10 years I got the Essure birth control procedure

10 years ago (July 2008) I got the Essure birth control procedure.

I knew I wouldn’t be want to give birth to any more children. I was 31 years old and my pregnancies were very difficult. I had scheduled to have my tubes tied right after I gave birth, however since Ethan was born on July 4th weekend they weren’t able to that weekend and sent me home from the hospital.

I had no idea what the Essure was, my Dr. explained it would be easier than getting my tubes tied and it was pretty much 100% effective and irreversible.

The Essure is basically 2 metal coils they place in your fallopian tubes.

However, since it was a brand new procedure my Dr., hadn’t actually placed one in anyone before and so he wanted to put me under anasthesia (normally not needed) just to be safe. It was still pretty simple.

Everything seemed to be going well over the years. No complications, I had no side effects. Until a couple of years ago, I started noticing my period was getting longer and it was getting pretty heavy to where I would have to wear a tampon and a pad and change more than normal. I was leaking quite heavily. But I was just accounting it for me getting “older” Now, for the past year I have had steadily more painful cramps and my periods lasting up to a week. It was definitely not normal anymore. I don’t like talking about it because who would believe me? It was just my period and probably being OVER sensitive. I have had a period since I was 12 years old and now all of a sudden I was nervous to even leave my home while I was bleeding so heavily. I had a few “accidents” or “leakages” that were not normal bleeding at all and quite embarrassing.

So I finally had the courage to set up and appointment with my Dr to discuss my problems to see if there was a solution. I was told it was normal to have these changes as I was getting older. But I wanted options to resolve!

These were my options:

Take hormone pills
Get the Mirena implanted ( why the heck would I want something else inside of me that didn’t belong in my body?)
Maybe an ablation
Or a hysterectomy

But first I need to get an ultrasound to check out the structure of my insides. My Dr needed to “research” what other options there were.

I called my dad to tell him what I was experiencing and that it sounded like the only option to really resolve was to get a hysterectomy.

He told me had recently watched “The Bleeding Edge” a documentary on the Essure procedure.

I was in shock! I was mad. I was scared after watching. But a little relieved that it all started making sense to me why I was experiencing this excessive pain and bleeding. I wasn’t the only one.

Now after doing more research I found out that as of December 31, 2018 (Not even a month ago) that the FDA has stopped selling and distributing the Essure a decision made by Bayer for “business reasons”

Essure website has the announcement on their website as well :

I am not sharing to make you feel sorry for me. I am sharing to let others that may have the Essure and having unknown new symptoms to get checked out.

Looks like my only option now is to get a hysterectomy. That is the only way to remove the Essure implants.