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Kimmalah posted:
Just basic pre-op, a physical and blood tests about a week before. Fully removing the fallopian tubes is a much larger surgery and unnecessary when they're just doing a 20 minute snippy-snip instead. They don't remove the tubes unless you've got different issues. It's not that easy. The gyno told me this when I asked the same thing, since every single woman has asked him this before being sterilized.
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Jul 10, 2015 07:06
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Scudworth posted:Just basic pre-op, a physical and blood tests about a week before. Maybe they've changed things in the last few years, because I was researching around and it can be done with the same incisions/instruments (laparascope) and just takes a little bit longer. Apparently doctors are considering making it the new standard procedure because of the ovarian cancer thing. The recovery stories I read sounded pretty much the same as the tubal ones anyway.  But we'll see what the doctor says I guess, apparently it's one of her specialties. Edit: Annnd reading over it that came out kind of pedantic and nitpicky sounding. In the end I just want to be as sterile as they can possibly make me without also going through early menopause.  I'll probably hug the doctor if she says yes.
Kimmalah fucked around with this message at 14:36 on Jul 10, 2015 |
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Jul 10, 2015 14:09
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Xibanya posted:
I have actually been using the Kindara app for this and have been really liking it. Just make sure you set it as TTA (trying to avoid) instead of TTC. We had to use condoms while my husband was on chemo so I went off the pill and decided I didnt want to go back once we got the all clear that his dick was no longer poisonous. It isnt any more inconvenient than taking a daily pill and the graphing in the app makes it really clear which days are safe.
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Jul 11, 2015 03:25
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Kimmalah posted:Maybe they've changed things in the last few years, because I was researching around and it can be done with the same incisions/instruments (laparascope) and just takes a little bit longer. Apparently doctors are considering making it the new standard procedure because of the ovarian cancer thing. The recovery stories I read sounded pretty much the same as the tubal ones anyway. Good luck with your appointments and what not! Edit for retarded grammar. Pig Head fucked around with this message at 19:27 on Jul 13, 2015 |
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Jul 13, 2015 19:25
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Thanks for sharing! You'll have to let me know how it goes once you're recovered enough to feel like typing stuff. That thing I said about surgery length was just from some study I read comparing regular tubal ligations and tube removals, where apparently there was a 10 minute difference on average. On the plus side, I've been talking it over with family and my SO - both are on board and supportive so that's a relief! Just in time too because yet another baby is due in the family this summer and one of my friends just announced her pregnancy. I want off this baby train!
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Jul 13, 2015 21:10
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Toot toot all aboard the no baby train! I will definitely write up a little thing for this thread or PM you when I'm feeling better. I read yesterday that post-tubal furts smell like hair spray. Hehehe Glad to hear your mom and SO are supportive. I was a bit worried about my mom because neither I nor my brother have ever wanted kids. Her only grandkids are my 2 idiot cats. My boyfriend's family, being Muslim, will have no knowledge of any of this. They're getting the 'neither of us can have kids' and we're just leaving it at that. We're both 39 so it's not a huge surprise that we won't be having any. And thx for clarifying - I'm kind of glad the surgery won't be longer. The boyfriend was looking at my pre-surgery paperwork last night and I noticed they wrote 'laproscopic bilateral tubal ligation' so now I'm all paranoid and have to call to make sure that is just a catch-all term and I'm still getting the tube removal. I'm also curious why they don't take any type of scan prior to surgery so they know where the tubes are. I did have an internal ultrasound done at the same hospital when I was having IUD issues back in March so maybe they will look at that. It's just weird to go in with a camera and have to hunt around for them. Or maybe it's not at all. Edit: After 3 phone calls to my insurance company I was FINALLY able to convince them that, no, they cannot charge me a $200 surgical copay for the tubal. loving prick assholes not knowing the ACA. 
Pig Head fucked around with this message at 16:05 on Jul 14, 2015 |
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Jul 14, 2015 14:57
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My mom has never been one of those "Give me grandkids!" kind of mothers and she already has a baby granddaughter to play with thanks to my brother. She had a tubal herself after I was born and said it was the best thing she ever did, if that helps. I don't have PMs so you'll probably have to post in the thread!
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Jul 14, 2015 19:11
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Pig Head posted:It's just weird to go in with a camera and have to hunt around for them. Or maybe it's not at all. What hunting? The tubes are right where they are, same place for everyone. They aim for the pelvis, push your intestines out of the way and they're staring right at Captain Uterus & friends.
