Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Lily101 on January 31, 2020, 09:11:50 AM
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Hi,
I am thinking about the coil as I think I read that proestrogen release is meant to be better for some. My GP has said it is really painful to have inserted if you hadn't had a child and has put me off. Other people's experience would be good to hear. Thanks, Margaret
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Hey Margaret,
Yes, I had the mirena coil, never had children and yes, it is painful - sorry - probably not what you want to hear. It also got more painful at each change over - I had three in total. Had the last one taken out 18 months and not replaced. Popping them out is a lot less painful than getting them in.
I would recommend going to a family planning clinic to get it done because they have the most experience and will have done them on women who haven't had kids. They can also use numbing gel which they can put into the uterus itself which does help numb the pain.
Defo get someone to take you though because you may be sore and driving could be uncomfortable - the support of someone else when you get out of the room helps too!!
Good luck - hope this info helps xxx
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Thanks Jayne. Just realised i should be Lily101! Yes, doctor recommended going to FP clinic. I had assumed it would get easier. For now am thinking of sticking with femoston non conti and painkiller when I go on prostergon. I was looking for a nicer progeston option. Is it ok to why you went on the coil?
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I don't mind sharing at all Lily101!!
I wanted a more reliable contraceptive and I thought that the chemicals being delivered straight to the parts they should be influencing was better than them having to race through my blood stream to get where they needed to go. That is the short version.... I did loads of research and it was the best option for me because the GP wouldn't sterilise me because clearly I would change my mind about having kids.... I didn't!
As it happened, it was the best solution because they found out I had endometriosis which would likely have been worse if I hadn't had the mirena coil.
Happy to answer any questions - I am an open book!!
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Thanks for that very clear explanation! There must be so many women going through the pain for contracteptive reasons so if it is a better progesterone I need to work on being brave for 1 to 2 mins!
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Hi Lily101
I have not had children and would support what Jaynej has said - it was v. painful to get it past the cervix and remained so for me, tried twice, 10 years apart, and decided to have it removed within a week both times as my body was just not having it. If you decide to go for it then you may need to hang on to the nurses hand during the procedure and then I had to rest as I got the most awful cramps - I came home at 10am and had a double whisky straight from the bottle! I would have it done at a clinic as has been suggested by someone who does it every day. I had it done by my GP who got it in no problem, but I think having someone with the expertise who does it everyday would be sensible.
However I think I just had a bad time and suspect I am in the minority. For those ladies who it suits and I have friends who swear by it, then it is a super solution, and some friends even went back to work immediately after, so no worse than a dentist visit. Happy to answer any questions. There was a thread about this some time ago so perhaps search Mirena and you might find out a bit more.
I think I saw from your previous post that you are on Femonston 2/10 - that was the best one for me as the progesterone really suited me, but I did get a few rough days before periods. I also found that paracetamol with codine dealt with the pain and is available OTC at boots - but be careful with the dosage. I was changed to Femonston conti but it was not strong enough - but I'm just about to ask if I could go back on conti and supplement with gel or similar. I'm not allowed to go back on 2/10 but if I could I would!
Good luck
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Nairncat. I had it fitted yesterday. At menopause clinic.
She examined me first because I havent had children plus being post meno the cervix opening can narrow. So she said if that was the case she would book me in another day to have it done under anesthetic
. There is also a drug they can give a few days before to soften the cervix , I believe.
I used plenty of "yes" daily and ovestin every night for a few weeks to prepare myself. She said it had do its job.
It would be a bit harder than if I'd previously given birth, but it was do able.
I took painkillers ibuprofen an hour before.
It does hurt. Not gonna lie. I think it was the stretching of the cervix as It was an unfamiliar pain to me. . But the worst is over quick. It was bearable.
The cramping was more or less immediate and
Afterwards I , felt a bit wobbly but I had to get from one side of London to the other on the underground after and I was o.k. I drove home from the station too.
Last night I had bad cramps which went down my legs and a feeling I needed to pee all the time. But this afternoon it's more like regular period pain. But my bladder feels very sore. And uncomfortable. I dont know if thats normal. But I'm resting today.
Hope that helps.
Ladies may I ask a question . Being as the mirena ladies are here, if it's not too cheeky.
Im. a bit worried as i wasnt told to avoid anything. So Last night I used my ovestin with the applicator as normal. Afterwards I was reading online something which said not to insert anything for 24 hours.so as not to introduce infection. It doesnt say that
On the leaflet she gave me and she didnt mention it. . My sister said she wasnt told about 24 hour thing either when she had hers. .
