*Trigger warning. This post includes personal gynaecological experiences of a traumatic nature.

Have you had a contraceptive device fitted (also known as an IUD or coil)?

What was your experience like?

Perhaps you are a healthcare professional who can share your clinical insight?

Today (21 June), we've published an interview with Lucy Cohen who experienced high levels of pain and is now calling for better consent processes and pain management for women. 

Please share your thoughts on the interview below. You'll need to sign up to the hub to comment, it's free and easy to do. 

I am so sorry to read that so many of you have been suffering due to having the coil fitted.

I had the mirena coil fitted last Thursday, which I understand was only four days ago, but since then, I've felt like my ovaries are being constantly twisted, with contractions in the mix and terrible backache. I also haven't stopped going to the loo, it's every half an hour and even the smallest amount of food that I eat goes straight through me. I foolishly thought it would be literally a five minute procedure and I'd be fine, silly me!

Like some posts I have read, I too have tattoos and piercings and a very high pain threshold, but this stopped me in my tracks, it makes me wonder how I carried on working afterwards. I literally drove straight to work ten minutes after having it done.

Driving back from the doctors surgery, I thought I was going to faint, the pain made me wonder if it had been inserted properly and should I call an ambulance, it hurt that much.

I'm thinking do I persevere with this pain, or simply just call the doctors in the morning and get it taken out? Hot water bottles only do so much!

I am under the impression that this will help with heavy periods and breakthrough bleeding and I imagine it is good for my age, being 45 and pre-menopausal, but surely suffering in silence like this is no good. 

Any advice would be very welcomed! Thank you 🙂

@Luc

Hi Luc, I would recommend you go and see your doctor to get your symptoms checked out if you are still experiencing pain. I do hope you can find some relief and answers soon.

On 18/12/2024 at 09:30, DeborahANP said:

I found this page yesterday after having my first Mirena coil fitting and feeling unable to comprehend the sense of violation and trauma I had just experienced.

I was referred by my GP on the 'suspected cancer pathway' for some post menopausal bleeding. On a positive note, I cannot fault the system and the speed with which I was seen but my treatment during the appointment was so awful I am actually shaking again as I write this.

Although this was an urgent referral, I was not particularly anxious as I felt the erratic bleeding I was experiencing was likely due to my HRT regime. I was expecting a consultation and a scan, possibly a hysteroscopy; with a change in my HRT regime being the likely outcome.

The appointment started off on the wrong foot with the consultant asking if I thought there was actually any benefit in taking HRT likening it to long term antidepressant usage. I explained that, as a runner, I was largely taking it for the well researched bone health benefits but I found his question rather belittling with its implied suggestion of menopause being all in the mind.

He went on to advise that a mirena coil would be a better option for me for HRT which I agreed I would consider. He did not explain the procedure or the possible complications or risks. I will add here that I was sterilised at the age of 30 after my second child. Contraception wasn't something I'd had to consider for the past 23 years so it wasn't really something I'd chatted about with friends. I had heard rumours of bad experiences but took it with a pinch of salt - there are after all rumours of bad experiences in all walks of life. I could not have been more wrong. 

I stripped to the waist, legs in stirrups and the consultant explained he would first perform a transvaginal ultrasound to check the thickness of the endometrium - this was reassuringly normal. Then without any warning, he told me he was just going to inject some anaesthetic into my cervix and fit a coil. I had no time to prepare myself at all for this - I didn't really feel I had consented but he and both nurses in the room were acting as though this was all very normal. The injections weren't pleasant in themselves, particularly as I wasn't expecting them. There was no pause at all before I felt awful searing pain and pulling sensations, nothing was being  explained prior to it being performed. Something was said about my cervix needing to be dilated and it seemed to take forever. 

I didn't shout out, I didn't ask him to stop, i just let the tears come. I felt absolutely frozen with shock throughout the whole procedure - no one was asking if I was OK so I assumed I was being a bit of a baby. He announced the coil was in place and I was sat up. 