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Jul 15, 2015 02:02
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Little late to the chat but I got my tubes removed ~18 months ago. Old post is >here< The biggest thing I've had to deal with since going off the pill and being sex-stress free is getting used to what PMS is actually like. My periods are lighter and shorter, and kind of on a schedule which is nice. But man, every month I get deeply sad/dark for like two days followed by an evening of insomnia (hi posting at 2:45am) after which I'll be fine, and the fact that it happens *every* month is frustrating.
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Jul 15, 2015 10:44
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I'm getting my nexplanon removed next week and I'm kinda nervous (don't like needles/scalpels); can someone tell me what it's like?
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Jul 15, 2015 16:55
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Look in the opposite direction and it's totally fine. If a nurse can chat with you to keep your mind off it, even better. The doctor feels around for the location, then gives you local anesthesia. I think this is one or maybe two shots, which just feel like normal shots. Then she cuts a little slit, much smaller than anything I can think of (dime, pinkie nail, etc.), over one end of the matchstick. She pushes down on its far end, and using tweezers, she just pulls it up and out through the hole. Depending on how long it's been in there, it might take some tugging. It isn't painful, you just feel the tug and it's kinda weird. This entire procedure took maybe two-three minutes for me, and most was waiting for the anesthesia to kick in. It goes so fast. Afterward, she showed it to me to prove it was out. You can probably opt out of that part. The hole is so small you don't need a stitch or anything. I'm pretty sure I just got a regular band-aid and instructions not to get it wet for a day. I also had an ace bandage because I got a new one (in a slightly different place) at the same time. Just keep yourself distracted and it should be fine. You can always bring in a trashy magazine, or an exciting book, or a phone game you can play one-handed. The whole thing is less painful than a flu shot, for example, just longer.
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Jul 15, 2015 17:37
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Hummingbirds posted:I'm getting my nexplanon removed next week and I'm kinda nervous (don't like needles/scalpels); can someone tell me what it's like? What Anne Whatley said - it was simple and I got it all done during my lunch break. I was so numb in that area that I wasn't even sure when exactly the procedure began or stopped. No stitches needed. My doc showed me the rod after she was done and it was red and bloody so if that skeeves you out, just tell your doc not to do that. I have a sex drive again and I lost a ton of weight already! Hooray!
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Jul 15, 2015 17:45
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Zantie posted:Little late to the chat but I got my tubes removed ~18 months ago. Old post is >here< I already get the joys of PMS with Paragard thanks to the lack of hormones - except in my case it's mostly anger and zits.  But I've learned to deal for the most part.
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Jul 16, 2015 02:17
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I first experienced PMS when I took oral contraceptives, which totally stopped when I stopped taking them. I always put it down to having a bad reaction, so when I found out about copper IUDs, I was psyched. I had a great first year with my IUD. But for the last nine months? My symptoms are back and, if anything, way worse. I just sob over everything and go down suicidal doom spirals (I forgot to buy coffee -> why am I such an awful person -> I should die), plus dizziness, hot flash-like feelings, and cramps that no OTC painkiller can touch. I'm a freelancer who's now losing about 4 working days per cycle due to the pain, not to mention nursing an awesome codeine tolerance. Also, my cycles are irregular now, so I sometimes have two periods a month, which means I'm basically intolerable to myself for weeks on end. My doctor shrugged and offered me cognitive behavioral therapy to help me "work through the negative feelings I have about my period". I have since changed doctors, and my new doctor said it sounded like PMDD but that there was nothing she could do for me and I just needed to "deal with it." :/ Anyone in the thread suffer similarly? Any words of advice? I'm not sure where to go from here.
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Jul 16, 2015 18:47
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Maybe talk to a psychiatrist about if it's possible you have underlying depression that is being worsened?
Xibanya fucked around with this message at 03:04 on Jul 30, 2015 |
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Jul 16, 2015 18:55
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Jesus, midori-a-gogo, that's horrible  I got hotflashes occasionally while on hormonal BC, in retrospect they probably started when I was 27; same time my headaches transitioned to migranes and my hair started falling out. But thankfully the hotflashes stopped immediately after I went off the pill. Couldn't say the same for the other two, migraines took longer and needed a prescription to help me through the worst of the pill withdrawal. The hair on my head is still a lot thinner than it used to be, which sucks. Some of it has grown back though. I don't see it, but I know it's the case cause I haven't gotten a sunburn on my scalp in over a year. Is there any way you could get the IUD removed to see if anything improves? After nine months I'd assume any symptom you'd outgrow would've started getting better by now, and if removing it doesn't resolve your symptoms, then at the very least you've answered that question.
