CDC tells doctors to address IUD insertion pain after viral social media complaints

[@BanFamilyVlogging]

*This guest is also gaslighting us. To say that IUD insertion is “slightly uncomfortable” is dismissive & insulting.*

[@lavenderoh]

Yes she's not a good doctor. She seems angry.

[@swimgirl24]

No she’s quoting what the CDC said.

[@BanFamilyVlogging]

@@swimgirl24 irrelevant. Even if that’s true, she still made the decision to include that verbiage without a qualification. Which is morally dishonest, because it spreads harmful misinformation

[@LilChuunosuke]

​@@swimgirl24 The CDC is literally telling doctors to communicate better with their patients and offer more pain relief options and this woman is using her time on the air to boost the voice of one of these doctors and continue to reinforce the idea that it's "just a pinch" without giving equal time and respect to the voices of the women who have suffered debilitating pain from insertion.

[@rainbowdust919]

Agreed. I've been through it three times and it was horrendously painful, traumatic, and cruel each time. I need to get them to manage some conditions I have and doctors won't let me remove my uterus. Therefore, I will have to endure this pain every few years until I stop menstruating. It's absolutely cruel not to offer pain management for the procedure. They just tell you to take ibuprofen. THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.

[@LS-mm5js]

Mentioning menstruation in the context of women's health and calling it "graphic" in the same breath already an indication of how stigmatized the whole subject still is for many people...

[@lidsss1]

Completely agree.

[@Manuelita6]

EXACTLY! This comment deserves more likes!

[@ccpr15]

Thank you!!! 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@musingsofharmony3159]

I agree. That was so sad and immature. Is this an adult news show or a tween comedy? Some women are like kids.

[@BooDotBoo]

The way women's bodies are treated and played around with like pawns, especially in America, is horrific.

[@TenSish]

Women get gaslight so hard about pain.

[@jacliveshere]

I had this done in 2015 and it was so terrible I was losing the ability to walk from it as days passed. I think doctors claimed it wasn't the IUD bothering me but at least they took it out. I KNOW it was the IUD.

[@Methequeen]

Especially at OBGYN I think

[@Persianlatina]

That’s what us with endometriosis have been crying for years. A lot of Doctors don’t know enough of it either

[@keepitsimple820]

She literally said "slightly uncomfortable" ma'am....that's the problem. It is way more than slightly uncomfortable 🫠

[@sleepingpanda467]

My uterus is cramping up just watching this 😭

[@farialmab4723]

_How_ are *Women **_Supposed_** to “feel empowered to talk about this,” if you call the Word Menstruation “Graphic”?*

[@ErutaniaRose]

For real. I’ve been fighting about my painful and heavy periods for years. Still no diagnosis, only a bandaid prescription which helps (but that I cannot take forever), and a refusal to even do the diagnostic surgery.

[@anastasiatomanek]

Literally the exact thought I had…

[@bonnie_rose]

Yes! This!

[@o0Theresa0o]

These two women should be ashamed of how they discussed this. They both minimized the pain, AND they further stigmatized menstruation. They are part of the reason why women's health isn't being taken seriously. You had such a giant platform, and you used it irresponsibly.

[@splitlogsallie]

Yes. This. I felt really uncomfortable after watching this video and your comment nailed it.

[@hbicolenna6745]

I watched this video thinking it would make me feel hopeful but all I got was more gaslighting 😑

[@kindjekayleigh]

and the ´´you gotta advocate for yourself´´ made me angry also,, because it´s never a fun experience and usually you do what the doctor thinks is best for you. Plus I get mine done by a male doctor, because of insurance stuff, last time, I passed out on the table, so he had to see his patients in a different room.

[@hawkwardfairy]

Thank you! I felt the same way.

[@nightrod2892]

Slightly uncomfortable?? Use better wording because that is part of the issue, diminishing pain. It is not slightly uncomfortable. Its painful enough to cause people to black out or almost blackout.

[@perkasami6305]

There are patients that have vomited because of the pain.

[@kittysassafras]

I came to the comments to say this too! I had no idea how painful my IUD insertion was going to be (and it was made worse by my OBGYN forgetting to prescribe or even mention to me the medication I was supposed to take before the appointment to soften my cervix). It felt like being stabbed internally. When it was done, I started crying uncontrollably, and I was not someone who cried easily. I knew I would absolutely never get another IUD after that traumatic experience.

[@Nikki-lodeon]

​@@kittysassafrasand it's not as if the medical staff knows how to handle crying well. They usually back out of the room quietly and hope you didn't notice.

[@anobody6564]

Back just before Covid started, late 2019, I got the Paraguard copper IUD. I had researched it and saw some testimonials, and was reading that. Women's experiences with pain during or directly after insertion, and how others recommended that you can take an ibuprofen or tylenol before going in. I booked an appt through Planned Parenthood. I didn't get much of a run=around as to what to expect pain-wise, or anything. In fact, I had chosen the Paraguard because I take birth control pills (to regulate menstrual symptoms) and thought it would be a great pairing because a hormonal and non-hormonal double=coverage as my relationship started to turn into a long-term relationship. The nurse had asked me what medications I was taking and I said mine, Junel. She said, that I should cease to take it, and that made me feel uneasy because through my research or whatever my bare minimum it appeared I could pair them seamlessly. I go into a room and Dr arrives. I ask Dr. about it and she said yeah, no problem there. Weird. So we get to it and a nurse/assistant comes in, and I'm ready to go. She asks me if I want to hold her hand, and that made me confused. Sure, I get that getting things done, like pap smears, are inherently uncomfortable, but it was my first go-around and I didn't know what to expect. Actually, I expected it to go so well that my original intention was to bicycle there and back for the appt (but bf insisted on an offer that he take me). Well anyways immediately after the procedure I was so light-headed I almost fainted, immediately after sitting up from the bed. It was... frightening. I wasn't expecting that. Anyways the cramping and pain was really really hard. I'm glad I had requested or gotten the next 48hrs off after this. My IUD is places correctly but for the next two years I was bleeding heavily, constantly bleeding/spotting throughout the year, and having periodic bursts of intense cramping that felt like contractions, that come in waves of only a few seconds but be so intense I was white-knuckling counters while working. Well anyways a full two years later it's finally as if it wasn't there except I was bleeding heavily during menstruation, compared to my very light bleeding previously. Now, a full four years later, I'm turning back into my "before" expectations when it's come to menstruation, but it's been a road to go down. While I'd say my testament for it fulfilling it's purpose as intended is great, I wouldn't "wish" anybody to go through that, it was HARD. I don't know if I would get an IUD again, with the Paraguard "shelf-life" being 8-10 years, maybe, or maybe I'd try something else, I don't know. It's great for preventing pregnancies, but is it "worth it"? It hurts for me to say, because even while my experience was wildly uncomfortable, I chose to keep it and now it's nearly entirely unnoticeable in my life, and I'd say yes. But also, yeah, perhaps the which in way this is approached, could use more communication between the medical practitioners and their patients, and so I agree with the concept that the need of a conversation on expectations and how to proceed should be a part of the consultation.

[@KateMayorga]

I didn’t have pain while insertion but I almost blacked out on my drive home. No one should drive home after insertion you never know how the body will react.

[@KW-cv5me]

If you don’t know what medical gaslighting feels like, get an IUD

[@hannahowen1801]

I second this.

[@purplepurple8787]

I just need to watch this video, the doctor already says stuff like 'mild discomfort' and 'some women just expect it to hurt when it doesn't'.

[@jenerin905]

I had cervical biopsies and cervical cryo-freezing without any anesthetic or pain management in the early 2010's. I was told that I was lying about the pain, but I was accustomed to pain due to an autoimmune disease. It was absolutely awful and I can't believe they would continue to put people through those procedures without anything.

[@FreyaWarr]

Completely agree! I was sobbing in pain after and the doctor laughed at me and asked, “why are you crying? it doesn’t hurt that bad”. Worst pain I’ve ever experienced.

