TLDR: I had surgery on the 10th to remove my tubes and to insert a new IUD and I am having crazy issues. Just finished my 3rd week post and I get no sleep, have Neck pain, heart issues, and POTS-like symptoms.

I’m sorry this is so long, I am at a loss for what’s going on and maybe someone here has some advice. ——I had surgery on the 10th, and my recovery has been absolutely awful. It feels like everyone else has had an easy time, but I’m on the complete opposite side of that.

The first major issue I had was intense shoulder and neck pain, so bad that I couldn’t sleep (still can’t). From the gas but also my shoulder is where my stress manifests. That first week I was only getting one or two hours of sleep a night. Any time I put my neck on anything it was so painful. On top of that, a that same time I developed extreme leg pain that felt like burning fire for two days straight. My neck was so sore I found standing to be the only way to get relief, so I stood for an entire day and night and I think that messed my legs up. Along with neck pain and just general body pain everywhere. That and a constant low-grade fever was why I went for the ER visit.

The lack of sleep that first week it eventually led to a panic attack and a trip to the ER. They gave me a medicine IV that basically knocked me out, and I finally got some sleep that one night. They said I have anxiety and should go talk to a psychiatrist about anxiety meds. The meds the ER sent me home with (which was a muscle relaxant and Tylenol, morphine and Narcan), I still couldn’t sleep more than one or two hours a night. At that point, I was rounding out my second week of barely sleeping, and I genuinely thought I was going to lose my mind.

I called my surgeon at this point and they seemed to think it was all normal surgery recovery and not anything to worry about.

That second weekend I started going to a chiropractor for my neck pain, and that seemed to help. But it only on the days I actually go and I don’t think it can be good to go every day (I don’t have that kind of money). I still to this day can’t sleep, I get like 2 hours. I can’t sleep more than 2 hours and then just lay in bed the rest of the night. It’s like I’m exhausted but not tired. I can’t make myself sleep, I can’t even nap. And the neck pain still keeps me from sleeping too.

And then I started having heart problems.

Then for several days I started to have this weird feeling every night where I felt like I could feel my blood moving around my body and I was so uncomfortable and my chest would hurt. I felt like shit, my heart rate was 99 to 120 while laying down. My heart would race and nothing I did would get it to settle down.

So now I’ve developed what seems like POTS symptoms. My heart rate is completely out of control. When I stand up, it jumps from 100 to 160 or 140, and it’s terrifying. But sometimes electrolights help. Sometimes, electrolights do nothing. It’s also affecting my sleep because last night, my heart and chest hurt so badly that I couldn’t rest at all. I’ve been slamming electrolyte drinks, wearing compression socks, and doing everything I can, but I still feel like absolute garbage. I don’t even want to leave the house because the last time I went out, I had a terrible racing heart and heart pain and felt like I would faint. I had to come home and chug electrolyte drinks, and while that helped a little, the next day it didn’t help at all, and I was just stuck in bed with chest pain and a racing heart that wouldn’t settle all night.

To make things worse, I just caught the cold/cough my husband has, so now I feel even worse on top of everything else. Also I just started my new job at the start of January and I need this job so bad.

I’m scheduled to see my primary doctor on Tuesday, but honestly, I’m scared. I don’t even want to leave the house because the last time I went out I didn’t feel very good. My chest really hurts at times and I feel all body uncomfortable like I can feel the blood in my body not being right if that makes sense. I am so tired and all this stress is making my back so terribly sore.

My suspicion is that the surgery may have triggered/given me POTS, or maybe I’m dealing with some kind of hormonal imbalance, vagus nerve issue, or something else entirely. But nobody seems to have answers, and I’m at my absolute wits’ end.

Everyone in my family keeps saying it’s just anxiety and that I need to relax, but I know this isn’t anxiety. I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life. I’m seriously having a bummer time, and I don’t know what to do. Has anyone else dealt with something like this? If you’ve experienced anything similar or found any answers, please let me know. I’m desperate for any insight because I just keep getting told I’m fine, but I feel anything but fine.

Hi! I’m just wondering if this has happened to anyone else. I had my consultation back in December. My doctor was going through the procedure, saying they would be cutting and removing the tubes because other methods aren’t as effective/don’t protect against cancer. She was using the words “tubal ligation” so I asked her to clarify if this was actually a bisalp I would be receiving and she said yes. I had my surgery today and all of the discharge paperwork refers to it as “bilateral tubal ligation”, but again, the surgeon came by before they wheeled me back to the OR and she said they would be REMOVING my tubes. I’m wondering if this is a coding issue perhaps, or for simplicity sake with insurance or something else similar, they just across the board still refer to this as a ligation? When I go to my post op appt I’m going to clarify, I guess I’m just wondering if anyone else has run into this. I’m pretty confident I received a bisalp based off my surgeons explanations, just wondering why paperwork would be misleading. Thank you!

