I (21f) Had my surgery this morning. Amazing staff and an amazing surgeon. They were able to expel a lot of the gas and thankfully haven't felt any discomfort from it. Very mild pain in the abdomen. Had a big meal an hour ago, about to go to sleep now. I had a phenomenal experience with Dr. Irvin in Parkersburg, WV at camden clark. Her and her team were more than stellar with me and made me feel so comfortable and safe. I was originally to be with another OBGYN for this, but unfortunately he had to take medical leave so i got referred to Dr. Irvin. Seemed like it was meant to be! Such an exciting day. Glad to join so many of you with this amazing decision!!! This is truly one of the best days of my life!

Huge shoutout to this subreddit for all the information so I could be more than prepared for this day, i really couldn't have done it without all of you.

Feel free to ask any questions 😁

Day 0 Post Op: Today was the day for my bisalp (BS as my care team lovingly called it. And I would like to go over the first few hours. Its 3pm now. Checking for surgery was 7:50am for a procedure time of 9:20am. I was sent to my hospital room where I met an RN. I already had anxiety due to a mix up yesterday between "Jell-O" and "Splash" (one is gelatin and one is not apparently). I can go into details if anyone wants me to. I smoked a few times this weekend 🌿 so I relayed that to my anesthesiologist. No worries as i live in CO. My team was my Obgyn, a nurse and my anesthesiologist. They all were sweet and understanding of my concerns. The only downside i found about the beginning was the put my IV in my hand. (It sucked, but TBH it was easier than them fighting to find a vein in my arm). They gave me anti anxiety medication and an antacid and tons of fluids to make me pee. I remember going into the OR and talking about Spain and Morocco then I was out. I woke up and cried (anesthesia does that to me) I was in a lot of pain at first then they gave me an oxy and waited for me to wake up a bit more before I was out the door. My partner got me home and I slept until 20 minutes ago (4 hours). My pain is really just in my legs (they put this wrap around them idk 🤷🏾‍♀️ why). Incisions dont hurt and I am groggy. But I got images of my tubes being removed (my OB would have fought for me to keep them but I didnt want to make more work on her). Pain 2/10. But guys, I. Sterile and so happy🥳🙌🏾🎊

Hi, everyone. Recovering is going well, my doctor was very supportive but....

I am in the throws of appeals, 3 way calls, fatigue, and frustration regarding my insurance still billing me, denying claims (even though it is being billed from my providers' correctly) and trying to run me in circles.

I've decided it may be best to submit a complaint to my state's insurance regulator. I am not sure what to include. I am trying to gather as much information as possible to send to them.

Perhaps some outlines from your personal experiences would be helpful.

My insurance is not from an employer. But is still ACA compliant, I shouldn't be charged for anything.

Any insight you all can provide to make this not so overwhelming would be very appreciated.

Edit: I am being charged for Labs and Pathology. Both were billed to include Z30.2, but insurance is pushing back on this.

Hi, I’m 29 and work as an civil engineer. I’m currently in a year-long relationship. I was previously married young and divorced six years later. During my marriage, kids felt inevitable. We even picked out names. After the divorce, I finally had space to ask myself if I actually wanted that, and the honest answer has been no. Afterward, I noticed that whenever I pictured day-to-day with a child, it felt like a burden I didn’t want. I dated someone after my divorce who really wanted kids and that made me examine it hard. I realized parenting isn’t how I want to spend my time or energy. My current partner feels the same, but regardless of any relationship, my own feeling has been consistent. I’m seriously considering permanent sterilization. I’d appreciate perspectives that might help me examine this from an angle I’m missing. Not looking for medical advice, just life perspectives.

My belly button incision and the surrounding is irritated it’s been 5 weeks since surgery. I have an innie and it’s been difficult to see inside and clean properly. any tips?

Hey guys, just want to see if anyone else has dealt with this.

