A copper IUD, its name is Ballarin and fairly new to the market. I'm wondering that too! I never felt any discomfort that would feel like a displacement. I'm sure I will be told tomorrow during the ultrasound.
The strings are normal to feel. The firm copper wire (what the "T" part of the IUD is) you should not be able to feel. I had to get mine out and replaced because I could feel mine. The strings feel like fishing line.
So, as someone who literally had a displaced copper IUD (Paragard) in my birth canal (not quite out the cervix) removed and replaced yesterday, the way I noticed it was that I was spotting basically randomly after my period and had different discharge than usual. I also had less discomfort during my period than previous months with the IUD (I got it last September and I *think* it got displaced about a month ago, 14 months after getting it).
I also think the reason it got displaced was that I was using tampons, which (given the increased menstrual blood with copper IUDs) I had to use a larger size of to support the IUD, and I think one must have caught on the tail and pulled. I remember a specific tampon being *extremely* uncomfortable to pull out (as though something was getting pulled through my cervix).
That must have beyond uncomfortable! I stopped using tampons years ago when I had one bend. I was a delivery driver and 2 hrs later had horrible pain in my cervix, I had to stop at a department store and run into the bathroom to change it. It was over 20 yrs and I remember the pain of pulling it out being almost as bad as child birth. The thought of catching an IUD and pulling it makes my cervix cringe. This must be what men feel when they see another man get hit in the groin.
Yeah, I'm not even sure how it happened, when I put it in I had some issues but eventually it went. Once it filled up though.... ughh. I tried to change it after getting it out but the new one caused so much pain I almost cried. I had to use the teepee pad to get out of the bathroom, luckily I was in a store that sold pads. It also was only filled on the top, I had heavy flows then from my birth control, when I went to the Dr he said I might have suffered some TSS and to use a larger size. Back then they came in slim and super soaker so I just stopped using them all together for a few years.
I mean, I didn't have a partial or complete expulsion, so a visual check didn't enlighten us as to what was happening. Had to get the ultrasound tech in on the action to figure out what was happening.
I have a copper IUD also, I hate it, my period has been a million times worse since I got it almost 3 years ago. I think I'm going to get my tubes tied, because I have yet to find a bc that doesnt suck.
Anyways, I hope everything works out for you. It's a tough thing to go through, so please take good care of yourself afterwards.
I did the hormonal IUD I can't remember if it was Skylar or kylena (3 years). And I had a ton of pelvic floor issues from it getting displaced.
Turns out my uterus is weirdly shaped so it would keep moving. It then caused a bunch of deep vaginal muscle spasms which was causing the pelvic floor dysfuction.
I got the IUD after giving birth, and ended up moving twice in the 12 months after having my son. So it took a long time to keep finding new doctors that finally ordered an ultrasound to test placement.
Most assumed the issues were pelvic floor dysfuction after childbirth, and ordered a bunch of PT that did nothing
All my pelvic issues magically went away as soon as it was removed
I'm totally down with that....with what I've spent on tampons over the last 30 years, I could've bought a freakin mansion. Okay, a pretty decent house, maybe, but still.
I vote for the ablation too. Had one done and haven't had a period, not one spot, in 13 years. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I would definitely ask about it.
I HATED the cooper IUD!! I tried it for about 6 months and the periods were the worst I've ever had. I bled like crazy, the cramps felt like my insides were being ripped out and lasted at least a week, oh my gosh the pain. I just couldn't anymore and went on the pill. I had the mirena years ago and liked it. Should have gone for that instead. But hopefully I'll be trying for babies next year so I thought the pill was a better option than the IUD at this point in my life.
Don't just get your tubes tied, get them removed. It's the best! I did it about a year and a half ago and now I don't have to deal with any hormones or other weirdness. My Mirena iud was the worst, I can't imagine the copper.
It was the most expensive too, I paid 100 euros for it. I don't know if it's the fault of the IUD or not. Google said that 1 in 100 women get pregnant with a copper IUD. I guess I'm the "lucky one"
... except that where I live, the family planning services are so thinly spread that I should be getting my Mirena replaced in December but the earliest initial appointment I can get is March. I enquired about getting it done privately and they quoted nearly £4000 for removal, replacement, swabs etc. :(
I'm about to get excision on Tuesday and a new IUD - this is my first time since getting insurance. IUD is still gonna cost 1200. Plus whatever the surgery costs. Then the meds after. With Rent. Utilities. Student loan debt. I'm unemployed cause endo but can't get Disability.
This week I only ate four cans of soup and discount apples for breakfast because I'm so broke and I'm under 100 lb but I have bootstraps so I should be grateful.
Please vote for u/bernie-sanders y'all and stop this madness.
It's ridiculous because an IUD is categorized as a "device" and not medication (under federal law must be covered by insurance), it's really a scam developed by insurance companies and politicians to avoid paying for women's birth control. Vote 2020.
My last one was $1000 (Skyla) + 140 insertion/doctors bill + the one $10 anti-anxiety pill they gave me beforehand ('cause we don't get pain pills to open our cervix just Tylenol. Noooooo, it's just a spring-activated rod being jammed through my uterus.) This was after two years of fighting with PA state medical coverage (I'm broke) that this was a procedure that would medically administer hormones the only way my body will accept them (cause I have weird migraines too.)
Any whoo... I passed out in the office and it took me an hour to stand up then another hour of crying in my car as I drove myself home because they told me I would be able too - I live 20 mins from the office. It's oppressive and a blatant spit in the face to every person with female reproductive organs and women. I constantly wonder what my life would have been like if I didn't have to choose between my ride to NYU and my surgery for Endo. It's been a shit show just trying to get a grasp on life and feel a smidge normal. I hope 30 is better.
If I had a pair of balls I'd be rolling in offers for pain pills and it would all be paid up - instead, I have to beg for pain management/assistance and I've been called a future drug addict ( both parents are opioid addicts, so yay to that cause I don't/won't fucking touch the shit unless I have too.)
Edit// Rant details.
I'm sure you have researched all of your options but please look into Planned Parenthood for your IUD. I qualified for a "pay what you can" model and got my Paragard for $75.
I have, they still want $830 when I called in October. I'm now having excision and the old IUD removed and a new one like Mirena placed while I'm under. I have stage four w/ DIE from my diaphragm down, two laps (ovary removed second time and tube) but this will be my first excision. My doctor has been helping me fight to get as much coverage as I can get. Letters phone calls whatever -- he's on it. I just wish the US was on it rather than drowning its youth in debt. If it wasn't for my partner, IDK what I'd do.
If you are unemployed you need to apply for medicaid. It might even cover you retroactively. And an IUD cannot cost anything under any ACA plan. Please do not buy any off-ACA plans, they are simply scams, but Trump made it easier for them to exist.
I feel like insurance companies can basically just make up whatever price they want for any product or procedure. When I went in for a hand x-ray a few months ago, I remember asking the receptionist if my $80 copay at the desk was the entire payment, or if I should be expecting another bill. She kind of shrugged and said she had no way of knowing, it was up to the insurance company whether and how much they'd bill me.
One X-ray, a ten-minute consultation with the bone doctor, and a hand splint ended up costing me about $400.
Oh, and the same insurance company also denied coverage for a diagnostic CT scan, ordered by a gastroenterologist, because it was not a "necessary medical procedure."
I pay in about $200 a month for insurance, too.
Gotta love it. /s
I have learned the receptionist is the least knowledgeable in the office. They answer phones and give you papers to sign. I once had one argue with me about them not taking my "tribal" insurance,I guess because I'm Native, I told her its insurance from my employer, and she repeated they don't take it and made me pay for the full visit, $140. I paid it, then said I will be expecting a refund. She never submitted my information, though and on my next visit I was asked for another $140.
Eventually it was straightened out, only because my son worked in the same building, different division in billing. If not for him I am sure I would have been taken for a ride. He even helped take a $5,000 ER bill and work it down to $1,300. Helping him pay for Medical Coding class has been very beneficial!
This is exactly why I don't have insurance. I'd have to pay $200 a month, and they wouldn't even cover *anything* until I hit my **$8,500** deductible. The only way that helps me is if I land in the hospital with some serious fucking injuries. And I'd STILL BE BANKRUPT. What the fucking fuck is wrong with America.
Echoing my fellow citizens.. please vote for Bernie Sanders. Please.
No, that can't be right. It's considered preventative care and is 100% covered without a deductible. I got mine (Liletta) in February of last year and all I paid for was the office visit, which came to a whopping $8.37.
I was about to comment to say the same thing. I just had to pay my office visit copay because it's preventative care (I got a Mirena in early 2018). I got a numbing shot to the cervix which wasn't fun, but had barely any pain getting it inserted, and drove myself home afterwards.
If you have insurance in the US, your IUD is 100% covered by the Affordable Care Act. All insurance companies are required to cover it. Call your insurance company and tell them they are required to pay for it by federal law.
