The icon is technically inaccurate but I still like to use it.

[slemslempike]

Ooooooh. Ow.

My coil fitting was this afternoon. This should have coincided with the heaviest day of my period, and I was worried about this to the extent of posting in theladiesloos for advice. Obviously, therefore, my bleeding stopped entirely, leaving me to wonder if that would cause problems. Now, however, I am bleeding reasonably profusely, and being reminded of my utter inability to position pads correctly. So that's nice.

It was not tooooo awful. Usually when I've had something done and they say to lie down for a bit afterwards I do it for a little bit just to show willing and then leave as soon as possible. Today I very quickly wished that I'd lain down for longer, as shortly into the "now sit in the waiting room" period I was desperately trying not to be sick on the floor and sticking my face into the fan. I feel better now, but my cramps are still just enough that I can will use them to justify retiring to my boudoir for the rest of the day and reading.

The HCA was very nice and let me hold/crush her hand and talked to me distractingly. I had taken nurofen plus beforehand, and then the doctor gave me local anaesthetic. I made the mistake of looking at the needle before it went into my vagina. GOSH. The anticipation was worse than the actual injection, though that was not terribly pleasant. Then the sound thing went in and was one of the least enjoyable experiences I've ever had involving my genitals. But that, and the actual insertion, did not take very long at all, and once all the paraphenalia was removed all that remained was the cramping, which is pretty much a medium-bad period pain level. I think the sickness and shaking was mostly reaction to the local anaesthetic than pain.

I bought a chocolate brownie dessert thing from M&S and I am going to finish reading Time and Tide Wait for No Man - Dale Spender's book about the early years of Time and Tide magazine. My main knowledge of Time and Tide comes from the Provincial Lady, I am looking forward to changing this.

Comments

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

In terms of relative discomfort, I much preferred having my arm sliced open to put a bit of plastic inside. But I'm hopeful that this way will be better in the long-term.

[chiasmata]

Gosh, you're very brave. Thank you for posting about this. I still haven't made my mind up whether I'm going to go for one yet.

[whatho.livejournal.com]

I worry about that every time I think it'd be quite jolly to have a go on crutches.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I have the copper coil rather than mirena (It's called something like the TT380 - very murderous android), but I assume that the procedure is the same, I can't see why it would be very different, if at all. I think that now I know what the pain is like, it would be much easier for me if I have to have it reinserted or anything. It was not knowing which bit was going to be the apex of pain that was very difficult. And really, for me, even the nastiest bits were quite bearable.

[whatsagirlgotta.livejournal.com]

I never had, and now I wonder why. I'd think so, I suspect you'd need a very particular outlook and self-assurance to do it. I wonder how they recruit.

Mind you I'm the type who refuses to let students sit in. This may in part be a result of living with a medical student at Uni, and thus knowing a lot of them.

[ex-humanfema327.livejournal.com]

READING THIS MADE MY VAGINA HURT

[majea.livejournal.com]

We are coil twins! I just got one inserted last week, though with considerably less difficulty. They told me my cervix was "obvious." My exhibitionist cervix was a bit miffed at the implied insult.

I went with the mirena coil, though, in order to stop periods altogether, so we will have to compare notes in a couple months' time.

[edithmatilda.livejournal.com]

Ow. One of the advantages of being fucking hideous is that at least I'll never have to do that. Ow.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I've never had anyone ask to bring students in - once I was recorded for a PQ training thing, which I did, but that was only for an appointment when I was asking for treatment for anxiety. The only medical student I knew is my soon to be brother-in-law, and as long as it wasn't him I'd probably be okay with it!

I think if I knew the medical training needed I'd probably quite like to do the job. But I cannot imagine how they recruit, no.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

IT IS MUCH LESS BAD WHEN IT IS YOUR OWN VAGINA

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Ha! I apparently have a nice relaxed vagina, but medical professionals have difficulty with my cervix. The one today was describing where my cervix was and what it would feel like, and I nobly restrained myself from saying "dude, I know my own cunt, thanks ever so".

