After having my second child in 2008 my husband and I decided that we didn’t want to have any more children. We discussed the various different methods of preventing conception in the future and had initially planned to have a standard tubal during the c-section. We knew that I’d be having a c-section with my second child since my first was an emergency c-section, but due to insurance problems we were unable to get it done at that time. So they suggested getting the Essure done after the fact.
Everything we were told made it sound like a really great option, no more hospital time, it was a quick in and out procedure. When I went to the office they said that I’d be awake for the whole thing, and that it would be nothing more than mildly uncomfortable. They proceeded to give me a low dosage valium and some anti-inflammatory medicine before doing the procedure. First thing, it hurt so bad I thought I was going to vomit. The cramping was twice as severe as my normal menstral cramping, and I’ve always had what I’d describe as bad cramps.
At first, that was really the only complication I noticed. Once we were cleared to have sex again I noticed that there was a lot of discomfort, and it felt like I was being stabbed in the sides. I ended up losing weight, and that seemed to alleviate some of the pain. But as the years have gone by I’ve developed a herniated uterus, syatica issues, and have had heavier flows with larger blood clots than is normal, a perculiar smell that I’ve never had before, and the color of the blood at the beginning of the periods is what I’d call a rusty color. Like old, half-dried blood.
My mother spoke with a local pharmacist about it, just asking general questions, and the first thing he asked her in return was if I had the Essure coils because his sister had also had these complications. I’m caught in the uncomfortable position of not having insurance, so being unable to go in and see if this is in fact what is causing all the oddness. But after reading the stories of other women I am beginning to believe that these are far more likely to be linked than I’d intiially considered. I feel relieved, in fact, to have a potential source of the problems other than just thinking I was losing my mind, or imagining everything.