Bleeding heavily 3 weeks after novasure ablation - has anyone else had this?

[kasbah72]

I had a novasure ablation almost 3 weeks ago and had zero follow up or explanations about what to expect. I have obviously done a fair amount of searching online but most stories seem to be American and a procedure done under local which does not sound anything like what I've had!

So I had bleeding and watery discharge for a few days, with a fair amount of cramping and discomfort. The pain went away after a week but the pale pink/odd tiny clots/brown bleeding discharge continued which seemed to make sense. However, after 12 days I have gone back to full on red bleeding. This does not coincide with when my period would be expected.

I am cramping a bit, feel really tired and am totally fed up with constantly bleeding or having that watery discharge. I am not allowed to wear tampons until it heals - I'm sure that is making me feel much worse as well!

Saw the GP yesterday who said that bleeding should stop nowish but it's not unheard of to go on for longer. She checked and swabbed for infection but said all looks fine on that front.

Can anyone share their recovery stories? How long did you bleed for? Did it ever stop?! What should I be expecting?

Thank you

Just a little bump to see if anyone has any ablation recovery information or experience please?

Sounds like you are doing too much!

I wish that was it. I took 2 weeks off work and have done very little, to be honest. At the weekends I've been more active in as much as ferrying kids to hobbies etc. But I haven't exercised, haven't commuted, haven't worked. It's so frustrating.

Doesn't sound like my recovery. That was 2 weeks of watery discharge and I was back to normal activity well within 2 weeks.

You can still have periods and it doesn't always work. Was there a phone number on your discharge notes?

I had about three weeks of heavy bleeding interspersed with watery discharge and painful cramps.
I was really miserable thinking that I had gone through it (I found the procedure awfully painful) for nothing.
Then suddenly I was fine - periods are now regular as clockwork and last about 24 hours with minimal bleeding. Previously I was having 90 day periods that made me anaemic!
Hope that your recovery starts soon.

Can you call your gynae consultant/their secretary?

I would keep on top of this until you are sure it's all completely healed. At the very least you should have a follow up appointment with the surgeon that performed the procedure. If you're not happy by the end of the weekend I would ring their secretary at the hospital and discuss the situation with them asking for an outpatient appointment.

I'm not saying this is the problem and our gynaecological histories are different but I had a Novasure ablation in 2016 and in the first few weeks had similar symptoms and everything seemed to settle down by 12 weeks. However by 16 weeks the pain flared up again and without putting too much detail here I developed Post Ablation Tubal Sterilisation Syndrome. It is hardly heard of in the UK, many gynaecologists just don't know what it is when it's presented. The chances are everything will settle down but just be aware of it. PM me if you want to chat further or ask any questions. Good luck.

Aornis - that's what I was hoping for but no such luck so far.

Random - no telephone number, no follow up appointment, no visit or report from the consultant even before discharge. It's actually a shocking lack of after care. Went to the GP yesterday and she was not impressed either!

Tarquin - oh, that sounds like an exact mirror of me up to the point of the 3 weeks. It gives me hope that this might ease off soon. If I could end up with regular, 24 hour and light periods I would be over the moon. Thank you! I also found the procedure a lot more painful than i was expecting. I've had lots of previous investigations and surgeries and childbirth so thought I would be fine. It was horrible.

Spork - I tried that the day after the op but he was then going on annual leave. The message I got back was that the procedure went fine and that I should hopefully see a reduction in my menstrual bleeding. Helpful. When I tried calling again last week I was told again that he doesn't do follow ups and to see the GP if I had any issues.

Sparkling - that sounds horrendous. Thanks for the tip and I will make sure I don't dismiss the symptoms if they carry on. As I said above, the consultant is hopeless on the after care side. TO be honest, he rushed patients in and out without any discussions on anything, even on normal appointments. I'm not sure I would get anything useful from him. What I will do is follow up the swab and blood test from the GP and then push for a new referral with a different consultant if things don't improve. Thanks for the warning. I may well DM you if things don't change. I hope you are now recovered?

It took my a month to fully recover but had my tubes clipped at the same time so it's dare to know how much that impacted! Can't remember about the discharge side of things though! I did still have very light spotting periods though.

I assume you have been told that unless sterilised you can still get pregnant and if you do it can have very serious consequences?

Hi random. No tubes clipping for me but knowing it could be 3-4 weeks is reassuring. Light spotting periods would be such an immense improvement I would grab that with both hands!

Yes, getting pregnant is rarely a problem for me anyway but I will make sure we are careful. I would have taken sterilisation at the same time if it was an option, to be honest.

This is basically the last step before they will agree to a hysterectomy which obviously brings its own side effects and disadvantages as well as the pros of no more insane periods, fibroids, polyps and cysts. If it can work until I naturally move in to menopause then that would be extremely helpful.

Mine has gone haywire since I became peri menopausal some 7 years after op spotting most days tbh however it was still worth it!!!

