IUD removal under general anesthesia?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IUD removal is very quick. Maybe asking for Valium or something similar would help?

F that. Women's pain should be taken seriously. If the majority of men get a colonoscopy under anesthesia, why can't women get an implant removed under the same guidance?

So stupid.

x1000!

This topic went viral on TikTok a few weeks ago. Thousands of women shared their painful IUS insertion and removal stories. Lots of OB/GYN docs responded to the various videos (both male and female docs) and were flabbergasted that a majority of doctors aren't even offering it as an option. Most said it wasn't the norm, but it should have at least been offered.

Anyway, fk most doctors. As you said, they don't take women's health seriously. I told my Gyn twice that I believed something was wrong because my periods had become so heavy - I made a special appointment to discuss it after a brief convo we had about it during my annual visit. Anyway, the doctor completely dismissed me. She said it was probably my age (almost 40) and my body's way of telling me it was time to have kids. I left feeling frustrated and determined to find a new doctor.

Then a few weeks later I got extremely ill to the point where I had to go to the ER. Come to find out I had a huge 15 cm ovarian cyst that had caused an ovarian torsion. The ovarian torsion was also blocking my ureter, which is what was making me so ill. I was rushed into emergency surgery to remove my ovary and thankfully, no permanent damage was done to the ureter or to my kidneys or bladder.

Had my doc taken me seriously and done some tests, she would have found this no doubt. The surgeon I had in the hospital thought for sure I hadn't been to see a gynecologist in years and he couldn't believe it hadn't been caught and I'd just had an exam.

[Anonymous]

OP if I were you I would find a new Ob for your daughter who takes her seriously and doesn’t use a too large speculum, FFS. Like, why not a female physician? Also, get the poor child a Valium for the procedure. I’ve had a horrible C-section and a horrible forceps delivery unmedicated and I still remember how bad my HSG was, I screamed bloody murder but I was on Valium so I didn’t tense you as much and my doctor was very sensitive to my pain and gave me a hug and checked in with me afterwards and honestly her care and the Valium made what could have been a traumatic experience bearable.

I’ve never had an IUD and never will from the horror insertion and removal stories I have heard. Plus all the people who get accidentally pregnant. Hard, hard pass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IUD removal is very quick. Maybe asking for Valium or something similar would help?

F that. Women's pain should be taken seriously. If the majority of men get a colonoscopy under anesthesia, why can't women get an implant removed under the same guidance?

So stupid.

x1000!

This topic went viral on TikTok a few weeks ago. Thousands of women shared their painful IUS insertion and removal stories. Lots of OB/GYN docs responded to the various videos (both male and female docs) and were flabbergasted that a majority of doctors aren't even offering it as an option. Most said it wasn't the norm, but it should have at least been offered.

Anyway, fk most doctors. As you said, they don't take women's health seriously. I told my Gyn twice that I believed something was wrong because my periods had become so heavy - I made a special appointment to discuss it after a brief convo we had about it during my annual visit. Anyway, the doctor completely dismissed me. She said it was probably my age (almost 40) and my body's way of telling me it was time to have kids. I left feeling frustrated and determined to find a new doctor.

Then a few weeks later I got extremely ill to the point where I had to go to the ER. Come to find out I had a huge 15 cm ovarian cyst that had caused an ovarian torsion. The ovarian torsion was also blocking my ureter, which is what was making me so ill. I was rushed into emergency surgery to remove my ovary and thankfully, no permanent damage was done to the ureter or to my kidneys or bladder.

Had my doc taken me seriously and done some tests, she would have found this no doubt. The surgeon I had in the hospital thought for sure I hadn't been to see a gynecologist in years and he couldn't believe it hadn't been caught and I'd just had an exam.

Wow, that’s just damn lazy and frankly, I’d go after her for malpractice. The tests women are put through - uterine biopsies, hysteroscopies - oh, just take a couple Tylenol, then they bring in a nurse to talk at you incessantly to ‘distract’ you from the pain they are putting you through. Hard damn no on that. I asked a friend of mine, a male plastic surgeon about it all and his response was “any doctor that does a procedure he/she knows is painful for the majority of people without pain relief is simply barbaric”. It’s done for convenience, i.e. it takes a doc longer to give you lidocaine through an infusion into your uterus to keep you out of pain, then it does to simply do the procedure and blame YOU for not tolerating it well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a CNM and remove/ insert IUDs all the time. As many have said correctly above the procedures are quite different and removal is almost always quick and easy. I also have had many patients who avoid coming back for removal due to anxiety about pain after insertion and they are always shocked at how different and easy removal is. 100% agree with prior recommendations for treating with anxiety meds. General anesthesia is not without risk, is expensive, and definitely way way more medication than she needs in her body for a procedure that takes 30 seconds or less.