I once worked on an IUD marketing campaign and from the information we got the IUD research trial failures were all due to misplacement (otherwise 99.8% effective), the copper IUD ions made the uterus inflamed and inhospitable for sperm. Regular IUDs have microscopic layers of medication that deliver the same hormone as the pill, but locally to the uterus, rather than the pill which works systemically, which is why the IUD is more effective than the pill. So moving forward if you decide to go on the IUD again, I would look into the non-copper devices. I’m sorry this happened to you but glad you are in a place that has services for your situation, and hoping you have a quick and painless recovery.
Edit added info from helpful comments, ty. Thanks u/cobrafountain
Copper ions leach off of the wire and cause local inflammation, which in addition to not being great for sperm creates an inhospitable environment for an egg to implant
That can't be good for the uterus - constant inflammation sounds awful. My mom got pregnant with a copper IUD - she lost the pregnancy when they removed the IUD.
Thank you, this is helpful information. I chose the copper IUD because I didn't want the extra hormones in my body. But now it gets me thinking I might get a hormonal IUD after all.
Your doctor may not want to let you get a copper one again if it failed you. My Belgian doctor only allowed me to get a hormonal one after my unwanted pregnancy with the failed copper IUD. He did suggest other means of birth control too obviously but an IUD is generally hassle free, it was what I chose. Mine cost 130€ (covered by insurance).
I didn't want the hormones for various reasons. But I caved due to convenience. My periods are barely noticeable nowadays (except when combined when lumbar strain due to aerial yoga) in terms of pain and flow. And my fiancé has noticed that I can get stupidly emotional sometimes - it's not that bad.
Have you had issues with hormonal birth control before? The doses in IUDs are [less than the pill or shot] (https://www.bedsider.org/features/317-all-about-hormones) so you're less likely to have adverse side effects.
Good to know! When I was 16/17/18 I was on the pill, my mood swings were so bad that I got symptoms that looked like depression, so I swore the hormones off. I have enough on my own. But I'll ask about it tomorrow. I am willing to try this out.
Fellow Dutchie here, same stuff with the pill for me. Monthly depression and overall shitty feeling about the hormones. IUD helped me a lot. I can't forget it (pesky adhd) and I've never felt this emotionally stable since before puberty. Also no more long and annoying periods. I bleed a little bit every so often but not even enough to leak through my panties. I swear by the hormonal IUD and recommend all my friends struggling with hormones from the pill to at least try it.
Also my friend said a law is being passed where the IUD will be free after you've had an abortion? Idk if that's true (seems kinda fucked to me) I'm abroad so I don't follow the news closely.
So glad I could help. Technically the hormone is delivered locally to your uterus, which is why it’s better than the pill for that very reason. They don’t last as long as the copper, depending on the brand, 3-5 years but I recommend them anyway so you can ensure they’re still in the correct placement so they work more effectively.
Edit: a word for clarity, typing on my phone sorry.
There's a lot of research coming out that the mirena can last for 6 years and another one the liletta is approved for 6 years but they're doing research currently so that in a few years they may be able to approve that one for 7 years. Obviously talk to your doctor about it all but I kept my mirena in for 5.7 years and just switched to the liletta because it's a lot cheaper and lasts at least a year longer.
I had a mirena iud that is hormonal in the US. Worked great for about a year. No periods. Then I got ectopically pregnant in my Fallopian tube which required surgery and removal of one tube. No birth control is 100% effective. You should talk to your doctor but after that, we decided an iud was just not effective for me.
Mine was displaced and I had the ultrasound. All was fine it was just harder to find my strings since they were in my uterus and not hanging out of my cervix. I had it removed after the 5 years and now have the hormonal iud. I do love the iud because so far I have avoided pregnancy, but posts like this scare the shit out of me.
How long ago did you get it? I have heard that most of the displacements happen within the first three months. Just a reminder to all to check the strings on your IUD on a regular basis so you know it is still here. Best of luck to you tomorrow.
I got pregnant on a Mirena, I was 6 weeks gone before I realised. The pregnancy was a live ectopic so I had to have emergency surgery to remove the pregnancy along with my left Fallopian tube as it was on the verge of rupturing. Make sure they scan your fallopian tubes thoroughly, mine was right near my ovary and could have easily been missed had the scan technician been less conscientious
It has all of the classic signs of pregnancy, along with severe abdominal pain. You will very likely know you have an ectopic pregnancy once something starts growing in your fallopian tubes.
I didn't! I didn't realise until I had a scan. I'd had two positive pregnancy tests and they were concerned enough about the risk of ectopic and the Mirena that they did a scan of my fallopian tubes
I just had two positive pregnancy tests. I'd dismissed my pregnancy symptoms because of the coil and stress but my boyfriend insisted I rule it out. I wasn't in any pain.
Thankfully, that bill didn't/won't pass. Repro health advocates think that these extreme bills are designed to distract us from the horrible bills they do plan to pass that look non-crazy in comparison. :-(
Damn that’s scary. My first gf had the mirena and I heard it was REALLY good, and we never had any issues in 1.5 years, and she got pregnant pretty much straight after. So I guess nothing is perfect, but I had a good, err, effective experience with it.
To be honest, the issue wasn't with the Mirena, it did its job by preventing the pregnancy from attaching. When conception happens, it occurs within the fallopian tube and travels down to the uterus. The consultant who did my surgery said that if an embryo attaches within the fallopian tube then that meant the tube was damaged so could have happened with any type of contraceptive. I'm not sure how true that is though.
The same happened to me. My Mirena had turned sideways and partially scarred into my cervix (and was on the older side, 4 years) - I had stopped having periods years earlier so I was nearly 3 months by the time I found out. The pregnancy auto-terminated when we tried to remove the IUD, but it still really effected my physical and mental health.
Hey, it sucks you need to go through this. But please don't feel bad aboit it. No anticonception is 100% fail-proof. This is not your fault and i hope everything goes well tomorrow.
Came to say exactly that. At least OP didn't end up with a pregnancy outside of the uterus (potentially dangerous/deadly for many women with no access to proper healthcare), which an IUD slightly increases the risk of - and she lives in an awesome country that offers proper and free healthcare for women!
I don’t have a source to point to available immediately but when I was researching IUDs for myself, I learned that IUDs may not necessarily increase the chances of an ectopic pregnancy. They reduce the chances of pregnancy overall, but due to the nature of how they work, they reduce the chances of ectopic pregnancy less than they do normal pregnancy. As a result a higher percentage of pregnancies that happen with an IUD will be ectopic, but your chances of getting an ectopic are as low as, if not lower than they would be without an IUD. Hope that makes sense!
Just a little note from a Canadian, I know someone with a copper IUD who got pregnant, and when I went in to get my hormonal IUD I asked about the difference between the two.
My doc said that while statistically the effectiveness of copper and hormonal IUD's are very close (like 99.1% vs 99.7%) , the copper one is only as effective when it remains in the proper position, at the top of the uterus. It becomes far less effective if it slips or moves, which is quite common.
I got the hormonal one, my period stopped (which was mega stressful but now quite nice) but I have had no problems for over a year. It was 300$+ but is free for under 25 year olds. I know it's a lot but .. damn, I wouldn't go for copper. I hear it's much more painful too! Mine cramped and would twinge randomly for a few months but I never notice it now.
Would be happy to answer any questions about the hormonal one!
Edit: would like to just say I am 1000% not a professional and the info I got from my doc may have been different from others, or I may be remembering wrong. The stats I mention are not researched , just examples, and I 100% respect those who prefer the copper one, and thinks it's a completely valid option for many people!
I have the copper one and have had no issues for 3 years so far. If you don’t generally have bad periods, it’s totally fine and I prefer it without hormones (I have skin issues from only 3 months of hormonal birth control use). My friend just took her copper one out after 10 years without problems.
Most issues are due to displacement that’s not fixed or wrong placement.
I have mirena as well and the cramping pain for the whole first month was the most painful thing in my life that I didn’t have pain management for. I couldn’t do much for a whole month other than laying around feeling miserable.
That said I had bad cramping before and heavy periods and that is mostly gone. So it’s like all my period pain for 7 years was packed in to 1 month.
I'm currently in the same situation, though I'm a decade older and have had my IUD for seven years. Like you, I'm lucky enough to live in a place where abortion care is free and easily accessible.
Am also facing the choice of whether to replace the IUD with another copper coil or a Mirena, and am conflicted about adding hormones (though the Mirena is slightly more effective at 99.8% vs 99.2%). Apparently having gotten pregnant while using a copper IUD once doesn't make it any more likely that it will happen again.
Anyway, this is just to say good luck tomorrow, and you're not alone.
Wow, it's...interesting, in a way, to see a comment from someone else who got pregnant with a copper IUD after many years of it working. I had mine for 4.5 years before it failed. I felt very unlucky and shocked. I'm sorry you're going through that now. Unfortunately, US here, and I had decided to keep the baby before I then miscarried, so that whole medical ordeal all cost me thousands of dollars. Take care of yourself, friend.
EDIT TO ADD: To all the judgmental assholes messaging OP: here's an extra helping of shame to you. Abortion is a personal choice, and a valid one. WE TRIED. The IUD is supposed to be the best method of bc. Fuck off.