Within seconds I was flooded with heat, I wanted to be sick and everything started to go black. The nurse laid me back down and I remember coming round with a fan on my face and my feet elevated on a stool. The nurse seemed very chilled about the whole thing and just said - oh you're a fainter! I am 53 and have only ever fainted once in my life and that was over 20 years ago. The consultant did not even look at me, let alone speak.

I actually felt embarrassed and just wanted to get out as fast as possible. I was slowly sat up and the nurse went and got my daughter from the waiting room. My daughter was told that I felt a little bit wobbly and  suggested we go get a coffee from the hospital coffee shop, no one checked my pulse or blood pressure and they seemed keen to get on so we dutifully left.

I felt horrific. I couldn't make it to the coffee shop at first. I had to sit down with my head between my legs twice in the hospital corridor as I felt so faint, sick and hot. I've no idea how I dragged myself to the cafe as I continued to feel so awful. After 30 minutes of this my daughter went to get help. She was advised to get a wheelchair and take me back to the clinic which she did. 

We were laughingly told by the receptionist that I wasn't the first and wouldn't be the last and that we were welcome to sit in a quiet room until I felt better. She brought me a cup of tea but no nurse checked on me at all. 

It took almost an hour after the fitting before I could stand for long enough to get out to the car. We just sort of slunk out and that was it. 

Later when i felt better, I checked my sports watch data. My heart rate had averaged 46 for over 30 minutes with the lowest reading being 38 beats per minute. 

How is this happening in 2024? 

The thought of ever having another pelvic exam, smear test or anything else makes me feel sick and shaky. Where do people go for support with this? It's not ok. 

Hi @DeborahANP, thank you for feeling able to share your experience. The comments about HRT and the way in which you were not forewarned about the risks or potential pain of an IUD insertion, are just awful to hear.

Sadly these issues are happening far too regularly and women are not being supported to make informed choices. We are also hearing, similarly to you that many women are not being supported or responded to appropriately when the procedure causes extreme pain. 

I would encourage you to feedback to your provider if you feel able to. The more formal recording of these experiences, the more evidence there should be that change is needed urgently.

How do I make a complaint: Sources of help and advice

If you are happy for us to share your account more widely, through an individual blog post on the hub we can also help raise awareness in that way. This of course is your personal choice. You can contact us at [email protected] if this is something you'd like to do. 

In terms of support, I would speak with your GP about the physical and psychological impact and to get advice on any support that is available. It might also be worth asking about women's health hubs and whether any are opening up locally, as these are due to be introduced and may provide better support. 

At Patient Safety Learning we continue to speak up about the trauma and lack of consent that is too often present during gynaecological procedures. No patient should have to endure what you did, with such little compassion. 

I am pasting a few links below that may be of interest to you, but please do be aware that may be triggering as some contain other traumatic gynae experiences. 

Pain experiences during intrauterine device procedures: a thematic analysis of tweets (11 June 2024)

Failures of informed consent and the impact on women’s health: a Patient Safety Learning blog

Gynecology has a pain problem Our discomfort is routine. What if it didn’t have to be? (1 June 2022) 

Fitting coils: developing a safe and supportive service

The ripples of trauma caused by severe pain during IUD procedures (BMJ Opinion, July 2021)

 

17 hours ago, Patient_Safety_Learning said:

Hi @DeborahANP, thank you for feeling able to share your experience. The comments about HRT and the way in which you were not forewarned about the risks or potential pain of an IUD insertion, are just awful to hear.

Sadly these issues are happening far too regularly and women are not being supported to make informed choices. We are also hearing, similarly to you that many women are not being supported or responded to appropriately when the procedure causes extreme pain. 

I would encourage you to feedback to your provider if you feel able to. The more formal recording of these experiences, the more evidence there should be that change is needed urgently.

