Introduction....

Hello,
I have decided to start a blog on Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome Click Here For Information
I will give you some history so you know my story...
I have had 5 pregnancies, including a twin pregnancy, 4 caesareans. I had kidney and back related problems during my last 3 pregnancies..
The GYN/OB I was seeing suggested (I would more say pressured) me while I was pregnant with my last in 2006 to have a Tubal Ligation. He said he could do it during the caesarean. He also told me that they would put clips/clamps on my tubes (which I found out later that they were actually cut and tied).
I really didn't like the idea and had a strong feeling not to proceed with it but I didn't really have much time to decide before the birth of our son.
I was 23 years old and was offered no counselling before it and was done. I was also told it was a straight forward procedure and that there were no side affects at all, apart from the usual possibilities with any surgical procedure, such as, possible damage to the bladder and bowel, etc.
So I signed the form. Little did I know that it would end up being the biggest mistake of my life! I will put some points as to what started to take place after the Tubal Ligation. Unbeknown to me until 3 years later that I had this condition!

*-After my son was born, it was the worst recovery of a c-section I had ever had in my life!

*- I noticed straight away that my metabolism (which had all my life been extremely high) died!

*- The weight never fell off after the TL (I had fitted into my size 8 jeans within a week of all my other children)

*- My mood swings were horrendous, I had trouble breast feeding and developed depression and severe chronic fatigue in the months after... (I put it down to breast feeding)

*- I could quite easily sleep 22hours of a full day/night and having to even go to the toilet was the most draining thing..

*- I was crying alot (I was raised not to) and I was wondering what was wrong with me..

*- Then started the days-on-end long thumping migraines.

*- I suffered with an anxiety disorder and asthma and they were worsened, as were things like flus, colds, hayfever, etc.

*- I started developing allergies to foods, such as, nuts

*- My skin condition got very bad and the weight just kept creeping, I had muscle and slight joint pain back then, I am now in a wheelchair if I have to walk more than 10 meters.

*- My periods.. OMG!! About a week upon coming I would be the biggest bitch walking, I would be in such pain that I would be crippled, doubled over in bed with wheat bags. They were extremely irregular (they had always been regular) and I had never had any contraception prior to the TL. I was spotting all through the month, my flow was all over the place, clotting was horrible, the sharp pains in my groin plus the severe cramping... I still suffer with all of this.

Ok.. I am going to bring you to now, and I apologise if I over lap the information from above but I am going to tell you what 3 and a half years of this syndrome has left me with.. in no particular order.

Severe swelling to the whole body, severe fluid retention to the whole body, weight gain, (I have gone from always being 50-55kilograms to 100 which crept up fast in the last 18 months)
Severe joint swelling and pain, I am at the stage where moving is restricted alot, for example, if I raise my arms above my head and back down to my lap, after 3 times I would be in agony and need to rest them!)
My legs are that bad from my hips to my toes that I require a wheelchair if I have to walk more than 10 meters.
I have really bad joint stiffness, especially the legs and neck. I cant turn my neck to look behind me for longer than approx 10 seconds.
My periods are as above and still as crazy as ever, I have dryness to the vagina, pain inside the vagina, in and around the cervix also, sexual intercourse is very painful and usually results in me bleeding and being crippled with pain and cramps afterward. My joints have affected my sex life also and I have a total loss of sex drive which is the opposite to what I was..
I suffer with Chronic Fatigue, I never use to be able to keep still, now I can!!
I am always tired, one extreme to the next with my mood swings..
I am incapable of looking after my children, I cant cook, clean, anything.
I have every symptom of Premature Menopause - Hot flushes galore! Chills, sweats, mood swings, irritability.
My hair snaps and falls out, is dull and unhealthy so I shaved it off! Pretty drastic for me!
The hairs under my arms, on my legs and my eyebrows grow extremely quick and have gone from fair to thick and jet black.
My voice has lowered and I lose it from the slightest bit of yelling.
The migraines.. OMG just lock me in a black room with not an ounce of light, no noise, with a wet cloth on my head praying that I don't die! They seem to have a pattern of their own and can stay for days on end! If I had hair long enough there is no way I could tie it up, ever.
Puffiness, pins and needles all the time, and the layer of tissue between my muscle and my skin on my thighs and upper arms feels like I have been punched over and over and over and is all bruised inside 24-7 and if touched or bumped it is enough to make my eyes water.
My stomach!! Well, I look like I am 8 months pregnant every single day. I have never suffered with bloating but this is severe, I also now have severe gastrointestinal problems. I never had heartburn in my life unless I was pregnant, I now get it every day, I have been on 3 different medications for it, I have severe reflux and it is like my food does not digest and my digestive system is totalled!
I cant eat meat anymore, unless it is chicken or fish on the occasion. My daily diet consists of 4 crispbreads with something on them, I still get a reaction but put up with it.
I drink coffee at my own risk once in a while..
I have a strict routine from the moment I wake every single morning, my mouth has the foulest taste I have to rinse my mouth out and brush my teeth immediately, clear all the mucus from the back of my throat and sinuses. (I snore really bad now, never use to)
I can feel the mucus travelling down to my stomach fast and as soon as I rise my head from my pillow upon waking I instantly do the longest biggest burps that just explode out of me (like gas has been sitting right there)
Also upon sitting up my stomach immediately starts to swell to the point where I feel it is going to burst and I have to try sip a mug of HOT milk (drinking water makes me feel like I am drinking air and makes it worse)then eat if possible even if it is agony (it is usually worse if I don't)
Then I have to try get all the trapped gas/wind out of my bowel (which is the biggest relief EVER) slowly but surely over a few hours, and YES it is extremely embarrassing when I put my husband to shame passing wind!
Sitting hurts, standing kills.. laying down I am totally restless. I have insomnia that bad that I will be up at noon-ish and I will stay up (even though I am pale, drained, dizzy and tired, like now!) till usually around 5-8am then my body will let me retire..
I am always confused, my vision is foggy alot, it is hard to read. My concentration is the worst ever, I forget everything, I dont even know what I did yesterday basically..
There are probably things that I have missed.. But this is most important.
I don't feel like a woman, I dont feel like a wife.. Or a mum..
I feel my life has been taken away. It was only 9 months ago that I found out what PTLS was and I finally now have a date in the coming weeks to have the reversal!!!!

Ok, well I am going to stop right here for now and I will come back tomorrow or so and post again about how I found out about it, Dr's reactions to it and all that jazz.. I am just so happy I made a start!
I need to help other women in this world who have the same condition and my aim is to make it known about, exploited and recognised!
I am also looking forward to updating on my reversal and how it goes and what changes occur.