posted
Humber, I am totally with you on your latest post. I have actually had both my PCP and my OB tell me that the weight issue should and could be helped once the TR is done. I was 125 when I had TL. I slammed right up to 180 within 6 months... it has taken me over a year to just get down to 155-158... I was and am hoping to be to 150 in the next three weeks but just what I have dropped has been very hard and just a long process that I don't know that I can even get rid of another 2 pounds... we are all here if you need to talk some more. Thinking about you!! Many hugs, ~LA
posted
Thanks everyone, I truly appreciate your kind words, they give me hope. I'm still on the fence about this, and it has to do with the risk of the procedure, possible pregnancy, etc. I'm afraid of complications, as I had some before with other surgeries, and when I think of having another baby, I can't breathe... I did the "mom thing" full time, and have no idea how I would handle an unexpected pregnancy, especially with all the health problems I'm dealing with: cysts, joint problems, Osteoporosis etc. I'm still waiting for someone to say: I was finally able to loose weight once I had TR done - that would help with the joint issues and pain. I'm hoping that this will be possible when I do the TR. I'm hoping that when I continue my exercising and the healthy eating, the weight will budge once the hormonal balance is restored with TR. I know that everyone is different, but by know, after all those years, when not much worked for me... I have a bit of a problem with... believing. I hope you understand.
posted
WOW! I didn't think I had PTLS but after reading these symptoms I think that I do... I have or have had at least 25 of these symptoms....I am so grateful for CHTRC! Finally we will have relief!
I just wanted to stop by and say you are not alone. I did a blog for Dr. M, so you can read mine. I have had a great improvement in my symptoms since my TR. I was on several meds due to my symptoms and I'm on zero meds now. It is so worth it.
posted
HUMBER, You are most definitely not the only woman who has come to us for relief of PTLS symptoms. As you can see from some of your other replies, relief seems to come quickly for most ladies. Feel free to read the PTLS blog as well. Thank you for sharing your story and I hope we will see you here soon!
posted
After reading this I have realized that I have 20+ symptoms! It looks like I may get more out of TR than just the baby we so desperately want! If some of these symptoms cout disappear that would be wonderful. I barely drive anymore because I panic so much. My boyfriend will be holding my hand in the car (while he is driving) and if I see a car that is 5 cars ahead of us put breaks on I sqeeze his hand and my heart just about beats out of my chest! Not to mention the awful cramps (which anyone in my house can point to the exact spot that hurts so badly on me), the depression and feeling that everything is wrong, crying (that has gotten worse since committing to getting TR)... so many more! Here I've been after having my TL 2/94 and I never knew any of this could have been from the TL. DR's all say depression or stress... so glad you posted this list! Thanks!
I'm so glad our stories could help you make the decision to get your TR. We know exactly how you feel, been there done that. You will not regret your decision. It is truly life changing. And YES, Dr Berger is a Godsend. He has such a warm heart and gifted hands. I owe my life to him. I hope you find the same relief that we have.
posted
Hello Ladies: This is my 1st time posting. All I can say is ... THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! Because you were brave enough to share your PTLS stories I have gained the courage to finally go through with my TR. I have suffered for 18 years now I worried about what people would think of my reasons instead of how I felt. I have so many of the listed symptoms that after awhile I stopped telling people how horrible I feel for fear of being called a hypochrondriac! I found out real quick that if they can't diagnose it with a test, the diagnosis must be mental. Which is totally devastating when you know You're Not Crazy. Thanks to PTLS I am a 37 year old hermit now and can not endure this until menopause. I figure a baby would be a great trade-in for this awful affliction. Either way having the TR sounds like a definite win-win. I thank you on behalf of my DH & 3 children that have had to live with a "menstrual-induced maniac" for too long. Hopefully I will be scheduling my surgery next month. (waiting on tax return) but I promised myself a healing by my 38th b-day in June. Dr Berger is a God-send
You are not alone in this debilitating syndrome. I too suffered from PTLS. I also did this just to relieve myself of the "living hell" I was going through every day. I am 39 and I have a 3 1/2 year old son and almost 2 year old daughter. I also do not want anymore children. I can honestly tell you that besides marrying my DH and having my children, this was the best thing I ever did for myself and my family. I noticed within 2 days post op (had my TR 10/29/08), the severe depression lifting and my attack like rage lift. It was so liberating. My periods, I've had 2 since, have been completely NORMAL. I would suffer for at least 3 weeks. I suffered from a good number of symptoms on this list.
I just want to tell you that this is relief from this. There are many of us on here who are living proof of this. I also would not have had my TL (had that 3/27/07) after the birth of my DD during a scheduled c-section if my OB would have warned me about PTLS. I asked her about it prior to and she totally dismissed it. You are not alone and are not going crazy.
