Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome

Hi Aquarius,
My gosh while reading your first post to this thread I pretty much ticked off all the boxes re PTLS.
I have my tubes tied in Oct 2002 after my fourth baby and have experienced nothing but problems ever since. Here I was thinking it was all in my head and not knowing anyone else that has had the procedure I have not really had anyone to talk to.
I am going to do a bit of research on the net to arm myself with info to take to my GP and see what can be done.
Thankyou for if I had not read your post I would be none the wiser and still miserable.

I went to bed last night and while thinking about all I had read yesterday in regards to this syndrome I found myself crying tears of relief, that I have possibly found the reason for all that has been happening to me over the past 5+ years.

How I have managed to hold it together for so long is beyond me. I guess I just came to except what was happening as normal and never questioned enough. Mind you the amount of times I went to the doctor for the same complaints and he never picked it up. How can doctors be so blind to what is happening to all the women that suffer this way and not really be willing to acknowledge that it is a real condition?

I have always regreted the decision to get my tubes done and feel in alot of ways I was railroaded into it. I never really received any counselling before hand and was certainly not told of any of these side effects for if I had I would not have consented. I wish now after all these years I had stayed true to myself and not gone through with it, but the damage is done and it has cost me alot in more than just monetary ways. Now to find a solution so that I can be a better and happier me.

Tami.... I know how you feel.... im getting my tubes reversed at the royal womens in melb.... still have a few tests to get done they will be done this week..... i too hope that this will be a solution to a better and happier me( if another baby cames along even better)

Karend I wish you all the best for your reversal, I would be interested to hear how it goes and whether it 'solves' your symptoms. Do you mind my asking how much the procedure is costing you?

From what ive been told its free(but i will double check tomorrow when i have my second appointment)....if done in the public system or $5000 if done privately.

Afternoon Ladies,
I haven't been here for a while but really needed to vent. I feel so frustrated and close to tears, I went to the doctors this morning armed with printouts from the net about PTLS and explained that I have been experiencing alot of the sympoms now for nearly 6 years. He was not sympathic at all and basically told me that having 2 little tubes clamped can not possibly cause all these problems and that there must be another explanation for the symptoms. He has referred me for a pelvic u/sound. I tired to fight my case but it was a losing battle.
Why can't doctors take us seriously when we go to them about these compalints? To have to put up with this on a somewhat daily basis is very tiring and I feel I am at my wits end. I don't know what to do now or who to go to. Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance>

Grr Tami, I feel for you.

Just go & find a different doctor, & keep seeing different ones til you get waht you want. That's what I did LOL

My thoughts exactly Storm, but we really shouldn't have to find a doctor who believes in us.
Needless to say I will probably be seeing a few doctors this week.

:hug: for you Tami.....
I too told the doctor about all these "problems" that i was having and said it was not from having my tubes tied....In the end i told the doctor (different one) that i wanted my tubes untied so we could have another baby (which we do anyway), and i got my referral... (they werent going to give me the referral without a drs name or name of clinic) Anyway i am now on the waiting list to have my tubes reversed.... I dont know if its mind over matter or what but some of my "problems" have eased but they havent gone and by no means is everything back to the way it was before i had my tubes tied. For me i now feel that a hugh weight has been lifted off my shoulders just knowing that maybe the end of these "problems" is just in sight.....

All the best Tami....Hope that you may find resolution to a happier you

the irony of this is that before the medical profession had the technology/knowledge to diagnose endo women where classed as hysterical hyperchondriacs(sp?)../. and now that the knowledge and technology are around to diagnose it, its not completely understood, but at least recognised and acknowledge as a very real problem......why does the possibility of two little clips causing so much pain and problems so impossosible for them to believe???? they are foriegn objects in our bodies!

I feel your frustration Tami! its exactly how I feel too.

Thank you ladies, it is a god send to be able to communicate with women that are having the same problems. I can talk to GF's but none of them has had their tubes tied so don't really understand the problem.

Karend I wish you all the best in your reversal, please keep us informed of how it all goes. I will definitely be looking into getting mine done sometime in the future, but for now because we desperately want to add to our family we have decided to pursue ivf.

