Latest news with #IUD
North Wales Live
an hour ago
- Health
- North Wales Live
'I dismissed my symptoms as being new contraception - now I might never have children'
A festival lover thought bleeding after sex was caused by her newly fitted coil - but was horrified when it turned out to be stage three cancer. Jasmin McKee had a cervical screening test in February 2024 after months of nervously putting it off. While at the appointment she decided to have an IUD, also known as the copper coil, inserted into her uterus too. The 26-year-old started experiencing bleeding after sex after but 'brushed it off' as being caused by the newly fitted device. But Jasmin's 'world stopped moving' when months of testing revealed she had stage three cervical cancer. After starting chemotherapy in April 2025 the financial operations manager set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for rent, bills and food for when she's no longer able to work. She's now urging women to get cervical screenings, which are offered to women aged 25 to 64 on the NHS, as soon as possible as they 'can save lives'. Jasmin, from Southampton, Hampshire, said: "It's one of those things you never really think will happen to you and then it does. "I put it [the cervical screening] off for a few months because I was a bit nervous about it. None of my friends had turned 25 so I was the first one to do it but it was quite easy and I also had my coil put in at the same time. "Before I had the coil fitted I'd had quite heavy periods and bad back pain and would be really tired but I always put it down to hormones and my period. When I had the coil put in I had bleeding after sex. "The doctors did give me a really long sheet of information of potential side effects but I didn't read it because I didn't think anything about it. At the time I put those symptoms down to the newly fitted coil. No one ever wants to think the worst so that's why I didn't really think anything of it and I just brushed it off." After the screening revealed some abnormal cells Jasmin had a biopsy and discovered they had a high risk of developing into cancer. Following months of blood tests and scans she was diagnosed with cancer in September 2024 but decided against having a hysterectomy or starting chemotherapy to save her chances of having children one day. In November 2024 she underwent laser treatment to try to remove the cancer and received her official stage three cervical cancer diagnosis. Jasmin said: "My favourite TV show is Breaking Bad and the main character gets a cancer diagnosis. "The way they show it is very accurate, it's like the world stops moving a little bit. They're using all these big words and talking at you in a way that's really hard to grasp. "It's that numb feeling, I don't think I've stopped feeling like that. It's like I'm living in 'the in-between'. "When I got the biopsy results the doctors gave me a few options and they said because it's not progressed since I had my biopsy I could wait it out or have a full hysterectomy or start chemotherapy. At the time if one of the options was to be able to wait, why wouldn't I wait? I hadn't decided if I wanted children and I obviously didn't want to not be able to have children." Jasmin began radiotherapy in February 2025 and had her eggs frozen after the laser treatment failed to remove enough of the cancer. She has now undergone two cycles of chemotherapy since April 2025 and decided to donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust charity along with £2,000 she'd raised. Jasmin said: "I kept thinking 'I don't want to do chemo because I don't want to lose my hair'. In hindsight hair is just hair and it will grow back. I thought 'if I'm going to lose my hair I might as well do it on my terms and do something good with it'. "The doctor said it was likely I won't be able to have children naturally and that's the worst outcome for me. I would like to think I'd settle down and want to have children so looking ahead it's that uncertainty of not knowing how that's going to play out. "I'm someone that goes to a lot of festivals and gigs and I've had to cancel all my festivals this year so that's quite upsetting. The financial burden is worrying. "Luckily I'm working at the moment but as the treatment goes on I'm not going to be able to work. That's quite worrying of how I'm going to pay for my rent and my bills and basic living situation." As soon as women turn 25, Jasmin is urging people to go for their cervical screenings done and potentially help save their life. Jasmin said: "I'm grateful I had the cervical screening done. If I hadn't had it done then I probably would've just kept on putting it off. "They're quite persistent in sending letters and texts and stuff to say you're due for a smear test. You can sit and overthink it and you might read other women's experiences online but it's so easy to do. It's literally 10 to 15 minutes of your time and it can save your life." You can donate to Jasmin's GoFundMe page here What is cervical cancer Cervical cancer is cancer found anywhere in the cervix, which is the opening between the vagina and the womb, and is most common in women aged 30 to 35. According to Cancer Research UK there are around 3,300 new cases in the country every year. While most survive there are about 850 deaths from the disease every year. Early treatment makes it more likely that you will survive so it is vital to be able to spot the symptoms which can include: Cervical screening is offered to anyone with a cervix aged 25 to 64. It aims to identify and treat changes to cells before they turn cancerous.
