Anyone Who Has Had Their Tubes Tied?

I just had my 2nd baby 3 1/2 months ago and I had my tubes tied. I think that it is just normal to have a crazy period after you have a baby, it happened after my 1st and this time it has been more predictable, but really heavy. My dr. put me on birth control pills for a few months to try to help lighten it up. She said that sometimes it takes a year to get on a normal schedule again. But really what is normal after you have a baby!

Hi. I am new to this group. My name is K. M. I had my tubes tied about 2 years ago after the birth of my third child. I have had no problems with spotting or strange periods but PMS and cramping are more of a problem now than they were. I have also experienced an almost total loss of sex drive. I don't know if the tube tying caused this or not. I have read some things on the internet that indicates this can happen. Do you have any of these symptoms?

K.,
I had the same problems and i went to my ob/gyn and got some more birth control and got everything back on track. The doctor may give you some samples, just let them know you have no ins. at this time. Good luck. A.

Hi K., I also had my tubes tied , and ever since my periods are really bad. They are extremly heavy and very painful every month. I have been to the doctor for this and they can not do anythingabout it. Unfortunatly we are not alone, I have heard many stories of messed up periods after tubals. I wish I could help,but I am currently seeking a tubal reversal myself!

I have two children and had gotten pregnant again even being on the pill in 2001 but it was a tubalar pregnancy. It ended up where they had no choice but to terminate the pregnancy due to the complications and they also couldnt save the tube on that side either. After all the pain emotionally and physically I endured, I decided to get the other tube cut and lanced. I have had no complications from my period. I have my period for about 5 days compared to the 1 or 2 days I had when I was on the pill still. But my aunt and my mother had the same symptoms you seem to be describing. My aunt started getting several week long periods. When she finally went to the doctors they said she had Endometriosis and had to have a procedure called a DNC. My mother also had the same symptoms and had to have the same procedure. Since you dont have health insurance I would call this place called Planned Parenthood. They have several locations and they are cheaper than a doctor. They do nothing but women related problems. I went there for several years until I got health insurance. Here is some info on Endometriosis:
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a common health problem in women. It gets its name from the word endometrium, the tissue that lines the uterus (womb). In women with this problem, tissue that looks and acts like the lining of the uterus grows outside of the uterus in other areas. These areas can be called growths, tumors, implants, lesions, or nodules.

Most endometriosis is found:

on or under the ovaries
behind the uterus
on the tissues that hold the uterus in place
on the bowels or bladder

Endometriosis rarely grows in the lungs or other parts of the body. This "misplaced" tissue can cause pain, infertility (not being able to get pregnant), and very heavy periods.

What are the symptoms of endometriosis?
Pain is one of the most common symptoms of endometriosis. Usually the pain is in the abdomen, lower back, and pelvis. The amount of pain a woman feels does not depend on how much endometriosis she has. Some women have no pain, even though their disease affects large areas. Other women with endometriosis have severe pain even though they have only a few small growths. Symptoms of endometriosis include:

Very painful menstrual cramps
Pain with periods that gets worse over time
Chronic pain in the lower back and pelvis
Pain during or after sex
Intestinal pain
Painful bowel movements or painful urination during menstrual periods
Heavy and/or long menstrual periods
Spotting or bleeding between periods
Infertility (not being able to get pregnant)
Fatigue
Women with endometriosis may also have gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, constipation, or bloating, especially during their periods.

Who usually gets endometriosis?
About five million women in the United States have endometriosis. This makes it one of the most common health problems for women.

In general, women with endometriosis:

get their monthly period
are 27-years-old on average
have symptoms for two to five years before finding out they have the disease
Women who have gone through menopause (when a woman stops having her period) rarely still have symptoms.

What can raise my chances of getting endometriosis?
You are more likely to develop endometriosis if you:

began getting your period at an early age
have heavy periods
have periods that last more than seven days
have a short monthly cycle (27 days or less)
have a close relative (mother, aunt, sister) with endometriosis
How can I reduce my chances of getting endometriosis?
Some studies suggest that you may lower your chances of developing endometriosis if you:

exercise regularly
avoid alcohol and caffeine
Why do patches of endometriosis cause pain and health problems?
Growths of endometriosis are almost always benign or not cancerous, but still can cause many problems. To see why, it helps to understand a woman's monthly cycle. Every month, hormones cause the lining of a woman's uterus to build up with tissue and blood vessels. If a woman does not get pregnant, the uterus sheds this tissue and blood. It comes out of the body through the vagina as her menstrual period.

