Has anyone had the Essure procedure?

In My Humble Opinion
1

Ladies, I am considering using Essure as my birth control method. For those unfamiliar with this procedure, it is similar to having a tubal ligation. However, coils are inserted into your fallopian tubes, which causes a “tissue barrier” to form and blocks your egg (and his sperm) from entering the uterus.

I like this option because it is doesn’t require any incisions and doesn’t use hormones like my current method, depo provera.

The website has lots of testimonials, but of course, they are all positive. Hopefully, everybody who has had this procedure is pleased with the results, but I thought I’d check to see what the real public thinks.

Any thoughts or opinions are welcome. Thanks!

2

Damn, you posted this thread a couple of months too early! I’m due for it in the next two, three months - email me in three months, and I’ll let you know how it goes.

3

I have a consultation in about three weeks. If my insurance covers it, I’ll have it done as soon as the doctor schedules it.

4

What’s the benefit? It sounds like something much more potentially painful and troublesome than TL, and the way you describe it, I’m thinking it’s not reversible, either. So why introduce strange objects into your body when a little snip will do?

5

Isn’t Goo about to do this?

6

Monster, like Tavalla and DeadlyAccurate I am planning to get this done too. I wish I had already had this done, so I could answer your questions… I’m pretty much consumed with no other thought at the moment.
I have an initial consult on May 5th, and hopefully will have it done shortly after. (fingers crossed)
If you still haven’t had it done by the time I have, don’t worry I will most definitely be shouting from the rooftops and starting my own celebratory thread, after the hangover has passed :smiley:

Stoid, there are many pros and cons to this procedure. For some people this is a better choice than the traditional ligation technique, though not for all. It just depends on the person.

While the pros are different for everyone, the major ones for me are as follows :

  • irreversible,
  • less invasive,
  • no abdominal surgery,
  • no anaesthesia worries,

Possible cons include having a reaction to the titanium-nickel insert, (I have just been tested for nickel intolerance and have been given the all-clear) having an objection to a foreign body (not an issue for me), still a new procedure, etc.

One of the main selling points for me was the method. The body actually generates the scar tissue that causes the tube blockage. Regeneration of tubal tissue is a possibility when getting a tubal ligation done, and is especially more common in women under 35 years old, giving a tubal ligation an effectiveness as low as the BC pill according to some studies for this age group. A tubal occlusion (the Essure procedure) is not subject to this, as regeneration doesn’t seem to be an issue (in theory).

No one should be getting a sterilisation IMO if they are concerned about reversibility issues, but yes, this method appears to be completely irreversible. That’s another pro for me, though maybe not for others. Again, depends on the person.

Anyone interested in this procedure should be aware that an endometrial ablation (where they burn the lining of the uterus to inhibit menstruation) is currently unable to be performed on someone who has had the Essure procedure done, and won’t be for the forseeable future, either.

7

It’s funny because I just got my depo shot yesterday, and I was thinking that I’d wait the three months and then have the procedure done. But then I found out that I’ll still need birth control for three months following the surgery to wait for the scar tissue to form. My doctor told me that they had some procedures scheduled for next Friday, and they could get me in then. So, I’m wondering if I should just go ahead with it on Friday.

I’ve already given it a lot of thought, discussed it with my husband, talked with my doctor, blah blah blah. What do you think?

8

If you’ve already decided to do it, go ahead.

If you’ve got any reservations at all, don’t.

Probably not real helpful, but that’s how I see it :slight_smile:

9

If you’ve already decided to do it, go ahead.

If you’ve got any reservations at all, don’t.

Probably not real helpful, but that’s how I see it :slight_smile:

10

Wow. Why would anyone have this done?

11

There are many reasons to have an endometrial ablation done.

A few off the top of my head :

  • extremely painful menstruation,
  • extremely heavy menstruation,
  • after a tubal ligation, having a period seems kind of pointless and some women would rather cease menstruating, (an ablation may lessen or completely halt menstruation without affecting the ovaries, hence no effect on hormone levels)

It can be an elective procedure or a valid, recommended surgical solution to a medical problem.

