I was not given the informed consent I deserve, even though I asked for it going as far as to make a second appointment, just to get more information. So I guess i’ll tell reddit so this doesn’t happen to anyone else.

DISCLAIMER: This contains graphic details about instrumentation used during salpingectomy that you may find upsetting. It may be triggering for SA survivors and everybody who has already had a bisalp but, doesn’t know about this; I’d recommend never learning about it.

For the laparoscopic procedures they often use a device called (don’t look it up trust me) a uterine manipulator, to hold your uterus in place and position it for good surgical visualization. This description seems pretty chill until you see this device and understand how it works. It goes all the way into your cervix through the vagina. At one end it is held steady by either your surgeon or clamped to the table. At the other it is anchored to your cervix by either a balloon filling the entire cavity, a tenaculum which stabs into the cervix with teeth or a screw which is literally screwed into the opening of the cervix (I wish I was kidding). A rigid sounding rod is then used to hold your uterus steady, essentially turning the cervix into a handle for the uterus.

This obviously might cause “discomfort” like uterine perforations, blood clots from trauma, vaginal bruising, cuts on your cervix, RARELY even tears. I don’t want this to scare anyone most surgery stuff sounds really intense when you explain it but, I think it’s important to have this knowledge so you have the proper informed consent to ask your doctor questions. This thing does serve a valuable purpose in steadying the uterus to limit the risk of complications from lack of access & visualization of anatomy but, you can apparently opt-out in some cases like if you have risk of adhesions or very friable cervical tissue.

It’s not the device that is problematic here, it’s that I literally ASKED for a step by step explanation of bisalp and they lied to my face saying it’s all abdominal except the urinary catheter. Then I woke up, was told surgery went perfect, only to find bruising, tiny cuts inside me and obvious trauma to an area I was told wouldn’t be involved in the surgery. This really upset me obviously. I assume people might even panic over evidence like that. I feel very violated having not been given the chance to consent to something so invasive. I found the device on google and felt physically sick, as it was mostly surgeons explaining the device very clinically. Had I known about this in advance I could have mentally prepared for its side effects and I would likely have been fine but, since I didn’t consent it feels like a horror movie device to me now. It feels as if I was assaulted all over again. No one should feel like this.

I hope this post did more good than scare anyone. I assume this information is withheld to avoid scaring people out of a sense of mistrust that women are adults that can handle scary explanations. Ethically every patient deserves to know the details of what freaking body parts will be involved in their surgery if they want to so, here it is.

New here, but I am a mama of 2 toddler boys I wanted a girl but the way the world is looking lately especially around women's bodies I no longer wanna take the chance. Soo if yall have any tips for what to do or not to do after surgery or like things you wish you knew to help recovery that would be great.

Hi all, so tomorrow is my (25F) first visit with a gynecologist in general, and also a consultation for a bisalp. I’ve never had a Pap smear or pelvic exam due to extreme trauma, and I’m wondering how many of you were able to get it done during the surgery instead of before. I’m trying to mentally prepare myself for her asking if I want to just do it tomorrow if during surgery isn’t an option, I know every doctor is different but I just need feedback to calm my mind. I’ve read a bunch on this sub, and I’ve researched a bunch. I picked a doctor from the childfree list, and I’m feeling optimistic about the surgery in general but just can’t get past the idea of a pelvic exam while awake. I’m sure some of you can relate, so what did you do to help calm your nerves and how did your first visit go?

I had my baby 14 weeks ago via c section and also had a bilateral total salpingectomy at the same time. I had my first period 9 weeks postpartum after I stopped breastfeeding at 6 weeks, but im now a week late and haven't had a second period. I'm in my early 30s and have never missed a period other than pregnancy. Cycles were 28 days exactly to the day

Spiralling about ectopic pregnancy. Can anyone advise? Too nervous to do a test...