Astnatlaur I don't think the doctor I saw liked the fact that I had armed myself with knowledge. DH reckons that he was probably p****d that I knew more than he did. It's just as well that technology is as good as it is for without it I would of been kept in the dark and felt like I was going insane.

i had a tubal ligation 10 weeks ago while having a c section with my 5th child

i am also experiencing some of the symptoms listed ??

just wondering when a doctor is going to realise these symptoms???

thankyou
felicity

OMG!!! I am booked in for my second c-section this January and was going to get my tubes tied at the same time as we don't want anymore kids. My girlfriend just did the same thing and as far as I know she hasn't had any issues, but it was only about 6 - 8 weeks ago.

Now that I'm reading this I'm thinking against it. I had 4 surgeries for endo before having DS1, then a partial molar pregnancy that nearly ended in chemo and since my c-section with DS2 (due to low placenta) my periods were never the same and then we fell with this one, on purpose, I thought just get the tubes tied and be done with it!

What to do,, what to do...............?:(

God I forgot about this thread.

I had my tubes clamped and had so many issues..eg falling pg 3 times was one :0 so I had a reversal. I had since had 2 more children and with my 4th c/s I asked for my tubes to be taken out..NO CLAMPS. i have had no pains *maz find wood to knock on* BUT my cycle is now 35 days instead of the 28????

Doc also informed me that you still have a 1 in 200 chanch of falling pg with your tubes done. *GULP*

Felicity are you still getting symptoms? Some months mine are worse than others, but they are still there nonetheless.
Tashie I don't want to sway you either way, but do as much research as you can. Not every women suffers from having a TL but the amount that do show just how debilitating it can be and I wouldn't want anyone to experience what I have. Will your DH get the snip? I would be interested in your decision.
Maz I had no idea that you could still conceive with no tubes, wonders will never cease. I sincerely hope that having your tubes removed is the answer for you and wish you all the best.

Maz - I can't believe you fell preg 3 times after having them tied!! And if you take them out altogether, surly that should be the end of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tami - I'm worried about it because I had endo, and your symptoms are very similar to endo. It does actually make sense now that I've read this thread that it would be similar because so many endo sufferers have blocked tubes, but I didn't.

I can't take the pill as this contributes to endo, and my DH was considering the snip before we fell again but he is concerned about things going wrong too, and also, we don't have private health, so we were both concerned about the cost.

I've been thinking about an IUD then. I've heard a couple of people swear by them and that's done by the Dr and if you have issues, you can easily have it taken out.

I might look into that option instead as if there are chances things will go wrong with a TL, it'll be me that will have the issues you're facing and after what I've been through with the endo and my periods were all over the place after my c-section, I think I might give more surgery a miss!!

Tashie, like I said I didn't want to sway you either way but it is huge relief to hear that you are going to give surgery a miss.
I have a friend who has had alot of gynie problems and she had the mirena iud put in in April and she has had no problem since, she swears by it. Hope this info helps you.
All the best in whatever decision you make.

Tami - I too have heard of a girl who swears by it, but I have read a bit more about it, and am a bit concerned still with hormones etc. I did have the progesterone pill years ago and that wasn't the best for me, but then I had endo and didn't know it at the time, so that could have contributed.

I think that best thing to do is discuss this with my GP and see what I do from here, but it's a nerve racking decision. Good thing about the mirena is that if it's not right for me we just take it out, much better than have the TL revervsed!!

:hug:

Hi im new here and was reading some of the posts. Ihad my tubes ties after my last child 11 months ago . It was recommened by my dr because i was having my 4th c-section and he said it wouldnt be safe to fall pregnant with a 5 th child because he said the womb would be weak and if i got pregnant again it my woomb could burst and stuff like taht. I agreed to get my tubes tied because at the time i was sick of bing prgnant and thought i didnt want any more kids, but now i regret it . I really wish i hadnt ot it done.

Skylan it was so hard for me to face the fact that I couldn't have more children because of a choice I had made, even one that I felt forced into so I know exactly where you are coming from.
We have decided to pursue ivf in the hopes that we will be blessed with more.
I know that there is some risk for repeat c-sections but I have also read somewhere that I think it was Jackie O had a fair few c-sections. I have a friend in Nz that just recently had her 5th one.
Wishing you all the best.

Thanks tami. good luck with your ivf. My cousin got pregnant through ivf about 5mths ago. It happened after her first try. Hope it all goes well for you.

