Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome - How to Relieve the Pain
Tubal ligation has been used by millions of women in the U.S. alone as a means of preventing more conceptions. One possible after affect is called Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome which causes the women who suffer it some quite horrible experiences. These experiences can be read on the web by just doing a search on the subject.
For those women who suffer from Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome, also called PTLS, there is a long list of possible symptoms they can have. Upon researching this topic, one can find a popular list (seen on several websites) of 35 possible symptoms. Within the personal stories, most women seem to suffer from terrible mood swings, longer and/or heavier bleeding during periods, weight gain or inability to lose weight, awful PMS, problems sleeping, low to no sex drive, migraines and very severe, even crippling, abdominal pain. Cramps is too wimpy a word for what these women report.
As if the above wasn't enough for these ladies to suffer through, they have to suffer further ignominy from their doctors and medical staff. Most doctors do not believe ptls even exist. One such doctor calls it a "medical myth" in an interview. So these women suffering these symptoms will be met with derision and suggestions of seek counseling and use anti-depressants. At the very best, they will be told to just learn to live with it.
Many women are told they need to go on birth control pills or even undergo another surgery to "correct" whatever is wrong up to and including a hysterectomy. If you need to be on birth control pills, what good did it do to have a tubal ligation in the first place? However, you will find in the medical literature that many doctors believe the problems found after the surgery are actually caused by the women going off birth control pills and other factors related to age.
One doctor is quoted as saying that women should be removed from birth control pills well in advance of the tubal ligation surgery in order to allow their bodies to return to norm. The thinking is that this would let the ladies know what their condition, related to PMS and menses, prior to having the surgery. Who knows what the answer is for the "age related" problems? Learn to live with it? But these don't address the ladies who have the tubal done at the birth of the last child they wanted. And the age related cause does not address the young women in their 20's or, in my opinion, the ones in their early 30's who are having problems with ptls either.
One thing that could be done is a preventive measure, namely more information within the surgical consent form and better counseling prior to the surgery. Many women complained they had no idea and were never told of the possible outcome of ptls after the surgery. The FDA website itself only gives infection, ectopic pregnancy, hemorrhage and problems related to using general anesthesia as possible "rare" complications. With the exception of the ectopic pregnancy, these are the normal "rare" complications for any surgery using general anesthesia. It probably wouldn't stop most women but would give them reason to do some research into the subject and make an informed decision.
While better information prior to the surgery would be good, it doesn't help those who have already done it. For these women, there are the actions mentioned above which can be done such as going onto birth control pills, having a hysterectomy or just learning to live with it no matter how much it may impair their lives. One more option that some women don't even know is available is to have a tubal ligation reversal surgery done. In the stories shared by women on the Internet, this latter surgery has brought much relief.
Going to the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal forum will lead you to threads that address the issue of ptls. Women come asking if a tubal ligation reversal will really help them. Those who respond answer in the affirmative talking about all their previous symptoms and how they now have relief or improvement. An added side benefit is the possibility of now having another child though some say they don't even care about that since the relief from post tubal ligation syndrome is so great.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
To discover additional information about how tubal reversal surgical procedure has provided relief to the women with post tubal ligation syndrome who have gone to Dr. Berger, go to his forum at http://forums.tubal-reversal.net/ and discover for your self.
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by: SandraWilson
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