How do I make a complaint: Sources of help and advice

If you are happy for us to share your account more widely, through an individual blog post on the hub we can also help raise awareness in that way. This of course is your personal choice. You can contact us at [email protected] if this is something you'd like to do. 

In terms of support, I would speak with your GP about the physical and psychological impact and to get advice on any support that is available. It might also be worth asking about women's health hubs and whether any are opening up locally, as these are due to be introduced and may provide better support. 

At Patient Safety Learning we continue to speak up about the trauma and lack of consent that is too often present during gynaecological procedures. No patient should have to endure what you did, with such little compassion. 

I am pasting a few links below that may be of interest to you, but please do be aware that may be triggering as some contain other traumatic gynae experiences. 

Pain experiences during intrauterine device procedures: a thematic analysis of tweets (11 June 2024)

Failures of informed consent and the impact on women’s health: a Patient Safety Learning blog

Gynecology has a pain problem Our discomfort is routine. What if it didn’t have to be? (1 June 2022) 

Fitting coils: developing a safe and supportive service

The ripples of trauma caused by severe pain during IUD procedures (BMJ Opinion, July 2021)

 

Hi Patient_Safety_Learning 

thanks for this and yes, definitely interested in sharing to raise awareness. 

Two weeks on and I am feeling far less traumatised but incredibly inspired to help bring an end to this poor treatment of women. I work in Primary Care and often refer women on the same pathway I have just been through. I will absolutely be raising my concerns with the care provider involved. It can be easier to speak up in advocacy than solely for oneself.

I am currently undertaking my Advanced Clinical Practice Masters - looks like I've found my research topic! 

 

Only recently I got the mirena coil in and insertion wasn't too painful for me but now the cramps afterwards feel almost like labour pains (that's the only way to describe it) and pain medication isn't doing anything, and only through my own research have I realised this could go on longer than just a few days (the doctor told me it would be mild period like cramps for 1 to 2 days) anyone else had a similar experience don't know if I should contact my doc or not or if they are just down playing the cramps like they normally do with women's pain

9 hours ago, Tardisgirl98 said:

Only recently I got the mirena coil in and insertion wasn't too painful for me but now the cramps afterwards feel almost like labour pains (that's the only way to describe it) and pain medication isn't doing anything, and only through my own research have I realised this could go on longer than just a few days (the doctor told me it would be mild period like cramps for 1 to 2 days) anyone else had a similar experience don't know if I should contact my doc or not or if they are just down playing the cramps like they normally do with women's pain

Hi @Tardisgirl98 I am sorry you're experiencing this level of pain following the procedure. Pain experiences vary hugely in relation to the procedure and the pain felt afterwards and it sounds like you are having a difficult post-procedure experience. I would advise that you make an appointment with your GP to explain your symptoms and the pain you are experiencing as they should be able to assess you properly. In addition to speaking to a GP, if you had the procedure done somewhere outside of your GP practice and a have a contact number, you could also call them to seek follow up advice.

A blog has been published today on the hub which talks about the launch of a new network for patients and clinicians to come together to improve gynaecology experiences:

 

 

 

I hope you are okay with me posting this here, but I am a doctoral researcher within UWE for Counselling Psychology. 

I can see from this post back in 2011 there is still such little research available, though I know Sarbina (within the comments) has recently completed her research in people’s experiences of IUD fittings.

When I experienced this last year, I found the lack of understanding and mental health support quite shocking. As a counselling psychologist in training with a background in sexual violence support, I wanted to explore the impacts of these potentially traumatic experiences and how both understanding of the trauma, and better mental health support could be vital. Vital in not only improving the experiences of people in the future but real support on the impacts of this trauma for those who have already been through it.

I have also widened my scope to IUD fittings and smears, due to the lack of research in the latter. Do get in touch with me via email if you feel you may be interested.

