Women on Essure Sterilization: “It looked so beautiful,” but it was causing a lot of trouble

After its introduction in 2003, doctors and patients quickly became enthusiastic about a new way to sterilize women. The Essure implant is relatively easy to insert and allows the fallopian tubes to close. “Result,” says Karen (her full name is known to the editors), who chooses the method. Eighteen years later, 1,700 Dutch women hold manufacturer Bayer liable for material damage caused by Essure.

The implant consists of a flexible spring made of metal and plastic. About a feather is inserted into each of the fallopian tubes. A spokesperson for the Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (NVOG) said, “It is an elegant outpatient technique for sterilization, without anesthesia, without a laparoscope.” “The sterilization was done with the help of a speculum, which is inserted into the uterus through the vagina and cervix. The operation usually takes no more than ten minutes.

Also, since women can resume their normal activities one day after the procedure and the method is very reliable after only three months, Essure is rapidly gaining popularity among gynecologists and their patients. This method has been applied to about 30,000 women in the Netherlands.

Without hormones

Karen openly asked her doctor about Essure. “I didn’t need anesthesia and it was a method without hormones – I thought that was very important, because I always react very strongly to hormones. Everything I can find about Essure was positive. In 2012 the plumage was seized.”

Karen was in her early forties at the time. A month after the operation, I noticed my period was irregular. Shortly thereafter, she is always warm and sweats a lot, has lower back pain and often feels tired. “I thought,” I won’t be in menopause, right? Can’t bother me. I had Pfeiffer before, I thought it was back. “

A few years ago, in 2008, Evie Sanders chose to sterilize with Essure. She was 34 years old at the time. “She looked so beautiful,” but after a year I began receiving a series of vague complaints. “I had a lot of headaches. During dinner someone said to me,“ When we’re together, I see you taking paracetamol. ”Sanders had a near-constant period, had a lot of menstrual pain, and was tired and cranky.” I also felt feathered. . There was always a stabbing pain. “

Neither woman associates them immediately with the sterilization method. “I could always have come up with a reason for my complaint. I had young children, and there was a lot of stress sometimes,” Karin says. After a while, Sanders came across a Facebook group of women suspected of having complaints over Essure. Karen also comes after the TV show airs radar, Early 2017, from the Facebook group.