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As a means of contraception, tubal ligation surgery has been used on millions of women in just the U.S. itself over the years. When researching this method, one can’t help but come upon stories about Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome. Women who suffer from this after effect of the surgery relate awful examples of the symptoms that they suffer. A basic search on the web on the topic will lead you to horrible story after horrible story.

A long list of thirty-five possible symptoms can be found when looking into the symptoms of Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome, or ptls for short, on different websites. However, when you read the personal stories of the women suffering from this after effect, you will most often read of longer bouts of and stronger PMS symptoms, bad mood swings, and very altered periods usually with severe bleeding so bad they cannot even leave home. Also suffered are migraines, no sex drive, weight gain and severe cramping.

Perhaps what is even worse for these women are the responses from their doctors and surgeons when these symptoms are brought to light. They range from a “there’s nothing wrong and so you’ll have to learn to live with it” attitude to outright telling these women it’s all in their heads and they need professional counseling. One doctor has been quoted as saying that PTLS is a “medical myth” on medicinenet.com.

One possible treatment these poor women will receive is to be put back onto birth control pills. Considering they went through the tubal ligation surgery instead of using birth control pills, they don’t seem to be coming out ahead. But there are some doctors, and given how many times this seems to be the treatment given most doctors, are of the opinion that what these women are suffering is due to going off birth control pills or to age. Sometimes the women are told they will just need to get a total hysterectomy. Has anyone wondered what that implies?

One doctor is quoted as saying that women should be removed from birth control pills well in advance of the tubal ligation surgery in order to allow their bodies to return to norm. The thinking is that this would let the ladies know what their condition, related to PMS and menses, prior to having the surgery. Who knows what the answer is for the “age related” problems? Learn to live with it? But these don’t address the ladies who have the tubal done at the birth of the last child they wanted. And the age related cause does not address the young women in their 20’s or, in my opinion, the ones in their early 30’s who are having problems with ptls either.

Informing women about to undergo the tube tying surgery would be one thing that should be done. Most have no idea that ptls is even a possible complication to the surgery. Mostly they are told that there is a chance for an infection, hemorrhage or a problem related to the use of general anesthesia as you would have in any surgery. What is added for this particular surgery is the additional complication of an ectopic pregnancy. This information is from the FDA’s own website. The “Coalition for Post-Tubal Women” is trying to accomplish a change in the consent form. Better counseling about this possibility would be good as well but since many, dare I say most, doctors believe this to be a mythical syndrome, who knows if it will ever happen. At least let them know so they can do their own research and make their own decisions if this is something they want to risk.

Even if a better consent form and counseling were available, it still won’t help those who have had the surgery and are now suffering the effects of post tubal ligation syndrome. You could try the options talked about above like birth control pills or a hysterectomy. Or you could try a tubal ligation reversal surgery. In a study conducted by Dr. Berger of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center on the women who have come to him and complained of having the symptoms of ptls, 90% saw a reduction in their symptoms. You can read the stories yourself at http://forums.tubal-reversal.net/ where the ladies are happy to help as well as nurses who provide information.

The women on the message board at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center and in stories you will find there will tell you how they have felt better and had a return to their old lives by having a tubal reversal surgery. No more suffering from post tubal ligation syndrome at best for the vast majority of the ones who have suffered from it. Perhaps, given the particular circumstances of any woman of course, a tubal ligation reversal is the best answer for someone suffering from ptls. Talk to your doctor, or better yet, discuss this with Dr. Berger’s staff.