It's important that everyone gets a clear picture of the facts for all those who contribute an experience. It wouldnt be any use for someone to go away with a concern or an incorrect decision as a result of a misunderstanding that was not cleared up x

Dangerous Lilly said...

I kinda had to skim a little, I couldn't process all the comments, LOL.

I'm on the Mirena IUD - yes, theres hormones, but they don't enter the bloodstream. They had to remove me from tradition BCP's because suddenly my blood pressure skyrocketed. After 11 years of being on the extra estrogen my body said WTF??? and went haywire. I started breaking out lke never before. My hair in the front thinned. It's gotten a litle better, but its been 2+ years. It's not going to reverse itself by now.

I hated the "mini pill". Had to take it within an hour of its "Scheduled Time". bleh. Mirena wasn't covered, but I paid, as it was better than 5 yrs of BCP.

The cramping at insertion was MONSTEROUS. He said it would go away quickly. on my way home it felt like i was birthing a goddamn whale. it lasted for days.
First few months I cramped often. IUt's been checked with ultrasound numerous times, its fine.

Its been 2 years, and I still have a mini period AND i get small cysts at ovulation so I cramp and spot then, too.

Fucking sucks. I hate this.

Cake, I'm sorry hon. That's just the suck.

Anonymous said...

Vasectomies are reversible. You underwent invasive procedures that hurt a lot and didn't work, with no guarantee that he'd be around for the long term.

Why the double standard?

PS. I am not young. My children are off to college.

I believe in choice, and when it was mine I did not abort. I still reserve the right to, though. Especially at my age.

-carrie

Gorilla Bananas said...

Wow Mrs Cake, the things you go through to get laid properly! Hope you find a good solution.

Joanna Cake said...

Lilly, that sounds much worse than what Ive had to go through... but it does put me even more firmly in the anti-hormone group. For the six months that my coil was in there and working properly, I was very happy with it. I only hope that, if they agree to another one, it will be the same story.

Carrie - I apologise for my various misconceptions (lol now there's an appropriate word!) from your earlier posts.

And, you're right, there is a double standard here. But my Husband was so deadset against being interfered with that I am just in the mindset that it is me who has to sort the problem out. I know that vasectomies are reversible in some cases... but not all.

Even if it does go tits up between us, I know that Ruf will always be my friend and I would hate for him to resent me for preventing him from having a family in the future. I will exhaust all other possible avenues before I ask him to make that decision.

Joanna Cake said...

Mr Bananas - Aint that the truth!

Walker said...

My ex used one for years but on two occations it fell out.
In the end she otped to have the operationas she didn't want to have any more kids.

I guess it comes down to that. if you believe you are done with your child bearing years you may want to go that route and avoid any future stress and pain from contraceptive devices.

Trixie said...

Oh dear! Let's hope the second test comes back negative as well! (I'm sure it will).

I still believe the marina is the best coil I've ever come across.

Anonymous said...

Gah! Poor Cake! And damn contraception.

justme said...

Blimey! This one has certainly stirred up a few folk! Hope you get it all worked out somehow hun......guess you better stick with the coil for the moment.
I'm thinking being post menopause (which I HOPE I am!) might have advantages.........!! But then you know my history hasn't been great!
Big hug!

Sulpicia said...

Holy. What a pain in the ass. (Excuse me.) I had a tubal ligation at 26 and have never looked back. (Almost never.) I'm not into surgical interventions but that sure did the trick. Went in through the navel. Easy as pie. That worry, about getting pregnant, is just NOT there. Sounds like the whole thing could be solved without getting so sick...

Anonymous said...

Sounds scary. So do half of your blog comments. Hope you are better now? I did an article on the Mirena and I still get lots of comments from women who had very bad experiences -- they seem to go missing quite a bit, as well as perforate things which ought not to be perforated. That was enough to make me not want any type of IUD, even sans chemicals. Nuvaring, maybe. Hope you're better.

Brian said...

Current FWB gets one of those hormonal injections. Her choice, I was happy enough with condoms. It is effective after about a week.

Midnight said...

LMAO @ Middy alert! Thanks for the warning ;-)

lopushanya said...

I will never ever ever recommend coil to anyone! I had a copper fexi-T coil that came to an end of its life. It was causing too much pain and discomfort and bleeding in between periods, that I decided to have it taken out. A qualified nurse at my GP surgery tried to get it out, but all she was holding in her hand is the broken string. The other string was nowhere to be seen. So I was reffered to a gynaecologist at the hospital. It takes around two months for an appointment and probably the same amount of time to get booked in for a procedure. I could not wait any longer, so I thought I will try my luck at the clinic where I had the coil fitted. I gave it a go, painful as it was, they could not dilate my servix, as it is too small (I had a C section and not a vaginal delivery). Amazes me how they manage to fit the coil in the first place. I really had enough by this stage and went privately. And apart from parting with a large sum of money and feeling disappointed with NHS, I feel happy that this monster is no longer inside me. And anyone who asks me if I would like to have another one fitted, must be taking a p***!

Joanna Cake said...

Iopushanya - Sounds hideous. Thanks for your contribution. So what did you decide to use as an alternative?

Since this post was made, I have managed to push a second one out five months after insertion. Im currently giving my cervix a rest for a couple of months and will have to make another decision about contraception in the New Year.

lopushanya said...

I am planning to use condoms as an alternative. Anyone knows what happens to threads? One of the two was not found in my womb with hysteroscopy and I have not passed it, I would have known if I did!
Any help?

Joanna Cake said...

Hi Iopushanya. Not sure I can help you there, I would imagine all you can do is ask for a pelvic xray/sonogram to check it hasnt worked its way through the womb and into your pelvic cavity... Id like to think a single thread couldnt do too much damage but it might be worth getting it checked out or asking at your local family planning clinic - you could get some free condoms whilst you're there, although bear in mind that they dont always have non-latex ones. Im going to start investigating other options in the New Year.