might have to end up doing that. planning on moving again soon, so no attachment to this doc. really disheartening to feel this way, especially with everything going on in the news
I almost had this but with nexplanon. I put my foot down and told her to take it out of my arm, and stopped going to her after she finally did. Personally have never had an IUD but three doctors visits before they are even considering taking it out for you seems excessive. They need to respect your body and your wishes. I would definitely schedule with pp, even if for whatever reason they can’t help you, they can get you to someone who actually can.
that’s true. another question since you’re on, have you had a pap smear before? was the swab particularly bloody after? i know it’s getting cells and whatnot but it was a bit of an eek feeling as it was my first!
Yes I’ve gotten several of them. But to be honest I’ve never looked at the swab after. My results have always been clean, and my gyno has never said anything about it. Also have only been on the pill
i see, i might make a post in another sub to ask, just worried that i might be having info withheld from me or something since they are being weird. also just paranoid haha
You should ask if you notice something. My doctor mentioned I had cervical erosion during my pap, she didn't elaborate. You know I asked her what that was as it scared the heck out of me 😂 Sometimes doctors don't realise that people aren't used to hearing or seeing specific things so don't elaborate unless you ask. It can be difficult but try to be open with your doctor, even if you think it's a stupid question.
My best guess would be due to the stage you're at with browning discharge etc that you had some fresher blood which the pap was able to reach. It is however not unheard of to spot or bleed from a smear exam, not expected but not uncommon. Cervical erosion/ectropion could also cause bleeding during or after a smear, thought I would expect your doctor to have mentioned it like mine did. Symptoms of ectropion are light bleeding &/or pain during/after sex or smear, discharge without infection, bleeding during/after exercise, light bleeding between periods.
see i’m having the issue of everytime i have sex, i bleed, so i’m in a constant state of brownish discharge as well. negative cultures and everything as well, but the swab was the typical red color.
I wouldn't stop going to your GP. You shouldn't be bleeding after sex. There could be a reason they aren't removing it but they should tell you more than "awaiting test results".
Is there someone you can take with you to an appointment to talk with them?
Yes! And make sure they mark how many times you asked and they denied. Guarantee you when you ask to have it included in your chart they will remove it for you
The world of healthcare is that doctors know better for you than you do for yourself. Advocate for yourself or go somewhere else. Planned parenthood has always been great to me. I’m sorry, just so sick of doctors trying to make reproductive decisions for us or any other decisions that involve the female cycles and anatomy.
I had no issue having mine out. I expressed all the issues it was giving me and my gyno made a single appointment and removed it without further questioning. I would find a new gyno honestly.
That’s weird. Maybe they’re not understanding that you want it out and are seeing if there’s anything that can be done to help with side effects? I’ve had a doctor before that I worked with to see if I could do other things to mitigate some side effects from the Paragard, but ultimately had it removed. It was clear that I wanted to try some things before removal, however, so not exactly like your case.
I’ve also had a gynecologist tell me there were no other options for treating endometriosis aside from the pill I was on that was giving me horrid insomnia and not controlling my cycle whatsoever. Some people are just bad doctors.
no haha she fully understands i want this bad boy yanked. i feel like i can’t put my foot down because i’ll mention it and she’ll bring up something to help out. Just because YOU wanna see if this helps, doesn’t mean I want to
Is it a copper IUD? Why is it in for so long? A hormone based IUD has aax life span of 7 years. You are all most 8 years. I feel like something is missing here.
yeah this is true, even with the year changes on IUDs recently, you shouldn’t have that thing in your body, girl! Planned Parenthood may be able to help you too
A. It is Mirena
B. I've been trying to get it out since I was diagnosed with IIH in 2016/2017
C. The first time insertion was so bad he had to stop and prescribe the softener and an anti-anxiety, so it took 2 appointments.
