Talk to me about IUD removal

[jordylee]

I am totally fed up with the crazy amounts of painful, cystic acne I've been dealing with ever since I got my IUD. I have an appointment to get it removed on Thursday, and I'm SCARED. Most people said that insertion was no big deal, "a pinch then a cramp", or something like that. My insertion felt like a sword stabbing me up through my vag all the way to my throat. I almost passed out and was confined to the couch for the rest of the day. It was horrible, and I am not normally a wuss at all. I took 800mg ibuprofen beforehand, the Dr had me take cytotec the night before to soften my cervix (I've never had kids), and had it inserted during my period.

SO. How bad is removal compared to insertion? Do they use a tenaculum, or just grab the strings and yank? Should I bring my H with me, or be a big girl and go myself? Anything I should know/do to prepare myself? I am borderline freaking out.

[juliahenry]

It was nothing. I felt a quick pinch and asked when they were going to actually remove it, at which point she held it up. It's on the same level of discomfort as a pap or other ordinary procedures, nothing horrific. I cramped a bit afterwards, and that was worse than the removal itself. The cramps were on a par with medium menstrual cramps - not nothing, but not enough to interfere with life.

And yes, they used stuff to remove it -not just a tug by hand . I think it was a speculum and then another thing or pulling.

Take Tylenol before you go and keep popping them if you cramp up. It's much easier than insertion. Good luck!

[candreco]

I had the same experience as pp- barely felt anything.

[justsam]

My insertion was about as bad as yours, OP. It HURT! I had that one removed & a new one placed at the same time in March. OMGHOLYCRAP!!! The pain was almost unreal for me. Thankfully, it was over very quickly. But I was weak in the knees after that. And I'd taken a percocet before my appointment (at my doctor's instructions), so I was pretty doped up.

Maybe I just have a low tolerance for pain, but it was nowhere near the level of discomfort of a Pap for me. Granted, I've never had kids - so that likely plays into it.

Ask your doc if they'll give you a Rx for something to relax you. And have your H go with, just in case you don't feel like driving afterward (if you don't have any meds - if you do, you'll definitely need him to drive you).

I'm really not trying to scare you. But my experience was nothing like PP's. It hurt. A lot.

[juliahenry]

Jul 16, 2013 13:59:46 GMT -5 justsam said:

My insertion was about as bad as yours, OP. It HURT! I had that one removed & a new one placed at the same time in March. OMGHOLYCRAP!!! The pain was almost unreal for me. Thankfully, it was over very quickly. But I was weak in the knees after that. And I'd taken a percocet before my appointment (at my doctor's instructions), so I was pretty doped up.

Maybe I just have a low tolerance for pain, but it was nowhere near the level of discomfort of a Pap for me. Granted, I've never had kids - so that likely plays into it.

Ask your doc if they'll give you a Rx for something to relax you. And have your H go with, just in case you don't feel like driving afterward (if you don't have any meds - if you do, you'll definitely need him to drive you).

I'm really not trying to scare you. But my experience was nothing like PP's. It hurt. A lot.

Any chance your discomfort was related to the insertion?

[mrs.jacinthe]

I thought the insertion (pre-kids) was something like the worst cramp I've ever had.

Removal was pretty much a pap with a little cramp in the middle. She had to do some fishing around up in there to get hold of it (she used the speculum and some sort of giant tweezers) which caused a little cramp, but honestly, it hurt worse when she opened/latched the speculum.

[justsam]

Jul 16, 2013 14:05:18 GMT -5 juliahenry said:

Jul 16, 2013 13:59:46 GMT -5 justsam said:

My insertion was about as bad as yours, OP. It HURT! I had that one removed & a new one placed at the same time in March. OMGHOLYCRAP!!! The pain was almost unreal for me. Thankfully, it was over very quickly. But I was weak in the knees after that. And I'd taken a percocet before my appointment (at my doctor's instructions), so I was pretty doped up.

Maybe I just have a low tolerance for pain, but it was nowhere near the level of discomfort of a Pap for me. Granted, I've never had kids - so that likely plays into it.

Ask your doc if they'll give you a Rx for something to relax you. And have your H go with, just in case you don't feel like driving afterward (if you don't have any meds - if you do, you'll definitely need him to drive you).

I'm really not trying to scare you. But my experience was nothing like PP's. It hurt. A lot.

Any chance your discomfort was related to the insertion?

Some of it was due to that, but there was definitely pain associated with the removal of the old one. My doctor had to wait a moment before putting in the new one to let me catch my breath.

I'm sure my experience isn't normal, but OP said her insertion hurt, which initial one did, too. So I wanted to share that my removal was also painful. My doctor told me with my first one that women who haven't given birth tend to experience more pain than those who have - because the cervix hasn't ever been dilated before.

[panicked]

Jul 16, 2013 14:05:18 GMT -5 juliahenry said:

Jul 16, 2013 13:59:46 GMT -5 justsam said:

My insertion was about as bad as yours, OP. It HURT! I had that one removed & a new one placed at the same time in March. OMGHOLYCRAP!!! The pain was almost unreal for me. Thankfully, it was over very quickly. But I was weak in the knees after that. And I'd taken a percocet before my appointment (at my doctor's instructions), so I was pretty doped up.

