I take the mini pill, so stopping shouldn't immediately start a period for me. Bi Salp is in 4 days, so I'm just wondering when I should stop taking them. I'd rather go through one time of a hellish few weeks/months versus healing completely and then going through all the hormone changes.

Those who have gone through this, what was your experience like? When I went off the combo pill it was horrible and took a year for me to feel normal again. Really hoping I don't have that this time.

Hello! I'm just excited because I finally got my bisalp done on Friday and I'm really happy about it. I don't have many people to talk to about it though, so I figured I'd share it here. Recovery is going well so far, although I am a bit sore at times. I also caught an illness my bf has had the past couple of weeks just yesterday evening as well, which has me worried about what my recovery will look like. Any advice?

I (30F) had a consult with a doctor for a bisalp whom I found off the childfree doctor list. I have wanted to get sterilized for a long time but I reached a breaking point and I was finally ready to schedule the consult. Immediately after I scheduled, I had been feeling very nervous and unsure. I won’t even get a tattoo because it’s too permanent, and that is less permanent than a bisalp.

At the appointment I was very emotional and just wanted to talk about the procedure. The doctor asked me about my relationship status, and told me I could meet someone and change my mind. I left the appointment with birth control pills.

Birth control has been a massive physical and emotional burden for me for the last 10 years. I cannot stand being on hormones and the copper iud completely ruined my life and confidence while I had it due to constant pain and infections. I don’t think I articulated how much I have struggled with this over the last 14 years. I told her I’ve had issues with it but I don’t think I expressed just HOW horrible it has been. On top of that I accidentally got pregnant from a pull out earlier this year and am completely traumatized. I also had a condom fail recently so I am too scared to have sex at all without being on BC. And plan b makes me dangerously depressed for about 6 weeks after I take it. Because I hate birth control so much, I feel like I can’t be sexual at all. I used to be a very sexual person and I want to get sterilized to get my sexuality back.

I have been an emotional wreck and extremely disappointed since the appointment and I feel like it gave me clarity that I really want to do this. The reasons why I was unsure at first wasn’t that I was going to change my mind, but that I will be single forever because in my experience with dating all guys are super passionate about wanting to be dads and if I’m sterile it will scare a lot of people away. Which is true but I don’t want to end up with one of those men anyway. I hated kids when I was 20 and hate them even more now that I’m 30, and I would never put my body through pregnancy and birth and those feelings have only gotten stronger with age.

I’ve been trying to imagine how I feel post bisalp and I can only think immense relief and freedom. I don’t have a lot of people in my life I can talk to about this so just needed to get it off my chest and out of my head. Ironically I really REALLY liked that doctor and will have a follow up with her and ask her to do it now that I’m sure and I believe she would. And if not I will find someone that will :) xo

I (32 F) have an appointment for a long wanted salpingectomy but am nervous about recovering and the possibility of heavier periods. I have tiny velcro animals that typically jump onto my lap and a 14mo that is running, wiggly with diaper changes, and still needs to be lifted into his high chair and into his playpen, etc. I have a partner who is willing to be the sole parent for a few weeks but I am wondering if now is a bad time due to how much lifting is still required for our 14mo. Is it easier to wait until they are older? The reason why I am trying to get this done now is that I am in the U.S. and right now my insurance will cover the procedure, plus I have PTO that needs to get used before the end of the year.

My husband has offered to get vasectomy so that I can avoid healing from another abdominal surgery. I am on Mirena specifically for heavy periods but like the idea of getting surgery for extra protection, but it might be overkill.

Any thoughts or advice is welcome.

My bisalp is December 10th. I was thinking I'd be good and recovered enough by Inauguration Day to have a potluck at my house with friends to celebrate.

It will be my bisalp shower 😂

Except we won't play baby shower games. We will simply eat food and maybe I'll bake a cake and decorate it to say "farewell fallopians!"

We need to celebrate women for more than getting married and having babies. I'm gonna make a party out of it.

Idk y'all I didn't sleep much, maybe you have some ideas to add? :)

Edit: slowly getting more inspo as the day goes on. I think I'm gonna wear a midriff bearing top to show the scars. They'll be healed enough by then. And I just happened to find an amazing Mac n cheese recipe a few days ago. Will have to sub tube shaped noodles.

Lastly.. I'm ordering a fancy cake from a local bakery.

I feel so lucky to have this incredible opportunity!

