Tubal Ligation

[peggyfromwastate]

my sister just had her tubes tied, along with a C-section. I guess that the recovery for her has been fine, similar to the recovery she experienced from her first C-section. It's major surgery, though! When it comes our time, my DH is going to get "snipped"!

I had a tubal after my last delivery and while I know of many women who have had uncomplicated experiences, anyone considering this option should be well informed of a condition known as Post Tubal syndrome. Unfortunately for me I had to learn about it firsthand. I had never had any hormonal problems before and almost immediately post surgery with in a few days actually I began to show the signs of early menopause. Mind you I was 32 at the time and hopefully not even close to being there age wise. Since then I have been on a hormonal rollercoaster. Given what I know now I would not have had it done. Please research before you decide and find out what you Gyn thinks of this before you do. This is not listed as a possible side effect or risk on any consent form.

[DCJenn]

My mom had hers done back in the early '80's and didn't regret it for a second. There are risks to all surgeries however and considering all of the options is critical!

Jenn

[Michele]

I have an IUD and it's relatively stress free birthcontrol that is good for 10 years...it causes a bit more cramping each month and some more bleeding....and it was quite painful to have inserted, but it's almost as efficient as a tubal ligation, and less invasive. And I really don't think about it all that much. The cramps can be controlled with over the counter pain relievers (advil, aleve etc.). They said if I had given birth before the insertion would have been much easier.

Just another option.

[PrincessFiona]

This is a discussion going on in our house too, lunatic. My mom has warned me of the risk of a post tubal sydnrome like Trisha has talked about...but I admit that I haven't done any research on the topic.

I think for me it is just that it feels so FINAL...and yet we have 4 children...what am I thinking here! I also share your concern about anesthesia. Maybe it is just being married to a physician, but I tend to hear all of the times that things go wrong and it makes me paranoid. I know that the risk is low, but it is still scarey.

I'll be curious as to what you decide and how since we are early in this process. What I REALLY don't understand is why the men can't just take action on this. They actually have a new laser procedure that they can do for the guys that just takes a few minutes. My husband isn't even willing to discuss this!

kris

[DCJenn]

My crazy friend in Massachusetts, who apparently could get pregnant by merely being in the same room as her husband, finally told him that she really didn't need him to have sex but it would be a lot more difficult for him! She basically told him all she needed was a good set of batteries! So, she said here's your choice- I can go in to the hospital, have major abdominal surgery and be out of commission for several weeks, meaning you have to be repsonsible for EVERYTHING for our three lovely children. Or you can go have minor, outpatient sugery, lay around on the couch and I'll continue to manage the household, the bills, and the children.

He went (quickly!) for answer B. and then laid around feeling sorry for himself with his icepack!

So, for those of you who need compelling arguments, remind your spouses that weeks of cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. on top of "doctoring" might get a little old.

Jenn

PS- he's a PhD graduate of USUHS in pharmacology and has many of the same quirks as our physician friends!

[mommax3]

My husband got his partner to put in a consult to a urologist for him yesterday.....he will get an authorization number in about a week (this is because there are no military urologists at our base, so he has to get a consult to a civilian one) and then we BOTH have to go meet with the guy. I told my husband that we better not go when I am PMSing or I will hear the words "are you SURE...." and start bawling.

Mostly, I am feeling good that we will be ending this chapter.

About tubal ligation syndrome.....it is not recognized in any medical literature, although there is a ton of stuff on the internet about it. I only know this because DH had a patient (a mother of EIGHT) come in, saying that she had TLS, and wanted a reversal because of it. Travis had never heard of it, so he called me and I typed it in a search bar.....TONS of stuff. The patient was convinced that she had this. I am NOT trying to put anyone down, because I don't know the truth of this, but this woman's primary complaint was that she constantly had bad breath as a result of her tubal. If you questioned her further, she also said that she believed getting the tubal was disobedient to God, but her husband "made" her do it. (My husband gets lots of patients like this because he is nice.....the other male doctor in the clinic here heard this story, asked the woman "who signed the consent form?" and refused to give her a referral for the reversal. SO she made an appt. with DH.) She eventually got her reversal (her husband had also had a vasectomy and a reversal) all at the gov'ts expense. Now DH is just waiting for her to turn up with a tubal pregnancy (common after tubal reversals). I have always been hesitant to mess around with hormones....I never liked being on the pill and never stayed on it more than a year for that reason....I have probably been on it three years total since I first went on it at the age of 18. I don't think that doctors know everything, but I do think that this syndrome has yet to be studied and written up. Everything that is out there about it is anecdotal, so it is hard to know what is true for a majority and what is due to people's individual complaints.

Good luck whatever you decide.....I will let you know how the process goes for us around here.