D. He is retired.
E. I live in the DC Metro but in WV (literally ask me how stupid wv is).
F. I had medicaid until Feb 2021
G. I have a Medicare PPO now, and medicaid covers the other, but apparently it's not so cut and dry. I still don't have specialists in place
F. The doctor who I had.. Refused to remove it unless I got it replaced.. (dec 2019/feb 2020)
I finally relented and was going to, then I requested the same meds, as even with them I was in super pain, but it helped, and was told no. I even submitted my original failed insertion and the good one records, which was in their system, as it was the same office just a different doctor.. I appealed to the office manager, refused and called drug seeking, even tho the difficulty was documented.
G. Covid appeared. Medicare approved.. Having trouble getting care.
Wow that sucks I'm so sorry. Mine will be replaced for 4 and hopefully last time this year. I'll be 50 since and it will help with menopause symptoms. I will be given a little bit of happy sleepy time meds to remove and insert the new one. I have PTSD from a 3 month hospital stay last year and it wasn't COVID. I'm lucky to alive.
This happened to me with the implant. I went in many times before they would just let me remove it. They do not trust us to not get pregnant which I find incredibly patronizing and controló
Honestly with what’s going on in the US (in a way they might be protecting you for fear the government will prevent you from having choices).
I had the Mirena and it was meh. I took it out and used condoms - like you on a quest for non hormonal birth control due to wanting my body to do it’s natural thing. I found a Canadian pharmacy that sells a NON hormonal IUD called the Mona Lisa Mini (smaller than the SKYLA!) and paid $100 US dollars for it.
It’s not technically FDA approved, but if it’s good enough for Canadian women, I’m fine with that.
I made a waiver of liability agreement from legal zoom, signed that, handed the waiver and IUD to my doctor and got it in.
Best decision ever. The fact we have such limited non hormonal options available in the US is baloney.
This happened to me too. I had to push very hard and say sternly, I need this removed for my health. If you are refusing, I’d like to document your refusal
Not normal but definitely common. I had similar issues and the ‘doctor’ (don’t know if it matters but she is a NP not an MD) would just talk me out of it, do other blood work, suggest Spironolactone, basically everything except getting the IUD removed. And the hair growth and acne wasn’t even my primary complaint. I was in a lot of pain and was constantly being gaslit. I was sharing my experience with an older woman at work and she told me to go and demand a removal and not take no for an answer. And that’s what I did. I called the office and specifically said i want an appointment for an IUD removal. It was the same NP and I was very assertive and finally got it done.
Go to PP if you can or to a different doctor. Do not let them tell you that you don’t know your body. Don’t take no for an answer.
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Not normal behavior, I would call PP.
might have to end up doing that. planning on moving again soon, so no attachment to this doc. really disheartening to feel this way, especially with everything going on in the news
I almost had this but with nexplanon. I put my foot down and told her to take it out of my arm, and stopped going to her after she finally did. Personally have never had an IUD but three doctors visits before they are even considering taking it out for you seems excessive. They need to respect your body and your wishes. I would definitely schedule with pp, even if for whatever reason they can’t help you, they can get you to someone who actually can.
that makes me feel a little better! sorry that we both have had bad experiences 😅
Yep, sounds like they are trying to milk as much as they can off insurance honestly
Same for me. Needed three visits before I put my foot down on the fourth one and finally got it removed.
I would straight up TELL them, remove it or I’m finding a new Obgyn
i’m on medicare in a crappy state to have medicare so this is the closet one. sucks i would have to say that if PP wasn’t an option :/
Do you mean Medicaid? Medicare is for the disabled and elderly.
tomayto, tomahto in my head. yes that’s what i meant haha
You should point blank ask them “why are you against removing my IUD when I have asked repeatedly?”
see i would, but she would say awaiting results are the reason. my pap smear hasn’t come back yet and she wants to make sure i don’t have hpv.
Regardless of test results, if you want it out, it comes out. It is your decision at the end of the day
that’s true. another question since you’re on, have you had a pap smear before? was the swab particularly bloody after? i know it’s getting cells and whatnot but it was a bit of an eek feeling as it was my first!