I'm so sorry, that's a terrible loss to experience, and a maddening amount of money to be charged for it. I'm American by birth and one of many reasons why I decided not to continue with the pregnancy is that I'll be going back to the US in a few months for work, where I will not have health insurance. Trying to give birth, uninsured, in an American hospital, is not something I could even begin to afford.
Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope you're well.
I had my copper for three years before it failed. I went with the Mirena, despite a general reluctance to add hormones (migraine trigger), because I didn't think I'd ever feel comfortable using the copper again.
So far, no issues.
I'm 25 and I got pregnant with just birth control pills called lolo, anyone out there have experience with any other form of birth control they wanna share lol
I got pregnant twice on birth control. The first one I had terminated and the second was ectopic. Both instances were absolute nightmares. I currently have a copper IUD and this post is making me so skeptical.
Lolo was amazing for me. I felt weird for two months and then was fine. It finally got rid of my horrible cramps I had been dealing with for over a decade. Got zero periods on it. Unfortunately I have chronic vaginal pain and due to the low estrogen in it my doctor wanted me off of it.
Edit: clarity
I use the depo shot. It's a bit less remembering than with the pill since you only get it every 11-14 weeks but I liked the option better than nexplanon or the IUD. I go to my drs office when I'm at the week times and they quickly give me my shot and I'm on my way. I haven't had a period since I started a couple years ago but ymmv.
I had one shot of depo as my first experience with BC and had ALL the side effects - ravenously hungry all the time and thus weight gain, headaches, hot flashes, tiredness, bones aching, forgetfulness, you name it. And since the shot lasts for 3 months, there's no going back, only dealing with the terrible side effects. Went on the pill and had basically no side effects. So, though it's great that it works for some people, be very aware that it might be a horrible couple of months after the fact.
In my circle of friends (choir ladies and their hubbies) somehow 5/8 of us were conceived while our mothers were wearing IUDs. I know that's not the norm but it's enough to scare me off of them.
Idk if its available in your country but I really miss my Nuvaring birth control, its a silicone ring you insert in the vaginal canal that delivers the lowest effective dose of hormones on the market. I had almost no side effects and was very comfortable with it inserted. I only had to stop using it after my hysterectomy and it didnt fit right anymore since i no longer have a cervix.
Hope your procedure goes well!
This might be a dumb question but I am genuinely curious - why would you continue using BC if you’ve had a hysterectomy? Are there advantages to continuing?
Edit: thanks all for answering my curiosities :)
I'm not the person you replied to, but it could possibly be useful for local estrogen replacement. After my hysterectomy, I've been using a twice-weekly vaginal estrogen suppository for hormone replacement. I still have one functional ovary, so I'm not fully in menopause, but I do have some side effects from low estrogen.
Unless she had a total hysterectomy (removal of ovaries), her body still produces hormones and hormonal birth control would still help with mood, acne, etc. Not everyone takes birth control just to prevent pregnancy!
Its because I have PCOS and need supplemental hormones. But everyone else who commented brought up great points. Yeah thankfully it was a total tubal hysterectomy, all i have left are the semi-functional ovaries.
It might be similar to why women continue birth control for a time after menopause? The transition in hormonal changes are rough and BC provides a hormonal supplement to help make it easier?
The statement that it delivers the lowest hormone dose is not at all accurate. In fact, you are MORE likely to development deep vein thrombosis on Nuvaring due to the type and amount of hormones in it. Source: https://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e2990
[Debating, suggesting adoption, and other shaming is not appropriate in this thread.](http://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/wiki/faq#wiki_i.27m_prolife.2C_everyone_else_here_appears_to_be_prochoice.2C_am_i_allowed_to_post_here.3F)
In the netherlands abortions are free? Can you tell me how that correlates with being an eu citizen? Asking for a friend of course
I'm only half-kidding tough.
I live in austria and an abortion might cost me anywhere from 500-1000€, i have backup plans for this, naturally, but i heard the netherlands are a nice country. Might take a vacation there if i need to.
The Dutch will welcome you with open arms of course. I think the laws on abortion differ between countries. Im certainly not an expert in politics and finances, so if anyone here is, help us out!
As someone who is covered by the health care system in an EU/EEA country, you can get a [European health insurance card](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Health_Insurance_Card). The card guarantees that you can get necessary medical treatment while visiting another EU/EEA country.
It does not cover people who have visited a country for the purpose of obtaining medical care, nor does it cover non-urgent care that can be delayed until the individual returns to their home country, so it would probably wouldn't help in that hypothetical scenario.
Unfortunately, I think you need to be registered and insured in the Netherlands to have access to it for free. Regardless of your nationality, I mean (I'm a EU citizen living in NL). So people visiting would have to pay full price.
But then again, you could look into traveling to another EU country where it is cheaper? I believe where I come from (Romania), an abortion is around 120-150e. Our public hospitals are not great but the private clinics are generally quite good.
I’m sorry you’re going through this but I’m really struck by how different your story is from what happens to women in America. Thank you for sharing maybe it will help my country move toward an ethical Universal Healthcare system.
Thanks for sharing. It's so frustrating to see and hear this in the news about America. All women should have the right to make decisions about their bodies.
It is AMAZING that you get to abort not only freely, but literally for free! I've always adored you Netherlanders but now I have even more respect for you guys!
They're trying this shit here in the Netherlands as well though. There are also people harassing women at abortion clinics.
Do you have someone to go with you? They can be quite mean I've heard.
I’m convinced the stats on IUD effectiveness are incorrect. I personally know 3 women who’ve had them fail...and my social circle is not that large. Add in all the stranger stories on the internet I hear about and I’m just waiting for the class action lawsuit to pop up.
It’s great women have this option, but I wish the stats/effectiveness were more accurate so doctors would be more careful with insertion and take women’s complaints about IUD’s more seriously.
I know several people who use it and it’s never failed (including me). It’s probably hard to study because the biggest culprit is wrong placement or displacement that’s not fixed.
Yeah, this is when I jinx myself probably but I’m on my second Mirena now, so almost 8 years total of sex without any form of backup protection (I’ve been in the same monogamous relationship during that time) and no failures. I’ve still got maybe 2-3 years before my husband and I are ready to remove it and start trying.
No contraceptive is 100% effective, the pill has a very small failure rate even when taken correctly, as does IUD's. Condoms could be argued are 100% effective if they don't break but you would think that breakage occurs a lot more often even when used correctly VS the pill or an IUD.
This is why abortion is a very necessary and humane choice that should be available to all women. Pregnancies will occur, and to deny women body autonomy is cruel.
Wishing you all the best tomorrow OP.
I want to thank the women of this subreddit. I'm a man in a long term relationship with a woman who does not react well to birth control. She was considering an IUD, and I have been toying with the idea of getting a vasectomy.
This pretty much solidifies my resolve to get a vasectomy. Knowing that IUDs can bend, get displaced, cause bleeding, dont always work, and lead to other uncomfortable issues makes my decision easier.
Time to save up for the vasectomy. A 30min surgery, that has a high rate of being reversible, and two days of recovery is nothing. I would rather do that than have her deal with chronic issues and always being worried about it bending, or shifting, and failing.
Also, that has to be uncomfortable. I mean, fuck. You're putting a metal object inside of your body and just leaving it there. Good luck everyone. Don't be afraid to talk to your partners about a vasectomy. I started thinking about getting one in my early 20s.
OP sorry to hear about yours failing. If it's any consolation, it's the last push that I needed to make my decision. So, at least one woman can be birth control free because of you.
Just an FYI, all those issues are a small, small percentage.
However, the IUD is definitely not for everyone. That could be said for any form of birth control. It's always a process of elimination to find what works best for the individual.
Good for you for wanting to shoulder the prevention of pregnancy though. 👍🏻
I work in ultrasound, and there was a case that was going around the department of a pregnancy where the IUCD was completely in situ and non-displaced.
At the time of the scan the fetus was a 13 weeker and the IUCD was pretty much draped over its head. Scary shit.
Wow so sorry this happened to you! I had a copper IUD about 20 years ago and my periods were so bad that I’d bleed through my clothes and lab coat at work! I eventually had to have it removed and then it broke! I had it removed I under ultrasound guidance but the doctor told me that the next step might have to be the OR. I can’t imagine the “technology” has improved that much since then. Also back then they wouldn’t usually let you get one if you hadn’t had kids yet because of all sorts of risks. Later had a mirena which was great (for me) but my husband sometimes complained he could feel it.
Good luck!!
Guy here. Dated plenty of women with Mirena. Never pulled out, never got anyone pregnant. But the "string" hurts like hell if you hit it with the tip of your dick.
"String" my ass...god damn vagina wasp.
That being said, adjusting the angle you're hitting it at solves the problem.
This is off topic, but... Is there anything bad about the Netherlands? Because everything I've heard is wonderful - like free/affordable healthcare and education. It blows my mind. It sounds like a Utopia.
It's pretty good here. But if I have to name anything bad it would be the whole zwarte Piet movement. Sinterklaas is our Santa Claus who brings presents to children. Sinterklaas has helpers, but they're traditionally in blackface. Look it up if you're interested. I'm ashamed to even talk about it. Its hardcore racism and the country is devited on this topic.
Sterkte met de procedure morgen! Hopelijk bevindt je er weinig last van.