Hey all, my surgery is Jan2, I just had my consultation last week and I had a pelvic exam preformed, it was the first time I had been penetrated so my doctor used a baby speculum & it was still quite painful. I recently saw another post here about feeling sore inside the vagina after surgery due to things they may insert inside of you, I didn’t know they did this and I guess I’m just wondering if anyone else has any experience with vaginal pain and soreness after the procedure

wondering what periods are like long term after this procedure and the timelines experienced

Context: Black - 32 - around 240 lbs - Washington State - insurance is Regence through employer - Dr. Aisha Nnoli

TL;DR: Brought this up to my gyno in fall 2023, took a year to research and think it over and decided to get the surgery done this fall. Consult was September, call to schedule was October, anesthesia call was October, bloodwork was early November, and surgery was November 14th. Was initially worried about payment as I kept getting notices of an estimate but I told them to bill my insurance. As of this post, I am 2 weeks and a couple days post op and have not yet received the final bill. Recovery transition was a lot smoother than expected.

I originally brought up birth control options and the possibility of a bisalp last year in the fall after hearing about it through the childfree subreddit. I told her that I’m not currently sexually active but I also do not want to be put on any sort of birth control that could potentially have me gain weight as I’ve been working with a trainer for a long time and gaining more weight was not an option for me and my mental health. I also explained that I am childfree and don’t want to be pregnant ever. She told me all the risks and I said I’d think it over/continue to research and make another appointment after doing so. A year later (this fall) I decided to get it done. I had already leaned more towards yes but I wanted to be 100% sure. I’m asexual and don’t mind having sex so I wondered if it would even be worth it to go through given my more unique situation. 

I also want to make a note that I got the notice about my $3200 estimate sometime in October and had been back and forth between the estimates department, my insurance, and the surgery scheduler about codes and verifying what my insurance covered over the course of a few days.

Consult - 9/20

My consultation went well. I expressed my two fears - money and first time surgery. She informed me that someone would follow up with me about how to finance and before I even make a decision to move forward, I would go over all of that. She explained all of the risks with surgery and I brought up my concerns about my higher risks due to my weight/BMI to which she also spoke to me about but I decided to move forward.

Call about surgery - 10/10

I was called by my obgyn’s surgery scheduler about an opening on 11/14. I said I had questions about the anesthesia process and insurance billing. Scheduler said the anesthesia call would be a week or two before the surgery and that I would have to call the estimates department with CPT code 58661. I called the estimates team and they asked me the location of the surgery which I was not given but they said it was fine as long as I had the CPT code. They gave that to the estimates team and said I should hear back before the end of the day if not by the next morning. *During my research I knew about diagnosis code Z30.2 but was never given that and didn’t say anything which I should have at least asked about at the time of the call.*

Anesthesia call - 10/31

I spoke with a woman and mentioned my anxiety about needles and she said she’d make a note but that they’d most likely tell me to look away and that my mom would be able to be in the room with me when getting the IV.

Bloodwork and pre-registration call - 11/8

I had to call the surgery scheduler back to ask about the diagnosis code (Z30.2) then call the pre-registration department again and I mentioned the possibility of being turned away if I don’t pay my estimate that I kept getting messages for. She informed me that I would be fine and that I should wait until the final itemized bill which will have a number to call to set up a payment plan. I also had to go get my T&S and CBC test done today.

Virtual check in - 11/11

The Multicare app asked about paying for the surgery but also gave the option to have it billed to insurance which I chose that one.

Check in confirmation - 11/12

I got a call to confirm my check-in time. 8:00am and my surgery was scheduled for 10:05am. Gave me instructions about parking.

Surgery day - 11/14

My mom lives in a different part of the state and drove down early to be with me/stay overnight. Checked in a little before 8am. Was told my mom could come back AFTER my IV which I didn’t want to argue about how I was told differently because 1. I hate conflict lol and 2. I doubt the woman who told me knew the protocols of the hospital considering she works for anesthesiology. They took me back and took my vitals and had my change into my gown. They had me do a urine test and then another nurse came to prick me. I immediately faced the wall and told everyone who walked into the room that I wasn’t ignoring them but I freak out if I see needles going into my skin so I was looking away. The nurse was very sweet and looking for my veins. She pricked me twice and unfortunately couldn’t find my veins. Another nurse came in and gave me anxiety medicine and put this orange smelling stuff in my nose. *I’d like to make a note here that I was nervous about surgery and that I didn’t not drink anything since 1pm the day before. I don’t drink fluids as often as I should normally (working on that) but I got confused about the no eating/no drinking instructions that I just said fuck it and just didn’t drink anything because I was nervous they wouldn’t do it if something was in my stomach.* They had to get IV therapy to come and do an ultrasound on my arm to find my veins. Got pricked again and that nurse said I had good veins, they were just hidden. Then they finally let my Mom come in. A few different people (my obgyn who was also my surgeon, her fellow, the anesthesiologist, and a few more nurses) came in and out to talk to my mom and me, give us the timeline, etc. over the course of around 45 minutes. 

