My husband and I decided that having children was not in the cards for us, so we did what we thought the responsible thing would be and had me sterilized. I asked my doctor to perform a tubal ligation on me, but he was only willing to implant Essure instead. After hearing how little down time would be involved, I agreed. Over the course of the year after having the coils implanted, I gained forty pounds and lost self-confidence because I couldn’t lose the weight no matter how much I exercised or how many dietary adjustments I made. Sometimes I would be walking along and for no reason double over in pain as if someone had punched me in the gut. I often bloat to the point of looking as though I am pregnant. When my period approaches, it’s like I can feel the egg trying to squeeze its way through my tubes, like a billiard ball trying to fit through a straw. I am always so fatigued that I had to give up my favorite fitness classes. I lost so much work due to unbearable pain that when I left my last job, I had to write THEM a check to make up for the sick days that they had over extended to me (my boss there was unsympathetic). I went back to the doctor that implanted the coils and begged him to perform a hysterectomy to remove the coils, but I was told that it was IMPOSSIBLE that Essure could be causing me such difficulty. Since then, I have spoken to two other doctors in regards to this situation. One of them never even heard of Essure and the other suggested that maybe I was just fat and lazy. I don’t ask for much at this point. I want a hysterectomy in hopes of releasing myself from this hell, and I don’t think I should have to be the one paying for it. I just want my life back.