Dedication: Women everywhere
As I read through my morning-of-procedure directions I realized I wouldn’t be able to take the double dose of ibuprofen 2 hours before and then 30 minutes before the procedure as prescribed…I am allergic to ibuprofen. So I called the doctor’s office. I expressed my concern, was put on hold and then told that there would be an alternative pain medication once I arrived for the procedure.
I didn’t feel completely satisfied with this plan. Wasn’t I supposed to take something 2 hours BEFORE the procedure? But I decided to trust, which turned out to be a very bad decision.
When it was time to leave for the Doctor’s office I felt a sense of absolute dread. The feeling was so strong. I fought off the very strong urge to change my mind as we were literally out the door. “We” being my husband, myself, my 12-year-old son, 9-year-old daughter, 4-year-old son and 2-year-old son. It was July and the plan was to drop me off for the “minimally invasive” procedure and head to the 4-year-old’s soccer practice. My husband was helping out with practice and recruited the two older kids to help out with the 2-year-old. It was all planned out. Changing my mind NOW would have messed up the whole carefully planned out morning! And I thought, if I backed out, I would come off as flaky and scared of this “minimally invasive” birth control procedure. We had discussed this and agreed that since we felt it was time for permanent birth control, this was a good option that had been suggested by our “trusted” family physician. Again, I should have trusted my gut, not the physicians.
As soon as I was called back I immediately asked about the alternative pain medication. The nurse was not aware of an alternative pain medication and asked if I had taken the ibuprofen as instructed. (RED FLAG!!) I explained, again, that I had called about this yesterday and I explained, again, that I am allergic to ibuprofen. The nurse was kind and said she would let the doctor know. I tried to reassure myself that it would be, as the nurse described, no more painful and just as quick as a papsmear.
Next the doctor came in, obviously expecting me to be undressed and in the gown. His confused expression lead me to believe the nurse had not let him know about my allergy to ibuprofen. (RED FLAG #2!!). So, I tried patiently to, once again, let the doctor know of my concern and my allergy to ibuprofen. He asked me how I knew I was allergic and if I was sure that I was allergic. I found this weird and concerning because I had explained this in the questionnaire I had filled out during the consultation! But, I continued to trust when he told me not to worry. It would feel like and last no longer than a routine papsmear. I had seen the informative video. I knew that he was about to insert tiny metal coils into my fallopian tubes. This didn’t sound at all like a papsmear to me. I know at this point I should have said, “Hell, NO!” I should have high tailed it out of there and not looked back. But I trusted because I was raised that you trust doctors. Doctors know best.
I asked one last time for pain medication and was assured that I would not need it. So, I undressed, put the gown on and layed back as if I was going to have a papsmear. These, I have always hated. I tend to cramp and just feel nauseous so I began breathing. I am very good at breathing through pain. I did this through 4 natural childbirths. I felt confident that I could breathe through the pain that was coming…even without the pain medication.
So, it began with the doctor inserting the speculum and adjusting the light with the nurse on my right side, holding my hand and letting me know all would be fine. As soon as the instrument entered me the light failed. I noticed this immediately and asked about the light. No response. I asked again as my pain increased dramatically. No response. I thought this is NOT OK. So I asked for the procedure to stop since the light wasn’t working. No response. I looked at the nurse who looked at the doctor who looked extremely frustrated. I started to cry while continuing to ask that he stop as the pain intensified to the point where my labor breathing wasn’t working. But, instead he kept trying to find my fallopian tube openings and literally force the coils. My tubes were distended/swollen, due to not having the anti-inflammatory effect of ibuprofen. I kept hearing him say “tubes are distended.”
After 20 minutes of excruciating pain and being ignored he finally finished and took out the instrument as I lay writhing in pain. He looked at the nurse and told her to make me lie still or I would roll off the examination table. Then he left. I felt like I had been brutally raped. I couldn’t imagine being raped would be as painful as what I had just experienced. Thinking back on this I should have called the police. I had been assaulted. But I was in a state of shock. I could not quite process what had just happened to me.
Later when my husband came back to where I was recovering he found me crying, traumatized and in severe pain. I tried to tell him how badly it had gone. He was concerned and confused…Then the doctor came in smiling and told my husband that the procedure was a success. He then shook my husband’s hand and gave him a prescription to have filled…for the pain that should only last until tomorrow.
In the notes of the procedure he noted that “procedure took 4 minutes and that procedure was successful.”
The procedure lasted 20 very painful minutes and I bled heavily for 2 weeks and was in excruciating pain until I ended up with a hysterectomy to take out the fallopian tubes which had been punctured by the coils. I would not call that successful.
A week after the procedure the nurse called me. She said she was told not to call me and that she was calling me from her home to make sure I was okay. I told her I was absolutely NOT ok and hung up on her.
I reported my Essure experience to the Minnesota Medical Board. I called multiple lawyers to inquire about what I believed was malpractice. The only response I received was “We find no wrong doing.” Looking back I realize that I should have reported this incident to the police immediately. It was not malpractice. It was a brutal sexual assault committed by a trusted physician.
I want to share my Essure procedure story as a warning. We should not blindly trust physicians. They can be wrong. They can be cruel. Doctors are NOT always good people. Be brave and do not be afraid to speak up! If sharing my story leads just one woman to stand up for herself and say, “Hell no!”, then my experience can be more than the trauma and pain I have suffered.