12

I have only known of a few women who had Essure done, but all of them are very happy with the results. It seems to make getting a tubal as easy as getting a vasectomy is for a man. My understanding is that it is less painful than a traditional tubal ligation because there are no incisions (though I haven’t personally done either).
Best of luck. I hope you will talk about your experience if you decide to get it done. Seems like there is still not enough information out there on the web about personal experiences with the method.

As for why anyone would want an ablation:
Yes, endometrial ablation is a wonderful alternative to hysterectomy for some women. A major advantage is that an ablation is much less painful, risky, and invasive than hysterectomy.
According to http://www.stlukes-stl.com/news/essure_continued.html , it may in fact be possible to get an ablation after Essure insertion…they say the method that uses radio frequency is potentially dangerous, but the “thermal” method using a heated fluid to burn off the uterus lining may be safe.

13

Thanks for that link, spathiphyllum. I have a few friends who will be interested in that.

14

Wow, I didn’t know this procedure was available in the U.S. My S.O. and I were talking about it just last night.

I have massive amounts of scar tissue in my abdomen from a previous surgery, and my doctors have said any other abdominal surgery would be risky. Essure sounds like the perfect solution. Does anyone know how Essure compares to a vasectomy in terms of effectiveness and ease of the procedure?

I think I’ll schedule a consult with my doctor. Does anyone know if a doctor wouldn’t perform this on an unmarried 31 year old? I know if you’re under 30, there’s practically no chance a doctor will sterilize you, but I’m hoping my chances are better now that I’ve crossed the 3-0.

15

I, too, want to get this done. One of the main reasons I’ve been putting it off is because the research, if I recall correctly, only goes back two years.

I’d like to know the long term affects of having a foreign body in my, well, body.

Although this may sound like a silly question, if I’m allergic to nickel on the outside, am I allergic on the inside, too? Don’t laugh too hard, I’m allergic to raw pistachios, for example, but only when I eat them; I don’t have a reaction if I touch them.

16

The effectiveness rates given on the company’s page comparing methods are:
99.81% at one-year, 99.78% by two-years for Essure
vs.
99.85% at one-year for vasectomy
99.45% at one-year, 99.16% by two-years, 99.15% at 10 years for the traditional type of tubal ligation.

I think the issue of whether a doctor will sterilize a young person depends a lot on the particular doctor and how the patient approaches it. You might want to look at this webpage, which includes a letter that an unmarried 24 year old wrote to her doctor to get him to agree to do a tubal, and modify it to fit your situation.

17

Just wanted to update this with a bit more information. I had my consultation today. He only spent about ten minutes because he had a baby to deliver, but he showed us (my husband was with me) what the coils look and felt like (soft and spongy), explained a bit how it was done (which is in the brochure and website) and told me that you have to be scheduled the week after your period. I’m going to call the surgery coordinator on Monday and schedule an appointment, which should be in about 3.5 weeks. As long as they gets pre-approval from insurance, it’ll be done.

I’ll probably do it on a Wednesday afternoon, have my husband take me home, rest that evening, and not miss any work the next day.

18

Thanks for the update DeadlyAccurate. I didn’t do the procedure yet. I spoke with the office manger who told me that they had 5 patients scheduled for the procedure that Friday I had told you about. This was the very first time my doctor was doing this procedure, so she didn’t really have too much information.

She wasn’t sure about insurance coverage and prices because of the different doctors involved, as well as the hospital charges since the procedure isn’t done in the doctor’s office. However, she was quite confident that my insurance would cover 80% since he is an in-network doctor. She thought my out of pocket charges would run about $200.

She told me that she would call me in a month or so since I told her that I would want to have it just before my next depo shot, which is due on July 4. That way she’ll have a better idea of the costs involved and can schedule me if I still want to have the procedure done. I’m going to go ahead with it, I’m almost positive.

19

Mine is scheduled on May 28 at noon. I have pre-op with both the gyn and the hospital on May 27. The pre-op with the gyn is a pelvic exam but no Pap (though I guess if you’re close to needing one, you might as well save a trip). I think the hospital pre-op is bloodwork (and undoubtably, paperwork). They said I’d need a driver and I won’t be able to eat after midnight the night before. I’m excited!

20

I’m excited for you! Keep me updated after you have it, okay? Good luck!