Sally

While I realize that I am not an expert on this subject I can first hand give my experience which is the following: After delivery, my OB and his 4th year resident went to work on my tubal. DH was in the delivery room and was becoming concerned about how long the resident was taking to do her side. After aquiring the surical notes it was noted that there was a significant mount of bloodloss during the tubal procedure. Blood loss to the ovary during the tubal can result in atrophy of the ovary, thus causeing a significant shift in hormone levels. I have been battling this for 3 years and I find it hard to believe that by some coincidence that all of a sudden my estrogen levels significantly drop and I begin to experience not only hot flashes, decrease in bone density, joint problems, mood problems, and other unspeakable issues that I will not address in this forum.

I have gone through a battery of tests to rule out other causes and there is no doubt in my mind as to what caused this. So, no there is no "medical" evidence based literature to support these cases. This is maybe due in fact to the fact that there has to be blood loss or a physician based action to cause the atrophy or damage to the ovary or arteries/viens that supply the blood to them.

Why risk the possibility of this happening to you? I see no complaints abot men having PVS after a vasectomy. I vote on begging DH to get himself clipped as opposed to living with someone on a hormonal rollercoater ride for the next however many years. I know DH wished he had, LOL

Okay, thats it. Getting off my soapbox and going back to my corner.

[mommax3]

Trisha,

I in no way meant to say that your experience was invalid....only to communicate that the "establishment" does not have much knowledge about the syndrome. I believe that hormonal changes can be hell to live with and if the ovaries are damaged during the procedure, that opens the door to a whole lot of unpleasant side effects.

I confess that I don't know much about the actual surgery, but I do know that many OBs recommend leaving the ovaries in young women that have hysterectomies because of the hormonal benefits, so I would assume that the standard procedure in a tubal ligation is not to damage the ovaries, either.

I am so sorry that you have experienced these problems, and I really, really, didn't mean to offend or downplay your opinion. I was posting while yelling at the dog to stop barking and I probably didn't word it as carefully as I should have.

Sorry!

Sally

[Meenah]

I say get the boys snipped!!!!! Nothing a little ice pack won't fix (or use a bag of frozen peas, conforms to any shape!!!!)
Luanne

Ok, I have to admit that I have been reading these...is that something a male should be doing??!!??

We too, are having this discussion...Ok, I take that back, there has been no discussion, it was known that I will go in and have the Dr take some scissors and needles and put them near a very sensitive part and I will come home a "steer". (for all the farm folks here!). I am scared, but mostly because I hate needles! I have heard horror stories (mostly from guys who felt less-manly) about retention, does anyone with a spouse that has had this done have any insight? That was an uncomfortable 4 years of high school, I would hate to have that feeling for 40 more years!!

[peggyfromwastate]

Matt, I think it's perfect that you're reading this thread! Your wife would be proud...

One thought on the IUD-- I had one that actually fell out, but I didn't know it b/c it wasn't accompanied with the normal bleeding/cramping. Let's suffice it to say that sex was far less pleasureful... Don't know if this happens often, but I'll never try that again...

Sally, my husband asked our family doc here at USUHS about the vasectomy option, and she said that she could even do it. I thought he'd need a referral to a urologist, but I guess around here it's no big deal... ANyway, when it comes his time, I think that I'd rather have him see a urologist anyway.

I think the most compelling argument for a reluctant male could be the one that was brought up earlier about the husband being responsible for the household duties for at least 2 weeks, if not 6. That's so great!

Anyway, good luck out there with these decisions!

[Auspicious]

Ok, I take that back, there has been no discussion, it was known that I will go in

Yeah, our total discussion was:
Me: When the time comes, you're the one having surgery, right?
Him: Oh, definitely.

I think the idea of never having to worry about it again is very appealing to him.

It came up because my SIL mentioned that my brother was nervous about his impending procedure. I told her my boyfriend would be happy to be in his shoes, and the next day she reported back that that had made him feel a lot better, since all his buddies had been giving him a hard time.

I may have oversold it, though, because somehow it then evolved into vasectomy = accomplishment, and she's like "Well, if you guys get your act together, then you can hurry up and get to the point where we're at." What?? Whatever. It sounds really snooty or something on paper, but knowing my SIL I know she didn't mean anything bad by it and was actually trying to be encouraging. She cracks me up.

[SueC]

My husband can't wait to go in for his vasectomy! I'm serious, he wanted one after our second was born. He's just waiting for me to give him the green light. I had never heard of the possible complications with tubals--that is good information. My neighbor is thinking of getting it done since her husband really doesn't want to get snipped, so I'll have to let her know about that. I'm sure many women have them without problems, but I would definitely want all the information before deciding.