Patches of endometriosis also respond to a woman's monthly cycle. Each month the growths add extra tissue and blood, but there is no place for the built-up tissue and blood to exit the body. For this reason, growths tend to get bigger and the symptoms of endometriosis often get worse over time.

Tissue and blood that is shed into the body can cause inflammation, scar tissue, and pain. As the misplaced tissue grows, it can cover or grow into the ovaries and block the fallopian tubes. This can make it hard for women with endometriosis to get pregnant. The growths can also cause problems in the intestines and bladder.

Why is it important to find out if I have endometriosis?
The pain of endometriosis can interfere with your life. Studies show that women with endometriosis often skip school, work, and social events. This health problem can also get in the way of relationships with your partner, friends, children, and co-workers. Plus, endometriosis can make it hard for you to get pregnant.

Finding out that you have endometriosis is the first step in taking back your life. Many treatments can control the symptoms. Medicine can relieve your pain. And when endometriosis causes fertility problems, surgery can boost your chances of getting pregnant.

How would I know if I have endometriosis?
If you think you have this disease, talk with your obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN). Your OB/GYN has special training to diagnose and treat this condition. The doctor will talk to you about your symptoms and health history. Then she or he will do a pelvic exam. Sometimes during the exam, the doctor can find signs of endometriosis.

Usually doctors need to run tests to find out if a woman has endometriosis. Sometimes doctors use imaging tests to "see" large growths of endometriosis inside the body. The two most common imaging tests are:

ultrasound, which uses sound waves to see inside the body
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which uses magnets and radio waves to make a "picture" of the inside of the body
The only way to know for sure if you have endometriosis is to have a surgery called laparoscopy. In this procedure, a tiny cut is made in your abdomen. A thin tube with a light is placed inside to see growths from endometriosis. Sometimes doctors can diagnose endometriosis just by seeing the growths. Other times, they need to take a small sample of tissue, or a biopsy, and study it under a microscope.

What causes endometriosis?
No one knows for sure what causes this disease, but scientists have a number of theories.

They know that endometriosis runs in families. If your mother or sister has endometriosis, you are six times more likely to get the disease than other women. So, one theory suggests that endometriosis is caused by genes.

Another theory is that during a woman's monthly periods, some endometrial tissue backs up into the abdomen through the fallopian tubes. This transplanted tissue then grows outside the uterus. Many researchers think a faulty immune system plays a part in endometriosis. In women with the disease, the immune system fails to find and destroy endometrial tissue growing outside of the uterus. Plus, a recent study shows that immune system disorders (health problems in which the body attacks itself) are more common in women with endometriosis. More research in this area may help doctors better understand and treat endometriosis.

How is endometriosis treated?
There is no cure for endometriosis, but there are many treatments for the pain and infertility that it causes. Talk with your doctor about what option is best for you. The treatment you choose will depend on your symptoms, age, and plans for getting pregnant.

Pain Medication. For some women with mild symptoms, doctors may suggest taking over-the-counter medicines for pain. These include: ibuprofen (Advil and Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). When these medicines don't help, doctors may advise using stronger pain relievers available by prescription.

Hormone Treatment. When pain medicine is not enough, doctors often recommend hormone medicines to treat endometriosis. Only women who do not wish to become pregnant can use these drugs. Hormone treatment is best for women with small growths who don't have bad pain.

