Questions about tubal ligation reversal

[Classicalmom2six]

I had a tubal after my c-section and I regret it to the point that I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest when I think about it. I never should have had it done. I'm trying to deal with it the best I can but some days I just can't function because it hurts so much.

 

I asked my doctor at my 2 week check up if it would have been possible to have more children after this last c-section because of my uterus being so thin and he said "yes, more children would have been possible." I cried for days after that.

 

I just need to know if anyone here had their tubes tied and then had a reversal? Or know of anyone who did this? Was it successful? Or has anyone here gotten pregnant even though they had a tubal ligation?

 

And please don't tell me 7 is enough...that I should be happy with that. Because I told myself that before I had it done and now I feel like I'm dying inside...

 

TIA

[*********]

Just wanted to offer a :grouphug::grouphug:.

 

I know exactly how you feel, unfortuantely.

 

ETA: I've done my homework. Dh and I would have to pay out of pocket to have my tubal reversed; a reversal would NOT be covered by our insurance. And they cost between $6,000 and $10,000. I really wish someone would have mentioned to me that hey, you know, you are still REALLY young; maybe making such a permanent decision is something that could wait a few years. It's a very, very hard place to be.

Edited April 21, 2010 by bethanyniez

[Sue G in PA]

:grouphug: I know many women who are in this position right now. Wishing they had thought it through more. I am sorry that you are there now. After we had our 7th, many, many of my "friends" told me that having my tubes tied or having my dh get a vasectomy would be in our best interest. Well, we didn't and I'm glad. However, dh doesn't want any more children and I, well, might. :tongue_smilie:

 

As for a reversal. I have a neighbor who had her tubes tied and then had a successful reversal. She just had a beautiful little girl who is 6 mos. old and is pregnant with another as I type. It is expensive, but so is adopting, right? I pray that either God will give you peace about your family size or that He will somehow give you the ability to have more children! Praying for you...

[bigdogs29906]

:grouphug:

 

Just wanted to give you hugs and say you aren't alone. Though in my case it is my husband's vasectomy that is regretted, it is incredibly painful to want children without a way to have them.

 

You are not alone.

[Carrie12345]

I know a woman who recently had a reversal performed. They weren't able to fix one of the tubes, but did their best with the other. She recently had her check up, and it doesn't look as though the "fixed" tube will be functional. I'm crossing my fingers for her. Er, maybe I should *un-cross them!

 

It's a LOT of money to spend on a gamble (imo, of course).

[wapiti]

Reading something like this makes me wonder whether there's a message here for me. I know all too well the pain of not being able to have children - after lots and lots (and lots) of fertility treatments, we went on to have six, the last one being a miraculous surprise at 41 y.o.; the oldest is 9 and the youngest 9 months, and I hate my Mirena (I think it's making my pcos worse) and have been contemplating Essure, which is incredibly difficult to reverse, from what I've read. I'm pretty busy and overwhelmed by the family I have, and I have no intention of having more. But the pain of the past is not easily forgotten - there's quite an internal struggle. So you've given me food for thought...:confused:

 

FWIW, I understand where you're coming from. The idea that your kitchen table is missing a face is hard to shake no matter how many are already there. :grouphug: Good luck with your decision.

[StaceyinLA]

It was about 2 1/2 years after the original tubal ligation. It was considered a success. I suffered 4 ectopic pregnancies.

 

This certainly is not the case with everyone, and I know a couple of women who have had successful pregnancies after reversals, but that wasn't the case for me.

 

All I know is that personally, the pain of wanting another baby didn't really compare to the heartbreak I experienced losing 4 of them.

[Impish]

My first boyfriend married a woman that had her tubes reversed, and they have two kids together.

[Wheres Toto]

:grouphug:

 

I had my tubes tied during my last c-section as well. At the time I was told that a better option than a reversal (due to risk of ectopic and expense) was to do in-vitro fertilization. It's more likely to be covered by insurance and has less risk.

 

Since my tubal, I've had about 6 women share with me that they had children after through IV - including my husband's cousin who had twins.

[Karis]

I thought they were only "guaranteed" for about 10 years.

 

There have been women who've gotten pregnant in spite of having a tubal.

 

but yeah, IV is an option.

[Impish]

:grouphug:

 

I had my tubes tied during my last c-section as well. At the time I was told that a better option than a reversal (due to risk of ectopic and expense) was to do in-vitro fertilization. It's more likely to be covered by insurance and has less risk.

 

Since my tubal, I've had about 6 women share with me that they had children after through IV - including my husband's cousin who had twins.

Interesting. The specialist that did my ectopic surgery told me that I had about as much chance of another ectopic (10-15%) as to being successful at IVF, which was a big part of her practice. I'm guessing that the rates of ectopic after reversing a tubal are higher than for women who have only a previous ectopic pregnancy. :confused:

 

Pretty sure (not 100%) that here the reversal would be covered, because its in the hospital...but not the IVF...at least via provincial coverage.