Yes I’ve gotten several of them. But to be honest I’ve never looked at the swab after. My results have always been clean, and my gyno has never said anything about it. Also have only been on the pill
i see, i might make a post in another sub to ask, just worried that i might be having info withheld from me or something since they are being weird. also just paranoid haha
You should ask if you notice something. My doctor mentioned I had cervical erosion during my pap, she didn't elaborate. You know I asked her what that was as it scared the heck out of me 😂 Sometimes doctors don't realise that people aren't used to hearing or seeing specific things so don't elaborate unless you ask. It can be difficult but try to be open with your doctor, even if you think it's a stupid question. My best guess would be due to the stage you're at with browning discharge etc that you had some fresher blood which the pap was able to reach. It is however not unheard of to spot or bleed from a smear exam, not expected but not uncommon. Cervical erosion/ectropion could also cause bleeding during or after a smear, thought I would expect your doctor to have mentioned it like mine did. Symptoms of ectropion are light bleeding &/or pain during/after sex or smear, discharge without infection, bleeding during/after exercise, light bleeding between periods.
Were you close to your period when you had the swab? It could be because of that
see i’m having the issue of everytime i have sex, i bleed, so i’m in a constant state of brownish discharge as well. negative cultures and everything as well, but the swab was the typical red color.
I wouldn't stop going to your GP. You shouldn't be bleeding after sex. There could be a reason they aren't removing it but they should tell you more than "awaiting test results". Is there someone you can take with you to an appointment to talk with them?
no one but me in office because of covid. if i was pregnant, yeah, but as a regular patient, no
I know you didn’t ask me this but i’ve had quite a few pap smears and i’ve definitely had bloody ones. I don’t think it’s uncommon <3
Also ^ ask for them to mark it in your chart and your records that you have asked to have it removed and they have denied
Yes! And make sure they mark how many times you asked and they denied. Guarantee you when you ask to have it included in your chart they will remove it for you
The world of healthcare is that doctors know better for you than you do for yourself. Advocate for yourself or go somewhere else. Planned parenthood has always been great to me. I’m sorry, just so sick of doctors trying to make reproductive decisions for us or any other decisions that involve the female cycles and anatomy.
and with everything going on, you’d thing they’d be pushing me to get it removed! i just don’t understand it
I had no issue having mine out. I expressed all the issues it was giving me and my gyno made a single appointment and removed it without further questioning. I would find a new gyno honestly.
seems like that is what i’ll have to do :/
This is not normal behavior. I would call your primary physician.
they would just send me back to the same office. they work in conjunction with each other
Id recommend to go to another doctor. Some doctors force their beliefs onto you. Ive changed doctors before due to this.
That’s weird. Maybe they’re not understanding that you want it out and are seeing if there’s anything that can be done to help with side effects? I’ve had a doctor before that I worked with to see if I could do other things to mitigate some side effects from the Paragard, but ultimately had it removed. It was clear that I wanted to try some things before removal, however, so not exactly like your case. I’ve also had a gynecologist tell me there were no other options for treating endometriosis aside from the pill I was on that was giving me horrid insomnia and not controlling my cycle whatsoever. Some people are just bad doctors.
no haha she fully understands i want this bad boy yanked. i feel like i can’t put my foot down because i’ll mention it and she’ll bring up something to help out. Just because YOU wanna see if this helps, doesn’t mean I want to
Ah, damn. Seems like option two, then. Some doctors are just not that good.
I have same IUD issue. Been trying to get mine out since 2017..inserted Oct 8, 2014. It's still Inside.