Then it was time for my surgery. A nurse walked me back to the operating and sent my mom to the lobby. I saw my anesthesiologist and a couple nurses as I was getting on the table. The last thing I remember was him saying he was giving me the anesthesia via the IV and that was it. I was out immediately. A second later I woke up in the recovery room. I felt heavy and groggy. The nurse gave me ice chips, juice with ice, and chocolate pudding. They let my mom come in and she helped me get dressed before we walked near where I would be getting my discharge instructions and wheeled me out to the car. They took my port off and told me about my medication. I felt wobbly when I was walking. My mom and I went to the pharmacy but the medications weren’t quite ready and it was about to be their lunchtime so I told her we could stop at the grocery store. I had already purchased food for myself but she said I didn’t get enough so I said that we could stop there since it wasn’t far from my apartment and then I could go home and rest. While she’s shopping, I’m telling my friends and posting about it (I didn’t tell anyone about the specific surgery, just that I was getting surgery. Only one friend knew because she was with me when I first discovered it via reddit and I had talked about it with her.). Mom took me home and put me to bed where I laid in bed, ate and talked to my friends.

Day 1 post op - 11/15

My pain comes in the middle of the night. It’s not bad but it’s definitely there. I go between the prescribed Tylenol and Ibuprofen every 3 hours (6 hours between each). I was spotting lightly which I was told I would. I wanted to try walking so I walked with my mom to this cafe on my block and then we went to the record store across the street. I felt weak still and made sure to drink a lot more fluids. My throat was still sore especially when swallowing anything and my voice wasn’t fully back. The most pain came from sitting down and getting up. I had to take stairs one at a time.

Day 2 post op - 11/16

My period came 3 days early. I felt pretty much the same as the previous day. Mom left the previous day. I walked around the block for about 20 minutes and napped for an hour in the middle of the day. I made sure to walk throughout my apartment and still had to take my time on the stairs. I made sure not to bend over or squat that much.

Day 3 - 8 post op - 11/17 - 11/22

My period is heavier and I can’t use tampons like normally so I just felt super gross because with just the pads, I could feel all of it. I drove around the block but forgot my little pillow so it irritated my skin a little. I also went to the gym during this time and started walking on the treadmill for an hour. I felt good but in the beginning felt like I was still walking at half my normal place. I also did some arm movements with 3 lb dumbbells. I went out to a social meetup at the bar around day 6. I felt good but was definitely feeling more gassy. By day 7 my incisions were starting to get itchy since the glue was peeling a little. My period was lighter. I could also start wearing regular pants by this time which was nice. I was making sure to be careful about them moving around on my waist.

Day 9 - 11/23

I wore tight pants for the first time and felt perfectly fine. That night though I came home from being out with friends and as I was going to the bathroom, I coughed and felt the last bit of my period leaving my body which was…interesting lol.

2 week post op appointment - 11/26

My appointment was quick. The doctor (not my obgyn) said that my incisions were healing well and there was no inflammation or redness. I asked about working out and she said to ease into it and give another two weeks before jogging and stick with the six weeks for heavy lifting.

Supplies Purchased

Underwear (one size up)
Sweatpants
Small pillow
Heating pad
Soup
Juice
Tea
Gatorade
Protein shakes
Ginger ale
Ice cream
Fudgsicles
Protein bars
Ready made meals

I'll come back and edit once I get the final bill which hopefully will be cheap or next to nothing from what I've read. Hope this helps and I'll be sure to check back and answer any questions but also, feel free to reach out to me directly!

I will make a full post about my experience once it's actually done but I'm less than three days out from my bisalp and I've already annoyed my friends enough about it...I'm just so excited 😭 I've been researching this for 2 years and it always seemed too good to be true. I thought I'd never find a doctor that would approve me (21, no partner no kids) but the first doctor I tried didn't even blink!! (Thank you r/childfree list!) And it's COVERED??? (I have a $95 copay but I'd rather pay that than fight the insurance people 🫠) I'm so happy to not have to worry about pregnancy or BC ever again, but to be honest it almost feels more about affirming my own life choices. Like yes I've thought about this from every angle, now I'm making an adult decision about my adult life that no one can take from me, and no one is standing in my way! As long as I didn't just jinx it lol!

Sending good vibes to everyone else getting snipped soon!!!

Hey folks! I had my bisalp this past Thursday and thought I'd share my experience. I realize that was Thanksgiving for many, but I'm Canadian so it was just another day, although a great one. Overall, everything went really well! Forgive the long post, but I'm a writer and I'm not great at brevity.

