Tubal Reversal Blog ‘divorce’

Momzilla is actually Tracy.  She is a 43 year-old married, mother of three and is employed as a Senior Human Resource Manager. Tracy is married to Glenn who is a Transactional Real Estate and Business Attorney. In the previous article, Meet Momzilla, Tracy described her symptoms of Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome (PTLS).

Tracy is currently four months out from her tubal ligation reversal surgery and both she and her husband describe her recovery.

In their own words….

Tracy

“Just weeks after my reversal the first thing I noticed was that I had lost the overwhelming sense of dread that had been shadowing me. As I was still healing from the surgery I was less fatigued and more energetic. My mood and outlook were “lighter”. My emotional healing began quickly and the physical healing soon followed. As the weeks passed I noticed improvement in my hair, skin and nails. I was sleeping again and my fogginess and inability to concentrate improved. I have not had a PMS headache, dizziness or tingling in my extremities. Each menstrual cycle since the reversal has gotten progressively better and more “normal”. My exaggerated and prolonged PMS symptoms have diminished. At about 6 weeks post reversal I got my libido back and, for that, my husband is eternally grateful (LOL!). I was no longer feeling like a stranger in my own body. Aside, of course, from getting my health back, the best part of my recovery has been re-connecting with my family. I feel like I have gone from the evil “Momzilla”, tired, moody and short-tempered all the time to just plain “Mommy” again. I feel at ease again in my own skin and with life. I no longer wake up dreading what symptom might take control of me. Shortly after the surgery, Glenn said to me “Welcome back, I missed you…”. In good times and in bad, he and I have always “loved” each other, but, for the duration of time that PTLS held me hostage, we “lost” our connection to each other. After the reversal, along with my obvious physical healing came the healing of my marriage and my family. It still amazes me that, after 3 years of suffering, I could see relief from my symptoms so quickly. I hope, through this series of blogs, that more women and their families as well as their physicians can be educated about PTLS and know that a reversal can bring them new hope for restoring their health and their lives.”

Glenn

Aside from the symptoms, the tragedy of PTLS is that we could have ended up divorced if Tracy didn’t have an inquisitive mind and, after almost three years, discovered PTLS online. From my viewpoint, PTLS transformed my best friend and wife into a detached unaffectionate roommate. Since the medical community did not recognize the possible effect of the tubal ligation procedure, we did marriage counseling which, of course, was unhelpful at best and could not succeed since the cause of the problem was biological. With no other explanation available from medical “experts”, we went through a series of episodes of “blame” with pop-psychology reasons to explain disinterest, depression and other symptoms that we didn’t know were symptoms. I received some truly bad advice from well-meaning sources. Symptoms like memory loss also put a strain on day-to-day living. In the end, we made it through because we started with love, a strong relationship and mutual respect. I have to wonder how many marriages have ended without ever knowing the reason?

I hope that the data compiled by the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center can be used to provide proof to the medical community of this syndrome because it could help so many families if doctors provided pre-tubal ligation counseling and recognized this a possible cause of common symptoms experienced by women.

This is the eighth article in our fourteen part series on PTLS and associated medical conditions. The first article of this series, Pain After Tubes Tied: A Symptom of Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome?, discusses the most common symptoms associated with PTLS.

Our next several articles will present stories of our patients who have sufferred from worsening menstrual, physical, and emmotional symptoms after surgical sterilization procedures ( women who had their tubes tied).
Readers can also view other 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 Andrea
Meet Rebecca
Meet Praybelieving
Meet Katherine

We invite readers to join our Tubal Reversal Message board and discuss and share personal experiences with tubal ligation. We also have a dedicated PTLS forum for readers to share experiences of worsening symptoms after tubal ligation procedures.

hope (hp)v.t. & i, expect or look forward to, with desire and confidence. –n. 1, confidence in a future event; expectation of something desired. 2, what is hoped for. 3, something that arouses or justifies hope.

At Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, Dr. Gary Berger understands that hope is not just a word to the hundreds of women who come to his center each year. Hope is what they find in him.

When Amanda Nelson first decided to have a tubal ligation in 1997, she never imagined she would find herself in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 4,000 miles away from her home in Cumbria, England about to undergo a tubal ligation reversal.

“I had been married for a number of years when my marriage broke down,” said Amanda. “I had two boys to look after, so I waited a year and then went ahead with my tubal ligation. At the time, the thought of having children with a different father didn’t appeal to me.”

Like Amanda, many women who come to Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center have faced life changes such as divorce, loss of a child or remarriage.

“Years went by, and then I met David. He had no children and happened to mention he would like one of his own some day,” said Amanda. “It took me awhile to think about it, but decided to look up having the operation.”

The couple sought the advice of Amanda’s local gynecologist. She suggested that they try in-vitro fertilization. But due to the high cost and limited chance of conceiving, the couple decided to begin researching tubal reversal surgery.

“David and I came to the conclusion that you only get one chance with IVF, and if it didn’t work, you have to start all over again,” said Amanda. “The emotional side of it and the high cost put us off.”

The Search Begins

The couple began searching online for tubal reversal specialists. Their search brought them to the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center Web site and Dr. Gary Berger.

“My doctor said we would have more of a chance of getting pregnant if the surgeon had done the operation many times,” said Amanda. “ I couldn’t believe my luck when I found Dr. Berger.”