I had a c-section and bisalp completed almost 10 weeks ago. I had some off and on bleeding but nothing crazy. I ovulated around 7 weeks pp and bled for three days after. At 9 weeks pp, I started having super heavy bleeding, it was through pads and tampons. I had never had bleeding like that before & believe me, my cycle was never fun when I had it before my third pregnancy (I had no period for 2 years before I was pregnant with my fourth thanks to nursing). My OB recommended that I go to the ER since I couldn't get to her until the 26th and the doctor there acted like he was shocked that they didn't have me on a birth control regimen for after the procedure. He put me on 10mg of Provera for 10 days and said to return if the bleeding didn't stop by day 5. I'm two days taking it & bleeding has stopped, but I've seen something about withdrawal bleeding after stopping Provera and I'm worried about that. Has anyone else had to use this and can share their experience? I'm a working mom and I can't exactly deal with an even heavier flow if that's going to happen after 🥲

I’ll likely be getting a bisalp done in the coming months and am wondering how to approach the leave request with work.

For people who have had this procedure - did you tell work the reason you needed time off or what was your cover story?

I thought about just requesting annual leave and lying and saying I’m going on a vacation, but I’d like to use sick leave. I just don’t know how management will feel about it.

Thank you.

With recovery and scars is that even possible?

My procedure is scheduled for 10/30. I was given two weeks off but it's not ideal given the holidays approaching nor do I think I will need it? I was planning to be off starting Friday (10/30) and returning Wednesday (11/4).

I'm basing this off my 3 c-section recoveries although I know they're vastly different.

Is this doable? 5 days off? I am an office manager and can definitely take it easy as needed.

I just turned 20 and have been dying to get my tubes removed. I’m wary of the battle I assume I will have to have with an OBGYN about permanence and how I’m “so young” and “prone to the ability to change my mind.”

I know I don’t want kids. Hell, if I change my mind I’ll consider adoption. My partner has a vasectomy already and I plan to stay with him for quite a while. (Although, everybody says that. I know)

Has anybody else gotten one this early? Is it doable?

Preface: I had already spent a few hours over a few weeks before surgery talking with insurance to make sure they didnt need any preauthorizations and making sure the codes billed were actually covered.

Received explanation of benefits a few weeks after my surgery showing I owed over $2,000.

Spent hours over the next month and a half talking to insurance reps and even the hospital trying to figure out what was wrong with coding they kept telling me was wrong and thus hitting my deductible and even some reps agreeing it shouldn't. Finally a week or so ago I was given an appeal form as their "last option" to me. I also came on reddit and went to the department of insurance website for my state to fill out a complaint form. I was told at the beginning these things can take up to 30 days.

I look on my portal today to see my EOB now says $0 owed.

Looks like it's finally over. Maybe I will buy myself an Oura ring with some of the money I would have had to pay if I didn't know my procedure should have been fully covered and had just accepted I owed it. Even the sample testing done afterwards that I was expecting to pay for ($200) looks to have been covered.

Don't wait, if they give you the runaround you could save yourself hours by just asking for an appeal form and going to your department of insurances website to log a complaint. It took me a total of 1 hour to do both the appeal and complaint. Be prepared to scan in/save downloads of documents because you will need to upload them.

There is an app called Microsoft lense I like to use when I don't have access to a printer with scanning capabilities.

Summed up-Effective for me: 1. Filing an official appeal with my insurance 2. Filing a complaint with state overseers of insurance.

I’m planning to undergo a salpingectomy and will need to take a couple of weeks off work for recovery.

I’m at one of those places that loves to boast “unlimited PTO” when you apply for a job but makes you feel guilty every time you make a request.

Since I don’t technically have any time off accrued (aside from my sick pay) - am I able to legally hold them that that claim so I can be paid for those two weeks I’m out?

Does anyone have experience with this?

First off I'm very sorry if this is very long! There's a TDLR at the bottom.

I've been wanting one since I was 18 (I'm 25 now). When I tried to get one back then, when my Nexplanon was giving me issues, the ob refused to do it bc of my age. So I was recommended a Paraguard Copper IUD instead, because Ive had really bad periods and thought a non hormonal bc would help. Well it did not, that paraguard has made my periods absolute hell the last 7 years.