Can they tell with the mirena if it will stop all periods before they put it in and see? I thought it was an often thing rather than an always thing.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I am hesitant to say this, because I generally don't like to interfere with how people see themselves and talk about themselves, but I wanted to tell you that when you posted photos of yourself a while ago, I thought that you were very attractive, with a lovely face. (I mean, your hair looked rather sore, and I was sorry you were in pain, but overlooking that... now I sound rather shallow and callous.)

But I don't wish needles in vaginas on even the prettiest people, if they don't welcome that sort of thing.

[majea.livejournal.com]

Yes, it doesn't always stops the periods, but it usually does, and they're almost always lighter. Right now, my doctors and I will settle for anything lighter than the "and today, you don't get to leave your house" heavy ones I've been having.

I'm still nervous about the hormones in the mirena, because I wasn't always crazy about the effects of the pill, but I've been assured that the mirena is a much lower dosage. Also, because of the different delivery system, the effects are much less noticeable. Fingers crossed, because now that the insertion is over, I absolutely love the idea of five years in which I don't need to worry about periods or unwanted pregnancy. Yay, medicine!

[edithmatilda.livejournal.com]

It's my personality that's mainly the problem, I just talk about being physically hideous because that's less upsetting than "I've twice in my life been deemed a convenient if inadequate hole but nobody has ever actually wanted me". And I would not have come and flailed this at you were my hormones not going wrong again so sorry about that. The OW still stands though. Ow.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

That's cool - sorry if I exacerbated anything. I do also like your personality a lot too. (While this may well look like a belated attempt to seem less shallow, it is ALSO VERY TRUE. So there.)

Boo to hormones. They are partly why I have gone for this option, because even with the injection it feels less invasive than the hormonal options.

[edithmatilda.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping it's hormones because the alternative is that I've gone like this generally. I have resisted the unfriending rampage I nearly went on, though, so that's something.

[nerdcakes.livejournal.com]

OH MY GOD, DUDE. I am very impressed. And I sympathise with your FOOLHARDY decision to look at the needle. Ow.

(Also, because apparently NEEDLESSLY INTRUSIVE questions seem to be okay in this pot, when you have long-term contraception things do you just not use condoms at all? And do you not worry about this? (I am totally not accusing your dude of being riddled with STDs! But heterosexual sex is something that I don't have any sort of experience of and I always thought that coils/implants/etc seemed awfully convenient but that I'd probably worry too much about potential badness happening, you know?)

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I have had medical students in for all of my recent dermatology appointments. It may have helped me be more confident about it that I was reasonably knowledgeable about what I was there for, and facial acne doesn't involve taking your clothes off in front of them. I actually found it interesting to observe the consultant teaching them, and the way they responded.

[hfnuala.livejournal.com]

I met someone one who did that job. She said it was all right but she could use a particular type of lube for sex because that was what she used for work.

Also she seemed pretty exhibitionist, which I'm sure helped.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Have you seen the same person with and without students there? It would be really interesting to see if/how their manner changed when they had an audience.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

How did she get into doing that - was she already working in healthcare?

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

It looked like one from old movies with a curly handle!

Since I've not yet had time to have sex since insertion it is not yet fully clear what's going to be happening with that in the future. This is because I am more cautious about trusting condoms (I am far too inept in any case, and also recently had an adventure with the morning after pill that I am not keen to repeat). However, in the past I've just relied entirely on the pill/implant and trusted both of us not to do anything to get STDs. Although looking back this was not the most intelligent decision, especially since testing didn't really happen. I got tested as part of the coil thing though! Gonorrhea free, baby!

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

But, one night/recently met people I don't have sex with without a condom regardless of what I have in my body.

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

Clearly, I can't empathise directly, but still, OWWWW. Well done, and I think you more than deserved that chocolate brownie dessert thing.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

My sister game me an M&S voucher for my birthday with instructions to buy the brownie thing - today was the first time they'd actually had any! (Also - thank you so much for the voucher you sent me! It was very lovely of you.)