I got to the hospital at 8:30am. First thing they made me do was take a urine sample and I had that terrible feeling of, "oh no, this is probably a pregnancy test, what if?" Even though I knew there was no way I was pregnant. Isn't that the worst? Happy to say that's the last time I'll ever have that feeling! I got set up in my bed at pre-surgical daycare and was visited by the first nurse. She got my IV set up and did some initial tests for blood pressure, heart rate, etc. The IV catheter was in the back of my left hand and the slight sting of that was the worst pain I felt all day. The nurse let me know the doctor would stop by soon to check in. She wrapped me in a heated blanket before she left.

One of the surgical nurses and my surgeon stopped by to say hello, confirm the surgery they were performing, and asked if I had any questions about the procedure. I didn't have anything specific; I've read lots of stories from others on here and the childfree sub so I felt pretty prepared. They smiled and said they'd see me soon. Next, my anesthesiologist came by. She was the star of the show. She had such a wonderful bedside manner. She explained that general anesthesia was necessary for the procedure and gave me the risks. She asked if I had any questions, and before she left she patted my arm and said she'd take good care of me. That was incredibly reassuring.

My surgery was scheduled for 11:15am but at 10:15am they said they were ready to go so I was wheeled into the operating room. There was another doctor who said he was assisting and two other nurses. Everyone introduced themselves and their position. They hooked up the monitors and did a last safety check where they confirmed my identity and the procedure we were doing. They gave me some oxygen and the anesthesiologist said I'd be feeling a sensation in my left hand, which was the drugs. I closed my eyes and took some deep breaths and everything faded away.

I came to hearing a couple people saying my name and welcoming me back. It took a minute or so for me to fully come to my senses. I was propped up in a bed in the post-surgical ward and a nurse was sitting by my bed checking my vitals. The clock on the wall said 11:15am. I felt drowsy and a little out of it but otherwise alert. My nurse asked how I was feeling and I said fine. She commented that I was recovering really well, and mentioned that my anesthesiologist was very good at what she does. I had to agree. I had no pain or soreness. Didn't even feel like anything had happened. My throat was a little sore but not terrible, like I had been scream-singing at a good concert the night before.

My surgeon stopped by shortly after and said everything went very well. He said the procedure only took ten minutes. He asked to see me in his office in six weeks and that was it. I thought I would have a greater sense of relief, like a weight off my shoulders, but I don't think it's really hit me yet. I will say that I couldn't stop smiling as I laid there.

They kept me in that ward for about 45 minutes and then transferred me back to the surgical daycare. They called my husband and said he could pick me up in an hour, at 1:00pm. He got there early and sat by my side. We watched football together until the nurse came and said I could get dressed. It was slow going and I was dizzy once I started to move but still no pain or discomfort. They got me in a wheelchair and removed my IV. The discharge nurse asked if I get carsick and I said yes. It was my biggest worry because we had a 2.5hr drive home on a windy road, and I'm particularly prone to carsickness if I haven't eaten. The nurse said they gave me some IV meds for nausea, but she also gave me a peppermint patch that clipped to my shirt and that was an absolute game changer. I rested the whole drive home smelling faint whiffs of peppermint and didn't feel nauseous at all.

I felt a bit weird the rest of the day but overall really good. I started my meds before bedtime but I didn't take the opioids they prescribed. I had a bad experience when I got my wisdom teeth out so I wanted to avoid them if possible. Since Thursday, I've only taken extra strength Tylenol at regular intervals and I've been fine. I find if I don't take it regularly I start to feel sore and achy, like I had been in a mild car accident.

I have thee incisions and two I don't feel at all. The one by my belly button is the one that twinges when I move, mainly when I sit/stand. Getting up out of bed or off the couch is quite comical. I remember reading one story where her husband got her a grabber and I was thinking that was genius. Reaching for something from the coffee table is an adventure. I haven't experienced much of any of the gas pain that others had described. My torso feels a bit...tight? If that makes sense? Not painful, but a bit uncomfortable, like wearing a shirt that's too small. Moving around and walking does help.

10/10 experience, would do again, but thankfully I will never have to! Hope this is helpful for any folks who are nervous for their procedure.

I’m getting sterilized in a couple of weeks and it will be my first surgery. As the day comes closer I get super excited at the thought I’ll be sterilized, but when I remember it’s a surgery, I get even more nervous. Doesn’t help that everyone around me is nervous. I think I’m just afraid of the unknown. I also have some medical PTSD due to my chronic illness, but I’ve been working on it in therapy and it’s getting better. It’s quite minor now. I’m just afraid of not being in control in a medical setting. The biggest thing is my pain has been dismissed by doctors for years and I’m so worried it’ll happen again if I have pain after this surgery! How was your experience? I’ve been reading experiences nonstop and noticed it’s helped calm me a bit. Trying to calm some of my nerves before my appointments next week. I feel like I’ll be a bit more calm after my appointments, but who knows. Just keep trying to remind myself it’s a minor procedure.

