Today I will be exploring the effects of getting a tubal-ligation, and all the “crap” associated with it. The truth behind the surgery…
The Struggle Was Real
About 20 months ago, I had a tubal-ligation. Although I struggled with the choice to get it done for a little while, I eventually went ahead and got the surgery. It sucked. Hard-core…
Now, you might be wondering why I struggled with the decision to get a tubal-ligation. It was not because I wanted more babies. I DID NOT. Although children are in-fact a blessing from the Lord, I knew my limits. I knew that I was not cut-out to be one of those mothers who has 15 kids. I’m just not. And guess what? THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
I struggled with getting it because I have heard that there are small chances of side-effects that are less than pretty. I heard that there could be complications that could have a lasting effect on hormones and all sorts of other female issues.
I knew the risks, and to be honest, at the time I didn’t care. I was so overwhelmed with a new baby and 3 other young children, and I guess you could say I was just desperate. I didn’t know what else to do. My husband has had a strong conviction to not get “fixed”, and I decided to respect his conviction. He didn’t necessarily want me to go ahead it with it (because he would have been fine with 15 kids! lol), but I made the decision and asked if he would support me. He said he would, even if he didn’t really agree with it. So, I went ahead and did it.
Pain, Pain and more Pain!
Immediately after the surgery, the doctor came and checked on me (I was in a fog after the anesthesia) and nonchalantly said, “oh, and I accidentally perforated your uterus, but that’s ok, it was very small”. I was like, “what the crap did you just say???”. Needless to say, I was not happy with that meanie-face…I mean, doctor.
At the time of the surgery, I did not realize the pain that would ensue soon after the pain meds wore off.
Now, I had 4 babies all “naturale”. No pain meds, no epidurals…just natural. Let’s just put it this way…The pain from the tubal-ligation was infinitely worse!!! I didn’t realize that I would be literally “laid-out” for 2 weeks straight! I
didn’t plan ahead and get help with the kids, cooking or anything!
My sister-in-law came to visit a couple of days after the surgery and found me bundled up in a blanket, stretched out on the couch, in utter pain. She asked who was helping me with the kids, cooking and house stuff. I said, “no one. Brian (my husband) has to work”. Bless her soul…She was appalled and went to work “nursing me back to health”. She was a god-send and such a blessing in that critical time where I was in intense pain.
Needless to say, there were apparent side-effects. Not to mention the horrendous pain. I wasn’t able to work out for over 6 weeks, and even after that, I had severe cramping and pain “down yonder”. It took a good 4 months before I felt comfortable with exercise.
I finally realized that all of the debate over side-effects from this surgery were founded, and that I needed to research what I could do to avoid more pain.
Side Effects
Side-effects from tubal-ligations are wide-ranged. They obviously differ with each woman.
- Bleeding from an incision or inside the abdomen.
- Infection.
- Damage to other organs inside the abdomen.
- Side effects from anesthesia.
- Ectopic pregnancy (an egg that becomes fertilized outside the uterus)
- Incomplete closing of a fallopian tube that results in pregnancy.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/…/tubal_ligation_135,27
I know! These sound nasty, right? Well, they are! I had at least 2 of those bad boys, and I am convinced that my discomfort was from the surgery itself.
Heres what a doctor said about getting a tubal-ligation:
“What this (the surgery) often does is affect a woman’s ability to make progesterone more so than estrogen for reasons that are not well understood. She can be left estrogen dominant, it’s a tricky term, but it really means progesterone deficient allowing estrogen effects to dominate. Estrogen becomes the dominant hormone.
This can cause severe mood swings, irritability, headaches, and even migraines. You can start swelling and have fluid retention. It can be mild, moderate, or even devastating. Just like PMS, some women are affected mildly; some are devastated by their symptoms. It’s the same cause even though the woman with PMS maybe didn’t have her tubes tied. It’s progesterone deficiency allowing estrogen to dominate. Fibroids, fibrocystic breast disease, endometriosis, ovarian cysts – these are other things that are caused by progesterone deficiency.
The biggest problem may be that progesterone’s your biggest bone builder, and it’s very important to help the brain repair itself. Progesterone’s probably your biggest anti-cancer compound. What we know in women that do not ovulate is that they have a 540% increase in breast cancer, a 1,000% increase in overall cancer mortality. These numbers are greater than the difference between smokers and non-smokers. I’m not saying that you make no progesterone, but you’re not making enough to balance the estrogen you have, causing symptoms that can be quite severe, threatening your bones, and also, in my opinion, raising cancer risks…” https://www.hotzehwc.com/2016/08/hormonal-after-effects-of-a-tubal-ligation/
Obviously, I didn’t research some of these things, or maybe I didn’t want to research them because I knew there would be risks. As I said before, I was so desperate at the time, that I felt the need to do “something”.
A Different Route
If I had known all the risks involved, I may have a chosen a different route. For now though, all I can do is to continue to be as healthy as I can, and continue to monitor any abnormal health issues. I can also try to dissuade some women from getting this surgery.
With that in mind, would I advise any other couple (or woman) to get a tubal-ligation? Probably not. Although I understand that some people may need to “do something” to reassure themselves that they are done with babies, I would not advise this surgery knowing what I know now.
There are so many other routes that you can take as a couple, and I would encourage you to research all these different options before getting this surgery.
Please don’t let anyone tell you what your own convictions should be. If you feel like you are done with babies…THAT’S OK! If you are on the fence about getting this done, than by all means, pray and seek advice before doing anything permanent. I’ve known a lot of woman who regret getting this surgery. A lot more woman than you think actually do regret it.
I hope that this post was enlightening and encouraging. Have a blessed day!
-Z
