Erin Brockovich leads charge to stop sale of Essure contraceptive device
Essure, manufactured by Bayer, is called a “permanent birth control” device that blocks sperm from meeting egg.
A pair of small, flexible metal coils are nonsurgically inserted into a woman’s fallopian tubes, after which tissue grows around the coils, creating a “natural” barrier, according to the maker.
Essure has now been implanted in over 600,000 women since the FDA approved it in 2002 and is considered 99.83% effective. It is nonreversible, so I’m not sure why it’s not called a “permanent sterilization” device. Sounds like verbal gerrymandering.
But after more and more reports of adverse effects of Essure began surfacing, famed consumer advocate Erin Brockovich took notice. According to NewsChannel5.com on July 24:
Brockovich explained, “I got involved because so many women were coming to me that had problems with Essure.”
Brockovich recently started a website for women like Noss and says she’s been overwhelmed by the response. She said that she’s already heard from more than a thousand women who’ve shared similar stories of continuing and debilitating pain, headaches, and heavy bleeding they believe is caused by Essure.
According to her website, Brockovich’s goal is to “create a movement to get this product off the market and find a remedy for those who have been harmed.”
The latter at this point may be a problem. Back to NewsChannel5.com:
What really frustrates Brockovich is that when the FDA approved Essure, it gave it what’s known as pre-emption status meaning women who feel they’ve suffered because of Essure can’t sue the company that makes it.
“This is a law that will protect the company and if the product’s defective, the people who’ve been harmed by it basically have no recourse. That’s not fair,” Brockovich told NewsChannel 5 Investigates.
Brockovich now hopes to collect 5,000 signatures from women who’ve had problems with Essure. They want lawmakers in Washington to take another look at the pre-emption law and the FDA to take another look at Essure.
That sounds fishy to me, as if Big Pharma and/or feminists had a hand in giving Essure “pre-emption status.” And no surprise, Planned Parenthood is a marketer of Essure:
LADIES! Is your family complete? Get info on Essure, a permanent birth control method for women. http://t.co/eItwLGEaJb
— Planned Parenthood Great Rivers (@ppgreatrivers) July 25, 2013
According to Dr. Amanda Yunker, a gynecologist at Vanderbilt, 4% of Essure users she studied had adverse effects. As Brockovich noted, “That’s a lot of women, isn’t it?” So where are the feminists now?
There are a couple Twitter feeds to follow: @StopEssure and @EssureNightmare; and also a couple Facebook pages: Essure Uncensored and Essure Problems.
[HT: Susie Allen]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Great post. I reshared on FB.
Interesting. My OB has Essure advertisements and literature all over his office; I wonder if he’s aware of this? I may speak to him about it at my next appointment.
Obviously this contraption needs to be taken off the market. However, there’s a part of me that wants to say to women who’ve been harmed by this thing, “What exactly did you expect would happen when you shoved wire into your Fallopian tubes? They’re not meant to have wire in them. It’s completely foreign and unnatural and it’s not hard to predict that it’ll be harmful and cause problems.”
Can’t women THINK anymore?
Uh, Jen? If people have complications from like, laser eye surgery do you stick your nose up and say “well, what did you expect to happen?? Using a laser to shave off part of your eyeball is completely foreign and unnatural and it’s not hard to predict that it’ll be harmful and cause problems.” Do you say that to people who get gastric bypass or other “non-essential” surgeries? People tend to trust their doctors and sometimes do risky things when they weigh the benefits versus risks. I don’t think it’s fair to bash on people for this type of stuff.
I do think it’s ridiculous that this company is protected from consumers suing them for their faulty product though. I don’t know if a 4% complication rate is something unusual for these type of surgeries, but I don’t think that any company should be protected from legal consequences if they are damaging people.
Since people at this website are so contraception averse, do you have suggestions as to decreasing sexual desire?
“Since people at this website are so contraception averse, do you have suggestions as to decreasing sexual desire?”
Lol. Put everyone on anti-depressants, that’s a sex drive killer.
“Using a laser to shave off part of your eyeball is completely foreign and unnatural and it’s not hard to predict that it’ll be harmful and cause problems.”- worked well for me Jack, and most people I know. But a friend’s cousin had to wear coke-bottle glasses for a year before having it done again – successfully.
“Since people at this website are so contraception averse, do you have suggestions as to decreasing sexual desire?” – isn’t that why certain cultures have a lot of religious iconography in their homes? Guilt deliverer? Hang a picture of someone religious over your bed? A reminder to be ‘good’? A picture of someone like palin or bachmann would kill my ardour. Stone cold.
I was being sarcastic Reality.