Hi girls yes it is a very big decision and one that alot of people regret doing, me being on of them.
When having my 5th child and 2nd c/s i decided to have my tubes cut and tied. At the time it was truely the best choice for me and my family. I truely believe a law should be brought in to stop people from have it done till atleast 12mths after giving birth. People make very rash decisions when there big fat and pregnant and so over it. Only 6mths after having it done i really really regreted it so much so i had a reversal. After trying to fall for 12mths with no luck we decided to go with IVF at Westmead in Sydney(so so cheap) to have another baby.
We were one of the lucky ones and fell pregnant first go and now we have a beautiful baby girl. We are very blessed. Take care

Hopw weird my post didnt register

Just curious if this is a normal part of having your tubes tied.

I finally settled into a nice 25 day cycle with AF.. lasting 4-5 days. My Period is much heavier then before but only for about 36-48 hours.. then on either side of that time its very mild

Anyways I was due 2 days ago and nothing yet.. I kind of get the feeling it will wrrive tomorrow but thought Iw ould ask tonight anyways

Is it normal for your cycles to suddenly change on you?

I researched something silly last night and that was tubals and accidental pregnancies. and the way I had my tubes done has the highest failure rate??? I had mine cut and tied (or at least as far as I know I did) they weren't clamped, and they weren't burnt .. Anyways what are your thoughts? Is it normal for AF to change ike that

Thanks in advance nic

Hi Nic,

I've been looking into this myself as I'm getting mine done in Jan.

After I had DS2 my periods were all over the place (no tubal ligation either) until he was about 11 months and then I finally had a 28 day cycle, but then we decided on #3, so I don't know if that would have settled down or not.

I know a lot of people that have issues after kids with their periods (including my own mum) and they haven't had their tubes done.

I asked my GP about this and she said that it's very normal that about 30% of women will develop heavy irregular periods as they get older and or have children and it's very normal and not related to having your tubes done as this just prevents the eggs from coming down the tube, they don't interfere with the arteries that carry the hormones that tell your body what to do each cycle etc.

I know that the girls on this particular thread who've had heaps of problems, will probably not agree and that's cool. I'm just telling you what I've found out by investigating for myself, and my own experiences after having DS2.

Good luck and if you keep having issues or your worried about it, go and see your Gyno or GP.
:D

Thanks Tash.. Af still hasn't arrived.. I think day 28 day.. which is still normal really..

I have had no troubles at all with having my tubes done.. I occasionally get a little crampy when my period is here and sometimes when I ovulate but nothing that stops me from doing anything just like oh yeh thats what thats from..

It was only after Ds that my periods went haywire.. They were 21 days to 45 and then back to 36.. after my tubal they were every 7 days for 7 days.. so frustrating. so thats why I was pleased they settled into a pattern// Ah well they might be settling into another sort of pattern or disappearing all together :lol:

Nic,

It's funny cos mine started to settle down after Riley was about to turn 1 as well, but then, as I said, I fell pregnant again.

Try not to think about it, and it'll happen. I used to really stress if mine went over 30 days, cos I didn't go over 30 unless I was preg. But mine ranged from 21 - 32 before settling and I only had one really heavy one in Jan that lasted about 7 days and was really full on. Otherwise they would go from 3 - 5 days. It was just the length in between that was all over the place. Hence due date for this little man is a bit out this time around too.

Good luck, I'm sure AF will come soon.

Hi,

I am new here, having read what you have all said, I'd like to add that I had a TL done when my 9yr old Daughter was 2 months old, since then for the past 9 years I have experienced 90% of the mentioned symptoms since having my TL. The worst of which is the constant pain in the pelvic area which is made worse at certain times of the month and the constant stopping and starting of periods. My new partner has since greatly encouraged me to go get the pain checked out since I thought it was just constapation pain, but my doctor thought otherwise and I am being tested for Endometriosis which it seems likely that I now have, I get my results on Thursday, it is true you dont have to have your tubes done to get endo, my sister-in-law to be has had endo since she was a teenager and has never had her tubes done, it just seems it is more likely to occur after you have had a TL. Every woman in my family who had a TL has gone on to have a hystorectomy without bothering to get a reversal or to find out why they were in pain, now we know why, that is not a path I wish to follow, especially since I have now found a partner I am willing to have more children with that I love deeply we are looking at getting a reversal after the wedding next year. In many ways I regret my TL, only thing I dont regret about it is not being able to have children to a selfish egotistical jerk whom I can gladly say is now no longer in my life, that was the only good thing about my TL hehe

Hi Aingeal,

It's interesting to hear your story. I have been "cured" from endo by having kids. I didn't think you can get endo after TL because the theory by most specialist's is that the blood overflows through your tubes to the outer part of your uterus and implants in the outside of your uterus. So if your tubes are tied, then you'd think this can't occur after the op.