Hormones come in many forms including pills, shots, and nasal sprays. Many hormones are used for endometriosis including:

Birth control pills block the effects of natural hormones on endometrial growths. So, they prevent the monthly build-up and breakdown of growths. This can make endometriosis less painful. Birth control pills also can make a woman's periods lighter and less uncomfortable. Most birth control pills contain two hormones, estrogen and progestin. This type of birth control pill is called a "combination pill." Once a woman stops taking them, the ability to get pregnant returns, but so may the symptoms of endometriosis.
Progestins or progesterone medicines work much like birth control pills and can be taken by women who can't take estrogen. When a woman stops taking progestins, she can get pregnant again. But, the symptoms of endometriosis return too.
Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists or GnRH agonists slow the growth of endometriosis and relieve symptoms. They work by greatly reducing the amount of estrogen in a woman's body, which stops the monthly cycle. Leuprolide (Lupron�) is a GnRH agonist often used to treat endometriosis. GnRH agonists should not be used alone for more than six months. This is because they can lead to osteoporosis. But if a woman takes estrogen along with GnRH agonists, she can use them for a longer time. When a woman stops taking this medicine, monthly periods and the ability to get pregnant return. But, usually the problems of endometriosis also return.
Danazol is a weak male hormone. Nowadays, doctors rarely recommend this hormone for endometriosis. Danazol lowers the levels of estrogen and progesterone in a woman's body. This stops a woman's period or makes it come less often. Danazol also gives pain relief. But it often causes side effects like oily skin, weight gain, tiredness, smaller breasts, and hot flashes. Danazol does not prevent pregnancy and can harm a baby growing in the uterus. Since it can't be used with other hormones, like birth control pills, doctors recommend using condoms, diaphragms, or other "barrier" methods to prevent pregnancy.
Surgery. Surgery is usually the best choice for women with endometriosis who have a severe amount of growths, a great deal of pain, or fertility problems. There are both minor and more complex surgeries that can help. Your doctor might suggest one of the following:

Laparoscopy can be used to diagnose and treat endometriosis. During this surgery, doctors remove growths and scar tissue or destroy them with intense heat. The goal is to treat the endometriosis without harming the healthy tissue around it. Women recover from laparoscopy much faster than from major abdominal surgery.
Laparotomy or major abdominal surgery is a last resort treatment for severe endometriosis. In this surgery, the doctor makes a much bigger cut in the abdomen than with laparoscopy. This allows the doctor to reach and remove growths of endometriosis in the pelvis or abdomen. Recovery from this surgery can take up to two months.
Hysterectomy should only be considered by women who do not want to become pregnant in the future. During this surgery, the doctor removes the uterus. She or he may also take out the ovaries and fallopian tubes at the same time. This is done when the endometriosis has severely damaged them.
How do I cope with a disease that has no cure?
You may feel many emotions�sadness, fright, anger, confusion, and loneliness. It is important to get support to cope with endometriosis. Consider joining a support group to talk with other women who have endometriosis. There are support groups on the Internet and in many communities.

It is also important to learn as much as you can about the disease. Talking with friends, family, and your doctor can help.

Here is a book EVERYONE needs to read!!!! There is "What your doctor may not tell you about Premenopause" or "There is "What your doctor may not tell you about Menopause". This is the link to Dr Lee's website: http://www.johnleemd.com/index.html

