New guidelines urge doctors to “not underestimate the pain experienced by patients” during the IUD insertion procedure and outlined a range of pain management options. https://nyti.ms/4ktIOjf
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Three midwives needed with mine. One just to hold my hand while I cried. Pain almost worse than giving birth (without epidural) Nothing like it. About damn time!
Because nothing says “long-term commitment” like a tiny T-shaped torture device being personally escorted past your cervix by someone saying, “You’ll just feel a little pressure.” - NdeuxT
65 fecking years it's taken. How many of us have heard "there's no pain receptors there" whilst we're in huge pain? It's grotesque. A damn sure sign the patriarchy has made women 2nd class. Women's health and pain management, particularly of women of colour, are just not taken seriously. It's sick.
Another “FINALLY” cheer from me, who has had four insertions, each one excruciating. Let’s now start focusing on the pain of cervical polyp removal… another area where our pain is ignored completely.
YES! I have friends that have freaked out about my Nexplanon implant in my arm but you know, even with the bruising, I’d rather have that than what I’ve heard about IUDs. I had to have a biopsy after an irregular Pap and 😭 oh god that is something I never want to repeat if I can avoid it.
I've had 2 inserted, both were very, very painful. I was told I must just be "sensitive" and neither clinic would give me anything to help with pain when asked, not even topical numbing. I was told either "we don't do that" or "that doesn't really work".
Shouldn’t there be a new requirement for this procedure wherein only other women who have had IUDs inserted get to insert and remove them? Make it a thing wherein it is by and for only women who have experienced and known it?
I don't agree. I thought I was going to pass out during IUD insertion the pain was so bad. I was in labor for over a day, and it was exhausting and painful, but not nearly as painful as the IUD.
The world worst. I have had two insertions completed during surgery and one wide awake. Removal hurts like hell too. Will never not go through this again without anesthesia. Absolutely unnecessary and horrible pain to experience.
I had two home births so I know pain and getting my first IUD removed nearly made me pass out. I straight up said I don’t even want to get the second IUD out because of the pain from the first time and she goes. “Oh, we can give you some ibuprofen.”
Others have different experiences-but I know many who don't experience significant pain. I've had many inserted (for years had brand which changed annually) & luckily minor pain. Need to respect experiences of those less lucky, but would hate for terrific method used by many to be unavailable.
For yrs I had progestasert iud-it had to be changed annually. Today's hormonal iud's like Mirena last 5+ yrs. I don't discount others' awful experience-but I've had almost 2 dozen w/o much pain-extreme measures like hospital anesthesia may be right for some-but would be more dangerous for others
I know what I'm talking about. Don't dismiss my knowledge & experience. Progestasert is a brand of progesterone hormonal iud. Mirena another brand of progesterone iud. It's yrs since I had a Progestasert & possible little used now-but still offered/still annual https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4426403/
There's probably a part of it that's selection bias. The people who talk about it to me have had a bad time, so those are the stories that I hear, when people who just go in and have it done and it's NBD don't even mention it. But the fact there are enough people who have had that experience...
Even if one woman says, that's painful, do something. It's a doctor's job to do no harm, and pain is harmful.
It shouldn't take a study; it should be for the general welfare.
...to create that impression shows how we just aren't bothering tells me we just expect women to suffer because we can't be bothered to care about their experience. But I agree that having access to it is good, I just also think that the expectation of pain can actually deter people from getting it.
Completely unhelpful. Offering a numbing cream they aren’t even sure works…all because we refused to give out one damn pain pill. Absurd and degrading to be a woman undergoing a medical procedure.
When I had my IUD placed, it wasn't that bad. It hurt yes but after reading some of these comments, it's clear that I'm either very lucky or have a very high pain tolerance. Either way, I'll take it.💯
Because it's reversible, highly effective, and fairly idiot-proof bc that is potentially good for many years. The bonus is that there is a non-hormonal option (paragard). Painful insertion/removal? F*** Yes.
OMG finally! The amount of stories I hear from women is heartbreaking. I just can’t understand why the medical field treat women as second class citizens.
Past menopause and still have an iud (for the progesterone part of hrt - intolerant of other it by other methods). Obviously different for everyone and some have awful experiences, but my experiences have been minor pain.
Is there a reason why you've been replying to every comment mentioning pain with a dismissive comment referencing your own experience? What are you getting out of this?
I am relaying my experience- full information is experiences differ - never once suggested some don't have an awful experience- but not everyone does and that is relevant too
Sorry if it comes across that way-I tried not to do that by repeatedly acknowledging women’s’ experiences are different & need to be respected. I never suggest I don’t believe the painful experiences- because I do believe them. Certainly not rare-but thankfully not all.
