Tell me about IUDs and Essure
May 5, 2013 10:27 AM Subscribe
I did speak about this with my doctor, but I would like to hear more from people who have had copper IUDs or Essure.
I do not want to get pregnant. Ever. I am a 30 year old female, I'm single, and I am unable to take hormonal birth control - so I am considering two options: a copper IUD or Essure, which is permanent sterilization. My GYN is on board with both (yay) although he seemed wary about doing Essure on such a "young woman who may regret it later." (Spoiler alert: I won't regret it later.)
So, I'm thinking copper IUD. Here's the thing: my mother had one in the late 70s/early 80s and she also had four ectopic pregnancies and had to have a hysterectomy due to all the bleeding and cramping that the IUD seemed to cause - which never went away, even after she had it removed and had me (yay).
I, in contrast, have fairly light periods, with moderate to heavy cramping, and I would like to keep it that way. So the IUD is a bit concerning. I'm specifically worried that if it caused those problems in my mother (and she thinks that's likely, as her periods never really recovered after she got the IUD, and they were "normal" before, as she says) couldn't it cause those problems for me?
The last thing I want is to get pregnant. Again, hormonal birth control is just not an option for me. I have other health concerns that make HBC unsafe. I risked it once, and ended up causing a very big health problem for myself that was really quite sad and avoidable. My problem with HBC is mostly high blood pressure, but the loss of libido, acne, and weight gain just were not worth it.
Can you tell me about your experiences with either the copper IUD or Essure?
(ps - I saw this thread, but I know I don't want a Mirena, so my question is a bit different.)
I do not want to get pregnant. Ever. I am a 30 year old female, I'm single, and I am unable to take hormonal birth control - so I am considering two options: a copper IUD or Essure, which is permanent sterilization. My GYN is on board with both (yay) although he seemed wary about doing Essure on such a "young woman who may regret it later." (Spoiler alert: I won't regret it later.)
So, I'm thinking copper IUD. Here's the thing: my mother had one in the late 70s/early 80s and she also had four ectopic pregnancies and had to have a hysterectomy due to all the bleeding and cramping that the IUD seemed to cause - which never went away, even after she had it removed and had me (yay).
I, in contrast, have fairly light periods, with moderate to heavy cramping, and I would like to keep it that way. So the IUD is a bit concerning. I'm specifically worried that if it caused those problems in my mother (and she thinks that's likely, as her periods never really recovered after she got the IUD, and they were "normal" before, as she says) couldn't it cause those problems for me?
The last thing I want is to get pregnant. Again, hormonal birth control is just not an option for me. I have other health concerns that make HBC unsafe. I risked it once, and ended up causing a very big health problem for myself that was really quite sad and avoidable. My problem with HBC is mostly high blood pressure, but the loss of libido, acne, and weight gain just were not worth it.
Can you tell me about your experiences with either the copper IUD or Essure?
(ps - I saw this thread, but I know I don't want a Mirena, so my question is a bit different.)
Your mother's experience sounds awful to go through. However, multiple ectopic pregnancies is vanishingly unlikely to happen to you with today's IUD technology (I do not know whether it was extremely unusual or not at the time it occurred).
From Wikipedia, but in line with my understanding:
Although rare, if pregnancy does occur with the copper IUD in place there can be serious side effects. The risk of ectopic pregnancy to a woman using an IUD is lower than the risk of ectopic pregnancy to a woman using no form of birth control. However, of pregnancies that do occur during IUD use, a higher than expected percentage (3–4%) are ectopic.
posted by insectosaurus at 10:51 AM on May 5, 2013
From Wikipedia, but in line with my understanding:
Although rare, if pregnancy does occur with the copper IUD in place there can be serious side effects. The risk of ectopic pregnancy to a woman using an IUD is lower than the risk of ectopic pregnancy to a woman using no form of birth control. However, of pregnancies that do occur during IUD use, a higher than expected percentage (3–4%) are ectopic.
posted by insectosaurus at 10:51 AM on May 5, 2013
As far as I know modern IUDs are not like the IUDs of yesteryear.