(Presently I have restrictions on the research for the experience to have happened in the last 2 years, but this may be open wider at a later stage)

Email: [email protected]

 

Take care

I had my old copper iud replaced with the Miranda coil a few months ago, I cannot comment on my first fitting as it was a long time ago but I expected little tp no pain, just a slight pinch and although it wasn't the worst pain I have experienced, it was DEFINITELY more painful then they had prepared me for.

I know this thread is very old but I just had a mirena fitted today and it was incredibly painful. I feel totally so upset and to be honest I feel a bit traumatised by it. I was so unprepared for the pain and it has left me feeling so weak, vulnerable and angry I don’t know what to do with this experience at all. It was just all so awful, and I’m such a people pleaser afterwards I apologised for crying and said I was fine. I was not. 

12 hours ago, Anonymous said:

I know this thread is very old but I just had a mirena fitted today and it was incredibly painful. I feel totally so upset and to be honest I feel a bit traumatised by it. I was so unprepared for the pain and it has left me feeling so weak, vulnerable and angry I don’t know what to do with this experience at all. It was just all so awful, and I’m such a people pleaser afterwards I apologised for crying and said I was fine. I was not. 

I'm so sorry to hear that you had such a terrible experience. Unfortunately, as you will see from reading this thread, this is not uncommon. 

Sadly these issues are happening far too regularly and women are not being supported to make informed choices. We are also hearing, similarly to you that many women are not being supported or responded to appropriately when the procedure causes extreme pain. 

I would encourage you to feedback to your provider if you feel able to. The more formal recording of these experiences, the more evidence there should be that change is needed urgently.

How do I make a complaint: Sources of help and advice

If you are happy for us to share your account more widely, through an individual blog post on the hub we can also help raise awareness in that way. This of course is your personal choice. You can contact us at [email protected] if this is something you'd like to do. 

If you read back some of the posts in the thread, you'll see there are people doing research and raising awareness about this - see the post from Zara r and TIGER UK.

I hope you can find some support.

On 05/11/2025 at 21:30, Anonymous said:

I know this thread is very old but I just had a mirena fitted today and it was incredibly painful. I feel totally so upset and to be honest I feel a bit traumatised by it. I was so unprepared for the pain and it has left me feeling so weak, vulnerable and angry I don’t know what to do with this experience at all. It was just all so awful, and I’m such a people pleaser afterwards I apologised for crying and said I was fine. I was not. 

Hi there, I am really sorry to have undergone this experience. I hope you have those around you that you can gain support from. I understand the PSLH has provided some supprotive information, and if you ever wanted to be a part of my research I would be more than happy to be with you through the telling of this experience. Feel free to email me and we can always have a "pre" chat about it and see how you may feel taking part

After reading this I must admit I was terrified going for my fitting today.  It was totally fine bit of discomfort like the the beginning of cramps and then it was done.  She did use a gel to numb the cervix. 

I think it is truly important for people, especially when still quite young and physically inexperienced, to know that an IUD fitting may not be as straightforward and merely "uncomfortable" as many websites suggest. It's useful to come across a feed, albeit an old one, expressing similar experiences.

I had an IUD (copper coil) fitted when I was around 20, nearly a decade ago. It followed my first, non-penetrative sexual encounter and, paranoid thinking there may have been some contact without protection and with unwanted pregnancy a major concern to me, I rushed to get a morning after pill from a local sexual health clinic. A nurse asked when last my period was, and told me that I was likely at my most fertile time of the month, that the pill alone is not 100% effective contraception. I was shown a chart with varying stats for different forms of contraception, all less than 100%.

It was suggested that the coil was an option and that I could get it fitted very soon. I was not told to take any painkillers that I recall, and when I arrived alone to the appointment, I could not have been prepared for the level of pain I endured upon the IUD insertion. The clinician used a gel lubricant, cold and ineffective against my tension, trying first with a larger metal speculum, but when I cried and complained that it felt excruciatingly painful, they tried a smaller plastic speculum, also painful, and this kept slipping around and wouldn't allow them full view of my cervix. They tried the larger one again, I complained, then the smaller, on and on, whilst asking me if my encounter the night before had been a bad one as I cried. Whilst this is a good question to ask, under these circumstances, that half baked experience was not a patch on this procedure and not the reason I was crying. I was in a state of semi-shock throughout and afterwards.