Maybe its because the cervix is open in which case I'm now imagining ovestin cream getting into my womb and/or an infection . Were any of you ladies told this? It wouldnt be me if I didnt panic over something!!!
Xx
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Nairncat, TC,
Thank you both.
I'm going to forget about minerva for a while. I'm now even more decided that I will stick with 2/10 plus ibuprofen which works. I'll probably be taken off 2/10 at some point so I'm going to make the most of this reasonably high energy time while I can or make hay when the sun shines!!
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No probs. Sorry lily. The answer was for you. I put nairncat by mistake😁
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TC - when I had mine the Doc just told me not to use a tampon if I bled and not to have sex for a couple of days... that was really a given considering the expectation that I would bleed for a few days (and I think I did but only lightly). I think it's more a cautionary message rather than an absolute otherwise they would be shouting it at you (you'd hope). She also said don't use a bath for a few days from what I can remember (it was a few years ago now).
Honestly, as the Ovestin is 'meant' for that area I would have thought it would be OK.
Try not to stress hun, stress has the biggest impact on illness and you can make yourself ill (psychosomatic) if you worry too much about it. Just believe it will be fine, relax and you'll forget about it is in there in no time. ;)
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i used Vagifem from the second night after my Mirena was fitted ony because my mind went overboard and i imagined the threads getting twisted around it and i would somehow manage to yank it out :-\ I don't remember reading anything about not using anything for 24 hours though.
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Hi TC
I was not told anything about not inserting anything, but I would expect that the area needs to ?rest? for a little while anyway - I think the cervix just does not like being messed about with! The strings won't get tangled they are designed to withstand most things! However that said if things don't feel right within 3-5 days you need to see a GP -and trust me you will know. I had infection both times, no idea why as everything was done properly, but it became very clear within days that there was an issue. So each time I had it removed within the week. My experience is unusual so I am sure that it's just settling in and you will be fine! It suits 1000s of ladies so I am just unlucky.
Take care x
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Thank you ladies. Nairncat that was realy unlucky I'm sorry that happened to you.
The cramps have eased. but I've been told that can come and go for weeks. Thinking about it. The body is probably trying to reject it. The main issue is my bladder. Dragging pain and cystitis . I hope it's just an initial reaction. Xxxx
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I also had mirena coil fitted and never have had any children. I agree was painful unfortunately! I'm unable to feel my strings to check and also and still having cramps badly. I am due to see the lady at the clinic in April but am wondering if the cramps are normal? Any advice please is much appreciated. I had the coil fitted on 18/12
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Pearl. Its two weeks on Thursday since my fitting.
I cant feel the strings either. They told me to check in a few days but my cervix is too high so I knew that iwouldnt be able too.
I was told by the nurse to get the strings checked by gp after 4 to 6 weeks and if Iany problems at that time the gp should organise a scan to check positioning.
. Sorry I cant be of more help. But I've been bleeding non stop for a week and am getting bad cramps, much worse than my period pain used to be and bladder pain as well so I've been wondering myself how normal that is. . .
The realy bad pain and bleeding started on day 8. Up til then it was bearable.
Let's hope some one has some advice for us x
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I have a Mirena, have had children though, but i have never been able to feel the strings, i did have a six week check and all was fine according to GP. Hoping it is still in place but worried if they can't be found next year when it needs replacing.
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Sorry I had to laugh at your post.😂
No we who have had children are not walking around with it all saggy baggy down below!
Don't think it would make a lot of difference if one has had a child or not.
Especially those that did there pelvic floor exercise very well after each birth.
You should be just fine.
And thanks for the chuckle I needed that to day!🌹
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although VA can make any procedure involving a speculum painful or difficult for some women, the mirena insertion issue is not about the vagina at all. It is about the cervix.
In women who havent given birth the cervical opening has never been stretched as it is with vaginal delivery (and after giving birth for the first time it remains slightly more open than it was before) .
Being post meno can also present a challenge if ithe cervix has become narrowed (stenosis) .
For these reasons it it is sometimes fitted under GA.as dilation might be necessary. There is also a, preparation which can be given in the week prior to insertion to soften the cervix and make it easier to stretch.
I've never given birth and mine was inserted without anaesthetic. I cant say it wasnt painful. But it's not horrendous. ( It's the pain ive had since I have the problem with. !!)
But it's worth remembering an injection can be given into the cervix to numb it which I didnt have.or know about. So I would definitely ask for that next time.
Xx