Taking out an IUD at home...really stupid or cost effective?

[BettinaAuSucre]

What do you incredibly intelligent ladies think? I dont want to spend any more money on this IUD at it has already cost me $243 to have it put in. Come May 2011 i will be TTC officially and at that time, having been a year, would it be wise to take it out myself?

[libranbutterfly]

You could try. I have heard of people removing it themselves, or having their partner remove it. I couldnt get mine out myself, so I went to Planned Parenthood. They work on a sliding sale, and my income was low enough that I did not pay anything, even when they had to do an ultrasound to locate it.

[Baby_Cakes]

I wanted to try to take mine out myself, but couldn't get two fingers in to grab the strings evenly. I was very afraid I would tug unevenly and cause it to puncture my poor ute. I gladly spent the $15 copay to some lame OB to pull it out. Took 5 min.

Everything I read online said don't do it yourself. I just couldn't shake the fear that I would hurt myself. Maybe if I had a speculum and tweezers and a good mirror I would try, but just blindly feeling around in there, I wouldn't chance it.

[earthyamber]

I didn't want to pay the $200 every local place was going to charge me (even though I am very low income). Even planned parenthood was going to charge me $175 and said they don't do sliding scale for removal of IUDs (every place may be differant). So, one place I called I talked to a nurse. She told me to do it myself and save my money. So, I had my husband do it for me. No pain and it came out easy. Now that I am pregnant, even my OB and my primary dr agree that it was fine to do as long as you have no current infections. So, I say go for it!

[Strong Mama]

I went and got mine out at the health department. I had a pap scheduled there, and then i just asked them to take it out while they were down there. They did, and everything was for free Gyno was gonna charge me $300!!!!

[RachelL321]

I pulled mine no problems, just a little tug and it came right out, was pregnant less than a month later! Good luck, and just make sure and wash your hands really good first lol

[Mummoth]

I pulled mine, nothing bad happened and it came out easily. I had been reacting to (I think) the nickel in it, and felt instantly a bit better once it was out and completely better about 12 hours later. About 3 days later I started a heavy period, but I hadn't had one for several months and it didn't set off any alarm bells for me.

[BettinaAuSucre]

Oh i am so glad that you ladies had an easy time getting it out and got pregnant pretty quickly afterwards!

[Climbergirl]

I had a homebirth midwife come to my house and do it. She charged me $125 and is filing it with my insurance. I would not have been comfortable doing it myself since my strings were very short.

[EdnaMarie]

Wow, this is an interesting thread. I was going to suggest Planned Parenthood as well. Seems many people have had success doing it themselves. I can't comment on that as I'm not an expert.

[Jane]

I pulled mine myself, b/c I'm kinda a do-it-herself kind of person. I cut off my own skin tags, too. Anyway, it was not a big deal, but I'd encourage you to only do it if you feel comfortable. Surprisingly simple. However, I haven't been able to get knocked up.
DoomaYula's got a thread from ages ago about it with instructions.

[MommatoAandA]

When mine was pulled it seemed sooo easy. All the midwife did was insert some long tweezer looking things and had me cough while she pulled. Out it came! I bet you could totally pull it yourself.

[PancakesMancakes]

I pulled out mine and it was no problem. My bff couldn't belive that I was going to do it myself, but i'm cheap like that and didn't want to spend the $50 to get it taken out

[aea89]

okay i am reading this and i have been wanting to take mine out but i am scared to do it myself but its so expensive to get it out so question do i just bend over and reach for it and try to just pull it is there a certin way to do this???

[Mother of 2 hop]

I know that this is an old posting, but for those like me who was searching for answers I thought that I would write am update! I want to say that I have wanted my Iud out for almost two years, the side effects were unbearable at times but we could not bring our selves to pay $200 to have it removed. Recently we decided that we wanted another child in which case it must come out, yesterday I started googling about removing it. After reading several postings I decided to try. The strings were short and kind of difficult to grab, I tired to have my husband help but in the end it wad easier for me to just do it. Once I was able to get s good grip on the strings it almost just fell out! Easier then removing a tampon, I didn't even feel it come out. It was super easy, BUT if it doesn't come out easily with a little pull then it may be worth paying to have it removed. Hope that this helps someone else!

[ocadena2011]

Im reading this for research and I have had my IUD for 8 years and am currently divorced for 4 years now!  Im in a serious relationship and now we want to start a family together! I want to pull it out myself since I dont have insurance anymore! I would go to the clinic since I practically dont pay anything now and just have them take it out when i get my well woman but not sure if they will do it! I tried to do it myself but i just cant get a good grip in the string to fully pull it out. I think I got it loose cuz I been having back pain since I starting trying to take it out. Even my best friend offered to assist to take it out.

[McGucks]

I would never try it myself.  I like the suggestions about using Planned Parenthood or something along those lines.  I don't monkey around down there.

[artekah]

Originally Posted by ocadena2011 

Im reading this for research and I have had my IUD for 8 years and am currently divorced for 4 years now!  Im in a serious relationship and now we want to start a family together! I want to pull it out myself since I dont have insurance anymore! I would go to the clinic since I practically dont pay anything now and just have them take it out when i get my well woman but not sure if they will do it! I tried to do it myself but i just cant get a good grip in the string to fully pull it out. I think I got it loose cuz I been having back pain since I starting trying to take it out. Even my best friend offered to assist to take it out.

Your back pain concerns me. It might be lined up badly and hurt you if you try to pull it out. In your case I'd probably go to Planned Parenthood or someone. Also because it's been in for 8 years, which means it's had time to become partially embedded in the tissue. I'm not saying that's the case, just that it's possible. If you do it yourself, it'll *probably* be fine, but since you're having pain I just wouldn't chance it.

In my case, I did pull mine out myself, but it had only been in 4 months, was clearly lined up perfectly, and I had no trouble reaching the strings. I disinfected my hands very thoroughly, squatted in the shower and gave the very gentlest tug, and it fell right out. Easy peasy! I was shocked it was so quick an easy. I had no pain during or afterwards--a couple day of bleeding that week, then back to normal!

I urge anyone doing it yourself to just tug *very gently.* If you feel any pain or any resistance, stop tugging! It'll be super straightforward and come right out if all is well. If you have any reason to think it might not be straightforward, like in ocadena's case, I think it's safer to go see someone.