Maybe I just have a low tolerance for pain, but it was nowhere near the level of discomfort of a Pap for me. Granted, I've never had kids - so that likely plays into it.

Ask your doc if they'll give you a Rx for something to relax you. And have your H go with, just in case you don't feel like driving afterward (if you don't have any meds - if you do, you'll definitely need him to drive you).

I'm really not trying to scare you. But my experience was nothing like PP's. It hurt. A lot.

Any chance your discomfort was related to the insertion?

This would be my thought. It hurts because they have to dilate you a bit to get it in. It's a lot easier to pull something out than push something in! My first IUD insertion hurt like hell. I flew off the table when they inserted it! The removal was a quick, no pain event. I had my second IUD about a year after my daughter was born. It didn't hurt at all.

[smock]

I've had two IUDs inserted, no kids, and both HURT. It took the doctor several tries to jam it up there, and I spent the rest of the day lying around with cramps. I also felt lightheaded and needed some time before I could even get off the table.

But removal is a whole different ballgame. It was a very odd sensation, and a little painful, but nowhere near as bad as insertion. It feels like a strange inside pinching feeling, and it's over super fast. I'd say it was like 5% as painful as insertion. So don't freak out!

[Deleted]

I should not have opened this thread. I have 2 years left on mine, and I think I just recovered from the insertion. Ok ok I exaggerate. But I nearly went down on my way out of the office. I also may have yelled, "I'm never having kids!" during the insertion.

I'm askerred.

[jordylee]

Jul 16, 2013 14:31:31 GMT -5 @angryharpy said:

I should not have opened this thread. I have 2 years left on mine, and I think I just recovered from the insertion. Ok ok I exaggerate. But I nearly went down on my way out of the office. I also may have yelled, "I'm never having kids!" during the insertion.

I'm askerred.

This was me! After I got myself together enough to get off the table and leave the office (it took about 5 mins or so of laying down before I stopped feeling lightheaded), I was walking to the elevator and almost passed out. I sat down on the floor in front of the elevator and cried

I am super scared. I am PRAYING that it isn't too bad. I will report back after it's out.

[emilyj]

I've had 2 inserted, one removed. The insertion for both suuuuuuuuuuuucked. When I had my first removed, my doctor said "cough big", I did, and didn't feel anything. No cramping after.

I have no pain tolerance, and I thought the removal was easy.

[mrsjthompson]

So glad you asked this. I'm talking to my ob tomorrow about removing mine & I'm a wuss when it comes to pain.

[kellina]

I'm skeered for when I get mine out. The strings fell off so they'll have to remove it with ultrasound guidance!

Mine didn't hurt TOOOOO much going in. I know I've had 2 kids, but I had planned c/s for both, so not much cervix dilation goin on...

[taratru]

Removal was MUCH easier than insertion.

Also...labor hurts about INFINITY times the pain of an IUD insertion. YWIA.

[runblondie26]

It was nothing at all. Like getting a Pap smear.

[aurora]

I've had 3 inserted and 2 removed. For each of the insertions, I was in bad shape (major pain, couldn't drive due to faintness, etc.) Each of the removals was like a minor pinch - even less painful than a pap for me. So, don't panic!

Also, I hope the IUD removal clears up your other issues.

[blndsnbrdr]

Jul 16, 2013 18:33:30 GMT -5 taratru said:

Removal was MUCH easier than insertion.

Also...labor hurts about INFINITY times the pain of an IUD insertion. YWIA.

Thanks for the reminder...I'm terrified of having kids and I have a fairly high pain tolerance. Although I get crazy bitch when anything related to my reproductive system hurts. Poor DH.

It took 3 different IUDs (with about 5 tries each before they moved on to the next IUD) to get mine in, holy pain. I didn't react much but I damn near bit my tongue off and if I had nails their fancy padded bed thing would have had holes in it! I'm seriously hoping my removal is better! But I do have 5 years left...

[Deleted]

Removing my first one was no big deal. My OB told me to cough and he yanked it while I coughed. I didn't feel a thing. My second one, the strings couldn't be located so I had to be put under and have a hysteroscopy. A bigger deal, of course.

[jordylee]

Well, looks like I have to wait until next week to get it removed

The doc who put it in cut the strings too short, so this one has to get a different tool to remove it. BOOOO! On the plus side, she felt horrible that she couldn't remove it today since I was so nervous, and is not charging me my copay to come back and get it out.

[mrsjthompson]

Just FYI, I had mine out yesterday. It didn't hurt nearly like putting it in, but I did have some pretty bad cramping and have felt like I have bad PMS. Also, you might want to bring a pad, just to be prepared. Nothing to be too worried about, but just to be prepared for.

[zoidberg]

I'm on my second mirena.

Removal was not bad, they just yanked it out. There was a second or two of a very weird sensation like I was going to be turned inside out, but it really didn't hurt. Maybe just a second as it actually went through the cervix, but they do it quickly.

[heliocentric]

I am on my 3rd--so 3 insertions, 2 removals. The insertions are WAY worse than removals. My 1st insertion was quite bad, the 2nd was bad but a bit less so, the 3rd only hurt for a few minutes with some discomfort afterward. However, both removals were quick and more like a strange pinch for just a few seconds than actual pain.

[jamalynn]

I had one that didn't take so it was removed later. Getting it out was much less painful.