I’ve been on birth control for more than 20 years, but I’ve never quite found the right match for me.
Since giving birth to my 4-year-old, my body hasn’t responded well to birth control. The last four years have been a complete roller coaster. I’ve tried different pills and IUDs and everything made me feel completely out of whack and out of control. Plus, they weren’t helping with my period. Every month, I was in excruciating pain, exhausted and bedridden. I needed more than birth control to help.
My gynecologist recommended an ablation. This procedure basically destroys the lining of your uterus to help ease or stop your monthly flow. Because my uterine lining is gone, that means that pregnancy is not an option for me anymore. My body couldn’t physically carry a baby any longer, and I needed a permanent form of birth control.
My husband and I decided that the best form of birth control for us would be for me to get my tubes tied, which is common for women who undergo an ablation. Both procedures can be completed at the same time and are safe and effective.
Thinking about getting your tubes tied? Here’s what you should know:
- It’s one of the most effective methods of birth control. I did my research. I’ve tried almost every pill and IUD. They didn’t work for me. They affected my mood, my skin and just made me feel crazy and out of whack. Research indicates a tubal ligation is 99.5% effective. Which sound like good odds to me.
- No more birth control. No more worrying about getting a birth control shot or if I remembered to pick up my pill from the pharmacy or obsess about how the IUD was making my skin break out. The surgery does not effect your hormones or mood. That was the biggest relief for me.
- Get a second opinion. My original OB/GYN would have performed traditional surgery, meaning large cuts, an overnight hospital stay, a difficult recovery and two weeks off work. I found a physician who is a part of a Center of Excellence in Minimally Invasive Gynecology. She has extra training in minimally invasive gynecological surgery. Minimally invasive surgery means lower cost, less blood, less pain and less time off work. Let’s be honest, we moms need to recover fast. Plus, I didn’t have to go through the hassle of applying for FMLA time off work.
- It’s minimally invasive surgery, meaning the surgeon uses small cuts rather than large cuts often needed in traditional surgery. One incision was closed with stitches and the other with glue. I couldn’t see either because the incisions were so tiny. My surgery was also outpatient, and I was home by 10 a.m. My surgery was on a Thursday, and I was released to go back to work on Monday.
- The recovery is painful. It’s abdominal surgery. My doctor performed a small incision through my belly button and another below my belly to perform the surgery. You belly is also pumped with air to perform the surgery. I was bloated and my incisions were sore for a week. Take the pain killers. Ice your incisions. Keep your feet up and relax. This is the time for others to take care of you.
- Did I mention take the pain killers? Don’t be stubborn like me.
- You will be tired. I slept for two days and then laid in bed for two more days after that. My incisions were sore and it hurt to walk up and down stairs. Take it slow. Make sure you have extra hands to help with kids and housework. I didn’t feel like going back to work on Monday, so I took a few more days to relax.
- Your tubes aren’t actually tied. They’re different types of techniques and your doctor will discuss which option is best for you. My doctor sealed both ends of my Fallopian tubes by clamping them.
- I regret it … sometimes. I am sad that the reality is that I will never carry another baby inside of me. I will never feel a kick or hiccup. I will not have another chance to experience the miracle of giving birth. I remind myself that this decision was the best decision to keep me healthy.
- You can’t change your mind. It’s difficult to reverse the procedure. You need to be 100% positive that this is right for you because it lasts forever.
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