[@BranFlakes294]

Or get the depo shot and have a decidual cast occur and be told you're the only one that it's happened to in that doctors career. I bled for 3 months after that traumatic experience and then didn't have a period for almost two years and I only took one syringe when I first got put on it. Had a tubal even though I have no kids so the depo was an attempt to regulate periods due to pcos etc. Stupid on my part and the last time I ever injected anything into my body save the few months I was on emgality for my migraines.

[@mayacastaneda8076]

“Slightly uncomfortable”, are you kidding me? This is literally what we’re talking about. It’s high pain.

[@Echo81Rumple83]

Getting a wisdom teeth extraction through local anesthesia is slightly uncomfortable (provided the impaction of one of the teeth isn't gnarly). Improper anesthesia for an invasive procedure like inserting an IUD is like having a root canal with only a topical cream for pain management.

[@starshine3588]

What does anyone expect? They are having an object put up inside them….of course it’s going to be painful….anyone who goes into this thinking it wouldn’t be painful is really naive. IUDs have also caused damage inside some women….and anyone who doesn’t know that is just a lost cause at this point.

[@Sam_1984a]

@@starshine3588 This comment is so stupid. The standard practice is to not provide any pain management. THAT’S what women are upset about. It’s just stupid to blame the women when the issue is that doctors don’t even try to manage the pain.

[@chibiktsn3]

Right?! I know that it's a super breezy process for some women, but mine was some of the worst pain I've ever felt.

[@000snow000]

​@@starshine3588 "what does anyone expect? Of course root canals without pain management are painful, you should know this, quit complaining" This is what you sound like.

[@khavigoback]

I’d be uncomfortable with a doctor who thought saying the word menstruating was too graphic for TV

[@equarg]

I have a period once a month…..just started today in fact. There should be zero shaming or censorship about it since it happens to 50% of the population. You want less unwed mothers? Less rude men? Education is key. Frankly a male mocking a female for her period needs to get that lovely Amazon device that simulates period cramps. Min to maximum for 2 days out of the month for a year… so 24 days total. Yea. If that does not make people a little more emphatic nothing will. I am not saying shower people with bloody pads and tampons. But educate them.

[@jennyo7218]

ugh, im so tired of people telling people who were born female that they "shouldnt be feeling pain" or "women dont feel pain for ___". whenever men complain about pain, it gets ADDRESSED. when women say something hurts, we get called crazy or like we're trying to get attention.

[@astraamarante6233]

Women can’t have pain, they’re not men! If they have pain, that means we have to care and spend resources on them!

[@ontheedge91]

Women’s pain needs to be taken seriously. I’m sick of people telling us it’s in our head or that we are being dramatic.

[@ceceprincess4758]

What are going we going to do about it? Nothing

[@grinningneko5480]

But we go through the bodily/mental trauma of child birth! Surely we can handle an IUD 🙄 *sarcasm*

[@mjallen1308]

Why is it graphic to talk about menstruation? Can we stop this foolishness

[@propagatelies]

Why would you watch a YT video about IUDs if you have an issue hearing about how a woman's body works?

[@petrazuniga5229]

The original comment is referencing the fact that the doctor said it was “graphic” to say that it is easier to get an IUD inserted while menstruating. Pretty sure are saying it is foolish that a doctor would call that statement graphic, not that it’s foolish to talk about bodies/menstruation.

[@jmatwood]

If they want GRAPHIC, I will describe the ACTUAL experience of having an IUD inserted. I've done it six times. None of our pain is going to ever be taken seriously as long as simply REFERRING to menstruation is seen as "graphic". ... Below the fold, here's the real fun: THEY CRAM A WEIRD DUCKBILL UP MY VAGEEN, USE A TOOTHY METAL CLAMP ON MY CERVIX TO IMMOBILIZE IT, POKE A STICK IN THROUGH THE CERVIX UNTIL IT TOUCHES THE TOP OF MY UTERUS (that's actually one of the most painful parts), SHOVE A PIECE OF PLASTIC THROUGH THERE, POP IT OPEN LIKE AN UMBRELLA, GET ELBOW DEEP IN THERE TO TIE THE STRINGS AND Y'ALL CALL THE WORD "MENSTRUATION" GRAPHIC?? 😵‍💫🫠🙄

[@nnenna2469]

MY EXACT THOUGHT!!! GIRL I HAVE MY PERIOD, IT IS NORMAL, NOTHING GRAPHIC ABOUT IT!

[@ErutaniaRose]

Especially in a country that literally shows active footage of bombing and shooting with people covered in blood.

[@KW-cv5me]

“menstruating” is a little graphic to say on TV when half the viewership experiences it? This woman is perpetuating the problem.

[@OrigamiMarie]

And I'm having a really hard time imagining that it's actually any less painful while menstruating. I'll believe that maybe it's easier for the doctor to insert the thing then. But um, I dunno about other people, but the whole zone for me is on a super sensitive hair trigger for cramps if anything feels even a little different, during menstruation.

[@chellesama8256]

Something half the population experiences is "too graphic" to talk about? Men are such crybabies.

[@OctopusOwl]

@@OrigamiMarieexactly! During menstruation I’m swollen and sensitive, not a good time to go fishing in my uterus

[@3DJapan]

Of course you could find it graphic even if it happens to you.

[@HaleyJo1992]

@@3DJapan Sure, but it isn't graphic to SAY.

[@tanadarko6991]

"slightly uncomfortable" I know women who have given drug-free BIRTH that found the IUD insertion to be terrible.

[@OntarioAtOrion]

I had it done. Its EXCRUCIATING. Then i got in a car accident and it dislodged and needed removed. I told the doctor the tail was too wiggly when i checked it and she said no its fine. I said. no. Check again. She did and said oh. Yes. You are right. We need to remove. Be your own advocate. SPEAK UP!

[@silaslee4602]

The fact that the CDC has to tell doctors to listen to women really tells uou a lot about the state of womens healthcare.

[@rocksteady418]

this 100000%

[@Type_null14]

As a woman, I agree 💯

[@MossyMozart]

@silaslee4602 - Not all doctors are like that, but there are enough to tarnish the field's reputation. Ask friends for recommendations or ask nurses that work with gynecologists - they may have insight. And _always_ _ALWAYS_ advocate for yourself because nobody else will. You need not be loud or nasty, just persistent.

[@karenc.3689]

It's not uncomfortable, it is ACUTE PAIN and should be treated as such.

[@Sci-lives]

Right?! That’s exactly what opioids are for. Offer a benzodiazepines if patients are really nervous. Addiction is not coming into play here, so why not? It’s more complicated and extra liability so drs don’t offer the solutions.

[@Potatoe-f6u]

Yeah. I think they use these mild terms so that it doesn't scare people, but I'd rather they be honest. Sure, maybe for some people it is only uncomfortable, but for others it can be the worst pain they're ever experienced. Refusing to acknowledge that with the correct language doesn't bring me any comfort.

[@TheAS687]

It’s definitely uncomfortable I passed out

[@kathyowens4947]

I have a chronic illness so I have had lots of procedures and surgeries. One thing I have noticed is that doctors RARELY use the word "pain" or "painful" or "hurt". They use the words "uncomfortable" or "discomfort". They'll tell you that what's actually a very painful procedure is only going to cause some mild discomfort. Inexperienced patients take that to mean there'll only be very small amount of pain or no pain at all. They especially do this for quick procedures. No matter how potentially excruciating it is since it's only a short procedure they'll tell you to only expect mild discomfort. It's a shame because the patient doesn't have a clue until it's too late.

[@truehappiness4U]

@@kathyowens4947well yeah what did you expect from a male dominated field? They just want your money and don’t want you pregnant.

[@FishareFriendsNotFood972]

I know a mother of three who gave birth without any pain relief who told me getting her IUD put in was the most pain she's ever felt in her life. DO BETTER, MEDICINE.

[@ErutaniaRose]

@@katiemossi5975 True. But the fact that for some it CAN be that much worse is worrisome. Glad yours wasn’t as bad.

[@lisabradford8180]

@ZilphaJones that's scary that the pain was worse than the pain of childbirth😬😬

[@margaretkremer8546]

Way worse for me too, and I had 3 babies naturally.