My consultant was most keen to get one of us sterilised!

I am 3 weeks post procedure. Had been spotting and discharge but that’s it. Was thinking I was on mend and just started bleeding again even though not due for my period. Does anyone know how long this hell lasts???

Did this ever resolve.......I am literally YOU right now. 3 weeks post op and bleeding heavily for the last 9 days like my old periods (first 10 were the watery stuff)
I'm SO over this....
please follow up and let me know if there is hope!
Tammy

Hi

I am day 21 post Novasure ablation and perplexed! I had almost no bleeding post op and then on day 10 the watery discharge changed to light brown/pink and that’s been coming ever since. It sometimes gushes and isn’t heavy like my periods were but it feels like it’s never ending.

Am hoping it’s part of the healing process.

Any updates from the other ladies would be appreciated.

Hi
I had mine done on Nov 23
I had wd for the first week or so then pink to heavy heavy period for 13 days straight.
I could not figure out HOW!
I had the novasure and a d&c and my tubes removed.
Where in the bloody hell (pun intended) was all this blood coming from???
After that it has been light spotting and this past day cramps with wd again with the odd pink wipe.
I’m so over this!
I have my follow up on Friday the 28 (this week) and I know he will just say to wait but FRIG!
I wanted that magic that people got!
Nothing can ever go right for me with this stupid crap.
I just want to not wear a damn pad ever again!
It’s been hell since it started at age 9 .... I’m 45!
Shoot me!

Such a sense of relief to read these posts - thank you all for sharing. I had an entrometrial (balloon) ablation on 20th December. All went well, had bloody discharge and cramping for the next 3 days and then to my horror on Christmas Eve I started to bleed so heavily I thought my insides were falling out. It was so horrific. The pain with it was bad, and I haven’t had period pains for about 20 years! The doc on call prescribed norethisterone for 3 days until the GP surgery opened after Christmas. Straight to the GP after Christmas who acted on the consultants discharge notes and stopped the norethisterone and started me on Cerazette contraceptive pill (which apparently contains a lower dose of norethisterone - not very reassuring since the norethisterone was the only thing that seemed to work pre and post procedure).
Since then I have been thoroughly miserable. There is a random part of every day where I am flooding, with clots, and pain;seems like I am right back to where I started pre procedure. I am living on co-codamol and ibruprofen. I haven’t the energy of a flea and have no idea how I am going to return to work next week, but i can’t take time off work because of my period, right? Reading the posts here I have now a tiny glimmer of hope that my procedure has not totally failed - maybe if I hang in another couple of weeks things will improve. Right now if I was offered a hysterectomy I would be over the moon, even though it is a much more serious operation. My follow up is not until 18th February, and like another poster, there was no advice on what to do/who to contact if things didn’t go according to plan.

Small update
So I went for my post if Friday and glad to report I have only a tinge if brown on the TP now when I wipe the last 2 days.
Dr said all was good and see you in April.
The Beeve is being AIRED out finally after having to wear pads for almost 9 months (only5 weeks post op)
Now we have to wait and see if I actually get another period.
I even asked satay at the mall to end my misery and give me the gift of no more monthly.... yep I was that desperate.
Apparently so far I got my gift!
I’ll update if I get a period or if anything else happens :)
Tammy

Tammy I really hope yours has been a success and you have finally got the magic you hoped for. Nowhere in any literature that was provided was a “recovery” like yours or mine documented; that’s why these posts are so helpful. Thank you for updating...... I am now going to use your recovery as my yardstick. I think it’s really good for other people to know too that it is not always plain sailing post procedure - it took me some hunting online to find these posts.
Can I ask you if you took much time off work? People I know returned the day after the procedure - I still don’t feel ready.

I am considering asking for this procedure. Not so sure now! Did it get better?

Cottonsock I am 10 days post procedure so am in the middle of recovery hell right now. I am hopeful though after reading some of the posts above that things will eventually improve. I don’t think my experience is typical though so don’t let my story put you off. Will post again if/when things improve. Good luck if you go for it.

I am a stay at home mom atm.
I also had my tubes removed during this surgery so recovery was a bit longer for me.
And I bled like a stuffed pig for over 2 weeks , like I called my OB 3 times worried I was going to bleed out!
I clearly did not but it felt that way.
When I had my usual period I bled that bad BUT for only 6-8 hours not weeks!
I pray it will never come back at all but with my history of problems with my period my whole life I’m not holding my breath.
If it comes back I just pray it’s light and short lived.
Tammy

@CottonSock

Hi

I was pretty unwell afterwards as I mentioned but it absolutely was worth it, I got my life back!!!

On Christmas day I just thought this is enough. I wouldn't be able to leave house. Bleeding through heavy duty protection every 15 mins. But this is usually only 24 hours of my cycle. Was this similar to your reasons for having it? Or should I just imagine I'm in range of normal?!