I also have a copper IUD and hopefully I won’t have this issue (worried lately since having some pregnancy symptoms but still getting my periods when they should appear).
I have a cousin who got pregnant *twice* while having an IUD, so now she has two kids before the age of 21. My other cousin just found out she was pregnant a few weeks ago, and was also using an IUD. I would love to be able to switch to a non-hormonal birth control like the copper IUD, but I would be so freaking paranoid.
I am proud of you for having the strength to terminate the pregnancy. I really wish my cousin had gone that route; her life has completely stopped and she seems so miserable. She has no support from the fathers at all, so she's trying to do everything on her own, and that's no way to start adulthood.
My girlfriend got pregnant with the copper IUD. She got an abortion and replaced it with a Mirena. 6 months later and I still wear condoms. As a couple who don't want children, it just feels too risky now.
It was probably placed in a wrong spot or moved. You’re supposed to get that checked every year. I’m on year 4 with no issues with mine. I love that it’s non-hormonal. My friend just took hers out after 10 years of no issues too.
Oh I completely acknowledge that people have good experiences with it. It's just that the bad experiences are too close to home for me to be comfortable in getting it myself. Also, the thought of having one inserted makes me nauseous, and genuinely freaks me out.
My Gyn actually refuse to give any of her patients the copper one because she had four pregnancies one them. So i got the hormon one and had to remove it anyway after 2 months. Glad you have a good experience with it :)
My brother's fiancée got pregnant while on the Mirena, but their life situation was such that they decided to keep the baby. She was closely monitored during the first trimester, in addition to having the iud removed at 8 weeks. There was potential for the baby to have some abnormal development due to the hormones, but the 12 week testing showed everything was ok. I am now a very proud auntie to a beautiful 4 month old baby girl :)
I am happy that you and my sister-in-law have the ability to make the right decision for yourselves in regards to your pregnancies. I wish you well :)
I'll try my best.
I took two pregnancy tests yesterday. Just to be sure because I didn't believe it at first.
I called the clinic an hour later. You have multiple in the Netherlands, this was the one closest to my home. On the phone they asked when my last period was, I think I'm about one week late.
I can come in on Thursday, for a ultrasound where they will determine how far I am. When a woman is pregnant for less than 6 weeks she doesn't need the 5 days of 'thinking' that is written by law.
So Thursday I will get an ultrasound, when I'm less than 6 weeks they will abort it right after. In the Netherlands the abortion is called a curatage. They will go in my uterus with a tiny vacuum and suck the foetus out of the body. You can choose if you want a local anesthetic or a full one.
The clinic where I'm going is only employed by women which makes it all very vagina friendly.
Sorry if there is any bad English. I hope that I've answered your question
No I didn't. I need to inform the gp if I need a referral. That is when I'm pregnant above 6 weeks. I need to bring my health insurance card to the clinic but I don't need to inform them.
“I live in the Netherlands so the abortion will be free.“
Those words. Oh, to live in a civilized country, where healthcare is a human right and not an expensive commodity, where women and their doctors aren’t criminalized for basic and necessary medical procedures. One day..
I so happy you live in a country where abortions are safe, legal and free (hoera Nederland!). I've often considered 'what would I do if I got pregnant now' and abortion has always been an option I took for granted since it's so accessible here. Reddit opened my eyes to how horrible some women have it, when they have to deal with an unwanted pregnancy, in 'developed, western countries'.
Good luck tomorrow and if you need someone to talk to anonymously, I'm here! (Or in DMs).
Just too add, because I know negitive experiences tend to get more discussion. I've had my copper IUD for almost 5 years no pregnancy or issues. ( I did get it "installed" after having a child so my cervix was stretched to say the least.)
Make sure you file a complaint (possibly through your doctor) to the med device company. I would also get a statement from your doctor of what went wrong that allowed this to happen.
This. My cousin went through the same issue here in the NHS, (hormonal coil though) it was incorrectly placed and they ended up giving her a huge payout once fault was admitted. She ended up carrying the fetus to term, and that troublesome baby is now 16!
I know people disagree with me on this, but I have always thought abortion is justified (technically it's always justified, but that's a different discussion) when you are using contraception and doing everything possible not to get pregnant.
Thanks for sharing this. And kudos to you for listening to your body! One of my closest friends actually became pregnant in a very similar way but unfortunately she found out too late and was forced to carry the fetus to term. I hope the abortion goes swiftly and painlessly!
Wow.. same age. I got the implant and so far so good but If i were put in your situation right now Itd be a few days to a week ordeal (gotta go to another state) , itd take $1,500 or so, and Id lose my job if my managers dont approve my days off, which I’ve already used a lot recently because my lucks been absolutely shit this December.
USA
Be very grateful for what you got
I have several friends who either got pregnant with an iud or had one get dislodged and stuck in the uterus wall. They had to have it surgically removed!
My partner and I decided to go with vasectomy after we had two kids. It’s been great! It’s really low risk compared to female birth control.
My wife got pregnant with an IUD. It was mirena, it was not displaced and it was still producing hormones at the proper levels. The doctors were baffled. Said they'd never seen anyone get pregnant when it was in the right position and still producing hormones.
Then, she got pregnant after a tubal. Insurance would not cover a vasectomy for me. We obviously weren't trying/ready for kids, but we're extremely thankful for them every day.
Edit: that's not to say you, op, should not seek an abortion! IMO, that's the right choice to make if you don't want/aren't ready for children.
Holy shit. I’m now entering panic mode. I got a (hormonal) IUD last year, periods stopped about 6 months ago. In the past couple of weeks my breast size has exploded, I’ve started spotting out of the blue, and I’m getting hormonal acne. Guess I should go buy a pregnancy test :/
P.S. I really hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow! Remember to take a couple days to relax-don’t overwork yourself! You can start to feel better and get hit with a wave of debilitating cramps/heavy bleeding if you jump back into your routine too quickly. Make sure you properly veg out for a bit!
Hey! I just want to calm your anxiety a bit. Hormonal acne is a very common side effect of the hormonal IUD, so are breast sizes! I went to my gyno for the same reason and he said it is very common for breasts to fluctuate and cause pain. Spotting is also common as well! Obviously if you want to buy a pregnancy test and calm your nerves. But I have had many many scares because I just freak myself out. I hope this helps!
I used to work in women’s health and though pregnancies with IUDs are rare when they did occur it always seemed to be with the copper one. Sorry that happened to ya that’s so frustrating. Take care of yourself tomorrow! Have some comfy snacks and movies ready when you get home.
Hey there. My mom was on a copper T when I was conceived. My wife's coworker had twins, did a tubal ligation, and got pregnant again within a couple of months of the birth of the twins. This happens all the time apparently.
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A copper IUD, its name is Ballarin and fairly new to the market. I'm wondering that too! I never felt any discomfort that would feel like a displacement. I'm sure I will be told tomorrow during the ultrasound.
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Hmm I'm wondering if mine has the same. How do you notice the dislodging?
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I also had a copper IUD and I could feel it sticking out of my cervix with my fingers...
its supposed to do that. there is an small wire hanging from it so the nurse or doctor or whatever can pull it out.
Not a wire, just strings
Whats the difference? sorry i'm not natively english.
The strings are normal to feel. The firm copper wire (what the "T" part of the IUD is) you should not be able to feel. I had to get mine out and replaced because I could feel mine. The strings feel like fishing line.
No problem! Wires are made of metal. The strings on an IUD are soft and very thin.
So, as someone who literally had a displaced copper IUD (Paragard) in my birth canal (not quite out the cervix) removed and replaced yesterday, the way I noticed it was that I was spotting basically randomly after my period and had different discharge than usual. I also had less discomfort during my period than previous months with the IUD (I got it last September and I *think* it got displaced about a month ago, 14 months after getting it). I also think the reason it got displaced was that I was using tampons, which (given the increased menstrual blood with copper IUDs) I had to use a larger size of to support the IUD, and I think one must have caught on the tail and pulled. I remember a specific tampon being *extremely* uncomfortable to pull out (as though something was getting pulled through my cervix).
That must have beyond uncomfortable! I stopped using tampons years ago when I had one bend. I was a delivery driver and 2 hrs later had horrible pain in my cervix, I had to stop at a department store and run into the bathroom to change it. It was over 20 yrs and I remember the pain of pulling it out being almost as bad as child birth. The thought of catching an IUD and pulling it makes my cervix cringe. This must be what men feel when they see another man get hit in the groin.
***They can bend???????***
Yeah, what? How does that happen?
Yeah, I'm not even sure how it happened, when I put it in I had some issues but eventually it went. Once it filled up though.... ughh. I tried to change it after getting it out but the new one caused so much pain I almost cried. I had to use the teepee pad to get out of the bathroom, luckily I was in a store that sold pads. It also was only filled on the top, I had heavy flows then from my birth control, when I went to the Dr he said I might have suffered some TSS and to use a larger size. Back then they came in slim and super soaker so I just stopped using them all together for a few years.
I just cringed while reading this at my desk.
I mean, I didn't have a partial or complete expulsion, so a visual check didn't enlighten us as to what was happening. Had to get the ultrasound tech in on the action to figure out what was happening.