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Health
- Wales Online
'I dismissed my symptoms as being new contraception - now I might never have children'
'I dismissed my symptoms as being new contraception - now I might never have children' Jasmin McKee thought her newly fitted coil was causing her a problem but then she learned it was stage three cancer Jasmin McKee is urging women to get checked out (Image: Kennedy News and Media ) A festival lover thought bleeding after sex was caused by her newly fitted coil - but was horrified when it turned out to be stage three cancer. Jasmin McKee had a cervical screening test in February 2024 after months of nervously putting it off. While at the appointment she decided to have an IUD, also known as the copper coil, inserted into her uterus too. The 26-year-old started experiencing bleeding after sex after but 'brushed it off' as being caused by the newly fitted device. But Jasmin's 'world stopped moving' when months of testing revealed she had stage three cervical cancer. After starting chemotherapy in April 2025 the financial operations manager set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for rent, bills and food for when she's no longer able to work. She's now urging women to get cervical screenings, which are offered to women aged 25 to 64 on the NHS, as soon as possible as they 'can save lives'. Jasmin, from Southampton, Hampshire, said: "It's one of those things you never really think will happen to you and then it does. "I put it [the cervical screening] off for a few months because I was a bit nervous about it. None of my friends had turned 25 so I was the first one to do it but it was quite easy and I also had my coil put in at the same time. "Before I had the coil fitted I'd had quite heavy periods and bad back pain and would be really tired but I always put it down to hormones and my period. When I had the coil put in I had bleeding after sex. "The doctors did give me a really long sheet of information of potential side effects but I didn't read it because I didn't think anything about it. At the time I put those symptoms down to the newly fitted coil. No one ever wants to think the worst so that's why I didn't really think anything of it and I just brushed it off." Jasmin McKee at a festival (Image: Kennedy News and Media ) After the screening revealed some abnormal cells Jasmin had a biopsy and discovered they had a high risk of developing into cancer. Following months of blood tests and scans she was diagnosed with cancer in September 2024 but decided against having a hysterectomy or starting chemotherapy to save her chances of having children one day. In November 2024 she underwent laser treatment to try to remove the cancer and received her official stage three cervical cancer diagnosis. Jasmin said: "My favourite TV show is Breaking Bad and the main character gets a cancer diagnosis. "The way they show it is very accurate, it's like the world stops moving a little bit. They're using all these big words and talking at you in a way that's really hard to grasp. "It's that numb feeling, I don't think I've stopped feeling like that. It's like I'm living in 'the in-between'. "When I got the biopsy results the doctors gave me a few options and they said because it's not progressed since I had my biopsy I could wait it out or have a full hysterectomy or start chemotherapy. At the time if one of the options was to be able to wait, why wouldn't I wait? I hadn't decided if I wanted children and I obviously didn't want to not be able to have children." Jasmin began radiotherapy in February 2025 and had her eggs frozen after the laser treatment failed to remove enough of the cancer. She has now undergone two cycles of chemotherapy since April 2025 and decided to donate her hair to the Little Princess Trust charity along with £2,000 she'd raised. Jasmin said: "I kept thinking 'I don't want to do chemo because I don't want to lose my hair'. In hindsight hair is just hair and it will grow back. I thought 'if I'm going to lose my hair I might as well do it on my terms and do something good with it'. "The doctor said it was likely I won't be able to have children naturally and that's the worst outcome for me. I would like to think I'd settle down and want to have children so looking ahead it's that uncertainty of not knowing how that's going to play out. "I'm someone that goes to a lot of festivals and gigs and I've had to cancel all my festivals this year so that's quite upsetting. The financial burden is worrying. "Luckily I'm working at the moment but as the treatment goes on I'm not going to be able to work. That's quite worrying of how I'm going to pay for my rent and my bills and basic living situation." As soon as women turn 25, Jasmin is urging people to go for their cervical screenings done and potentially help save their life. Jasmin said: "I'm grateful I had the cervical screening done. If I hadn't had it done then I probably would've just kept on putting it off. "They're quite persistent in sending letters and texts and stuff to say you're due for a smear test. You can sit and overthink it and you might read other women's experiences online but it's so easy