Laura Corin Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I answered the 'done with children but haven't had a permanent procedure' thread, but then started wondering why I hadn't. I've had a look at a few sites and haven't come up with any reason not to go ahead and have it done. It would be free on the National Health Service (as would other contraception); the ectopic pregnancy rate is lower than with my current IUD.... Any thoughts? We have absolutely no interest in having another child; I'm 45. I don't want to ask husband to have a vasectomy, as a friend had it done and ended up with permanent pain (as well as another child!) Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 We're in the same boat & I'm sending dh out. AFAIK, it's a much easier smaller procedure for men than for women. Is there something I'm missing? I know you mentioned your friend but I'll counter that I know more than 4 men who have had it with no complications & yet I know 1 woman who has had tons of probs with her surg. Turns out she developed something called 'adhesions'? I gather it's very painful scar tissue which is forming after the laparascopic surgery she had for the tubal ligation ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 4boys Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I believe there is such a thing as post tubal ligation syndrome. So I would definitely look that up before deciding. I'm sure there are lots of women who have no issues though so in the end you just have to decide if it is the right thing for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 I believe there is such a thing as post tubal ligation syndrome. So I would definitely look that up before deciding. I'm sure there are lots of women who have no issues though so in the end you just have to decide if it is the right thing for you. From what I can see (quick Google) tubal ligation is said to cause early-onset menopause in some people. It's not something that would concern me at my age, but I can see it might be an issue for younger women. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I answered the 'done with children but haven't had a permanent procedure' thread, but then started wondering why I hadn't. I've had a look at a few sites and haven't come up with any reason not to go ahead and have it done. It would be free on the National Health Service (as would other contraception); the ectopic pregnancy rate is lower than with my current IUD.... Any thoughts? We have absolutely no interest in having another child; I'm 45. I don't want to ask husband to have a vasectomy, as a friend had it done and ended up with permanent pain (as well as another child!) Laura If what you have is working, why change it? Hope this doesn't sound rude but since you are 45, well, isn't menopause not too far off anyway? Waiting it out could save you the hassle of a surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie Laurie Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Purely anecdotal... My friend has a tubal and had huge hormonal issues for a long time afterward. I know of several men who have had a vasectomy with no issues, my dad had one thirty years ago and hasn't had any issues ever. (That I know of, we don't sit around and talk about it together; but I have mentioned to my mom that dh will get a vasectomy when we're done for sure, and I know she would have spoken up if my dad had ever had any complications). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 If what you have is working, why change it? Hope this doesn't sound rude but since you are 45, well, isn't menopause not too far off anyway? Waiting it out could save you the hassle of a surgery. But I talked to the doctor recently, and he said that the average age of menopause is 51. The IUD I use pretty much stops my periods anyway, so it's harder to work out when one stops being fertile. The doctor said I should have one until I'm 55, just to be sure. I'm wondering if I should have the surgery and be done with it. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 But I talked to the doctor recently, and he said that the average age of menopause is 51. The IUD I use pretty much stops my periods anyway, so it's harder to work out when one stops being fertile. The doctor said I should have one until I'm 55, just to be sure. I'm wondering if I should have the surgery and be done with it. Laura Guess I am just an anti-surgery person (unless of course one needs to fix a problem or save one's life). Ten years of an IUD does seem like a drag though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 had it done the day after my daughter was born and have never regretted it (I was 30 then, she's nearly 6 now). No post-tubal-ligation syndrome, though I did look at that before the procedure, and it seems to be quite uncommon. It is nice never having to worry, and to not have to rely on chemical means to prevent conception. Of course I was never big on those to begin with - did NFP, but am glad I made the decision I did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Ten years of an IUD does seem like a drag though. Why?:bigear: I am still looking into BC options. We are done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Why?:bigear: I am still looking into BC options. We are done! I was thinking of 10 years worrying about endometriosis or ectopic pregnancy. I only know of two friends who had IUDs, one developed the first and the other developed something worse than the latter. It's only ancedotal of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Hmmm thanks. I already have endmetriosis. I thought that studies showed less chance of ectopic pg with an IUD than w/o one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 Why?:bigear: I am still looking into BC options. We are done! DH.... um.... doesn't like it. :blushing:The string is actually a fine piece of plastic, more like a wire. If you get it cut really short (to get it out of the way) then it can disappear into the cervix, and then there's a risk of the IUD being expelled without your knowing. My doctor says that we are rare in being aware of the string though. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Guess I am just an anti-surgery person (unless of course one needs to fix a problem or save one's life). Ten years of an IUD does seem like a drag though. I agree. DH refuses to get his stuff tied off and I just can't imagine allowing someone to cut me open outside of life threatening problems. The possible side-effects for either procedure have scared us both off. We are also the 2%ers, if there's a slim chance of something going wrong, it tends to go wrong for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 DH.... um.... doesn't like it. :blushing:The string is actually a fine piece of plastic, more like a wire. If you get it cut really short (to get it out of the way) then it can disappear into the cervix, and then there's a risk of the IUD being expelled without your knowing. My doctor says that we are rare in being aware of the string though. Laura Again, one of the only two people I actually know with IUD experience, experienced that as well. How annoying is it to be one of those medical rarities? Why can't it ever be a good or helpful rarity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I think there is more chance of a problem from the surgery INSIDE a woman than the little snip, snip done to a man (and my man done been "snipped"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 I had mine tied, but only because my last pregnancy, which I knew would be my last (health reasons, financial reasons, tired of being pregnant reasons...LOL) ended up being a c-section. It was the only circumstance where I would have done the procedure and just happened to end up that way. The only things I experienced afterwards were heavier periods which took about a year to lighten back up noticeably and even my "heavy" days are not bad compared to what I know a lot of women have. But they did get a bit heavier and remain so. Also, I had a *very* annoying several months of crazy tickling/itching in my legs and abdomen. Not a skin thing, it was a tickly, crawly under-the-skin itching. Not painful or even uncomfortable, really, but very annoying!! It finally went away, I believe as my hormone levels evened out. Not fun, but only temporary. Other than that, I am GLAD that my tubes are tied!! Dh would have gotten a vasectomy, but since I happened to be on the table for my c-section I said what the heck. And I was 35, too, so I knew that I had several fertile years ahead of me. I just love our kids and the baby-desire hasn't gone away 100%, but I know myself and the stress of having another baby close to 40 is not something I want for me. I'm open to other ways of adding to our family if God shows me that, as well, even though I'm not askin' Him about it! LOL But after high blood pressure last time and bloating so badly that a shaving nick on my calf ended up leaking water from my retention for weeks and weeks (GROSS!), after pregnancies got more and more tiring and difficult, I decided no more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I answered the 'done with children but haven't had a permanent procedure' thread, but then started wondering why I hadn't. I've had a look at a few sites and haven't come up with any reason not to go ahead and have it done. It would be free on the National Health Service (as would other contraception); the ectopic pregnancy rate is lower than with my current IUD.... Any thoughts? We have absolutely no interest in having another child; I'm 45. I don't want to ask husband to have a vasectomy, as a friend had it done and ended up with permanent pain (as well as another child!) Laura Here's a link. I had it done while they were in there for a c-section. It was very painful- I was in way more pain than I had for my first c-section, and the nurse told me it was the tubal. I know my hormones are messed up. Horrible periods that I never had before, and many other symptoms that I won't bore you with. I wouldn't do it, I would have dh get the snip-snip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 If I had had a c-section to deliver the twins, my OB would have done a tubal at the time (because, frankly, she would have already cut through my abdominal wall). I was 33. Since that didn't happen, my husband decided it was a much less risky option for him to have a vasectomy. I brought him in, settled into the waiting room to read a magazine and he was back. I assumed he had chickened out or needed me to sign off on another form... nope, all done. No issues. (Other than being a little weirded out by having a rather chatty urologist) My dad has had no issues for... 31 years. And, yes, we sit around and talk about that sort of thing. My family has no sense of propriety. :D I had a Paraguard (non-hormonal) IUD when my husband and I first lived together - my OB had to go in and trim the retrieval filament, too. (I'm only 5 feet tall, so not a lot of footage in any given area) I can't imagine how one would "expel" an IUD and not notice. Like, ok, if you maybe didn't wear panties and it fell out on the subway (or, at least, I'd be pretending not to notice), but it's not like they're microscopic. Anyway, that was another option we were entertaining, but I'd likely be going through two since I'm only 38 and my mother didn't start menopause until her mid-50s. It wouldn't be a guessing game, though, since there is no hormonal masking. Anyway, all this to say, I would not, personally, enter into abdominal surgery if there was a less invasive option that works for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Angela, that was helpful and eye-opening. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I had mine tied (clapped) when Fi was born. She was my second c-section and we knew we were done, so since my OB was already in there... :D I've never had any hormonal issues. It still is major surgery, and I agree not something to take lightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamommy Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I had a tubal done during my last c-sec birth in 2007. We'd had 4 very tough pregnancies that resulted in 3 c-sec's. All 4 of my littles were also preemies. Docs advised it was unwise to have any additional children. But my cycles have been MUCH heavier and significantly more painful since the procedure. I never used to suffer from PMS either and I now experience it monthly. I personally know of 3 friends who've experienced similiar. If I had to do it over again I would not do the tubal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixpence1978 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I had a tubal done after my second child. I was 27 at the time and had absolutely no problems. I couldn't take BC because they would mess my emotions up majorly. We were done with biological kids because of PPD problems. My DH couldn't get his done because he had already had 2 surgeries as a kid for undescended testicles. We didn't want to have to deal with the problems that he would have. Honestly, I went in in the morning, was done by lunch time. Mine were done laproscopically and the only pain I had was soreness in my shoulders for a couple of days. I was out shopping for a Christmas tree by the next day. U haven't had any side effects hormonally or with my period. In fact, ever since having kids, it been lighter and much more pleasant. I have a tiny 1/2 inch scar in an area that is well hidden, the other scar in microscopic in my belly button. I am so glad that I had it done. Anyways, just wanted to share a good experience. I did have to sign some paperwork though because I was getting it done at a pretty young age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Honestly, I went in in the morning, was done by lunch time. Mine were done laproscopically and the only pain I had was soreness in my shoulders for a couple of days. I was out shopping for a Christmas tree by the next day. U haven't had any side effects hormonally or with my period. In fact, ever since having kids, it been lighter and much more pleasant. I have a tiny 1/2 inch scar in an area that is well hidden, the other scar in microscopic in my belly button. I am so glad that I had it done. I did not know they can do it via laproscopy? But of course they can, I had half my uterus removed via lap surgery. I've had three lap surgeries total and they were super easy to recover from, compared to my c-sections. The shoulder soreness is actually from gas. They pump gas into your tummy cavity to see things better. It's funny how you feel it in the shoulder area after. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan A. Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 Another good experience. I had mine tied the day I gave birth to our 3rd. Tiny scar on my belly button and only took pain medicine once after the surgery. No after effects except it took several days for the gas to go down that was used for the laparoscopic surgery. People kept asking me when I was due!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamnkats Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I'm reading this with interest, Laura. Thanks for starting the thread. Any BC would not be free for us but even though I'm 48 I'm still looking into stuff. Vas is not an option for DH. I keep forgetting about the IUD though. I need to check into that. Plastic string though sounds painful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phathui5 Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 If what you have is working, why change it? Hope this doesn't sound rude but since you are 45, well, isn't menopause not too far off anyway? Waiting it out could save you the hassle of a surgery. This is what I was thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I know it's not really bc, but I had horrible periods and stuff (won't go into the details.....you're welcome! ;) ), and my dr. sent me to a speccialist , who said he could take care of it in 90 seconds or less with and Endometrial Ablation. Simple, easy procedure, in and out in a couple of hours. The couple of hours is the recovery. The "surgery" (through the v*gina) honestly takes less than 90 seconds! I'm also one of those that if something bad is going to happen to 2 or 3% it happens to me! BUT, this one worked so well! I have no bleeding now and very minor discomfort most months. There's no endometrium for the egg to attach to, so they tell people not to plan to get pregnant afterwards, though it HAS happened. It was the Novasure method, which is really for bleeding and rough period problems I guess, but it may be worth looking at. Not sure you have those problems though, or what dr's "requirements" are to do this. But it surely is simple and easy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 That's my question as well. I went in last summer fully intending to have a tubal, and came out with an IUD. I'm 45 as well. My IUD will last 10 years, which will probably out last my body's baby making capability. I'm so glad. I see no reason to go under general anesthesia, and have what is still considered major surgery to have essentially the same result as a simple office procedure. That being said, have you looked at Essure? They insert a spring-like device into your fallopian tubes, and after about a month, your body has created enough scar tissue around the device to block the passage. They are less invasive to insert than a regular tubal ligation, and recovery time is easier. There is a delay before you can rely on them, but they are very popular here. I strongly considered it, but I'm glad I went with the IUD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I was scheduled to have a tubal last November(as in 2007). I was not 100% about it but as a single parent of 4 I thought it would be the most responsible thing to do. However when the nurse called to confirm and went through the list of possible risks, and asked if I had a will in place with provisions for the children(routine to ask things like that for all surgeries here) I panicked and cancelled. I would rather risk having 10 more children than be the rare case of dieing during surgery leaving the one's I have with out a momma. I'm a scaredy cat about it. It doesn't help that when I took my medical office assitant course we watched a video in class of a tubal being done. It was hard to think about the surgery coming up while having images in my head of the actual procedure. So no tubal for me, no bc because I react to everything, so I get to stay abstinant since I am not ready for a 5th at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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