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Jul 17, 2015 05:52
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midori-a-gogo posted:Anyone in the thread suffer similarly? Any words of advice? I'm not sure where to go from here. I've heard a few people mention something about how the copper can have some (small) effect on your natural hormones, which might not be good if you're really sensitive to that. But I've never seen any reputable sources or studies mention that so it's very possibly bullshit. Zantie posted:Jesus, midori-a-gogo, that's horrible I think you're me! The first time I took the pill I got crazy hot flashes for a week and migraines that were so bad they made me swear off hormones forever. Now I just gotta get the sterilization.
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Jul 17, 2015 14:45
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midori-a-gogo posted:I first experienced PMS when I took oral contraceptives, which totally stopped when I stopped taking them. I always put it down to having a bad reaction, so when I found out about copper IUDs, I was psyched. I had a great first year with my IUD. In live in WA so when it comes to uterus pain and shittiness involved with it, my doctors have been very pro weed. Sadly everyone is very different and honestly it does sound like pmdd which there's a few hormonals that sometimes help with it but if they make it worse than that is no good.
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Jul 17, 2015 16:16
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So, recently came back to working at Planned Parenthood after several years of pursuing and achieving my nursing degree, and wow things have changed! Specifically IUDs, of which there are now 100% more options than there were a few years ago (add Skyla and Liletta to the mix). I have not been able to get a decent answer about how Skyla and Liletta differ from Mirena except that they are both only approved for 3 years (though at least Liletta may eventually be approved for 5 it seems) and Skyla was kind of developed as a "nullips can have IUDs too!" even though really they could always have Mirena. I guess they are much cheaper than Mirena too, or at least Liletta is? Anyway just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on these new IUDs, particularly if you switched from Mirena.
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Jul 22, 2015 15:55
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boquiabierta posted:So, recently came back to working at Planned Parenthood after several years of pursuing and achieving my nursing degree, and wow things have changed! Specifically IUDs, of which there are now 100% more options than there were a few years ago (add Skyla and Liletta to the mix). I have not been able to get a decent answer about how Skyla and Liletta differ from Mirena except that they are both only approved for 3 years (though at least Liletta may eventually be approved for 5 it seems) and Skyla was kind of developed as a "nullips can have IUDs too!" even though really they could always have Mirena. I guess they are much cheaper than Mirena too, or at least Liletta is? Anyway just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on these new IUDs, particularly if you switched from Mirena. The way I understood it, Skyla (and maybe Liletta too) were supposed to be smaller in size to make them a little more feasible for nulliparous women. I know they can use Mirena and Paragard just fine, but I know in my case I was right on the edge of being able to fit one and I've heard other childless women say the same. But I'm not an expert, just a weirdo who thinks birth control is interesting.
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Jul 22, 2015 22:33
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Kimmalah posted:The way I understood it, Skyla (and maybe Liletta too) were supposed to be smaller in size to make them a little more feasible for nulliparous women. I know they can use Mirena and Paragard just fine, but I know in my case I was right on the edge of being able to fit one and I've heard other childless women say the same. I just got a Skyla after previously having a Mirena and I was told it has a lower dose of hormones as well.
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Jul 23, 2015 05:47
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skeetied posted:I just got a Skyla after previously having a Mirena and I was told it has a lower dose of hormones as well. Yeah, Skyla starts out at 14 mcg a day, which is equivalent to a Mirena's hormone dose after 5 years.
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Jul 23, 2015 07:46
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Kimmalah posted:My mom has never been one of those "Give me grandkids!" kind of mothers and she already has a baby granddaughter to play with thanks to my brother. She had a tubal herself after I was born and said it was the best thing she ever did, if that helps. I don't have PMs so you'll probably have to post in the thread! Well, I'm 1 day out from salpingectomy and still in quite a bit of pain. It bums me out reading ahead of time (mostly on reddit) that people weren't in much pain after. My stomach is huge and hard from the gas and really everything just hurts. I still feel a little out of it from the anesthesia too. Can't even stand up straight. Best part, was home from surgery at 1pm yesterday and have only been able to sleep for a whopping 6 hours. God, I'm hoping to feel better tomorrow. I'm going to try to take a walk with my boyfriend in a bit to help the gas pain. I'm also surprised the doctor or someone hasn't called to check on me. Every single previous surgeries I've always gotten a call that night or next day to see how I'm doing and reiterate instructions. They told me to leave the steri strips alone but I have a big band aid type bandage over my belly button which I have no clue if that can come off. They also left freaking 5 of those sticky things that I assume lines are attached to on my body AND I woke up with an extra IV in my other hand that's swollen and turning purple. Overall I'm a crabby sad mess right now but know I will heal fine and in a few weeks I will be over the moon that I'm finally permanently baby worry free!!!
