My name is Tiffany and I am 32 years old. Here is my Essure story. I have three kids. A 9 year old daughter, a 7 year old son, and a 2 year old daughter. I am a Marine Corps veteran and have worked in Federal Law Enforcement for over 9 years. After my last daughter was born, my husband and I were certain we did not want any more children.
I spoke to my doctor about my options for sterilization just before I was due to deliver. I trusted him and respected his opinion. I really wanted my tube tied but he insisted I read the literature on this new procedure called Essure. He intrigued me with the fact he could do it in the office and I would be back on my feet in less than 24 hours with minimal pain.
I delivered January 26, 2012 and had the Essure procedure about 3 months after that maybe the end of April. I don’t remember the exact date, I will have to check my medical file. The procedure went fine with no complications. I really don’t remember a lot of pain but he did give me a shot and a couple pills just prior to the procedure.
My husband was there with me the whole time. I left and went home and slept. The next couple days I had menstrual type cramps, but they were not bad. The next couple months I had intermittent and irregular bleeding. I had to download an app to my phone to try to keep track of it along with my symptoms. I would cramp like never before in my pelvis and lower back. The pain was bad an uncomfortable and sometimes unbearable.
In August of 2012, we moved from Georgia to Indiana due to career changes. The cramps didn’t subside and now headaches started. I contributed these things to maybe just a hormone change. Well, I went to the doctor and they ran several tests and ultra sounds which showed nothing to appear wrong. She could not explain the source of my pain. So like I had been taught most of my life, suck it up and move on. So I did.
2013 went a little smoother. The headaches were not so frequent. Now maybe only 3 or 4 days a week of every week. The cramps in my pelvis and lower back remained and no matter what I did, exercise and diet wise, I always had what appeared to be a little tiny baby bump. My period however still never regulated. Some months I would have 2 periods. I still use the app to track everything. It really helps when I go to the doctor.
On June 16, 2014, my phone notified me that I may have forgot to put in the start date for my period. It was not uncommon for me to be a few days late do I just ignored it. But on June 23, 2014 when I still had not stated I began to panic. I took 2 pregnancy tests which immediately resulted in positive. I called the doctor in a panic and had to go in for an immediate blood draw. Blood and an ultra sound confirmed I am in fact pregnant.
Approximately 5 weeks and 5 days and it is not an ectopic pregnancy. So here I am. I strongly urge woman who are considering Essure as an option for sterilization to reconsider. I suppose I am still in shock over this all. I guess I just figured my body had changed after 3 kids so it was my own fault for all the issues I was having and never really thought Essure could be the culprit. But now looking back at it all I wish someone would have warned me. I had the Essure procedure in 2012 and now I am 5 weeks pregnant. Not what I would at this point consider an effective method of birth control!