I've had the copper IUD for a few years, never got pregnant, had some heavier cramps and bleeding at first but that's stabilized after a few months. No other effects really. I smell a little coppery down there now, but, eh
posted by The Biggest Dreamer at 10:55 AM on May 5, 2013
I've had the copper IUD for a few years, never got pregnant, had some heavier cramps and bleeding at first but that's stabilized after a few months. No other effects really. I smell a little coppery down there now, but, eh
posted by The Biggest Dreamer at 10:55 AM on May 5, 2013
When I was doing my research on Essure, I came across some testimonials and YouTube videos. The thing with Essure is that it's supposed to be permanent, however it takes at least 3 months to become "active" as your fibrous cells have to grow around it, thus blocking off your tubes.
When I looked into it, it also showed a failure rate. For instance the tubes are not totally blocked off, OR the coil slips out of place. Both of those can cause pregnancies, however if you do get pregnant with Essure, it has a higher chance of ectopic pregnancy (from what I remember). Which requires surgery.
So that's at least what I know about Essure. I don't know about copper IUD - sorry. However I know it's more expensive and invasive, but is tubal ligation surgery at all an option? Essure is easier and cheaper because it can be done in the office, but I have seen that it has a higher failure rate compared to tubal ligation. That's the go-to if you really don't want kids.
My husband and I don't want kids. Before I met him I was researching female sterilization and came across Essure, which sounded promising. However after more research I wasn't sure, and was leaning more toward tubal ligation. Luckily my husband is going to get a vasectomy as soon as he can. Also with male fertilization they can actually test better if it worked. I understand you want to take ahold of it yourself though, however I am unclear of your relationship status and if it's possible that an eventual partner could do male sterilization.
posted by Crystalinne at 11:09 AM on May 5, 2013
When I looked into it, it also showed a failure rate. For instance the tubes are not totally blocked off, OR the coil slips out of place. Both of those can cause pregnancies, however if you do get pregnant with Essure, it has a higher chance of ectopic pregnancy (from what I remember). Which requires surgery.
So that's at least what I know about Essure. I don't know about copper IUD - sorry. However I know it's more expensive and invasive, but is tubal ligation surgery at all an option? Essure is easier and cheaper because it can be done in the office, but I have seen that it has a higher failure rate compared to tubal ligation. That's the go-to if you really don't want kids.
My husband and I don't want kids. Before I met him I was researching female sterilization and came across Essure, which sounded promising. However after more research I wasn't sure, and was leaning more toward tubal ligation. Luckily my husband is going to get a vasectomy as soon as he can. Also with male fertilization they can actually test better if it worked. I understand you want to take ahold of it yourself though, however I am unclear of your relationship status and if it's possible that an eventual partner could do male sterilization.
posted by Crystalinne at 11:09 AM on May 5, 2013
If you know for sure you don't ever want to be pregnant, it's hard to see the benefit of temporary (albeit long term) birth control over permanent birth control. Did you have any specific concerns about Essure?
That said, my experience with a copper IUD was that it did mess up my previously lovely easy light cycle (and although it got better over time, was always much worse than my previous status quo) but only for as long as I had it. Now I have the mirena and practically no periods (understand that's not an option for you).
posted by Salamandrous at 11:11 AM on May 5, 2013
That said, my experience with a copper IUD was that it did mess up my previously lovely easy light cycle (and although it got better over time, was always much worse than my previous status quo) but only for as long as I had it. Now I have the mirena and practically no periods (understand that's not an option for you).
posted by Salamandrous at 11:11 AM on May 5, 2013
I had a Paragard for a few years. The new IUDs are not the same thing as whatever IUD your mother got over 30 years ago. Additionally, your mother also doesn't actually know it was the IUD that permanently changed her periods. There are several more likely reasons that could have happened to her. (Unless you both have issues like endometriosis, in which case you should skip the copper IUD and go straight to sterilization.) It's definitely true that not everyone can tolerate IUDs, though.
