Anyone Feel Different (Hormonally) After a Tubal Ligation?

YES YES YES!! and the doctors say it doesn't happen. However, everyone I know who had their tubes tied felt differently - very differently afterwards. I myself (tied at 28) suddenly has terrible PMS for the first time in my life as well as night sweats, hard periods and depression that required medication. The PMS is the worst for the whole family (LOL) and I NEVER had PMS before the tubes were tied. My husband said if someone had told us the side effects he would have had a vasectomy. However, for whatever reason, while I have a lot of friends with tied tubes, no doctor ever mentioned any side effect and denies them after.

I can understand how you feel b/c i've had a similar procedure done over 4 months ago called the essure, where coils are clamped onto the tubes instead of tying them...my periods are much heavier, a bit more ovulation pain, and i am more emotional. i don't know about you or any of the other women, but the drs. can't really help me on this...i know i need to change my diet, probably drink more water and get more exercise, and maybe i'll see a difference.

I had a tubal ligation when my OB removed an ovarian cyst about 2 years ago. My cycle got shorter but my PMS seems to last about three weeks now, with about one week of relief immediately after my period. The biggest change for me after the tubal was the appearance of these big gooey blood clots mid-cycle and the fact that I get very bloated now during the last phase of my cycle. It's horrible. I went in for another ultrasound because I did not have any idea what was going on, but it came back normal and my OB said it was just my new "normal" cycle, and, like other women have posted, she recommended I go back on birth control pills if I wanted some relief. ha. If I could do it over I would probably have stayed on b/c pills. As for relief, one of my friends with horrendous PMS swears that Black Cohosh has saved her relationship. She's been taking it for about 8 weeks now and said her last period was the easiest she's had in years. I just bought some last week so it's too early for me to tell you firsthand. I bought it at GNC and it wasn't too expensive.

I have thought a lot about posting this same question! Since my tubal just about 2 years ago I have nothing but miserable cycles! I had extremely long cycles when I was a teen (anywhere from 30 to 60 days in between) so I was put on the pill. I was on for 8 years before having children (which was a very difficult road, 2 births and 3 miscarriages in 4 years, and 15+ Kidney stones). I chose to have a tubal because my doctors thought it would be best that I do not have any more pregnancies due to the strain being put on my kidneys (and the emotional toal it took on myself and my husband)...I was bleeding for the last 3 months from my kidneys due to a 10mm+ stone I somehow managed to pass (this was the 3rd one for this pregnancy), I did not like seeing that much blood while pregnant b/c I was always questioning where it was coming from. So, I thought it would be best and that I would feel great and not have to be concerned about becoming pregnant, blah, blah...well, there have been many days that I have wished I could have made a different choice! I know that your body changes after children, but I thought that I had a good change for me for a little while. When my son was 10 months old my period came back...what appeared to be normal cycles began to emerge, or so I thought. Once I stopped nursing him at 13 months, my life became miserable! Each month became worse! I went from having a period every 28-30 days for 6-8 days while nursing to every month progressing to the point where I couldn't even tell you what my cycles were because I would bleed for 14-15days straight and have anywhere from 9-12 days in between without bleeding! This was not what I signed up for!!! I am not talking about just a little spotting either! The mood swings are the worse I have ever had and I feel like I am crazy at times! and the frustration I feel about not being able to have the time with my husband that I would like and not to mention how he feels! (who I have to admit has been very understanding about what has been going on) I don't know if it has to do with the tubal or not, but I can't deal with this until menopause, I am only 29! That could be a long time from now! For the meanwhile, I have gone back on the pill thinking that it should regulate me and give some temporary relief...HA! That is a joke! I am just about finished with my third pack of pills an have not seen much of a change! The only difference is that since this last pack I now spot on almost a daily basis...it is somewhat better than what I was dealing with! But the mood swings are still there! I do think I am going to ask for something stronger. My other option was a treatment called HerOption, where they freeze the lining of the uterus, and 60% of women never get a period again, and I think only 1% do not have any difference and the rest only spot for a few days to hours, of course at this point I think I would be the 1%! My other option would be a hysterectomy...which sounds so much more permanent to me than the tubal. I know that I am not going to have any more children, but it just seems so invasive to me at this point in my life....anyway, sorry for rambling on, but I try not to let all of this consume my life and just tell myself it will get better soon. I deffinitly think that my mood swings are related to the hormonal issues....I wish we had a reset button to put our bodies back in order! Maybe I'll try a new doctor....
Chrissy

I had mine done in May and I have felt extremely depressed and I've also had severe mood swings with my kids and husband. They said I can't take anything for the depression because I'm still breastfeeding

Many years ago I read what turned out to be a very controversial book called "No More Hysterectomies." I would not recommend the book because of that. At the time I was trying to figure out my own hormonal problems after lossing an ovary to cancer. But, one thing that book said which has stuck in my mind ever since was that any time you remove any part of your reproductive system it will have an effect on your hormones. Every part uterus, tubes, and ovaries create hormones. This is not the standard thinking of mainstream doctors even today. But, I think you'll find many anecdotal stories from women that confirm it.

The only way I solved my own homonal problems was going to an Nd and using natural homones and herbs.

Omg, yes I went through real bad mood swings, one min i was has happy then i wanted to the neck of my kids, to being depressed and withdrawn. My Dr put me on antidepressents that helped alot, but my period is not normal then on top of it im gaining alot of weight. My Md told me it can take up to a yr for my body to adjust well its going on two still no differance, So im on the web looking for answers.

It may not necessarily related to the proceedure, but related to having a child. Ever since I had my first child my hormones have been out of whack when my period comes. Everything I feel is much more intense than it ever was when I'm PMSing. But then again I've never had my tubes tied so I don't have that to compare it to. I just know my hormones are definitely different than before I had my children.

I just want to thank you D. for posting this question and to all the ladies for answering. I find it very intersting that not one person had anything really positive to say about having the procedure done and in most cases, it sounds like everyone regrets it.

This is something I have thought about for a long time. I had always told my husband that if I had c-sections, I would get my tubes tied. I ended up needing c-sections. We said that if we had one more child, I would get it done then but now I am not so sure. I never used to have PMS but after my second son I would get headaches around that time. Still nothing horrible in comparison. I also used to get cycles as a teen the way some of you ladies have described...almost 2 weeks with maybe a week in between. I don't want to go back to that PLUS have horrible PMS and depression on top of it.

I mentioned some of your posts to my husband and he immediately said if that is the case, we need to look into him getting a vasectomy which is something he has always been against. (Everyone he knows has had horror stories about theirs.)

It's interesting, I've talked to a couple of people who have had the tubals though and they all made it sound like a great thing. Like the one lady here though, I'd be in that percentage that has the problems I have no doubt.

Thanks again ladies,
L.

Yes, I do. My periods are very painful - as is ovulation. I am also having more PMS. I would be curious as to what other people have experienced.

While there shouldn't be hormonal changes (you still have everything, so hormones shouldn't be affected), what I have noticed is that my periods are heavier. And with heavier periods, I tend to have wider emotional swings. I've heard the heavier periods after ligation is not uncommon, even though I haven't been on birth control in over 7 years. So yes, I've been there, but I'm not sure I have any answers.

every one I ever talked to regrets it