[@spaceninjas56]

I agree with her

[@Panbaneesha]

These ladies are doing NOTHING to address the problem in a constructive, helpful manner. They're being just as condescending about the pain (I've had several IUDs, and one time I was so painful, even hours after, that I collapsed in a restaurant), and calling menstruation graphic clearly shows how they cowtow to what uneducated men are comfortable with.

[@colleenatow]

"discomfort". Quit calling it that. I've had babies and surgeries and kidney stones and I could barely tolerate my IUD insertion.

[@walterdrinker]

So it took Tiktok for the CDC to finally acknowledge that there was a problem? Oof

[@Blueell]

Barely even. The numbing shot/gel is still inadequate. It only numbs the cervix at a surface level, not the uterus that the device is being shoved into or the more inner part of the cervix. I had the shot and it was still the most blinding and traumatic pain of my life.

[@mistojen]

And people wonder why we're all so angry about the TikTok ban nonsense

[@aliciagrey4382]

@@mistojenthe TikTok ban is because they want more control over what information is being spoon fed to us.

[@BooDotBoo]

And, remember, this is the app America is trying to ban... makes you truly wonder why they want to ban it, tbh. I'm not really on it, but if it can do things like this, doesn't seem that bad, to me.

[@chellesama8256]

​@@BooDotBooIt's anti-propaganda.

[@hiiiimymelody]

Whatever OBGYN yall talked to for this story sounds exactly like the ones we have problems with....slight discomfort is so gaslighting when the majority of women dont have this experience.

[@CryPixie83]

thats what I was going to say. They literally picked the worst possible guest for this. She reminded me of so many of the horrid OB/GYNs I've dealt with.

[@vmfjae1180]

She sounds like the problem...

[@A---ti3zz]

The doctor they talked is absolutely part of the problem. Why have someone like this doctor on for this segment?

[@ashleysanchez7543]

I thought it was only me who thought this! 🤔 Totally feels like the wrong OBGYN for this segment 😑

[@Valla84]

Dr. Azar is NOT a gynecologist, she's a rheumatologist, and COMPLETELY UNQUALIFIED to speak about this

[@miriam8376]

“Uncomfortable” is not synonymous with pain. Even the doctor in the interview uses that term in a way where it’s gaslighting. It hurts. It straight up hurts. A lot. Just say that. We don’t mind pain when we treat it. We mind being lied to and being treated like our suffering doesn’t matter. My IUD hurt A LOT. “It was easier than I thought” doesn’t automatically mean it wasn’t bad. It can mean we expected “excruciating “and merely got “terrible.” I have heard that part of the difference is whether you’ve already had a kid. So the experience can vary widely, and doctors should take that into account and be prepared for the worst case scenario and allow the patient options based on that.

[@unicorn-glasses]

Right, I definitely still would have gotten my IUD if I had been properly informed about the pain because it really is perfect for me. Being told the truth doesn't scare people away from procedures, it lets us know that we can trust the doctor which makes everyone more comfortable. Not being offered pain management and straight up lying to your patients is how you scare them away.

[@JoyfulRiverbank-kn4xt]

Exactly!

[@takeyourheart1]

The doctor in the interview is awful and part of the problem. She is minimizing the pain the same way other doctors do.

[@Valla84]

​@@takeyourheart1 She's also NOT QUALIFIED to speak on this. She's a rheumatologist.

[@decgal81]

IDK about that. I had 3 vaginal deliveries before I got an IUD and it still was torture

[@GaBRIelle-1995]

This did absolutely nothing but contribute to the problem. They highlighted the issue and yet it still is being downplayed. Very frustrating….

[@TheCrisses]

“Slightly uncomfortable” is real gaslighting.

[@tinacubitt8445]

I’m sick and tired of doctors saying a procedure is “uncomfortable” when the word they should be using is “EXCRUCIATING.” I have had three IUD insertions and they were ALL more painful than childbirth (and I tore during that). I was gaslit every single time and told it was “just a vasovagal response” which is 100% not true.

[@elin_]

Wow is that pain really comparable with birth? I've had two iuds and both of them had a horrifying insertion process, but I always imagined that child birth would be worse?

[@isleofdogs89]

I just had my first inserted last year and was also told it was a vasovagal response. I think I'm still traumatized, I feel like I could cry after reading your comment.

[@reddragonflyxx657]

​​@@elin_It varies a lot from person to person, just in this comment section you can see accounts describing it as everything from exceptionally painful to painless. A quick ncbi search turned up PMID 36961099 > Regarding pain at IUD placement, 26 (2.5%) women reported no pain, 167 (16.4%) light pain, 319 (31.3%) moderate and 506 (49.7%) intense pain.

[@luna-p]

​@@elin_ I haven't gone through either, but I've seen lots of people say that (their) kidney stones and IUDs were worse than birth.

[@rearct]

I had a vasovagal response and I'm sure you did too during the insertions; it's inaccurate of the doctors to call it "just" a vasovagal response. They're absolutely miserable, I'd rather just be in pain than be in terrible pain AND unable to see, unable to feel my hands and feet, unable to get warm, unable to stand up... I think that's part of the issue, that they don't address the vasovagal component at all.

[@shushymcsecret993]

Women are treated like beasts of burden. Like we are supposed to suffer. Even with pain meds and other things available to modern woman. But the medical hive mind is still in the dark ages. - a woman in chronic pain for decades

[@vmfjae1180]

I couldn't agree more... And yet we are treated like the weak ones in society...

[@Himmiefan]

Yep. Look how long it takes to diagnose endometriosis.

[@amethystflower8799]

Male infants get circumcised at birth. It is literally torture and has zero benefits. It is so painful. End the barbaric practice of circumcision

[@azureavocado5195]

Stop giving them babies until change is made

[@Erndea]

It took 20 years for me​@@Himmiefan

[@piros44]

‘Discomfort’ is what doctors call it when this level of pain happens to women because society deems us weak, stupid, and hysterical liars so doctors ignore everything we’re saying, even when we beg for help. When the same level of pain happens in men, doctors call it ‘severe pain’ and address it immediately with adequate pain meds because society deems men as strong, smart, stoic, and truthful, thus deserving of decent care. This happens across the board in healthcare not just in ob-gynecologist care.

[@amethystflower8799]

Male infants get circumcised at birth. It is literally torture and has zero benefits. It is so painful. End the barbaric practice of circumcision

[@hisomeonetrackingmuch1309]

Well put!

[@MusicalBotany]

Yep.

[@michelleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

Last time I had mine inserted the doctors acted so shocked that I was screaming! They told me I was going through just psychological pain. Claimed I must've been assaulted as a kid?! No, this just HURT! I'd been in a less painful head on collision! They only stopped because they thought I'd been traumatised and "Allowed" me to get it done painlessly under anaesthesia because I needed it for my endometriosis.

[@staceyhart9746]

“Menstruating is a bad word” is super sexist.

[@a.m.b.7185]

I have an extremely high pain tolerance, and let me tell you, my IUD insertion was as painful as giving birth when I had an induced labor with maximum levels of Pitocin and a foley bulb in my cervix to help me dilate. If not worse. It was BRUTAL. And all I had was freaking ibuprofen. Unacceptable. Period!

[@shyfroggie3128]

@@tj-xe2si IUDs aren’t always for birth control. I got mine because of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. I’m celibate.

[@mikochild2]

​@tj-xe2si plus many don't know it's this bad until after. Didn't you hear the video "mild discomfort". Who is worried about mild discomfort.

[@Niccy26]

​@@mikochild2a lot of women would describe their periods as more than mild discomfort. Mine are mild discomfort. Having my cervix checked when pregnant was worse than my labour in some ways. An IUD? I refuse

[@mikochild2]

@Niccy26 exactly so women hearing mild discomfort will think there is nothing to be concerned about up until they experience the pain and wonder why no one told them.

[@Niccy26]

@@mikochild2 precisely. It's evil

[@willieverusethis]

It's about time. Other procedures like uterine biopsies are the same. No anesthesia and the pain is unbearable. Time for women to stand up for themselves.