I’m 2 weeks post op and I’ve accidentally pulled out my belly button stitch. There was some loose glue/dermabond that I was trying to get rid of to tidy it up but I must’ve pulled too hard and it’s come out. It’s not bleeding and I have given it as good a check over as I can without disturbing it too much. The majority of the wound has closed up except for a tiny bit on the edge. Do I need to worry and call my surgeon in the morning or do I leave it to heal up on its own? I feel like a right prat 🤦🏻‍♀️

I was expecting another few months before getting a call and then ANOTHER few months before the surgery would actually take place. And now? It’s happening in 5 days!!!

28F, USA, no kids.

Met my PCM for the first time in January & was like, “I know we just met, but…I need a referral” lol.
Saw my OB in April, scheduled for May. And I just had my bilateral salpingectomy a few hours ago.

Honestly, I was so nervous a few days prior that I almost cancelled. This was my first surgery! But I kept reassuring myself that this is what I wanted.

I feel so relieved. I feel genuinely and finally free knowing I took control of my body. I can’t believe they’re gone! I don’t have to worry about my birth control failing and traveling to different states to find someone who will help me & possibly facing persecution when I return (TX). I had an abortion in 2019 & despite me knowing I didn’t want a child, it was still traumatic & I felt incredibly guilty for years afterwards. Men can’t pressure me anymore because there’s nothing to reverse or reconsider. No pregnancy. No childbirth. No PPD. (No shame to those who sterilized after birth) This is the best life I could imagine for myself. Just me and my cat.

Anyway, I feel pretty great right now. Pain is managed. Laying in bed with a heating pad on my stomach & demolishing a tray of watermelon by my side watching a KDrama.

As of today I’m officially free from dysphoria and fear.

I am now permanently sterilized.

Thank you to all who contributed to this sub to make it possible for me and all the others to obtain freedom and autonomy of their own bodies.

Never in a million years would I dream that this could be possible and yet here I am.

I am now free to live without fear. I can exist at peace in my body now.

I’m still loopy from anesthesia and the pain meds so I cannot articulate my thoughts but I just needed to celebrate n put it into the universe so it seems a lil more real in my head.

Hello! I am 32 f about to call my gyne for a consultation. I am concerned about the country I live in and have been debating this for a while. I live in IL and am concerned about insurance (UHC) I am thankful to still live at home however I am worried that my insurance will back out last minute.

I looked and it /should/ be covered but I take everything they say with a gallon of salt. I have had extreme period pain since I was in middle school, period was always irregular so I went on the pill. I am terrified that the pain will come back after a bisalp. Last time it was so bad I almost passed out…a previous gyne told me that was normal.

I am feeling lost and scared because I can’t afford thousands of dollars. What if endo is found?? Will they charge me more for its removal??? Will it come back in the same place??

I am also an equestrian and the barn is literally my therapy session. How long should I expect to not be able to ride?

It is finally finished, and I’m finally happy.

I had my BiSalp April 6, and when I woke up I learned that my surgeon lost the strings of my IUD. I am a multiple SA survivor, and had wanted this for 17 years and it was supposed to be a what would finally give me back control over my body so I could stop living in constant fear of being assaulted and impregnated against my will. But because this stupid thing was lost inside of I never felt the relief or the joy I wanted, and the lost iud caused horrible pain, and I just felt immediate regret about deciding to keep the IUD at all and not getting the ablation. A lot of you helped me navigate this because I felt rather traumatized by the experience even though I fully wanted it and was glad I did it, and I’m very appreciative for your support

Now, I am happy to report the Ablation and IUD removal was done in the OR this morning. My sterilization now feels complete, my stupid uterus is fully decommissioned for everything except being a structural beam for stabilizer muscles. Not only do I not have to worry about being SA’d and impregnated anymore but I also no longer have to host a piece of plastic that hurts me, be deeply traumatized by another insertion causing 10/10 pain, and I never have to worry about having another year long period. I’m finally free and feel the relief and joy I’d hoped to get the first time.

Part 1 and Part 2

I’m now 4 days post-op, and I feel like I’m finally at a good point to share my surgical experience and recovery — so here goes!

