Hi. My name is Meredith (from Australia) I had the Essure device implanted in approx 2003 at age 37 via a hysteroscopy in which i was not under general anaesethic. The procedure I was told by my gynecologist would feel similar to a pap test. I was interested in this procedure as it was quick and unlike tubal ligation i liked the idea that the blood supply to the ovaries would not be cut or compromised. Let me tell you the placement was very painful and nothing like a pap smear. I watched the whole procedure while groaning in considerable pain on a monitor as it was being done. One device went into my tube perfectly with no problem at all, however the second device would not advance into my other fallopian tube. The gyno said either my tube was already blocked or it twisted back in an unusal way so it was making it difficult to get the the device in. Now I have since read that in such cases the device should not be deployed into the tube. My gynecologist however thought he new better and decided to deploy the Essure. So on one side I had about 2/3 of the device hanging out into the uterine cavity. I said to the OBGYN at the time. ‘Is that Okay’? And he said that it the device was deployed within the Essure guidelines.
I had some cramping after the procedure but no immediate post placement problems. I had the post placement x ray which indeed showed that one looked misplaced. Within a month or so I started to get bleeding between periods, no pain. Just light spotting but quite annoying. Always on the same days of the cycle and between 12 and 20. I returned to my gyno and he told me the Essure was not the problem and that I had dysfunctional uterine bleeding and not to worry about it. To make a long story short I saw the gyno and my general practitioner about this problem several times, thinking my ‘dysfunctional uterine bleeding’ may be the heralding of lower hormones and perimenopause. During this time I had an ultrasound where the sonographer asked if i had an IUD and I had to tell her NO I did not have and IUD and that the thing projecting into my uterus was in fact the Essure device.
Finally in 2006 I decided to go seek a second opinion at a women’s health clinic and the lovely Dr there looked at my blood results (low iron) and pelvic ultrasound and said she was going to refer me to another gynecologist. This gyno looked at my ultrasound and recommended immediately that I have an hysteroscopy to remove the device and a light dilation and curettage as he straight away believed the device was projecting to far into the uterine cavity and was causing a degrading of the lining of the endometrium and therefore the spotting. I had the hysteroscopy soon after and and my gyno found that the device was barely hanging in the tube and virtually fell out when he touched it. That was actually a lucky finding because if it was really stuck removal meant somehow cutting the extra protruding length off or potentially means having the tube removed altogether.
After the removal of the Essure I immediately had no further issues with bleeding. It was exactly as I had suspected and my new gyno had thought. The device was essentially floating in my uterus and abrading my endometrium and causing the extra bleeding every month for the past 3 years. I was also told that the other Essure device could not be visualised. So my gyno assumed that the other device was in place but further up the tube and that scar tissue had likely formed over the end making it invisible. Afterwards I was supposed to have a hystosalpingogram to locate the other device and make sure both tubes were indeed blocked but I ended up just not having the test due to fear of discomfort and just not wanting to have my body invaded again. Now at 48 I have never become pregnant since so I assume my tubes are blocked. The most upsetting thing about this whole experience is that I feel my original Gynecologist did not listen to me at all when I suspected the device was to blame. He had told me my bleeding was all just hormonal and seemed to be actively defending the device and the placement to avoid blame. He never once said he should take it out or do a hysteroscopy. I did register a complaint to the Doctor in question but I had no response.
I’m now 48 and have very regular menstrual cycles still with little to no pain. However my periods are becoming quite heavy, I do put this down to approaching menopause but to make sure I am about to go off and see my gynecologist ( the smart one) to have everything checked out once again. I was considering the Mirena to reduce the bleeding but now after seeing this site and recounting this story and now seeing the Mirena site as well I am feeling very cautious indeed about having anything placed in my body.
It’s nice to hear that after the Essure removal you are now OK Meredith. Many women really suffer from different body pains because of this procedure. I do hope this product is removed or banned soon. Report it to your FDA in Australia. I hope it’ll make a big difference!