I bet you say the same thing about endometrial biopsies and scopes in office, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone, it's OP and thank you for the replies.

I spoke with my own ob/gyn, and he said it sounds like DD had a vasovagal reaction (the vagus nerve got triggered by the pain) and that's why she had such a bad experience.

He said anesthesia is overkill (my words, not his) and the better route is that he will prescribe her a Cytotec (Misaprostal) the night before, it will open up her cervix some and ensure that he can get it out. He said he'd have it out in 10 secs tops.

I spoke with my DD and she's on board, so we made an appointment for when she's at home for spring break.

The one thing I think I'm a little unclear on--I had forgotten until DD mentioned it today--is it might not even be the cervix that was the issue. When the original GYN was doing the insertion, she started out with a big speculum, and that hurt and DD tried to hold out but couldn't and then the GYN ended up switching to a smaller one. I think that switch happened too fast to allow her to recover from the bigger one. Then the IUD went it after that, and I think somewhere in there the reaction happened. I just think the GYN was too fast with it all.

So anyways, my DD is ready to remind my OB/GYN to use a smaller speculum, and he is a seasoned and skilled and gentle guy, so I think we have the problem solved! Thanks everyone.

Why is she getting it out now? You said it’s only been a couple years since she got it in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dd told you she thinks she should see a therapist for her anxiety about the removal. She is right! This is an anxiety issue, treat it as such. This is not a medical issue, and she certainly should not have medication that can cause severe respiratory depression because she found the IUD insertion painful. This is a great opportunity to help her address health related anxiety now with an appropriate treatment. You don’t want her heading into adult life thinking anytime she’s scared of healthcare she needs general anesthesia.

She was GIFTED health related anxiety by callous physicians who caused her great pain during a procedure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cervical pain is one of those things that seems to vary a lot among individuals but for me it's one of the most painful experiences I have ever had, and I have had childbirth with no drugs. The pain of having my cervix opened was beyond anything I have ever experienced. It wasn't traumatic for me, but I am an adult who has given birth, but I can see how it would be for a kid. Anyway, I wouldn't minimize it and I would tell her you'll make sure she has adequate pain control for removal. That could take a lot of different forms.

and the sick part is that they could have given you Novocain to take away the majority of that pain and didn’t.

[Anonymous]

Ok for people recommending general anesthesia...whose been under?!

I just did it for a D&C and that was no joke. If someone can't handle the pain, switch BC methods. It literally is not worth the risk of anesthesia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok for people recommending general anesthesia...whose been under?!

I just did it for a D&C and that was no joke. If someone can't handle the pain, switch BC methods. It literally is not worth the risk of anesthesia.

IV sedation used for minor procedures like this isn’t particularly risky (not like general anesthesia). They often use it for wisdom teeth removal. A lot of people even stay awake, you just don’t remember.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a CNM and remove/ insert IUDs all the time. As many have said correctly above the procedures are quite different and removal is almost always quick and easy. I also have had many patients who avoid coming back for removal due to anxiety about pain after insertion and they are always shocked at how different and easy removal is. 100% agree with prior recommendations for treating with anxiety meds. General anesthesia is not without risk, is expensive, and definitely way way more medication than she needs in her body for a procedure that takes 30 seconds or less.

I bet you say the same thing about endometrial biopsies and scopes in office, right?

I’ve met some insanely misogynistic CNMs. Their profession loves for women to suffer in childbirth cause it’s “better” and more “natural.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a CNM and remove/ insert IUDs all the time. As many have said correctly above the procedures are quite different and removal is almost always quick and easy. I also have had many patients who avoid coming back for removal due to anxiety about pain after insertion and they are always shocked at how different and easy removal is. 100% agree with prior recommendations for treating with anxiety meds. General anesthesia is not without risk, is expensive, and definitely way way more medication than she needs in her body for a procedure that takes 30 seconds or less.

I bet you say the same thing about endometrial biopsies and scopes in office, right?

I’ve met some insanely misogynistic CNMs. Their profession loves for women to suffer in childbirth cause it’s “better” and more “natural.”