Surgery Prep

Originally, I was scheduled for surgery at 7:00 a.m. with a 5:30 a.m. arrival time. They later moved it to an 8:00 a.m. arrival with surgery at 9:45 a.m.

The night before, I showered, put clean sheets on the bed, and had a good dinner with a small snack before bed. My mom drove me to the hospital, and after check-in we waited in the waiting room for less than 15 minutes. My mom stepped away to use the restroom, and I got called back to prep while she was gone. Honestly, this ended up being a blessing because I didn’t really want her in my space or in my head during prep.

The nurses had me change into a gown and use pre-surgical cleansing wipes (basically Hibiclens in wipe form). I also had to gargle chlorhexidine mouthwash and clean out my nostrils with these funny little cotton applicators soaked in scrub solution.

Then the nurse placed my IV catheter. She couldn’t get it into my arm after two attempts, so she switched to my hand and got it in one poke. It was uncomfortable, but pretty par for the course.

After that, the anesthesiologist came in and explained the sedation protocol as well as the local TAP block he planned to do. I was sedated with propofol, dexamethasone, and local lidocaine while being maintained on gas anesthesia. The TAP block was an ultrasound-guided lidocaine injection into my sides to help control abdominal pain.

I also had to sign a waiver because I couldn’t remove my nipple piercings, so they taped over them instead.

Then my doctor came in, confirmed what procedure I was having done, and asked, “So, are you ready to never be able to get pregnant?” I immediately said, “Yes!” and we had a little celebratory girl moment together. It was genuinely really nice.

While waiting in prep, I called my boyfriend and hung out for a while. At one point, a patient advocate came in and told me my mother was upset that I hadn’t allowed her back to see me. I explained that my mom wasn’t being especially supportive and that I didn’t want her filling my head with doubts. The advocate completely understood. A little later, she came back and said my mom just wanted to see me before surgery, which I was okay with.

Once it was time to go, I gave my mom a hug and walked back into the operating room.

Surgery & First-Day Recovery

Once inside the OR, they had me lie down on the table, put compression cuffs on my legs, and hooked me up to fluids. The anesthesiologist gave me a small dose of propofol, and I immediately felt very relaxed. Then he pushed the rest, and I was out instantly.

I woke up in recovery shaking violently — full-body tremors. They gave me fentanyl, which helped a little. I also got my first dose of oral oxycodone, along with a few sips of water and a saltine cracker.

After that, they wheeled me back into the prep room, and I was able to stand and move into a chair. My mom came in to sit with me then. They gave me a Sprite and a bowl of saltines, and I swear it was the best thing I’ve ever tasted in my life.

They also gave me an ice pack for my abdomen and told me I needed to stay for another 30 minutes before I could go home.

I checked out my incisions — one in my belly button and two on my lower left abdomen — all covered with roughly 1-inch circles of surgical glue. At that point, my pain was very well controlled. Mostly, I just felt sore, like I’d done an intense ab workout. My throat was also scratchy from the breathing tube.

The shaking took a while to fully stop, but it was gone by the time I left.

On the way home, we picked up my oxycodone prescription. Once home, I took that along with Tylenol, Gas-X, Colace, and Aleve, then laid down for a nap for a couple of hours.

I set alarms on my phone for medication reminders, and honestly, that helped tremendously with staying ahead of the pain.

After I woke up, I went on a short walk with my mom’s little dog, and then we went out for dinner. I got Cajun red beans and rice, and I was starving.

We came home, watched TV, and I went to bed after another dose of oxycodone. My abdomen felt tight, but not especially tender. Overall, I actually felt really good that first day.

Saturday

Around 6:00 a.m., I took another oxycodone and slept until about 10:00 a.m.

Other than the sore throat and some mild abdominal soreness, I was moving around really well. I even went to my sister’s bridal shower for a couple of hours.

I expected to need a nap afterward, but honestly, I felt great. I mostly hung out, watched TV, and did some very low-effort tidying around the apartment.