My father had this recommendation for his sons: “go take a cold shower!” Myself? I’m inclined to recommend Enya. Her music is pretty but so lacking in sensuality it could easily be defined as birth control. LOL
I know Jack, you were pointing out Jen’s possible inconsistent approach. Hence you ending by saying “People tend to trust their doctors and sometimes do risky things when they weigh the benefits versus risks. I don’t think it’s fair to bash on people for this type of stuff.” I was supporting your argument.
I thought Enya was an alternative medicine sleep elixir. Now, music for promoting sexual desire…..
Jack, I suppose it just amazes me the lengths women will go to, the lengths they are encouraged to go to, to alter their body’s natural functions. Fertility isn’t a disease or a loss of normal function, like repairing a loss of good eyesight. Yet they’ll take a perfectly healthy and normally-functioning organ, like their Fallopian tubes, and intentionally, permanently damage them. And then be shocked when the damage is worse than they thought or more extensive than they wanted it to be?
And this is sold to women as “health care.” I don’t get it. At all.
Well, apparently 96% of women who got the Essure procedure were okay and got what they wanted out of it, a loss of fertility. If they don’t want kids, they don’t want kids, and if they want surgery to try and prevent that, that’s their call. I am far more worried about the possibly unethical things going on with the FDA approval and the inability of damaged people to receive compensation.
This Essure device is being sold by the doctors that these women trusted. They were told there were no side effects and 99% effective to prevent pregnancy. They were also refused a regular tubal because the Essure was so perfect. Well it turns out that it is not so perfect, the pregnancies and miscarriages are reported to the FDA and nothing is done. The surgeries required to remove the coils from abdomens, bladders and uterus have also been reported to the FDA and they still approve the product. I have heard the pain and suffering from this product and believe it should be taken off the market.
When do we start sticking wire coils into men’s vas deferens?
I don’t think vasectomies require wire coils, and are minimally invasive and low side effects. Men don’t need another form of permanent sterilization with vasectomies so effective. It’s really too bad that there isn’t a minimally invasive, low-side effect form of sterilization for women yet.
“When do we start sticking wire coils into men’s vas deferens?”
Well, I know what my nightmares will consist of tonight.
It’s annoying to me when people insinuate the disparity in types of permanent birth controls for men and women is due to some type of misogyny when it’s pretty obviously anatomy that’s the problem.
As someone who has suffered from the complications of essure I just want to say, I get it. I see how some people can basically call me an idiot for even thinking that shoving these coils made out of nickel/titanium alloy, stainless steel, and PET fibers into my fallopian tubes would be a good idea. In my defense, I trusted my doctor. I was originally scheduled for a tubal ligation right after delivery of my youngest child because in the back of my head I had a bad feeling about essure because it was new and it seemed too good to be true. My doctor knew I had three boys to care for and we were in the middle of moving to a bigger home so she played on that. She said that there were no hormones, no down time, the chances of getting pregnant were less than a tubal, and essure would be perfect for me. That was it. I was not told that the coils could expel, I was not told the coils may perforate a fallopian tube, and I was not tested for any allergic reaction I may have to the metals used in essure. I trusted her! I went against my better judgement and allowed her to use me to reach her quota. I made that mistake and now I am determined to prevent others from doing the same thing. I suffered for 3 years with symptoms like chronic fatigue, migraines, constant infections including kidney infections, back pain, menstruals full of clots and pain, and severe swelling of the abdomen. I was asked daily if I was pregnant. All of this went away after my hysterectomy on May 15th at the age of 31. NOONE deserves to go through what I have been through and what I put my family through. I was perfectly healthy prior to essure and I was never on any birth controls that would affect my hormones or periods. That’s the first thing the makers of essure try to blame these symptoms on…getting off of hormonal birth control!
Actually, Jack, history tells a different story.
“[Dr. Ellen Grant] discovered that there was an attempt to find a contraceptive for males as well as for females. As you will notice, there is no contraceptive pill for males. There is a reason for that. In the study group of males, one male had some slight shrinkage of his testicles. Thus, all testing on the male contraceptive pill was stopped, since that is intolerable. Among the female study group three women died. They simply adjusted the dosage of the hormone.” (source: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/sexuality/se0002.html)
Sounds misogynistic to me.
I was talking about permanent sterilization. I’m no doctor, but it seems the relevant parts are tucked up inside women and kinda hanging out for men, seems like it’s easier to snip and close what’s necessary to prevent fertility with males in a minimally invasive way.
And I’m sorry, I don’t take non-sourced articles from Catholics for my medical and historical information on birth control. No offense, but you guys can’t pretend that you’re an unbiased source of information for artificial contraception.