I am one week post bi-salp today, and I had the strangest experience this morning, wondering if any of you have experienced anything similar.

I wasn’t feeling well enough to attend a family gathering with my husband. No big deal really, but this had me hysterically sobbing when he left, and crying on and off for a few hours. This is very unlike me and I couldn’t even pinpoint why I was crying. Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped, and I felt perfectly fine.

I know that a salpingectomy shouldn’t affect hormones as your ovaries are left intact, but I can’t think of any other cause but a hormonal one.

Has anyone else had something like this happen after surgery?

Has anyone else been told that they would need to remove their piercings for surgery? I have several upper ear cartilage piercings and one was placed less than a month ago (my surgery is next month). If so, did you remove them? Did you replace them with those plastic piercings I've seen online?

What should I do with my brand new piercing that's not supposed to be changed yet?

Obviously I can’t call them because it’s 9pm on a Friday night.

I have Medical Mutual of Ohio.

In my jobs contract we just negotiated that went into effect a year ago states:

Male and female sterilizations shall be covered irrespective of medical necessity. Sterilization reversals are not covered.

But it doesn’t specifically state which kind.

I’d rather get my tubes completely removed instead of just tied. I’m about to go on a layoff so now I am looking at my options as I have health coverage through my job for 2 additional years

When I google it it says No, Medical Mutual of Ohio does not cover elective tubal ligation or other sterilization procedures that are not considered necessary treatments

My husband has blue cross blue shield and he can’t get into his plan information to see specifics but google says yes blue cross blue shield covers tubal ligation and other voluntary family planning services depending on the plan and state.

I just can’t find anything inside the plan documents about sterilization besides that little snippet in my work contract.

How do I find like benefit plan information so I can read what procedures are covered?

Or should I just wait until Monday and call and ask?

I have Medical Mutual of Ohio SuperMed PPO Network

How long did it take for your bellybutton to heal? I had my bisalp in September and my bellybutton is still itchy. A month ago, my doctor gave me some prescription antibiotic ointment to put on it, even though she said it didn't look infected. I've been applying it everyday. It's very itchy and idk if this is normal.

My (29F) bisalp is scheduled for Monday 12/9! I am so excited as I just had my consult 11/18 and things are moving along so quickly. While my mom IS supportive, she initially expressed that she wanted me to wait until I was at least 30 and “what’s the rush” mentality. I haven’t told anyone else in my family but figured my mom would let my dad know what’s going on. When I was visiting for thanksgiving my mom asked if I was telling others or keeping it to myself. I let her know that if it (having kids) ever naturally came up in convo with friends or fam I wouldn’t hide it but I’m not going out of my way to announce it. I followed up with “I’m assuming dad knows though? What did he say?” He is a 67yo white conservative male who doesn’t show much emotion and I was fully prepared to hear “He doesn’t understand, he thinks it’s extreme, etc etc” but much to my surprise she responded “Yeah he knows and he has no problem with it. He reiterated that you’ve always said you don’t want kids and that was that” Even though I didn’t talk to him about it before or after this convo with my mom, it made me so emotional and happy to hear that. I just had to post this somewhere bc it was so refreshing. That’s all, thank you for letting me make an unnecessarily long post simply to say how much my spirits have been lifted!

EDIT: NEXT DAY UPDATE

I still have a sore throat from the breathing tube, but it's more discomfort than sharp pain. There is no pain at the surgical sites at all. I can bend and twist fine. My incisions are super glued shut, no issues with that so far. I have bruising at the IV site. I feel slightly fatigued, but napped a lot yesterday and stayed up late and woke up earlier than normal for me. I've been taking 600mg of motrin every 6 hours just to help with inflammation and swelling, but I don't feel like I would have any pain if I wasn't taking it. If I needed to run any errands today, I would feel perfectly fine to do so. I did have a little bit of bleeding yesterday, jotbsure ifnitnwas vaginal or from the catheter removal, as both are possible and noted on my discharge instructions as possibilities. That resolved overnight. I am due to start my period within the next few days, so I'm a little nervous about that. I've had a lot of friends and coworkers call/text to check on me and offer to drop anything off that I may need, but I haven't needed anything. The hospital did send me home with a reuseable ice pack that I used last night on the incision sites to help with swelling, but I haven't used it today. Overall, I'd say I feel around 90-95% fine. I wouldn't start exercising or anything yet, but tasks like dishes, sweeping, feeding the cats, etc are all very doable. I don't have stairs to contend with but lifing my knees while standing in place does not cause any pain.