I didn’t really feel hungry, but I knew I needed to eat, so I had leftovers from the night before. I also started Miralax (half-dose to start).

That evening, I took a bath — my instructions specifically said I could shower and bathe as usual — and washed off the iodine stains and leftover adhesive from the ECG leads.

Around 9:00 p.m., my body hit a very firm “go to bed now” wall, so I listened.

Sunday

This is where things went a little off the rails.

I woke up around 4:30 a.m. to pee, then laid back down. About an hour later, I started feeling extremely nauseated and then spent the next two hours vomiting and having diarrhea repeatedly.

It definitely seemed like I hadn’t properly digested my dinner.

I tried sipping water and Powerade, but I couldn’t keep anything down, which also meant I couldn’t take my medications. It was awful, and I genuinely started worrying that I might need urgent care or the ER since it was Sunday and I assumed I wouldn’t be able to contact my doctor.

I called my local ER front desk, and they told me my surgeon’s office likely had an on-call nurse if I listened through the answering machine prompts. Thankfully, that worked.

I got connected to a nurse, who told me my doctor already had a standing order for Zofran ready to go.

By then it was about 8:00 a.m., and my pharmacy didn’t open until 10:00, so I tried to rest until then.

My mom ran to Meijer and picked up my medication, along with Gatorade (less acidic than Powerade), pretzels, Sprite, and chicken noodle soup. At that point, I figured I’d be on “sick protocol” for the rest of the day.

The vomiting definitely made my sore throat worse.

I took the dissolvable Zofran tablet (which tasted terrible), waited about 30 minutes, and then cautiously tried pretzels and Sprite. Thankfully, the nausea stayed away for the rest of the day.

That afternoon, my boyfriend came over and my mom headed home. She kept telling him, “Don’t let her do too much,” but honestly, I really don’t feel like I was pushing myself at all. If something hurt, I didn’t do it — and honestly, very little actually hurt.

We went out for dinner and spent the rest of the evening relaxing. I took another Zofran before bed just to stay ahead of the nausea.

Monday

Monday was pretty uneventful.

My boyfriend and I went to a couple nearby stores, and while I did get a little uncomfortable, it was never unbearable.

One of my absolute MVP comfort items during recovery has been a weighted stuffed animal with a microwaveable heat pack inside. It was incredibly comforting and helped keep my cats from stepping directly on my abdomen.

I ate well, took a little nap on the couch, and overall wasn’t particularly painful.

My surgical glue also came off naturally, and my incisions looked healthy.

Before bed, I took another dose of Zofran and my final oxycodone.

Tuesday (Today)

Today I feel very comfortable overall.

My abdomen is still a little tender around the incision sites, but really only if I touch them.

The biggest issue right now is that I haven’t had a bowel movement since the Sunday disaster. I can definitely tell things are “in there,” but nothing is moving. I decided to take a dose of Dulcolax today, so we’ll see how that goes.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, I’m extremely happy with how everything has gone so far.

My pain has been very well controlled — usually between a 1 and a 3, and never higher than a 5. Honestly, the sore throat has been the worst part, though it’s much better today.

I’ve had zero shoulder gas pain.

My appetite has fluctuated a lot. Sometimes I’m absolutely starving, and other times I eat three bites and I’m done. I have been consistently thirsty, though.

I’ve tried to listen to my body whenever it tells me to rest, but surprisingly, I really haven’t felt more fatigued than normal.

Most of the discomfort I’ve experienced has felt completely expected for surgery recovery. Sunday definitely sucked, but it also didn’t feel entirely unexpected.

I keep having little moments of disbelief that it was this straightforward — and that I never have to do it again.

The relief has been worth absolutely everything.

Huge thanks to my gynecologist and the entire surgical team for being so kind, supportive, and reassuring throughout the process. And thank you to this subreddit for helping guide me through everything.

Hello! I’m a 36 year old with four kids. USA We are definitely done.