[@garylefevers]

Omgoodness100%. I had a uterine biopsy and was in severe pain for days. The Dr, being a man literally shrugged his shoulders. BTW: my name is Teri. Using my late husbands KZbin account.

[@JustCallMeJaph]

​@@garylefevers I had a biopsy as well. I was told there would be slight discomfort. I almost kicked the lady performing the procedure. So, it would be safer for all involved to provide proper pain prevention / relief.

[@LiveByDesign]

this!

[@ArielGibson757]

@@JustCallMeJaph I had something like that done . Wasn't numbed enough . Next time I'll take a shot of something first . I'm pretty pain tolerant , except that was terrible .

[@theblondeone8426]

exactly

[@mysteryevolves7820]

My doctor grossly minimized the pain associated with this procedure. I was unprepared for the pain and almost fainted. The sudden pain was worse than labor pain. I had to drive 20 minutes to get home and I don't know how I made it. Had I been properly informed I would have had someone with me and I would have taken a pain killer. Call pain what it is. It is not uncomfortable it is painful.

[@vmfjae1180]

I feel like many of us were lied to. Instead of owning the fact that it's a very painful procedure, but without pain killers, they resort to telling us there will be some discomfort... And then act annoyed/ surprised when we react to the pain

[@reckonerwheel5336]

Yep, my friend - healthy, does CrossFit, barely has cramps - got her IUD inserted and she was in so much pain after that she was curled up in her car for an hour.

[@BloodRedKat]

Same, except I took painkillers beforehand and they didn’t help 😭

[@audreystarr6166]

I did faint. I went into shock and then passed out

[@vmfjae1180]

@@audreystarr6166 Look at all of our stories 🙁 pretty barbaric

[@immunomich3ll3]

Bite me. How dare she, as a woman doctor, continue to perpetuate the gaslighting. Women aren't screaming or passing out from pain because it gets our rocks off.

[@starhill6792]

Literally inhumane the way they insert IUDs without pain management at all. I feel traumatized honestly.

[@ivy_talks]

I did too. At least the first time. Worst pain of my life and I was never informed that they were literally piercing my cervix. Had my second one put in today with a different doctor who gave me valium and Hydrocodone. The difference was night and day. It hurt this time, but nothing major. I was so pleasantly surprised.

[@LochNessax3]

"Slightly uncomfortable" LOL. My husband said he heard me SCREAMING from the waiting room! If you're a doctor, please change your word choice and don't be part of the problem. 🙏

[@tj-xe2si]

@@LochNessax3 Then ask him to take the pain and a vasectomy which has far less side effects than IUDs

[@leahduff9717]

​@@tj-xe2si Birth control is not the only reason IUDs are used. And pain management should be given whether it's for birth control or not..

[@ErutaniaRose]

@@tj-xe2si That may not be the reason this person got an IUD. You don’t know their medical history or reasons.

[@serenesrn3827]

Erutania You don’t know that either. I was speaking about one aspect of it .

[@philoctetes_wordsworth]

The entire gynecology industry is brutal. Even with a woman doctor. When a female doctor minimizes pain it is so much worse. Stop calling this excruciating pain “discomfort”. The word is designed to minimize a patient’s pain.

[@jamiewilson1532]

Because they follow the textbook. The textbook says only slight pressure and only recently are clitoral and cervical nerves are mentioned. Before it was claimed the cervix had no feeling.

[@AliciaGuitar]

The worst ob/gyn i ever had was a woman. Evil shrew! The next one was male and was compassionate and literally saved my life. He retired during covid 😢

[@arkangelmerici1170]

Yeah, discomfort is when I wake up from sleeping in a bad position, not this. This and many other factors why I'm a little afraid of doctors in general.

[@Himmiefan]

Women doctors come out of the medical schools that teach a bias against women.

[@amethystflower8799]

Circumcision is brutal. It is literally torture. It has zero benefits. Let's stop torturing infant boys

[@KatieRr-d5z]

Gotta love how the expert they brought on proceeds to minimize patients’ accounts of IUD insertion pain as “slightly uncomfortable”, and then goes on to claim many patients told her it wasn’t as bad as they’d feared. What a horrible choice for a video about women making it known how painful getting an IUD inserted can be. Why is the procedure done with painkillers and anesthetic in other countries, if it’s merely “slightly uncomfortable”? Do better or don’t say anything at all. It would be less embarrassing for NBC.

[@genevieve7676]

I have a feeling the "expert" has a lot more patients with horrible insertion experience than she's talking about.

[@angelofdusk13]

I was offered NO pain relief for my insertion. It was literally the worst pain I've ever felt. Afterward, the physician told me I could take as much time as I needed to get dressed, like they KNEW I was going to lay on that table sobbing for a while. Like it was just part of the procedure.

[@Fiachnah]

They told me the same thing. The first time the doctor and nurse laughed and said "wait until you have kids" like I needed to toughen up. It's so messed up

[@lizard3755]

This guest sounds pretty dismissive of the pain so many people have experienced from IUD insertion, and the fact that she said the CDC didn't change guidelines because of more people bringing awareness to the topic not only is making it seem like the people sharing their stories were just shouting into a void, but it also will discourage people from speaking up about medical gaslighting and other medical issues in the future because she basically said it meant nothing. I hope she takes some time to reflect on the feedback people are giving her because this interview was a real disservice in my opinion.

[@onceuponanexploration6048]

Female pain is always taken for granted.

[@angryox3102]

It would help if they weren’t always bragging about handling menstrual and childbirth pain like champs.

[@SwindlesAndSchemes]

​@@angryox3102 Ah yes, our fault, of course it is.

[@LifeisaBeautifulting]

Especially women of color

[@RobertaBriffa]

​@@angryox3102And men should stop acting like babies when they have a flu.

[@r.r.r9300]

​@@angryox3102I've never heard a woman brag about child birth or menstrual cramps. I've always heard women say that child birth was the worst pain that they've ever felt. They weren't bragging about it at all! If a cancer patient told you that chemo was the worst thing that they've gone through, would you consider that bragging? 🤔

[@crismarieb6275]

The things we go through to prevent pregnancy but yet men endure nothing there is no responsibility placed on men to prevent pregnancy

[@cindys9491]

Bingo

[@nehalilisays]

Except for vasectomies but I've heard the pain they experience or might experience surrounding that procedure is indeed taken seriously by medical professionals.

[@MeMyself984]

Exactly!

[@meghansullivan6812]

Infuriating :)

[@mickeyyoung472]

Sadly, the vasectomy procedure is very painful. Plus, it is ineffective considering the doctor who implants it. I had a male friend who needed a double vasectomy after getting his wife pregnant from the initial procedure. However, it's alot that us as ladies have to endure. Across the board we aren't protected no matter what contraceptives we take. Stay blessed ladies and stay aware of your body.

[@NatalieHarrisonLim]

I have NEVER heard a story about iud insertion NOT being painful. All my friends hurt for days. Everyone online has said the same. Cannot believe she said it's "not that uncomfortable"

[@cmarquino]

Same! I’ve only heard bad stories about IUDs. Not saying they don’t work for some women, but a majority of the women I know say they had complications.

[@nightlydrugs6927]

Exactly. I literally don’t know a single woman who didn’t have intense pain during and moderate pain for a week after.

[@eleanorh.4725]

I've seen plenty of reports from people ranging from they hardly felt it to worst pain of their life. Personally, my first was briefly true 10/10 pain and I had significant pain for days after and random cramps and spotting for months. I'm glad I stuck with it because I haven't had a real period in 8 years. My replacement a few months ago was far less painful and didn't have the same after effects. It truly is extremely variable. Keep in mind that people who had good experiences are far less likely to talk about it online. I agree that something needs to change in terms of options

[@skeinofadifferentcolor2090]

I was gaslit by 3 friends when they said that it wasn't painful. Meanwhile it was the worst pain I had ever experienced, and I fainted three times before leaving the building.

[@katiemossi5975]

13 year IUD user here, 2 changes. Didn't really hurt either time. No cramping, no pain past the first day. I know it's not this way for every woman and I want women to have access to pain management. Yet to say NEVER, is false. Some women do not experience intense pain with this procedure.