But I DO think that the lack of male temporary contraception can be based in sexism, simply that pregnancy is seen as a woman’s problem and dudes for some reason think that they have nothing to do with it. I doubt there’s much of a market.
I had mine done after having my 5th child. She is now going on 4 months. I am still having heavy blessing,pain on my left side,Sevier hair loss and I’m tired all the time. I was told that it was safe and effective. Now I’m going through all these issues. I have spoke to my Dr about all of this and he doesn’t seem to think it has anything to do with the Essure. I feel like ripping out what’s left of my hair because I don’t feel like I’m being heard. And I’m sure all the ladies here feel the same way. Something has to be done. We need to save these other women from getting this done.
I think you’ll find that Catholic sources are very accurate when it comes to the history of contraception. It’s the Planned Parethood types who typically gloss over the more unsavory aspects. But if you don’t believe me, see here: http://prospect.org/article/what-pill-gave-birth-0
You want to know what else sucks. I hear how everyone else is able to go and get there coils removed and all that. Well then why in the hell can’t I find one to remove mine? This is crazy. However I don’t want to have a hysterectomy just to have relief ether. I’m at a loss.
I stopped believing anything Catholic sources have to say on contraception when I would look up the studies they supposedly were referring to and found they were misrepresenting information to make contraception look worse. Which is human enough, if you’re against something you’re going to disregard positive information about it and emphasize negative information, but I don’t read Catholic sources for contraception information anymore.
And your second source doesn’t have any links to the studies it claims, I’d have to read the book it cites I suppose. But yeah it does say the same thing. Dudes are big babies about their testicles I suppose. Women provided far more demand for contraception though, I don’t think that can even be denied.
The simple fact is that SOME women aren’t going to be adequate mothers — and they know it. They should be able to remain childless. Women who can be superb mothers to one, two, or three children know that they can’t stretch it to a baby every year or are at a period when having a(nother) baby is not good.
1) Foolproof contraception.
2) Sexuality re-directed.
3) Abstinence. The last must mean lowering sexual desire.
Hi Jack 12:44am
I was being facetious.
My point is that women will ingest and inject the dangerous chemicals, as well have foreign objects put into their bodies that can cause serious complications. Whether this is due to human anatomy or not is beside the point. It may be far safer for a man to have a vasectomy or use a condom. Are men held equally responsible for preventing unwanted pregnancy as men, or is it “her problem”?
“Abstinence. The last must mean lowering sexual desire.”
Why?
JoAnna says:
July 27, 2013 at 11:10 am
“Abstinence. The last must mean lowering sexual desire.”
Why?
(Denise) A person with a high sexual desire level who is abstinent is likely to be in a state of continuous distraction, frustration, and confusion. What’s more, a person with a high sexual desire level is simply unlikely to abstain.
Thus, decreasing sexual desire is vital.
Or…. they could channel their sexual desire into energy for other activities (exercise, for example). People who use NFP seem to be able to control themselves just fine.
Perhaps the problem is not “high levels of sexual desire,” but rather a lack of expectation of being able to control or channel those desires? We’re not animals who have to mindlessly hump everything in sight when the urge hits.
A person with a high sexual desire level who is abstinent is likely to be in a state of continuous distraction, frustration, and confusion.
This “fact” is brought to you by Denise’s imagination. Oy vey.
Julie, if you are on Facebook, there is a Facebook group that is specifically for women who have experienced side effects from Essure. It’s a great group and has a wealth of resources, including a list of doctors who will remove the coils. The Facebook group is called Essure Problems:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Essureproblems/?hc_location=stream
I, too, got Essure coils in 2004 because I was looking for minimally invasive permanent sterilzation and did not want to undergo a tubal ligation, and yes, I trusted my GYN, who was the doctor that performed my insert surgery. After my procedure, I had had no issues for a while, then around 2007, I began to experience severe back pain, vision issues, abdominal pain, joint pain, etc., and still experiencing these problems today. Thus, the reason I want to have the coils removed.
“Are men held equally responsible for preventing unwanted pregnancy as men, or is it “her problem”?”
Of course they aren’t, which is ridiculous. If I were a woman I’d demand the dude get snipped if we didn’t want more kids rather than deal with a tubal, much less complications. It’s probably safer than taking hormonal contraceptives. I don’t know why women don’t demand that or refuse sex.
Jack says:
July 27, 2013 at 2:07 pm
“Are men held equally responsible for preventing unwanted pregnancy as men, or is it “her problem”?” Of course they aren’t, which is ridiculous. If I were a woman I’d demand the dude get snipped if we didn’t want more kids rather than deal with a tubal, much less complications. It’s probably safer than taking hormonal contraceptives. I don’t know why women don’t demand that or refuse sex.