[Melissa in Australia]

Interesting. The specialist that did my ectopic surgery told me that I had about as much chance of another ectopic (10-15%) as to being successful at IVF, which was a big part of her practice. I'm guessing that the rates of ectopic after reversing a tubal are higher than for women who have only a previous ectopic pregnancy. :confused:

 

Pretty sure (not 100%) that here the reversal would be covered, because its in the hospital...but not the IVF...at least via provincial coverage.

 

here is Australia a reversal is not covered, neither is IVF.

A specialist told me that the chances of having an ectopic pregnancy after a tubal is greater than 50%.

[Melissa in Australia]

I had a tubal done, then 4 years later I got pregnant, I thought I was having early menopause and it took me 8 weeks to work out I was pregnant. I miscarried at 9 weeks. I had a lot of pain and discomfort with the clips after that, ( one night I thought I was dying the pain was so bad). I went and saw a Gynaecologist. who did some exploratory surgery, and found one clip had ripped through my tube, and become embedded in my ovary. he removed the ovary, and tested the other tube with dye. he told me there was no way I could get pregnant. 2 months later I was pregnant, that baby is now 6.

I haven't gotten pregnant since, and we are about to foster possible 2 girls( we hope it all goes through)

[dansamy]

Clips are more easily reversible. My tubes were cut and cauterized. The chance for a reversal of that is so slim that IVF is usually recommended instead.

[unsinkable]

I had a tubal after my c-section and I regret it to the point that I feel like my heart is being ripped out of my chest when I think about it. I never should have had it done. I'm trying to deal with it the best I can but some days I just can't function because it hurts so much.

 

I asked my doctor at my 2 week check up if it would have been possible to have more children after this last c-section because of my uterus being so thin and he said "yes, more children would have been possible." I cried for days after that.

 

I just need to know if anyone here had their tubes tied and then had a reversal? Or know of anyone who did this? Was it successful? Or has anyone here gotten pregnant even though they had a tubal ligation?

 

And please don't tell me 7 is enough...that I should be happy with that. Because I told myself that before I had it done and now I feel like I'm dying inside...

 

TIA

 

Oh, I am so sorry!

 

I will keep you in my prayers.

[Wheres Toto]

Clips are more easily reversible. My tubes were cut and cauterized. The chance for a reversal of that is so slim that IVF is usually recommended instead.

 

I was also cut and cauterized so that may be the reason for my doctor's recommendation. Add in "Advanced Maternal Age" and....

 

Here in NJ, insurance companies are required to cover IV treatments but not reversal surgery. Looks like this is something that's going to vary greatly depending on where you live.

[FloridaLisa]

If you will research, there are many doctors that have successfully performed many tubal ligation reversals. I had mine reversed after having 5 children and went on to have 2 more children. We paid out of pocket, but as we moved forward in faith, God provided the right doctor and the money.

 

The success of a reversal depends (as I recall) on how fertile you are, how old you are, how the tubal was performed and how long it's been since the tubal. When I initially inquired, my OB said no way would a reversal be successful. But the specialist looked at my records and was very encouraging. We've been doubly blessed, though I recently had two early miscarriages.

 

I would encourage you to go to Nancy Campbell's site, Above Rubies, for many stories of successful reversals. There may also be a list of doctors that perform reversals.

 

I pray that you will find some answers,Lisa

[kalanamak]

 

I just need to know if anyone here had their tubes tied and then had a reversal? Or know of anyone who did this? Was it successful? Or has anyone here gotten pregnant even though they had a tubal ligation?

 

 

What kind of tubal did you have? The odds depend on how the sizes of the lumen of the two ends match. I had my tubes tied when I was 21. The doc banded them rather than cut out a large section. When I had the reversal 21 years later, I'd had an salpingogram (painful!) to tell me I had a lot of tube and good ends. I was preggers in 6 months.

 

 

I don't regret the sterilization or the reversal. However, I am the dispassionate sort, and nothing would make me feel like my heart was being ripped out. If it worked, okay, if it didn't, such is life. In 2001 it was $6,000 bucks cash on the barrel head at a top place, you go home that night, rather weak, and the recovery was much worse (for me) than the Csection I later had. I was in the OR 4 hours. The nurse said "it was an especially tricky one". I was a little worried about ectopics and when I fainted around the time of implantation, the first words out of my mouth were "if I faint again, call 911". (I was in an ER, once, when a 19 year old died of an ectopic....it was horrible.)

 

I wish I could find out the record time between having it done and having it reversed. I may be in the running.

[dansamy]

I was also cut and cauterized so that may be the reason for my doctor's recommendation. Add in "Advanced Maternal Age" and....

 

Here in NJ, insurance companies are required to cover IV treatments but not reversal surgery. Looks like this is something that's going to vary greatly depending on where you live.

 

I wasn't really given an option. I had severe pre-eclampsia that developed into full-blown HELLP with all 3 of my babies. My doctors pretty well told me that they weren't going to take any chances by using the clips.