Good luck to you and I truly wish the best for you. Keep us posted!! Lisa
posted
Humber, I have experience with 32 of the 45 symptoms on this list. I am scheduled for my TR on 02.16.2009 and I am not thinking about another child - I have two daughters - 18 and 10... I am 38 years old and had my TL in 11/06 due to multiple miscarriages... For the last 2 1/2 years, I have been in total hell and continue to be until next month. The only thing that has given me hope in the past two weeks was FINALLY making the decision to get this done, reading these posts and scheduling my procedure... PTLS is a nasty thing that many MD's don't even want to think about because they don't live it or understand it... it does exist - there are a lot of women that are absolute proof of that... me, being one of them. Today the tears have not stopped at all... and I am so ticked off that I want to kick things... why - couldn't tell you other than I woke up terribly sad and it has only gotten worse... a glance at the calendar shows me that I am about 10 days from my cycle - BINGO - there is my answer... I go down 3-4 days before my cycle, the entire cycle and it takes me sometimes a week to recover... during my "good" days, I still have little bouts of whatever this evil is and there isn't a thing I can do about it until 02.16.... these ladies will give you hope as they have done me... that is for sure! Just thinking about it only taking a couple of months post TR, it makes me feel better knowing that I will be on that plus side and back to my old self. I really miss me - as much or more than my own family and friends. Take care of you! Many hugs, ~LA
posted
I can completely feel your pain, frustration and sorrow. I am just another one to tell you there is hope! I had my TR 12/4/08 to attempt to allieviate my worsening symptoms of PTLS (I don't want another baby either, surgery strictly for ptls). It has not even been 2 months and I am soooo much better. In that short time, I have noticed numerous symptoms vanish, these are just a few major ones I've noticed: much lighter & shorter periods with very little cramping, I haven't had one single dizzy spell or episode of heart palpitations since the surgery (they were becomming debilitating where I felt like I shouldn't drive/couldn't get daily stuff done), my libido is back, MUCH less irritability and anger. Theres more I'm noticing daily it seems, but all this to say that I believe there is hope for you, I wouldn't hesitate to have the surgery if I was you, I regret waiting so long. I hope you can find relief and start your journey toward health.
posted
HUMBER - First of all, you are not alone. There are many women here who, undoubtedly, will shall their stories with you...Please, if you have not done so already, go the the Blog section of this website and read the PTLS blogs. Several of us shared our stories of TL misery as well as the recovery through TR... I suffered for 3 years with about 22 symptoms on the PTLS list out there on the net. I was my old self again and symptom free about 4 months post TR. The symptoms disappeared over time, one by one... There is hope...Most doctors do not believe PTLS is real..I am guessing because either they (or their spouses) never had to live with it..LOL...There is no diagnostic test for it...and until there is doctors will remain skeptical and many women will go on to have TLs w/o sufficient information on potential side effects/risks. I too had my TR solely for PTLS..I had it in June at age 43. I have 3 great kids (ages 9,5,and 3) and was not planning any more. I have not looked back since..Life is good again! If you have any questions or just need to vent..we are all here for you.
posted
Oh my goodness thank you for posting this. I have most of the symptoms on the list. I was diagnosed with depression which I didn't feel was right. I was diagnosed with premenstrual desphoric disorder (sorry spelling), headaches, change in vaginal color, loss of libido, hot flashes especially during the night, trouble sleeping, facial hair. I can keep going on but I hope that with TR this will help.
posted
At the bottom of this post I attached the list of symptoms of PTL. I found that list just recently at: I thank God, each day that I found it…
Here is my story. I got pregnant the time I lost my virginity… My first child was born via c-section, he was 10lb4oz and breached. I almost died, due to doctor's mistake and resulting hemorrhage. Two years later, second baby… conceived while wearing IUD (supposedly 99.9% effective).
My doctor told me that I was “very fertile”… She said that the best thing (if we didn’t want any more kids) would be a tubal ligation. We talked about it with my 27 year old husband (both still kids, really) and since she never mentioned ANY side effects (your periods will not be as heavy), we decided to do it when the second baby was born. This time I begged the doctors to do the c-section under full anesthetic, I was so afraid I will die giving birth.
I was 22, scared and clueless, I never thought I could have a second opinion, I trusted my OBGYN. Years went by, my boys are now 16 and 14, and all those years I’ve been wondering what happened?