At my yearly yesterday I asked my gyn about my options for sterilization and he said because I have acne, heavy periods and don’t want kids then he recommends nuvaring (without taking a week off). He said ablation isn’t recommended because I’m too young, it would likely fail.
Removing tubes, I’d still have a heavy period and hormonal acne. I’m not really worried about treating the acne with birth control because I just started spironolactone in January and had my first dose increase to 100mg last week. I also realized after the fact that I can’t use nuvaring or any combined hormonal contraceptive because I have chronic migraines (occasionally with an aura)

18 year history of abnormal paps (asc-us) so I still go yearly for Pap smears. This years was done yesterday so I’m still waiting for results.

*I have hormonal acne (on spironolactone)
*IUD Kyleena (strings are in my uterus so they’re sending me to the complex health clinic to have ultrasound guided removal) can worsen acne, otherwise it’s been a great IUD. The only birth control that hasn’t tanked my libido.
*history of very heavy periods (no period on Kyleena)

Tomorrow I have a consult with the complex family health office to discuss what option I want to pursue once they get my IUD out…

Options that I know of:

Bilateral salpingectomy with uterine ablation

Or

bilateral salp (with IUD to keep periods away.)

Or

IUD only

*not sure I’m ready to consider hysterectomy due to fear of early menopause risk, even if I keep my ovaries, can’t they fail early? However, I like that it solves my constant cervical dysplasia.

Ideas, experiences, comments by women who have had one of these around my age? Thanks so much! 🩷

I hear this said so much, and each time it pisses me off more.

Their so-called "justification" in it is saying that, oh, the recovery is SO much easier for men!! So much less painful! So much less intense!

Yeah, sure Shannon, barely. The recovery for a bisalp is just two weeks and it's such a mildly invasive surgery that many surgeons perform in under thirty minutes. It's among the fastest, easiest, and lowest risk surgeries that exist.

Sure, a vasectomy is an outpatient procedure with no general anesthesia needed and recovery is fast, but the recovery for a bisalp is still only two weeks!! Compared to a lifetime of safety, two weeks is an incredibly short time period, and many of us (myself included) felt completely back to normal in just a few days.

Being told by society that the safety of MY body doesn't matter and that it shouldn't be me protected pisses me off so much.

Even IF I was married, and even IF I was planning on only having one male partner for the rest of my life, I would still want it to be my body being protected.

I think this is yet another way society tries to dismiss women's reproductive choices.

I want my body safe.

So obviously, permanent means permanent, and I knew that when I happily signed my name on the dotted line.

But my recovery was so seamless and painless that it almost felt too easy (as was the entire approval process with a great doctor!) I feel like, "That's it? I never have to do anything again?"

I still get my Nexplanon birth control arm implant replaced every 3 years for period management, now 5 years since Nexplanon officially changed the guidelines 😡, but it's crazy that I don't have to do anything or have a surgery again or do ANYTHING to keep myself sterile.

Which makes me so happy and my body feels so safe.

Sterilized in 2021 and have PCOS/PMOS. Probably don't need to, and maybe the wrong sub, but should I take a pregnancy test? Should I be worried that God may be like "Hold my beer." And my tubes grew back lol? 32F.

Is it impossible to get a bislap covered when you’re under 21 in Arkansas when under BCBS through Medicaid? I called twice and they said it was covered and there were no stipulations and a gyno is willing to schedule the surgery… but online it says Medicaid doesn’t let you get the surgery under 21. I’m confused

I got a bisalpingectomy in January and I looked at my pathology report and it says “Received in formalin, labeled with the patient's name and "bilateral fallopian tubes" are 2 pink-brown tubal segments with fimbria measuring 6.0 cm. 1 segment is arbitrarily inked blue, the other black. 1 section of each fimbria and 1 cross section of each tubal segment are submitted in 1 cassette”… please talk me off a ledge because I thought fallopian tubes were a lot longer than what was taken… pregnancy is not possible, right?!

