Post Op Urination

[Megan Rose]

I've always yearned for that flood of urine that I hear from the women in other restroom stalls.  And wondered.  What would that be like for me?

When I first got the catheter out day 13 (it was delayed), I was barely able to manage a trickle. 

I'm almost at 6 weeks postop now, and the trickle has improved.  There is still a fair amount of post-op swelling, and when the swelling is down, the stream flows better.  But, even at it's best, perhaps only two-thirds of the urine flows, while the rest trickles everywhere. 

I'm still yearning for that flood....

What is everyone else's experience?  Does it improve with time? 

Oh, and, I'm having to deal with diaper-rash symptoms - I have started irrigating the area with a syringe after urination (try filling a syringe with warm water when the urge is at its peak - oh, my!).   

Has anyone else dealt with this, and how? 

Thank you!  Megan

[Vicky]

Time and healing and swelling going way down will improve things greatly.  Also as you sit down, reach behind your butt cheeks and separate things a bit to open up the labia majora.  At 90 days, about 80% of the time, the stuff goes the gravity route, and there is no mop up to seriously do with toilet paper.  Swelling controls the big matter, positioning yourself on the toilet seat does its share, and time does make things get better.  Do pat yourself dry (not wipe) carefully to get stuff dry, and the patting will soothe some of the swelling too.

[JennX]

Are you continuing to ice the area when you can? That will really help the most with the swelling.

A little tricked I figured, not sure it is applicable to everyone else, is that I can aim the stream to some degree by moving the area right above the vagina aka the mons pubis. Kinda helpful at times.

[Nicole]

I used to put a ice pack, wrapped in a towel each night.

It was about 3 to 6 months before it became a "normal" flow, but I didn't really notice. I think early on I sprayed once or twice but I used to learn right forward and that helpped keeping it in the bowl, I did used to go through toilet paper a lot more than now because of the early clean up.

Nic

[Rena-san]

I am deeply worried about post-op urination. It is my second biggest concern after anethesia in fact. I can barely urinate now. I am really hoping that this surgery fixes that for me. It is actually one of the reasons I am having it.

[JennX]

I was told by the Suporn staff that icepacks only decrease the swelling the first week after surgery. I still have lots of swelling and when I left the hospital after a revision they gave me an icepack and a week later they told me to stop with the icepack because it was useless..

My 'flow' varies a lot.. Sometimes it's normal (or what I expect normal to be) and sometimes I spray my anus wet.. I'm not sure why it varies. Perhaps it depends on the swelling on that moment?

Ice will reduce swelling. That's a fact of science. Unless you have some sort of complication or special condition, cold will cause vasoconstriction... Heat will cause vasodilation. Simple physics. Makes no difference if you're in Thailand or the USA.

[Jenna Marie]

It definitely took longer than that for me - I want to say more like 3-4 months before it was *mostly* that kind of stream, and I still (nearly a year post-op) have the occasional quirky attempt. These days it may just be that labia normally get in the way, though.

For the diaper rash symptoms, you might want to try using frequently changed bits of very soft cloth in your panties; I used a chopped-up baby blanket for weeks, changing (and later washing) each scrap every time I had to pee.

[Vicky]

We each need to follow our OWN doctors instructions on this sort of thing.  The whole bunch of them do things slightly differently, and Suporn does do multiple layers in his surgery, so maybe the tissue that is still swelling is too deep to be affected by surface vasoconstriction.  McGinn, Bowers, Leis and Meltzer and most other U.S. surgeons do keep stuff on the top layers, so the swelling from their techniques will respond to cold easier and better.  So if the instructions differ, remember who you paid to do your job!!    

[milktea]

hey i'm very bothered by the rash thing too...developed a small patch of rash near the perineum that itch like hell, which went away on its own some time ago but came back again...i think it is an allergic reaction to all the icky stuff that leaks out now and then, and since i'm freeballing at home i just have to either wash or wipe it every hour or so.
if things go real bad try calamine...it worked for me!

[Vicky]

The most frequent rash that can occur is a yeast infection which responds much better and for longer periods if it is treated by a specific medication of fungus infections.  A doctor can diagnose them quickly and easily, and it can be your GP who does it. That will clear things up and keep them from coming back, but non-supervised use of a fungicide cream can make matters worse by miles. 

[Megan Rose]

I am deeply worried about post-op urination. It is my second biggest concern after anethesia in fact. I can barely urinate now. I am really hoping that this surgery fixes that for me. It is actually one of the reasons I am having it.

That was not a worry for me.  I knew it couldn't get worse.  And, as anticipated, the flow is much faster than before.  It's still not where I'd like it, but it's only been six weeks.

Megan