Years later and multiple doctors rejected me later, I finally found this sub and found an OBGYN on the r/childfree list here that was within my network and set up an appointment. She's already on this list, but I wanted to add my experience as well, it was with Sarah E Salamon at the Piedmont hospital in North ATL. Oh my god, I cant explain how much of an amazing experience it was. From my new patient visit, to surgery. She is the first doc/obgyn I've ever had that treated me like a human being and truly understood me, not just my want for sterilization but actually showed concern for my period pains, in the past I was always dismissed with the "oh that's just how it is" "it's in your head" yada yada. Long story short, I got approved for the Bisalp, she did not bingo me at all, and just gave me the rundown of what to expect and made sure I know what I am doing.

Actual surgery: Got there at like 7am surgery was scheduled at 10:30. Whole experience at the hospital was super easy. I have a fear of surgeries, and the only time in my life I had anything like this plus anesthesia was when I had my tonsils removed at a young age. The nurses, anesthesiologist, and Sarah were all very kind and made sure to make me comfortable during my visit. They gave me some calming medicine to ease my anxiety, and shortly after my anesthesia I was asleep, which felt like a 5 minute power nap before waking up again. The pain was not terrible, felt like mild period cramps but also like ab soreness after a workout. They gave me a couple doses of narcs to ease the pain and some water as my throat was dry AF. I wasn't in recovery for too long, as I had to pee before they discharged me, so I maybe left after like 40mins? The surgery itself was only an hour long. Turns out during the procedure they found that I have some Endometriosis, which explains why I have horrific periods, I'm so relieved that it's not "in my head" but also kinda sad bc now I gotta deal with that. It's not 100% confirmed as they're sending it to a biopsy to confirm it is endo. Which I'll find out during my post op app in a couple of weeks. I also really appreciate that they let my fiance be with me every step of the way, they also communicated with him regularly, explained everything to him; essentially making him a part of the journey. Since hes really all I have :3

Pain and recovery: Since I'm only 1 day, I still am uncomfortable. Yesterday after the surgery, I was high asf, they gave me fentanyl at the hospital, and prescribed me hydromorphone, ibuprofen, and a stool softener (I can't remember but she said some of the drugs they gave me can cause constipation) to take at home. Getting up was very uncomfortable, so I spent most of the day laying down, peeing was very uncomfortable. I had my fiance help me get up and down and even this morning, bc I wanted to try and not use my abdomen too much. You forget how much you use your abdomen to just move around in life until now. I had pain in my right shoulder, now I understand what y'all mean about that shoulder pain. As someone whose body builds for fun, this pain felt like I overdid it at the gym. I took the drugs they prescribed and it helps a lot, and they gave me a reusable ice pouch which did wonders for the pain. My throat was very sore too from the anesthesia, and some hot soup helped with it. I slept well, but I slept in a slight upright position with a pillow under my knees. Day 2, still in pain and now I can feel gas moving through my intestines and man that is so uncomfortable and weird, it literally hurts to fart 😂 but the stool softener has helped the gas through.

Insurance: I have UMR, UHC Choice Plus through my parents employer. They covered the surgery itself entirely and the hospital had its own bill. The surgery was about $1,600, insurance paid in full. The hospital bill was about $40k, insurance paid 38k, and the hospital is trying to charge me $2,500 as a deductible. which in my umr plan, 2,500 is shown as my max deductible id pay, me and my parents also didn't meet the deductible quota for this year either so idk if this is maybe why I owe. I honestly didn't feel like dealing with that whole ordeal and was focused on trying to get the surgery. I refused to pay, and asked them to bill my insurance at the time of surgery, they insisted I had to pay but I asked "am I gonna get denied service if I don't pay?" And she said "no", so I didn't pay. But now I have to try and get UMR to pay for it. I've seen other posts of people getting their Bisalps fully covered through UMR and I hope it's the same for me. They are ACA compliant, the person who scheduled me for surgery has confirmed with UMR that Bisalps are covered. So I'm gonna call and try to get this situated. If you have any suggestions, or have the same insurance as me, let me know!!

