I saw Dr. Bailey Cannon as her ratings are incredibly high on Zocdoc (4.9 stars, 100+ great reviews). She is very sweet, very friendly, and happily talked to me about birth control options. I ended up selecting the IUD (Mirena), and it was inserted shortly after discussion, and I was very happy.
I had the IUD for a little over a year and ultimately did not have a pleasant experience on it. There were several moments during that time when I considered taking it out, but Dr. Cannon assured me that sometimes the side effects are there just in the beginning, but some people face the side effects throughout their entire time on the IUD. I figured I should stick it out and see if the symptoms go away after another couple of months.
My issues while having the IUD:
BV, yeast infections, stronger PMS symptoms (feeling low/down), random discharge, unpredictable period
After dealing with the above for several months, I made an appointment to get the IUD removed, and Dr. Cannon wanted to discuss beforehand. The conversation took about 15 minutes, and she asked why I wanted to have it removed. When I told her I wanted to give my body a break from the hormones and was tired of spending money on BV/yeast medicine, tired of the random discharge and unpredictable bleeding, she offered a couple options.
One option was to take an oral birth control pill in addition to the IUD to combat the unpredictable period. I had been on the pill in the past and had issues while I was on it. She suggested I look into another form of birth control, but when I reiterated I wanted to take a break from the extra hormones and let my body normalize, she told me she couldn't let me leave the office that day without some form of birth control. When addressing my PMS symptoms with the IUD, she suggested a microdose of anti-depressants around the time of my period. She said again that she wouldn't remove the IUD without another option, so I shared that my partner has a vasectomy. With that information, she said "That's a tried and true method" and she finally removed the IUD.
On one hand, she is doing her job as a health care professional and making sure I am taken care of. HOWEVER, on the other hand, I made a decision to have it removed after my experience on it. I am still incredibly shocked and upset that as a medical professional, she would: 1. out right told me she wouldn't let me leave the office without another form of birth control, and 2. that she would so readily suggest anti-depressants to assist with my PMS symptoms. I made the decision to have it removed after dealing with these side effects for over a year. My experience on the IUD was not as pleasant as other people (period completely disappearing, etc). While she may not have intended to be condescending about my decision, that is what was portrayed.
On previous visits I made with her to discuss ways to combat BV, she struggled to offer solutions. Dr. Cannon told me that it's something that happens every so often and that I may be prone to it and prone to yeast. I had never had this issue before though, so I was concerned. Every single time BV came up, she would prescribe the same antibiotic (metronidazole) with diflucan because I would follow up with a yeast infection after finishing the antibiotic. There was one time we tried a different medication because I kept getting yeast, which worked. I had done some research online to try and find solutions, like taking probiotics, etc. She said there are studies with mixed results about probiotics actually working, but I could consider taking them, and that I should also consider growing out my pubic hair. That was a "solution" I never came across.
One thing she told me was that the IUD does not cause BV, and I have continued to get BV even after the IUD was removed. I've encountered BV at least 12 times this year alone. There could be other factors into this, but I was seeking some explanation or solution because I did not understand why this kept coming up. The antibiotics weren't doing the right thing, and "recurrent BV" is when it comes back about 3 times a year. So clearly, something was up. It interrupted my life, and it's been something I've been dealing with all year with no hope.
I found another practice that is helping me through this issue, and the CARE I am now receiving has given me hope that my BV issue can be resolved. The practitioners at the new practice have taken the time to listen to my experiences and take into consideration my lifestyle. They've offered several different possible solutions, and mentioned that if they could not figure it out, they could provide another resource/practice.
Ultimately, I wouldn't recommend going to Dr. Cannon. If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, you may have a better experience; but, unfortunately, this is the experience I had. read more