Hello all! I am so happy to say that 3 weeks ago I got a bilateral salpingectomy at 21! Before my surgery, I read every post on this subreddit every day so I could prepare, and if you're reading this and haven't gotten the surgery yet, you're probably just like me! Here is my full experience from consult to post-op:

Pre-consult:

I looked at every doctor on the Childfree Friendly Doctor's List in my state, and found one that I really liked. In a video, she talked about how much she cares about women's autonomy and in the list itself, she stated that should sterilize anyone over 21 for any reason at any time. I was nervous of a doctor rejecting me due to my age so I felt like a had a really good chance with her. So I made an appointment which got rescheduled a week prior so I had to wait an extra 2 months (5 in total) and I was devasted at the time. My insurance changes in June so time was not on my side. I looked at backup doctors just in case, but fortunately everything worked out.

Consult:

The consult was SO easy. She asked, "What are you here for?"

I said, "Bilateral salpingectomy."

"Why?"

"I don't want to be a parent and I don't want biological children."

"That's completely fine. Here's what the surgery entails."

And that was pretty much it. She was extremely kind and understanding, I wish she could be my doctor for everything haha! Me saying the words "bilateral salpingectomy" told her that I had done my research and was serious in what I wanted. I had also asked for an IUD and pap smear at the same time during surgery so I wouldn't have to do those awake which she was completely cool with.

Pre-Op:

This appointment is where I asked any remaining questions I had that didn't get answered in the consult. I had gotten an ultrasound the same day before the pre-op so we also discussed that. I've had pelvic pain (got diagnosed with PCOS/PMOS, yay!) so that's why I got the ultrasound but I don't think it's required for the bisalp.

Other pre-op stuff:

I also had gotten several calls from different people for the surgery. One was a pharmacist, the other was pre-admission asking a list of questions about my medical history. The following day I went in to get my blood drawn and an EKG to make sure I was fit for surgery.

SURGERY DAY!:

My arrival time was 10 am but at 8 am the hospital called me and said my doctor was running ahead of schedule so I could come in early. My friend drove me and we were having a blast singing songs on the way there! In MyChart, the hospital estimate was 4.6K but I know that's not right, so when I got asked at the registration desk if I wanted to pay anything, I just said "bill my insurance" and everything was fine! We went to the surgery area and waited in the waiting room for like 5 minutes and then a nurse took me back.

I was asked basic medical questions and then she struggled to put my IV in lol, she had to stick me like 5 times, but to be fair I do have very small veins :( She did comment on how young I was to be getting this surgery but didn't really make a fuss about it. Then one by one, the people on my surgery came in to introduce themselves. They were all very kind and most of them were female which made me feel comfortable. I talked to my doctor too, I remembered to ask about the abdominal binder and the nurse wrote it down to make sure I would get one, and then it was time to go back! This happened all so fast, getting into my gown to going into the OR took 20 minutes, not even joking lol!

In the OR, the staff confirmed with me what I was getting done and helped me transfer from the bed to operating table. A mask was put on me and then I was OUT. With the IUD and pap smear, my surgery took 1 hr and 40 minutes, which is on the longer end. I had 3 incisions, one in belly button, and one each for the left and right side of my abdomen, which were covered with an adhesive glue with no external stitches.

I woke up around 45 minutes later and I could NOT stop shaking. I asked the nurse why I was shaking so much and she asked me if I was cold. I said I didn't feel cold and she laughed and said it was just the anesthesia. She put two warm blankets on top of me and gave me a pain killer which really helped me. I had noticed that my abdominal binder was already put on and I highly recommend to ask for one!! I felt like I had to pee so bad, but I knew it was just from the catheter. Also my vagina was extremely sore from the uterine manipulator. I knew it was going to be used but I didn't realize how it would make me feel. If you've had sexual assault in your past, I'd ask your doctor if they could do it without, the extreme uncomfortableness went away the next day but it kinda sucked.