My IUD caused longer periods, but it wasn't a big deal. The cramps and bleeding were worse at first, but it and normalized after a few months. The complete lack of pregnancy dread more than made up for it. And ibuprofen reduced both the cramps and the amount of bleeding. I would get a copper IUD again, no question. And if you don't like the side effects, it's reversible.
On the other hand, if you really don't want kids ever, maybe just go for the sterilization. A young woman of my acquaintance is having a tubal ligation in the near future. Not sure why she decided against Essure, but it may have been for the reasons that Crystalinne just cited.
posted by Coatlicue at 11:19 AM on May 5, 2013
My IUD caused longer periods, but it wasn't a big deal. The cramps and bleeding were worse at first, but it and normalized after a few months. The complete lack of pregnancy dread more than made up for it. And ibuprofen reduced both the cramps and the amount of bleeding. I would get a copper IUD again, no question. And if you don't like the side effects, it's reversible.
On the other hand, if you really don't want kids ever, maybe just go for the sterilization. A young woman of my acquaintance is having a tubal ligation in the near future. Not sure why she decided against Essure, but it may have been for the reasons that Crystalinne just cited.
posted by Coatlicue at 11:19 AM on May 5, 2013
I personally did not like the Paragard. It was great to be off hormones but I ended up having it removed after a couple of years because my periods were getting longer and longer and closer together and it just became unbearable. That's not necessarily normal, of course, but periods getting heavier and longer is not unusual. You could always try it and see whether it works better for you. But if I were in the position you're in, I'd probably go for Essure.
As far as Essure not working, it's mostly a matter of placement and depends on the skill of the doctor who places it. If you go that route I'd ask your Ob-Gyn how many s/he's placed and/ or how often. More experience will probably lead to a better outcome. And you should be scheduled for an HSG (hysterosalpingogram) a few months after the procedure, which is imaging of your uterus to see whether it's worked or not. (Basically they put contrast material into your uterus and take a picture- if the tubes are still patent, contrast will spill out. If it worked, it will all be contained.) For whatever reason lots of women seem to blow this off but it's important to be sure it's properly placed!
posted by Argyle_Sock_Puppet at 11:40 AM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
As far as Essure not working, it's mostly a matter of placement and depends on the skill of the doctor who places it. If you go that route I'd ask your Ob-Gyn how many s/he's placed and/ or how often. More experience will probably lead to a better outcome. And you should be scheduled for an HSG (hysterosalpingogram) a few months after the procedure, which is imaging of your uterus to see whether it's worked or not. (Basically they put contrast material into your uterus and take a picture- if the tubes are still patent, contrast will spill out. If it worked, it will all be contained.) For whatever reason lots of women seem to blow this off but it's important to be sure it's properly placed!
posted by Argyle_Sock_Puppet at 11:40 AM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
I have had a very good experience with Essure. I had my coils placed 5 years ago, and haven't had any issues. It did have a 3 month waiting period before the scarring was complete, but I wasn't sexually active at the time, so that wasn't a big deal for me. I did have a copper IUD about 15 years ago, and it was a disaster, but my experience was that I'd had heavy periods to begin with, and it was agonizing afterward.
posted by Nimmie Amee at 11:45 AM on May 5, 2013
posted by Nimmie Amee at 11:45 AM on May 5, 2013
My mother had a copper IUD back in the 70's (and a very dangerous ectopic pregnancy as a result)(she almost died). When the class-action lawsuit was finally settled, they sent her a packet with the settlement offering her a choice between a (smaller) cash settlement or a (larger) gift certificate for Cuisinart cookware (catalog enclosed). She ended up getting a food processor, a mixer, and a really nice set of copper-bottomed, hollow-walled stainless cookware.
This is really not the recommended way to acquire Cuisinart products but a quick google search turns up class-action lawsuits against both Essure and the current crop of copper IUDs if you choose to go that way.
If you're serious about a permanent solution, please take a longer look at tubal ligation. It's just safer.
posted by sexyrobot at 12:21 PM on May 5, 2013 [4 favorites]
This is really not the recommended way to acquire Cuisinart products but a quick google search turns up class-action lawsuits against both Essure and the current crop of copper IUDs if you choose to go that way.
