IUD Removal--any One Else Had This?

Hi J.,
I'm going through the end of the same IUD issue. Jan. 20th I went in to have my Mirena replaced, no string. She did the thin tweezer forceps to no availe so ended up with the ultrasound to find mine slightly embeded in my wall. Thus the scheduled in office surgery to have that one removed and my new one inserted, done Feb. 6th. I go back this Thursday for another ultrasound to make sure this one is still where it should be, though she left 2 inches of string that you couldn't miss! Thing is it happens now and then seems to be more like a luck of the draw thing. I've done the shots, pills and patches for birth control. The patches never seem to stay on the amount of time they are supposed to, the pill is a mental pain as you know. The shots worked pretty good for me. A few of my friends went with the little implants tubes they insert under your skin in your arm and they like those. Your Dr. should have more if there are more options. I'm happy with the IUD as I'm enduring perimenopause and have been for 9 years and I'm about to be 47. So it helps lessen the odd ball cycles.

I hope I've been helpfull and I sure hope someone can give you a birth control that will really work for you and that you'll be happy with too.

V.

I am using the NuvaRing, and like it a lot. Nothing to remember, better protection than a diaphram and easy to use.

Good luck.

S.

I can really relate to this post ! I had my last son with the IUD still inside my uterus! It was delivered right along with him ! No complications but it was a bit disconcerting ! Had my tubes cut and tied after that ! He was child #5 anyway . Best wishes to you .

I've never had an IUD but I since you asked about alternative birth control I thought I would mention the depo shots. I've been getting them for aver 14 years and I love them. I know, I know, some women are terrified of the weight gain but I've always been heavy and I've not gained anything excessive since I've been on it so it works for me. I love having to remember only one visit every 3 months instead of taking a pill every morning (I hate taking oral meds).

The biggest advantage for me is that they help control my migraine headaches. There is a risk that you could get a headache by taking the depo shot but for me, it worked just the opposite. I used to get migraines every month right before my period but since I don't have them any more they're waaaaay more managable.

Anyway, I hope you find something that works for you!

M.

I personally didn't have this experience but my SIL did. She had the Mirana and her strings were cut so short that she didn't have any strings left plus the IUD was on the side of her uterus when they took it out. In talking to my OBGYN she said that it is common for the Mirana to move to the side of the uterus. I had the paraguard and for the most part I was satisfied with it. I didn't like the spotting for a few days after my period but when I had it removed it wasn't bad and they didn't have to dig for it where with my SIL they had to get 3 doctors in to remove it which was really painful for her. I also had a friend that had the paragurad and her body rejected the paraguard so they are going to do a vesectamy (spck?). I know you said that wasn't an option for you but if you do decide you are done maybe that will work for you. I can't have another IUD so I'm looking into natural family planning. A good book that I'm reading is "Taking Charge of Your Fertility". It goes over multiple ways of determining your fertile times (i.e. temp, cervical fluid, cervic position) since you can't depend on one sole measurement all the time. For me it is worth it since I don't do well with hormonal birth control Good luck in finding something that works for you.

When they couldn't find my IUD I got to have multiple attempts and multiple ultrasounds. On the last ultrasound they decided it wasn't there anymore.

The patch worked very well for me. I too could never remember to take the pill. I had no side effects and it actually worked better for my body than the pill, probably because it stays on and you get the drug...not like remembering to take the pill.

Funny story: One day my hubby came in from the driveway with a green plastic Christmas ornament hook. He said "I think I found your IUD!" No, honey...how would it get into the driveway! Boys are so funny.

We have been trying for 15 months to get pregnant with our third, it makes me think that IUD was a terrible idea!
Good Luck.

I'm sorry you had that experience with your IUD! I didn't have those problems and was pretty happy with it, but I've heard of similar negative experiences.