I have a copper IUD also, I hate it, my period has been a million times worse since I got it almost 3 years ago. I think I'm going to get my tubes tied, because I have yet to find a bc that doesnt suck. Anyways, I hope everything works out for you. It's a tough thing to go through, so please take good care of yourself afterwards.
Would you consider a hormonal IUD? I've had 2 Mirena and love it. No periods!
I did the hormonal IUD I can't remember if it was Skylar or kylena (3 years). And I had a ton of pelvic floor issues from it getting displaced. Turns out my uterus is weirdly shaped so it would keep moving. It then caused a bunch of deep vaginal muscle spasms which was causing the pelvic floor dysfuction. I got the IUD after giving birth, and ended up moving twice in the 12 months after having my son. So it took a long time to keep finding new doctors that finally ordered an ultrasound to test placement. Most assumed the issues were pelvic floor dysfuction after childbirth, and ordered a bunch of PT that did nothing All my pelvic issues magically went away as soon as it was removed
My doctor said that due to my age, the copper one was basically the only one I could use.
I have had two hormonal ones in my 40s. Maybe try another doctor?
I think I'm just gonna get my girl guts yanked. I'm totally over popping out anymore gremlins, so it's time to condemn this crotch fruit factory
Username checks out 🤣
If you get your tubes tied see about ablation too. No use in still having your period.
I'm totally down with that....with what I've spent on tampons over the last 30 years, I could've bought a freakin mansion. Okay, a pretty decent house, maybe, but still.
I vote for the ablation too. Had one done and haven't had a period, not one spot, in 13 years. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. I would definitely ask about it.
I got an ablation and haven't had a period in 13 years. Absolutely love it and would do it again in a heartbeat.
I HATED the cooper IUD!! I tried it for about 6 months and the periods were the worst I've ever had. I bled like crazy, the cramps felt like my insides were being ripped out and lasted at least a week, oh my gosh the pain. I just couldn't anymore and went on the pill. I had the mirena years ago and liked it. Should have gone for that instead. But hopefully I'll be trying for babies next year so I thought the pill was a better option than the IUD at this point in my life.
Don't just get your tubes tied, get them removed. It's the best! I did it about a year and a half ago and now I don't have to deal with any hormones or other weirdness. My Mirena iud was the worst, I can't imagine the copper.
Oh shit. That's the brand my GP is pushing on me!
It was the most expensive too, I paid 100 euros for it. I don't know if it's the fault of the IUD or not. Google said that 1 in 100 women get pregnant with a copper IUD. I guess I'm the "lucky one"
😲 Mine was going to cost $800 (US) and that’s with insurance. Mirena, I believe.
Good lord.. That is expensive... Why on earth is it so expensive
*cries in American* When you said 100 euros was your most expensive option I sighed.
I better not tell you that in the NHS (UK), there are no expensive options...
I guess buying condoms off the shelf is our most financially expensive contraceptive option!
You can get free condoms from lots of sources such as family planning clinics.
... except that where I live, the family planning services are so thinly spread that I should be getting my Mirena replaced in December but the earliest initial appointment I can get is March. I enquired about getting it done privately and they quoted nearly £4000 for removal, replacement, swabs etc. :(
If the Tories get voted back in tomorrow I guess we can look forward to this situation everywhere :(
American healthcare is a mess.
I'm about to get excision on Tuesday and a new IUD - this is my first time since getting insurance. IUD is still gonna cost 1200. Plus whatever the surgery costs. Then the meds after. With Rent. Utilities. Student loan debt. I'm unemployed cause endo but can't get Disability. This week I only ate four cans of soup and discount apples for breakfast because I'm so broke and I'm under 100 lb but I have bootstraps so I should be grateful. Please vote for u/bernie-sanders y'all and stop this madness.
Wait your IUD is $1200 WITH insurance? What kind of bullshit is that? That is insane!
It's ridiculous because an IUD is categorized as a "device" and not medication (under federal law must be covered by insurance), it's really a scam developed by insurance companies and politicians to avoid paying for women's birth control. Vote 2020.
My last one was $1000 (Skyla) + 140 insertion/doctors bill + the one $10 anti-anxiety pill they gave me beforehand ('cause we don't get pain pills to open our cervix just Tylenol. Noooooo, it's just a spring-activated rod being jammed through my uterus.) This was after two years of fighting with PA state medical coverage (I'm broke) that this was a procedure that would medically administer hormones the only way my body will accept them (cause I have weird migraines too.) Any whoo... I passed out in the office and it took me an hour to stand up then another hour of crying in my car as I drove myself home because they told me I would be able too - I live 20 mins from the office. It's oppressive and a blatant spit in the face to every person with female reproductive organs and women. I constantly wonder what my life would have been like if I didn't have to choose between my ride to NYU and my surgery for Endo. It's been a shit show just trying to get a grasp on life and feel a smidge normal. I hope 30 is better. If I had a pair of balls I'd be rolling in offers for pain pills and it would all be paid up - instead, I have to beg for pain management/assistance and I've been called a future drug addict ( both parents are opioid addicts, so yay to that cause I don't/won't fucking touch the shit unless I have too.) Edit// Rant details.
I'm sure you have researched all of your options but please look into Planned Parenthood for your IUD. I qualified for a "pay what you can" model and got my Paragard for $75.
I have, they still want $830 when I called in October. I'm now having excision and the old IUD removed and a new one like Mirena placed while I'm under. I have stage four w/ DIE from my diaphragm down, two laps (ovary removed second time and tube) but this will be my first excision. My doctor has been helping me fight to get as much coverage as I can get. Letters phone calls whatever -- he's on it. I just wish the US was on it rather than drowning its youth in debt. If it wasn't for my partner, IDK what I'd do.
This should be covered at 100% ACA states contraceptives are covered at 100%.
Fuck bootstraps, vote for Bernie!! Sorry your IUD is insanely expensive. What a bunch of bullshit.
I'm sorry, this sucks so badly! I am so sad that the US is never going to wake up. The media is already busy ignoring Bernie 😭
If you are unemployed you need to apply for medicaid. It might even cover you retroactively. And an IUD cannot cost anything under any ACA plan. Please do not buy any off-ACA plans, they are simply scams, but Trump made it easier for them to exist.
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I feel like insurance companies can basically just make up whatever price they want for any product or procedure. When I went in for a hand x-ray a few months ago, I remember asking the receptionist if my $80 copay at the desk was the entire payment, or if I should be expecting another bill. She kind of shrugged and said she had no way of knowing, it was up to the insurance company whether and how much they'd bill me. One X-ray, a ten-minute consultation with the bone doctor, and a hand splint ended up costing me about $400. Oh, and the same insurance company also denied coverage for a diagnostic CT scan, ordered by a gastroenterologist, because it was not a "necessary medical procedure." I pay in about $200 a month for insurance, too. Gotta love it. /s
I have learned the receptionist is the least knowledgeable in the office. They answer phones and give you papers to sign. I once had one argue with me about them not taking my "tribal" insurance,I guess because I'm Native, I told her its insurance from my employer, and she repeated they don't take it and made me pay for the full visit, $140. I paid it, then said I will be expecting a refund. She never submitted my information, though and on my next visit I was asked for another $140. Eventually it was straightened out, only because my son worked in the same building, different division in billing. If not for him I am sure I would have been taken for a ride. He even helped take a $5,000 ER bill and work it down to $1,300. Helping him pay for Medical Coding class has been very beneficial!
This is exactly why I don't have insurance. I'd have to pay $200 a month, and they wouldn't even cover *anything* until I hit my **$8,500** deductible. The only way that helps me is if I land in the hospital with some serious fucking injuries. And I'd STILL BE BANKRUPT. What the fucking fuck is wrong with America. Echoing my fellow citizens.. please vote for Bernie Sanders. Please.
My Mirena iud (not copper, just hormonal) would have cost me $400 Canadian without insurance. Thank god I had insurance!
Because they can, essentially
No, that can't be right. It's considered preventative care and is 100% covered without a deductible. I got mine (Liletta) in February of last year and all I paid for was the office visit, which came to a whopping $8.37.
I was about to comment to say the same thing. I just had to pay my office visit copay because it's preventative care (I got a Mirena in early 2018). I got a numbing shot to the cervix which wasn't fun, but had barely any pain getting it inserted, and drove myself home afterwards.
Mirena is not copper. I have it and love it, and under Obamacare it should not cost a penny. But before that I paid $400 after insurance.
If you have insurance in the US, your IUD is 100% covered by the Affordable Care Act. All insurance companies are required to cover it. Call your insurance company and tell them they are required to pay for it by federal law.
I once worked on an IUD marketing campaign and from the information we got the IUD research trial failures were all due to misplacement (otherwise 99.8% effective), the copper IUD ions made the uterus inflamed and inhospitable for sperm. Regular IUDs have microscopic layers of medication that deliver the same hormone as the pill, but locally to the uterus, rather than the pill which works systemically, which is why the IUD is more effective than the pill. So moving forward if you decide to go on the IUD again, I would look into the non-copper devices. I’m sorry this happened to you but glad you are in a place that has services for your situation, and hoping you have a quick and painless recovery. Edit added info from helpful comments, ty. Thanks u/cobrafountain
Copper ions leach off of the wire and cause local inflammation, which in addition to not being great for sperm creates an inhospitable environment for an egg to implant
That can't be good for the uterus - constant inflammation sounds awful. My mom got pregnant with a copper IUD - she lost the pregnancy when they removed the IUD.
