QuestionOkay I had a tubal ligation 19 months ago On August 14th 2007. It was done during my cecarian section, which was done because my son was footling breech. I breast fed him until he was 10 months and 3 weeks old, and my period came back when he was around 8-9 months old. My first two cycles were about 36 days, as my body was adjusting to everything again. Since then they have been 32-33 days every month, except one where It was 36 again. My periods are usually 7 days in legnth from start to end, with mild period on day one worst on day two and maybe three, and then getting lighter up until day 7 when it stops.
My last two cycles were different. The first one was 28 days, I started my period heavier then normal and bright red. Day two was bad bleeding, but manageable, passed 2 clots (liver like), about quarter or grape size and a bunch of smaller ones. Only bled for 4 days all together, from beginning to end. Then I started having pain in my right side off and on, every couple of days, not really bad pain but it was there none the less, this continued off and on until my period came again on cycle day 27 so a few days early yet again. (unless of course my cycles are changing).
Then mid cycle around a week or so after my period I started having some spotting, but only for a day and only when I wiped.
Still having the pain in my right side almost every day, but it is not really bad, just annoying.
This period was again very weird. Started bleeding bright red again, heavier then normal for day 1. Started passing some clots again, not too big on day one, but on day two I soaked 3 pads within 2 1/2 hours, during that time, I passed lots of small liver like clots, 3 grape size clots, and one bigger. After I passed the bigger one, I passed another grape sized one and some smaller ones, and my period started to get less and less, not as much bleeding.
My period was over 5 days after it started. Then on day 7-8 I started spotting again, but it only lasted about an hour.
My side is still hurting. Last night it was the left side, but tonight its back in the right side again, as it was every since it started.
I have been nautious, and my breasts have been tender. But other then that I dont really have any pregnancy symptoms.
A little history. I have been pregnant 4 times. First time ended in miscarriage at around 6 weeks. Second pregnancy went full term, breech baby, cecarian section after 16 hours labour, the nurse said she was breech and the dr said she wasnt, but she was...3rd pregnancy, was a VBAC at 37 weeks, and 4th pregnancy was footling breech, scheduled c-section where I got my tubes tied.
I am thinking that I may go and purchase a HPT tomorrow and do, just to put my mind at ease. But I was just curious as to what you had to say about all of this.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer these questions. :)
AnswerDear Kelly,
Occasionally a woman can still get pregnant, despite having had her tubes tied properly. The tubes can evolve in such a way as to try to heal themselves, and sometimes a tract develops that allows egg and sperm to meet. However, tubal ligation, regardless of whether the tubes are cut, burned, clipped, banded, or tied, is about 99% effective, meaning that about 1% of women will conceive an unplanned pregnancy after tubal ligation. This failure occurs slightly more frequently in younger women.
Symptoms which are typically associated with early pregnancy (breast tenderness/swelling, headache, nausea, fatigue, backache, etc,...) are basically hormonally related and can also be related to hormone fluctuations within our cycles. That is why it is so difficult to "diagnose" a pregnancy based on symptoms alone.
I would suspect that the irregularities in your periods are likely due to a bit of a hormonal imbalance - as most cycle irregularities are. This happens occasionally for all women - even those who are usually like "clockwork", especially as we get closer to perimenopause. There are many various potential causes for irregularities in our cycles. They are:
-Significant weight gain or loss
-Excessive or strenuous exercise
-Poor nutrition (or a diet too high in carbohydrates)
-Smoking
-Drug use
-Excessive caffeine intake
-Excessive alcohol use (interfering with how the liver metabolizes estrogen and progesterone)
-Eating disorders
-Increased stress
-Polycystic ovarian syndrome/estrogen dominance
-Uterine abnormalities (fibroids/cysts/polyps/endometriosis)
-Hormonal imbalance related to perimenopause
-Medications
-Chemotherapy
-Thyroid dysfunction
-Recent childbirth, miscarriage, or D&C
-Breastfeeding
More than likely your cycles will return to a fairly normal pattern, but keep in mind that as we age we cannot count on them being so much like clockwork as we did in our youth. We really don't get concerned until a woman misses three consecutive periods and pregnancy is not the reason OR if periods become very heavy with or without clotting on a rather continual basis. At that point, you should see your doctor so that a cause can be determined. If the pain in your side persists, I would also schedule a visit - just to make sure you don't have something going on with an ovary or something.
I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.
Brenda
