When I was pregnant with my third child, I expressed to my doctor that I would like a tubal ligation. I was having my third C-section and thought it would be a simple solution to close off my tubes at the same time. Instead, my doctor told me that he no longer performs tubal ligation’s during C-sections because it is unsafe, the tubes are too swollen. He said that Essure is the “tubal of the 21st century”. It is non-surgical, very safe and effective.

So, two months after my daughter’s birth, I had the Essure procedure. About a month after the procedure, I was talking to a friend who had also had her third child via C-section. The same doctor gave her a tubal at that time, no mention of Essure to her. The difference: she is on Medicaid, I have insurance. Three months later, I went in for the first HSG. This “simple” test was so painful that I had to have a shot of pain medication. The result of this first HSG showed that I had not scarred and the Essure had not taken effect yet. “Give it three more months” my doctor said.

More than three months later I went in for another HSG, this time he gave me pain medication prior to the test. Again, it showed that my tubes were still not blocked. At this point my doctor gave me three options, wait and do another HSG in a few months, use Mirena or another IUD or have the Essure and my tubes removed. I left his office in utter disgust! A few weeks after that I began having pain in my lower abdomen. It was a shooting pain that would last for about two weeks at a time. It was then that I decided to find a new doctor and get these awful coils removed. I now understand how my doctor ‘sold’ me this product. I feel mislead and mistreated by his willingness to give me virtually no other options. This product is unsafe and ineffective. It is time to stand up to Conceptus and stand up for the women who have been so badly hurt by this device!