endometrial ablasion

[Laurab14]

Anyone heard of using Endometrial ablasion for permanent sterilization? I had a student tell me this is very popular instead of getting your tubes tied. She states 1. no periods ever, 2. higher success than tubal, 3. weight loss. I am thinking this is too good to be true. I looked on line and haven't seen anything related to sterilization. My friend works in surgery and says they do 5-10 of them a day.

Any info would be appreciated.

Laura

[cassioo, RN]

That is used to decrease uterine bleeding by burning the lining of the uterus but one can still get pregnant and should use some birth control if premenopausal. Procedure is even done in some offices as well as outpatient. Check out webmd for some info

http://women.webmd.com/endometrial-ablation-16200

[SmilingBluEyes]

As said above it is used for excessive bleeding, not sterilization. Our doctors do this in office and require all patients to understand the implications on future fertility (that the patient is sure she is done with adding to her family), but it is never offered as contraception or birth control.

[DDRN4me]

I had one years ago; when they were still considered experimental for relief from severe endometriotic bleeding. was told then it Might effect fertility but no guarantees. it is not a permanent procedure either; mine was only effective ~5 yrs.

[SoCalHeart]

I have a family member that had this done. She was in her late 50's at the time and still having regular periods, no menopause yet, punctuated by times of severely heavy bleeding. She was worried and went to her doc who was concerned she wasn't on any type of BC and could still get pregnant. She's been fine since but the doctor was animate that they needed to "scorch" everything so if in the offchance she did end up having a fertilized egg it wouldn't find anywhere to implant. Hmmm, I never really considered that people may pursue this treatment for sterilization purposes solely, interesting!

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Weight loss? I should have been so lucky! When I had mine, I was told it might end my periods and would definitely affect my fertility (thank God---I was 43 and more than ready to be done with worries about birth control) but never that it would cause weight loss.

Well, I continued to have periods for another couple of years, although they were never again as heavy as they had been, and then they dwindled to nothing by the time I was 47. I've always been glad I had the procedure done......I'm through menopause now, and I think it may have shortened the process by several years since all the other women in my family didn't stop menstruating until they were past fifty. I'm tickled pink to be done with all that!

[Illinurse2010]

I had this done last December for heavy menstrual bleeding. I was told that it is not sterilization that I can still get pregnant and It makes your risk high for ectopic pregnancy. I have personally had little good come from this procedure, my periods are still heavy, the only difference is that I only have them once every 27-28 days instead of every 20-23 days.

[SmilingBluEyes]

It seems to either work VERY well or not at all from the stories I have heard from my patients and a couple of coworkers who have undergone this procedure. Most were satisfied----the few who were not, however, became my patients for hysterectomy. It definitely does not work for everyone. Risk/benefits talks should be extensive before undergoing ablation, like any procedure.

[rnheart]

I had mine done last February and have been very pleased with the results ( no period or just spotting). My Doc told me that it could render me infertile but there was still a chance of pregnancy and that if that did happen it would be a very high risk pregnancy- risk from ectopic all the way to abruption or percreta. Thankfully hubby had already been fixed. so no more worries of pregnancy

[Jolie, BSN]

I wonder if this student was confusing endometrial ablation with sclerosing of the fallopian tubes, although I don't believe the latter procedure would stop periods.

[CalNevaMimi, LPN, LVN]

Second to the tubal ligation I had after my second child, this procedure was the best thing ever! I haven't had any hint of a period since my outpatient procedure in May. However long this keeps up, fine with me. I was told that it is possible for some women to get pregnant afterwards and only women who have completed their families should consider it. Here's some advice to women who are having it done without general: Make sure you get enough pain control! The nurse asked me about my pain tolerance and, like a dummy, I said that I had a pretty high one. I wasn't supposed to feel much during the frying of my uterus, but oh lordy. It was like having a major labor pain that lasted two minutes.

[bookworm1]

This is something I am seriously considering having done in the near future. The fact that so many people think it is an alternative to birth control is interesting. All the information I've read has clearly stated that the patient CAN get pregnant and must continue using birth control methods because pregnancy post-procedure can be dangerous. I am guessing that the uterine scarring increased the risk of the uterus ripping if a fertilized egg were to successfully implant. In addition, it does highly increase the chance of ectopic pregnancy (according to the pamphlets).

btw, those who have had it, how long did it take for you to get back on your feet? My doc highly recommends it for me, but I don't want to take the chance of feeling too sick or be in too much pain to attend class or clinical. The doc was vague on the subject and just explained that it varies with each person...

He could have at least given me a range!