Over the past 28 years, Dr. Gary Berger has performed over 7,000 tubal reversals as a one-hour, outpatient operation. Recognized as a leader in the field, Dr. Berger has been featured on The Learning Channel and Discovery Health.

Patients come to Chapel Hill from across the United States and abroad to have him perform the procedure. Using microsurgical techniques he developed and refined, Dr. Berger can successfully repair the fallopian tubes in 98 percent of the women who want their tubes untied.

“At first it seemed silly to travel that far to have surgery,” said Amanda. “But when David and I read the Web site and learned about Dr. Berger, we knew he was the man for the job.”

On April 1, Amanda contacted the center to schedule her tubal reversal surgery. After completing the required forms and health history with a tubal reversal nurse, Amanda was ready to begin her long journey to North Carolina.

When the couple arrived at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport in late May, they were greeted by Janice Barrett of Red Carpet Coach, a transportation service that offers discounted rates to Dr. Berger’s patients.

“Janice picked us up and gave us a little tour of the town,” said Amanda. “She drove us by Dr. Berger’s office, then to the hotel. It was nice knowing we were close by.”

Dr. Berger’s patients stay at the Sheraton Chapel Hill Hotel, where they receive a discounted rate. This convenient location allows for quick and comfortable access to the hotel following surgery.

The First Meeting

On the morning of her surgery, Amanda and David arrived at the center for a patient consultation and first meeting with Dr. Berger. As Amanda describes, her first meeting with Dr. Berger was a special experience.

“I remember years ago watching a television show on the Discovery channel about a lady having the tubal reversal surgery and Dr. Berger was on it,” said Amanda. “Being on his Web site most days, I used to look at his photo and think, it won’t be long now before I’m in Chapel Hill. So when I finally met him, it just felt special…he was a star, and a humble one at that.”

Immediately following her operation, Amanda was alert and comfortable. David arrived shortly in the post-anesthesia care unit to be by her side.

“I woke up from surgery to my David, and I was in no pain,” Amanda said. “I was shocked because when I had my tubal ligation, I woke up in extreme pain, so I was really pleased. I was given time to wake up and told the good news by Dr. Berger that everything went well and my tubes were repaired.”

Most women are typically discharged from the facility within two hours after surgery. And most resume normal activities within five to 10 days. This outcome is far better for patients than the standard approach to tubal ligation reversal that requires hospitalization for several days, longer recovery times and unnecessary hospital costs.

“I didn’t experience any pain the day of my surgery,” said Amanda. “And I was able do a little sightseeing of Chapel Hill the day after my surgery.”

Home Sweet Home

After returning to England, Amanda joined the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center message board. The message board is a place for patients and those interested in tubal reversal and women’s health issues to share their stories.

“The Web site is wonderful,” says Amanda. “I’ve found the message board to be very helpful, and I’ve managed to help some future patients of Dr. Berger’s that live here in the UK.”

When asked to describe her experience in Chapel Hill, Amanda gave two words…first class.

“My experience was better than I expected,” said Amanda. “David was very happy with the care I received, and I think he enjoyed the care he received, too. You don’t leave the men out, I think that’s important.”

Giving hope to patients is something Dr. Berger and his team of tubal reversal professionals doesn’t take lightly. Hope isn’t just a word; it’s their mission.

Learn More

To learn more about Dr. Gary Berger and his team at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, visit www.tubal-reversal.net or call 919.968.4656.

Submitted by Lisa Hourmouzis, RN
Tubal Reversal Nurse

Patient’s History

Ana G. was one of the 4 patients I operated on today at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. She is a 28 year old woman from Angola, the mother of 3 children – ages 9, 8, and 6. She married when she was 15 and was in an abusive marriage. To keep from becoming pregnant again, she had a tubal ligation. When she had this done, all she could think about was not becoming pregnant again.

Ana eventually ran away and divorced her husband. Several years later she met a man who she fell in love with and who has treated her very well. He has no children. Now remarried, Ana feels that her second husband will want children in the future, so she decided to have a tubal ligation reversal. Although she doesn’t intend to become pregnant soon, she says that if it happens that would be fine.

Ana’s Tubal Reversal Procedure

Ana’s tubal reversal was performed by the technique of tubotubal anastomosis. Her fallopian tubes were in excellent health, with no fibrosis and with normal fimbriae and tubal endothelium. The anastomoses were isthmic-ampullary on the right and isthmic-isthmic anastomosis on the left. The tubal lengths after repair were 6.5 cm on the right and 8 cm on the left side.

Dr. Berger’s Comments

Every patient who comes to Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center has a unique story to tell that led up to the decision for a tubal reversal procedure. Divorce and remarriage is a common theme, and a history of abuse in the prior marriage is often one of the reasons given for the divorce.

Ana’s story is unusual in that she married at age 15 and had her tubal ligation by age 21. This may be due to the cultural differences in some African countries from the US. Although most of our patients come from the United States, couples come from many other countries to have me perform their tubal reversal surgery.

Although Ana’s operative report stated that Filshie clips had been applied to her tubes, no clips were found during surgery. It is not clear whether the operative report was incorrect, or whether the clips migrated to other locations in the abdominal cavity. This can occur if the pressure from the closed clips causes necrosis or death of the tissue within the clip. I have seen this occasionally in other patients.

Predicted Outcome After Ana’s Tubal Reversal

Based on her age and tubal lengths, Ana’s probability of becoming pregnant is 90% as documented in the post tubal reversal pregnancy statistics among patients at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center.