After giving birth to my only child in my mid-thirties, I had the IUD Mirena inserted into my body. That device mysteriously dislodged and I had to have my OB/GYN remove it. It was only in my body for 9 months. I suffered no harm from it other than the hit my wallet took for wasting all that money. So I decided that I needed to go another route. I haven’t taken the pill since I was 30 since I am a heavy smoker, so that was not an option. Then my OB/GYN told me about Essure.
It sounded great at the time. I was now a single parent of a 2 year old and knew I could not emotionally handle or financially support another child. I needed to get fixed for good. According to my Doctor, the procedure was simple with minimal discomfort and quick recovery. So in June of 2012 I had the Essure procedure done.
I thought I would be right as rain in a day or two, not so. I had horrible cramps, tenderness and bleeding for approximately two/three months. I was an emotional wreak thinking that I had made a terrible mistake. I contacted my Doctor about having the coils removed and was told that the only way to remove them is to have my fallopian tubes removed. I was completely distraught.
I kept feeling like I could feel them inside of me, especially when my child would pounce on my stomach during play. To this day, I swear I still can feel the coils inside my body, but my Doctor says that it’s just my imagination and there is no way I could feel them since they are so small.
I hate the fact that I have a foreign object inside of me that wasn’t necessary. I don’t think I gave the procedure enough thought concerning how I would feel about coils in me, nor did I do enough research on my own. I basically trusted my Doctor to know what was the good, bad and ugly of Essure. Mistake. At the time of my decision, I was emotionally week due to the stress and strain of caring for and paying for a small child on my own. Essure sounded like a quick and easy fix. Had I been emotionally stronger and not so desperate, I may have made another choice.
Today the coils don’t bother me much. My periods are normal and I don’t have any cramping or bleeding. I never got the test done after 3 months to see if the tissue created the blockage. It sounded painful and I just wasn’t up for more pain/discomfort. I have told other women I know about my experience with Essure and I never recommend it. Bottom-line, I believe it should be taken off the market.
Thank you Erin for your time, care and concern.