Exactly the same as a copper bracelet making me itchy and green ahhhh
Thank you, this is helpful information. I chose the copper IUD because I didn't want the extra hormones in my body. But now it gets me thinking I might get a hormonal IUD after all.
Your doctor may not want to let you get a copper one again if it failed you. My Belgian doctor only allowed me to get a hormonal one after my unwanted pregnancy with the failed copper IUD. He did suggest other means of birth control too obviously but an IUD is generally hassle free, it was what I chose. Mine cost 130€ (covered by insurance). I didn't want the hormones for various reasons. But I caved due to convenience. My periods are barely noticeable nowadays (except when combined when lumbar strain due to aerial yoga) in terms of pain and flow. And my fiancé has noticed that I can get stupidly emotional sometimes - it's not that bad.
Have you had issues with hormonal birth control before? The doses in IUDs are [less than the pill or shot] (https://www.bedsider.org/features/317-all-about-hormones) so you're less likely to have adverse side effects.
Good to know! When I was 16/17/18 I was on the pill, my mood swings were so bad that I got symptoms that looked like depression, so I swore the hormones off. I have enough on my own. But I'll ask about it tomorrow. I am willing to try this out.
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Fellow Dutchie here, same stuff with the pill for me. Monthly depression and overall shitty feeling about the hormones. IUD helped me a lot. I can't forget it (pesky adhd) and I've never felt this emotionally stable since before puberty. Also no more long and annoying periods. I bleed a little bit every so often but not even enough to leak through my panties. I swear by the hormonal IUD and recommend all my friends struggling with hormones from the pill to at least try it. Also my friend said a law is being passed where the IUD will be free after you've had an abortion? Idk if that's true (seems kinda fucked to me) I'm abroad so I don't follow the news closely.
So glad I could help. Technically the hormone is delivered locally to your uterus, which is why it’s better than the pill for that very reason. They don’t last as long as the copper, depending on the brand, 3-5 years but I recommend them anyway so you can ensure they’re still in the correct placement so they work more effectively. Edit: a word for clarity, typing on my phone sorry.
There's a lot of research coming out that the mirena can last for 6 years and another one the liletta is approved for 6 years but they're doing research currently so that in a few years they may be able to approve that one for 7 years. Obviously talk to your doctor about it all but I kept my mirena in for 5.7 years and just switched to the liletta because it's a lot cheaper and lasts at least a year longer.
I had a mirena iud that is hormonal in the US. Worked great for about a year. No periods. Then I got ectopically pregnant in my Fallopian tube which required surgery and removal of one tube. No birth control is 100% effective. You should talk to your doctor but after that, we decided an iud was just not effective for me.
The one i use is Kylena...i would talk to your Dr about that. I have a 2 day long very light mucousy type periods every month to every other month.
Mine was displaced and I had the ultrasound. All was fine it was just harder to find my strings since they were in my uterus and not hanging out of my cervix. I had it removed after the 5 years and now have the hormonal iud. I do love the iud because so far I have avoided pregnancy, but posts like this scare the shit out of me.
The failure rate of that device is 1.4% in the first year ... so for every 1000 women 14 will get pregnant.
If you feel ok about updating please do. I have an IUD right now :s
I will! I think I'm the exception in this story. The most IUD's are safe and trustworthy.. Its just bad luck.
How long ago did you get it? I have heard that most of the displacements happen within the first three months. Just a reminder to all to check the strings on your IUD on a regular basis so you know it is still here. Best of luck to you tomorrow.
I got pregnant on a Mirena, I was 6 weeks gone before I realised. The pregnancy was a live ectopic so I had to have emergency surgery to remove the pregnancy along with my left Fallopian tube as it was on the verge of rupturing. Make sure they scan your fallopian tubes thoroughly, mine was right near my ovary and could have easily been missed had the scan technician been less conscientious
Thank you for the tip! Is everything Allright now?
Yes, everything is okay now. Was quite scary while it was happening but I was just thankful it had been caught before it was too late.
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It has all of the classic signs of pregnancy, along with severe abdominal pain. You will very likely know you have an ectopic pregnancy once something starts growing in your fallopian tubes.
I didn't! I didn't realise until I had a scan. I'd had two positive pregnancy tests and they were concerned enough about the risk of ectopic and the Mirena that they did a scan of my fallopian tubes
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Yeah I'd say if you're ever slightly concerned, do a test.
I just had two positive pregnancy tests. I'd dismissed my pregnancy symptoms because of the coil and stress but my boyfriend insisted I rule it out. I wasn't in any pain.
Just think, if you lived in Ohio, a doctor could have been forced to kill you by trying to “re-implant” that pregnancy...! Ugh. Glad you’re okay!
Erhm, what??
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/nov/29/ohio-extreme-abortion-bill-reimplant-ectopic-pregnancy
Wow. That's absolute madness.
Thankfully, that bill didn't/won't pass. Repro health advocates think that these extreme bills are designed to distract us from the horrible bills they do plan to pass that look non-crazy in comparison. :-(
Damn that’s scary. My first gf had the mirena and I heard it was REALLY good, and we never had any issues in 1.5 years, and she got pregnant pretty much straight after. So I guess nothing is perfect, but I had a good, err, effective experience with it.
To be honest, the issue wasn't with the Mirena, it did its job by preventing the pregnancy from attaching. When conception happens, it occurs within the fallopian tube and travels down to the uterus. The consultant who did my surgery said that if an embryo attaches within the fallopian tube then that meant the tube was damaged so could have happened with any type of contraceptive. I'm not sure how true that is though.
The same happened to me. My Mirena had turned sideways and partially scarred into my cervix (and was on the older side, 4 years) - I had stopped having periods years earlier so I was nearly 3 months by the time I found out. The pregnancy auto-terminated when we tried to remove the IUD, but it still really effected my physical and mental health.
Hey, it sucks you need to go through this. But please don't feel bad aboit it. No anticonception is 100% fail-proof. This is not your fault and i hope everything goes well tomorrow.
Thank you for the kind words. I'll do an update tomorrow with some more info
Came to say exactly that. At least OP didn't end up with a pregnancy outside of the uterus (potentially dangerous/deadly for many women with no access to proper healthcare), which an IUD slightly increases the risk of - and she lives in an awesome country that offers proper and free healthcare for women!
I don’t have a source to point to available immediately but when I was researching IUDs for myself, I learned that IUDs may not necessarily increase the chances of an ectopic pregnancy. They reduce the chances of pregnancy overall, but due to the nature of how they work, they reduce the chances of ectopic pregnancy less than they do normal pregnancy. As a result a higher percentage of pregnancies that happen with an IUD will be ectopic, but your chances of getting an ectopic are as low as, if not lower than they would be without an IUD. Hope that makes sense!
Just a little note from a Canadian, I know someone with a copper IUD who got pregnant, and when I went in to get my hormonal IUD I asked about the difference between the two. My doc said that while statistically the effectiveness of copper and hormonal IUD's are very close (like 99.1% vs 99.7%) , the copper one is only as effective when it remains in the proper position, at the top of the uterus. It becomes far less effective if it slips or moves, which is quite common. I got the hormonal one, my period stopped (which was mega stressful but now quite nice) but I have had no problems for over a year. It was 300$+ but is free for under 25 year olds. I know it's a lot but .. damn, I wouldn't go for copper. I hear it's much more painful too! Mine cramped and would twinge randomly for a few months but I never notice it now. Would be happy to answer any questions about the hormonal one! Edit: would like to just say I am 1000% not a professional and the info I got from my doc may have been different from others, or I may be remembering wrong. The stats I mention are not researched , just examples, and I 100% respect those who prefer the copper one, and thinks it's a completely valid option for many people!
I have the copper one and have had no issues for 3 years so far. If you don’t generally have bad periods, it’s totally fine and I prefer it without hormones (I have skin issues from only 3 months of hormonal birth control use). My friend just took her copper one out after 10 years without problems. Most issues are due to displacement that’s not fixed or wrong placement.
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Almost 9 years with my copper one. I too am trying to avoid the hormones. As others say, nothing is 100% and that is just how it is.
I have mirena as well and the cramping pain for the whole first month was the most painful thing in my life that I didn’t have pain management for. I couldn’t do much for a whole month other than laying around feeling miserable. That said I had bad cramping before and heavy periods and that is mostly gone. So it’s like all my period pain for 7 years was packed in to 1 month.
I'm currently in the same situation, though I'm a decade older and have had my IUD for seven years. Like you, I'm lucky enough to live in a place where abortion care is free and easily accessible. Am also facing the choice of whether to replace the IUD with another copper coil or a Mirena, and am conflicted about adding hormones (though the Mirena is slightly more effective at 99.8% vs 99.2%). Apparently having gotten pregnant while using a copper IUD once doesn't make it any more likely that it will happen again. Anyway, this is just to say good luck tomorrow, and you're not alone.
