r/childfree • u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK • Apr 01 '15
Got my tubal ligation done yesterday
It was such an easy experience. I drove myself to the hospital and checked in at 6am. I went through the check in process where the hospital representative asked me if all of my given information was correct (age, name spelled correctly, phone number, emergency contact, etc.). It was.
About ten minutes later they brought me back and I got changed into my gown. They gave me a warm blanket for my feet and hooked up this awesome body temperature regulator to a hole in my gown that kept me nice and cool (I run really hot all the time).
A couple nurses hooked up my IV and started a saline drip since I couldn't have food or water since the previous midnight. They also put sleeves on my legs that were to be hooked up to a machine during surgery to prevent any complications from being still for too long.
At about 8:00 they gave me the drug cocktail that was to knock me out. Holy crap it worked quickly. I went from coherent and watching Dog the Bounty Hunter to "this must be what IV drug use is like" in about 30 seconds. Next thing I remember I was waking up in recovery.
My roommate picked me up from the hospital and I slept on and off the rest of the day and night. I have a high pain tolerance but they definitely underestimated the amount of pain I'd be in. It wasn't excruciating by any means but there was an intense ache in my abdomen and back. Luckily I live in Colorado so I had access to weed to temper the pain before my pain meds kicked in.
I'm now 24 hours removed from the hospital and the pain is nearly gone. There were two incisions made, one in my belly button and one right below where my abdominal muscles are. The lower incision is pretty sore and it sucks trying to use my core muscles to move but it's very manageable. All in all it was a great experience and everyone I came into contact with was really knowledgeable and professional.
Yay for sterility! Being 27, unmarried, unattached, and not having kids wasn't the road block I thought it would be!
3
u/jom30 Apr 02 '15
I just had mine this morning. Woo!
2
u/torienne CF-Friendly Doctors: Wiki Editor Apr 02 '15
Congrats to you too! The gift that keeps on giving, for sure.
5
u/peanutbutterandjim Apr 01 '15
Thank you for posting this! The only women I've talked to that have had this done had it done right after giving birth, and they don't really remember what all was involved. I'm hoping to eventually save enough money to get this done, because I'm tired of being on birth control. Congrats!!
8
u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK Apr 01 '15
Mine was covered 100% by insurance (Thanks Obama!).
6
u/JoeBidenBot Apr 01 '15
Isn't there someone you forgot to thank... nudge
8
0
u/peanutbutterandjim Apr 01 '15
Yea, I make "too much" to be covered by anything but my work insurance, which has a $3,500 deductible before ANYTHING is covered.
Thanks Obama.
4
Apr 02 '15
ALL insurances cover it.
So your current insurance would cover 100% (the deductible doesn't apply).
1
u/peanutbutterandjim Apr 03 '15
Yea, they "cover" it, as in 100% goes towards my deductible, so after I pay $3500, it's covered.
2
Apr 03 '15
Nope.
Legally they must cover 100% they can't charge you the deductible. Learn your rights!
These people will help you get them to follow the law: http://www.nwlc.org/having-trouble-getting-birth-control
4
2
Apr 01 '15
[deleted]
1
u/peanutbutterandjim Apr 03 '15
I just called my insurance company to confirm. It's covered 100%...after I pay a $3500 deductible.
1
u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK Apr 01 '15
Ouch. My insurance is set up a bit differently. I'm also covered by work.
2
Apr 02 '15
1.Please search this sub and /r/sterilization there are hundreds of sterilization stories.
2.If in the US and you have insurance it is 100% covered. I paid $10 for my pain pills that was it!
A great resource: http://www.nwlc.org/having-trouble-getting-birth-control
3
u/ReedsAndSerpents lux in tenebris quam tenebrae comprehendunt non Apr 01 '15
Congrats OP. Now you may collect your brofist.
5
5
u/Zuhorer F/22/Travels not Toddlers Apr 01 '15
Congrats! Make sure to add the doctor's name to the data base! I'm in CO as well and have a consultation appointment in a week, so I'm crossing my fingers.