They're GONE! I feel somehow at peace (probably because of the diazepam) and somewhat giddy.

I tend to have a decent amount of medical anxiety. I had never been anesthetized before and was nervous about possibly not waking up or being one of the ones that wakes up and tries to fight staff or something else embarrassing like that. The day before I got a call and I panicked thinking they might be cancelling my surgery but they were calling to tell me they were moving it up!

I stopped eating around 7 PM and only drank water from then on. They had me stop all supplements like my multivitamin and fish oil 5 days before

Woke up about 7:AM and had some more water then did my last antibacterial soap shower. They'd had me start taking them 3 days before surgery once a day, I just used the Dial antibacterial bar soap. I absolutely HATE not being able to put my shea butter on after a shower, the feeling of my skin being dry makes me want to crawl out of my skin but it was for the greater good!

Got there around 8:00 AM, I was super lucky the hospital is literally about 5 minutes from my apartment. They checked me in, gave my my glamorous bracelet, confirmed my info and took me to an inpatient surgery waiting room.

Around 8:30 AM they called me back. Asked me some more questions, had me sign some things. Everyone asked me my name, date of birth and what I was there for multiple times, probably a CYA thing. They had me pee in a cup for the pregnancy test, took my vitals and blood sugar and my weight.

They gave me these antiseptic wipes and I had to wipe each part of my body with a different wipe in a certain order, they gave me a numbered diagram for that. They gave me an anti nausea patch because I was feeling queasy and swirled Qtips covered in iodine in my nose. Confirmed multiple times that my nose rings weren't metal. They put my IV in and this is where things get hazy. I remember them wheeling me back and the staff chatting about being past spelling bee winners then nothing lol.

Apparently I woke up wincing so they gave me some stuff for pain management. Don't remember it. According to the texts my husband got my surgery started around 9:52 AM which was a bit early since my surgery was scheduled for 10:30. Apparently I was very slow to wake, don't remember that either but the proof was in the fact that my husband got the text that my surgery was over like at 10:12 AM and all I remember is waking up still super loopy after 11AM and them talking about what a lightweight I was for anesthesia lol.

I kept waking and drifting off again as they wheeled me back to my room and my husband. He found my loopy state very funny. They took all the tubes and wires and the IV out of me as I drifted in and out and eventually I felt lucid enough to try to pee. I was successful and they let me go. They wheeled me outside sometime after noon I want to say, I was home before 1 PM and knocked out until basically just now.

My husband just got home with my prescription and a Happy Meal! About 4 hours from start to finish at the hospital but the surgery itself was super quick and they didn't find anything weird in there which was also something I was worried about. Super relieved it's over.

So, I'm 21 (as of July last year) and I decided that, since I already know I want to be sterilized, since women's rights are terrifyingly on the rocks, and since I'm due for my first PAP smear, I would bring up sterilization at my appointment with my OBGYN today. I was referred to her by my PCP, and she had literally no public reviews that I could find, so I was a little extra anxious, on top of the nerves that already come with medical stuff like this, no matter how routine they are for the doctors themselves.

I decided that, even if she says no, or tries pushing a temporary alternative for birth control, that I'll find another OBGYN who will help me if she won't, but the child free doctors list was looking pretty barren for my area (one male gynecologist, and I don't see male medical professionals for the same reason that many women don't, and one "cosmetic gynecologist", and I'm not giving my money to someone who does Botox injections on women's vulvas, it's misogynistic as hell). I've already had one accident pregnancy, and, subsequently, one abortion, and while I do live in a state with abortion access, who knows how long that will last, and, frankly: abortions aren't exactly fun. I don't really want to have another one, it would be much simpler, more affordable, and much less anxiety inducing to just one-and-done this mf.

The pap smear went well, she was very friendly and to the point, and when she asked me about birth control, I told her I was interested in sterilization. She nodded, and jumped right into explaining the surgery and what to expect (little does she know I've read hundreds of y'all's surgery experiences, lmao, but I digress). She emphasized that she wants to me to be sure that this is what I want, and that I'm sure I don't want biological kids, but she did so in a very empathetic, kind, and not-preachy way. She didn't try to talk me out of it, she just mentioned that I'm young and she wants me to be sure. She set up a follow up appointment for me in a month (my state requires a 30 day waiting period before they're willing to schedule the surgery) and told me to really think on it, but that she'd see me in a month, and we'll set up a surgery date then. It went as smooth as it could!