If you're serious about a permanent solution, please take a longer look at tubal ligation. It's just safer.
posted by sexyrobot at 12:21 PM on May 5, 2013 [4 favorites]
In conjunction with an endometrial ablation, I opted for Essure, instead of a surgical tubal ligation, about 7 years ago and have had a very positive experience. For the first month or two I could sort of feel the coils (mittelschmertz-y, occasional pain on one or both sides), but after that, there was no pain or other sensation. Several months later I had the contrast dye procedure described by Argyle Sock Puppet (office visit, only took about 30 minutes) to confirm that the coils were properly positioned and the tubes were completely blocked.
posted by skye.dancer at 12:22 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by skye.dancer at 12:22 PM on May 5, 2013
I had a negative reaction to the copper IUD. I had it in for 8 weeks during which I had a constant period, complete with cramping and heavy bleeding, until finally I had it removed. So when it came time to do something permanent, I went with Adiana (silicone) rather than Essure (metal), just in case.
Great that your gyn is on board, just make sure whoever does it has been trained in the Essure/Adiana procedure if that's the direction you decide to go. It's not invasive but it's delicate, and if your parts don't lay out exactly like the pictures in an anatomy book, placement can be pretty painful.
posted by headnsouth at 12:28 PM on May 5, 2013
Great that your gyn is on board, just make sure whoever does it has been trained in the Essure/Adiana procedure if that's the direction you decide to go. It's not invasive but it's delicate, and if your parts don't lay out exactly like the pictures in an anatomy book, placement can be pretty painful.
posted by headnsouth at 12:28 PM on May 5, 2013
As insectosaurus said, IUDs don't cause ectopic pregnancies. Your overall risk actually goes down.
Cramping and heavy periods are a pretty common side-effect of the Paraguard. I wouldn't get one if I wasn't willing to deal with that.
I do have a Paraguard, had heavy cramping the first few months and very heavy bleeding for a couple of years. (Before the IUD, I had an average period.) Volume has tapered off recently, but may be due more to significant weight loss than any kind of adjustment my body may have made after two years. Even if things were still as heavy as they were, though, I love my IUD.
Seconding using Ibuprofen to help reduce period flow and length, if you have issues with that. I wish I'd known that earlier. It works beautifully.
I considered Essure/Adiana and decided against it because it is relatively new and because I liked the specific risks a little less. I also considered tubal ligation, but did not want surgery.
posted by moira at 12:31 PM on May 5, 2013
Cramping and heavy periods are a pretty common side-effect of the Paraguard. I wouldn't get one if I wasn't willing to deal with that.
I do have a Paraguard, had heavy cramping the first few months and very heavy bleeding for a couple of years. (Before the IUD, I had an average period.) Volume has tapered off recently, but may be due more to significant weight loss than any kind of adjustment my body may have made after two years. Even if things were still as heavy as they were, though, I love my IUD.
Seconding using Ibuprofen to help reduce period flow and length, if you have issues with that. I wish I'd known that earlier. It works beautifully.
I considered Essure/Adiana and decided against it because it is relatively new and because I liked the specific risks a little less. I also considered tubal ligation, but did not want surgery.
posted by moira at 12:31 PM on May 5, 2013
Mod note: From the OP:
- I can't have a tubal ligation. Surgery is extremely risky for me due to other health problems. I worry about this with the IUD and Essure, but there is a much lower risk of infection/surgical complications. I have a lot of other medical issues that would complicate the tubal tremendously - this is both my feeling and was corroborated by my GYN.posted by restless_nomad (staff) at 12:57 PM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
- I can't take Ibuprofen for the same health reasons. My GYN has offered to give me valium before the procedure, but do you think he might also prescribe a heavier painkiller (e.g. vicodin)? I am really, really pain sensitive. Is there any particular risk to this that I should be aware of before I ask (other than looking like a drug seeker?)
- I also had the feeling that the IUDs of the past are not the same, but couldn't find actual evidence of this - just anecdotes. Does anyone have a citation or finite knowledge about how the copper IUDs are different now than they were in the 70s and 80s?