[@tianamatson]

Getting an IUD was the WORST medical decision I ever made. There are thousands of women online talking about their horror stories, myself included. This whole clip is just more medical gaslighting. 😠😠😠

[@SunShinesBlessing]

We’ve been saying this for 20 years

[@chihauhaun]

You know this reminds me of what I learned about catheter insertion. Apparently men get lubricating jelly which has an agent to numb the pain and women don't: this is due to the length having to be longer for the male insertion and so they assumed men would feel pain but women's pain was entirely ignored. It was actually a medical practitioner that noticed this and started asking why there was a difference. Turns out there is no difference (other than catheter length) and they had no justification on why men were getting the numbing jelly and women weren't. So overall they observed that women actually experience more pain during a catheter insertion because their pain in not considered significant enough to medicate despite doing this with male counterparts (If they were medicated during the procedure the pain would be equivalent). The medical practitioner came to the conclusion that the hospitals leave the decision up to the individual staff.. so while all men automatically get lubricating jelly that numbs the pain, women get it if their practitioner gets tired of hearing their female patient scream bloody murder. This has been my Ted Talks on catheter jelly. Thank you

[@TheLadyaec]

Awesome.

[@MeganWahrlich]

I had to have a catheter treatments weekly and they put on numbing gel but didn’t wait for it to work! Instantly inserted the catheter. I could go on and on about catheter experiences. Definitely have been gaslit by many drs and nurses.

[@nicholeregul4906]

100% true, it's called urojet, so man don't have to feel the discomfort/pain of have a rub catheter inserted.

[@taste_is_sweet]

Wow. I had no idea you could get anything to make a catheter feel less painful. I had one when I was giving birth, and it hurt so badly that was one of the reasons I asked for an epidural. No one even suggested it.

[@genevieve7676]

Thank you for spreading the word. This info is especially helpful for women seeking an interstitial cystitis diagnosis.

[@missmochiicecream]

"There may be some discomfort" - my partner has gone through two pregnancies now (one with an epidural and one without) and she said getting an IUD put in was much more painful than childbirth. Discomfort doesn't even begin to describe the level of pain.

[@mikochild2]

Agreed. I'd even say worse.

[@ItsVesperArt]

I've spent at least 60 hours being tattooed and I'd do it all over again before I'd ever go through getting another IUD.

[@zuneew]

I agree fully

[@LoganGraceHope]

I had a procedure to check for blockage in my fallopian tubes and the pain was horrendous! The Dr actually yelled at the nurse to hold me still and threatened to leave the room if I didn't stop "wiggling". I later found out that I could have received a numbing cream. Why are so many Drs heartless P'sOS? 😢

[@Dr_KW]

It's because they're bad doctors but want to blame you. Ridiculous.

[@beberivera7011]

You had a hysterosalpingogram which is the diagnostic test to identify occlusion of the fallopian tubes. There's no anesthetic that can be used to ease the pain from the pressure if the contrast medium being pushed into the tubes. When I was prepping pts for this procedure, I would make sure that the patient got 1 Tylenol w/codeine from the pharmacy to take at least 30 mins before the procedure to mitigate pain. It IS an uncomfortable procedure, though, so I understand that it was horrible for you especially bc the provider and their tech weren't empathetic to your pain. I'm very sorry for your experience.

[@theblondeone8426]

OMG I had this too it hurt soooo bad see my comment i took two oxys i got from a fam member and still didnt touch that pain!!

[@theblondeone8426]

@@beberivera7011im a hospital nurse, you could easily give IV opioids for this like we do in the hospital for women in labor etc. NO PROBLEM. The fact that these “techs” say this to women is horrible and youre ignorance im sorry to say is just contributing to this bias!

[@theblondeone8426]

they just dont want to pay the extra money for nurses thats why they have techs they should never have techs for such an invasive and painful procedure - they could even use sedation!!!

[@heids418]

Dr. Azar, my IUD implantation was excruciating and by far the most painful medical procedure I’ve ever experienced. ‘Discomfort’ would’ve been a delight at that point. How dare you minimize the pain women experience during these barbarically painful and invasive procedures.

[@CinderellaRaptured333]

It FREAKING HURT BAD is a much better term than, ‘slightly uncomfortable’.

[@damdamfino]

My Gyno didn’t offer any painkillers. I asked if taking a Vicodin I had at home would help and her face lit up and said “yeah! That’d be great” … if it’s such a great idea, why can’t you offer pain management yourself? Driving the 2 hours home post insertion was excruciating and I had severe dull pain and cramps for 3 months afterwards. (Called to ask about the cramps and they said that was normal) The medical industry really, really takes female pain for granted. We are expected to “just deal with it” a lot.

[@jamiewilson1532]

They won't prescribe anything other than Tylenol because what if you're a dirty pill seeker! But then men get pain meds for vasectomies. Only just recently did they start including clitoral nerves in the medical text books. It is medical misogyny. Women are always treated as if they are pregnant even when getting procedures that would prevent pregnancy or make it impossible.

[@theblondeone8426]

exactly!!!! like they dont for painful periods either i get them off the street

[@Mbuyiselo5]

@@theblondeone8426They genuinely don’t care about period pain . A male doctor had the nerve to tell me to get pregnant and that would solve my pain.

[@Vektor-Gaming-and-Design]

Mine was the same way... cramps for months afterwards. I still get extremely terrible cramps when I pms. Worst pain I've ever felt in my life upon insertion, I felt so weird and almost passed out. I'm jealous because my friend who got it done said she felt nothing!!! ugh. never again.

[@valeriaswanne]

I could barely see through the fog of excruciating pain and 7mg hydrocodone I'd taken beforehand such that I drove 15mph back and nearly wrecked so many times

[@melanin.beautyxiii]

My bestie is Trinidadian. When she got her IUD inserted back home she was actually put to sleep. That's actually standard practice down there. That's why she opted to get it done down there instead of in the US. It's disgusting how much we're expected to suffer.

[@franjkav]

It seems like it’s the standard everywhere else in the world

[@ErutaniaRose]

The US sucks so bad, literally one of the worst places to receive care if you aren’t bloody rich. Or if you are just female, black or indigenous, disabled, etc. we shouldn’t even call it care anymore when care is a rarity instead of the norm.

[@sdot6569]

I’m Trini & healthcare is free for everyone in the country too…Just seems like US health system lacks humanity a lot of the time.

[@DorkAcademia]

Brb flying to trinidad to get birth control

[@Buddhavibez]

They need to address iud dislodging and becoming stuck in other places. Twice it happened to me. And pain is horrendous

[@Sci-lives]

Insertion pain not being controlled and your experience is why I never got one. Sorry you went through that.

[@stephanietrotter652]

Me TOO!!! I thought it was just me!

[@dangitjacques5133]

@@Sci-livessame here. All the horror stories about IUDs pushed me to just get my tubes removed. At least I was knocked out for that procedure.

[@jazbarry13]

When I was in college, my mother who was about 43 at the time had to have a full hysterectomy because of this. I remember coming home from school to take care of her after her surgery. That was about 15 years ago. I knew then that these things were bad news.

[@Jin420]

​@@jazbarry13 it might have been the copper ones. Those used to cause so many issues (Mirena isn't copper)

[@isie_withease]

It's not just iud insertion. There are other procedures that are also painful. Like cervical biopsy.

[@rhondah.1478]

I've never had an IUD but I recently had an endometrial biopsy and they don't really prepare you for how much that hurts either.

[@natashaowens2177]

It HURTS! Discomfort would be an improvement. The OBGYN's can do better.

[@MossyMozart]

To be fair and not to erase their experience, there are women who do find the procedure uncomfortable vs painful. However, the tenaculum is definitely the most painful part. (Tenaculum = the clamp with a sharp tooth at the end that bites into and controls the cervix during IUD insertion. A moving target would not be helpful.)

[@boomerjamify]

This piece is still trying to minimize women’s pain. The pain the patients are describing is way more than uncomfortable!! WTH!!!