They inserted my friend’s wrong & it punctured her uterine wall & also caused bowel perforation, they made her WAIT A WEEK before they had an “available appointment” to remove it. She’s had problems ever since with eating, nausea, & she lost a lot of weight after. Extremely traumatic for her.
If it makes you feel any better there's most of Europe where local anesthesia is standard practice. Some practitioners in the US will do that.
Kaiser, CA- warned I should take Tylenol or Ibuprofen beforehand. Nearly passed out during and was in intense pain 24-36 hours. OBGYN in the US is fucked.
My former partner experienced so much pain and trauma from the insertion of her IUD, it was heartbreaking seeing her deal with that with no support from doctors.
And many physicians will just pretend like they had no idea the guidelines have been updated when patients start bringing this article with them to their appointments and gaslight us anyway.
'Hey doctors! I know you're perpetually overworked n underslept, but, here is something you should have take up your attention so you make more complications somewhere else. Or like it personally effected me so I paid for this change! Instead of ya know, hiring more of you! Well wishes~!'
Just Wednesday I had to have my IUD removed and a new one placed because it had slipped into my cervix. Found out the hard and unmedicated way that one arm was embedded in my uterus. She was wiling to prescribe Valium but I didn’t have someone to drive me. I almost passed out.
„[puts patient & doctor in] awkward position. “Waiting three minutes with a speculum in place is a long time,” she noted. “Do you stay there? Do you put the drape back on? You wouldn’t want to take the speculum out […]”
Women don’t even get to choose between excruciating pain and awkward silence?!
while i only had mild discomfort with my iud, it's absolutely insane for ANY doctor to disregard a patient's pain when you're shoving something up their snatch like wtf
what the hell is the point of going into medicine if you think your patents are liars?
I had to be dilated with no pain medicatio. I freaking threw up and damn near passed out. The doctor called me a soldier and gave me time to recover for about 10 minutes then sent me On my way to drive myself home which I should not have done. Worse than child birth cause o my wait. I had drugs
Some docs can be deliberately cruel, spiking the IUD and causing contractions. Others can place easily with no harsh piercing and have no ill effects at all.
After one too many OB’s kicked in the face during installation of the IUD, Dr’s now willing to give proper pain management before and after the procedure!
Fvcking same. I had zero notable pain after my bisalp. Screamed like Fay Wray during IUD insertion, and I had to deal with months of unbelievable pain before I finally went to a hospital to have THEM confirm it was a failed rejection and remove it. Pain mgmt would probably mean fewer rejections too.
Removal is actually worse. My doctor tried to do it in office and it was excruciating. I found a doctor to do it in the hospital under sedation. Should be standard. The doctor had to fight my insurance company to cover it. So much disparity in treatment for women is frustrating and criminal.
You're doctor was bad at it - I've had many removed and it was extremely minor for me. Sorry for your experience, but hospitalization/sedation for me would have been crazy for what, for me, has been a few seconds of minor discomfort.
Stop being dismissive. Your personal experience isn’t normative and no reason to refuse women pain relief. YOU are entitled to say no thanks to pain management for yourself; you are not entitled to tell other women what they need
I didn't tell anyone what to do and acknowledged others have a different experience that should be respected- my multiple experiences were not difficult-women should know experiences may vary & make informed decisions.
Women are making informed decisions. You’re here telling them that the option for pain management—which you don’t need—is dangerous and silly. You are not just offering a different perspective. You’re demeaning and dismissing women who feel pain simply because you did not
Why twist what I said? Your characterization is not at all what I said. I said hospitalization/general anesthesia- which one poster suggested for everyone- and which has its own risks - could be more dangerous for some. I never suggested women shouldn't get pain management they need.
Comments
At least on your back, your tears can pool conveniently in your ears.
These "guidelines" should be for IUD insertion and removal, endometrial and cervical biopsies, and even pap smears
My doctor life scoffed at me when I asked about pain management. Then told me to (shrug) take ibuprofen an hour before.
And IUDs last years. They’re not changed annually.
Please don’t be dismissive of women’s very real pain
Women getting appropriate pain management is not dangerous
It shouldn't take a study; it should be for the general welfare.
Literally & figuratively.
I personally would never use it. (No need anyway, I am married) Just the thought of it is scary.😅
Thank for letting me know a bit about it.🙂
Simple, efficient demonstration.
Doctors urged to beleive women.
Tip of the iceberg for not believing women when they seek help/treatment.
Kaiser, CA- warned I should take Tylenol or Ibuprofen beforehand. Nearly passed out during and was in intense pain 24-36 hours. OBGYN in the US is fucked.
Women don’t even get to choose between excruciating pain and awkward silence?!
what the hell is the point of going into medicine if you think your patents are liars?
Needless to say, I never went back to her.