I had twins at the age of 35 and after having them my hormones got all mixed up and started having headaches for 3 days every month that usually 2 Alieve's would take care of. Then a few months afterward my periods were becoming irregular and that was with even taking oral contraceptives. I also started to gain a pound of weight here and there. And I knew something wasn't right since I was one of the few girls who never had a cramp or PMS symptoms. (I know some of you are cussing me now. lol) Now after reading what all I have I think my body was going into premenopause.
About 2 years after having my twins I had to have a hysterectomy because of cervical cancer. And for a month before the operation I was given the choice of keeping or removing my ovaries. At first I was leaning towards keeping them because of the hormones but was scared of ovarian cancer since I was more suseptable from having cancer already. Then a friend who had to have a hysterectomy in her late 20's because of endometreosis told me to go ahead and remove them because her Dr said that they would quit working after about 5 yrs. Well anyway, I had told him to take them and he said afterwards they had cysts on them so he would have removed them anyway. I was put on Estrogen after the surgery.
Then I really started packing on some weight around my middle and couldn't lose it no matter what I did. I also started having migraines every 3 weeks for 2 days. Then after a while I started getting fatigued a lot and in 2 yrs time gained 20 more pounds. Then my regular Dr told me that my Cortosol was low and sent me to an Endocronologist.
Well she thought I may need more Estrogen but since my migraines she wouldn't increase it. And was going to put me on Cortosol but I didn't want to. Because low cortosol usually means you lose weight. High cortosol is weight gain and usually high from stress. Then my sister called me up after reading Dr Lee's book "What your Dr may not tell you about menopause" and told me to read it.
Progesterone is made mainly by your ovaries. Which is also the first thing to go during premenopause. I read that even keeping the ovaries wouldn't help but for maybe a year. The ovaries know when they have been disconnected and will eventually stop producing eggs and progesterone. So even though you still have a uterus, they still know they are disconnected. So the Endo. Dr said she would test them. But the only way to get an accurate reading is from saliva testing. So while she did her standard blood work, I ordered the Estrogen & Progesteron saliva kits off the above web site. The Dr said everything looked normal and then I showed her my results. I was severly Estrogen dominant. My results:
Test: Estradiol Reference Range: 2.0 -10.00 pg/ml
Result: 36.32
Test: Progesterone Range:0.1 - 0.5 ng/ml Result:0.06
So there was a big difference.
So please read the book about natural hormones. On their web site they have a place that lists the closest identical & most effective progesterone creams unless you can get your doctor to do a saliva testing or write you a perscription for one. It only costs about $30 a month for the perscription. But since then I have been losing the weight, my fatigue is gone, migraines are gone and feeling a lot better.
But also, most people don't need estrogen because it is found in our food, in our fat cells and the environment. Progesterone mainly comes from properly functioning ovaries. The book will tell you all about it and how everything works together. So even though I don't have a percise answer to your question. I think this will benefit you as much as it did me. I just wish my sister or me had found this book 2 years and 20 pounds ago. I feel very strongly about this subject and make sure everyone I know has this info so they don't have to go through what I did. Hope this helps you.
If anyone wants a copy of my test results or any info, I will be happy to help as much as I can.

K.,

I had my tubes tied after my 4th daughter (3-1/2 yrs ago). Up until then, my periods were very irregular. Oh the doctor put me on the pill to regulate me but it didn't do any good. Once I came off of them, poof!...I would go back to skipping a month here, 3 months there or better yet, 12 months without a period and NOT be pregnant. How do you like them apples?

Well, after my tubes were tied, everything changed and I hate it! Every month, like clock work, my periods have made religious visits. I liked it better when I was skipping.

As for your situation, every woman's body reacts differently to a tubal ligation. I don't know if what's happening to you is normal or not but if you haven't already done so, I suggest you talk to your doctor and see what he says.

Hope this helps!
L.

Dear K.

I had my tubes tied in july of 2004, since then I have had a terrible time with my periods. They are very heavy, last abut 7-9 days, and I have alot of cramping. I had been off the pill for two years so I am sure mine is not related to that. My OBGYN said it could be related to my tubes being tied and hormonal changes. She did not seem concerned and felt we should only pursue futher investigation if it started really affecting my daily life (which it does but trips back and forth to the doctor disrupts my life a bit more due to my job).

A friend of mine also had major changes in her period after her tubes were tied and went through a more thorough investigation with her OBGYN and she ended up going back on the pill which did help regulate her a bit more.

I know this might not help much but your not alone.

Sincerely O. (mother of Gracie, my beautiful 2 year old daughter)

I had my tubial 4 1/2 years ago, when my youngest was born.

I never had a problem w/spotting though. I do/did have heavy, heavy periods, bleeding one week, the yucky, yucky brown stuff a whole week and a 1/2!

I went back on the pill and that solved all my problems.

The pill made them lighter and not last so long.

Planned Parenthood gives free/reduced exams, plus discounts on your pills.

