How does the doctor get the iud out if the strings have retracted...

Mine's done that too! If i'm not mistaken - and someone please correct me if i am - they'll carefully open the cerix enough to see if their "pliers" can get a hold of the little suckers. if they cannot, they may have to do a ultra sound to make sure 1) if it's in place and 2) if it's reachable. Kinda scary, but it's a risk that we have all taken so far. Shame they insist that the chances of that happening are slim when this forum is proof enough for me that it's not!