Around 1.5 years of issues with the coil later, I got it removed, an equally painful and traumatic experience to the first exam and which I had put off for months, despite the IUD causing painful cramps and making my period flow heavier. 

Since then, I have never been able to go through a speculum exam, not for a smear test or otherwise. Each time I try, I start crying in the early stages of insertion despite trying to rationalise things, and the opening of the speculum still feels knife-sharp each time. Each time, the nurses assure me they will use lubricant and a small speculum, and each time I say I know, that's what has been tried each time. I hope the NHS will soon roll out the remote tests as rumoured.

Most importantly to me, I have only later in life realised the true negative impact the trauma has likely had on my romantic and physical relationships with others over the years.

In hindsight, I regret opting for that form of contraception without any major formative experiences of invasive contact with that region of my body at that age. Cost-benefit analysis - I wish I'd chanced it with the morning after pill alone. 

Whilst the copper coil is likely a decent option for those who have a less painful response to the procedure, which may well be the majority of people, and the process may be slicker than when I got mine years ago, I still think it's important that patients do not just go along with extreme pain and endure it, thinking this is the only way forward, as I did.

I would like to have read that such pain levels were a possibility beforehand and be told that sometimes, it's just not worth it to carry on and persevere. Stop and try another day if needed, or never try again, but don't sit sobbing half naked through unnecessary agony. The people pleaser angle another commenter raised above is all too true, as is self-confidence - I wish I had been better informed and not too ashamed to have called things off when I should have. 

Mirena coil insertion is a traumatising experience for many due to the level of pain endured by women 

It is astounding that women should have to  endure such  intense pain when effective analgesia is avaiable .

Medicine has progressed but the patient experience is some decades behind 

Just got my third IUD in as someone with a tilted/retroverted uterus and the uncomfort and pain sucked. I have a high tolerance for pain too so I cannot imagine someone with less tolerance doing this. With a tilted uterus, the doctors had trouble measuring my uterus and it took about 30-40 minutes to get the IUD in. The removal was super easy, but the insertion wasn't great. The doctor kept trying different tricks and techniques to put it in, which meant prolonged cramping sensations from all the poking and proding. Unfortunately, my second IUD wasn't placed correctly and was embedded because they couldn't measure properly.... That led to other abdominal complications.

I had the Kyleena coil fitted which was slightly smaller than the Mirena. 
I was told it would feel like 3 period cramps when being fitted. 
I had a local anaesthetic gel to help with the pain of the clamp but I still felt it. 
I was crying because I was so anxious and worked up and I hadn’t expected it. The nurse said ‘did you not bring anyone with you?’, and luckily my boyfriend had come with me, only because I was extremely anxious. Had I not been anxious, as I am not usually, or had he have been at work, I would’ve just gone by myself. 
Throughout, I was taking deep breaths but the pain took my breath away, I was crying the entire time and was yelling out in pain or holding my breath. I was sweating and writhing in pain, I was really struggling to stay still and I am usually not bothered by medical procedures. I also felt extremely sick and dizzy afterwards. 
I got told cramping would last for a few hours to a day… two weeks later I still have cramps. 
There is absolutely no way I could’ve driven myself home! I had to ride home with the window open with a bag in my hands, hunched over. I got home and the pain eventually made me sick. I was dosing up on paracetamol and ibuprofen, then I tried feminax, and I was using two hot water bottles at a time and none of it made a difference. 
I feel absolutely traumatised and I still feel sick when thinking about the pain 2 weeks on. 
I can’t bring myself to check the strings are in the right place because I’m still having cramps and don’t want to do anything to make it worse. 
I’m terrified to get it replaced in 5 years!