(Denise) Actually, when a family is complete, it makes much more sense for the female to be the one who is sterilized. This isn’t “fair” but females are the ones who get pregnant. If the man is sterilized, the wife can still be impregnated by a rapist.
When a family is the complete, the woman should be sterilized. She should never just take her chances because that leads to broken embryos and fetuses.
“A person with a high sexual desire level who is abstinent is likely to be in a state of continuous distraction, frustration, and confusion. What’s more, a person with a high sexual desire level is simply unlikely to abstain.
Thus, decreasing sexual desire is vital.”
Well, let’s go back to your contraceptives in the water supply idea!! If males take female hormones it damages their sex drive and ability to have sex, and if some of them manage to go for it then the women couldn’t get pregnant! Win-win!
In case anyone is wondering that’s heavy sarcasm.
Denise, did you ever stop to think that you can make celibacy and abstinence and monogamy a goal, but it doesn’t require extreme measures like damaging people’s sex drives (which is actually extremely difficult to do without a lot of side effects, humans are sexual creatures). Personally I think hook up culture could be reduced if people actually knew what it did to you, and they learned that young, rather than being told having multiple partners is something that’s just going to happen. Kids need tools to keep themselves out of trouble, instead of just being given STD statistics and condoms. Or, you know, we could work towards a society that supports young families rather than treat you like your life is over if you marry and have a baby at nineteen.
But no, let’s just chemically castrate people, or something.
” (Denise) Actually, when a family is complete, it makes much more sense for the female to be the one who is sterilized. This isn’t “fair” but females are the ones who get pregnant. If the man is sterilized, the wife can still be impregnated by a rapist.
When a family is the complete, the woman should be sterilized. She should never just take her chances because that leads to broken embryos and fetuses.”
No, this would make sense in your fairy tale land where tubals are not invasive surgeries, and where most women who are raped conceived, and where most rape victims who conceive abort, and if rape was way more common against women in their thirties and forties than it actually is.
A lot of your comments contain solutions for issues that are a very, very small percentage of abortions.
To the women that are suffering with the effects of using Essure….I am so sorry. :(
You trusted your dr. to give you the truth. And they didn’t. You were coerced into doing something you thought was perfectly safe.
Praying for you.
Figures. A few of my friends have chosen Essure, and so far none of them have experienced any adverse effects. Based on their experiences I have been thinking about going the same route once my family is done (not sure when that will be–I want at least 2 more babies first!) Looks like hubby and I will be sticking with NFP for the long haul!
I was horrified to learn that there in nickel in the coil. So many women are allergic to nickel that nobody puts it in earrings anymore, and before that became the general response, whole companies were formed (Simply Whispers) to make non-allergenic earrings. When I was a kid, everybody knew somebody whose earlobes swelled up and itched and practically fell off from exposure to cheap earrings. We all know that nickel is highly allergenic to lots of people. So who on earth thought it could be a good thing to put it into something that would be buried deeply in a woman’s body?? This should have been a no-brainer.
You were coerced into doing something you thought was perfectly safe.
Carla, just fyi: the word “coerce” does not mean what you think it means. “Coercion” implies the use of force or threat of harm. If a doctor said, “I will stab you with a scalpel if you don’t get Essure,” that is coercion. If a doctor said, “I will tell your husband that you are having an affair if you don’t get Essure,” that is coercion. If a doctor advises getting a procedure without explaining all the risks, or recommends a course of treatment that he or she does not believe is in the patient’s overall best interest, then the doctor is at best acting unethically and at worst committing malpractice. But malpractice is not synonymous with coercion.
My girlfriend had this done years ago. No complaints so far.
Should have done more homework on this article. It IS called a permanent sterilization device. And it’s a device originally developed by Conceptus…its a device company, not Big Pharma.
Greg- Conceptus use to be Target therapeutics that made heart catheters. Target Therapeutics accidentally made a heart cath that caused occlusion closing the opening with scar tissue. The following year they received funding from Kleiner, Perkins (Bayer) and from the population council and the name was changed to Conceptus. Essure needing to obtain and maintain “preemptive status” it stayed under Conceptus for 10 years to reach that goal before it sold to the very company that funded the start up of Essure….Bayer. Now I have done my homework and yes I was a victim of Essure and you can bet your life, I won’t stop till the FDA removes this product! Even if I did research everything back then, there is NO research or labeling that touches the real side effects! They use the “lack of scientific evidence” to dismiss these claims and refuse to do their own testing! BTW….if I’m right, I believe Bayer is big pharma. Just saying….
Greg- If you Google “essure” 9 times out of 10 it comes up as Essure Permenant Birth Control, even on their own website. Maybe you should do a little research! ;)