I had the Essure implants inserted in 2005, when it was still a very new procedure. I opted for this form of permanent birth control due to having Crohn’s Disease and having already undergone two major abdominal surgeries. I also struggled with taking any type of birth control due to experiencing every side effect no matter what the dose. I did not seem to have any unusual problems for several years. Sure the menstrual cramping was a bit worse, which I had been warned about, but nothing a couple of OTC pills and/or a heating pad for a couple of days couldn’t get under control. However, in 2012, I started to experience more chronic symptoms. It took six months of tests with no answers until I finally experienced a fallopian torsion due to having developed a 5cm ovarian cyst, which required emergency surgery. The doctor removed the cyst and ovary per my request, but left in the fallopian tube with the Essure implant. Now it is 2014 and I am experiencing similar symptoms with ultrasounds indicating that I have had a ‘normal’ cyst during ovulation on the right side where I still have everything in tact (however, the latest test showed that the egg had split…which is what the implant does…but bled into the cyst and into my fallopian tube, causing incredible pain…the doctor said that it should ‘take care of itself’), a fibroid that I was told is ‘too small to be causing me any problems’ (sound familiar, ladies?), and possible polyps on the side where I had the ovary removed. I have begged for a hysterectomy at this point, but due to my other surgeries and the complications of Crohn’s Disease, I am still in the process of collaborating with my gastroenterological surgeon and a gynecological surgeon who is in the same specialized clinic (out of my state) to have a hysteroscopy (scheduled for July 28) and hopefully be able to get it all out, get me out of my misery, and back to being able to enjoy my very busy life, including letting my grown children take me to do fun stuff (like going to the beach and camping), working full time, completing my second Master’s degree, and volunteering in my community.
Thank you for this opportunity to be able to read others’ experiences. This has really helped to confirm that these issues could totally be related to the implants, although the doctors have said that they do not think so since I hadn’t really had any problems after getting them, and the cyst was not attributed to them.