[@morgan.simmons]

Did she just say 'mild pain'? My gyno told me that if/when I get an IUD in the future, he'll try to see if he can fully put me to sleep, otherwise I might end up hating him. His words, not mine. I also have endometriosis, and I was told by three different gynos that they can't really do anything about the pain, which is incorrect.

[@sarahcahill954]

What did they end up doing about your pain? I have endometriosis too and feel like my pain keeps getting dismissed

[@blinkysparkz]

@@sarahcahill954 I also have endometriosis and my doctor put me on a birth control that's progesterone only because she said that estrogen is the main reason I'm in pain all the time. It stops periods completely which has helped a lot. It doesn't get rid of all the pain though, there are still flare ups and discomfort often but at least it's not so debilitating that I can't walk like it used to be. I'm supposed to be getting an IUD in 6 months to regulate the estrogen levels as well.

[@MossyMozart]

@@sarahcahill954 -- Endometriosis can flummox docs that have no training in the condition. You would be a lot better off searching for an experienced doc, finding a specialist, or going to a clinic at a medical center with a good reputation for gynecological medicine.

[@Faith-mk9sp]

“Maybe slightly uncomfortable” I’ve had 4 iuds, each insertion was the worst pain of my life. If you’re saying that more intense Anesthesic/Anesthesia is not medically necessary, THEN YOU’RE NOT LISTENING

[@enigma_investigators]

So basically now they're required to tell us it "could be" "slightly uncomfortable". We already knew that. When are we going to be offered pain management methods? When will we have more choices than "take a ibuprophen an hour before your appointment"? I am beyond upset my insertion was the most pain I've ever felt. Then years later we are informed IUDs are a class 1 carcinogen!!! Enough is enough. I'm tired of being lied to by my Dr.

[@Catapultout]

FINALLY. Wow… this is crazy. It took social media. So sad.

[@bloodlove93]

everything changes because social media nowadays

[@Catapultout]

@@bloodlove93 it’s the quickest way to get attention, but it shouldnt be for medicine. Patient complaints right then and there, wincing on the table, having to switch providers, should all be red flags but they are ignored when they come from women. That’s the problem.

[@garylefevers]

@bloodlove93, thank God for that.

[@katherinebrown5720]

"Wincing" ... I wish. I fully cried out. More than once. I was terrified. There was NO warning. Like, not a heads up or anything. ​@@Catapultout

[@AmyThrash]

It’s because it’s easy to spot trends on social media and people tend to vent on social media. Example, if someone is sick, they’re more likely to post their symptoms on social media than report to the health department. So public health staff tend to monitor social media for trends, outbreaks, and other concerns.

[@CryPixie83]

Anyone else feel gaslit by Dr Azar???

[@haute03]

*raises hand*

[@SDChick]

Yes. My hysterectomy was less painful than the IUD insertions. 48 hours post op I wasn’t taking any oral pain meds and i walked the neighborhood with no abdominal pain since my early teens. I’m so, so angry for the years I lost to pain that doctors ignored.

[@A---ti3zz]

Can't imagine them finding a worse doctor for this segment. I don't know what NBC was thinking. The producer should be fired.

[@CryPixie83]

@@A---ti3zz firing seems extreme, but definitely reprimanded and maybe given some professional counseling because they missed the mark by a wide margin here.

[@Omnihilo]

About to find her practice and leave a review. Play games, win prizes.

[@KittiePrice]

It’s not just IUD’s. I had a biopsy of my uterus. Doctors do not sedate for this. I took pain medication. The pain was so bad I thought I was going to pass out. Imagine if this procedure was done to a man. They would be sedated in some way shape or form.

[@nightsgrow6575]

What other type of biopsy would be done without pain relief and/or sedation?? It’s insane

[@Meskarune]

@@KittiePrice I've had 2 uterine biopsies and the pain was horrific

[@monicajohnston8364]

I had the same experience when I had my fibroid biopsied. The male gynecologist told me it "might pinch a little" and that I might experience "a little cramping." It was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. Women's pain is not taken seriously by the medical establishment.

[@pretendginger]

I was also the lucky recipient of a completely non-sedated, non-medicated Uterine biopsy a handful of years ago. My male GYN used the "some women report experiencing some mild discomfort with this procedure" line right before I felt like I would simultaneously vomit and pass out.

[@talizorah]

The other day I saw a social media conversation about women getting no pain control except ibuprofen after giving birth--even getting c-sections. Meanwhile, men are prescribed opioids like candy after getting vasectomies, which is not even in the same stratosphere as having a whole human taken out of you and getting your insides rearranged in the process. It is truly staggering how misogynistic modern medicine still is.

[@MoonieMoonball]

Can we also talk about how painful other procedures are like biopsies for possible cervical cancer?!?! Those are so incredibly painful that I nearly pass out from them. And Im sorry...some "discomfort"?!?! Have these doctors not learned from their patients? Ive been hearing outcry about this issue of no pain relief for womens procedures for years and not a single doctor has learned from it? I was honestly quite upset with my own doctor a month ago when having to have a biopsy done and he said "just a pinch" but again, I nearly passed out from the pain (and I have a pretty decent tolerance to pain but this was too much). ALL of us women need this change and we need it NOW

[@EverAppl14]

There is no reason for it not to hurt, honestly, and I cannot believe how long this has been going on the way it is. I remember back in 2012, my roommate lost consciousness when she got hers put in. One of my best friends had a complicated insertion a couple of years ago where she was in pain for a LONG time as the practitioner made several failed attempts to insert the IUD and literally put her through excruciating torture that caused her deep emotional stress and unusual pain around intimate activity for a long time. It was trauma. I also think they fail to explain the risks to folks. For instance, if you have endometriosis or adenomyosis or bad fibroids, the IUD can shift and become uncomfortable or fused to the endometrium and require a surgical procedure for removal. I've never been able to get one because it would not be compatible with the extreme bleeding and clots that I deal with. A non-hormonal IUD can make your cramping a lot worse. Some IUDS come with a risk of intracranial hypertension caused by the way they affect a person's hormones. I know a lot of people rely on them and they are a useful product, but let's not pretend it's a walk in the park to get something hoisted up through what was a closed organ designed to remain shut. There's no way doctors would expect (amab) men to be fine without pain management during a procedure like that, if there were a comparable one for them.

[@michelleb7399]

It doesn’t really sound like anything was heard by the CDC. They are still using the same words, that it may cause discomfort. They only changed the option of having a numbing gel vs injection. Nothing in that gives an indication that they believe the procedure causes actual pain. If I were told it may cause some discomfort, I may opt out of pain relief, especially since it will probably cost $$. Why can’t they acknowledge the level of suffering so may women consistently claim?

[@AliciaGuitar]

I was just telling my roomate how the internet and patient support groups are pulling the veil off the abuse in the med industry. We are talking to each other and finding out we arent crazy like they pretend we are!

[@vmfjae1180]

It's not uncomfortable. It's painful on a high level

[@malwads1836]

It's also starting to out these pieces of 💩 that are simply lousy medical providers...... It's pretty hard to hide from the millions of internet eyes nowadays.

[@louisehogg8472]

Yep. Similar 'discoveries' being made around ME/CFS and psychotic episodes/schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder...

[@slogiraffe]

In the 70’s I tried having one inserted, but I hurt so bad I screamed to take it out. He totally minimized my pain and was not happy when I insisted. His ego was hurt as he commented he had inserted it perfectly and it shouldn’t hurt that much. I hurt for days after.

[@hiiiimymelody]

Same. I was gaslight and the nurses were mad about how much I was wailing. They tried a few times and accused me of not telling them that I was "assaulted" in the past because that's the "only reason" I woukd be reacting this way because they were doing everything else.

[@wlpark001]

What an A-hold your Dr. was.

[@raeanders3513]

Same thing happened to me, except it was two nurse practitioners. They continued attempting the procedure until I kept screaming for about a minute for them to stop. Traumatic experience that I carried with me for a long time.

