After thousands of complaints about Essure, a permanent birth control device, the Food and Drug Administration is now publicly acknowledging risks associated with the procedure.
The FDA also announced plans to meet with experts to discuss the safety and effectiveness of the device.
For those unfamiliar with the device, two small metal coils are inserted into each Fallopian tube of a woman's reproductive system. Then, scar tissue grows around the device which is supposed to prevent conception.
But two Jacksonville women said it doesn't always work as it should.
"You try to ignore the pain. You know, you're getting older. You have three kids, you know? You try to push it off," said Rebecca Howell, who had the Essure procedure done in August 2011.
She said, eventually, the pain she was feeling caught up to her, in a horrible way.
"I had a lot of UTIs and chronic yeast infections. And the joint pain, weight gain, a lot of things that a lot of other people have had," Howell said.
At one point, Howell said she couldn't even wear her wedding rings.
"I was allergic to my wedding rings. I couldn't wear my wedding rings because they have nickel in them, and the Essure has nickel. I was developing a nickel allergy," she said.
Howell attributed the symptoms to Essure, which she opted to get after having her third child. But after two years of having the device, she was forced to have a hysterectomy at the age of 30 because of complications.
"It nearly destroyed my life. I was depressed, I was gaining weight," she said. "I had to home-school my baby girl from my bed."
Howell said she sought support from the Internet and joined a Facebook group called "Essure Problems." She got the chance to connect with other women experiencing the same thing. Women like Amber Lawson.
"It was chronic pain in my back. It was chronic pain in my stomach. My stomach was huge," Lawson said.
Lawson said not only was her pain unbearable, but she said she was never informed about the risks before having the procedure.
"I went in to have a tubal done, (a procedure to close a woman's fallopian tubes), and they said, "(Essure) will be a better option for you," because I had four small children at the time," she said.
In addition to the benefits of Essure, the FDA now lists the risks on its website, which include:
• Unintended pregnancy, including ectopic pregnancy
• Pelvic pain
• Perforation of the uterus or fallopian tubes
• Rash and itching associated with possible nickel allergy
The FDA also released the following statement on its website:
"FDA will continue to monitor the safety of Essure to ensure it does not pose an increased risk to public health and that its benefits continue to outweigh the risks."
By sharing their stories, Howell and Lawson hope to raise awareness and offer a message of support to others.
"There is help and there's hope, and we can get through this together," Howell said.
The FDA's public meeting on Essure is scheduled for Sept. 24 and a spokesperson for Bayer, which makes the device, said the company looks forward to "open and transparent discussion."
Both Howell and Lawson said they plan to be there as well.
"I already told my husband I'm going, regardless of anything. Even if I just have to stand outside, at least they know I'm there. I'm there to represent all the women who have been hurt. I'm there to represent my husband. I'm there to represent my children," Lawson said. "I'm there to represent me, because they took something away from me that I can't get back. I can never get those 10 years back. The pain they caused me, I can't get it back, and it's not fair," Lawson said.
