Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Whatever you do, do NOT get a Mirena IUD

I wrote this the day of surgery (12/20/12)...and apparently was too loopy to hit publish lol  so...here ya go.  Me in all my goofy glory

After having Pierce, I knew I wanted to get on some sort of birth control.  Goodness knows, I didn't want to end up with an Ooops Baby just months after Pierce was born.  I'm not even 100% sure that I want another child.  Pierce is more than I deserve to begin with.
In the past I have taken The Pill, but that makes me bat sh*t crazy!  And I'm not even kidding.  I'll be happy and fine one minute, then next I'd be boohooing, sobbing.  J would ask what in the world was wrong with me, "I doooont knoooowwww" between sobs.  My already sensitive temper was heightened.  Nope, no longer want to be on The Pill.
Before J, I had Mirena.  I LOVED it.  No period, none, not even spotting, nothing to remember every day, nothing to "check".  Birth Control you don't have to think about?  It was awesome!
I tried NuvaRing.  Without getting too graphic on the blog, let's just say that thing doesn't come with an applicator, you have to check it often to make sure it's still there.  And, ahem, um...it falls out at the MOST inopportune times.  Add all that to the cost of the dang thing, and $80/month was a no go.
Then, we decided to start trying for a baby.  So, I went about a year with out any birth control at all.  Found out I have very regular cycles.  Not bad cramps, easy peasy lemon squeezy.

When it came time to talk to my Doctor about Birth Control, I had my choice!  I wanted Mirena back.  Up to 5 years of birth control, that would for sure be enough time to get Pierce out of diapers and be ready for another, should we chose.
I went to the Dr around 10/11 weeks postpartum.  Placing the Mirena was painful.  Longest 5 minutes of my life.  My doctor even admitted it was difficult to place.  I almost gave up!  I was about to throw in the towel and say, "STOP" when he finally placed it.  I had some cramping, which I remembered as normal from the last time I had it.  A little spotting, again, remembered that from last time.
Some doctors leave the strings on the end of the Mirena so that the patient can feel it, make sure it's still there where it's supposed to be.  My doctor trims the strings really short, and has you come in for an ultrasound to check it's proper placement 4 weeks after.
Four weeks rolled around, and I had to cancel my appointment for the ultrasound because I was having a very heavy period.  I thought, "Wow, how do I have this luck?!  Mirena and breastfeeding, and I still get a period?  And a heavy one at that?!"  I knew that was odd, because in my experience with Mirena the first time, I had a light first period, spotted for the second, and after that I had nothing.  But, I just had a baby, right?  Women's bodies are different after having a baby.  I chalked the heavy, 8 day period up to just being postpartum.
Two weeks later, I was scheduled for a Pap Smear.  Suddenly, I was bleeding again.  Had to cancel that appointment too.  Only, this time, I talked to a nurse.  This is strange, something is going on here that shouldn't be.
The nurse made me an appointment for the ultrasound and an exam.  Monday I went to my appointment at 2:30.  Ultrasound tech got me back, and started The Hunt.  Five or so minutes into the ultrasound, I could tell something wasn't right.  Then, she says, "Are you sure you didn't pass it?"  Um, I wouldn't be sitting here letting you do a vaginal ultrasound had I passed it!  Only, I was polite, "Does that mean you can't find it?!"  She left to go get my Dr.  He did an ultrasound, then had her do an abdominal ultrasound.  He kept asking me if I was sure I didn't pass it.  Have you seen a Mirena?  It's a one inch long T-shaped piece of plastic.  I would like to think I would notice something like that "passing" through my hooha!
Since it couldn't be found via ultrasound, I was sent to the hospital next door to get a CT Scan.
The CT tech said he wouldn't be able to tell me what was found, that my doctor would have to call me.  When the scan was over, the tech came back in and said, "Well, we're done, I guess they'll be calling you to see what they want to do with it"  I knew he was telling me he found it.  Because he then covered himself and said, "The results, they'll call you with the results"
I didn't leave the hospital until 530 that night.  3 hour ordeal to find a one inch piece of plastic in my guts...ugh
The next morning, I woke up sick as a dog, I'd been fighting off something since Thursday, and couldn't take it any more.  I went to the sick-doctor.  Sinus AND ear infection.  Antibiotics, rest.
At 11am, my OB/GYN called...found the IUD, it had perforated my uterine wall and was to the right of my uterus.  Surgery Thursday to remove it.  Ugh, ok.  I wasn't nervous, this would make my 10th or 11th surgery in my life.  I'm a pro at this surgery game!
Thursday morning rolled around, had to be at the hospital at 1030, for surgery at 1230.  Dropped Pierce off with my dear friend, Brittney so he could play with her little boy who's 10 weeks younger.  He had the best time!! First time being babysat by someone other than family and we weren't just minutes away.
Got to the hospital, got registered, and brought back for pre-surgery prep.  The nurse started taking my vitals, blood pressure is good, on to temperature.  Oral thermometer beeped at 99.7.  Odd, I didn't feel bad.  I've had these infections, but I actually felt better that day than I had since getting sick.  She checked it again, we watched it climb to 101, then 102.2.  What in the world is going on?!  My chest was flush with a red "rash" my face was just a flush and red as it could be...I was really concerned that they weren't going to do the surgery.  The anesthesiologist came in and checked me out.  Said he would do the surgery up to a temp of 103.  Listened to my lungs, said I sounded great.  He was a go on his end.  My doctor was notified of the issue and said it's still a go.  Off I went for surgery.
Thankfully, it was a simple in and out procedure.  It could have been SO much worse.  

2 comments:

  1. My doctor suggested the IUD after I had the Bambinos, but I'd read that some people think that's why they had a hard time getting pregnant the 2nd time around. I'm glad i didn't get it after reading this! Hope you're feeling ok.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Impressive stuff here. The information and the aspect were just wonderful. I think that your viewpoint is deep, it’s just well thought out and truly incredible to see someone who knows how to put these thoughts so well. Good job!

    mirena recall

    ReplyDelete