- Finally, is abortion more difficult if one does have an ectopic pregnancy? I mean, is surgery necessary? I don't know ectopic pregnancies work. I have serious medical issues that make surgery very risky for me, which is basically why i don't want to ever get pregnant. Pregnancy itself would be risky, but an ectopic pregnancy requiring surgery would be dangerous to my overall health, so it's a huge worry/concern for me.
I had the Essure procedure done about 10 years ago when I was in my late 20s (can't believe it's been that long). I've never been pregnant and I've never taken hormonal birth control. I had an easier time of it than some women in that my gyno didn't try to give me the "you might regret it later" speech and just referred me directly to the specialist who did the procedure.
It was an outpatient procedure that took a couple of hours. They used general anesthesia, though I woke up in the middle when they were taking a break and asked if I could put my legs down for a while because my leg muscles were sore from being stuck in the stirrups for so long. There were about 20 doctors in the OR because at the time it was a relatively new procedure. I was so high that I didn't even care that so many random people were staring at my vagina and fallopian tubes.
It took a little longer than normal because I had some debris in my uterus (unshed lining) that the doctor had to maneuver around to place the Essure coils. But everything went fine besides that. I woke up, went home a while later with my prescription for Vicodin and took a long nap. I was fine the next day, though I took it easy just in case.
Three months after the procedure, you have to get a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) test to see if the coils have adequately covered over with tissue. It's the same test that women who have fertility problems take to see if fallopian tube blockages are causing their infertility.
I had some problems getting my test scheduled, because my HMO thought I wanted it to diagnose infertility. I had to argue with them that, no, really it was a required follow-up test and was fully covered by my plan and I wasn't going to pay $400 for it. I won that battle.
Then there was the fun I had when I went to the facility where the first test was scheduled. Basically they were unremitting douchebags and stupid as hell, so I had to reschedule my test. Again, they thought I was there due to infertility and instead of reading my damn chart and records to see why I was having the HSG test done, they just assumed I was crazy because I mentioned not wanting kids. They couldn't understand that I didn't want kids but needed the HSG test, like it was some huge paradox that their minds couldn't comprehend. The doctor was a jackass and his nurse then proceeded to both violate my HIPAA confidentiality with another member of the staff and humiliate me in front of a waiting room full of people. That was a bad day.
When I finally had the test done the next day at another facility ('cause I sure wasn't going back to those first goons), it was exactly what Argyle Sock Puppet describes. It was a bit painful because of the dye solution expanding my uterus, which caused cramps. My nurse was really nice and let me squeeze her hand whenever it hurt. Even then, the doctor was sort of a dumbass because at first he exclaimed something to the effect of, "OH NOES YOUR TUBES ARE BLOCKED!1!" when he looked at the x-ray. To which I said, "Of course they are, they're supposed to be." Then he got with the program. I imagine that he was pretty relieved that tubal blockages were a positive result for once.
I was prescribed some prescription ibuprofen and an antibiotic to make sure nothing untoward started growing from the dye injected into my uterus. And that was it.
I never felt the coils moving around before they were covered by tissue and I can't feel them at all now. From what I can tell, it hasn't had an effect on my hormone balance or periods. I never considered an IUD because I didn't want to just stop pregnancy temporarily, I wanted to keep it from ever happening. I chose Essure because I didn't want surgery and Essure has a quicker recovery period. I wasn't too worried about ectopic pregnancy because I wasn't having much sex at the time. Overall, I'm happy with the result even if the road was bumpy.
posted by i feel possessed at 1:11 PM on May 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
It was an outpatient procedure that took a couple of hours. They used general anesthesia, though I woke up in the middle when they were taking a break and asked if I could put my legs down for a while because my leg muscles were sore from being stuck in the stirrups for so long. There were about 20 doctors in the OR because at the time it was a relatively new procedure. I was so high that I didn't even care that so many random people were staring at my vagina and fallopian tubes.
