Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome | A Long Journey
Some women will develop problems after a tubal ligation procedure. Many will attribute these symptoms to Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome (PTLS) and will consider sterilization reversal. Some of these women will not have PTLS but, instead will have other underlying medical conditions.
We started this series of articles for women suffering from adverse symptoms developed after a tubal ligation. We discussed the symptoms of Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome (PTLS), current medical studies about PTLS, and common medical conditions that can closely mimic PTLS. Like a long bus ride, we have expected most passengers to have exited this bus trip at each of their respective and appropriate stops after a thorough evaluation of the possible causes of their symptoms. If passengers are still riding, then the only stop left is PTLS.
In the past, the existence of PTLS has been widely debated but not agreed upon in various medical studies. The largest study to date, the CREST study, found no significant difference in the percentage of women with menstrual problems after a tubal ligation with a “control” group of women who did not have a tubal ligation. The authors of the CREST study concluded that adverse symptoms do not ocurr as a  result of tubal ligation. This study, however, was not designed to study the multitude of symptoms that women report after surgical sterilization.
The end of the journey
Our experience at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center suggests PTLS does exist for a select group of women for whom no contributing medical, psychological, or other causes have been identified. Among this group of women, the vast majority have reported dramatic improvement in their symptoms after a reversal of their tubal ligation.
We will report the stories of several of our patients (both before and after tubal ligation reversal) who have had worsening physical and psychological conditions after sterilization and who have come to us seeking tubal ligation reversal. They will share with us their symptoms and how they have fared after tubal ligation reversal (had their tubes untied).
This is the sixth article in our fourteen part series on PTLS and associated medical conditions. Our next several articles will present patients who have suffered from worsening menstrual, physical, and emotional symptoms after surgical sterilization procedures (women who had their tubes tied).
Readers can also view patient submitted stories about their menstrual symptoms, reasons for reversing tubal ligation, and outcomes after reversal reversal surgery. Each patient’s story is listed below:
Meet Momzilla
Meet Andrea
Meet Rebecca
Meet Praybelieving
Meet Katherine
Visitors may join the PTLS Forum on the Tubal Reversal Message Board to share their experiences of symptoms after tubal ligation procedures and what happened to them after a tubal reversal.
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:14 am
I’m so glad I found this article. I have been thinking something was terribly wrong with me but doctors seem to be little help. I have gone to the ER and to doctors trying to figure out why I have pains and strange periods; start stop and very heavy. I am so relieved to find out that it isn’t just me; not that I am happy others are suffering. I had a tubal in 2005 and recently symptoms have gotten worse. Thank-you for sharing your stories.
January 16th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
For years since I got my tubes tied I have had severe pain.
I was always dismised by doctor saying the “cramps” were normal. When they ask me about my cramps on a scale of one to ten I say ten. They feel like I am in labour. I have heavy periods and they usually last 6 to 7 days. I get bad headachs that can last for 2days with no relief even from tylenol. The pains I get are so dibilitating that I usually have to lay on the couch or in my bed the first 3 days of my menstral cycle. One doctor told me have a hystrectomy. Other doctors told me I would just have to “deal” with it there was nothing wrong. Unfortunatly were I live tubal reversal is not covered and no way can I affored it. So now I have a name for what I have. I know I’m not crazy but I will still have to live with the pain. Now after reading about PTLS I am slightly releaved I am not crazy there is a name for what I have.
Thanks Linda
October 13th, 2008 at 10:26 am
The PTLS is so real. The feeling of not feeling any more is the big issue. Constantly feeling like your drained, each month you have a period that last so long and the pain you have with it. Having dry skin changes, hormonal imbalance, weight gain, loss of sex drive, back aches, water weight gain is so much worse. All this leading to more medical problems and having some doctors say “oh it is caused by other things, such as hormones.” “Dah” changing the natural path that our bodies give us, will cause a major problem in how we live. I never seen my hormones be so blah. Though I have no thyroid, I realized this was not it. I have lived with out a thyroid since I was 18 now I am 36 and I can say thyroid is so not the problem. As long as one takes their supplement of thyroid, they won’t have these kinds of changes. I just want to feel like a woman again. Normal changes with out all the extra drama of having a period for over a week. Gosh we weren’t made to do that. Any one wants to take a journey with me on how I am saving and loosing weight to get my tubes untied just send me a note. Good luck with all. And who knows maybe one day soon insurance will start assisting with reversal surgeries for us.
October 6th, 2008 at 6:51 am
I’m glad to know that so many women can relate to these articles and now they will know they are not alone. Hopefully these articles will help those women to make a decision about their care.
September 30th, 2008 at 4:44 am
Patient education is key in enabling people to make informed decisions about their medical care. Thank you Dr Monteith for continuing this very important topic.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
These articles on PTLS continue to be important for so many women who have similar symptoms, post tubal ligation. The patients we will hear from in the next few articles will reveal their difficulties and hopefully encourage others to voice similar experiences.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Dr. Monteith has provided an opportunity for women to learn from one another about PTLS symptoms that are often ignored or denied by health care providers. Thanks for providing this information. Hopefully more data will help women suffering to acquire the attention they need.