PTLS Syndrome: Megan’s Experience
Posted On: Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
PTLS syndrome can be very real for many couples.
Megan and Jared are one such couple who have been effected by PTLS syndrome. Megan and Jared have been together for six years and they have four children. After having two children together, Megan had a tubal ligation and then began experiencing tubal ligation side effects. She suffered with side effects for several years before realizing the true cause of these symptoms.
She then discovered PTLS syndrome and began a quest to rid herself of these tubal ligation problems by having a tubal ligation reversal at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center.
Below is her story…
Tubal Ligation Problems: How They Start
Megan had a tubal ligation after the birth of her last child. During her previous two pregnancies, she had a 19 week miscarriage and her her last pregnancy was complicated by an abnormal fetal heart rate. These were very emotional pregnancies for Megan.
Since these last two pregnancies were stressful and because she already had four children, Megan’s doctor encouraged her to have a tubal ligation. Megan felt many pressures during this time: one devastating pregnancy loss, one medically complicated pregnancy, encouragement from her health care providers, four healthy children, and a stable happy relationship with Jared.
Megan also felt social pressures because she felt like she was looked at strangely because she had four children and many people would express the opinion she should be done with four children. In Megan’s words,
“The tubal ligation just seemed like the next step…”
Megan had a postpartum ligation and resection type of tubal ligation and soon thereafter the tubal ligation problems started.
PTLS Symptoms
The PTLS symptoms began immediately after her tubal ligation. She began having pain one week after tubal ligation. She had postpartum depression and her doctor prescribed anti-depressant medications.
Megan then began to experience rapid weight changes, hair loss, mood swings, anxiety attacks, abnormal cycles, and “morning sickness” for two weeks out of the month.
She felt as if her body was changing and her life was falling apart. Nothing was really helping.
Anxiety After Tubal Ligation
Megan suffered with this symptoms until she was doing an internet search on tubal ligation problems. She realized her symptoms were from Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome in March 2010. She had began searching all over the net using key words like “ovarian cysts post tubal ligation” and “anxiety after a tubal ligation”. One day an article on PTLS popped up and in her words:
“…I sat at that computer and stared at the screen, and cried for hours. I had almost every single one of those symptoms!”
Megan had finally figured out what was happening with her body and then she became convinced she would have to fix it.
Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome Treatments
Megan then had a discussion with her ob/gyn doctor about Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome and treatments for PTLS. The conversation went nowhere and she became frustrated. She was offered endometrial ablation and hysterectomy. She felt these treatments were unnecessarily aggressive for her at the age of 26.
She then made an appointment with her primary care provider to discuss PTLS treatments. Megan shared her experience and also the experiences of other women she had discovered on the internet who had problems after tubal ligation.
She received a warmer response from her primary care provider who was supportive of her desire to get relief of her symptoms through tubal reversal surgery.
Her doctor even wrote a letter of support for Megan to provide to her insurance company in an attempt to get reimbursement for tubal reversal surgery as a Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome Treatment.
Post Tubal Syndrome: Megan’s Journey
Readers who are interested in following Megan’s journey with Post Tubal Syndrome are invited to read and share stories on her personal blog and also join her Facebook page for those who suffer from PTLS syndrome:
Fit To Be UN-Tied: My Journey With Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome
Fit To Be UN-Tied Facebook page
Megan’s tubal reversal surgery and results will be shared in the next publication on this blog.
Submitted by Dr. Charles Monteith
March 22nd, 2011 at 6:12 pm
I believe that what Megan did is a wonderful thing.She has been down along road and now she will have happiness that her and her husband deserve. She went to the best PTLS treatment team to have the surgery done. I wish Megan and her husband the best.
March 22nd, 2011 at 8:44 pm
Hi Megan,
You are such an inspiration to women who suffer with PTLS Syndrome. I am so happy to hear that you are doing well and getting better with each day. Please take care of yourself and I will be reading your updates as they happen. Keep spreading the word! You have taken control and proven just how strong you are and you have helped others with sharing your journey.
March 22nd, 2011 at 9:08 pm
Thank you guys, so very much for your kind words. And, thank you Dr. Monteith for this chance to speak out and be heard about PTLS, and the chance to be made whole and recover from this horrible syndrome. I am just SO thrilled that I can share my journey with the world, and help women out there who are struggling with the same things that I have had to deal with over the last couple of years. I would NOT wish this on my worst enemy…I am looking forward to many, many more positive updates on my progress now that I have had the reversal, and, maybe in a year or so ….Have a “Montieth Miracle“! to show for too!!! No matter how this chapter ends, I heave learned some invaluable lessons and met some AMAZING people and even made some friends for life! Thank you all there at CHTRC for all that you do, I am just beyond blessed to have been able to go there and have my surgery done with such a special group of people!!
March 22nd, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Megan
Thank you for your kind words and your dedication and persistence in speaking up about your personal experiences for the benefit of other PTLS sufferers.
March 24th, 2011 at 7:42 am
Thank you Megan for sharing your PTLS story. I know a lot of women who will find this incredibly encouraging.
March 29th, 2011 at 9:03 am
[...] Ligation Syndrome (PTLS) and she was determined to do something about it.In the previous article, PTLS Syndrome: Megan’s Experience, we shared Megan’s experience with tubal ligation and her symptoms of PTLS.Megan gradually [...]
March 30th, 2011 at 12:11 am
[...] great story is Megan’s Story: PTLS Syndrome: Megan’s Experience. After going through the aftereffects of tubal ligation she wouldn’t give up. Megan knew [...]
April 29th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
these are the symtoms I have and recently went to a dr..for multiple periods in a month and she said I had endometriosis..test not cancerous..and subscribed an ablation not my choice……went to my fertility dr.and he dont see nothing on my uterus ..even says its really great shape….even after 4 c sections…..I want to get pregnant..I am 44 this year….and I am considering the reversal even if I dont get pregnant…..at least I can live the rest of my days …with out all the emotional rollorcoaster…….
June 20th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
i’ve been all over the web searching for some hint that i wasnt going crazy! now i have it! currently when i looked up my symptoms on line most pointed towards my body being pregnant but is that even possible? its been at least 10yrs since my surgery. i’ve had spotting after sex once(after short cycle), tiredness and sleepiness(especially after eating}, bloating in the lower abdomen area (directly above vagina) with no pain and breast tenderness. are my symptoms really ptls? what should i discuss with my dr to get some clarity? i’m stressing out my household!!!!
June 22nd, 2011 at 12:38 pm
Hi Megan,
Thanks for sharing your story. I also have many of the same symptoms that you have shared. I am curious if your anxiety and such have changed since your procedure. I am looking to go to Chapel Hill, but am concerned that I may not experience any relief. I feel guilty about wanting to spend the money; but I so want to feel better from all of these symptoms. I had my tubal in 2007.
June 25th, 2011 at 9:29 am
Angie-
Yes my anxiety is GONE since the reversal in march! I am sooooo excited to say I have not felt this good in years! Chapel hill is the single BEST place to get your reversal, and the only place taking data on statistics for PTLS and post TR ladies. I HIGHLY recommend them. I have a Blog That I have started with lots of info on PTLS, support groups, and just random thoughts etc…
check it out! I hope all goes well and you get your reversal soon!!
http://fittobeuntiedposttubaligationsyndrome.blogspot.com/
January 31st, 2012 at 11:59 am
This is a nice blog post. I am about to spend more time looking into this issue.