It took a little longer than normal because I had some debris in my uterus (unshed lining) that the doctor had to maneuver around to place the Essure coils. But everything went fine besides that. I woke up, went home a while later with my prescription for Vicodin and took a long nap. I was fine the next day, though I took it easy just in case.
Three months after the procedure, you have to get a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) test to see if the coils have adequately covered over with tissue. It's the same test that women who have fertility problems take to see if fallopian tube blockages are causing their infertility.
I had some problems getting my test scheduled, because my HMO thought I wanted it to diagnose infertility. I had to argue with them that, no, really it was a required follow-up test and was fully covered by my plan and I wasn't going to pay $400 for it. I won that battle.
Then there was the fun I had when I went to the facility where the first test was scheduled. Basically they were unremitting douchebags and stupid as hell, so I had to reschedule my test. Again, they thought I was there due to infertility and instead of reading my damn chart and records to see why I was having the HSG test done, they just assumed I was crazy because I mentioned not wanting kids. They couldn't understand that I didn't want kids but needed the HSG test, like it was some huge paradox that their minds couldn't comprehend. The doctor was a jackass and his nurse then proceeded to both violate my HIPAA confidentiality with another member of the staff and humiliate me in front of a waiting room full of people. That was a bad day.
When I finally had the test done the next day at another facility ('cause I sure wasn't going back to those first goons), it was exactly what Argyle Sock Puppet describes. It was a bit painful because of the dye solution expanding my uterus, which caused cramps. My nurse was really nice and let me squeeze her hand whenever it hurt. Even then, the doctor was sort of a dumbass because at first he exclaimed something to the effect of, "OH NOES YOUR TUBES ARE BLOCKED!1!" when he looked at the x-ray. To which I said, "Of course they are, they're supposed to be." Then he got with the program. I imagine that he was pretty relieved that tubal blockages were a positive result for once.
I was prescribed some prescription ibuprofen and an antibiotic to make sure nothing untoward started growing from the dye injected into my uterus. And that was it.
I never felt the coils moving around before they were covered by tissue and I can't feel them at all now. From what I can tell, it hasn't had an effect on my hormone balance or periods. I never considered an IUD because I didn't want to just stop pregnancy temporarily, I wanted to keep it from ever happening. I chose Essure because I didn't want surgery and Essure has a quicker recovery period. I wasn't too worried about ectopic pregnancy because I wasn't having much sex at the time. Overall, I'm happy with the result even if the road was bumpy.
posted by i feel possessed at 1:11 PM on May 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
Ectopic Pregnancy on WebMD
It says that if your tube ruptures, you're in for emergency surgery. If not, you still need laparoscopic surgery to remove the embryo and sometimes medication to stop cell growth.
Tubal Ligation on WebMD
This says that tubal ligation is done through laparoscopy, (OR even mini-lap wich only requires a 2 inch incision.)
Have you discussed the surgical options with a doctor who treats your medical conditions? Or just talked about your medical concerns with your OB? Either way I'd say you want to do your research to really make sure of the facts of Essure and ectopic pregnancy, but if it were me, and I could somehow do the mini-lap for tubal ligation, that seems more permanent. Again, if you have an ectopic pregnancy, it's surgery too.
Again, weigh out the risks. Is it less risky to do one laparoscopic or mini-lab surgery to get your tubes tied, or chance ectopic pregnancy and surgery? I'm not sure since I am not you, and not your doctor. Again you need to check with your doctors about the chances for those things happening.
I hope you get a good answer and find something that works for you! Best of luck!
posted by Crystalinne at 1:20 PM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
It says that if your tube ruptures, you're in for emergency surgery. If not, you still need laparoscopic surgery to remove the embryo and sometimes medication to stop cell growth.
Tubal Ligation on WebMD
This says that tubal ligation is done through laparoscopy, (OR even mini-lap wich only requires a 2 inch incision.)
Have you discussed the surgical options with a doctor who treats your medical conditions? Or just talked about your medical concerns with your OB? Either way I'd say you want to do your research to really make sure of the facts of Essure and ectopic pregnancy, but if it were me, and I could somehow do the mini-lap for tubal ligation, that seems more permanent. Again, if you have an ectopic pregnancy, it's surgery too.