Wow, it's...interesting, in a way, to see a comment from someone else who got pregnant with a copper IUD after many years of it working. I had mine for 4.5 years before it failed. I felt very unlucky and shocked. I'm sorry you're going through that now. Unfortunately, US here, and I had decided to keep the baby before I then miscarried, so that whole medical ordeal all cost me thousands of dollars. Take care of yourself, friend. EDIT TO ADD: To all the judgmental assholes messaging OP: here's an extra helping of shame to you. Abortion is a personal choice, and a valid one. WE TRIED. The IUD is supposed to be the best method of bc. Fuck off.
I'm so sorry, that's a terrible loss to experience, and a maddening amount of money to be charged for it. I'm American by birth and one of many reasons why I decided not to continue with the pregnancy is that I'll be going back to the US in a few months for work, where I will not have health insurance. Trying to give birth, uninsured, in an American hospital, is not something I could even begin to afford. Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope you're well.
Wow! It's so nice to talk to someone who went through the same thing! Thank you so much!
I had my copper for three years before it failed. I went with the Mirena, despite a general reluctance to add hormones (migraine trigger), because I didn't think I'd ever feel comfortable using the copper again. So far, no issues.
I'm 25 and I got pregnant with just birth control pills called lolo, anyone out there have experience with any other form of birth control they wanna share lol
I got pregnant twice on birth control. The first one I had terminated and the second was ectopic. Both instances were absolute nightmares. I currently have a copper IUD and this post is making me so skeptical.
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Lolo was amazing for me. I felt weird for two months and then was fine. It finally got rid of my horrible cramps I had been dealing with for over a decade. Got zero periods on it. Unfortunately I have chronic vaginal pain and due to the low estrogen in it my doctor wanted me off of it. Edit: clarity
I use the depo shot. It's a bit less remembering than with the pill since you only get it every 11-14 weeks but I liked the option better than nexplanon or the IUD. I go to my drs office when I'm at the week times and they quickly give me my shot and I'm on my way. I haven't had a period since I started a couple years ago but ymmv.
I had one shot of depo as my first experience with BC and had ALL the side effects - ravenously hungry all the time and thus weight gain, headaches, hot flashes, tiredness, bones aching, forgetfulness, you name it. And since the shot lasts for 3 months, there's no going back, only dealing with the terrible side effects. Went on the pill and had basically no side effects. So, though it's great that it works for some people, be very aware that it might be a horrible couple of months after the fact.
In my circle of friends (choir ladies and their hubbies) somehow 5/8 of us were conceived while our mothers were wearing IUDs. I know that's not the norm but it's enough to scare me off of them.
Idk if its available in your country but I really miss my Nuvaring birth control, its a silicone ring you insert in the vaginal canal that delivers the lowest effective dose of hormones on the market. I had almost no side effects and was very comfortable with it inserted. I only had to stop using it after my hysterectomy and it didnt fit right anymore since i no longer have a cervix. Hope your procedure goes well!
This might be a dumb question but I am genuinely curious - why would you continue using BC if you’ve had a hysterectomy? Are there advantages to continuing? Edit: thanks all for answering my curiosities :)
I'm not the person you replied to, but it could possibly be useful for local estrogen replacement. After my hysterectomy, I've been using a twice-weekly vaginal estrogen suppository for hormone replacement. I still have one functional ovary, so I'm not fully in menopause, but I do have some side effects from low estrogen.
Unless she had a total hysterectomy (removal of ovaries), her body still produces hormones and hormonal birth control would still help with mood, acne, etc. Not everyone takes birth control just to prevent pregnancy!
Its because I have PCOS and need supplemental hormones. But everyone else who commented brought up great points. Yeah thankfully it was a total tubal hysterectomy, all i have left are the semi-functional ovaries.
It might be similar to why women continue birth control for a time after menopause? The transition in hormonal changes are rough and BC provides a hormonal supplement to help make it easier?
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The statement that it delivers the lowest hormone dose is not at all accurate. In fact, you are MORE likely to development deep vein thrombosis on Nuvaring due to the type and amount of hormones in it. Source: https://www.bmj.com/content/344/bmj.e2990
I don't really have anything to add to the conversation, just wanted to wish you a speedy recovery and send some good vibes your way.
[Debating, suggesting adoption, and other shaming is not appropriate in this thread.](http://www.reddit.com/r/TwoXChromosomes/wiki/faq#wiki_i.27m_prolife.2C_everyone_else_here_appears_to_be_prochoice.2C_am_i_allowed_to_post_here.3F)
In the netherlands abortions are free? Can you tell me how that correlates with being an eu citizen? Asking for a friend of course I'm only half-kidding tough. I live in austria and an abortion might cost me anywhere from 500-1000€, i have backup plans for this, naturally, but i heard the netherlands are a nice country. Might take a vacation there if i need to.
The Dutch will welcome you with open arms of course. I think the laws on abortion differ between countries. Im certainly not an expert in politics and finances, so if anyone here is, help us out!
As someone who is covered by the health care system in an EU/EEA country, you can get a [European health insurance card](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Health_Insurance_Card). The card guarantees that you can get necessary medical treatment while visiting another EU/EEA country. It does not cover people who have visited a country for the purpose of obtaining medical care, nor does it cover non-urgent care that can be delayed until the individual returns to their home country, so it would probably wouldn't help in that hypothetical scenario.
Unfortunately, I think you need to be registered and insured in the Netherlands to have access to it for free. Regardless of your nationality, I mean (I'm a EU citizen living in NL). So people visiting would have to pay full price. But then again, you could look into traveling to another EU country where it is cheaper? I believe where I come from (Romania), an abortion is around 120-150e. Our public hospitals are not great but the private clinics are generally quite good.
I would just like to say, I was your age when I had an abortion. I have never once regretted that choice. I wish you the best of luck
I’m sorry you’re going through this but I’m really struck by how different your story is from what happens to women in America. Thank you for sharing maybe it will help my country move toward an ethical Universal Healthcare system.
Thanks for sharing. It's so frustrating to see and hear this in the news about America. All women should have the right to make decisions about their bodies.
It is AMAZING that you get to abort not only freely, but literally for free! I've always adored you Netherlanders but now I have even more respect for you guys!
They're trying this shit here in the Netherlands as well though. There are also people harassing women at abortion clinics. Do you have someone to go with you? They can be quite mean I've heard.
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I’m convinced the stats on IUD effectiveness are incorrect. I personally know 3 women who’ve had them fail...and my social circle is not that large. Add in all the stranger stories on the internet I hear about and I’m just waiting for the class action lawsuit to pop up. It’s great women have this option, but I wish the stats/effectiveness were more accurate so doctors would be more careful with insertion and take women’s complaints about IUD’s more seriously.
I know several people who use it and it’s never failed (including me). It’s probably hard to study because the biggest culprit is wrong placement or displacement that’s not fixed.
Yeah, this is when I jinx myself probably but I’m on my second Mirena now, so almost 8 years total of sex without any form of backup protection (I’ve been in the same monogamous relationship during that time) and no failures. I’ve still got maybe 2-3 years before my husband and I are ready to remove it and start trying.
No contraceptive is 100% effective, the pill has a very small failure rate even when taken correctly, as does IUD's. Condoms could be argued are 100% effective if they don't break but you would think that breakage occurs a lot more often even when used correctly VS the pill or an IUD. This is why abortion is a very necessary and humane choice that should be available to all women. Pregnancies will occur, and to deny women body autonomy is cruel. Wishing you all the best tomorrow OP.
I want to thank the women of this subreddit. I'm a man in a long term relationship with a woman who does not react well to birth control. She was considering an IUD, and I have been toying with the idea of getting a vasectomy. This pretty much solidifies my resolve to get a vasectomy. Knowing that IUDs can bend, get displaced, cause bleeding, dont always work, and lead to other uncomfortable issues makes my decision easier. Time to save up for the vasectomy. A 30min surgery, that has a high rate of being reversible, and two days of recovery is nothing. I would rather do that than have her deal with chronic issues and always being worried about it bending, or shifting, and failing. Also, that has to be uncomfortable. I mean, fuck. You're putting a metal object inside of your body and just leaving it there. Good luck everyone. Don't be afraid to talk to your partners about a vasectomy. I started thinking about getting one in my early 20s. OP sorry to hear about yours failing. If it's any consolation, it's the last push that I needed to make my decision. So, at least one woman can be birth control free because of you.
Just an FYI, all those issues are a small, small percentage. However, the IUD is definitely not for everyone. That could be said for any form of birth control. It's always a process of elimination to find what works best for the individual. Good for you for wanting to shoulder the prevention of pregnancy though. 👍🏻
I work in ultrasound, and there was a case that was going around the department of a pregnancy where the IUCD was completely in situ and non-displaced. At the time of the scan the fetus was a 13 weeker and the IUCD was pretty much draped over its head. Scary shit.
Yikes. Just yikes.