My question now, is, who do I reach out to to get her added to the childfree friendly doctor list? She stated that her requirements for sterilization are to be 21 or older, and to follow the 30 day waiting period, but that aside, she abides by "my body, my choice" and believes firmly that it's a woman's decision. I feel so excited to have (so far, at least) avoided any hassle, and that things went so smooth, and while I'm still very, very, VERY stressed about everything political that's happening, I'm very eager to have one less thing to worry about in my personal life. My appointment was great, and I want to make more women aware that she can help them. Send any advice, or any comments at all, my way, I'm always excited to hear from everyone else on this sub!

I had surgery yesterday and I got a note for work but it states that I'll have no restrictions next week but my job requires heavy lifting. I tried asking about it and the nurse wasn't helpful and told me that the nurses at the hospital are sometimes wrong. I planned on calling again before I start again but I wanted another opinion.

I had my BISALP last Thursday (1/23) and then started my period this Wednesday (1/29). Normally I have very regular periods. First 24 hours are the worst as far as flow, cramping, and body aches. My cycles also usually only lasted 3-4 days with the last days being very light flow. However this go around my first day was very light, and the last two days have been VERY heavy flow with constant back ache and cramps.

Is this normal? Like is it perhaps just kind of an off side-effect from the surgery or do we think my periods are forever changed?

I have a bisalp scheduled for a month from now, but three days after the surgery I am supposed to go to a baptism out of state (I'm the godmother).

The drive to get there would take about 4 hours. My husband would be the driver, not me, but for those of you who have had this surgery: is sitting in a car for a long period of time tolerable that soon after? Or is it worth trying to reschedule the surgery?

Would appreciate advice!

Like many others, I felt so much better after reading other posters' previous experiences with their bisalpingectomy surgeries, and wanted to share my own. I had my surgery earlier this week.

ABOUT ME

First, I want to say this: I really love children. I think they're fun and smart and that it's an enormous privilege to watch them grow and learn. We have a big chest of toys in our home for our friends' kids, and I will be first on the list for babysitting duties every time.

But my husband and I are and always have been firmly child-free. Being an aunt is so fulfilling to me, but I do not ever want to be a mother.

Worried about the election, my husband and I had a consult with my OB in August to discuss sterilization in case Trump was elected. After that appointment, she set me up with an official pre-op appointment a few weeks after the election, saying I could cancel if I wanted.

The election unfolded the way it did, so I kept my appointment.

PRE-OP
I confirmed that I absolutely did not want children, and that I wanted a permanent option that would prevent anyone from forcing me to have a child. I was sexually assaulted when I was younger, and had a bad pregnancy scare from it. My doctor agreed that the procedure was a great choice for me. I signed some consent forms, she explained the surgery in detail, and I was called the next business day to schedule the surgery. I requested not to have male medical students observing if they weren't needed for the actual procedure.

DAY OF
I'm normally extremely nervous, but I read pretty much every "bisalp experience" post in this thread beforehand, so my nerves were done and I was excited for my surgery to be done. I was so excited I didn't sleep at all the night before.

I checked in at the hospital's front desk, and about ten minutes later was brought down to the pre-op area with my husband. A nurse took my temperature, had me take a urine test, and took my vitals before having me change into a gown. It was an open-backed gown, which I didn't love, but they gave me pants and a robe I could wear in the meantime.

My anesthesiologist came to speak to me. Even though it was a male provider, which I've had issues with in the past, he was incredibly thoughtful. I requested no unnecessary medications, because I needed to be back to work in a few days and the sedatives can make me more tired and out of it. He still went over my options, and had no problem with me declining them. When I said I had trauma due to being strangled, he also asked about triggers so he could make sure I felt safe.

Then my doctor came over. She asked if I had any questions, and thanks to reading this sub, I knew that I could ask if I could avoid having a urinary catheter put in. She said yes, that I could go to the bathroom right before surgery and it may prevent the need. She did stress if my bladder started to fill up during surgery, she wanted to make sure I consented to having one if needed.

Two nurses came and put in my IV. They were incredibly gentle and it was lightning fast.

