27. Tubal Ligation of 2014, PTLS and Filshie Clips

June 2023

I had had my 2 daughters. I was happy and fulfilled. I knew I was done having babies. With them being tough during pregnancies, premature and very fierce and outgoing girls, I had my hands full and I wanted to focus all my love and energy and those 2 beings. I didn’t need more, I was content just the way it was. It was perfect as it was.

So in order to not have any surprises, I knew I needed a tubal ligation. Have an operation in order to never reproduce again… Even if my hormones kicked in, I wouldn’t be able to. The shop was closed. In June 2014 I had my operation and became infertile. There was no way I would become a mother again and I was ok with that. Being my moms daughter and after having 2 babies with no difficulty, I knew that it would only take another look at my husband and I would become pregnant again, in no time. I didn’t want that.

The first few years after my tubal ligation everything was fine. No problems reported… Some weird action with my period, but that was remedied with the female contraception (Nuvaring) immediately.

Some hot flashes and insomnia came creeping in slowly, but I didn’t think much of it. In 2018 came the depression and anxiety… Heavy flows for my menstrual cycle was becoming more frequent and out of the ordinary…

My body was doing weird things… but I didn’t associate it to nothing else than getting older… having babies.. being a mother… Being Overworked and tired… I was leading a good life. I was able to live a fairly regular life, except when I had my depression and anxiety.. until…

Back pains and body pains started occurring in late 2020… Slight ones that turned into nightmarish ones. Ones that disabled me completely. Some days I couldn’t do any task, walk, move or even sit. The pain was unbearable. I went to the emergency at the hospital 4 times in 2021. On April 7th I learned that the Filshie Clips used for my tubal ligation in 2014 had detached from my tubes… Every doctor I saw said that it couldn’t possibly be the problem.

I went through 2 years of various tests and 3 operations, such as the burning of the inside of my uterus, colonoscopy, nutritional tests, allergy tests, a ton of different medication, hospital tests, scans, to “tick off” the boxes… and go by elimination… A possible endometriosis, a possible allergy, a possible this and that… The pain was endless… over 20 doctors later I went for a reversal of my tubal ligation and to hopefully retrieve the clips that had been moving inside me.

In December 2022, I had my reversal done! It full laparotomy and the tubes were reversed, but no clips to be found. I got my body back. I was a woman. No more hot flashes, no more insomnia, no more anxiety, no more many things!! I was grateful to the doctor who found them. I immediately realized that I had been suffering from PTLS. (Post Tubal Ligation syndrome.) A syndrome from not allowing your women’s body to work normally, without having access to the tubes. The ones that gives you hot flashes, insomnia, no more sex drive, anxiety, hair loss, bad menstrual cycles, major bleedings during periods and much more.

About a month later the chronic pain came running back with a vengeance. So I knew I had PTLS, but the Flishie clips were now the cause of the chronic pain and oniony smell I had been living with for 2 years. January 31st 2023 I had to go to the emergency at 4am, by ambulance, because I could no longer be lying on my back, sit, stand or move. The pain was debilitating. I didn’t know what to do anymore… It was back.

I did what I do best and that is: Fight for myself. I was on a mission to find a doctor that would do the operation I needed to retrieve those clips. And believe me.

12 doctors later, in a month, I found my angel. The Doctor believed me. Someone finally believed me! She had had another patient with a similar situation.

Because of the health system we have here in Canada, I had to wait 3 months for my operation, but with pain medication, yoga, chiropractor visits and massages, I was able to reach my goal.

June 1st 2023, the operation day! After 2 operations I was feeling the dread. The fear of another operation failure. Another disappointment. Another search with no results…

5 minutes after putting me under anaesthetics, she found them! The Clips were out of my body!

Today one month later, the clips are in a pot on a mantel, where I see them and remind myself that I am worth fitting for. The pain is gone, the smell is gone and I am back in my woman’s body I should have never touched. The one that is perfect as it is, even with all its imperfections. A few scars later, I prefer myself as a whole than as a broken person with no more will to live. I can now live to the fullest and be the best version of myself. Teach others about loving their body and to never touch the female reproductive system, as it is perfect just the way it is.

You are Beautiful, You are Strong, You are Perfection! YOU ARE A WOMAN!

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UPDATE: One Year Later... June 2024:

One year later... The pain from my Filshie Clips has disapeared. The Pre-Menauposal symptoms are still a distant memory.

However, last November I re-started having contractions and the light pain in the left side of my pelvic resurfaced.

After a few trial and error, I had to start taking the Nuvaring continuously, so that I wouldn't start having the contractions. These contractions are from the ablation of the endometer. Burning the inside of my uterus... Since it wants to reject the burn and start working normally again, if (when) I ovulate, my uterus will do everything it can to expell the ablation and give me a normal uterus again. Our body is made perfect in its own way. As we age we find ourselves with signs our body is aging and it gives us different signs. More bleeding, prolonged bleeding, pain, more discomfort, insomnia, hot flashes and much more. We just need to learn to live with them, with a slight modification of our diet, physical activity, love and tenderness towards oneself.

As for the slight pain in my pelvic area, it came from having my first operation... which was expedited and not done with love and care. Those are the potential risks one takes when undergoing a surgery. Those pains are harder to heal, but not impossible.

If you think you are at the end of your ressources available to you and are planning on having a surgery... please look deeper and longer.

Today I am happy to report that I am almost back to normal.. Its normal not to be 100% ever again, because 3 operations in 2 years does create its lasting scars. I am functional and can move freely with love and care for myself.

Thats's all I wish for all of you woman out there.

You are worth it!