ORIGINAL POST:

I had to be there at 10am, and I just got home. I'm feeling ok, just tired from the anesthesia and barely any sleep.

Got to the hospital at 10 and went straight to outpatient surgery area. I preregistered beforehand so I didn't need to make any stops. Once I checked into outpatient surgery, my ride was able to leave for 2 hours as long as they stayed 15 minutes or less away. I did a urine pregnancy test and they took my weight and a nurse went over any meds/food/fluid intake (no food or fluids after midnight, and I had to stop my meds last week). She started an IV, then I waited around an hour for the anesthesia staff to come in and talk to me for a few minutes to go over the plan for the day. Every nurse/doctor/tech I came into contact with had me confirm my name, date, and procedure using my own words. Around 15 minutes after anesthesia left, my surgeon came in and we went over a brief summary of what he was going to do and how, and let me know he would take photos of the procedure to share with me after.

He left, then maybe 10 minutes later, a few OR nurses came in and took me to the surgery suite. The anesthesia staff and surgeon again confirmed my name, birthday, and procedure. That was all also written on a white board, along with all allergies (none) and diagnoses that I have (Type 2 Diabetes). The anesthesia staff (I had 2 CRNAs in there) and nursing staff all started doing things like giving me oxygen, hooking up the EKG leads, positioning me on the table, etc. They also loosely restrained my arms and placed compression sleeve things that are full of air onto my legs to aid in blood clot prevention. Everything was explexplained as they did it, and they asked if a medical student could observe the procedure. I had already consented to this at my pre-op consult, but they asked again just to confirm. Once they were ready to start the anesthesia, one of the CRNAs told me that I would smell a different smell through the oxygen mask for a quick few seconds, and then she would start the IV anesthesia meds which might sting a bit (they did). They placed a urinary catheter and breathing tube after I was asleep. They were both removed before I woke up.

Next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room to come out of anesthesia. I woke up with some uterine cramping and a dry feeling throat, but no other pain or discomfort. I did feel pretty groggy still and very tired because I didn't get much sleep beforehand. Once they felt I was stable, I was moved back to my first room and they have me crackers, water, and sprite. I stayed in there for a bit, then they made me urinate before I could leave becaubecause of the catheter. My IV was removed and the nurse went over the discharge papers.

I was given prescriptions for zofran, narcotic pain killers and ibuprofen.

I had some dizziness and nausea during the short drive home, which I expected. That resolved as soon as I got out of the vehicle. I still feel a bit crampy, moreso when standing than sitting. I took 600mg ibuprofen as soon as I got home and ate and a popcicle and a yogurt. Getting ready to take a nap but overall feeling ok.

aside from obviously never having kids im excited for so much!!

• casual sex without worry. ill still use condoms but now i wont have to stress about it breaking or anything like that. no more plan b as well when oopsies do happen 🤩

• no condoms once i get into a long term relationship! i was never on birth control so in my last relationship he always wore condoms. he never complained or minded but im excited that in my next relationship we wont have to!

• telling my family! my family already knows ive been wanting to do this and theyre supportive thankfully. so im excited to tell them that my surgery date is set

• being able to say “i have my tubes tied” when someone says “you’ll change your mind!” people had already been saying i wont be able to find a doctor and finding one was the easiest thing (thanks to @pagingdrfran on tiktok and her amazing list of doctors)

• new tattoos! when my scars fully heal i wanna get a cute lil tattoo over it. i think it would be so fun and special, plus ive been wanting another tattoo anyways

So I’m almost a month out since my bi salp. And my belly button has started to furiously itch. I don’t understand why it itches now but didn’t itch in the earlier stages of healing. Any suggestions on making it stop?????

But I'm still fucking getting it.

Pretty heartbreaking. Got the call in the morning yesterday, insurance person from the hospital told me the cost due at pre-op will be just under $1,700. She said there may (will, I understand) be other costs at the hospital but that the "hospital is flexible" on payment.

I am 25 (nb) and just now making it on my own. This will be... most of my money. But it's the most important thing to me right now.

Thankfully my mom is on my side about this (though still occasionally bingoing me, she knows my mind is made up and supports me) and said she'd be able to help me with it. My biggest thing is that our insurance did not cover my Nexplanon implant, either, so we've been paying out of pocket for that every 3 years for the past 8 years, due again soon (in October 2025; I want the bisalp instead of a replacement). I'd rather handle it ASAP knowing it will pay for itself in a few years, both in terms of money and peace of mind.

Just.... oof. Fuck. Ouch. sighhhhh.

Anyone else have this happen to them and have advice? of any kind?