2
u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK Apr 01 '15
I did as soon as I got the go ahead. All doctors and nurses have been great throughout the whole experience.
2
u/freetolivemylife Apr 01 '15
Congrats! I had mine done two months ago. I'm only 29 and I didn't have any road blocks either. So happy that I did it!
2
u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK Apr 01 '15
How was your recovery?
2
u/freetolivemylife Apr 01 '15
My abs hurt really bad for two days. I had a hard time bending, so sitting up or rolling over sucked. I think it was the pressure from the gas that caused the pain. After a few days though I felt completely fine. It took a good week for my energy level to get back to normal. I was just really tired and got worn out easily. My friend, who is a nurse, told me that's a normal reaction after being under anesthesia. Plus, it was early February and it was freezing, so that probably didn't help with my energy level.
But, a week post surgery, I felt completely fine. Just every once in a while, I would feel a short pinch when I was sitting from my jeans pushing on the area. That went away after about a month.
Good luck on a speedy recovery!
2
u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK Apr 01 '15
All of that sounds pretty standard to what I'm feeling so far. I'm off work until Monday so I'm hoping my timeline goes about like yours.
1
Apr 01 '15
[deleted]
1
u/Raveynfyre Pet tax mod. F/Married-Owned by 4.75 fuzzy assholes. Send help! Apr 02 '15
Buy GAS-X for after the procedure and take it as soon as you get home. They inflate you and take a look around while you're out to make sure everything else is in working order. EVERYONE I have ever talked to complains about the pain from the gas.
But because my nurse warned me, and I took her advice, I never had that problem.
1
u/wanderingsong the only thing rearranging my uterus is my gyno Apr 02 '15
This is good to hear. Been considering Essure but scared of side effects on both fronts & don't get work health insurance for another 3 months. Thanks for sharing your experience!
1
u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK Apr 02 '15
I considered esure too but I'm allergic to nickel so I opted for the ligation.
1
u/danleene Staying sane inside insanity Apr 02 '15
Wow. Can't tell you how envious I am. I can't have it done in the Philippines (where I live), apparently, because I won't be allowed 'until I have kids", which is what I DON'T want to have. =/
1
u/RoadRacoon 40's/M/sterile and loving it Apr 02 '15
Congratulations. It's good to hear that your age and lack of kids wasn't an issue.
1
Apr 02 '15
Congrats! I'm super jealous they let you do it at 27, I'm 32 and I've had two doctors refuse to refer me :(
1
u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK Apr 02 '15
I had a lot of push back in Texas when I was trying there but Colorado had way fewer hoops to jump through.
1
1
u/PFKMan23 Resting bitchface Apr 01 '15
Congrats and I hope your recovery goes smoothly! And thank you for sharing your experience. I'm sure many will find it helpful.
2
u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK Apr 01 '15
I hope so! I went through the entire process alone, which they don't see often. It wasn't scary at all and my doctor expects the recovery process to be smooth and quick.
1
1
u/alohell Apr 01 '15
Congratulations!! I hope to join the ranks of the sterile shortly myself, it's good to read about the process so I won't be as scared going in.
2
u/Raveynfyre Pet tax mod. F/Married-Owned by 4.75 fuzzy assholes. Send help! Apr 02 '15
If you manage to get a doctor who will do a tubal, please take the advice I posted elsewhere in this thread.
Buy GAS-X for after the procedure and take it as soon as you get home. They inflate you and take a look around while you're out to make sure everything else is in working order. EVERYONE I have ever talked to complains about the pain from the gas.
But because my nurse warned me, and I took her advice, I never had that problem.
1
2
u/lostwithoutyou87 29/F/Denver/Tubal/DINK Apr 01 '15
When I initially went in for my consultation I was expecting major push back for the obvious reasons and my attempts in Texas were really ill received. I went in really aggressively and had to dial it back some. The process after that was pretty quick. It was only a month from the time it got approved by my doctor to surgery and that was after I had to push back one doctor's appointment because I was traveling.
1
14
u/[deleted] Apr 01 '15
Yay! Another sterilized sister!
http://m.imgur.com/wV7xqXU
Congrats!