Alison Harding, 39, from Devon, south-west England, had Essure implanted four years ago. She did not want to have children and was attracted by it being a non-invasive and permanent contraceptive. About a year after receiving the implants she began to experience severe pelvic and lower back pain.
Her GP suggested a urinary tract infection could be to blame, but antibiotics did not relieve her symptoms. “I was necking painkillers like nobody’s business,” she says. “It had me in tears quite regularly. It was like being punched in the kidneys. When I got home I’d have to kneel down and bury my head in the sofa.”
Eventually, after being referred to a gynaecologist, she says she was advised to have a hysterectomy to safely remove the implants. “[The surgeon] was quite practical about it. He said we might as well just take them out.”
Since having the implants removed, she says the pain has vanished and she has not had any problems. She regrets that she ended up requiring radical surgery.
Charlotte, 30, from Blackpool, north-west England, was seeking a permanent contraceptive after having five children. “My husband and I [felt] we’d had our fill,” she says. Her doctor suggested Essure, despite the device having recently lost its CE mark, which signals compliance with EU standards.
“It sounded like a miracle,” she says. “You’re in and out the same day. That’s a big thing if you’ve got five kids.”
She had the implants in December and says she immediately experienced intense pain and persistent bleeding. “I had pain all the time, the worst pains of my life. The bleeding didn’t stop. This miracle was wrecking my life.”
In September, she had surgery to remove her fallopian tubes and part of her uterus to get the implants out, and her symptoms have subsided. “I feel myself again,” she says.
Andrea Davies, 44, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, was given a single Essure implant as part of an experimental fertility procedure. She had undergone two unsuccessful rounds of IVF, and when scans showed one of her tubes was filled with fluid it was suggested the fluid could be washing away the implanted embryo.
Her doctor recommended Essure, saying the implant would increase the odds of her having a baby. Davies had the implant, but her final round of IVF was also unsuccessful.
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Since getting the implant she has developed a range of health problems, including Crohn’s disease, extremely heavy periods, hair loss and teeth falling out. She does not know whether the symptoms are linked to the implant, but is seeking a hysterectomy to have it removed.
The manufacturer of Essure, Bayer, said: “Bayer takes all reports of potential side-effects very seriously and keeps the product information for all its products under constant review. Bayer recommends that women should consult their treating healthcare professionals to discuss symptoms they may have. Treating healthcare professionals will have all access to a patient’s medical history information and will be in the best position to advise her.”
Article source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/nov/25/pain-all-the-time-health-issues-after-essure-implants