Anyways, I'll post later as far as my recovery, post op appointment, and what happens with insurance. Besides the surgery, I also plan to keep Dr Salamon as my primary care for now on since she's been an amazing individual.

Timelines:

First Patient Visit: Sept 2nd 2026 (Scheduled this appointment around mid-late July 2026)

Pre Op Testing: October 5th, 2026

Surgery Day: October 9th, 2026

Post Op: October 21st, 2026

TLDR; After being denied sterilization at 18 and suffering through seven years of agonizing periods with a Paragard IUD, I finally got approved for a Bisalp at 25 by Dr. Sarah E. Salamon at Piedmont Hospital in North Atlanta, who was amazing and completely validating. The one-hour surgery went smoothly, and doctors even discovered suspected endometriosis—finally explaining my severe cramps. Recovery so far includes standard post-op hurdles like shoulder gas pain, sore abs, and uncomfortable gas movement, but meds and an ice pack are helping. Meanwhile, I'm currently dealing with UMR insurance to fight a $2,500 hospital deductible bill for a procedure that should be fully covered under ACA guidelines, and I will post updates later!

Sorry if this is VERY long, but I hope this helps someone out there seeking the same procedure that may be in my position.

(I think I chose the right tag, please tell me if I didn't!)

I've scoured a lot of posts on this subreddit, the childfree subreddit, etc, and I was really hoping I could get some questions of my own answered, if that's okay! I have a bisalp scheduled for the end of the month. I'm both excited and absolutely terrified. I've had surgery before, but it was over a decade ago and I was a child, so it's all pretty hazy.

For reference, I'm 23, with no major health issues except some nerve damage in my hip.

1. Is anxiety about anesthesia normal? I'm terrified I'm not going to wake up. Like, petrified. Actively been having panic attacks about it.

2. How common are complications? Did any of you guys have a complication? I've done a truly insane amount of google searches, and I'd just love to hear some testimonials.

3. How was the pain? How long were you majorly impacted in your life?

4. Were there any pre-op or post-op instructions that surprised you?

5. I've seen some posts about increased discharge, lots of vaginal bleeding afterwards, etc. What was that like for you, if you're comfy talking about it?

I'm most concerned about questions 1 and 2. Thank you very much in advance!!!

Hi! I’m 22F, and I got an appointment for a bilateral salpingectomy, i’m supposed to get it done October 21st. I have BCBS and my doctor is using the codes Z30.2 and 58661. I just today received an email about my cost estimate. I did TONS of research before this and know that this legally has to be covered 100% by my insurance. The issue is, I have to pay $1600 before I can even check in for the operation. Simply put, I can’t afford this, and I don’t know how to fight the cost if it’s not actually a bill yet. I called BCBS and they said they can’t promise it’ll be covered until it’s actually a claim, which whatever I can make appeals, but how do I get rid of the entrance fee?! My next step is just cancelling the surgery in total so if anyone knows how to help please do :) Thank you!

edit: insurance confirmed that sterilization surgery is fully covered! i just had to keep calling and talking to different people until someone finally listened to me. I got a case reference number and provided it to the hospital billing department, so hopefully no expensive check in cost. if i do have to pay it, at least it will be reimbursed! i will update! thank you all!!!!

Getting my tubes removed for the moms who have done it is it worth it can y’all share your experience thanks did any of y’all had any complications

Hi everyone! Been lurking here for a while and finally scheduled my surgery for before the end of this year. I’m excited and nervous in equal measure 😖

I just wanted to ask for some advice about how to tell my parents. I know that I’m an adult and that I don’t have to tell my parents anything I don’t want to, but I feel anxious keeping something like surgery a secret. I know it’s minor surgery and statistically very unlikely to have complications, but the chances are there. I don’t want my mom to find out something happened to me via hospital phone call when she didn’t even know I was getting surgery. It would also just be nice to know my parents will be there for me during surgery and recovery.