to do. It's literally 10 to 15 minutes of your time and it can save your life." You can donate to Jasmin's GoFundMe page here What is cervical cancer Cervical cancer is cancer found anywhere in the cervix, which is the opening between the vagina and the womb, and is most common in women aged 30 to 35. According to Cancer Research UK there are around 3,300 new cases in the country every year. Article continues below While most survive there are about 850 deaths from the disease every year. Early treatment makes it more likely that you will survive so it is vital to be able to spot the symptoms which can include: vaginal bleeding that's unusual for you – including bleeding during or after sex, between your periods or after the menopause, or having heavier periods than usual changes to your vaginal discharge pain during sex pain in your lower back, between your hip bones (pelvis), or in your lower tummy Cervical screening is offered to anyone with a cervix aged 25 to 64. It aims to identify and treat changes to cells before they turn cancerous.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
'Australia's most sexually active woman' Annie Knight slams doctors for dismissing her health woes following her hospital stay after sleeping with 583 men in a single day
Annie Knight has called out doctors for dismissing her health concerns after she was admitted to hospital following a challenge which saw her sleep with 583 men in one day. The OnlyFans star, dubbed 'Australia's most sexually active woman', shared a post to Instagram on Wednesday claiming she has been bleeding for five months and doctors are telling her 'nothing is wrong'. 'One thing that has shocked me more than anything through all my health issues is how quickly doctors and specialists dismiss women's health,' Annie, 27, said. 'I've been [bleeding] non stop and in severe pain since January this year. I saw a specialist, he did exploratory surgery and found nothing wrong and put me on the IUD. 'My symptoms have not stopped since getting the IUD. I've called his office crying and begging for them to help me. They continue to dismiss my pain and bleeding as IUD spotting and adjustment (despite the fact it was happening four months prior to getting the IUD).' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Annie went on to say this has impacted her 'mental health, life, work and the people who love me'. She said she visited the specialist again and he mentioned her recent sex challenge which left her 'frustrated'. 'He then said "I don't know what's wrong with you" and send me home after telling him I can't live like this and begging him for help. 'I'm so sick of being dismissed and made to feel like me pain and suffering isn't or important.' The post comes after Annie was admitted to hospital last week after a challenge during which she slept with 583 men in a single day. She shared a video from her hospital bed on Wednesday after rushing in to be treated for cramps and excessive bleeding - just days after taking part in the filmed orgy. She said that the issue stems from her pre-existing endometriosis, which she says has been triggered by stress. 'On Sunday everything was all good, but the next day I had a lot of bleeding that I shouldn't really have because I'm on contraception and I was a little bit worried about it but decided I would wait it out and see how it goes,' she told Perth Now. 'Then it turned in to really bad cramps and pains, then I started to get a bit worried and decided to take myself to hospital.' She added that her doctors were at first concerned the bleeding and pain was a result of her intense challenge, but later ruled it out. 'We ran a bunch of tests all day, then eventually it was my endometriosis had been exasperated by mostly stress and not so much the physical challenge that I did on Sunday,' she said. Endometriosis occurs when cells in the lining of the uterus are found elsewhere in the body. Each month, these cells react in the same way as those in the uterus; building up, breaking down and bleeding. Yet, the blood has no way to escape the body. Symptoms include pain, heavy periods and fatigue, as well as a higher risk of infertility, and bowel and bladder problems. Its cause is unknown but may be genetic, related to problems with the immune system or exposure to chemicals. Treatment focuses on pain relief and improving quality of life, which may include surgery or hormone treatment.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Australian women lagging on use of IUDs due to education ‘failure', experts say