HI K.. I had a tubal litagation last year after my 3rd child. I had very few complicatiois. with this. But the thing is I have always had a very irregular period. when I had my oldest son they became worse. I would go two to three months without a period. But when I finally would have one it would be horriable. Very heavy bleeding severe cramps. Very misrable. So I finally went to my ob/gyn and explained what was going on. he did some tests and diagnosised me with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS for short. It is due to hormone levels. Usually Progestrone is higher than your Estrogene. But symptoms can range from breakthrough bleeding, spotting, heavy constant bleeding, to not having one at all. They try BC pill but i could use them. So I just suffer through the heavy periods. This may be something that could be going on with you. Alot of Dr Don't recognize the signs. My Dr is great Dr John Farmer over by Suburban Hosp.. Good luck.

Hi All! While carrying my second child, i was considering having my tubes tied-well my husband wanted me to get my tubes tied. I've heard experiences similar to what i read and chose not to get it done. On the other hand my mom had it done and she is fine. Is it something different the Doctors are doing? "JUST A THOUGHT"
So, what am i doing for birth control? My husband got fixed instead. No problems. To those who have not gotten your tubes tied, this is something to think about. Maybe he should get it done. The healing takes about 2 weeks, then no lifting for about 4. i could have my weeks wrong. Butt it is easier for the man!!!
We have 4 children in the house!!!!
Good luck ladies!!!!

I have not had my tubes tied but I have a friend who also had a c-sec and tubes tied. She had a problem with her periods for upto a year after it her dr said it was normal. I have a 6 month old and mine are not back to normal yet. Also are you breastfeeding? because if you are, your periods are not gonna be normal for a while.

I had my tubes tied almost 10 yrs ago and had the same problems. After months of dealing with it and unable to keep doctor appts due to the breakthrough bleeding they finally checked for endometriosis and found out that was the problem. The end result was they had to do a partial hysterectomy. I don't suggest running right to the doctor for a diagnosis...just see how things go for a couple more months. It could just be that your body is still trying to adjust. Hope this helps.

My Ob/Gyn in Florida (loved him & his understanding of women) delivered 4 of our 5 children, #3 pregnancy was a set of twins. He advised us to have my husband snipped saying that most women that have their tubes tied experience horrible periods and lots of cramps. With no real options to help except getting on the pill or a hysterectomy, which neither sounds delightful. I did end up having my tubes tied here in NC after #5 was born because she was delivered c-section and I figured you are already in there, go ahead. Luckily I have not experienced these problems but I am so sorry you have. Hopefully this will ease your mind that it is normal and you will be alright until your insurance kicks in, then find a doctor that can help with some solutions! Good luck!

Hi K., I had my my little girl last July and had my tubes tied August 05. Since then I had spotting also but after 3 weeks it stopped and I had my period. I used to have a normal period lasting 5 days every 25 days, but now I have a period between 25 and 28 days and sometimes it last for 3-5 days, my doctor said it is sometimes normal for changes to occur just like it would if I were on the depo shot which I tried and had a horrible experience. Before we had insurance I went to a clinic about it and they charge patients on a sliding fee, based on income, maybe there is something in your community like that, good luck. Hope your little one is making you as happy as mine makes me (smile)

Hello K., I had my tubes tied in December of 1998 after giving birth to my third child. Since then I too have been put on birth control pills in an effort to regulate and ease the pain that I feel during my cycle. It didn't work for me either. I still to this day have horrible menstrual cycles. The pain is unbearable. I haven't found any doctor that can say why I am this way. It didn't start until after having my tubes tied. I have three other friends that have also had thier tubes tied and are experiencing the same problems. I am sorry I can't tell you any positive advice. I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone. GOD Bless.

hi I have 3 kids 11,7,and now 3. I also had my tubies tied any my periods become heavier then ever before. My doc told me that your periods gets worse the more kids you have but I also think it had to do alot with getting my tubes tied but over time mine has gotten a lot better and is almost back to normal and. It took about 2 and a half years for it to get right again but I breast fed for 2 and half years so I am sure that had a lot to do with it, but things should get better

Oh my gosh! I thought that I was the only one that suffered from this problem. I have the same thing that happens to me. I have had my tubes tied too. I didn't know if this is what caused this but now it makes more sense. I have no clue how to handle this, but I have had my tubes tied for over 4 years and have had this problem for that long. Let me know if you find out any ways to stop this.