Hi, I’m (28 and child-free), trying to get a bilateral salpingectomy (bi-salp) in Germany, but it’s quite complicated. My regular gynecologist agreed to sterilization but only performs tubal ligations (cut + burn). I asked if a bi-salp (complete removal of the fallopian tubes) was possible, but he said no, claiming it’s “too risky and ligations work just fine.” I know about the pro-arguments for bi-salp and had assumed that most doctors everywhere mainly performed bi-salp.

I’ve contacted other gynecologists in and around Hamburg, the German equivalent of Planned Parenthood (Profamilia), and an association supporting those seeking sterilization (Selbstbestimmt Steril). Out of over 40 clinics I reached out to, only three perform bi-salps. In Hamburg, there is just one clinic that offers the procedure, but I would need to provide a psychological evaluation, wait three months for an initial consultation, and then another six months for a “reflection period.” Not a fan of that.

I may have found a doctor 300 kilometers away from Hamburg who is willing to perform a bi-salp without requiring psychological evaluations or extended waiting times. Another clinic I contacted only performs bi-salps after childbirth via C-section.

Profamilia told me I should consider myself lucky to have even found a doctor willing to perform the surgery and advised me to take what I can get. 

Selbstbestimmt Steril explained that there is no “gold standard” in Germany. Essentially, every doctor does things their own way: some only perform ligations using electrosurgery, others just cut, some remove a small portion of the fallopian tubes, and a few perform bi-salps. Only the use of clips seems to be rare and outdated.

I’ve started looking at studies and consulting with a doctor friend who gave me access to UpToDate. I have no medical background, so I’m doing my best here. I found an article (1) based on data from the CREST study, which included 10,685 patients undergoing various sterilization methods between 1978 and 1987. There they conclude that failure rates may seem higher than initially thought (for Interval partial ѕаlрiոgеϲtоmy 20.1 per 1000 people get pregnant). However, some have criticized the study for being outdated, as a complete ѕаlрiոgеϲtоmy wasn’t a thing back then.

In a 2021 meta-analysis (2), the conclusion was that bi-salp does not carry an increased risk of complications compared to ligation. According to the analysis, bi-salp may even be slightly safer in terms of preventing pregnancy.

**TL;DR and Questions:**I’m having a hard time finding a doctor in Germany who will perform a bi-salp. Most only offer ligations, claiming they’re “less risky.”

1. Is there any evidence suggesting bi-salps cause more complications than ligations?
2. Is bi-salp primarily a U.S. standard?
3. If you’re outside the U.S., what is the standard sterilization method in your country?
4. Why isn’t there a standard sterilization procedure in Germany, especially given evidence that bi-salp is safer, more effective, and can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer?
5. Do German gynecologists not learn how to perform bi-salps?

References:

1. Female Interval Permanent Contraception: Procedures by Kari P. Braaten and MPH Caryn R. Dutton

2. Salpingectomy vs. Tubal Ligation for Sterilization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology

I had surgery exactly a week ago and my glue has started to come off from my pants rubbing. How long did your glue last? Should I try to cover my incisions or are they ok?

I would really appreciate what you guys recommend for prep, I'm thinking of pre making meals and making sure my house is clean etc but I definitely need to be more then ready as it will only be me most of the time (my bf unfortunately can only get the day of my surgery off to help me recover) date of surgery is Dec 16 since they had a cancellation!! I've got a total of 4 weekends to prepare but it's also amid several Christmas celebrations! I thank you for all your recommendations!

Day 4 after bisalp using the belly button method. Bandage is off, and every now and then it gets so damn itchy. I don’t scratch it but it’s uncomfy. What are y’all using for this problem? Plain ol hydrocortisone?

I'm scheduled for my bisalp on December 10th and I think I have a uti. I haven't talked to a doc about it or taken any antibiotics yet, but will they postpone my surgery until it's passed?

I'm just here to vent. At this time tomorrow I should be home from my bisalp surgery.

I've been under general anesthesia before, and I've had an abdominal laparascopic procedure before. I'm not a stranger to the OR.

I'm 100% fully confident this surgery is the best choice for me, and I'm looking forward to not having to ever again think about potential pregnancies. I have OTC pain meds and a heating pad ready.

I'm definitely having pre-surgery worries, mostly about the anesthesia and the IV (I'm difficult to poke), but also about the recovery process because I will be by myself for it. I'm usually a bit nauseous the day of anesthesia, but my surgical team knows this and is going to make sure I have meds available. I do have a nearby friend on call in case of an emergency, but she can't stay with me for the day. I have a few other people who plan to call/text to check on me with the understanding I'll probably take a nap when I get home.

I'm also thinking about how this surgery might make dating more difficult, and when it's appropriate to bring up in conversation. I've been single and celibate for years, but have gone on a few dates that ended up not working out. I know that anyone who wants kids isn't the right person for me, but my brain is looking for things to worry about.