Again, weigh out the risks. Is it less risky to do one laparoscopic or mini-lab surgery to get your tubes tied, or chance ectopic pregnancy and surgery? I'm not sure since I am not you, and not your doctor. Again you need to check with your doctors about the chances for those things happening.
I hope you get a good answer and find something that works for you! Best of luck!
posted by Crystalinne at 1:20 PM on May 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
From the perspective of somebody who's worked in abortion clinics, Essure and both kinds of IUD fail. I never had or heard of a client who'd had a tubal ligation - take that with a grain of salt. Surgery for ectopic pregnancies is done on an emergency basis and can be quite invasive, depending on your situation -- you're generally at the mercy of whoever is on call in the ER that day, in terms of laproscopy skills, OR time, etc. Ectopic pregnancies are treated in hospitals -- they're never sustainable, so treatment isn't an "abortion" in anything but the most academic sense.
posted by sweltering at 1:40 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by sweltering at 1:40 PM on May 5, 2013
(Oh and it also says that mini-lap CAN be done with regional anesthetic - numbing though an epidural. That means not "going under" or general anesthesia - which I'm guessing is what may complicate your medical issues?)
posted by Crystalinne at 1:53 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by Crystalinne at 1:53 PM on May 5, 2013
- I can't take Ibuprofen for the same health reasons. My GYN has offered to give me valium before the procedure, but do you think he might also prescribe a heavier painkiller (e.g. vicodin)? I am really, really pain sensitive. Is there any particular risk to this that I should be aware of before I ask (other than looking like a drug seeker?)
Insertion of an IUD can be very painful for some women. I would definitely ask my doctor for options if it were a concern.
- Finally, is abortion more difficult if one does have an ectopic pregnancy? I mean, is surgery necessary? I don't know ectopic pregnancies work. I have serious medical issues that make surgery very risky for me, which is basically why i don't want to ever get pregnant. Pregnancy itself would be risky, but an ectopic pregnancy requiring surgery would be dangerous to my overall health, so it's a huge worry/concern for me.
Your ectopic risk will actually be lower. Yes, you will need surgery for an ectopic pregnancy or tubal rupture.
Pregnancy/ectopic risk is non-zero for any one method of birth control. If the consequences of either are severe for you, I'd suggest using two methods of birth control.
posted by moira at 4:54 PM on May 5, 2013
Insertion of an IUD can be very painful for some women. I would definitely ask my doctor for options if it were a concern.
- Finally, is abortion more difficult if one does have an ectopic pregnancy? I mean, is surgery necessary? I don't know ectopic pregnancies work. I have serious medical issues that make surgery very risky for me, which is basically why i don't want to ever get pregnant. Pregnancy itself would be risky, but an ectopic pregnancy requiring surgery would be dangerous to my overall health, so it's a huge worry/concern for me.
Your ectopic risk will actually be lower. Yes, you will need surgery for an ectopic pregnancy or tubal rupture.
Pregnancy/ectopic risk is non-zero for any one method of birth control. If the consequences of either are severe for you, I'd suggest using two methods of birth control.
posted by moira at 4:54 PM on May 5, 2013
In view of your intersecting health issues, can you get a referral to a more specialist gynecologist? I'm sure there's a doctor out there who is up both on your conditions and on gynecology and could give you a much more knowledgable recommendation. I don't know much about it but I have a good friend who is a gynecologist and a little exposure to the vast extent of possible specialization a within that field. If your gyne is more like a general practitioner gyne than a specialist, it might be worth exploring further. If you want to memail me I'd be happy to ask my friend for some starting ideas.
posted by Salamandrous at 4:59 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by Salamandrous at 4:59 PM on May 5, 2013
Ectopic pregnancy can sometimes be resolved with medication alone if it's caught early enough. I know someone whose Essure procedure failed 3 times, but she's a statistical anomaly in many ways.
posted by KathrynT at 6:29 PM on May 5, 2013
posted by KathrynT at 6:29 PM on May 5, 2013
I had a Paraguard inserted at age 26 in 2009. I had to go to Planned Parenthood to have it inserted, as my now-former gyn wouldn't insert an IUD on a nulliparous woman. And, at 26, divorced with no kids, no one would even entertain my interest in Essure or having my tubes tied.