[@catsamandaandfriends]

I had pain at insertion, no meds or anything given and for 2 months afterwards nonstop bleeding :(

[@Ils1822]

No one should be getting iud’s. Our bodies are not meant to have those things inserted in the CERVIX. The reason the doctors don’t care is because every patient screams and has that pain. The men doctors are so much worse when it comes to women’s pain it makes me hate them.

[@mariepatt]

When I got my copper IUD put in, I passed out for the first time in my life. It was excruciatingly painful and I was not prepared or given anything for pain. I went in that day expecting to walk home by myself but needed to call my boyfriend to walk with me to make sure I didn’t pass out again on the sidewalk. I bled heavily with the most intense cramps I ever experienced for days after. This needs to be studied better so patients can be offered the care they need.

[@Doobydoobydoowah]

When I got mine out they told me it didn’t hurt much (BS). I was doing loud, sighing breaths while she took it out, just trying to focus on my breath and keep myself calm. After it came out and the pain had somewhat subsided, I mentioned that I was dizzy and nauseous. She just says, “that’s because you weren’t breathing.” 😑 I’m switching doctors. I remember my old male gyno, who inserted my IUD, telling me that there are no nerves in the cervix 🙄 This has since been disproven.

[@bill578]

Many doctors go through years of schooling and still come out completely dull. This pain should have been addressed YEARS ago.

[@ladyeowyn42]

My shattered ankle was a 4 on a pain scale where my iud was the 10.

[@2036livy]

My daughter passed out, threw up, screamed and begged for them to help with pain. Doctor refused to even acknowledge and basically told her to toughen up because pain isn't that much 😡 I was out in waiting room and she asked for me right before she passed out and they refused. Her whole body went into a violent shake from the pain

[@MossyMozart]

Vaso-vagal reactions are short-lived, but very dramatic and scary to go through. (A major causative factor IS pain.) I hope your daughter found an more empathetic doc after that!

[@ErutaniaRose]

Did you punch the doctor?

[@faylin9609]

Women's health, in general, is not taken seriously in the medical field. We are supposed to bear it and continue with life. Pretend it's not that bad. This is a small step in the right direction.

[@amethystflower8799]

Male infants get circumcised at birth. It is literally torture and has zero benefits. It is so painful. End the barbaric practice of circumcision

[@Kittycat23247]

It's not just women, stop trying to victimize yourself

[@nothankyoudontwantalastnam847]

We're not hard to understand, but they act like its impossible. This is so dumb. It's like we're moving backward.

[@alexvasquez5053]

I really hate when doctors describe something that will be painful as "pressure" or "discomfort". I know they don't want to scare the patient but its so much worse to not be ready for how bad something is going to hurt.

[@sphinxwidget]

Have a coworker who worked in an OBGYN office. We spoke on how horrible IUDs are, not just insertion.. but how people can get PTSD from the lack of prep and care given towards a patient when going for the procedure (I don't even know why this bull*hit exists when you have people blacking out...) Not to mention how one's uterus can also start to 'eat' the IUD and you have to get it surgically removed... OR (and I didn't know about this happening) she mentioned how they actually can't tell if they put it in right o_o the uterus is quite small and sometimes the gyno will stab through the top of the uterus OR, completely push it out of the top of the uterine wall! Atrocious 'Proffesionals'

[@schfifty5]

two things: as a woman whose iud insertions were the most traumatic physical events of my life, I want to know who established the previous guidelines and if they were incentivized to downplay the excruciating pain. (As in- if it was the pharmaceutical company not wanting their new product to be associated with pain severity bad enough to require anesthesics.) I feel angry about the doctors who gaslit me and assured me that my second insertion wouldn’t be as bad Second thing: as happy as I am that women are advocating for women and that it’s working, I think it says a lot about how much work there is left to do when she said “menstruating” and then apologized for being “graphic” Give me a break. If people think hearing the word menstruation is graphic, they ought to grow up and show some respect for women and the things they go through. Menstruation is celebrated in some cultures, and tip toeing around a bodily function that half the population experiences because you’re on national news only feeds into the stigma and the shame.

[@mrssmallhands7516]

It's actually a pretty dark history. A lot of these procedures were created by a man who would experiment on ladies of color and claimed they felt no pain. This is where our "modern" women's healthcare come from. About a hundred years ago where racism was rampant and torture acceptable.

[@catypirro802]

My second insertion was WORSE. And i specifically asked for something to help manage the pain and i was told "no". Then i was told mid-procedure to "stop being so dramatic because there are women in here who have given birth and this is nothing" 😵‍💫

[@RectPropagation]

Mirena's web site used to tell people that the doctor was going to give you an anesthetic for the procedure. Imagine my surprise the first time I got one and they didn't give me anything. 😠

[@inu3112]

Imagine if social media wasn’t a thing. This would just go on for who knows how long. One of the rare positive impacts of social media

[@elin_]

Well.. All they talk about is that the obgyns should address that it's "slightly uncomfortable", which is to put it very very lightly.. There is no pain relief in sight. Not a victory.

[@AyAReI00]

Withouth social media the me too movement would have NEVER been a thing, and women would be still be gaslit about being isolated cases instead of the most common ocurrense that women of all ages since kids have suffer some type of abuse, from the lesser being catcalled, touch on publc transportation to the worse being SAed

[@TR4R]

It surprises me to remember a mature woman who told me this was her preferred birth control method. She didn't even mention the pain. I guess older generations had this backwards mindset that you should just shut up.

[@audreystarr6166]

Litterally the only time I've said thank God for social mediation

[@GoldenShrike]

Thats what it did

[@PhrontDoor]

NOW they are taking action? Because women have a much more public 'voice' and it's making the doctors look so incompetent? This pain complaint has been the case since IUDs first came out. The pain issue was always ignored.

[@elin_]

They're not really taking any action though. They just want the obgyns to tell us that it can be uncomfortable. That's not enough.

[@Valla84]

"Enough" or "good enough" pain relief?! How about not any? Because being told to take 800mg of Ibuprofen beforehand is not pain relief. I threw up after I got home. Dr. Azar should not be speaking on this, as she is not an OB/GYN. Also, Dr. Azar, I *was* menstruating at the time of my insertion. It was still HORRIFIC.

[@lilianmoon4832]

Another problem with "self advocating" with pain meds is it can get you labeled as "drug seeking" and can cause the doctor to take any of your concerns less seriously. Learned that from expert both first hand and working in an ER.

[@theblondeone8426]

The CDC needs to do MORE than just tell the doctors to tell the patient that its painful - they need to mandate that drs OFFER something for PAIN!!! Something IV, because they can do that in the office!! Why are we allowing torture in America?!?? I would never have this done - Im a RN and Im disgusted that patients have no options

[@amethystflower8799]

Male infants get circumcised at birth. It is literally torture and has zero benefits. It is so painful. End the barbaric practice of circumcision

[@nmh7499]

Yes! I don't understand how sedative dentistry exists yet they can't do something similar for IUD insertion. A topical lidocain isn't going to do crap for the pain.

[@skilynnclari]

@@nmh7499 Right?! Like, you are inserting something into my uterus, so maybe realize that it'll hurt my uterus, too, not just the cervix!!

[@deirdremorris9234]

​@@nmh7499 I got zip for pain and no warning my cervical biopsy would hurt.

[@JI04]

It's the same in France I only had ibuprofen that I had to buy myself before and it was obviously not enough I almost passed out and my boyfriend never saw me in so much pain and said he was scarred for me.

[@SailorZ_]

My doctor’s pain management for insertion was the nurse holding my hand. After 2 failed attempts of me blacking out and going into shock, she said iud’s aren’t for me. Even though I had one previously put in 6 weeks after birth no problem. But when it was time to change it out, the experience was horrendous. It also took 2 attempts for removal and I had to stay there for a while after because my blood pressure and blood sugar dropped in response. If I had been offered literally any pain management, I’m sure it would have gone better. I had a panic attack when I got home and never went back to that doctor. I really resent the wording “slightly uncomfortable” in this video. It’s excruciating for some.

[@Hayden-rc1ru]

I stopped going to my GP for pretty much anything when she dismissed the pain of the IUD insertion she just did, then the chronic discomfort I'm doing through with my intestinal problems. The day I decide to try again to do something about the latter, I'm going to see another doctor.