Maybe you had endo before you had kids? A lot of people have it and don't even know they do. That was me until I was in my mid 20's when it had developed enough to start to cause me to wonder what was wrong with me. I always had the long, heavy periods but GP's just put that down to my cycle.

Let me know what your specialist says about your condition and how you go with you lapscopy.

Good luck!

I've had it since I was a teenager from what we are noticing, but it seems that is not what is causing me an issue right now, seems I have ovarian cysts causing my massive bouts of pain, I have to talk to my Dr again this coming week and see about what can be done as I've been having this pain on and off for 9years and it is causing problems in the bedroom I really want the cysts gone, especially since I've found out they can cause infertility and as I want to have more children I'd rather get rid of them now and be safer than sorry later not to mention the constant pain, the sleepless nights from being up all night with the pain would be nice to get rid of ;) For now they are monitoring the cysts and I have to have another ultrasound in a couple months but hopefully I can get them removed sooner than that.


*also the fluid can pass through a hole made by operations as well such as when a doctor goes through a womb during a curette such as my doctor did at the time of my TL*

Pity you're in NSW, I've got the best specialist in melbourne and he would have sorted you out years ago!

I can't believe they haven't given you a laproscopy and cleaned out the endo and fixed the cysts. That's terrible from you Dr's point I think.

I'd be getting another opinion there love!!:o

Good luck let me know how you go.

I'm seriously considering changing Dr's because I spoke to mine and we decided to see about going to a gyno and getting the cysts removed, but as yet I'm still waiting for the referral, I'm going to call the gyno in the morning and see if the Dr has sent it yet, if not I'll do what my mum said and get my partner to rush me to hospital and tell them I'm in massive pain, as the Gyno works at the hospital anyways, he worked on my mum's cysts and apparently is rather good so lets hope that trick works. Either that or get the referral from another Dr :rolleyes:

HI everyone how are you going? sorry I have not been in here in a while....
I still have not had ivf, have had a bad year last year...
we struggled with our morgage untill it went down (thankfully)....
we didnt have enough money for IVF...
I'm in hell at the monent with my symptoms.....
My skin feels like I have ants crawling on it and Im itching like crazy....
I get very moody and upsett for no reason and my periods - they go for 7 days then stop for one day and start again for 3 days GRRRR...
I feel like I am going crazy....
I think I am going to have to ask the mother in law for a loan to have a reversal as I cant take much more of these symtoms.....
In newcastle they want $7800 to have it done...
my local hospital said they wont do it as there is no proof my symtoms are caused by having my tubes clamped...
I wanted to hit him over the head but instead I just stormed off....
These doctors really dont want to accept blame...
I wonder if a lawyer would help me sue them to pay for my reversal....
grrr

OMG i thought i was looking at myself in the mirror when i saw all these posts all i was searching for was info on a TL reversal and im shocked to see how many people have the same problems as me, i had my tubes clamped about 4 yrs ago and at first the Dr thought i had Endometriosis as i was in so much pain every time of the month came around which i still do feels like my hips are going to explode and its very heavy for the first 2 days then its gone by the 3rd or 4th day, im hoping i can get this reversal its not only for my pain but also looking into surrogacy for my sister as she desperately wants a child to her first husband, so im hoping this can go ahead and all my problems and pain will go away....good luck to you all...xx

I have only just found this thread and I am stunned. Until today I had never heard of TLS, but I'm looking at the list of symptoms and it looks like my medical history from the past 5 years since my TL in Nov 2005.
DH and I have looked at the possibility of having the TL reversed before - in order to have more kids - and that's why I was looking today and found all this info.
I don't have many regrets in life, but having a TL is my biggest ever regret. We are seriously considering a reversal...like asap. I'm a bit petrified about it as a) I'm nearly 40 and b) I had severe PND with both babies, but I think I'd be looking at a reversal just to get some health back...