What are the symptoms and side effects of tubal ligation?

Check out a procedure called Essure. It has the same effects as a tubal, but not as evasive. I've had it and have had great results. The only drawback was we had to be careful w/birth control for a month after because it takes that long for the scarring of the tubes to take hold. Ask your Gyn about it!

Personally, I have not had this procedure done on myself, but two of my daughters have. The older one had it done when she was 23 - she had already had 3 children and that was enough for her to handle at the time, so she decided on the tubal ligation. It was, just as the other responses report, a very quick and nearly painless procedure for her. I took her to the surgical center early that morning and she was released around noon. She had two incisions - one just under her belly button and the other around the top of her panty line. I think there were only one or two stitches in each, and she went to the dr. a week or two later to have them removed, also quick and painless. If memory serves correctly (this was about 3 years ago, in 2006) she just napped the rest of the day and was fine after that. I don't remember her complaining of any pain.

My younger daughter just had this done last month (March 2009) and she too had all the same experiences - to the hospital early AM, no real pain, stitches in same places, back home around noon, slept the rest of the afternoon, and has recuperated just fine!

In both cases, insurance covered most of the costs involved so I don't know how much was spent - but our younger daughter just got a bill for $135 from the hospital. Evidently that part wasn't covered, but all-in-all the events worked out just fine and my girls didn't suffer any ill effects. I, too, hope this info is helpful to you!

I had mine done in October 2003. I have no idea how much the total cost was because my insurance took care of most of it. I do remember being at the hospital by 7am and sent home by 11am. I was given a prescription for pain medication, but I never needed it because I really wasn't in any pain at all. After I woke up and was in recovery for awhile they had me get dressed. I remember feeling like my belly button area was very tight and that's about as much "pain" as I can ever remember having. I had one tiny incision in my belly button that required 3 stitches. The only side effect I've really experienced is that my cycle has become longer. I went from having a 35 day cycle to 45-50 days, but I can't complain about that at all! I've never had any problems and I am extremely glad I had it done. I hope this helps.

I had this done about 5 weeks after having my last child (it was planned for right after I delivered him, but I was severely anemic at that time). I have had no problems as a result of the tubal ligation. It's hard for me to say how bad the pain is from that alone though, because when they were in there they found a cyst on my ovary and had to remove it and my ovary at that time. However with both things going on I was only in pain enough to really keep me down a couple of days, maybe three, and then for the next couple of weeks I just had to be careful. I have never regretted having it done (but I have four kids too, so..??) Personally, even with the extra bit of surgery I had to have, I would do it all over again. People told me it was awful and I'd be in a bunch of pain, I didn't think it was that awful (nothing compared to having another kid..lol). As for effectiveness, 6 1/2 years and no problems for me. Not sure on the cost...??? I'd say it is worth whatever to not have to use birth control (as long as you are married or committed to one person :)).
NOTE: After reading the other posts... I do have heavy bleeding and clots, but I always have. Not sure that mine had anything to do with the tubal ligation. My periods are still "normal" (for me 5-7 days, heavy) and are on a 28 -30 day cycle. I have occasional "Bad" months more recently, but I think it is more due to the missing ovary???

well i had my tubes tied about 30 years ago , one hour after i had my youngest son , and it hurt like the dickens for first day and ever day after it was less and less pain ,lasted about three days if i remember correctly, the scare is about two and half inches below my belly button , i have ever had any problems with it at all , it iches some times but not very often ,hope that helps u out , E.

I had one many years ago and one side effect I had was gas trapped in shoulders. When they bloat your stomach and then they try to get it all out some does not leave. no bending or picking up right away. I HAD THREE KIDS was 22 and had mine tied, thank goodness, it worked.................Good Luck.
Remember to have it undone at any time is costly and may not come undone.
And I did have a sister in law who had one and it did come undone. I had them clip mine to be sure.

Hi L.,

I had this done 14 years ago 6 weeks after my last child. It was done out patient and I was only in recovery a couple of hours. As to the pain, it was not bad at all, I was able to continue breast feeding the next day without any discomfort. The worse pain was the shoulder discomfort due to the gas they put in your abdominal cavity during the surgery. Not sure on the cost, it's been a while. I did notice that in the last 6 years my period's had become heavier with clots. It seems the cramping got worse as the years went one. I asked several of my friends that had this done and they have reported having the same symptoms as well. The up side is, it was very effective in preventing pregancy.

Hi, I actually had this done while still open from a c-section. I had my third and last child 2 years ago. I was in a severe amount of pain. I did, however, have the c-section to go along with all the pain. It was my third section, but having the tubal made it worse.
The side effect I am still having is heavy and painful periods. They are not as heavy now since I was on some type of medication a year ago to help flush out that area of the body... much like having a D&C without the actual procedure. But I am still having some heavy bleeding and clotting.

hi L. I've had my tubes tied for 4yrs now and they seem effective,don't know the cost my mc+ covered mine , recovery was about an hr. and side effects I really can't remember them sorry . hopefully that helped .
C.

I know this may not be current, my cost would not help you.
Hi L.,

I had it done in 1979 following a mis-carriage. It was called a Bandaid operartion. They went in through two small incisions in my tummy, clipped and cauterized the tubes. Then covered the incision sites with Bandaids and I went home. It was all done in one day. I had No Pain or it was very Minor.

Hope this helps!

B.

I had it done almost 4 years ago, right after the birth of my last baby. I figured, "Why not? We're done and I'm having a c-section. Might as well do it while they're there." Right? I would never recommend it. It's great for the birth control aspect, but....no one warned me of the extra pain for one thing. It wasn't awful, but there was some extra pain post-partum w/that c-section. That's not the worst of it though - it's the horrible monthly bleeding the first 24-48 hours that I had never experienced before. And, this has happened to me and two of my best friends, so I don't think it's rare; it's a pretty common problem. My female PA, that I do all of my doctoring with, told me, after the fact (b/c I had male drs. for delivery - the men, of course, didn't warn me of this), that the rate of women having to have a hysterectomy after a tubal is very high, due to the excess bleeding. It has gotten some better over time, but it's still always heavier for me those first couple days. I have had to use thicker, more absorbent protection than I've ever had. Knowing what I now know, wouldn't do it again, ever. I don't regret that it's permanent, since we were done anyway, just the physical affects that most don't warn you about.

I can't comment on cost or recovery time, as I had mine nearly 10 years ago after my C-section. My side effects were not good. From the get go my periods were MUCH heavier with big clots. They got progressively worse over the years. I had heard stories of this happening, but my doctor said they must have been on the pill for many years and had forgotten what a "normal" period was. I hadn't been on the pill for over 9 years--I knew what a normal period was. My story is not good, but I know you will get lots of sound advice on this site.

Hi L., I can't comment on the procedure, since I haven't had it done. But was intrested in the responses, I'm looking at getting the Mirena and was thinking about getting my tubes tied also. But I saw that someone recommened the Esure. I just wanted to say that if you are intrested in that to look very carefully. I have 2 freinds that have it and they both had a lot of problems. Plus I had asked my doctor about it and he said that in a few years it will be better, but right now about 23% of the time they "miss" getting the little springy things in the tube and then it dosen't work and then you have to go back for a 2nd procedure to make sure it worked. So with the Esure you are looking at 2 procedures with the tubal ligation is only one. Good luck!