IUD Pain

I feel pretty beat up today. Like every part of my body aches. I am thinking this has something to do with the reality that I did in fact get an IUD put in me yesterday. I am very happy that this happened, but somehow over the course of 5 years I had forgotten how incredibly painful, jarring and invasive the whole process was.  In the grand scheme of things it’s like 15 minutes of uncomfortableness for 5 years of peace of mind, well worth it, but it does leave your body a bit in the ringer for a little while.

Here’s the thing, when I got to the office I had to pee and silly me, thinking how uncomfortable it would be to have someone digging around inside me with a full bladder, literally 5 minutes before I was called back I went to the bathroom. And wouldn’t you know it, as soon as I walk back the nurse was like we need a pee sample from you. EPIC fail. I did not have to pee. They have one of those magical little 2 sided doors from the bathroom into the medical room. She kept opening her side to see if my pee sample was in there. It was not. I could not pee. I drank little tiny cup of water after little tiny cup of water. No pee. Then the nerves set in. The panic. I can’t pee. And they are all sitting around waiting for me to pee. The door opens again; my stress level rises and I can’t pee. I am in the bathroom for 25 minutes, door checked a million times and there is just no way I’m peeing. I finally come out and am like, I am so sorry, I can’t pee. I knew it was totally stress as this point. So she says okay, and takes me to another room to try and calm me down, go over some stuff and hopefully induce pee. Apparently I have to pee before they will actually give me the new IUD.

Everything is going well and then it’s time to try and pee again. Despite drinking tons of little cups of water, the nerves were definitely preventing me from having to go. I tried to force something out. I mean, normally I can pee no matter the situation.  Apparently not today for some stupid reason. I literally squeeze out a tiny bit in the cup. I was hoping that more would come, it would not. She started checking the door again and my nerves were shot. I should mention I had a moment where I wanted to fake it the first time I was in there, where I literally was going to just put water in the cup but then realized water doesn’t look like pee and they’d know. I was that desperate. Alas, the tiny amount of my pee in the cup was going to have to be enough. To get the show on the road I decided to just put that little cup in the door and pray there was enough to do whatever they needed to do. It really wasn’t a lot, but I guess it was enough. Thankfully! This entire process of trying to get me to pee took like 50 minutes. No joke. Retarded.  The whole time wishing I had not peed right before I went it, because at that moment I really had to pee.

So I go in and see the doctor, get undressed, etc. I don’t care how many times you ever go to a gyno in your life, it is still one of the weirdest things you will ever do. I’m not embarrassed or ashamed or anything but it’s just a crazy situation a complete stranger sticking their fingers inside you while narrating what they are doing. I got a shot on my inside to numb the pain I was told. It didn’t numb the pain let me tell you.  As soon as she was in measuring things and feeling around the cramps were instant and fierce and entirely body wrenching. I felt it from my toes to my head. It was epic.  And I’m a pretty tough chick. At least that’s what my brain kept repeating as I endured the pain, you are tough, you got this. I tried to not let my body twitch on the table to badly.

This is the 3^rd IUD I’ve had inserted in my life, the first two times the doctor had a hard time getting it positioned correctly and had to take longer than normal so I was prepared for a similar outcome. It happened. She tried to go in the normal way, and couldn’t get it in. She said she was so sorry but she was going to have to completely move things around and try a different angle.  The sharp pain returned and I clenched my teeth and a few seconds later she had inserted it. In all honestly it doesn’t take that long to do, but it just feels epically horrific. Of course this process also causes some bleeding which is always nice as well. Once I saw the doctor it was only about 15 minutes and I was out of there. An hour to pee, 15 minutes to get my IUD.

I had moments afterwards where I was like I’m totally cool, no problems. Then I’d get this horrific shooting cramp throughout my body. Excellent times. I went home afterwards and just decided to stay home with my doggies and forget about the gym for a night. I think this really was the wisest decision. I was sure I’d feel better this morning, but honesty I woke up exhausted and sore. Part of the sore I am sure is from the gym. But I am for some reason still cramping and I don’t like it. It’s not unbearable by any means; it’s just a random shooting pain. I am sure it will go away, but it’s just annoying.

Things definitely hurt more than they should. My energy level is depleted and I’m ready for this Friday to be done. Of course it’s almost half way thru the day and my bosses are not in town so it defiantly could be worse.  Also as a result of being home all afternoon/evening and feeling not great, I way overate yesterday. Granted, nothing too terrible and it was good stuff. Meaning I indulged in a few extra handfuls of almonds. The horror I know!  But I ate like 1800 calories which mentally doesn’t make me feel all that good. I am sure a day of 1800 calories is not really that critical but it throws off the mind a bit.

I am seriously fighting with myself about what to do tonight. There is a strong part of me that wants to go to the gym. Just go do something to make myself sweat to feel better mentally and physically and then there is another part of me that is like please just rest and let it go for one more day. Not sure who is going to win out in the end. I am running a half marathon in the morning and that is weighing on my mind as well. 8 AM I will be running 13.1 miles tomorrow so that is leading me towards taking one more rest day so I’m recuperated enough to run properly in the morning. But we will see. I also don’t think it would actually kill me to do some upper body strength training tonight. Nothing too crazy mind you, but again, we are just going to have to wait and see.

I seriously had forgotten how invasive the IUD is and how it might take a day or two for my body to rebound. I did not consider this at all when scheduling the appointment. There is a part of me that actually believes the endorphins from exercise will actually help with the cramps and that I’d probably feel better after working out in some strange way. Is that seriously crazy? Possibly, I mean, I know I’m crazy sometimes.  Regardless, I am glad it’s Friday and I get a weekend and I’m glad I’m running a half tomorrow. It’s been far too long since I’ve run one and I really want that high again.

Have a fabulous weekend, whatever you are choosing to do!