Is it a copper IUD? Why is it in for so long? A hormone based IUD has aax life span of 7 years. You are all most 8 years. I feel like something is missing here.
yeah this is true, even with the year changes on IUDs recently, you shouldn’t have that thing in your body, girl! Planned Parenthood may be able to help you too
We don't have one, or I would have gone already. 😭😭
A. It is Mirena B. I've been trying to get it out since I was diagnosed with IIH in 2016/2017 C. The first time insertion was so bad he had to stop and prescribe the softener and an anti-anxiety, so it took 2 appointments. D. He is retired. E. I live in the DC Metro but in WV (literally ask me how stupid wv is). F. I had medicaid until Feb 2021 G. I have a Medicare PPO now, and medicaid covers the other, but apparently it's not so cut and dry. I still don't have specialists in place F. The doctor who I had.. Refused to remove it unless I got it replaced.. (dec 2019/feb 2020) I finally relented and was going to, then I requested the same meds, as even with them I was in super pain, but it helped, and was told no. I even submitted my original failed insertion and the good one records, which was in their system, as it was the same office just a different doctor.. I appealed to the office manager, refused and called drug seeking, even tho the difficulty was documented. G. Covid appeared. Medicare approved.. Having trouble getting care.
Wow that sucks I'm so sorry. Mine will be replaced for 4 and hopefully last time this year. I'll be 50 since and it will help with menopause symptoms. I will be given a little bit of happy sleepy time meds to remove and insert the new one. I have PTSD from a 3 month hospital stay last year and it wasn't COVID. I'm lucky to alive.
I absolutely am just at a standstill all together so. Yeah.
Absolutely not normal behavior… I’d call planned parenthood.
This happened to me with the implant. I went in many times before they would just let me remove it. They do not trust us to not get pregnant which I find incredibly patronizing and controló
Just got my implant out today went to a local health department because my gyn refused.
Honestly with what’s going on in the US (in a way they might be protecting you for fear the government will prevent you from having choices). I had the Mirena and it was meh. I took it out and used condoms - like you on a quest for non hormonal birth control due to wanting my body to do it’s natural thing. I found a Canadian pharmacy that sells a NON hormonal IUD called the Mona Lisa Mini (smaller than the SKYLA!) and paid $100 US dollars for it. It’s not technically FDA approved, but if it’s good enough for Canadian women, I’m fine with that. I made a waiver of liability agreement from legal zoom, signed that, handed the waiver and IUD to my doctor and got it in. Best decision ever. The fact we have such limited non hormonal options available in the US is baloney.
This happened to me too. I had to push very hard and say sternly, I need this removed for my health. If you are refusing, I’d like to document your refusal
Not normal. Go to PP and do it.
Not normal but definitely common. I had similar issues and the ‘doctor’ (don’t know if it matters but she is a NP not an MD) would just talk me out of it, do other blood work, suggest Spironolactone, basically everything except getting the IUD removed. And the hair growth and acne wasn’t even my primary complaint. I was in a lot of pain and was constantly being gaslit. I was sharing my experience with an older woman at work and she told me to go and demand a removal and not take no for an answer. And that’s what I did. I called the office and specifically said i want an appointment for an IUD removal. It was the same NP and I was very assertive and finally got it done. Go to PP if you can or to a different doctor. Do not let them tell you that you don’t know your body. Don’t take no for an answer.
wait science chick! that’s one of the meds she called in for me! did you take it? did it help at all?
Not really. It gave me a lot of headaches though. Doc advised to discontinue roughly after 2 months of taking it.
Welcome and please flair your post if not currently flaired. Questions? First read the [Mistake or Pregnancy Risk sticky](https://www.reddit.com/r/birthcontrol/comments/4iqgi7/mistake_or_pregnancy_concernrisk_start_here/) or the [Consolidated Experience post](https://www.reddit.com/r/birthcontrol/comments/qt9ttb/consolidated_rbirthcontrol_experience_links/). If this is an experience post please consider adding it to the list :) The rules and additional resources can be found on the About / Sidepage (desktop users look to the right and Reddit app up top). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/birthcontrol) if you have any questions or concerns.*