Tubal ligation reversal surgery - anybody know anything about this?

[Stand_watie]

A wierd and ominous twist in my marital saga - my wife who had her tubes tied 6 years ago, left a pregnancy test in the trash this a.m. She's been getting an awful lot of medical stuff in the mail lately, and using an awful lot of feminine hygeine products.

Does anybody know if that surgery causes much or any vaginal bleeding?

It wouldn't be as much my business about her family plans with her boyfriend of two months if she didn't already suffer from severe depression that supposedly was brought on by the birth of our 9 year old - I fear for my daughter's well being if she's planning on getting pregnant again.

I just found out tonight that she had to bail the unemployed 54 year old boyfriend out last week for making a terroristic threat and unlawfully carrying a firearm (hers by the way, formerly mine). He's being evicted from his step-moms home so she's out looking for a job so she can buy him a house, AND she quit taking her meds. How's that for a mouthful?

[Fjolnirsson]

Wow.
Just, wow. Sorry, man. My best wishes are with you.

[Sindawe]

Yea, Wow..just...wow.

I think the reversal of a tubal has a bit more success rate than a vasectormy, but I'm no where near an expert on the topic.  I will offer the unsolicited advice of talking to your attorney about the laws pertaining to parentage in your state.  If she does end up getting pregnant, it would really bite for YOU to be hit with child support even though it may not be your child.  IIRC, some states consider any child conceived in marrage to be the mans responsibility, even if its not his biologically.

[Standing Wolf]

I'd say you're well rid of that one.

[jefnvk]

And you are still with her?

[Guest]

Reversing tubal ligation is quite expensive (like 10 grand last i checked). And there is no way in heck that her insurance will pay for it. From the sound of things i would really doubt that she is likely to get this paid for.

On the other hand, considering her "stability" are you ABSOLUTLY SURE that she actually recieved the surgery in the first place?

[Azrael256]

There is a whole list of things that can cause abnormal bleeding.  I very highly doubt that she is in her right mind if she's using a pregnancy test to determine the source of the bleeding.  If she is pregnant, and is bleeding a whole lot, there is no chance of her delivering anything, so I wouldn't worry about that.

As for the surgery...  no, she should not be losing a whole lot of blood.  Also, you would know.  While this sort of thing is generally laproscopic, it is still a major surgery.  Everything inside her pelvis is going to hurt like hell for a month after the procedure.

As c_yeager said, are you certain that it happened to begin with?

I would watch for several things: Watch for more pregnancy tests in the trash.  If she is bleeding and using the tests at the same time, there may be miscarriage going on, which further reinforces c_yeager's question.  Listen and look for the words "dilation and curettage" or "D&C" in anything that comes to the house on this subject.  I think the probability of her having the reversal surgery (tubal reanastomosis, look for those words, too) is extremely slim.  My logic does not include the price, but the fact that the surgery is not necessary for her to get pregnant again.  IVF is a whole lot easier, cheaper, and does not involve major surgery.

[Stand_watie]

No, I definitely don't know.

I'm trying to figure out if...

a) She's playing mind games with me.

b) She's actually crazy enough to think that after six years of birth control free sex with me she needs to worry about being pregnant from him.

c) She's had the procedure reversed.

We haven't been intimate since mid april.

[Azrael256]

I think the simplest explanation here is probably the most accurate.  She probably noticed an unusual amount of bleeding, and decided to take a pregnancy test as a precaution.  I don't think you're being paranoid, as somebody is, most decidedly, out to get you, but I don't think this is anything to worry too much about.  Certainly be aware and pay attention, but don't get too nervous.

[Typhoon]

Azrael's analysis is spot on.  Any reversal of a tubal ligation should be noticeable.  That's why doctors recommend vasectomies - less invasive (depending, of course, on your point of view...)  There should not be anything other than normal monthly menstruation...

How old is your wife?  You mentioned a 54 year-old boyfriend...

[Stand_watie]

She's 36, Typhoon.

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

SWMBO formerly worked in an OB/GYN practice and in the GYN OR. It's unlikely that a reanastamosis can be done laparascopically (as of yet), as it was always a fairly 'open abdomen' surgery and the odds of surgican technique developing to the point where such delicate microsurgery could be done that way is not likely.  

What I'm saying is that there's going to be a rather large incision, abdominal pads, bleeding, drains, and icky things.

I agree, it's both uncommonly performed and expensive as surgery goes.  It's also unlikely to be covered by insurance.  

Another possibility could be uterine fibroid tumors- usually benign, but can cause problems as far as pain.

Brother, I feel for ya.  

Regards,
Rabbit.

[LadySmith]

Stand_watie, when it comes to tube-tying, in the old days they used to cut & burn the ends of the fallopian tubes making the sterilization irreversible. In more modern times, they bend the fallopian tubes and put bands around them in case the woman decided at a later time to have children. In that case, all they had to do was remove the band. There have been cases where the tube worked itself loose on its own, the women became pregnant, and lawsuits ensued. Excess vaginal bleeding could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. The egg didn't or couldn't descend all the way into the womb, got stuck in a fallopian tube, got fertilized, and is about to rupture because there's no room to grow. Bleeding could also indicate cysts, cancer or tumors like Rabbit mentioned. Sometimes stress can cause a normal menstrual cycle to go on for an extended period of time. Can you tell if she's in any pain?

[Stand_watie]

Ladysmith, they cauterized the ends of the tubes in her case. She has had cysts before, and even had an operation to have one removed. The bleeding isn't heavy, I just think it's been going on for longer than normal.