They wheeled me into the OR. Because I had't had any sedatives, my doctor and her main nurse helped me walk to the operating table from the door. They asked if I was comfortable to take off the pants, and I said yes. They were kind and helped me take off the pants and then stay "covered" while I got onto the surgical table. The two male providers in the room (a nurse and an anesthesiologist) made sure to be doing other things while I got on the table, so they didn't notice my entire backside hanging out before my doctor helped wrap my gown around me. I'm sure this was intentional.

My doctor being there helped a lot, because she's a person I know. She put my legs into compression stockings to help prevent blood flow. The anesthesiologist and a nurse I'd already met were already there, making small talk and saying how excited they were for me. Another nurse and a resident introduced themselves.

The team explained everything they were doing, and made some jokes about the cold stickers they were putting on me. My doctor said "we've got this!" and sat next to me and held my hand, which almost made me tear up it was so kind. Then they told me they were putting the oxygen mask on me, and to take a few deep breaths and that the anesthesia might sting. I didn't feel anything, but took a few deep breaths and then felt myself falling asleep.

I remember briefly waking up right after surgery and asking "did it work?" They said yes and I feel back asleep. My surgery had only taken about 30 minutes.

I woke up probably an hour later. I felt tired, but otherwise "with it." I did throw up a few times, but the nurse was -right- on it and didn't make me feel bad.

They typically don't allow partners in post-op, but because I'd asked, they called my husband and let him come sit with me. My pain was only about a two out of ten, because they'd given me a dose of pain medication while I was out. The nurse informed me there was a pad between my legs and checked it for blood flow after asking my permission. She gave me the option of crackers, apple juice, and water. I sipped on some water, and took some Tylenol that she gave me.

Once I was awake enough, maybe 30 minutes later, she said I could go when I was ready. She offered to help me dress, but I asked my husband to. She closed the curtain around my bed, and my husband helped me. I did need help putting on my pants, underwear, and socks because of the abdominal weakness. He then went to get the car, and called to let them know when he was out front and they wheeled me out.

RECOVERY
I've never been above a 3/10 in pain, and I've only taken extra strength Tylenol. The gas pain the first night was the most uncomfortable and I couldn't sleep on my sides for two days, but laying flat on my back was fine. I slept a lot on and off, but was very happy with how not-in-pain I was.

If you've ever felt like you bruised your ribs from coughing, that's what the pain feels like to me. A little annoying and like pressure, but not unbearable.

I'm a few days out, and I feel a little bit bruised but that's it. The incisions look much worse than they feel. I am, however, pretty tired. I wanted to be back to work by Wednesday, but haven't had the energy to get back to it yet.

The amount of peace I feel from the surgery is exceptional. I was so stressed about what the current government may do, I never felt safe in my own body. If you know that you want permanent sterilization, I am happy about my choice and think it's worth considering.

My doctor has already called and let me know that the pathology from my fallopian tubes looked great.

I also worried about struggling after the surgery, given my history of sexual assault and abuse, including assault while I was unconscious. I did not experience any of this. The entire team was so kind and caring, that instead of being alarmed someone had put a pad between my legs and the nurse checking it to monitor bleeding, I felt reassured that someone had taken such good care of me. I know this may be different for all survivors depending on their journey, but this was a primary concern for me and wanted to mention it.

MUST-HAVES
I saw a few other posts that had "must-have" lists, and this is what I'd recommend:
-I used a pair of high-waisted period underwear when leaving the hospital to protect my incisions. Some people say they prefer pads because you can see the amount of blood, but I preferred the comfort of the underwear.
-I had my "recovery room" at home ready to go. The bed had clean sheets and a heating pad rolled out.
-My nightstand had cough drops, a bottle of water, phone chargers, my favorite crackers, and a pair of compression socks. I also had a few clothing items I could change into, including more period underwear and different shirts.
-I had cooked some meals ahead of time, including chicken noodle soup and a rice casserole. Low fat is the name of the game.
-Start any laxatives early. I was drinking prune juice for a week before my surgery, and combined it with miralax a few days before my surgery. Got this advice off this sub, and it was a huge help.
-Bring shoes that are easy to get on and off to the hospital. I'm up north, so I had slip-on snow boots.
-A medication schedule. Whether this is a note on your phone or a physical paper, I found it really helpful to write down when I needed to take my next dose. I'm sure this is even more important if using multiple medications.
-Grippy socks. Starting day one, I made sure to get up every few hours when not sleeping to walk around the house. Grippy socks helped with some unstable balance the first day.