I had mine done in june 2004 and regret it due to the health issues i've had...I bleed almost daily for 11 months after having my tubes tied and then started and bled 9 weeks straight before having to end up having an edometrial ablation. Since then I've not had a period but I have gained alot of weight and having some other issues with my breast leaking so you may look into an ablation if you can't get it under control. Mine was to the point I was having to change a pad and tampon every hour and was still bleeding through. Good luck.

I had my tubes tied after having my 2nd child (daughter) last year. I was not on any birth control for a long time before my son or daughter. My son was born April 2004, daughter April 2005. I do have a friend that talked about having her tubes tied as well, she was on birth control prior and that her periods were heavier afterwards, which is something that is expected. For the past 6 months or so, my periods have been pretty normal.. except that they take up to 2 weeks after to end and then it's almost time for my next period... very annoying. I told my doctor about it, this was maybe 2 months ago and she put me on a hormone.. Medroxyprogesterone, 10mg to take on 16 thru the 25 days of my cycle. I did this for 2 months and just had my period and so far so good.. but i'm still waiting to see if I have anymore spotting like I was. My doctor said that it wasn't a big deal to bleed like I was, but that these pills should clear up whatever was going on. If it doesn't then I may have to have a D&C. So I would say that if it's anything like i've been going thru, you may want/need to get check out just to be safe. She did also send me to have an ultrasound external & internal to make sure everything was where it should be, etc.

Hope this helps.

K.

I had this done after my 3rd child, also during my c-section. I've had no problems but have heard about what you're experiencing....and that it can happen w/ a tubal. Hang in there...maybe do a Google search. I've always liked WebMD for good, reliable advice. Take care, N.

Hi K.- Mom of 3 here, had my tubes tied right after my 3rd was born regular delivery not c section. I was blessed with not having any troubles other than being slightly allergic to the suture material and therefore my belly button itched alot. That went away in a few months. I would definetly call your OB. This may still fall under the category of your old insurance because it could relate to childbirth/c-section. Make some callls and don't wait to see your doctor. You have to take of yourself too!

You need to contact your dr. when you get insurance or see if you qualify for help. When you do check into and do reasearch on the NovaSure procedure. Several of my friends and family have had this done. It is a simple outpatient procedure that taked 90 seconds. They permanently remove the lining of your uterus with a laser. Painfree. Once you spot for 2 days or so your periods are over. Permanently. They do not mess with your ovaries or anything dealing with hormones. So your natural body hormones will not be messed with. You don't have to take hormones or go through menopause. I hope this helps.!
My friends have had lots of success!

I totally agree with Jenny. This should fall under the delivery and postpartum care of the insurance you had then. I would most definately call a doctor about it. It may be a hormone imbalance and need medication. If that is the case use the loestrin or the progesterone only pill (pop). They are mild hormone balancers without actually taking hormone pills. They are much kinder to your body. I had that simular problem with bleeding like that before I had my two girls and the pills worked wonders for the cramping and it controlled the bleeding amazingly. They are options but I would consult a physician. The worst thing that you could do is just live with it, if there is something going on. Mom to Mom- you have a lot to live for so take care of yourself so that you are able to enjoy taking care of your princess'. I know, I have two of my own that I live to be at home with (ages 2 & 31/2).
TheresaT

Well dear I hate to say it but GOOD LUCK! I had my tubes tied after my 2cd C-Section in 2000. In 2002 I had to have a hysterectomy. I was only 24 years old. I kept asking all the nurses and doctors for second opinions and I got the same response every time. Out of every 100 women who have their tubes tied 95 will end up having tohave a hysterectomy before the age of 40. Sounds crazy doesn't it? It is true. So I wish you the best of luck and not really sure if it will get better or worse it really just depends on your personal body.

You might want to try contacting

http://www.iowahealth.org/body.cfm?id=13

They have an ask a nurse program where you can talk to someone in the medical field that can tell you wether the problems you are experiencing are normal or if you should be seen.

K., I just had my tubes tied after my third daughter. I have had the same thing and I was just wondering myself if this is normal. I am betting it is normal. I remember my sister-in-law saying similar things. I'll give my OB a call and let you know what I find out.