After being in the wakeup room for around 30 minutes, I was taken to the next recovery room where the nurses helped me get dressed and I was reunited with my friend! I was still pretty drowsy but I was aware of what was going on. I was given some water and crackers and my discharge papers. I was told pelvic rest for 2 weeks but strangely no other activity restrictions, but reading from numerous posts about how they were told they couldn't lift more than 10 pounds for 2-4 weeks, I followed those guidelines. My friend left to get the car and someone came by with a wheelchair to take me outside. They helped me into the car and we headed home! Total time at hospital was around 4 hours.

On the way home, we got McDonald's because I really wanted the blue raspberry slushy, it's so good!! I also had some chicken nuggets from Wendy's because I don't like the McDonald's one lol. We also stopped by to see my neighbor's goats because they always cheer me up! :)

I was able to get into my house and climb the stairs to the second floor where my room is without difficulty. I rested for the rest of the day just watching yt videos. I couldn't fall asleep because I was uncomfortable but I was able to when it was time for bed. I also had dinner but I only had a small portion because my appetite wasn't really there.

Post-Op:

The first few days post surgery, I was very slow and fatigued. My body felt sore and had a hard time standing straight. I did go walking outside at my own pace, but it took a lot out of me (took me 40 mins to do a mile!). The binder really helped me but it also made eating really uncomfortable. Whenever I ate, I could feel my abdomen pressing against my binder while digesting which it made it difficult for me to eat. Even without the binder eating was uncomfortable but withing a week and a half it went away. I've read on this subreddit that a bisalp feels like you've done a hundred crunches but for me it felt more like a bad stomach ache. It wasn't bad at all though, my wisdom teeth removal was way worse lol. I only used my pain killers (oxycodone) for the first two days and then used Tylenol and ibuprofen for a week after. The ice pack given by the hospital was pretty useful too.

Post-Op appointment:

This is when I got my pictures to confirm that they were were gone! I made my gyn a handmade card and she loved it! She said that she was happy I was able to get this surgery in our current political climate, and told me that requests for sterilization has gone up 300% since 2024. I told her how grateful I was for getting this surgery done despite my age, being single, and no kids. She said that I was an adult who can make my own decisions, and that the other doctors who reject the surgery based on their own personal beliefs should not be normal. I am extremely pleased with how everything went, and believe that I had the best possible outcome out of all the possibilities.

Advice:

I have wanted this surgery since I was 16. I always thought I was too young to get it and would have to wait until I was 30. When I was close to turning 21, I got back into doing more research and realized that I could get it done. I had to do a lot of deep thinking and asking myself what I really wanted and the different paths my life could take. I thought of all the possibilities with kids, being happy and fulfilled with a family that contains kids, or being miserable and feeling trapped in a life I cannot escape. Likewise, I thought about what it would be like without kids, being able to have the freedom to do what I want and live for myself, or be in old age and regret not going into motherhood.

Up until the day of surgery, I kept asking myself these questions to really make sure I knew what I was doing. I was afraid of future me mourning the natural ability to have kids. I was afraid of being too young to know what I want (which I'm not). I was afraid of being overdramatic with how much urgency I felt to get this surgery, I mean why not just rely on birth control?

Since surgery, I've learned that all of my fearful thoughts were just testing me and not actual fears. I don't fear what future me will think because I am confident in my choice, and if I happen to change my mind I can do IVF (or adopt), which means I will have to really want kids in order to go through with it. Nothing was taken away from me from this surgery, I gained the ultimate freedom and peace knowing that my body is mine and mine alone.

I'm sure we've all heard the "you're brain isn't fully developed until you're 25" but it really isn't true. That study had it's participants age stop at 25 which is where we hear that piece of info. In actuality, your brain never stops changing and supposedly has a shift every 7 years. And more importantly, if I can make the choice to have a child, I should also be able to make the choice to not have one. I don't think I'm being overdramatic for getting this surgery because who can trust reproductive rights after roe v wade? Even the supreme court just tried to ban abortion pills via telehealth, which fortunately is no longer in effect. I personally don't trust the effectiveness of contraception (condom, bc pills, IUD) because I've heard too many stories talking about how their birth control failed, and I wasn't going to let that happen to me. There's a small part of me that worries that even my bisalp isn't enough, but I know it's the closest thing to zero I can get and it's just the paranoia talking.