Good luck to everyone pursuing their bi salp! I hope everyone's experience is as positive as mine.

i’ve been having the toughest time with doctors to get sterilized. i think i finally found someone who does them but they don’t have another appointment for 2 weeks. but i booked it anyway!

the doctor i just saw said she doesn’t do them “because they come with risks” but in the same minute asked me if i wanted to do a pregnancy test while on birth control like BC isn’t a risk??? idk ridiculous to me

PLEASE GOD LET THIS NEXT OB HELP ME!!!!!!

I had my surgery on Monday and it went swimmingly! My bellybutton tape fell off yesterday and I swear my bellybutton is smaller and deeper than before, lol. I'm not even remotely worried about it, but I am curious if anyone else thought the same. I guess I don't feel as though I intimately know what my bellybutton looks like, I just know it looks different.

I’m looking to get my tubes removed (female - both tubes removed for permanent birth control) and am trying to figure out how to get my insurance to pay for it 100%. Any tips and tricks? I’m in Utah and have employee covered insurance through Cigna. Any info would be great!

Sorry if this isn't allowed. Not sure where else to post about this.

I'm curious if anyone else here has gotten sterilized that didn't really want to. For whatever reason, be it a fertility issue (PCOS, endo, etc.), or political issues, etc.

I'm 32, live in the US, and I'm getting an IUD soon but I'm worried it's not enough. I have always wanted to be a mom, but I feel like I have to get sterilized. I'm scared of birth control getting banned and I'm scared that I'll be forced to remove my IUD. But I'm scared of doing something permanent only for things to turn around.

Historically, Latinas were forced into being sterilized during the 1930s-1970s (Correct me if I'm wrong on the dates) to eliminate latinos/brown people.

Knowing that women like me were forced to do it/never have kids- I just feel extremely guilty for wanting to get sterilized.

But it also feels dangerous to not get sterilized because I fall into the ambiguous looking/light skined/only partly ("mix raced") latina category. If they decide I'm not brown enough to be deported (because they're going to look at that before my citizenship/passport) I'm really scared that I'll be a huge target for rape and whatever other awful things maga has in store for women.

Sorry if this was a really stupid post, I'm just stressed out and wanted to get that off my chest

Got my bisalp on Tuesday, female, single, 31! Healing nicely, but this post is about something different.

I had some folks in my life who did not act supportive about this surgery ahead of time, so I kept it from most people because I was absolutely sick of explaining myself. BUT in the days after surgery, I've been SO happy and so excited that now I want to tell everyone so they can celebrate with me.

I can't say enough about how thankful I am for the people who said something like "I have never once in my life regretted not having children." This morning I spoke with a volunteer at my organization who apparently had had a permanent birth control surgery 30 years ago when she was my age, and when I told her about mine, she was over the moon for me.

The sharing of experiences is so important, especially across age ranges, and I'm so thankful to have had this and the childfree reddit communities to encourage me to get the surgery, and the people in my life who are supportive of my choices for myself.

Thank you, friends!

I am so sick and tired of all of this. How on earth are they asking for doctors fee on top of the deductible when the doctors office confirmed the fee is subject to the deductible?? I've made sure to do everything right, everything in network, and they're giving me such a hard time! This is my first ever surgery and this whole ordeal is making me never want to go to the hospital again.

For the past year, I (22F) have been planning to get a bisalp but I had been procrastinating starting the process in my true ADHD self. With the current administration, I’m forced to push this to the top of my to do list. today, finally did it! I called a doctor’s office! it’s not an official consultation yet, just an appointment with a new doctor i found on the list. nevertheless, i’m proud of myself for taking that step. it was terrifying but exhilarating to be finally taking charge of my life.

All of the stories and bisalp journeys I read about on here are what truly gave me that final push I needed. shout out to this community and thank you for your support 🫶🏾🥹 i’m hoping this is the start of my own journey :)

Hello all, my bisalp is in two weeks🥳 I am a nervous person and I feel the best when I know the most. I like to be informed. For some reason it’s been difficult to find trustworthy information about bisalps online. I’m looking for help or just a push in the right direction.

There is an abundance of anti choice anti birth control “health and wellness” pseudoscience think/opinion pieces about sterilization. No matter how specific your search is google forces you to sift through loads of bullshit. Or you can specify “bilateral salpingectomy” and google will only show you “tubal ligation”. Where can I go to find actual scientific studies about bilateral salpingectomies?

