DENVER — Women are speaking out about a birth control device that some say almost killed them.

Women took center stage in Washington on Thursday trying to convince Congress to recall the Essure medical device, a contraception medical device planted in the uterus.

Women addressed a panel with the Food and Drug Administration, which is reviewing the safety of the popular birth control implant.

The tiny coil is a medical device inserted in the uterus and meant to prevent conception.  When Lacey Gay used it, she said the only thing it prevented was her from living a full life.

“It’s a lot to keep up with if you’re single parent and I felt guilty because I couldn’t do things with my kids,” Gay said.

Gay said within days of having the device implanted, symptoms began. Though she can’t say if it’s directly related, soon after, doctors diagnosed her with cervical cancer and she said the symptoms kept coming.

“I have gum disease now and my teeth are starting to rot from the bottom,” Gay said.

About 750,000 women use the device and many suspect the nickel metal causes the side effects. Gay said once she associated those side effect with Essure, she found another doctor and removed it immediately.

“Now they’re gone and I feel like a totally different woman,” Gay said.

Gay hopes stories like hers told to lawmakers will compel them to act. They are considering whether to ban the device.