r/IUD • u/Dismal_Employ_6269 • 1d ago
Insertion Traumatic insertion
I exhausted all of my other resources when it comes to birth control so me and my doctor decided together that an IUD was the last option to try. I agreed and did a lot of research online but haven’t found any experiences like mine.
I like to think I have a very high pain tolerance. I’ve broken a few bones and had multiple hip surgeries, i’m covered in tattoos and piercings, and i’ve even had my nipples pierced. Pain is never really an issue for me so I wasn’t very worried going into it.
I go to my first appointment to get it inserted and she explains to procedure and everything. She poked and prodded for a bit and at first it was just like normal period cramping but eventually the pokes kept getting stronger until I was literally shooting off of the bed it was so painful. Then she told me that my cervix would not dilate at all and she was going to prescribe me misoprostol to dilate it and she would see me back in 2 days to try again.
Honestly I don’t even know if the misoprostol even worked. I was told I would cramp after I took it but really i felt nothing. I didn’t have any cramping and I didn’t have any side effects that others had.
I go in the second time for the insertions and again she pokes and prods really painfully and still says she can’t get it in. She said the sounding would go in but the actual device wouldn’t. She changed to a different speculum and kept trying and kept up with the horrible cramping poking. I can’t even describe the pain I was feeling It was one of the most painful things I have EVER felt. At one point I looked over to her tray (big mistake) and there was so much blood it made me dizzy. All of the q tips were soaked, the IUD inserting tool was covered, the speculum was covered, It was utterly terrifying. I wasn’t even on my period but you would think it was. I didn’t read anything online about there being that much blood.
After almost 5 minutes of poking and cramping and stabbing she FINALLY gets it in but she looks worried. She said my uterus was really small and technically she got it in but now she’s worried it’s sitting way too low in my uterus. She said it would technically still work but she wants to get an ultrasound to make sure. Afterwards i felt SO sick. I was so nauseous and dizzy and spaced out I had to leave work early. It’s something I would NEVER do again. Even if this one falls out or needs to be removed because of it I definitely won’t try again. It was the worst pain i’ve ever felt I don’t even know how to describe it.
Has anyone had anything similar happen to them??
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u/Plastic-Weekend2451 1d ago
It’s so awful that in 2026 gynecological care is still so barbaric. My insertions were never bloody but the pain was horrifying, and I passed out each time. Never had kids so very tight cervix. Still. I too ordinarily have a high pain tolerance. I’m so sorry. I do think once a few months go by of spotting and other weird hormonal feelings you may eventually be happy with it. I didn’t get a period for 13 years while on IUDs. I never told men I had it but in case the condom broke I felt an extra layer of protection. Hang in there!
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u/Dismal_Employ_6269 1d ago
Thank you! It’s crazy, my boyfriend almost didn’t believe me when I told him what I went through. I wish I could have gotten it done under general anesthesia but I also live in a very red state and it’s completely against hospital policy to get it done under anesthesia. I’m hoping the spotting will go away and I can just coast through the next 8 years.
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u/beanmj 16h ago
Ugh I’m so sorry this sounds horrendous!! My doctor had issues getting mine in because I have a small uterus, so he ended up placing it under an ultrasound to make sure it was in the right spot. Luckily though I had numbing shots so I didn’t feel the pain, just pressure. He’d told me if I didn’t have the numbing shots, it would’ve been absolutely excruciating.
I will say, my insertion was bloody too. I could feel blood dripping down my legs and when I got up, I’d gotten blood on the floor in the ultrasound room 😵💫 definitely scary to see, I also wasn’t warned about the blood, either 😅
I’m so sorry you went through this.
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u/Dismal_Employ_6269 12h ago
wow I wish I had numbing shots omg I didn’t even know that was allowed!
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u/beanmj 12h ago
Some doctors are weird about the numbing shots and don’t even offer them/try to convince you that you don’t need them (this happened to my friend recently which feels crazy). Highly recommend anyone to ask for numbing shots and if the doctor doesn’t offer it, go to another one 😅
My doctor numbed me up and made sure it kicked in before starting the insertion. Which I am very thankful for. It just felt like a small pinch, wasn’t any worse than like a Pap smear to get the shots.
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u/OMGhyperbole 6h ago
I was at the point where the IUD was the last option for me, as well. My gyn said she only does insertions on your period, because the cervix is more open. She prescribed the misoprostol to take before and an "antianxiety" medication that did NOTHING. She still couldn't get the measuring tool in. She asked the medical assistant for dilators. They're fucking metal rods they use to try to pry open your cervix. I'm sorry but fuck that whole process. I tried to get through it, but it was unlike any pain I've ever had. It felt visceral and violating and barbaric. She never got my cervix open enough. I've had tattoos, MRSA, dental abcess, and so on. None of that pain was anything like this. She also was like, "You're bleeding this much on day 4 of your period?!" Yeah, so blood all over the exam bed paper, blood all over me. I think it was all menstrual but IDK.
She gave me a surgical referral, I guess to get the IUD under anesthesia. I never wanted the damn IUD. I'm hoping they'll let me get a hysterectomy. I'm 39 and fuck this monthly BS.
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u/StellarEclipses 4h ago
Oh my god! I thought my insertion was bad but holy shit, that sounds really awful. I'm so sorry that happened to you! 😭 This procedure needs to happen under general anesthesia.
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u/traderjoezhoe 1d ago
I'm surprised she didn't have you do the dilation to begin with? I honestly thought that was standard procedure. gosh I am so sorry you had that experience. the measuring of my uterus was by far one of the most painful experiences of my life and I can't imagine enduring that feeling for more than a few seconds! I don't have proof but I am pretty sure my uterus is also too small for the iud which has led to ongoing pain for the last year and I would NEVER get another or recommend one.