I don't regret having a surgical abortion at 11 weeks without sedation
I had a surgical abortion at 11 weeks 3 days gestation without sedation. The doctor gave me a local anesthesia for my cervix. I chose not to have sedation because I was driving myself home after the procedure. I didn’t want to tell anyone about this situation. The counselor at the clinic was wonderful. She was not judgmental and answered all of my questions about having an abortion without sedation.
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On the day of my procedure, I brought a book with me to read to keep my mind occupied. The nurse gave me a medication called Cytotec to help dilate my cervix. I had to wait two and a half hours for the medication to open my cervix enough so I could be ready for the next step.
When they called me to the room, I saw all of the instruments on the table. I became nervous but the nurse reassured me. The doctor and nurse informed me of everything that was happening during the procedure.
The vacuum was more uncomfortable than I had anticipated. The nurse held my hand, looked me in the eye, and told me to breathe slowly in my nose and out my mouth. It was a bit painful and difficult to relax my legs, but her instruction was very helpful. Honestly, she looked like an angel when I was on the table.
The whole procedure was about 5 minutes. The vacuum was about 45 seconds. It felt longer to me because, as I said earlier, it was a bit painful. I do not regret having the procedure without sedation. I don’t like needles and I don’t have much experience with pain medication.
I think that it might be better to do it without it. When I was in the recovery room, I was the only patient who was wide awake and who could walk unassisted. I know the staff is there to help, but I would rather have 45 seconds of pain than the side effects of sedation. I saw a couple of patients vomiting because of the sedation.
After sitting in the recovery area for about 15 minutes, the nurse checked my pad to monitor my bleeding. It wasn’t heavy at all. She asked how I was feeling and I told her I felt fine. The nurse gave me my birth control prescription and discharge papers and walked me to my car.
I drove home, took a nap, woke up, and felt better. At the time of this writing, I am 2 days post-procedure and I feel like myself again. I’m going to the gym tomorrow and am planning to have a normal week back at school and work.
Even though I feel fortunate to have had access to a clinic that has a caring and competent staff, I hope I never find myself in this situation again.
If you are unsure of what to do, I pray that my story will help.
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