I have pretty much taken every birth control option out there over the past 17 years. I could never remember to take my birth control pills on time every day and several times would have to double up on them, which made me worried about getting pregnant when I didn't want to be! I also took the mini pill when I was nursing. I ended up getting pregnant with an ectopic pregnancy and had to have surgery. As I stated previously, I didn't mind the IUD and liked that I didn't have to do anything for 5 years unless I wanted it removed before then. And, I took the Depo shot for about 7 years before I was married. I noticed you said you said you don't want to take shots. What is the reason behind that? I am not a big shot person - I hated them before I went through my first pregnancy. After that, I just got used to them. But, I sucked it up to receive the shot every three months. Of course, I would have a sore arm for a day or two, but other than that, it wasn't too bad. The first 3-6 months I had spotting almost every day, but after that, I didn't have a period until I stopped taking the shot (which took about 3 months to actually get a period again). I loved that part!!

Unless you can do something to help remind yourself to take the pill at the right time every day, the Depo shot might be the best option for you! I think all forms of birth control are a pain in some way or another! It's not fair that women have to deal with it (I wish someone would come up with a pill for the man to take, but we'd probably be REALLY overpopulated if that were the case!) :)

I hope this helped in some way and good luck with your decision!

Hi J.. I hear your frustration about birth control. There definitely aren't many great options out there. I was personally on the pill for 5 years and it made me very sick so I know from that that anything that messes with my hormones is out. What I have found to work for me and my family is fertility charting. I learned about it through a book called "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. It is just effective as other means of birth control when done properly, contrary to popular belief. At first it seems like a lot of work, but once its part of your routine, it becomes much easier. Its also a great resource for conception. Good luck on your search for an answer.

I echo the difficulty of remembering to take the pill. and My FAVORITE was the NUVA RING because it was a once a month thing I didn't have to go to the dr. for and I never noticed it when being intimate. it was great for me! plus the hormones are so centraly located that i didn't have the same mood swings the pill gave me. so that's what I would suggest

I've never had an IUD for ethe very reasons you've described...seems like so many people have problems with them.

However, with respect to your other options, you're really in a quandary! Are there one or two of the options you mentioned that you might be able to live with, knowing, of course, that it isn't a perfect situation? I'm thinking it might be worth your trying the pill, especially if you can come up with a system to make sure you won't forget to take it, i.e when you have breakfast in the morning or when you brush your teeth at night. You know, try to connect it to something that you'd have to do anyway? Do you take vitamins? Juice Plus? Maybe you can take the pill when you take the other things? Just a thought.

I realize this probably isn't the best advice...sorry! I just think given the other options, there's probably going to have to be some kind of concession made on your part, short of your husband having a vasectomy or undergoing a tubal.

Best of Luck to you!

I have a friend who liked the patch. I've also thought about NuvaRing, but haven't researched it at all. GL!

Hi J.,

So I'm not your doctor and I don't know the exact case of your situation, but maybe you could ask another doctor about your IUD situation. Before I got my IUD, I asked my midwife a lot of "what if" questions. I asked her "What if you can't find my strings when you got to pull it out?" She said, that a lot of people are told they need to have it surgically removed, but they don't. She said sometimes they even purposely cut off the strings so that the husband cannot feel them during intercourse. She pulled out an instrument that she uses to pull out an IUD that has no strings, or the strings are curled up somewhere and missing. She said in very rare cases does she send someone to surgery. Only if it has lodged into a person's uterus. Which usually happens soon after insertion. Anyway, like i said, I don't know your complete medical situation, maybe the ultrasound showed that you really have to have a D&C. But maybe, to reassure you, you could talk to another dr about your condition. If you want to call and talk to my midwife, send me a message and I'll give you her number. I'm sorry you've had a bad experience with your IUD. I've heard the nuva ring is really great. You insert it yourself every month. If it falls out, you just put it back in!

I don't know much about different birth control, but I think that there is now a patch (I've seen the commercial) and also the nuva ring. (I don't know if that is spelled correctly.) You can probably find some comparison charts online by googling "birth control", then take what you've found to your doctor to discuss them.
Good luck,
B.

While I haven't tried it, (I have an IUD, and haven't been able to find the strings in some time--yikes--I have an appt. with my OBGYN.), my sister really likes the nuva ring. That may be an option. Maybe the patch, too? Good luck!

I never had an IUD so I can't help you there. I did use the patch and loved them. I could never stay up on the pill... forgot them all the time. But the patch is just once a week. They are not uncomfotable and so easy. Ask your dr about your options. Good luck with your D&C.