Hormonal birth control did horrible things to me. I actually began taking it (Depo, then 2 different types of pills, then NuvaRing) in 2001 to combat my anemia and long, painful periods; the bc was simply a pleasant side effect.
With my Paraguard, my periods have been more sporadic, but significantly shorter and less painful than pre-hormones and the period of time that I wasn't using anything but condoms. I had significant cramping the day it was installed; that's it.
I am in a long-term, monogamous situation with my partner; he has no complaints and we're both grateful to not have to worry about pregnancy. In 2019, when my 10 years are up, I plan on having another inserted. I love my IUD!
posted by sara is disenchanted at 6:44 PM on May 5, 2013
Hormonal birth control did horrible things to me. I actually began taking it (Depo, then 2 different types of pills, then NuvaRing) in 2001 to combat my anemia and long, painful periods; the bc was simply a pleasant side effect.
With my Paraguard, my periods have been more sporadic, but significantly shorter and less painful than pre-hormones and the period of time that I wasn't using anything but condoms. I had significant cramping the day it was installed; that's it.
I am in a long-term, monogamous situation with my partner; he has no complaints and we're both grateful to not have to worry about pregnancy. In 2019, when my 10 years are up, I plan on having another inserted. I love my IUD!
posted by sara is disenchanted at 6:44 PM on May 5, 2013
a quick google search turns up class-action lawsuits against both Essure and the current crop of copper IUDs if you choose to go that way.
I googled, and found no signs that there are current class action lawsuits again Essure or modern copper IUDs.
posted by insectosaurus at 8:32 PM on May 5, 2013
I googled, and found no signs that there are current class action lawsuits again Essure or modern copper IUDs.
posted by insectosaurus at 8:32 PM on May 5, 2013
From the perspective of somebody who's worked in abortion clinics, Essure and both kinds of IUD fail.
Actually, Wikipedia says the failure rate of tubal ligation is actually higher than Essure in the first year (.2% for Essure versus .5% for tubal ligation).
Also, according to this 2009 article which compares Essure and Adiana, "Levy and colleagues subsequently reviewed 64 pregnancies out of an estimated 50,000 procedures that were reported to the device manufacturer through December 2005. Most occurred in patients without appropriate follow-up; other causes included misread HSGs, undetected preprocedure pregnancies, and failure to follow product-labeling guidelines. A breakdown of these pregnancies is detailed in Table 1. Almost half of all cases were related to patient or physician noncompliance issues."
Do you know if the cases where it failed to prevent pregnancy happened after the confirmation test confirmed total blockage? I don't want anyone to choose Essure if they feel it's not right for them, but vague anecdata shouldn't be relied on when someone is making such a monumental decision.
posted by i feel possessed at 9:03 PM on May 5, 2013
Actually, Wikipedia says the failure rate of tubal ligation is actually higher than Essure in the first year (.2% for Essure versus .5% for tubal ligation).
Also, according to this 2009 article which compares Essure and Adiana, "Levy and colleagues subsequently reviewed 64 pregnancies out of an estimated 50,000 procedures that were reported to the device manufacturer through December 2005. Most occurred in patients without appropriate follow-up; other causes included misread HSGs, undetected preprocedure pregnancies, and failure to follow product-labeling guidelines. A breakdown of these pregnancies is detailed in Table 1. Almost half of all cases were related to patient or physician noncompliance issues."
Do you know if the cases where it failed to prevent pregnancy happened after the confirmation test confirmed total blockage? I don't want anyone to choose Essure if they feel it's not right for them, but vague anecdata shouldn't be relied on when someone is making such a monumental decision.
posted by i feel possessed at 9:03 PM on May 5, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by sadtomato at 10:37 AM on May 5, 2013