IUD’s….Caitlin Moran article

I think procedures for women are different than men- for men, discomfort and their requests are taken into account, while for women, this is how is done and if you complain, you are a bad patient

For pap smears, there are other instruments to make it more tolerable and humane

For example, poooooooor men took a birth control pill with half or less of side effects of the female birth control and those men dropped it because "mood swings and other side effects were too hard on them"
How about us, women, designing a birth control pill with minimal side effects is not a primary parameter but yes for men?
I remember the times I ask docs why it needs to be done, why that way and it doesnt work for me - they were surprised I was speaking up.
Other options were brought up and I picked.

I read the Caitlin Moran article too. I was actually shocked at the how much pain is involved in fitting them. Yes I do agree that women are expected to put up with more pain than men certainly with regard to anything gynaecology. I have no personal experience of IUDs but women should not have to accept this kind of treatment.

gynaecological!!

I thought I’d catch up with the articles as I used to save Caitlins articles in a folder but the pandemic resulted in me reading the Times online. I saved all the articles but didn’t get round to reading them. Then my iPad temporarily lost them so, when I retrieved them I decided to listen to Glastonbury and read all of them last night.

They really push them too ime, especially if you are peri menopausal. It seems to be seen as the answer to prolonged bleeding or heavy periods. They just don't suit everyone. In fact I became a wannabe murderess and it had to be taken out after 6 weeks as I was having so many side effects

I got on with my first one, but the removal was extremely painful. The second one was a disaster and I ended up pregnant! I have to say lovely, lovely doctor in Jersey, was so caring and did his best. The other gynaecology I had to see was anything but…. Eventually, I was sterilised as the best contraception. Not the ideal choice!

Must say I am so lucky I never had one fitted. In the late 60s, we all went on the pill. So lucky too that after 2 children, my OH just said 'you've done your bit- my turn. And chose to have a vasectomy'. Takes a real man to do that.

There seemed to be a lot of scare stories about the pill at the time which is why I thought I’d try a IUD.

I tried an IUD because I didn't want to put hormones into my body with the pill.

I passed out on the doctor's couch, and when I came round it had been taken out again, so I went through all that for nothing.

I had one fitted, probably 1981/82 no problems, I also have no issues with smears, both are momentarily mildly uncomfortable. Perhaps I’m fortunate, I do totally relax when smears are done.

I had one fitted in the 90s to control heavy bleeding. The pain due to insertion was so bad that I shot up the bed, hit my head on the wall behind me and had to be kept under observation for a head injury. After that it seemed OK and did it's job but having it removed was just as bad although I didn't damage my head that time.

Then a couple of years ago I had one inserted for post menopausal bleeding. Again agony inserting it. This time the side effects were horrendous. I managed to live with them for 4 weeks then begged my surgery to arrange to have it removed. They sent me to an emergency clinic the same day. Oh the relief.

I've not read the article, but I had an IUD fitted in the 1970s. It was a painful procedure and continued to cause severe cramps and discomfort. I hated it and had it removed within a month of it being fitted. I remember ranting at the young doctor about it being "barbaric" and him looking quite sheepish.

I had an IUD fitted. A bit painful but totally useless as I became pregnant about 4 months later.

I don't remember having any pain when it was inserted - in the 1970s. It worked well for six years until I started having very heavy bleeding which my useless GP told me was because of my age! I was 37. Then we moved and my new GP said it was my IUD causing the trouble, took it out - painlessly - and bleeding went back to normal.

AGAA4

I had an IUD fitted. A bit painful but totally useless as I became pregnant about 4 months later.

My sister-in-law became pregnant and her IUD was embedded in the baby's forehead and had to be surgically removed the day after she was born.

That's awful. I was worried about where it was but it came out with her not attached.

My friend had what she called a copper baby He was ok.

I couldn’t take the pill so asked about a coil. This was nearly 40 years ago and I was informed they weren’t suitable for women who hadn’t give birth. So we used condoms until we had our family and then OH had a vasectomy.

Sorry to hear all these bad stories.
I used IUDs from the age of 19 to 50 (the pill didn't suit me). They were never painful to insert or remove and I only got pregnant when they were removed so we could have our two DC.

What about the simplest method, which incidentally protects you from STD as well, the good old Durex? Apparently a lot of men don’t like wearing them.

I went into shock when I had an IUD put in and had to lie on the doctor’s couch for 30 minutes after vomiting. When I came to have it removed I was terrified but that was all fine. My husband hated it because he said it was like a needle going into him so I guess from that point of view it would have been very effective!

I must have been one of the fortunate ones because I had a succession of IUDs fitted for about 25 years with no pain or problems. Getting my first one fitted was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Getting an IUD was a good thing for me as well and although I had some cramping at first, that was a very long time ago now! It was due to be removed as it had been in there so long, but I was told that due to my age it would not be replaced! Since I am still fertile but feel unable to carry a baby I agreed to leave it there.

I feel very sorry for Britney Spears who has an IUD fitted against her will.

I had one fitted and removed in the Netherlands by my GP and no pain at all.