Most Australian women don't know that intrauterine devices (IUDs) are the most effective form of contraception. Experts say this nationwide 'failure in public education' has contributed to low uptake and caused Australia to lag behind other western countries. The latest Jean Hailes National Women's Health Survey of 3,537 reproductive age women found more than 80% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 60% of 25 to 44-year-olds want to avoid getting pregnant. The survey found only 7% of women aged 18 to 24 and 11% of women aged 25 to 44 reported using an IUD. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email The CEO of Jean Hailes, Dr Sarah White, said the results show Australia is 'far behind' equivalent countries such as the UK, South Korea, France and the US. In Sweden and England rates of use are over 30%. IUDs are small devices implanted in the uterus. As a form of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs), they are the most effective way to prevent pregnancy (over 99%). Contraceptive pills also have a rate of efficacy above 99% if taken correctly. But its effectiveness can be reduced if taken irregularly or absorption can be affected by diarrhoea and vomiting. When the survey tested women's knowledge on which methods were best at preventing pregnancy, the most common answer (32%) incorrectly identified condoms, while 27% said all are equally effective. Just one in four women (27%) correctly identified IUDs. Conducted online in mid-2024, the survey found three in 10 women aged 25 to 44 and 8% of women aged 18 to 24 said they'd had an unplanned pregnancy. White said 'most women are not aware that these long-acting, reversible contraceptives are actually the most effective form of contraception at a time when so many of them are saying it's really important for them not to become pregnant.' 'They're walking past one of the best options they've got because they just don't know about it.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The lack of knowledge of the effectiveness of IUDs 'goes a long way to driving that low uptake,' White said. IUDs had other benefits, she said, including their convenience in not interrupting sex, easing period pain and being more cost effective over the long term than other forms of contraception. The leader of the Sphere Centre of Research Excellence in women's sexual and reproductive health in primary care, Prof Danielle Mazza, said not enough healthcare providers in Australia are trained in the insertion of IUDs, and may be less likely to emphasise the benefits. Sphere conducted the survey in collaboration with Jean Hailes. In its most recent budget, as part of the half a billion dollar package for women's health, the federal government increased payments to doctors and nurse practitioners to insert and remove IUDs. Eight centres will be set up to train healthcare professionals. White said access issues in rural and regional Australia might be alleviated if more women were considered using IUDs. IUD insertions by a private provider has higher upfront costs, White said, but that cost is 'well and truly recouped' compared with buying the pill or condoms over the long term. As several states have moved towards pharmacy prescribing the contraceptive pill, Mazza said it is important women are still being advised about all their contraceptive options, including LARCs, even though pharmacists can't provide them. White said some women are also concerned about the pain of insertion, in part fuelled by social media amplifying negative experiences. 'But in fact, there's a lot of people who really swear by having IUDs and love how convenient they are..' The chair of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' sexual reproductive health committee, Prof Kirsten Black, said in her experience patients will often say 'that's not nearly as bad as they thought' after the procedure. Black said it was surprising knowledge was so low in the survey, but added 'we have a real failure of public education in this area,' unlike in northern Europe. Black said she hopes the government incentives will improve the skills of primary care practitioners to provide IUDs.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctors Dismiss Woman's 'Gut-Wrenching' Pain for Months. Then, She Loses an Organ in Emergency Surgery (Exclusive)
Savannah Stuthers should have been enjoying college, but instead, she was dealing with unknown pain she thought was stemming from her IUD After being consistently denied an ultrasound by her doctors, the 18-year-old's only option was to rush herself to the emergency room A recommended male OBGYN made Stuthers feel heard and was ultimately the one doctor who discovered the real cause of her symptomsAt 18 years old, Savannah Stuthers stopped taking birth control pills and opted for a non-hormonal alternative, eventually deciding on a copper IUD. The full-time student from Fayetteville, Ark., had never experienced irregular or painful periods in high school. It was only after the contraceptive device was inserted in March 2023 that Stuthers started to feel constant pressure, cramping, and persistent spotting. Trusting her intuition, Stuthers sought help from her doctors about the unbearable pain, but her concerns were often invalidated. Months passed and her discomfort deepened into a piercing pain, but by the time she was taken seriously, a scary diagnosis left one of her ovaries beyond saving. In a viral TikTok video series, she explained the condition in more detail using graphic images. 'During the IUD insertion was when I had a feeling something was wrong,' Stuthers tells PEOPLE exclusively. Two weeks into her new IUD, the part-time waitress began bleeding every day and had occasional cramping. However, it wasn't until July 2023 that she started to experience intense symptoms. 