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Jul 25, 2015 23:27
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I recommend staying down for the gas pain. Stay lying down and let it all fart out. The more you get up the more it will move up to your shoulders.
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Jul 26, 2015 01:13
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Scudworth posted:I recommend staying down for the gas pain. Stay lying down and let it all fart out. The more you get up the more it will move up to your shoulders. I don't fully understand how that stuff gets into your shoulders, but man, when I got my gallbladder removed, that was one of the very worst parts. So much pain.
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Jul 26, 2015 01:54
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Pig Head posted:Well, I'm 1 day out from salpingectomy and still in quite a bit of pain. It bums me out reading ahead of time (mostly on reddit) that people weren't in much pain after. My stomach is huge and hard from the gas and really everything just hurts. I still feel a little out of it from the anesthesia too. Can't even stand up straight. Most of the time when I have bandages like that, it's usually something like 24 hours or until it falls off by itself, whichever comes first. But those were more for biopsies and a heart cath. The electrodes are most likely fine to take off if you haven't already. And the IV thing is weird - I had a doctor leave one in my arm once (not hooked to anything, just capped) and the nurses told me it was basically useless after a while anyway because it didn't have anything going through it to keep it clear. But your best bet is to call the doctor that did the surgery to be 100% sure of course, because I'm just pulling this from my many hospital stays/tests. As for the gas, I've heard stuff like Gas-X (simethicone) can help though I'm not sure how true that is since most of it is in your abdominal cavity.
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Jul 26, 2015 02:10
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Evelyn Nesbit posted:I don't fully understand how that stuff gets into your shoulders, but man, when I got my gallbladder removed, that was one of the very worst parts. So much pain. The gas is irritating your diaphragm from beneath, and the nerves reaching for the diaphragm are near the nerves that tell you your shoulder hurts. Nothing is actually reaching your shoulder except some confused nerves.
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Jul 26, 2015 05:48
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Finally got in for my appointment with a new doctor and I'm very glad I did. She was great and actually professional, very good at what she does. She did confirm that she thinks I have endometriosis (we don't think it's severe enough to warrant official diagnosis with a laparoscopy yet) and I'm going to keep suppressing periods with pills. I was on Seasonique but I've been having some side effects that I'm not sure about, so she's going to have me try a different type of pill to see how it goes. I wanted to ask you all if you've ever had this type of issue while on hormonal birth control before - I've been having some pretty bad fatigue where I just completely lose all energy and feel really listless and checked out, though not sleepy/tired. I did bring that up with her and that's why she suggested we try a different pill - but I wanted to see if anybody else has experienced something like this and can confirm it's not all in my head?
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Jul 29, 2015 04:27
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My energy levels weren't too bad, but I definitely remember constantly feeling kind of flat and "blah" all the time (for lack of a better description) when I was on the pill. Not really depressed, but just not a lot of emotional variation.
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Jul 29, 2015 07:04
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Kimmalah posted:My energy levels weren't too bad, but I definitely remember constantly feeling kind of flat and "blah" all the time (for lack of a better description) when I was on the pill. Not really depressed, but just not a lot of emotional variation. Thank you, that's exactly what I've been dealing with... I'm hoping it will dissipate when I switch the type of pill I'm taking, but I don't know. What did you wind up doing about it?
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Jul 29, 2015 07:18
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Urban Wizard posted:Thank you, that's exactly what I've been dealing with... I'm hoping it will dissipate when I switch the type of pill I'm taking, but I don't know. What did you wind up doing about it? I got a copper IUD so I just don't use hormonal birth control at all now. Not a huge help I guess if that's not something you want to do.
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Jul 29, 2015 08:36
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Kimmalah posted:I got a copper IUD so I just don't use hormonal birth control at all now. Not a huge help I guess if that's not something you want to do. It's something I might look into if this continues after switching pills - there are so many different types available now that I guess it will just be a slightly-sucky period of trial and error. Thanks for letting me know!
