delicate subject - abortion

Saturnalia

On Mirena fittings - I am on my second and haven't had children (not for contraception, it was a last-ditch attempt to stop my fortnight-long heavy periods with pain that left me housebound). I had no pain at all either time, it felt really weird because you're not used to anything touching the inside of the uterus, but nothing that could be described as pain. A few cramps over the next couple of days but again nothing that even needed painkillers.

I have a strangely-positioned cervix as well apparently.

And it solved the period problems, I now get about half-a-day of very light bleeding and no pain, and often I miss 2-3 months. (Sorry, TMI.)

So it can be fit in childfree women with no pain (and I'm a wuss!) and even if it were very painful, the 5-years benefit of having it in place would outweigh that IMO.

euronorris

Welshwoofs wrote: »

No painkiller beforehand here, no. As soon as she realised I had an off-set cervix/uterus she used an anaesthetic gel, but in all honesty it was still horrendously painful. She tried to fit one and couldn't (it got bent during the attempt) and she finally managed on the second one. I've got a fairly high pain threshold but apparently I was white as a sheet and literally in a cold sweat - the poor doctor didn't actually want to try again after the first attempt but I was insistent that I'd come that far and wanted it over with. There was alot of blood and I nearly passed out when I got off the couch.

However I know I wasn't a usual case...my inner 'layout' simply made things difficult and once the one fitted was expelled, the GP said they'd not attempt another go.

Wow. In that case, I don't think a painkiller beforehand would've made much difference. Your experience was very different to mine.

Sorry to hear that you experienced that and I can understand why they didn't want to try again. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to (even if they agreed) try again either.

But it proves the point: What works for one, won't work for another. And vice versa.

I had to come off the pill, after many years on it, due to migraines. They gradually increased in frequency, reach 2-3 per week (which all kinda blurred into one). As soon as I came off the pill, they disappeared.

Welshwoofs

euronorris wrote: »

Sorry to hear that you experienced that and I can understand why they didn't want to try again. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to (even if they agreed) try again either.

It was a combination of it being very hard to fit (if I had one fitted again it'd need to be in hospital under anaesthetic) and it being expelled a couple of weeks later that prompted them to say I simply wasn't suited to it.

I'd expect that my experience is massively rare and it's fine for most women but, as you say, it does prove that contraception is absolutely not a simple 'one size fits all' scenario.

I had to come off the pill, after many years on it, due to migraines. They gradually increased in frequency, reach 2-3 per week (which all kinda blurred into one). As soon as I came off the pill, they disappeared.

I can totally understand that and know other women who get terrible headaches on the pill and obviously nobody is going to keep doing something that makes them feel awful all the time.

Torry_Quine

peachyprice wrote: »

The same thing happens here. There's a clinic not far from me, they regularly have protesters outside making death threats to staff and patients going in, throwing paint over patients and staff, vandalising staff cars, following doctors home. When you go there they warn you to be on the look out for protesters and apologies, but there's not a lot they can do about it.

I absolutely condemn any protest of this type and don't think its in any way appropriate.

euronorris

Welshwoofs wrote: »

I can totally understand that and know other women who get terrible headaches on the pill and obviously nobody is going to keep doing something that makes them feel awful all the time.

The odd thing is, for over a decade, I didn't have that problem. I was on the pill since 13 (to regulate periods), and stayed on it until I was 28. It was only in the last year that I got the migraines, and they were debilitating. I get these zig zaggy lines of light in my vision (which means I can barely see anything), then the searing pain, followed by nausea and (if I don't take the prescribed tablets quickly enough) vomiting.

Bleurgh. Just couldn't keep with it after that. It's also the reason why I opted for the Copper IUD, and not the hormonal one. I won't ever opt for hormonal contraception again after my experience with the pill. I don't want to risk the migraines again.

poet123

I am surprised that people are not shocked by those figures. They certainly gave me pause for thought.

Yes, contraception fails, but that does not account for those figures. It is very clear that for whatever reasons many women are not taking responsibility for their own reproductive health. I have to say that I believe that part of the reason is some of the attitudes on display on this thread. If you trivialise something often enough, it is seen as trivial and of no consequence, when that happens is it surprising that the outcome is that more and more women see an abortion as the same as/on a par with contraception? No more important or painful than a trip to the dentist to remove a tooth.

I don't know what the answer is, but part of the solution is to get across the message that aborting a foetus is not a triviality, not an inconsequential event, but a matter requiring serious thought because of the gravitas of what is being done. For the individual it may be an obvious decision, necessary or indeed the only viable option. For society it should be seen as of greater import.

I a pro choice, and no advocate of force or coercion in any guise, but if some thing which is a "necessary evil" is reduced to the import of choosing a pair of shoes then we have lost sight of the reasons the Abortion Act was conceived.

Like Nicki I don't believe these figures show a situation which is morally neutral, and rather than trying to justify them we as a society should be taking steps to get behind the figures and see why these women are faillng at the contraceptive hurdle.

Person_one

euronorris wrote: »

The odd thing is, for over a decade, I didn't have that problem. I was on the pill since 13 (to regulate periods), and stayed on it until I was 28. It was only in the last year that I got the migraines, and they were debilitating. I get these zig zaggy lines of light in my vision (which means I can barely see anything), then the searing pain, followed by nausea and (if I don't take the prescribed tablets quickly enough) vomiting.

Bleurgh. Just couldn't keep with it after that. It's also the reason why I opted for the Copper IUD, and not the hormonal one. I won't ever opt for hormonal contraception again after my experience with the pill. I don't want to risk the migraines again.

I had terrible migraines on the pill too, I'd been having them since I was 11 but they became near constant when I went on it at 15 so I only lasted a couple of months. I had no hormonal method I could use when I was at my most fertile and most sexually active.

I had to take the MAP twice which according to some means I'm irresponsible, I don't think it says anything about me beyond my inability to tolerate high levels of oestrogen!

likelyfran

Person_one wrote: »

No, actually I love getting abortions and STIs so much I don't bother.

There's nothing quite so satisfying as a cold speculum and a bit of bleeding.

Great, takes allsorts! :rotfl:

likelyfran

Person_one wrote: »

The police and the law don't tend to dictate what people do to their own bodies.

They do tend to dictate what people do to other people's bodies though, in violence or murder terms.

likelyfran

marywooyeah wrote: »

No you're right that wouldn't happen - because you don't meet all those people, it's not a big meet and greet of everyone who will abort your baby. The only person I spoke to was one Dr , I thought she was a nurse and it was only last year after a lot of digging that I found out the same person I had made it clear to that I wanted my baby was the same person that carried out the abortion.

There was no admitting nurse, you don't speak to the theatre staff and the anaesthetist put the needle in my hand without saying anything to me. This was raised at the meeting and the chair said that it is "not uncommon" for people to raise objections as they are falling asleep and the procedures are always carried out regardless. I personally find it very concerning that someone can say they don't want something to be done but for it to go ahead anyway once they are unconcious.

Well I believe you Mary. x