Wow, where do I begin? I saw the news article about Essure and Erin’s efforts and I was floored…
In early 2010, I decided to get Essure. My fiance and I had discussed this for some time and we both knew we didn’t want more children. He has one boy, who is now nine, and I have two boys of my own: one just turned 22 and my youngest is now 12. After talking with my GYN, I decided Essure was the way for me to go. I mean, it was supposed to be less evasive and supposedly had a better track record. Actually, I remember my doctor telling me, ‘So far there is a zero failure rate…’ Sign me up! I was so positive I didn’t’ want any more children, I would have had my uterus removed had it been an option.
The day my surgery was scheduled I think someone was trying really hard to look out for me. How I wished I would have listened. I remember the doctor coming in and telling me we had to reschedule because the man who was to bring the ‘product’ was unable to be there for some reason. I could reschedule or we could go ahead and do the traditional procedure. Honestly, because she spoke so highly of Essure, I refused to ‘go under the knife.’ I rescheduled for another day.
The surgery went well. Couple days later I was back to work. However, I had to remain on my birth control pills for three months until they conducted a test to be sure my fallopian tubes had completely closed off. Cramping was somewhat uncomfortable but I assumed it was Essure doing it’s job and creating the scar tissue needed to shut off my tubes. Three months later it was confirmed: my tubes were completely closed off. No more babies! I was elated. That was until three or four more months later when I found out I was pregnant. I didn’t have a clue since there was no delay in my monthly. But my breasts were tender and I was beginning to gain weight. I freaked! I guess it wouldn’t have been so bad had my doctor actually been more sympathetic. She simply said, ‘Well, no birth control is 100%.’ I was devastated. She didn’t even offer me guidance or help and only said, ‘We don’t do that procedure here,’ then she walked out of the room. The only two times I was ever able to get pregnant was when no birth control was used. How could this happen? How could I be the first on record to nullify that zero failure rate she spoke so highly of?
After my fiance and I made one of the hardest decisions of our lives, I decided to go back and have a traditional tubal ligation. At first, she didn’t think we would be able to do a tubal. Luckily for me, the Essure barely left enough room in my tubes to have this done. But ‘it was very close’ according to the good doctor.
As if the emotional strain wasn’t enough, since everything, I have experienced terrible cramping during my periods and my flow is very heavy. I have never had this issue. Actually, I always thought I was blessed in this department. And now, I sometimes have two periods a month; there is at least always spotting in between and sometimes I’m afraid of intimacy with my fiance because we never quite know when the dam is going to break. That’s right, sometimes sex alone can leave stains on my recently bleached sheets. Let me tell you, the mood quickly disinigrates. My lower back pain has gradually increased but as of late, it’s much worse. I’ve always been pretty healthy, try to exercise regularly even if it’s just a short walk.
Until I saw the news article on Yahoo!, I chalked all of this up to one of two things: Either God is punishing me or I could be in the early stages of menopause. But I only just turned 40!
Because of everything, I’ve avoided doctors. But I guess maybe it’s time to see one. Of course, it won’t be the hack who praised Essure, failed to disclose any risks or adverse effects of the procedure, and obviously lied to me about the failure rate.