Any help/advice/resources would be massively appreciated. I know your hormones are not supposed to be affected because your tubes aren’t responsible for hormones but I want to see that in writing lmao. I wish a team of obgyns and scientists would just descend from the sky like angels to tell me “we’ve done the research, you’ve got nothing to worry about. calm down”

That being said though I am nervous but not nervous enough to reschedule or cancel. Pregnancy is way more frightening to me than anything else. I accept all risks, I just don’t want to get blindsided by anything.

Did anyone get 100% coverage with United Healthcare for Bisalp, as a form of birth control?

So grateful for all the “wish I had” and “things I had” lists on this sub.

I made myself a goodie box for next to my bed filled with cough drops, gas relief meds, Nuun, Tylenol, fruit snacks, and Scar Away patches!

Got a heat pad!

Froze many soups!

Tea on deck, plus finally bought an electric kettle (had one with my ex, never replaced it for myself)!

Socks and comfy sets ready (pants all in one size larger)!

I’ll prep a couple other things like pre-filling my water bottles, but otherwise I’m feeling quite good 🥹 Thankful for this community 🫶🏽

I was suppose to meet with my PCP back in December but got canceled twice because she was sick and then she was stuck in a delivery. Finally met with her today to express my wany in my tube's removed. While she understands, she's not 100% in board as surgery wouldn't be her 1st choice with other options available (Cooper IUD). I live in a very rural area of Indiana and she said that the OBGYN she would have referred me to would have not done the surgery at first ask, so I requested to be referred to a doctor I believe will. She's not listed on the list but she works on the same practice as many that have, I just like her vibe more from what I saw and read and thought I'd try. If she won't her colleagues will.

So that's my next step is getting an appointment with her. Since I'm not a patient is it likely they'll need to do a pelvic exam ? I have some anxiety around those producers and want to be prepared.

I don't think I need to freak out because my bisalp was a week ago and my incisions are mostly healed with no sign of infection, but I've noticed my belly button has leaked a small amount of fluid... ?

Because it's almost 11pm on a Friday night and I have no other concerns, I'm not going to seek medical attention right now. Did a quick Google and it seems to be 'serous drainage'. My belly button glue is almost fully intact but starting to lift. No redness, itching, or unusual swelling.

I'm hoping and assuming it's relatively safe and normal as I move and the glue starts lifting? I'm about to shower so I will ensure it is washed and dried and then I can apply betadine to disinfect the area.

I will reassess in the morning and seek medical care if it escalates, but looking for any words of experience and reassurance in the meantime!

I got this message from my insurance when I inquired about a bilateral salpingectomy:

You have a PPO plan, and benefits run a calendar year. Based on medical necessity when billed by an in-network provider is subject to your $1700.00 deductible once met 30% coinsurance applies. The provider would want to verify the code or services being performed to determine if preauthorization is required.

Tubal ligation if billed as preventive care is covered at 100% of the allowed amount.

This information is based on a review of plan benefits and eligibility as they exist today. Capital BlueCross determines final payment after reviewing: Appropriateness of the service. Benefits and eligibility when service is provided. Eligibility when we receive the claim for the service. I hope this information was helpful. If you have additional questions, simply reply to this email or call the Member Services number on the back of your member ID card

I had a laparoscopic bisalp 1/13 and have a ski trip coming up in 6 weeks. At the moment, I feel no where near fully healed - I definitely feel improvement in healing but I don’t feel comfortable bending/twisting/lifting normally at all.

Do you think 6 weeks is enough for full healing? I’ll be snowboarding and fully expect a few wipeouts and I’m nervous about that.

Unfortunately, the trip will be with my family and my parents would likely be devastated if they knew I had this done so I can’t explain that I need to take it easy. I will definitely try to minimize risk while snowboarding but even then I think a fall or two is bound to happen.

How long until you felt fully recovered to return to normal activity without worry?

Hi everyone! My bisalp is scheduled for next Friday 🥳 everyone’s posts sharing their experiences have been so helpful, this is such a wonderful and supportive subreddit.

I have seen a lot of posts mentioning things to do/have to help with recovery post-op, but I was wondering if anyone had anything they did before surgery that you believe helped you or that you were grateful you did? Thank you!

I want to take two weeks off after the surgery, but I’m really worried my job will decline that. What did you tell your employer? How many of you were successful getting the full two weeks off? I’ve read that a lot of you were only able to get 2-3 days off and I know my body will not handle that. 🥲

Hi all, just want to start by apologizing if this is a commonly asked question/subject.