I’ve been living in hell. I’m now 37… Following my TL, my periods became shorter, but much heavier and painful, a lot of clotting, cramps… I need to stay in bed for first 2 days, or if I have to go out, I must have a change of clothes with me. At the age 24 (2 years post TL) I was diagnosed with Ostero-Arthritis, (symptom #39 on the list below), I also have intensified PMS, headaches, cold/hot flashes – I feel cold even in a hot bath, or under a hot shower, rapid heartbeat, irritability –that’s a big one, mood swings- crying outbursts for no good reason, loss of libido, very dry vagina, itchy pubic area/vagina with no east infection to cause it, color change in the vaginal area, chronic fatigue, anxiety- filling scared and overwhelmed for no reason, disorientation, memory lapses, itchy skin, sore joints-cracking and clicking joints, uncontrollable and steady weight gain over the years with constant attempts to lose weight- it never budges only slowly creeps up no matter what I do (I went from size 6 before the second child to size 14-16, and stayed there ever since). I am also experiencing hair loss- to the point where I no longer can wear any hair clamps, and my shower drain each morning looks like an animal is nesting in there. (before this, I was not able to close a metal hair clamp on my ponytail, and it would take me at least an hour to dry my hair), I’m wasting a lot of time each day plucking the course hair on my chin and face- that makes me feel so ugly. I go through dizziness spells, where I can’t stand straight, I have tingling in my hands and feet, severe gum problems and developing gum disease, bad taste in my mouth-even after brushing and rinsing, bad breath, stubbing pain in the lower abdomen during ovulation and let’s not forget the ovarian cysts that come and go…
26 out of 45 Symptoms on that list below. I was told by an older co-worker that most of those symptoms are the same as the menopause symptoms. That, made me feel about 15 years older!
When I first found out that all my problems are linked to TL, I cried. I felt broken with no hope of being whole again. I felt anger, resentment. I wanted to scream at this doctor who did this to me! What right did she have to do this to my life? The life of my family? She has made me this broken, angry, tired and fat mother and wife. And all those years, all I wanted was to feel normal.
I’m here to find hope and advice. I’m seriously considering the reversal procedure. My goal is not another baby, and I hope you will all understand. I just want to be me again. The happy, nice, thin woman my Husband married 18 years ago. I hope that you will not feel that my reasons are not important, since so many of you are doing this to have another child; to me it is the most important thing. I just don’t want to live this life the way I lived it, in physical pain and discomfort for another 40 or 50 years.
If I could ask you for your own experiences post the reversal procedure, if you found other symptoms (that I listed here) diminishing or getting better. My main concern is the weight as it affects my joints so much. I hope that if I could become able to lose weight again, I could perhaps reverse the damage done to my knees and hips. I’m 5’7” and weigh 220lb, I don’t look like I do, and most people would never guest it, but I am heavy… Thank you all for taking time to read this, I know it’s long, but perhaps others have the same symptoms and still don’t know that they too are linked to TL. All the best to you all.
List of Symptoms of PTL: 1. Eptopic pregnancy or pregnancy 2. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling, chills 3. Bouts of rapid heart beat 4. Irritability 5. Mood swings, sudden tears 6. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats) 7. Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles 8. Loss of libido 9. Dry vagina 10. Itchy vagina-at time raw like, can radiated from whole area, with absence of yeast infections. 11. Color change in vaginal area. (color gets darker -darker red to purple) 12. Crashing fatigue - Chronic Fatigue 13. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease 14. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom 15. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion 16. Disturbing memory lapses 17. Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence 18. Prolapse of uterus do to rapid decrease in estrogen levels. 19. Itchy, crawly skin 20. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons 21. Increased tension in muscles 22. Breast tenderness 23. Decrease in breast mass 24. Headache change: increase or decrease 25. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 26. Sudden bouts of bloat 27. Depression 28. Exacerbation of existing conditions 29. Allergies developing or increasing - (Chronic sinusitis). 30 Nasal infections-necessitating antibiotics 31. Weight gain 32. Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair 33. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance 34. Changes in body odor 35. Electric shock or stabbing sensation under the skin. 36. Tingling in the extremities, 37. Gum problems, increased bleeding 38. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor 39. Osteoporosis 40. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier 41. Stabbing pains in pelvic area at time of ovulation 42. Pelvic Pain 43. Development of Adenomyosis 44. Development of Ovarian/Tubal Cysts 45. Decreased Lactation Ability
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[CHTRC]](graemlins/logo.gif){kind=logo}
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
I worried about what people would think of my reasons instead of how I felt. I have so many of the listed symptoms that after awhile I stopped telling people how horrible I feel for fear of being called a hypochrondriac! I found out real quick that if they can't diagnose it with a test, the diagnosis must be mental. Which is totally devastating when you know You're Not Crazy. Thanks to PTLS I am a 37 year old hermit now and can not endure this until menopause. I figure a baby would be a great trade-in for this awful affliction. Either way having the TR sounds like a definite win-win. I thank you on behalf of my DH & 3 children that have had to live with a "menstrual-induced maniac" for too long. Hopefully I will be scheduling my surgery next month. (waiting on tax return) but I promised myself a healing by my 38th b-day in June. Dr Berger is a God-send ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic
© Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center