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Jul 29, 2015 08:43
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Urban Wizard posted:It's something I might look into if this continues after switching pills - there are so many different types available now that I guess it will just be a slightly-sucky period of trial and error. Thanks for letting me know! I don't know if it would be great with endometriosis, since from what I hear painful heavy periods might already be an issue with that. But it's always worth asking your doctor about (or possibly something like Mirena).
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Jul 29, 2015 08:57
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Kimmalah posted:I don't know if it would be great with endometriosis, since from what I hear painful heavy periods might already be an issue with that. But it's always worth asking your doctor about (or possibly something like Mirena). Yeah, I realized that like two seconds after I posted but was too lazy to edit. I'm at least going to see what the new pill is like for a month or two before I think about trying something different. She prescribed me LO Loestrin FE since it has a lower dose of estrogen and she thinks that would help with the side effects I may be getting from Seasonique (if that's what it is coming from at least). I'm not exactly sure if lower estrogen would help or not, but I guess I'll find out. Thank you for all your help!
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Jul 29, 2015 09:02
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Urban Wizard posted:Yeah, I realized that like two seconds after I posted but was too lazy to edit. I'm at least going to see what the new pill is like for a month or two before I think about trying something different. She prescribed me LO Loestrin FE since it has a lower dose of estrogen and she thinks that would help with the side effects I may be getting from Seasonique (if that's what it is coming from at least). I'm not exactly sure if lower estrogen would help or not, but I guess I'll find out. Thank you for all your help! I have endo and used Loestrin FE after my surgery until I was 35 (had to stop after 35 because I smoke... arg). I loved Loestrin FE vs Seasonique (I've tried them all). I would give it at least 3-6 months before you decide if you like it though, as it take at least a few months for your body to get used to the hormones and such on any new BC. Good luck!
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Jul 29, 2015 13:53
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Kimmalah posted:Most of the time when I have bandages like that, it's usually something like 24 hours or until it falls off by itself, whichever comes first. But those were more for biopsies and a heart cath. The electrodes are most likely fine to take off if you haven't already. And the IV thing is weird - I had a doctor leave one in my arm once (not hooked to anything, just capped) and the nurses told me it was basically useless after a while anyway because it didn't have anything going through it to keep it clear.  I still have a huge rear end bruise from that 2nd IV but the belly button bandage did fall off after my 2nd shower. And still have some gas pain even though I've walked A LOT since Saturday. The best thing that helps, I found, is rolling from side to side on a bed. Sadly, I can't really do that at the office. I'm still trying to get up and walk around every few minutes but my belly button pain is still making me walk like an old lady. It's all very annoying but there's a light at the end of the tunnel!My boyfriend has a countdown timer on his phone for when we can have sex again. I don't see my doc till Aug 12 to get the go ahead but I have a feeling I'm going to call as soon as I'm 100% pain free to ask if I can be cleared for adult relations. Waiting till after the 12th seems absurd.
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Jul 30, 2015 13:28
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All my (probably obsessive) research about sterilization said you would be good to go after 1-2 weeks if you felt like it. I think it was closer to 2 weeks for the full tube removal. But I don't want to tell you to go against the doctor's advice here either.
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Jul 30, 2015 21:39
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Longest 2 weeks of my life.
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Jul 30, 2015 23:00
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I am scheduled for a copper IUD on the 24th.  Yaaaay. My nightmare with hormonal BC is over.I heard the periods become a little like the elevator shaft scene in The Shining, and they are hurty. I've been dealing with heavy periods since I tried the minipill, so it doesn't bother me anymore, but does it ever level out? I thought I heard someone mention something like that. Not that I expect my bits to ever cooperate, but if that's the case that'd be super.
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Aug 3, 2015 06:10
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cash crab posted:I am scheduled for a copper IUD on the 24th. I still have 1-2 days that can be a bit of a bloodbath, but it's definitely gotten better. And the cramps were bad at first, but now they're pretty much gone. It seemed to turnaround for me at about the 6 month mark (and that's what I've heard from a lot of people). I've had the IUD for about 2 years, just for reference. Even at the worst, usually ibuprofen and/or a heating pad would be enough to deal with it. I also invested in some dark underwear so if I did have minor leaks it wasn't the end of the world.
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Aug 3, 2015 09:08
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