So basically, I (18F) am looking to get a bisalp. I know I’m young, but this may be the first and only year I’m able to seek out sterilization. I’ve known since I was veeeeery young that I never want to become pregnant.

I’ve found multiple in network OBGYNs from the CF doctors list in the childfree subreddit. I just worry because I am a dependent on my father’s insurance. Will this give me any problems throughout the process? For (a rather extreme) example, will it prevent me from getting sterilized?

Also, will/how soon would my parents find out? I would prefer not to tell them or ask them for permission beforehand; I know they would both be opposed. But I will tell them if absolutely necessary.

I am probably a couple months away from a consultation. I just want to know if it is worth it to pursue sterilization while on my father’s insurance. Insurance is super confusing to me but I’m trying my best to learn before I go through with anything. Thank you for your help :)

Thank you SO much to those who have posted before me. I could not have gotten this done as quickly and effectively without the resources here on reddit. Hoping I can add to the pile of information and encouragement for others. This is LONG just because I want the info to be available if anyone finds it helpful at all. Tl;dr: it was a journey but it went well.

I’m mid-30s, have known I never wanted children for as long as I can remember. I was chilling with an IUD for years, but decided after this election that I would go for bisalp.

Searching for a provider:

I had an appointment with a new OBGYN lined up for late November and luckily decided to call the office ahead of time and let them know I was going to ask about bisalp. The receptionist on the line told me it was very unlikely that the doctor would perform the surgery because I was “too young” (my eggs are almost “geriatric” ffs). She was very kind and could tell I was starting to cry, and shared her own experience getting sterilized after children, but she said that probably almost no doctor would agree to sterilize me because of my young age (again, what).

I cried a bunch, then started googling and found the list of doctors on the childfree subreddit. YAY! Started calling around and had a few failures: some doctors were not taking new patients, some doctors were not doing that type of surgery but gave me a number I could call, etc.

Eventually I found one (out of network unfortunately) and got on the books for “tubal ligation” in early December. I felt better, until I started doing some reading about how bisalp is preferable to ligation. I also started worrying about delays and wanted contingencies, so I ended up setting up consultations at a few other offices as backup (a couple could meet in January 2025, some couldn’t meet until the summer!). I thought about canceling my December appointment because they had said tubal ligation, but I’m glad I didn’t.

Setting up the surgery:

I met with the first doctor and said actually I’d prefer bisalp, and she said “oh yes, when we say tubal ligation we mean bilateral salpingectomy now”. She was amazing. I started on my speech about how I had never wanted children, and she actually stopped me and said I didn’t owe her an explanation, especially with the current political climate. She just said she needed to ask some questions to make sure I understood the permanency and needed me to sign a form 1 month in advance to get the ball rolling. We also scheduled pre-op bloodwork a couple weeks out. I asked if I could keep my IUD in so I won’t bleed. The doctor said she has an instrument she needs to insert in the uterus to move it around during the operation, which might accidentally take it out, but she would try to leave the IUD in if possible.

Meanwhile I kept my backup consultations just in case. I didn’t end up needing them but it was a source of comfort since we had a natural disaster in my area, and I was unsure for a while if things would need to be rescheduled. Also meanwhile I had a pap with my in-network surgery-refusing OBGYN who agreed that the political situation was very, very sad but she still wouldn’t want to do the surgery. Lol.

Pre-op:

My instructions were pretty minimal, fasting and no water starting midnight the night before. My doctor had called in my pain meds so I had them at home beforehand. I had seen some comments here on reddit about pre-op instructions including longer fasting times and decided not to eat solid food the day before because my, uh, daily post-digestive events usually happen during the time that the surgery would be. The night before, I was NERVOUS. I barely slept. I scribbled out a will on a piece of notebook paper (yes, I was feeling super dramatic). Even though I was very sure about not having kids, I also had some intrusive thoughts about the permanency of the operation.

Other prep I’m glad I did: I folded out my fold-out couch in preparation for my recovery, covered it with electric blankets, and bought some lightweight pads for bleeding. I “pre-installed” a pad in my underwear before going to the surgery so I wouldn’t have to bend over and do it later. I stocked my freezer with microwaveable meals.

I had to arrive at 6 AM for an 8 AM appointment, so it was a lot of sitting around with my (wonderful and supportive) partner and waiting and being nervous. I also had to drop 2 grand for it (!!) I think because the doctor is out of network, but I plan to see if there is any way I can make insurance cover more.

