Factors for Choosing Your Tubal Ligation Reversal Doctor

Factors for Choosing Your Tubal Ligation Reversal Doctor

Determining which tubal ligation reversal doctor is best for you comes down to different factors. Using a patient satisfaction website such as RateMDs.com will give you an opportunity to learn how other women have rated the surgeon they used on some of these factors.

Taking a further look at the referenced site above, we can find that physicians are rated on staff, being punctual, helpfulness and knowledge. These determine the patient satisfaction score each doctor is given. You should consider looking at the most rated doctor.

Not only is that site available to see patient satisfaction with a doctor, there are several others as well. However, RateMDs.com does rank number one in a Google search for "rate doctors" so you may find it the best resource.

There are other ways as well to determine those factors for choosing your tubal ligation reversal doctor. You can begin with a simple search around his own website. He does have a website, does he not?

There you should be able to learn:

1) his training and background,
2) how many surgeries of this type he has performed,
3) how often he does the surgery which leads back to number 2,
4) his personal statistics for success and pregnancy after tubal reversal,
5) about his surgical facility, and
6) the cost for this operation.

Additionally, there should be many testimonials from women who have had him or her perform their operation.

Does he have a message board or some other way available for you to discuss questions and concerns with other women? That is another good way to learn about how previous patients feel about the surgeon. Do they stick around afterwards and participate on the message board?

As you look around the Internet for information about tubal reversal, see whose name keeps coming up. When you read other women's stories about their tubal ligation reversals, what kind of reports are given about different doctors?

These are just a few of the ways you can find out the patient satisfaction with a doctor you may be considering. Please do your research. You may find that your local doctor does not provide you with the best choice, unless that doctor is Dr. Gary Berger of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center.

National Infertility Week - What About Infertility Because of a Tubal Ligation?

During National Infertility Week, starting today October 20th, a lot of attention in the media will be given to the treatment of In Vitro Fertilitzation (IVF). This is a technologically advanced treatment for most causes of infertility. But what about those couples who want to have a baby but can't because of a previous tubal ligation? There are hundreds of thousands of infertile couples in this group in the US. Is IVF the best treatment for them? Let's compare the two treatments to see which might be the best one for women whose tubes have been tied.

Tubal reversal is a method of rejoining the fallopian tubes where they were cut. The preparation is minimal for the surgery and includes reviewing your tubal ligation operative records. The operation takes about an hour and is done as outpatient surgery at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center. This cuts the cost in half or less than if done as an in-hospital operation.

Now let's look at IVF in comparison. There are hormonal shots that you have to get in order to stimulate your body's egg production and also to keep it from going into ovulation prematurely. These can take from one to two weeks or longer and are just the preparation part.

Next will be the removal of your eggs. Of course, the doctor will need to be sure of the right time to do so and will do this by monitoring with hormonal blood tests and ultrasound exams to be sure to catch the eggs at the right time. Your system has been stimulated to produce many more eggs than normal. You will get another shot before ovulation is due. Then, when all is ready, the doctor will use a needle to remove the egg.

Now, comes the part you have been taking all those shots for. You will have the fertilized eggs implanted into your body. This will happen after some time in the lab where the fertilization and the beginning development of the embryo takes place. You will most likely get several fertilized eggs, which actually have begun developing into embryos, placed back into your uterus. You will get more injections at this point as well.

This is when you hold your breath hoping everything will go OK. Of course,this will depend upon things like how skilled your doctor is and how careful he was in implanting the embryos among other things. If it doesn't work, you may have had some extra embryos frozen.

Before you make a decision to have IVF done, you should probably take a look at the success rates. Most commonly the success rates of any one cycle are given as 20 - 30% that you will be successful. You have a higher likelihood of success with more eggs implanted but don't want to go overboard as that could lead to some problems as well. You will find that three embryos is about the most any doctor will implant. Still, one in every three pregnancies that occur after IVF is a multiple pregnancy. Babies conceived as a result of IVF are more likely to be born prematurely and have health problems later in life.

Getting back to the option of tubal reversal, the success rates will vary depending upon your chosen surgeon. This makes choosing the best tubal reversal doctor and center a matter of utmost importance. At the Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center - the only facility where they publish their specific pregnancy rates after a tubal reversal, you will see that it is an overall 70%. Your potential success rate will depend upon several things including your age, tube lengths left for repairing, and type of ligation procedure used. The good news is that once the surgery is done, you get to try over and over again to "make a baby" every month without having to pay any more money.

And that's the last thing to cover. One session, or cycle, of IVF will cost on average $10,000 to $12,000 with most patients being told to expect to undergo at least three cycles. That's $30,000 or more for most couples who start treatment by IVF. The average cost of a tubal reversal varies widely, but at Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center it ranges between $5400 and $6900 depending upon which option you choose. So with a higher success rate, lower cost, and the opportunity to become pregnant month after month, what do you think tubal reversal now? It may not be as well known or advertised as IVF, but during National Infertility Week, it should certainly be recognized as the best treatment for women wanting to become pregnant again but who are infertile because they had their tubes tied in the past.

Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Patients Discuss Relief From PTLS

Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Message Board offers a forum for TR patients to discuss how TR has helped relieve the symptoms of Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome. Many patients notice relief even with the first menstrual cycle after TR. Often, patients note even greater improvements over time. Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center hosts a PTLS blog as well as information on the condition on their website.

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This is topic Best period ever! in forum Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome on the Tubal Reversal Message Board:

Posted by Flutist29 (Member # 12785) on October 18, 2008 10:12 AM :
This seems strange to write about, but I can't help it! I had my TL on 1/10/05 and have had horrible, horrible periods ever since then. So many things changed in my life, I can't believe it. Anyways...I had TR surgery on 10/8 and am now going through my first period since the TR. It is amazing how much better I feel already. My DH said to me this morning, "WOW, your skin looks so much better." I have had basically no cramping and my right hip isn't killing me like it used to. My bleeding is actually at a normal flow! The only thing I could complain about if I wanted to was that I had a headache Thursday and Friday. That's it! I still can't believe! I should have had this surgery 3 years ago! I would have saved myself a bunch of pain and sorrow.

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Posted by MS_LICIA (Member # 9456) on October 18, 2008 12:36 PM :
lol....good for you !!! I myself, have found relief in many ways after having my TR, so I'm w/ya !!!

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Posted by justnotme (Member # 12842) on October 18, 2008 04:05 PM :
flutist29- thanks sooo much for posting this. I just got over a 7 day AF!!!ugh!!! I also get wicked pains shooting down my legs and lots of other PTLS symptoms. I'm scheduled for Oct 29th. I can't wait to report the same things. My and my DH were just talking earlier today that we sure hope and pray that this helps me. I can't help but feel so optimistic, which I am generally anyways, that this IS going work. Thanks again for even more hope for me and other women that this will erradiacate our PTLS!! So happy for you.

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Posted by MOMZILLA (Member # 12256) on October 18, 2008 07:12 PM :
I have had one period after another since the TR that is better, less crampy, lighter and I no longer have that crazy flooding....I was even late this month and even though my cycle was longer..it was not heavier when it arrived...what a great relief it has been to have normal periods again...

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Posted by momto10 (Member # 11808) on October 18, 2008 07:32 PM :
I know what you mean. My PTLS didn't go fully away until last month, 9 months post TR. I finally had a FULL cycle that was 100% normal!!! YEAH!!! Now time to get down to business, TCC.... LOL Gwen

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Posted by Ericka Pamplin (Member # 1953) on October 19, 2008 12:00 PM:
It's always great to hear the relief of PTLS that our patients experience after having the tubal reversal. I'm sure your stories will be encouraging to others that are feeling the same way!

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Dr. Monteith's Blog on PTLS (Post Tubal Ligation Syndrome)

Should You Have an HSG after Tubal Ligation Reversal?

The Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center gets asked a lot about HSG by women after tubal reversal surgery. They are questioning whether their tubes are really open, regardless of the checking Dr. Berger does during the surgery, and want to do this procedure. However, there are concerns about this being done too quickly.

First off, you may be wondering just what a HSG or hysterosalpingogram is. Maybe your doctor mentioned getting it done or you have heard of it elsewhere. An HSG is essentially a real time x-ray procedure done under a fluoroscope. It is done as an outpatient procedure that doesn't take very long.

You will lie on your back on a table. A speculum is placed into your vagina. If you have had a pap smear done, you are familiar with this type of device. Your cervix is cleaned and then opened slightly. A cannula, or flexible tube, that is inserted through the cervix is used to introduce an iodine based "contrast" material which will show up on the x-ray. As this contrast material shows up as an opaque material, the doctor can watch the flow as it moves through your uterus, up through your fallopian tubes and spills out of them into the abdominal cavity.

Your doctor may have you move from your back to one side and then to the other in order to get the "dye" to flow into your fallopian tubes. Some doctors may even try to force the material past any blockages by adding a lot of the material into your uterus.

Some women experience only very mild cramping during the HSG whereas others say it very painful. Some have also reported feeling as if they were going to pass out. It is highly suggested you take at least 600mg of ibuprofen one hour before the procedure is done. If you do have problems with pain, it is also highly suggested you discuss this with your doctor before the procedure is done.

One suggested reason for the pain by women who have had this done is due to "debris" being within your uterus. This is why you should have this done after menstruation but before ovulation. This allows most of the debris from a cycle to be removed first. You do not want it done after ovulation as it is possible it could interfere with potential pregnancy.

Some possible risks include a risk of infection which might damage your tubes requiring removal, fainting (as mentioned above), iodine allergic reaction or spotting. If the spotting continues past one or two after the procedure or becomes heavy, the patient should notify her doctor. If you have an allergy to iodine or seafood, a non-iodine version of the procedure should be done. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are allergic.

As for minimizing the risk of infection from the procedure, Dr. Berger of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center says you should use a betadine vaginal douche the evening before and the morning of the procedure. You should also get a prophylactic antibiotic prescription from your doctor.

If you want to do this procedure after tubal reversal, Dr. Berger recommends waiting at least six to 12 months. Using his own tubal reversal statistics, he has found that 70% of women will conceive within 12 months of having the surgery. The mean time to conception is 10 months.

Too often, however, even given all the above, he finds the procedure does not give conclusive results. The dye may not make it into the fallopian tubes because of a spasm or mucus or calcium deposits. Or not enough dye is used meaning it will not spill into the abdominal cavity even if it makes it past the tubal anastomosis site. The radiologist, however, may mistakenly interpret this as meaning there is a blockage.

So if you are considering doing a HSG after tubal reversal, it is much better to wait till at least a year past your tubal reversal surgery. Most of Dr. Berger's patients will conceive in less than a year proving that the tubes are open. That means you don't have to go through a potentially risky, expensive, and painful procedure that may be inconclusive.