hi all! i just wanted to share my sa experience at planned parenthood to help anyone who may be in the same boat! so i figured i was pregnant even before i missed my period because i’ve been pregnant before and sore boobs/nipples are the most telltale sign for me. i took a test a few days after my missed period and of course it was positive. i was bummed because having children right now is not an option for me so i knew i’d have to get an abortion. i’ve had an ma before this and it was not pleasant to say the least. as soon as i found out i was pregnant, i made an appointment at planned parenthood. i’d also been there for my ma so i knew what to expect. i didn’t have a *horrible* experience with the ma, as in it was bearable, but i chose the sa to get it over and done with quicker. my appointment was booked pretty far out due to their available dates and my schedule so by the time i had my appointment i measured at 7 weeks.
when i arrived at planned parenthood, the waiting room had about 6 or 7 people but i only waited 35-45 minutes which was a lot shorter compared to my first time. the first time i paid a $50 co-pay and used my insurance and this time i didn’t pay anything, i’m not sure why. anyways, i got called back, did the intake with the nurse where she just asked me about my health history, whether i wanted birth control, if i was safe in my relationship and decision, etc. she was really nice and we shared a cultural similarity so i felt super comfortable. after that was done, i waited in the room for about 10 minutes until a nurse practitioner came in to perform my transvaginal ultrasound. she told me how far along i was and asked if i wanted to know whether i had multiple pregnancies and the ultrasound picture. it felt like an uncomfortable pressure but didn’t hurt at all. while i was getting my ultrasound done, i heard a lady screaming at the top of her lungs in the next room over. my anxiety spiked and i asked if i could do a ma, which she told me yes, but i ended up choosing the sa anyways. after the ultrasound i went into the recovery room where there were a bunch of chairs and curtains with a few ladies inside. i felt a little uncomfortable as we were sitting directly in front of each other but i figured we’re all in the same boat and there’s an option to close the curtain lol. i waited there for about 30 minutes and was offered juice and snacks and a nurse came by to give me an antibiotic and ibuprofen. after about 30 more minutes, a nurse came by and i was taken into the exam room.
i won’t lie, i started crying as soon as i undressed & sat down pretty much because i was just so anxious. one nurse stood by my side and calmed me down while the provider performed the procedure. i opted for moderate sedation which was the nitrous oxide and i inhaled and exhaled for about 2 minutes before i allowed her to start the procedure. i felt lightheaded for about a minute but it subsided pretty quickly. i’m not sure if i have a tolerance or what but i didn’t really feel any affect from it besides that. anyways, she inserted the speculum which i expected to hurt but it was uncomfortable at most. at this point, i was sobbing simply because of the anxiety but i hadn’t felt any pain until the two shots. i’d rate it a 6/10 it wasn’t unbearable but it was definitely painful though the second was better than the first. at this point i was uncontrollably sobbing so i was not listening to anything the nurse was saying. a minute or two after, i felt a sharp stabbing cramping pain and i was nearly screaming at this point but it lasted for only 3 or so minutes. i’d rate the pain an 8/10, similar to the cramping from an ma but a lot sharper if that makes sense. anyways, after those 3 minutes the nurse told me it was over, and waited for the signal to remove the speculum. honestly as soon as it was out i felt fine, there was a bit of cramping but it was VERY mild. i stood up and was given a pad to wear. i got dressed and headed to the recovery room where my vitals were taken. i had to wait about 15 minutes for my vitals to be taken a second time and i was good to go. my biggest fear was the pain level because i have a pretty low pain tolerance but i will say it’s over before you know it. i scoured this sub because i was so afraid of the pain level but i’d choose sa over ma in a heartbeat. imo, the sa did hurt more but its over so quickly compared to the hours i spent on the floor in a fetal position because of the pain from the ma. i hope this was able to help someone out the way you guys helped me!