C.

This is totally normal. After having my tubes tied my periods were very irregular, I had heavy bleeding, and major cramps. I was very concerned about this also. Then I talked to some other people who had been through a tubal ligation and they too had these problems. You may have to suffer for a little while til your husbands insurance kicks in, But you need to get put on a birthcontrol pill. I know it sounds crazy cause you got fixed so that you wouldn't have to worry about birthcontrol. Trust me though since being on the pill my cycles are back to normal. Sometimes your body needs that extra hormonal boost to keep itself regular. I hope this helps. Feel free to ask me anymore questions you may have.

I've only had one baby who is now 16 months old. My periods prior to my son were very crampy (painful, heavy, and normally 8 days but never at the same time each month. My tubes are blocked so I had to go through IVF to have our son. After having him my hormones have been messed up, along with my periods, and worst of all I started ovulating at the end of last year for almost 2 weeks at a time. 2 months ago I finally had to go to the doctor for 3 weeks of ovulation (pinching and cramping the whole time) severe discharge, and then I would start my period symptoms. I have suffered since he was born until my dear friend gave me some bio-identitical progesterone to try and 2 months into taking it once per day everyday except when I am on my periods has given me a whole new life!!!! Bio-identical just means it's natural, not synthetic. A lot of women are estrogen dominant and I think I am one of them. I was on birth control for over 10 years in my 20's and my body just would not tolerate any of it anymore. After having my son I tried it again and it was awful and then tried it again prior to the progesterone and failed misearebly. Please try and find a homeopath doctor if your regular family doctor or OBGYN will not give you a prescription. By the way, if you don't have insurance, there is a synthetic progesterone cream you can use over the counter. It's not as strong but you can use a double dose. I take 1ml of natural once per day. This might get you through until you get insurance.

On having your tubes tied, I had the same problem after the birth of
> my son. It turned out I had fibroid cysts on my uterous and ended up
> having to have a D & C and thermal ablasion in which they burn the
> lining of the uterous. I had this done a year a a half ago and have
to
> get this checked as I am back to where I was before having had this
> done. I was told the uterous lining would not grow back so if I ever
> wanted the tubal reversed I could not carry a child but they also
told
> me I should not have any more periods and they are back and getting
> worse than ever.

Hey K.! I am M.. I have older kids; John will be thirteen this month, and Angela is eleven. I live on the outskirts of Anderson, near 85 and the lake. Stephen is my husband of four years & he is a keeper too!

I had my tubal several years ago, and while I am glad I had it done, I had horrible complications. Nearly a year after dealing with the surgical complications my cycles seemed to get worse and worse. I have over a week of heavy bleeding, with several days of severe cramping that sometimes starts the day before my cycle does. I discussed this with several doctors, and they all said that it is a side effect rarely reported, but it is pretty common.

It has been almost ten years since I had my tubal, and my cycles are still pretty severe. I find that when I can't curl up and nap, rx strength motrin seems to work best so I can function.

I had my tubes tied several years ago after the birth of my last child (I have 4) ... I was on birth control until I got pregnant with my last one. I dont recall having spotting at all between periods. My periods are alot heavier than they used to be and I used to be irregular for a while .... I have noticed over the past year or so, I have become more regular but still have the heavy periods. They usually last about 5-7 days which is about 3 days longer than I used to have. Hope this helps.

I am not a nurse and I have not had this problem, but my mother has. (Which is why I have 4 children and no tubes tied, she told me to never ever get it done no matter what, I guess a lot of women have this side effect) Anyway, she had her tubes tied and burned after my youngest brother was born 15 years ago. Ever since she has had heavy spotting most days of the month. Lately she went to an obgyn and they did a dnc (?) for her and she seems to be a little better, but her cramping is worse. I think that her doctor has a range of treatments waiting to try, so I suggest seeing an obgyn as soon as you have insurance. I know my moms family practice doctor just shrugged and told her she could take bc pills to regulate it for all those years- now 15 years later, she is seeing an ob doctor and she is at least on the path to finding the right treatment...

sorry I can't be more helpful!

I had my tubes tied 20 years ago and I've never had any problems.