[Alexandra5678]

Checking in 5 days post-Essure

Well, it's been 5 days now and I am doing well. My biggest complaint is nausea from the mandatory BC pills and some constipation (most likely from the pain pills I took for about three days). I'm off all meds now...although I still have a teensy bit of cramping, but it is not bothersome. I still have some odd discharge which my doc says is the last of all the fluid they had to put in me so everything was cleaned out enough for them to see and do the procedure. I am a little freaked out mentally just because of some the the terrible stories about this procedure, but so far I seem to be doing well and not having any complications. I think for anyone considering this, you need to do your research and feel very comfortable with your doctor. Like anything, there are risks and some women have had terrible experiences, but others have had smooth sailing and are glad to have it done. Just make sure you have a balanced approach to researching that includes a combination of medical information and personal stories. I'll keep checking in as I progress through recovery!

[Alexandra5678]

Day Eight Update

Well, for the most part things are good. I have a tiny bit of twingy pain on my left side that has me a little concerned, but it isn't too bad. The doctor says it is normal only a week post, and I had a little more trauma on that side because that was the tube they couldn't find at first. She told me as long as the pain isn't sharp and I don't have a fever that I shouldn't be concerned. I wanted to chime in today for women considering this procedure to be wary of some of the testimonials on the Essure webiste and take them with a grain of salt. I nearly fell out of the chair laughing reading the ones that say "I only took a Tylenol and then I drove myself home and was able to run three miles later that day!". If your doc says he or she is only going to give you a Tylenol....find another doctor and fast! You need pain meds before during and after and soemthing to relax you like Valium or Halcion before the procedure. And you need someone to drive you and a few days to recover. I'm not saying the it is not a fairly easy procedure, but some of the marketing testimonials make it sound like the equivilent of getting a hair cut! I want to people to know what to expect!

[LRP in Idaho]

HSG after Essure

I've been pretty anxious about getting the HSG done (more so even than the initial procedure), and was glad to have the test completed yesterday.

Checked into the radiology department at the hospital and signed a few forms. A radiology tech came out to get me, and allowed my husband to come back for the test, which I appreciated.

She took me to a private room (with it's own bathroom and dressing area attached), asked me to completely undress from the waist down, and gave me a gown to put on over my t-shirt.

My GYN arrived and instructed me to lay down on my back with my bottom at the very edge of the table. I was asked to bend my knees and pull them towards my chest. He helped me move each leg into stirrups on either side of me that elevated my feet, supported my knees and calves, and flexed my thighs widely apart. He and the tech then draped a sheet over my legs so I didn't feel so exposed.

The GYN began by inserting a lubricated speculum into my vagina, and swabbed my cervix with a betadine solution. I was hopeful that he wouldn't have to use a tenaculum to help thread in the catheter, but even though I've had a child, my cervix didn't cooperate very well and the first attempts at inserting the catheter were unsuccessful. He then used the tenaculum to grip my cervix, stabilize it, and then slid the catheter into my uterus and inflated the balloon on the catheter with normal saline.

This was the most uncomfortable part of the exam for me (i.e. uterine pressure, moderate cramping). Once the catheter was inserted and the balloon inflated, he removed the tenaculum (which unfortunately had lacerated my cervix). So he used a hemostat and gauze to put pressure on my cervix to slow the bleeding down. He continued with the cervical pressure until the radiologist arrived. Once the radiologist arrived, the GYN removed the gauze and the speculum and covered my pelvic area with the sheet.

The radiologist adjusted the table and moved the fluoroscopy machine over my pelvis until it was almost touching my knees. The GYN and the radiologist moved the monitor over by the table so that I could watch the contrast fluid being injected into my uterus. The radiologist took a view of my uterus as the contrast was injected, and then asked me to roll onto my right hip, and then onto my left hip, and then took a final view of my uterus with me on my back. Both he and the GYN agreed that my tubes had occluded, and that the Essure implants had been a success. It feels a little awkward to roll from side to side with your legs in stirrups and a catheter in your cervix, but I managed. The GYN then deflated the balloon, removed the catheter, and I was allowed to use the bathroom and change clothes.