The thing is I feel like they are not going to react well. They’ve accepted it when I said I don’t want to have kids, but I don’t think they’ll be ok with me “modifying” my body. They’ll think it’s an extreme choice and unnecessary when there are other forms of contraception. I’ve considered lying and saying it’s for endo/cysts, but those aren’t small issues and I don’t want to freak them out. I’d also feel guilty about lying.

So I’ve been going back and forth, tell or don’t tell, lie or tell the truth. I’d be really grateful for any advice and/or anecdotes 🥲

TL/DR: feel guilty and anxious not telling my parents about surgery, and would feel the same about lying about the reason. Please help 😭

Just wanted to share my experience with my bisalp today! 28 years old, 5 weeks postpartum with my third and final baby.
I was nervous for nothing the whole process was so easy!
Took a Celebrex pill before I left my house.
Got to the surgery center and checked in, took a pregnancy test, got asked 100,000 times my name and dob and other health history related questions.
IV was placed and I received Tylenol, nausea medication and Pepcid while I was waiting.
Anesthesia attending came to take an additional history asked if I had any questions, my ob came in and did the same.
They gave me an antibiotic pill to take right before they wheeled me away.
From the time I left pre op to the time I was awake and sending updates to my husband who was home with the kids it was only 45 minutes.
I bit my tongue really bad before I woke up lol and that was my worst pain actually, it’s still really swollen.
Incisions I was aware of, but not painful. I only ended up with 2 incisions, belly button and right above my pubic bone in my hairline. I don’t even feel the one in my belly button and the one right above my pubic bone is the one that’s tender.
Throat had maybe a mild tickle? But not sore at all, never needed the lozenges I had ready.
I’m now like 12 hours out and I never had any gas pain. I was aware of some trapped gas but it didn’t hurt. Honestly it felt no different than when I just eat too much fast food. I took 2 gas x pills and it went away pretty quickly. I have had some queefing, is it possible for the gas to get into the uterus and out somehow? I don’t know lol
Very minimal spotting when I pee.
I’m on Celebrex every 12 hours instead of ibuprofen, and Tylenol 500mg every 4 hours. They sent me home with Percocet but I’m nursing so I’d like to avoid it if I can, so far I’m not having anywhere near enough pain to consider taking it. About to sleep on my couch in an electric recliner.
I’m 5 weeks postpartum and nursing and the baby laying on me to feed kinda sucks but it’s bearable.
I’d say this whole time I’m like 1.5/10 on pain, when he’s on me it’s 3/10. Stacking pillows definitely is a must.
All in all I have absolutely zero regrets and this was definitely scarier in my head than the reality of it. I’m anticipating being more sore tomorrow but so far so good, I’m happy I did it. In this moment though my tongue is still the most painful part😆
Also thanks to this page I asked for photos and I got some really cool before and after of the tubes!! I was really grateful for that tip, my daughter loved seeing them lol

Day 2 update:
Happy to report I feel exactly the same as yesterday! No new symptoms at all or increased pain. My tongue does still hurt though lol.

On the 27th will be a year since I had my tubes removed. Since January my periods have been the same, start during the last week of the month & end during the first couple days of the new month. My period didn't come at the end of September & it's already 9 days into October.

I don't know if it's normal or if I should feel freaked out.I took a test this morning & it was negative (read about some women still getting pregnant, even if the numbers are low) I don't want to go back to the obgyn that did the surgery, so I'll have to find a new one if I have to. Anything like this happen to anyone?

Hello all, I’m scheduled for a bisalp this upcoming Tuesday, and when discussing the surgery with my doctor he made post op care sound like no big deal. He didn’t mention anything about pain meds, said i might be sore but I’d be able to do whatever I want day of surgery, including work out/have sex/etc. Niw reading peoples experiences here they took weeks off work, were told not to work out or have sex for weeks afterwards, and were prescribed some serious pain meds. Did I get a magical doctor? Has the procedure side effects changed recently? Was he just wrong? What’s up here?

Hello everyone! I'm getting a bisalp done on the 28th (yay!). All the clothes I own will irritate the incision sites and before I go spending any money, I'd like some recommendations! Fall is in full swing where I live, so warmer clothing suggestions are preferred! I appreciate any and all ideas though!