[@SuperMrsMar]

When I got mine, my blood pressure dropped to slow they had to have a nurse sit with me and evaluate me to see if there was improvement or if I needed to be transferred to the ER. I have had migraines for 25 years, I know pain, and nothing has taken me out like that.

[@christinaheater2500]

Yes! The change out was worse. My 1st one broke! They tried fishying round a bit. Two appts later, meds to open my cervix, ultra sound to see if it was still there, and "procedure" under full sedation. Needless to say, I didnt have another put in. Admittedly, the med staff were upfront on pain and apoligetic.

[@SailorZ_]

@@SuperMrsMar yeah I had a very problematic and painful c section so I did not expect the iud pain to hit me so hard

[@SailorZ_]

@@christinaheater2500 they were able to get mine out with a hook and ultrasound, makes me nauseous thinking about it

[@YourRoyalMajesty.]

Women’s pain for iud, or paps, biopsies, ect are not taken seriously by doctors. Even female doctors! We NEED pain management!!! It’s not “just a slight pinch.” It is extremely painful at times!

[@ZoeGraceeeee]

I LOVE HOW SHE GAS LIT US AGAIN BY SAYING “ my colleague said, ‘ it like never hurts” -when it was in fact, one of the most traumatic experiences of my life

[@linkLoverAG]

My fiance was there when I got mine inserted and the pain was definitely intense. Poor guy felt so bad, but its important to me that he can see what I have to go through medically to be able to prevent us from having children. He is a good man, and has always been supportive thankfully.

[@clellieirwin2155]

It's not just the initial insertion, agonizing as it is. It's the 6 months of hemorrhaging blood and missing work because you're incapacitated with pain during your period. They don't warn you beforehand and then when you go to the hospital because you're scared something's wrong, they act as though you should have expected this. If you don't have a copper IUD, don't get one. If you have one, get it out. If you're a gynecologist, explain to your patients that for the year after they get it inserted, the resulting pain and blood loss will likely be a huge factor in their life.

[@christinaheater2500]

Yes! I didnt have the pain after insertion, but I bled for months and was told its normal! Then when it was time to take out, it broke. Only the string came out. Multiple appts with multiple drs, 2 ultra sounds, and finally a procedure similar to a colonoscopy. Admitedly, when getting it out, staff was very apolegetic and up front on pain. Needless to say I didnt get another.

[@Kim-zy8ix]

Graphic?? Wow. Excruciating insertion, not to mention the incessant bleeding for months after and painful cramps during menstruation. It was cathartic and liberating removing the IUD after 4 years despite its efficacy.

[@laurenemily13]

Had mine for 3 years and this never went away for me

[@GrrliinaK]

Every visit to the gynecologist is horribly painful even just a PAP smear.

[@cheyennes7681]

I have extreme pain durring my PAP smear too. I put it off as long as I can. I have also had to do internal ultrasounds. Not fun either!

[@ArielGibson757]

@@cheyennes7681 Isn't that fun when they're new and don't really know what they're doing .

[@cheyennes7681]

@@ArielGibson757 Sad thing is they weren't new.

[@betchface752]

Thats cause you let a dude do it. Gyno should only be woman dr. Period…

[@gabbygabbs9901]

Yea especially if they are male

[@gailmatt1734]

What about endometrial biopsies? Office hysteroscopies? Kidney/bladder cystoscopy stent removals? There are so many more procedures that are traumatizing and barbaric to do without sedation, but if you ask, the answer they give is that it’s quick. 5 minutes of torture is still torture. As someone who is on year 3 of a pelvic cancer and more procedures for the effects of treatments, I have found doctors to be heartless. How they can smile at your face before they know they will be inflicting severe pain on you is infuriating.

[@CC4real]

probably because most doctors are actually psychopaths. Many of them literally have no to very little empathy. 💀

[@stormyzero6700]

Getting an IUD is the WORST pain I’ve ever experienced and calling it “slightly uncomfortable” is insulting.

[@TheEverGrowingRosey-333]

I was very fortunate to have compassionate & empathetic doctors do my insertions; both getting a copper IUD & then later replaced with a hormonal based one. I was prescribed a single volume, a single oxy, numbing injecting into my cervix, & then injected ibuprofen into my veins too. I only felt a bit discomfort & a single brief sharp pinch of pain. I share this because this should frankly should be the general standard for everyone with a uterus getting an IUD. Edit: The volume & oxy are taken one hour before the procedure. Also I highly recommend the hormonal based IUD over a copper; the later made my cycle happen more often, heavier, longer, & much more painful.

[@virginiafield-bennett3443]

How tf is mentioning menstruation considered being “graphic”? Patriarchal bs.

[@jillmac2000]

They really need to stop with bull💩 phrases like "discomfort" or "slightly uncomfortable" and call it what it is: painful. Pain and discomfort/uncomfortable aren't interchangeable words. And to have this woman still trying to downplay and gaslight the reality is crappy. The best decision I ever made was a hysterectomy. One less doctor to deal with

[@mdickard8354]

Kinda hate this doc as 1. She's not an ob/gyn and had to "phone a friend". Why not just get the friend on? 2. She kept minimizing it by saying "discomfort" which illustrates the whole point. 3. The doc herself seemed a little ooked out by mentioning menstruation. Give me a break!!

[@stephanielarsen2826]

Thank you!!! I almost passed out, bled alllll over the procedure room and vomited. I was given no medication at all, even after I asked for it. It is horrendous pain.

[@rdsunshine34741]

This woman clearly has never had it inserted. It's not the cervical pain it's the cramping that comes when they shove the rod inside your uterus to measure how much space there is!!! It's not discomfort it's intense severe pain.

[@OfficialCorinneGames]

"slightly uncomfortable" isn't the right word. You mean very painful. It feels like your cervix is getting pierced.

[@jas2804]

Your cervix literally gets pierced during the procedure. They use the tenaculum to pretty much stab 🔪🩸open your cervix on both sides to be able to get the IUD in.

[@anonymoususer4866]

This is the most accurate description of the pain I’ve seen so far.

[@victoriamahon3765]

@@jas2804YES!!! And they offer other options, but doctors still choose to use the piercing type of tenaculum. It’s barbaric, and it should be illegal, especially when there are other options out there and doctors can’t be bothered to use them.

[@ec7271]

When my Dr said it was going to be a “little pinch” then she looked at me crazy when I almost passed out.. insane

[@isleofdogs89]

I had my first put in last year, and the pain was so horrific and traumatizing for both myself AND my husband who was in the room. He's literally told me "If they don't give you something to take it out, we're going somewhere else". I honestly don't know how I got through it, and that's coming from someone whose had debilitating cramping during periods. It's literally depressing how much women's pain is minimized.

[@tj-xe2si]

Why is your husband putting you through the pain and side effects instead of him getting a vasectomy which is less invasive and does not have IUD level side effects ?

[@ladyeowyn42]

FWIW taking it out is a lot easier usually.

[@christinaheater2500]

​@@ladyeowyn42for me it was worse because it broke, then they tried fishing it out. They even have a special tool with a camera (similar to colonoscopy). The dr who took it out said he has about 1 a year.

[@psmayaps]

@@tj-xe2si preventing pregnancy is not the only use of IUDs, a lot of people use it to regulate their hormones (acne, menstruation cycle, cramping, etc) as well as for contraception

[@tj-xe2si]

@@psmayaps The ones using it for contraception and complaining about side effects need to make the men do it or deny the irresponsible ejaculators access to women .

[@takeyourheart1]

Never bring this guest on again, she is minimizing the pain for women just like every other crappy lying gaslighting doctor.

[@Nieyx]

I was told I would feel a 'slight' pinch. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life. I was so terrified of getting it out, despite the constant cramps, that I asked them to do it while I was under for surgery.

[@user-nk9pz8lp4d]

Having this done was the most traumatizing medical procedure I’ve experienced. It was extremely painful, I didn’t know I could experience such pain. The doctor told me “it will be a little bit of pressure” such gaslighting. I will be the one deciding how I’m experiencing it.