Monday, December 08, 2008

It's going to hurt how much?

This is TMI but I am going to the OB/GYN for a IUD today.

They said to take 3 Advil an hour before my appointment.

This worries me a GREAT deal.

In my not at all limited experience with medical practitioners, they tend to downplay just how much pain you will be in.

"Just a slight pinch"

"You might feel some momentary discomfort"

"There might be some tenderness"

I'm not sure how they define 'pinch', 'discomfort' and 'tenderness' but in no way do their definitions match up with mine. It always ends up with me in agony doing my damnedest not to start shrieking and frightening off the other patients.

I know they no doubt have very good reasons for minimizing the amount of pain you might be in. After all, the injection or probe or whatever they are about to do to you, needs to be done. It will be done, and a worried patient is a tense patient, which makes the injection or the probe harder to do. So they say "a quick pinch" instead of "A sharp jab lasting about 10 seconds followed by 24 hours of soreness around the injection site" in the hopes you will believe them and relax.

So, given my inclination to believe I am being deceived if not actually lied to about how bad something is going to hurt, you can imagine my reaction to being told to take 3 Advils before the visit, is not one of sweetness and light.

3 ADVILS??  3???

I've never been told to take more than one Advil at a time. The idea of taking 3 at once is somewhat alarming. I'm supposed to take them because I might experience 'some slight cramping' after the IUD is installed.

"Slight cramping"

Given past experience with medical understatement I am guessing I am going to have the sort of pain that will make me want several Valium and and epidural.

13 comments:

Kresta said...

Aww, I have no experience with one, but maybe it won't be so bad. Hope it goes well for you!

tiarastantrums said...

oh - I am on the verge of getting one as well . . . if this getting pregnant soon doesn't pan out - I am so in there for Mirena. Let me know how it goes?

Anonymous said...

Hope your day wasn't nearly as bad as it wasn't made out to have to be. LOL :) I agree, just give it to me straight and I'll be a big girl- no lies! Hope all was just fine and no cramping!

Anonymous said...

Yeah, they told me I might have "mild cramping" after my uterine biopsy. They were liars from the pits of hell.

I have a really high pain tolerance and ended up going home and curling up on the couch in a fetal position for the rest of the day.

Hope it isn't too bad for you.

Anonymous said...

Never had one before but thought about getting one-be warned though, I know someone who is pregnant right now and was on it!

Paula @ Organizing Tips For Moms said...

Cramps have never been slight for me! Hope it goes well.

Tara @ Feels Like Home said...

I hope it goes well!

I had to have a colposcopy last year, and they told me to take two advil an hour before the test. Oh. My. Goodness. It felt like an egg beater covered... maybe I should just stop there.

I hope it goes well tomorrow!

Aunt Becky said...

I've heard conflicting accounts of pain for this. But I'm getting one as well after Amelia pops out, so I'll be begging you for advice.

The Four Week Vegan said...

I hope it went well and you are pain-free.

Jenni said...

Ughhhhh. I hope it went okay!

Ava in Wonderland said...

Gosh, I am no experience with that type of thing, but I hope it went smoothly and pain free!

Duni said...

I hope it wasn't as bad as you thought it might be...
I have a gyn appointment next Monday - Gulp.

Anonymous said...

Thinking of you, I hope it goes well.