In 2007 and at the age of 37 I had my first and only child. Because of my age and some complications I had during my pregnancy, I wasn’t sure I would be able to have any more children so I wanted to have my tubes tied. However, after a lot of persuasion from my doctor, I chose to have the Essure procedure in lieu of my tubes tide never being informed that the only way to have the inserts removed was by hysterectomy. HUGE MISTAKE!! The problems started immediately. First, obviously a man must have decided this was to be an office procedure because it most definitely should not be. It was very painful. When I went to the hospital to have my scan to be sure the inserts had imbedded into my fallopian tubes, I was told that one of the coils was missing and that it must have fallen out. FALLEN OUT! OUT OF WHERE AND INTO WHAT? I was told that it had ‘likely’ fallen into the toilet during urination and obviously I just didn’t feel it at the time. My gut told me someting was not right, but because I trusted my doctor, I went back into the office a few days later and allowed them to insert another one. I then again had to go to the hospital to have another scan (which is painful in itself) to be sure the coil was in place. However, to my surprise, I find out that I now have 3 coils instead of 2. Of course, I was told that the extra coil was no problem, just additional birth control. A few months later is when the real problems began. I started having horrible pelvic and abdominal pain but even worse the palms of my hands and the bottom of my feet began to itch and burn really bad. Then blisters began to form to which my family physician compared to second and third degree burns. The pain was almost unbearable. This was the beginning of my year long struggle to find out what was causing these burn like blisters on my hands and feet. I had to constantly where gloves as I worked with the public and was always afraid of infection not to mention the pain was magnified if anything touched the raw skin on my hands. Of course, I still had to somehow manage to put shoes and socks on everyday and walk on my ‘burnt’ feet. Life had become a living hell of pain, pain pills, steroids, doctor after doctor and no answers. Remember, I also had a 1 1/2 year old son that I rarely got to bathe, dress, hold etc., because of the constant pain. I basically missed out on doing all the things a new mother wants and should be able to do with her child for the first 3 years of his life. Things I will never have the opportunity to do again and that makes me very sad and angry!!! After a year had passed and I had pretty much exhausted all my options. My husband and I had spent thousands of dollars trying to find answers and having none, I had come to the realization that I would have to live the rest of my life in agony. About a month later, I went in to see my pcp and suggested to him that I should go see an allergist and that although a long shot perhaps the burn like blisters on my hands and feet was caused by an allergy. We both knew it was a long shot but what did I have to lose? After countless allergy test, I had a severe positive reaction to a couple of the patches placed on my back, potasium dichromate and nickel. My allergist began to ask me a series of questions, one of these being ‘Did I have any type of implants in my body’. Of course, my answer was yes and then of course we find out that both of these materials were in my body via the Essure implants. The allergist was very concerned and sent a letter to my obgyn stating and that the coils may need to be surgically removed. My obg sent me for an ultrasound and that is when I find out that my fallopian tubes were in really bad shape, inflammed and swollen. So when I went back to my obg to discuss my ultrasound results, I informed him I wanted the coils removed and he agreed they had to come out; however, it was at that moment I realized my life had been forever changed because of Essure. I had never been told, nor was it stated in any of the information I was given prior to my Essure procedure that the only was to remove Essure was to have a complete hysterectomy. So, my hope of ever having another child was gone in an instant. I had no choice but to have the hysterectomy and my hands and feet began to clear up almost instantly after the surgery and for that I am greatful. But no woman should ever have to go through what I went through. I filed a lawsuit against Essure in 2009/2010 and so far nothing has happened. Physically I am doing ok, I now have a nickel allergy that I didn’t have prior to Essure. I have some scar tissue damage in my abdomen and do still have pelvic pain. But the emotinal damage is still there everyday. The time I missed with my son that I can never get back and the hope of ever having another child stolen from me by Essure.