Is it PTLS or another medical or gynecologic problem?
The symptoms of Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome (PTLS) can be widespread and pervasive.
Most women will have a tubal ligation and will not have any problems of tubal ligation complications.
Some women will have problems after tubal ligation but most of these women will not have PTLS. Another medical or gynecological condition is often the cause of their symptoms. In our previous article in this series on PTLS, we reviewed the common medical and gynecologic disorders that can cause menstrual problems after a tubal ligation.
Over 12,000 tubal ligation reversals have been performed at A Personal Choice. We have had the opportunity to see the impact on these women whose tubes have been tied and who, having regretted that decision, have had their tubes untied.
Under what circumstances were the tubes tied?
Often, the decision to have a one’s tubes tied is made under stressful circumstances. Often the decision to have a tubal ligation can led to tremendous regret. Often it may be many years before this regret is acknowledged.
Sometimes the decision to have tubal reverse surgery (tubes untied) is made under similar circumstances. The staff of A Personal Choice has compiled a list of reasons women have had tubal ligations or have come to us seeking ligation reversal.
Stressful circumstances under which patients sometimes have a sterilization procedure or a sterilization reversal include:
• Forced by a parent or spouse
• Pressured by health care provider
• Frightened by medical conditions or illness
• Mid-life crisis
• Empty nest syndrome
• Infidelity
• Divorce
• Death of spouse
• Fear of birth control risks
• Decision while in poverty
• Decision during period of substance abuse
• Illness/death of close family member
• Sterilization while in an abusive relationship
• Death of a child
• Religious conversion
Regret and guilt can be powerful forces on any individual. Given the appropriate stressful circumstances these feelings can be amplified and can spread into other aspects of ones life.
When decisions are made under stressful conditions, as listed above, one can easily see how this may leave a lasting sense of remorse upon any individual. The sense of remorse can be even more dramatic when the thought is suppressed and eventually emerges in the future during a stressful life event.
Consider the sense of regret and how these feeling could be increased as a person grows older and wiser when a person finds their ‘life’s match’ or if their pastor tells them they ‘violated the will of God’ by having their ‘tubes tied’.
How common is regret after tubal sterilization?
Most women do not regret their decision to have a tubal ligation. However, 1 out of 4 women will regret their decision about having their tubes tied. This was shown in the CREST Study mentioned in a previous article.
Offering Hope at A Personal Choice
The tubal ligation reversal experts at A Personal Choice help women in reversing these ‘permanent’ decisions when they are no longer the right decisions for individuals and couples.
We have helped many patients come by restoring the hope of new life and the chance for some to relieve their burdens of guilt and regret.
This is the fourth article of a fourteen part series on PTLS and associated medical conditions.
The fifth article, Psychological Conditions or Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome?, will address common psychological conditions that could be masquerading as Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome.
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:
