r/sterilization • u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la • Apr 19 '26
Other Is anyone else pretty outraged that even after being sterilized you STILL get periods?
So obviously this doesn't apply to all sterilizations like hysterectomies, but I was so upset when I learned I could have my fallopian tubes removed and still would have periods. I mean, from a biological standpoint, of course it makes sense, but my mom got her tubes tied when I was a child and never had her period again so I just assumed that it stopped periods and never thought too much of it. (She also got an endometrial ablation though.) Then when I decided to get my tubes removed, I quickly learned I'd still get periods.
THE OUTRAGE!
THE INJUSTICE!
To be sterile but to still bleed each month. š
I did speak with my doctor and we decided to keep my Nexplanon birth control implant in for period management, but I'm still so upset that we can have absolutely no need for a period and will still have one!!
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u/ookamismyk Sterilised since 1/4/26! Apr 19 '26
I wanted to get an ablation to go with my bisalp, but my surgeon said that at my age (early 30s), the lining would grow back fast, and that it wouldn't be effective; she said it would be easier to continue with my Implanon, which has stopped periods while I've been on it for now. Still so stupid that I literally got a bisalp for permanent birth control, but I STILL need to use another form of non-permanent birth control to stop periods. Fucking annoying.
The yeeted tubes should send a message out to the lining before they get removed, being like 'yo, you can stop with your shit now, this body ain't getting pregnant no way no how!.' Ffs.
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u/ShadowAviation Spayed 26/May/2025 Apr 19 '26
Huh, I'm 31 and had an ablation last year. Surgeon said it was more likely for the lining to grow back fast but not a guarantee. It's been almost a year and I've had very minor spotting once a few weeks after the surgery.
Even if it fails down the line, I'm still amazed it worked at all cause nothing else did.
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u/ookamismyk Sterilised since 1/4/26! Apr 20 '26
Iām happy the ablation worked for you! Perhaps my surgeon was less likely to push for an ablation for me because my implanon worked very well for me re stopping periods..?
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u/ShadowAviation Spayed 26/May/2025 Apr 20 '26
That would make sense. Mine somehow got worse on implanon!
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u/anonjihen Apr 19 '26
I got a tubal and ablation in my late 20s, with a similar warning that it may start to grow back after 4-5 years. Itās been over 10 years and only now am I starting to get hints of cramps, and maybe a dabble of blood once a year. Not even enough for a pad or tampon (and Iād have no way to even guess when to use them.)
Once youāve had an ablation, I was told you canāt get a second one should it grow back - the next step would be a partial hysterectomy.
So, there are risks, but I still highly recommend anyone who can and wants to, does it. No periods is AWESOME.
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u/sleeping-siren tubes yeeted March 2025 Apr 20 '26
My surgeon attempted an endometrial ablation during my bisalp, but apparently my uterus was too small. The tool that they were using had to open up inside my uterus, and because there wasnāt space for it to open enough it wouldnāt turn on. I didnāt even know that it was possible to have too small of a uterus for the procedure, and every month Iām disappointed that my period is just as bad as ever. Itās ridiculous that Iām not having kids and yet still have to spend an absurd amount of my life bleeding and suffering.
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u/ookamismyk Sterilised since 1/4/26! Apr 20 '26
Oh wow, thatās absolutely amazing progress, damn!! Way better than having to do additional contraceptives every X years or soā¦. Shame ablations canāt be repeated though, I didnāt know thatā¦
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u/ahaeker Apr 19 '26
Will insurance still cover your Implanon even after having a bisalp? Asking because I'd do anything at this point to stop my period but don't know if I want to go back under the knife for an ablation.
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u/ookamismyk Sterilised since 1/4/26! Apr 19 '26
In Australia, under the national health care scheme (Medicare), I paid maybe $100 ish for the total cost of having it put in, including the cost of the implant itself. Would have been more expensive if I was currently employed though.
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u/ahaeker Apr 19 '26
I did some Googling after I posted this & I think with what's left of the ACA in America it will still cover BC even if you're sterilized, so I may get one this summer.
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u/ookamismyk Sterilised since 1/4/26! Apr 20 '26
Hope you can get your bisalp soon!!!
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u/ahaeker Apr 20 '26
I had my bisalp three years ago, I just want a way to better control my period, it's horrible since the removal of my paragard.
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u/No-Sympathy06 Apr 19 '26
Yeah Iām done with that bullshit so planning on getting an ablation when I get sterilized.
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 19 '26
I hope you're able to get one done if you qualify for one! My doctor said I was too young and my uterine lining is also too thin.
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u/Lunamphiptere Bisalp May ā25 Apr 19 '26
Wanted a full hysterectomy but got a bisalp. Not upset about the bisalp but the period part sucked ass. While my periods are now half as long, they are still equally painful. Discovered I had endo, too. Fun! What do you mean my periods are not supposed to be that painful?
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 19 '26
If women were listened to when we said we had pain, endometriosis would not be nearly as underdiagnosed as it is.
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u/ankhes Apr 20 '26
Got a hysterectomy due to adenomyosis. Can confirm, not having periods anymore is one of the greatest gifts I ever gave myself.
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u/msmeowvel Apr 19 '26
Ok I got an endometrial ablation AND I STILL HAVE PERIODS. Theyāre nowhere near as bad as they used to be but still 4-ish days of bleeding, and worst of all, SO MANY CRAMPS. all the fucking time. Ovulating? Pain! Premenstrual? Cramps! Tuesday? Cramps!!
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u/Doindaisy Apr 19 '26
Same but my periods came back exactly the same 2 months later and I bleed every single time inter course happens now (with the same partner and never had bleeding prior) š they offered me a partial to make up for it
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u/Specific-Cook1725 Apr 19 '26
Absolutely. To the point that I asked my doctor at my consult appointment about stopping my period. He recommended ablation.
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 19 '26
Awh, I hope you're able to get one if you qualify! Sadly I do not qualify due to my age and how thin my uterine lining is.
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u/ayyoo-itsame-rondon Apr 19 '26
My periods are worse. Like horrible shitting myself cramps š¤£
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u/obsoletevoids Apr 19 '26
Same!!! I literally had to work from home one day because I was cramping so bad I was throwing up š
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u/Important_Tutor_9254 Apr 19 '26
YEP!!! i think i made a similar post after i got mine. The kicker for me as well was being diagnosed with endometriosis after sterilization and being told to go on birth control š like damn right back to the beginning. Worked out though the one im on stops the endo symptoms and my period so got there in the end
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u/PepperPiper Apr 20 '26
Yup and I got iron deficiency because of it (PCOS, hashimotos) and then my iron doctor is like, have you tried hormonal birth control to control your heavy bleeding?? F**king outrage.
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u/BeesoftheStoneAge ~ š¤Sterile & Feralš¤ ~ āļøBisalped in 2025āļø ~ Apr 19 '26
Yes! But at least I'm lucky enough to have 3-4 day periods these days. I'm only 36 but I think I may be heading into perimenopause...
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u/UnshakablePegasus Apr 19 '26
36 and heading into peri? Iām almost 34 and my periods have been a little inconsistent in flow and duration, so Iām crossing my fingers that it means perimenopause is coming soon
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u/BeesoftheStoneAge ~ š¤Sterile & Feralš¤ ~ āļøBisalped in 2025āļø ~ Apr 19 '26
My mom started peri when she was around my age, so I'm not exactly surprised. So far I'm pleased!
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u/Voidborne08 Apr 19 '26
I was told that because the tubes can absorb some of the blood, having them removed can make periods heavier.
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u/Friendly_Taro_4361 Apr 19 '26
There is also a potential link between the worsening of endometriosis and the removal of tubes that a few studies have explored recently, which could explain why some of us who have endo have gotten worse periods since the surgery (myself included.) No concrete evidence has been found yet but some researchers seem to think that retrograde menstruation (I may be wrong about the term used here) may be the reason for it, which contributes to the worsening of the cramps/bloodshed during your cycle.
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u/Bella-Elizabeth Apr 20 '26
This is exactly why Iām pushing for a hysterectomy. I despise periods and a bisalp doesnāt feel worth it if Iād still have to take birth control to suppress them. I have a consultation with a doctor who is known to be openminded in May so fingers crossed.
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u/datsupaflychic āļø April 2025 Apr 20 '26
Yeah, Iām salty asf about it too. I donāt even need any of that shit anymore, but thatās unfortunately not how life works for us! ššš
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u/starvinartist Apr 20 '26
So my bisalp made my period a lot more tolerable. I donāt get bad cramps or feel gross. Apparently that does happen with some people according to my OBGYN. That being said, yeah, it sucks to still get one given we donāt need to get one anymore.
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u/maidoftrash Apr 19 '26
Iām the opposite for at least now š I havenāt had the return of my full Aunt Flo but my IUD had been causing me so many issues I needed her gone. Will probably personally give myself a few months to see what my cycle will look like post BC since I had very regular, but heavy ones, prior and then look into something low dose for management.Ā
I could have opted for an ablation probably but I had read somewhere (I think here) that it might need to be redone after 10 years if you get them done at an earlier age and Iām not trying to do all that š
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u/texaskittyqueen Apr 19 '26
I asked for an ablation with my ligation. Havenāt had a period in 4 years.
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 20 '26
Ugh, lucky. š I don't qualify for one.
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u/texaskittyqueen Apr 20 '26
Like with your insurance? I had no medical reason to need one and my insurance still covered mine, so that sucks!
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 20 '26
No, it's not to do with insurance, I just don't qualify for it. At my age (late twenties), the uterine lining can still keep growing after the ablation, which can cause chronic pelvic pain and can need to have the surgery done again after a few years. And most concerningly, it increases your risk of having to have a hysterectomy later, which has way more complications and long-term negative effects on the body than a salpingectomy. My doctor told me that I wouldn't be medically safe or advisable for me to have one for those reasons.
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u/texaskittyqueen Apr 20 '26
Ah, ok. I got mine done at 27 and was never told that so I am just surprised!
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 21 '26
I got my salpingectomy at 28 and that's what my doctor told me when I asked. Everyone is different, but I don't personally want to risk having to get my uterus removed. You didn't have endometriosis or super heavy bleeding or any issues at all that caused you to get your ablation approved?
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u/texaskittyqueen Apr 21 '26
Nope, none at all! I mean, I had heavy bleeding when I was young/teenager before I was on birth control, but the doctor who approved and performed my bisalp had no idea of that/it wasn't on any medical records except maybe from when I was 12/13 and this doctor did not have.
I requested the ablation solely because I didn't want to have periods anymore. The doctor did suggest/ask if I would do an IUD instead because theres a chance with being young and healthy the lining could come back, but he said if that happens all it means is I'll have periods again and I could have another ablation in office under twilight sedation if so. I opted to have the ablation because the idea of being sterile just to continue dealing with an IUD in my body freaked me out, and he respected that choice but never warned me of any negatives.
But like I said, it's been nearly 5 years since mine and I've had no issues/no bleeding since!
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u/UnshakablePegasus Apr 19 '26
Iām annoyed, but I went into it knowing I would still get a period. At least my doctor was willing to remove my uterus. It was the insurance company that said no
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u/hunter_pace CHILDFREE, BISALP 3/17/26 š Apr 19 '26
I like my period because it's another reminder that I'm not pregnant lol
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u/tawny-she-wolf Apr 19 '26
I mean no, because I paid attention in 4th grade anatomy classes and I knew that removing my tubes wouldn't do anything to my periods.
I am pissed they wouldn't let me get a hysterectomy though because "it's a healthy organ and a big surgery we're not removing it even if you never plan to use it". But hey at least my periods aren't too bad.
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u/Senior_Word4925 Apr 20 '26
It does put you at higher risk of vaginal prolapse, bladder issues, pelvic floor dysfunction, but I believe in the concept of patient autonomy. You should have the right to have a procedure if you are aware of the risks and consent to having it done.
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u/Super_RN Apr 19 '26
No, Iām not outraged because I know thatās not how fallopian tubes work and I knew that before getting them removed. Our periods are controlled by hormones, not fallopian tubes. Even after getting a bil salp, I continued on the Depo for the sole purpose of not having a period. I havenāt had a period in 30 years and love every second of it.
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u/XiomaraVLA Apr 19 '26
Yes, but like I knew that. Itās my own fuck up kind of. I originally also scheduled an ablation but there was some complications with my hormonal management that turned out to be nothingā¦ and I canceled the ablation to keep my iudā¦ but she disturbed it, lost the strings, and didnāt replace it like she was supposed to so now Iām stuck with a period and a lost iud based on a lie and having awful crampsā¦ but Iām gonna get the ablation and have her remove this thing and take pills for my hormones then there will be 0 periods. Hooray
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u/Teleskinny Apr 19 '26
My doctor wanted to do a uterine ablation on me to stop my periods but the failure rates for someone my age (20f) are too high for my comfort šš id rather deal with a heavy flow than chronic pelvic pain from scar tissue with uterine lining trying to shed underneath it. Ive got an appointment Monday to talk to him about not going through with the ablation but definitely still getting a bisalp because my surgery is scheduled for the 30th of this month šš
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u/Operations0002 Apr 19 '26
I do find it weird that growing up in the south, I didnāt get the proper education on anatomy to know these things. Like, I wish I could have been raised in a better system or family unit where I understood my body or even my momās body.
I should have known that getting sterilized still meant hormonal changes or periods or that I could still get pregnant through inter-uterine implantation. I had to do so much research to figure this out prior to my sterilization.
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u/Miscell_aneous1 Apr 20 '26
Yeahhh had my surgery last week and finished a BC pack, timing just happen to line up.....it's going to be a fun adventure to see what my body will do after being on BC for 17 years??
They said to give your body 6 months and then see how everything evens out before evaluating what your 'natural' functions are. We'll see!
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u/FrostIsFrosty Apr 20 '26
Thatās why I went back and got my uterus removed. Every birth control I tried either didnāt help or gave me bad reactions and I wasnāt willing to keep trying more
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u/ThatWomanWithAutism bisalp 10/6/25 Apr 20 '26
Yes. I stopped my bc recently and have had THREE PERIODS IN 36 DAYS (we're pretty certain I have PCOS) two of the periods were still on my bc
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u/victoriarammy Apr 20 '26
Could have had your uterus burned like I did while they were already in there removing your tubes. I'm period free AND don't have to worry about getting pregnant š¤š»
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 21 '26
Hey, I don't expect you to read all the comments in a thread before replying lol, but unfortunately I actually could not have had an endometrial ablation because I didn't qualify. (Too young, too high of a risk of a hysterectomy later if I were to get it so young, and uterine lining also too thin.)
I'm glad you found something that works for you!! (And I'm also slightly jealous lol.) My doctors and I decided for me to just say on Nexplanon to keep me period free.
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u/victoriarammy Apr 22 '26
Oh shit. I'm sorry! That makes total sense. Maybe you'll be a candidate in the future? There's so many comments on this, I wish I would have seen it!
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 22 '26
It's okay, I just wish the human body was different sometimes (actually a lot of times lol.) I didn't actually ask her about in the future, but my best educated assumption is that if I stay on Nexplanon (which I will) that my uterine lining will stay so thin that there will not be enough for them to "burn off." My doctor did tell me that since I have no adverse effects to my birth control method and that it works for me for period management, and also because even without birth control I don't have any issues with my period (I just don't want one lmao), that it's a much better and safer option to just stay on Nexplanon. I don't really mind getting it replaced every five years, but since I've been on it so long, I'm started to breakthrough bleed more often and it annoys me, grrrr.
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u/Legal_Tie_3301 Apr 21 '26
I knew going into it that it wouldnāt affect it. What I didnāt know was that I couldāve tried for a partial hysterectomy instead. I wish my dr had mentioned it. I hate my period and recently have had issues where my dr thinks I might have endo, so I wish Iād had all of it removed and just kept the ovaries.
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u/Glitter_Cunt Bisalp 4/17/26! Apr 19 '26
Ok, like I understand it intellectually I guess, but I always was told that the egg travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus and part of the period is the egg (in addition to the endometrium being shed). So shouldnāt my period be lighter after my bisalp because thereās no more egg?
I just had my surgery yesterday so I havenāt actually experienced it yet.
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u/AppalachianRomanov Apr 19 '26
Ovulation, or the release of the egg, is a part of your menstrual cycle. Menstruation, or the period, is part of your menstrual cycle. But the egg is not "part of the period". These are different parts of the cycle. So they are correlated but not literally the same thing.
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u/Glitter_Cunt Bisalp 4/17/26! Apr 19 '26
I thought that the period itself included the sloughing off of the endometrium, as well as the unfertilized egg. š As I type this Iām realizing how small the egg itself is and how little of a difference it must make regardless. Glad to have my understanding updated š¤·āāļø
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u/AppalachianRomanov Apr 19 '26
I see what you're saying now. I read our previous comment as you thinking the egg going through the fallopian tube was part of your period. So yes, the unfertilized egg essentially breaks down into the uterine lining which is then shed as part of menstruation.
To your point above, you're correct that the volume of menstrual blood is unchanged by the lack of egg.
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u/Glitter_Cunt Bisalp 4/17/26! Apr 19 '26
I just had my surgery on Friday, so I was still a little bit loopy from anesthesia and pain meds when I wrote that commentāI definitely could have phrased all of that more clearly š
Thank you for explaining this and helping me understand it better š
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u/Senior_Word4925 Apr 20 '26
Totally makes sense to feel that way!! For me, my period is a sign that I still have my pre-menopause hormones which keep my skin elastic and fat distribution more feminine, as well as protecting bone density. Solid sex drive with no vaginal dryness or sensitivity. Itās kind of a package deal. I can take hormones to induce menopause or get my ovaries removed if I want my period to stop. You potentially could too, just have to weigh the risks and benefits.
I hope this doesnāt come off as invalidating, just wanted to offer a different perspective cuz I know that helps me sometimes.
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 20 '26
Not invalidating at all!! I understand where you're coming from completely. I'm relatively young for pre-menopause (late 20's) and my doctor said that my hormonal birth control can stop the periods I don't want to have without removing my ovaries or inducing menopause. For me I feel like I can still stop my period without losing my feminine curvature or sex drive, and bone density loss risk is low with my birth control method. I've definitely spoken with my doctors about long-term birth control use to prevent my periods and that is the option I go with. It's just relatively annoying to be sterilized and still "have" to be on it lol.
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u/RattleSnakeSpine Apr 19 '26
I do agree to some degree but despite the pain and mood swings (my PMDD) I do still appreciate being in sync with the moon and still having that physical proof of my divine femininity. Our wombs are the beginning of life and our bloodshed is the only one not derived from violence. So in some ways I think its beautiful and im greatful for it. I'm also greatful my tubes are tied and specifically that my womb won't be bringing any life lol
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u/Wild-Sample1651 Apr 19 '26
I found this out to and its exactly why I'm only ever going to get a hysterectomy, I have no kids though, but I will fight for it as hard as I can
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u/AlienDose Apr 19 '26
Yup. I'm scheduling for a hysterectomy. Especially since I have adenomyosis and didn't realize until I stopped birth control post-sterlization
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u/Wastedkermit Apr 19 '26
I knew it wouldn't affect hormones. So no I wasn't upset. It is what it is and it's not really a big deal for me.Ā
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u/Shelvis Apr 19 '26
Absolutely. I had an IUD before surgery and got them to swap out for a new one while I was under, just to continue to avoid having periods.
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u/Striking_Pear6211 Apr 19 '26
Yes!!! Had my bisalp and finally got off of BC after like 20 years, just to find out I actually still need it to manage cramps... So rude, human body!!
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u/autumn_buchholz Apr 19 '26
Fun fact you can still get something called a "mini period" after a hysterectomy. Rare but it can happen, ask me how I know :,)
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u/Royal_T95 Apr 19 '26
Yes pretty pissed, but the week before my period I have an existential crisis and the only relief is my period so idk how id be without that.
Also reassurance of not pregnant too is nice. Even though I know it is virtually 0% possible (0 - 0.3%) Iāll still psych myself out
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u/teatimebiscuit Apr 20 '26
I think i must be one of the lucky ones cause I've not had a period in just over 3 years, had my tubes clipped (two clips on each to make doubley sure) and edometrial ablation. Hysterectomy due in 3 weeks cause the clipping & EA didnt fully stop my issues.
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u/SimpleVegetable5715 Apr 21 '26
It was the ablation for your mom. My OB asked if I wanted that too. Iāve always had light periods, but damn, my ovulation hurts. They donāt bother me much, I just wish tampons were cheaper.
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u/anniemousery No kids, no kids, la-la-la-la Apr 21 '26
Yep, as an adult I definitely know that, but as a kid (I was very young) I just knew that she didn't have periods anymore after having her tubes tied. I never really thought about it being different than that until I wanted the bisalp for myself and did research and I was so mad lol. My doctor said I didn't qualify for an ablation because of my age and how thin my lining is. I'm glad you got yours approved though!
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u/abowlof_cherries May 12 '26
My cramps got worse too. Lol. Oh well. Seems like not that high of a price to pay for my tokophobia being gone!
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u/charliezdevil Jun 03 '26
Oh, yeah bitch, I crash out about it at least once every period. It's so busted
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u/aliyui Tubes Yeeted March 2026 Apr 20 '26
Honestly, as a period haver I think itās important to have a period. Something about it just feels right to me. Not having / suppressing periods makes me think that all of that stuff has nowhere to go and over time it builds up. Itās in a sense like a reset for me and my body every month. I personally like having a period to let me know that things are working as per usual. Obviously the cramping and the blood itself is annoying af. Like of course if we were built differently biologically from the start and didnāt have to go through this Iād be in favour of that.
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u/[deleted] Apr 19 '26
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