'At one point, I was questioning if my IUD had moved because it felt like a knife was being held on the left side of my uterus,' she recalls. As a result, Stuthers asked her doctor for an ultrasound to ensure that the device was in the right place, but her request was turned down. 'The doctor told me she had done this many times and knew it was in the correct spot and everything felt normal and to not worry,' Stuthers reveals. She was even told that it might take her body a year or two to fully adjust to the IUD. Accepting that her pain had become an uninvited constant, Stuthers focused on staying engaged with the other important aspects of her life. In August 2023, she moved to St. Charles, Mo., for college, but her symptoms felt like they were holding her back. 'I downplayed most of my pain because of the doctors never validating my pain," Stuthers explains. "Walking around campus, I would have to walk with a hunched back because it seemed to be the only way to relieve some of the pain." 'I had very low amounts of energy because of this pain, which made me stay in bed most days and nights, which was weird for me because I am very outgoing and like to go do things with friends," she continues. "Since I was told this pain was normal, I felt so weak and lazy for not just powering through it.' Then, in September 2023, Stuthers remembers sending a frantic text to her mother complaining about cramps that felt like they shot up the left side of her body. 'I had this horrible gut-wrenching amount of pressure and pain in my lower left abdomen that made simple tasks feel impossible…the light bleeding turned into very scary, large amounts of bleeding that I had never seen before,' she admits. It was an incredibly frustrating time in her life, and led her to question whether she was just "making things up" because she "had a low pain tolerance." However, one month later, she found herself in the emergency room. After an ultrasound at the emergency room in October 2023, it was revealed that Stuthers had an 8-centimeter cyst on her left ovary and was referred to a male OBGYN in the area. 'He said he was very concerned about the size of the cyst and wanted to perform a laparoscopic surgery that same week,' she said. 'I went into surgery three days later.' Stuthers says it was shocking to have so many female doctors dismiss her concerns in the months leading up to her surgery. 'I didn't feel seen or validated until I was treated by a male doctor," she says. Unfortunately, the procedure failed to reduce the size of the cyst, and Stuthers was notified that it had actually grown to 10 centimeters – the size of her doctor's fist. 'That is when he decided to cut me open like a C-section,' she tells PEOPLE. To his shock, the left ovary was completely detached, cutting off blood flow and ultimately killing it. When he cut into the cyst, he found teeth, hair and fat. The dermoid cyst was identified as a teratoma – 'a rare type of germ cell tumor that may contain immature or fully formed tissue, including teeth, hair, bone and muscle,' according to Cleveland Clinic. 'The doctor was very shocked, he said they are very rare. He also was very upset about me losing my ovary,' Stuthers says. 'When he was telling my mom and I that the cyst grew so big it twisted and killed my ovary, I could see the genuine concern and devastation on his face.' Stuthers' family and friends were also stunned – her mother was especially unsettled by the discovery. Within a day of the surgery, word had spread, and even people she barely knew were texting her about the teratoma after her mom shared the photos. 'That was the last thing I would have ever expected the doctor to tell me,' Stuthers admits. 'I was absolutely disturbed to know I had a tumor that had fully grown molar teeth, hair, and fat growing with me as I grew. That is something you don't want to think is real.' Nevertheless, Stuthers' recovery went smoothly. The most difficult part, she says, was navigating daily life on campus. 'Getting in and out of my tall dorm bed was the biggest struggle of them all,' she explains. 'My roommates were angels and helped me in and out of it for a week.' One year after the surgery, a few more cysts appeared on Stuthers' remaining ovary, though they ruptured on their own. Now, the 20-year-old takes daily birth control pills and skips the placebo week to suppress her menstrual cycle and preserve her right ovary – so far, it's worked. Sharing her story online, however, came with both support and backlash. 'The ones saying I faked it bothered me,' Stuthers admits. 'I am not creative [enough] to make up that kind of thing, nor would I ever lie to get 'views.' It also goes to show that most people don't believe women and the things most of us go through.' She was especially disturbed by comments accusing her of killing a baby. 'Those truly made me realize that not many people are educated or aware of dermoid cysts or teratoma,' she tells PEOPLE. Following her terrifying experience, Stuthers' advice is simple yet powerful: 'Don't let anyone invalidate how you feel… A simple ultrasound could have saved my left ovary and a lot of ongoing pain.' Read the original article on People