Let’s not forget the breast feeding ‘gurus’ who make you feel like less of a woman if your baby won’t latch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone, it's OP and thank you for the replies.

I spoke with my own ob/gyn, and he said it sounds like DD had a vasovagal reaction (the vagus nerve got triggered by the pain) and that's why she had such a bad experience.

He said anesthesia is overkill (my words, not his) and the better route is that he will prescribe her a Cytotec (Misaprostal) the night before, it will open up her cervix some and ensure that he can get it out. He said he'd have it out in 10 secs tops.

I spoke with my DD and she's on board, so we made an appointment for when she's at home for spring break.

The one thing I think I'm a little unclear on--I had forgotten until DD mentioned it today--is it might not even be the cervix that was the issue. When the original GYN was doing the insertion, she started out with a big speculum, and that hurt and DD tried to hold out but couldn't and then the GYN ended up switching to a smaller one. I think that switch happened too fast to allow her to recover from the bigger one. Then the IUD went it after that, and I think somewhere in there the reaction happened. I just think the GYN was too fast with it all.

So anyways, my DD is ready to remind my OB/GYN to use a smaller speculum, and he is a seasoned and skilled and gentle guy, so I think we have the problem solved! Thanks everyone.

Why is she getting it out now? You said it’s only been a couple years since she got it in.

OP here. She's been getting very bad acne, (systic?) and her dermatologist told her it was due to the IUD. She's tried a variety of things to get rid of the acne but it hasn't worked. The gynocologist had told her it would not give her acne, so she's frustrated with that, because she felt she made a decision based on misinformation. So at this point she's hating the IUD. (I would prefer she keep it in, as she's not sexually active but probably will be soon--but I'm not pushing anything on this issue)

To another PP, just to clarify--the doctor who inserted her IUD is female, and the doctor who is going to take it out is mine, who is male.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone, it's OP and thank you for the replies.

I spoke with my own ob/gyn, and he said it sounds like DD had a vasovagal reaction (the vagus nerve got triggered by the pain) and that's why she had such a bad experience.

He said anesthesia is overkill (my words, not his) and the better route is that he will prescribe her a Cytotec (Misaprostal) the night before, it will open up her cervix some and ensure that he can get it out. He said he'd have it out in 10 secs tops.

I spoke with my DD and she's on board, so we made an appointment for when she's at home for spring break.

The one thing I think I'm a little unclear on--I had forgotten until DD mentioned it today--is it might not even be the cervix that was the issue. When the original GYN was doing the insertion, she started out with a big speculum, and that hurt and DD tried to hold out but couldn't and then the GYN ended up switching to a smaller one. I think that switch happened too fast to allow her to recover from the bigger one. Then the IUD went it after that, and I think somewhere in there the reaction happened. I just think the GYN was too fast with it all.

So anyways, my DD is ready to remind my OB/GYN to use a smaller speculum, and he is a seasoned and skilled and gentle guy, so I think we have the problem solved! Thanks everyone.

Why is she getting it out now? You said it’s only been a couple years since she got it in.

OP here. She's been getting very bad acne, (systic?) and her dermatologist told her it was due to the IUD. She's tried a variety of things to get rid of the acne but it hasn't worked. The gynocologist had told her it would not give her acne, so she's frustrated with that, because she felt she made a decision based on misinformation. So at this point she's hating the IUD. (I would prefer she keep it in, as she's not sexually active but probably will be soon--but I'm not pushing anything on this issue)

To another PP, just to clarify--the doctor who inserted her IUD is female, and the doctor who is going to take it out is mine, who is male.

Wow that dermatologist is just flat out wrong. I know a lot about acne...taking out the IUD will no absolutely nothing for the acne. Go to another doctor.

[Anonymous]

OP here. To 00:49, I think you may be right, but the dermatologist has her ear over mine. And once they turn 18, parents get cut out/off of these conversations with our kids' doctors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IUD removal is very quick. Maybe asking for Valium or something similar would help?

F that. Women's pain should be taken seriously. If the majority of men get a colonoscopy under anesthesia, why can't women get an implant removed under the same guidance?

So stupid.

1) removal is far less painless 2) general anesthesia is very dangerous. I would argue it’s not appropriate for either procedure.

Yeah definitely not the same. Also her daughter doesn't have to get an IUD. That's why it isn't recommended for women that haven't given birth. Just pick a different method.

I have 2 kids and I’m dreading removal. I had to have it replaced after 2 months due to positioning and I definitely had a sweat.