The procedure:

The staff at the surgery center were great and took excellent care of me. They had me change into a gown and hairnet, strapped on some leg-squeezers to keep my circulation going, and covered me in multiple rounds of pre-heated blankets. Several people re-confirmed by asking me to tell them in my own words what surgery I was getting done. Once the doctor was ready, they gave me some stuff in my IV to chill me out while I was getting wheeled to the OR. I just remember looking out at the morning sunshine on the mountains, I vaguely remember going into the room, and I was out shortly after.

Post-op:

I don’t remember much about waking up except asking where my partner was. They made me go pee before I was allowed to leave, and I was able to shuffle to the bathroom with a nurse’s help. Peeing stung (and did for a couple days), probably from a catheter. My throat hurt from the breathing tube, which they had warned me about. Getting driven home felt awkward and bumpy. I’ve seen others recommend bringing a small pillow in the car to use against the seatbelt, which probably would have been helpful.

Recovery:

I pretty much spent the next three days on my recovery couch swaddled in electric blankets and holding a pillow against my abdomen. 600mg ibuprofen a few times a day kept the pain away and I didn’t need the stronger stuff the doctor gave me for breakthrough pain. I’m fortunate to work remotely, so by the day after my surgery I was actually a bit bored and decided to do some work. However I felt too fragile to get up and walk around much, so I relied on my partner a lot for help.

The weekend was still pretty low-key and I spent a lot of time watching TV. At night, I needed an extra pillow to hold against my belly. But I recovered pretty quick over the next few days.

On Monday I went to the gym and did 30 minutes on the elliptical no problem, which felt great. I’m pretty much off the ibuprofen except 200-400 mg if I’m feeling slightly crampy. Yesterday (1 week out) I finally got to take the tape off my incisions, which are tiny and seem to be healing fine. I have asked my partner several times if he digs chicks with scars.

I’m feeling really good now and I’m able to go for long walks and do most things, just not anything that involves lifting stuff. The doctor called and said the procedure went great, no complications, and they sent the tubes to the lab and found no issues. Also they were able to leave in my IUD! I have a check-in with the doctor next week, and I’m hoping I get to see some photos from the operation.

At first, I didn’t feel very different (others here reported feeling euphoric after), but I think having this done is giving me a growing sense of peace that I wouldn’t otherwise have right now. Again thank you so much to this community for posting here and making what could be a lonely and scary process feel more like a rallying moment to protect ourselves. I hope to help others as much as I can through this process too.

Hello community, I got a call yesterday asking if I wanted to take a cancelled bisalp surgery date for tomorrow, and I said yes. It’s all happening way faster than I anticipated, which I am not going to complain about considering the state of surgical wait times in Canada. The issue is that I am a dog walker and I forgot to block off my calendar for the weekend, and a client booked a walk for Saturday. I told her I may have to cancel, but I’m optimistic I’ll be okay for a short walk to the fenced in park for her to have fun off leash, and the nurse who booked me said I’d be fine unless the dog pulls lots.

I’m finding reading all your stories hella helpful, but I’d love to hear about how dog owners did with dog walks post surgery? Am I crazy to think I can walk a med/large bermadoodle a day after surgery?

Anyone else lived their whole teen/adult lives with the mindset of "cum=danger"? I see the pictures, I know how the uterus works and I see that there is no way for sperm to ever reach an egg anymore (bisalp). But it doesn't seem real and I'm having a hard time convincing myself that yes, this is as close to 0% chance of getting pregnant as I can get without getting rid of the whole uterus. (Mind you I'm also continuing BC pills to keep from having bad periods. So it's like -50% chance of getting pregnant now 😅 ) I guess what I'm asking is how did you break that fear and come to terms with being "safe" after sterilization? Does it just become easier with time? I'm going on day 2 post op.

So I got my bilateral salpingectomy today! Woohoo! It was laparoscopic and all went well, but while they were working they found that I had endometriosis and ovarian cysts.

They removed the endometriosis and did nothing for the cysts (apparently this is normal procedure). What irks me though is that nobody told me. The surgeon told my fiancé while I was still unconscious, but nobody even mentioned it to me. I looked on my online chart and sure enough it was there. If my fiancé hadn’t said anything then I probably would have never known. I’m actually really upset by this.

As for recovery though, I am only 10 hours post-op and am in a lot of pain. Although I’m not sure how much of that is the bi-salp and how much is the fulguration of endometriosis. I can’t bend over at all and I feel like I’m going to pass out when I walk. I’m hoping it will be better tomorrow. I’ll post an update soon

(I’m not entirely sure what to tag this)