Next steps when an IUD can’t be found

dkittyyela · January 2019

Hi all,

I have had a Mirena IUD since October 2015. My husband and I decided to try for a baby this year so my removal appointment was today and the nurse practitioner could not find the strings.

Back in 2015, the insertion of the IUD went great, it was quick and mostly painless. I went back a month after insertion and everything was great. That first year following the insertion, my partner would occasionally feel the strings with his fingers (I couldn’t reach) but after a while, I forgot and never felt them again.

I’ve never had an gynecologist, all my exams have always been at my GPs and my IUD insertion was at a Planned Parenthood because I did not have insurance then. I have insurance now but figured I would go back to PP for removal while I wait to get in at an obgyn’s office (the wait is crazy long!) But overall I had never had an appointment go like today’s did. Every exam I have ever had, has been quick and easy. I’ve always been told my cervix is “healthy” etc. Today that nurse practitioner made me feel awful. She kept asking me “really?! insertion went fine?” and at one point even said “I wish a physician was here” and kept complaining about how the space “in there” was “too small.”

I have a ton of anxiety around conceiving. Thoughts about not being able to get pregnant, miscarrying, genetic mutations... my brain is in overdrive when it comes to this and this appointment made it so much worse. I want to have a baby so badly and the whole process makes me really anxious and this appointment really did me in. She kept telling me it probably fell out which scares me because my husband and I haven’t used protection in years, wouldn’t I have gotten pregnant then? I’m trying to calm myself down by telling myself at some point I would’ve gotten a period since I haven’t gotten a period since it was inserted. But I’m still panicking. She gave a prescription for an ultrasound. I’m not planning on going back there and instead plan on bringing the ultrasound to my obgyn appointment in a couple of weeks.

For those of you who have gone through this- what does the ultrasound consist of? Is it internal or external? And what has the removal process been for you if your strings could not be found?

daffodil_shoe · January 2019

dm0609 said:

Hi all,

I have had a Mirena IUD since October 2015. My husband and I decided to try for a baby this year so my removal appointment was today and the nurse practitioner could not find the strings.

Back in 2015, the insertion of the IUD went great, it was quick and mostly painless. I went back a month after insertion and everything was great. That first year following the insertion, my partner would occasionally feel the strings with his fingers (I couldn’t reach) but after a while, I forgot and never felt them again.

I’ve never had an gynecologist, all my exams have always been at my GPs and my IUD insertion was at a Planned Parenthood because I did not have insurance then. I have insurance now but figured I would go back to PP for removal while I wait to get in at an obgyn’s office (the wait is crazy long!) But overall I had never had an appointment go like today’s did. Every exam I have ever had, has been quick and easy. I’ve always been told my cervix is “healthy” etc. Today that nurse practitioner made me feel awful. She kept asking me “really?! insertion went fine?” and at one point even said “I wish a physician was here” and kept complaining about how the space “in there” was “too small.”

I have a ton of anxiety around conceiving. Thoughts about not being able to get pregnant, miscarrying, genetic mutations... my brain is in overdrive when it comes to this and this appointment made it so much worse. I want to have a baby so badly and the whole process makes me really anxious and this appointment really did me in. She kept telling me it probably fell out which scares me because my husband and I haven’t used protection in years, wouldn’t I have gotten pregnant then? I’m trying to calm myself down by telling myself at some point I would’ve gotten a period since I haven’t gotten a period since it was inserted. But I’m still panicking. She gave a prescription for an ultrasound. I’m not planning on going back there and instead plan on bringing the ultrasound to my obgyn appointment in a couple of weeks.

For those of you who have gone through this- what does the ultrasound consist of? Is it internal or external? And what has the removal process been for you if your strings could not be found?

Not sure if the ultrasound will be vaginal or transabdominal, but neither is anything to be concerned about. If you do get pregnant, you will likely have a vaginal ultrasound in the early stages. If they find that the IUD is still in place, your OBGYN will use instruments to dilate your cervix and retrieve it. An xray is also a possibility.

If your IUD was no longer in place, there is no reason to fear that you can't become pregnant on your own. You have no idea when it could have come out, and it can take a perfectly healthy couple up to a year to conceive.

ruby696 · January 2019

OP when I went to have my IUD removed, they couldn't find the strings. I had to have it surgically removed. The IUD was still in place, but the strings had made their way inside my uterus. Procedure took 10 minutes and I was fully anesthetized. I had some bleeding after, but that was it.

kimmer1412 · January 2019

OP this is actually pretty common, I'd definitely suggest going to see an OBGYN and they will set you up for an ultrasound and removal. There are rare cases where the IUD gets embedded or shifts but those instances are pretty uncommon so i wouldn't worry too much until you get the ultrasound and get confirmation on placement .

Next steps when an IUD can’t be found

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