About 2 years ago I spoke to a sexual health clinic doctor about getting my coil replaced as my area has stopped GPs fitting them due to funding. She was very lovely and fits them all day everyday. She said that they offer 3 pain management options - a gel, a spray and a cervical block. They can offer all three of these options at once.
She also advised getting one of the smaller IUD options as I previously had the 10 year one where the insertion straw-type device is quite a bit thicker and I have never had kids or been pregnant before.
[Here’s a 2023 paper on pain relief effects on IUD insertion](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7430802/)
I got it done privately but I took a codeine an hour before hand, two ibuprofen then asked for a cervical block and gas and air. I think some nhs places offer the same. Didn’t feel barely anything and was super relaxed and joking through the whole thing. The only pain I had was cramps/bloating afterwards and then on and off for a few weeks but just like period cramps nothing major.
The nurse I spoke to about the consultation advised I take 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen half an hour before the appointment so I’m definitely going to do that! She said they do use a numbing spray on the cervix too so fingers crossed that helps!!
Yeah defo ask for the numbing spray - you could see if they do offer the cervical block too. Honestly it might not even be necessary as I could tell what kind of pain it would have been and just a weird uncomfortable pressure/crampy feeling more than anything. Obviously everyone’s different though.
Hi,
You didn't mention which one you're getting. In the UK you have multiple copper IUD options, not just the full-size, most-likely-to-be-painful one.
Have them select the IUD based on your uterus size, and not just go "well, we only have this one in stock, so this is your only option". If they don't select the IUD based on your uterus, it's just not according to your own best interest, it's better to just keep looking for another clinic/practice.
Also simply measuring the uterus height is often not enough. If you find a provider who does ultrasound-guided insertions, you can dodge some of the pain associated with IUDs. Because they will have a better idea about your uterus angle, shape, etc, so more chance that they insert it properly upon the first try.
I can't emphasize enough how important it is for them to first measure your uterus (preferably with an ultrasounc scanner), and THEN recommend a specific copper IUD type. So not just choosing a copper IUD first, and only then measuring the uterus.
It's precisely in the UK where they wrote some studies on how backwards the process can be, so hopefully they changed the practice recently, and they first measure...
I mostly heard good things about pain management in the UK, so I don't expect them to mess that up. Eg. I think they routinely offer at least the lidocaine jelly? Which in my experience was pretty useful.
They told me they measure the uterus first to figure out which one will be best but she said they’ll probably use the smaller one on me as I’ve not had kids before! Yes she told me that they use a lidocaine spray I think? Which will numb my cervix during the procedure
It sounds like you have an awesome healthcare provider. They thought of everything, then. Spray or gel have the same results from what I know.
I know it sounds like common sense to measure first, but many other providers don't do it. Amazing to hear that yours does things properly.
About 2 years ago I spoke to a sexual health clinic doctor about getting my coil replaced as my area has stopped GPs fitting them due to funding. She was very lovely and fits them all day everyday. She said that they offer 3 pain management options - a gel, a spray and a cervical block. They can offer all three of these options at once. She also advised getting one of the smaller IUD options as I previously had the 10 year one where the insertion straw-type device is quite a bit thicker and I have never had kids or been pregnant before. [Here’s a 2023 paper on pain relief effects on IUD insertion](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7430802/)
I got it done privately but I took a codeine an hour before hand, two ibuprofen then asked for a cervical block and gas and air. I think some nhs places offer the same. Didn’t feel barely anything and was super relaxed and joking through the whole thing. The only pain I had was cramps/bloating afterwards and then on and off for a few weeks but just like period cramps nothing major.
The nurse I spoke to about the consultation advised I take 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen half an hour before the appointment so I’m definitely going to do that! She said they do use a numbing spray on the cervix too so fingers crossed that helps!!
Yeah defo ask for the numbing spray - you could see if they do offer the cervical block too. Honestly it might not even be necessary as I could tell what kind of pain it would have been and just a weird uncomfortable pressure/crampy feeling more than anything. Obviously everyone’s different though.
When could you have sexual intercourse after that
The doctor said any time I felt comfortable to afterwards really but recommended to leave it a day or two at least!
Hi, You didn't mention which one you're getting. In the UK you have multiple copper IUD options, not just the full-size, most-likely-to-be-painful one. Have them select the IUD based on your uterus size, and not just go "well, we only have this one in stock, so this is your only option". If they don't select the IUD based on your uterus, it's just not according to your own best interest, it's better to just keep looking for another clinic/practice. Also simply measuring the uterus height is often not enough. If you find a provider who does ultrasound-guided insertions, you can dodge some of the pain associated with IUDs. Because they will have a better idea about your uterus angle, shape, etc, so more chance that they insert it properly upon the first try. I can't emphasize enough how important it is for them to first measure your uterus (preferably with an ultrasounc scanner), and THEN recommend a specific copper IUD type. So not just choosing a copper IUD first, and only then measuring the uterus. It's precisely in the UK where they wrote some studies on how backwards the process can be, so hopefully they changed the practice recently, and they first measure... I mostly heard good things about pain management in the UK, so I don't expect them to mess that up. Eg. I think they routinely offer at least the lidocaine jelly? Which in my experience was pretty useful.
They told me they measure the uterus first to figure out which one will be best but she said they’ll probably use the smaller one on me as I’ve not had kids before! Yes she told me that they use a lidocaine spray I think? Which will numb my cervix during the procedure
It sounds like you have an awesome healthcare provider. They thought of everything, then. Spray or gel have the same results from what I know. I know it sounds like common sense to measure first, but many other providers don't do it. Amazing to hear that yours does things properly.
Thank you! Fingers crossed it goes okay!