After reading some of the experiences people have had with HSG's, I think part of my difficulty resulted from being really afraid of the test. Honestly, it was uncomfortable, mild to moderate pain, but nothing I couldn't handle. The cramping was fairly strong for the first hour after the procedure, but then faded. I bled quite heavily for the first six hours after the procedure (most likely due to the cervical laceration), but it has slowed down some today. The contrast injection and fluoroscopy portion didn't take long (maybe five minutes at most). The total set-up and procedure probably took between 15 and 20 minutes. I had been instructed to take 800 mg of Advil three times a day in the 24 hours leading up the procedure and was given a Vicodin to take one hour prior to the procedure, which I think helped.

My advice to anyone having an HSG is to work with a doctor you know and trust. I was very grateful that my GYN was able to be there and helped get everything set up. Talk to your doctor beforehand if you're nervous and ask questions. Having my husband there to hold my hand during the tenaculum placement and catheter insertion also really helped. While it's not something I would want to do every day, it was a short, manageable period of time--and provided me with the reassurance that the Essure procedure had been a success.

Best of luck to anyone considering Essure--it was definitely a better option for me than surgery would have been.

[kym4]

Some of the problems women have with the HSG is the amount of pressure used to perform the test. The company is recommending that very little pressure be used so it won't hurt as bad. Mainly because women are getting ****ed about the pain. The normal HSG test they use to check fertility for those who are having trouble getting pregnant is done at high pressure. While not using as much pressure may make it more comfortable for women is it really showing complete tubal occlusion. I have to wonder if thats why pregnancys are occurring after so called sucessful confirmation.

[ashisbaby17]

They had to use a tenaculum on me a well. I was so nerveous and in so much pain it didn't occur to me to ask the doctor what it was. I jut looked it up and I'm so glad I didn't ask. I'm a bit freaked out that they used that thing on me. Not sure why that bothers me so much and the coils don't but I'm sure I'm going to have nightmares about that thing.

[ashisbaby17]

Just out of curiosity how many people got the cards with their essure implant number that you show when you go to the doctor?

[E_River]

I have had a great experience with the essure procedure and will highly recommend this to anyone. I had no pain following the actual procedure and the HSG test was quick and simple. Of course, I was nervous as anyone else would be but I worked myself up more than I had too.

[E_River]

Just out of curiosity how many people got the cards with their essure implant number that you show when you go to the doctor?

I have the card and the picture..

[ashisbaby17]

Glad to hear yours went good E_River. I've had mine for almost a year now and it's been great. I recently found this article that compares Essure and Adiana. It brings up several valid points including efficacy and follow-up rates. If anything these sections are worth reading if anyone is interested in the procedure or has just gotten the procedure. If emphasizes the importance of birth control measures during the period between the procedure and HSG and the importance of conducting a follow-up with the HSG. Apparently some people are just getting the procedure and skipping the confirmation all together.Very important stuff to avoid complications.

[darlene m]

I has the essure tubal done January of 2007. I was off the day of procedure didn't do much that weekend felt well enough to go to work that Monday since i mainly sat at a desk for work and that is when the problems started. I have never bled so heavy I was going threw a maxi pad in less than an hour. I called my dr he told me to moitor it. I went to the hospital they were scared that I had to have a blood transfussion. OF course they did not help much so for over a month they put me on double birth control to stop the bleeding. It finally stopped after a month. It has now been 4 years and I have bad pain constant head aches and a sharp pain in my right side of my stomache. So I don't know if it's the essure but I never had these problems before. Since then my periods are so heavy I am bleeding threw everything. I went and saw another obgyn and all they want ot do is put me on b/c. I regret getting this procedure done. I want it removed but I am now unemployed and have no insurance plus living in Fl insruance does not cover it if I did have it. If anybody else has had any pronlems please let me know. I saw that somebody posted they wanted to start a law suit. I will defaniltly be involved.