Surgery Tips:

I'm sure you want to prepare as much as you can for the surgery, but just remember that the most important thing to bring is yourself! I honestly didn't try hard to prepare but still felt overprepared haha, so here are the things that helped me most:

-Cough drops, helped me soothe my sore throat from being intubated

-Sleeping with an extra pillow between my legs when laying on my side

...And that's it! I've read that people get pregnancy/hysterectomy pillows but personally I was completely fine without one, but many people praise how good they are so if you want one, get one! I also had an electric heating pad with me for any gas pain but I was super fortunate in having zero gas pain (remember, don't use heat for incisions, only ice). Didn't use GasX at all (although that doesn't help with the gas they fill you with) but was prescribed stool softeners and took miralax a week prior to surgery so that helped a lot. I had also bought protein shakes in case I didn't have any appetite but didn't need them (I drank one before surgery and it made my stomach really upset). If you live alone, definitely make sure to meal prep at least 5-7 days worth.

Final Words:

If you are on the fence on wanting surgery or not, trust yourself and commit to it. There is no wrong path, and we have to make the most out of the choices we make. You are not too young to get this surgery, and you are not overreacting for wanting it. Don't listen to the nay sayers that have never lived a day of your life, because they don't understand what it's like.

Thank you so much for reading, I know it's a lot of info! I'm writing what I would've wanted to read while preparing for surgery, especially getting the perspective of someone younger. If you have any questions, please let me know and I will do my best to answer them!

This is a bit of a read I apologize.

TLDR: Is recovery from a bi salp similar to that of a tubal?

My surgery isn't scheduled yet, because I got the call saying it'd be 100% covered Friday when my whole gyn team is out of office. But I'm hoping to have it June 10.

I had tubal clamps put in when I was about to turn 20,(just after roe fell) it's was a bit of a fight with my GYN cause I wanted a bi salp but she was so worried I'd regret it, she insisted I get a reversible procedure.

Fast forward two years, a study just got published saying tubals (did not specify wether it was tie and fry or clamps) were not as effective as we thought and could fail in as little as 5-10 years.

Some background for this next bit.

I have hypermobile Ehlers-danlos syndrome, which essentially means all the collagen my body produces is defective, which affects everything, since everything has collagen. I'm also nonbinary, been on T for 2 years. Ive always been terrified of the thought of getting pregnant because it could drastically affect my quality of life and the hEDS is genetic meaning I could pass it on. I am also autistic and TW a survivor of SA. I also have a bad heart and compromised lungs.

I went back to my GYN with the study in hand expecting a fight. I had to have a letter from my psychiatrist ,who I've been seeing since second grade, last time stating it was the best decision for me. But there was no fight this time, so I'm extremely thankful for that, but I'm a little nervous about what post-op will look like for me.

To those who've had both a tubal then a bi salp, is the recovery similar? If it differs, how so? The worst part for the tubal recovery was the gas and constipation.

Hey yall! I’m (24f) wanting to get sterilized since I don’t want to ever be pregnant/have kids. But I have PCOS and have crazy irregular periods and when they do happen it’s super heavy and lasts for 5-8 days(I once didn’t have my period for 139 days then bled for 15 days ). I used to be on birth control but stopped for various reasons (migraines, ex had a vasectomy,etc). Now based on my research about the effects after the surgery, I’ll still get a period but I’m wondering what that will be like and if I should get back on birth control afterwards? What were your symptoms, experiences, opinions, and advice?

Side note, I should probably get back on birth control but i wanted to try and naturally heal my PCOS but haven’t put any effort into that so idk what to do there.

Anyways thank you in advance for reading and responding 🫶🏻