I have food prepped and a lot of easy snacks, several audiobooks, and a few actual books ready to go. My streaming services are ready and I have some craft supplies within easy reach.

Wish me and my surgical team luck!

I got my procedure yesterday around noon, and was able to come home around 2pm. I was fine pain-wise because of the meds they gave me. Around 7/8 pm I started feeling some discomfort, think like when you take out a dry tampon lol. From there, it started getting worse, by the middle of the night I had to get up and take pain meds bc I couldn't find any painless position. It felt like I got scratched up or something.

I got asked before the surgery if I consented to a pelvic exam during the surgery and I agreed. I thought it might be that, but when I googled this pain I saw things about a uterine manipulator (?) That they use during the surgery. I'm just wondering if anyone has experienced this pain/ how long it took to go away. I felt better this morning but it's still hard to sit right now because of the discomfort/ pain.

Hi everyone!! I have my consultation scheduled soon so I’ll ask my doctor about this too, but I’m wondering about everyone’s experience with penetrative sex after surgery. I think I saw someone say a doctor told them to wait 6 weeks. How strict were you all about that? Was there significant pain or tenderness that late into the healing process? Is there a risk of sex moving stuff around up there or something? 6 weeks just seems so long!

Sorry if this sounds ridiculous, but I want to show my new reproductive system a good time ASAP

Honestly not much pain or issues from thy get-go. If you read my day -of post, pain was a minimum 4/10 but took forever to pee (but did after given IVs) and they don't let you leave until you pee...

Walked a (slow) 1 mile the same day of surgery. Only ever had to take the Ibuprofen/acetaminophen (no Oxy needed, it remains unopened)they gave and the prescribed stool softener (pooed on day 2).

The next day I walked some more. Think my glue ripped off on day 2 but I've been keeping everything clean and dry so not really concerned.

By day 3 I was walking 2 miles with the "calm dog," while my husband walked our wild child dog.

Since day 4 I've been walking 3-4 miles daily and driving (careful with the seatbelt!). I'm gonna be incorporating some Yin yoga soon as well.

Now I'm on day 7 and going to my mom's for Thanksgiving. I go back to work for one day before getting the weekend off. The severe bruising I had (I bruise easily) is almost entirely gone now.

Post op visit is on Dec 4 - I'm gonna ask my surgeon if he thinks I can run some low miles and incorporate some light weights. I have shit to to do and am running my favorite 50k in February.

Hopefully my insurance actually does what it’s supposed to, but I didn’t have anymore trouble with anyone asking me to pay when I got to the hospital. The worst part of the whole thing was the waiting because I had to get there two hours before my surgery, and then it was delayed like another 30mins for some reason. But I had brought my phone charger and they pushed my bed up against the wall so I could keep it plugged in while I waited.

Everyone was super nice. Finally went into the OR at around 3. Woke up at around 6. Was home by 7-ish (I live 15mins from the hospital). The worst part of waking up was that I was shaking uncontrollably for several minutes, and cried a bit (which I know is normal and can happen to some people because of the anesthesia). They gave me like four blankets but I was still shaking so then they gave me this like… inflatable raft looking blanket that they pump full of hot air, and also wrapped my head in a blanket like a shawl, and it felt like I was in a warm bath and I finally stopped shaking.

I started to have some pain at some point so they gave me 10mg of oxycodone before I went home and also some IV nausea meds so I wouldn’t throw up in the car. Got home, ate some top ramen very slowly (didn’t feel nauseous or anything from that), drank some hot water because my throat was a little dry, then went upstairs at 8pm.

One really weird and mildly concerning thing happened in the middle of eating, and that was that I kept clearing my throat cos it felt like I had phlegm in it. Then I felt like something in my throat dislodge (like when you have phlegm and clear your throat and then you swallow it) and after that I stopped being able to swallow for like a minute straight. Not cos it hurt but because the muscles wouldn’t work. I sort of mildly panicked while that was happening but it went away after a minute and I’m wondering if maybe they numbed my throat with something when they intubated me and I like coughed up some more numbing agent when I cleared my throat. That’s completely gone now and I haven’t had any trouble swallowing since then.

It’s now 9:30. I tried to sleep for like an hour and a half but could only drift. I normally go to bed really late so my body isn’t used to trying to sleep at like 9:30. I feel okay. Had some mild shoulder pain from the gas for like an hour but that’s actually gone away now even without taking anymore pain meds. Gonna take a Tylenol and stool softener in a little bit to stay on top of things, but I feel surprisingly fine, and I’m wondering how long it takes for oxy to leave your system cos I thought I’d be in more pain by now. Of course, they also numbed my abdomen so that prob hasn’t worn off yet.