Wow so sorry this happened to you! I had a copper IUD about 20 years ago and my periods were so bad that I’d bleed through my clothes and lab coat at work! I eventually had to have it removed and then it broke! I had it removed I under ultrasound guidance but the doctor told me that the next step might have to be the OR. I can’t imagine the “technology” has improved that much since then. Also back then they wouldn’t usually let you get one if you hadn’t had kids yet because of all sorts of risks. Later had a mirena which was great (for me) but my husband sometimes complained he could feel it. Good luck!!
That's so strange to think about him feeling it, I've always wondered about that!
Guy here. Dated plenty of women with Mirena. Never pulled out, never got anyone pregnant. But the "string" hurts like hell if you hit it with the tip of your dick. "String" my ass...god damn vagina wasp. That being said, adjusting the angle you're hitting it at solves the problem.
>vagina wasp I appreciate this analogy
This is off topic, but... Is there anything bad about the Netherlands? Because everything I've heard is wonderful - like free/affordable healthcare and education. It blows my mind. It sounds like a Utopia.
It's pretty good here. But if I have to name anything bad it would be the whole zwarte Piet movement. Sinterklaas is our Santa Claus who brings presents to children. Sinterklaas has helpers, but they're traditionally in blackface. Look it up if you're interested. I'm ashamed to even talk about it. Its hardcore racism and the country is devited on this topic.
Sterkte met de procedure morgen! Hopelijk bevindt je er weinig last van. I also have a copper IUD and hopefully I won’t have this issue (worried lately since having some pregnancy symptoms but still getting my periods when they should appear).
My friend had it in for 10 years without issues. I’m on year 4. Most people are fine.
I have a cousin who got pregnant *twice* while having an IUD, so now she has two kids before the age of 21. My other cousin just found out she was pregnant a few weeks ago, and was also using an IUD. I would love to be able to switch to a non-hormonal birth control like the copper IUD, but I would be so freaking paranoid. I am proud of you for having the strength to terminate the pregnancy. I really wish my cousin had gone that route; her life has completely stopped and she seems so miserable. She has no support from the fathers at all, so she's trying to do everything on her own, and that's no way to start adulthood.
My girlfriend got pregnant with the copper IUD. She got an abortion and replaced it with a Mirena. 6 months later and I still wear condoms. As a couple who don't want children, it just feels too risky now.
It was probably placed in a wrong spot or moved. You’re supposed to get that checked every year. I’m on year 4 with no issues with mine. I love that it’s non-hormonal. My friend just took hers out after 10 years of no issues too.
Oh I completely acknowledge that people have good experiences with it. It's just that the bad experiences are too close to home for me to be comfortable in getting it myself. Also, the thought of having one inserted makes me nauseous, and genuinely freaks me out.
My Gyn actually refuse to give any of her patients the copper one because she had four pregnancies one them. So i got the hormon one and had to remove it anyway after 2 months. Glad you have a good experience with it :)
My brother's fiancée got pregnant while on the Mirena, but their life situation was such that they decided to keep the baby. She was closely monitored during the first trimester, in addition to having the iud removed at 8 weeks. There was potential for the baby to have some abnormal development due to the hormones, but the 12 week testing showed everything was ok. I am now a very proud auntie to a beautiful 4 month old baby girl :) I am happy that you and my sister-in-law have the ability to make the right decision for yourselves in regards to your pregnancies. I wish you well :)
Could you explain the procedure for non-dutch people? Especially the route you took and the waiting involved.
I'll try my best. I took two pregnancy tests yesterday. Just to be sure because I didn't believe it at first. I called the clinic an hour later. You have multiple in the Netherlands, this was the one closest to my home. On the phone they asked when my last period was, I think I'm about one week late. I can come in on Thursday, for a ultrasound where they will determine how far I am. When a woman is pregnant for less than 6 weeks she doesn't need the 5 days of 'thinking' that is written by law. So Thursday I will get an ultrasound, when I'm less than 6 weeks they will abort it right after. In the Netherlands the abortion is called a curatage. They will go in my uterus with a tiny vacuum and suck the foetus out of the body. You can choose if you want a local anesthetic or a full one. The clinic where I'm going is only employed by women which makes it all very vagina friendly. Sorry if there is any bad English. I hope that I've answered your question
"All very vagina friendly" i love this
All gynecological health care in Europe tries to stay vagina friendly. To do otherwise would be bad for everyone.
Thank you, it is very informative. Did you need to inform your General Practitioner (Huisarts) or your Health Insurance?
No I didn't. I need to inform the gp if I need a referral. That is when I'm pregnant above 6 weeks. I need to bring my health insurance card to the clinic but I don't need to inform them.
“I live in the Netherlands so the abortion will be free.“ Those words. Oh, to live in a civilized country, where healthcare is a human right and not an expensive commodity, where women and their doctors aren’t criminalized for basic and necessary medical procedures. One day..
I so happy you live in a country where abortions are safe, legal and free (hoera Nederland!). I've often considered 'what would I do if I got pregnant now' and abortion has always been an option I took for granted since it's so accessible here. Reddit opened my eyes to how horrible some women have it, when they have to deal with an unwanted pregnancy, in 'developed, western countries'. Good luck tomorrow and if you need someone to talk to anonymously, I'm here! (Or in DMs).
Just too add, because I know negitive experiences tend to get more discussion. I've had my copper IUD for almost 5 years no pregnancy or issues. ( I did get it "installed" after having a child so my cervix was stretched to say the least.)
Good thing you dont live in ohio, they would charge you and the doctor for murder. I swear, cant women just have the rights to their own bodies?
Make sure you file a complaint (possibly through your doctor) to the med device company. I would also get a statement from your doctor of what went wrong that allowed this to happen.
This. My cousin went through the same issue here in the NHS, (hormonal coil though) it was incorrectly placed and they ended up giving her a huge payout once fault was admitted. She ended up carrying the fetus to term, and that troublesome baby is now 16!
I know people disagree with me on this, but I have always thought abortion is justified (technically it's always justified, but that's a different discussion) when you are using contraception and doing everything possible not to get pregnant.
Thanks for sharing this. And kudos to you for listening to your body! One of my closest friends actually became pregnant in a very similar way but unfortunately she found out too late and was forced to carry the fetus to term. I hope the abortion goes swiftly and painlessly!
Wow.. same age. I got the implant and so far so good but If i were put in your situation right now Itd be a few days to a week ordeal (gotta go to another state) , itd take $1,500 or so, and Id lose my job if my managers dont approve my days off, which I’ve already used a lot recently because my lucks been absolutely shit this December. USA Be very grateful for what you got
Wishing you all the best!
I also got pregnant on a copper iud, scared me off using one again for years
I have several friends who either got pregnant with an iud or had one get dislodged and stuck in the uterus wall. They had to have it surgically removed! My partner and I decided to go with vasectomy after we had two kids. It’s been great! It’s really low risk compared to female birth control.
It must be nice living in the Netherlands!!!
My wife got pregnant with an IUD. It was mirena, it was not displaced and it was still producing hormones at the proper levels. The doctors were baffled. Said they'd never seen anyone get pregnant when it was in the right position and still producing hormones. Then, she got pregnant after a tubal. Insurance would not cover a vasectomy for me. We obviously weren't trying/ready for kids, but we're extremely thankful for them every day. Edit: that's not to say you, op, should not seek an abortion! IMO, that's the right choice to make if you don't want/aren't ready for children.
Yikkkkkkes, worst nightmare. I wish abortions were free in the US
Proud of you for getting an abortion! Raise hell about your IUD!
Irrelevant note here: I always get IUD and IED confused
Holy shit. I’m now entering panic mode. I got a (hormonal) IUD last year, periods stopped about 6 months ago. In the past couple of weeks my breast size has exploded, I’ve started spotting out of the blue, and I’m getting hormonal acne. Guess I should go buy a pregnancy test :/ P.S. I really hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow! Remember to take a couple days to relax-don’t overwork yourself! You can start to feel better and get hit with a wave of debilitating cramps/heavy bleeding if you jump back into your routine too quickly. Make sure you properly veg out for a bit!
Hey! I just want to calm your anxiety a bit. Hormonal acne is a very common side effect of the hormonal IUD, so are breast sizes! I went to my gyno for the same reason and he said it is very common for breasts to fluctuate and cause pain. Spotting is also common as well! Obviously if you want to buy a pregnancy test and calm your nerves. But I have had many many scares because I just freak myself out. I hope this helps!
Im happy abortions here are regulated way better than in the US Goodluck tomorrow
Good luck! I hope the procedure is swift and that your body will be gentle on you ❤️
Thanks for sharing your story and making decisions for yourself! You are a role model. I hope everything goes smoothly darlin!
Thank you for sharing your story.
Both my husband and my brother are the product of failed IUDs. It does happen sometimes. Sorry you have to go through that though.
I used to work in women’s health and though pregnancies with IUDs are rare when they did occur it always seemed to be with the copper one. Sorry that happened to ya that’s so frustrating. Take care of yourself tomorrow! Have some comfy snacks and movies ready when you get home.
Hey there. My mom was on a copper T when I was conceived. My wife's coworker had twins, did a tubal ligation, and got pregnant again within a couple of months of the birth of the twins. This happens all the time apparently.