Hey guys I am just so excited I had to write about it right away.
So I just had my orchiectomy yesterday(8 am) with Dr. Marc Arnkoff in Southfield, Michigan.
I heard about him from an Ashley and Cadence(I believe those are their names) who posted on this forum before.
And I have to mention right away he does not require a therapist letter or hormone usage.
The price is currently $2,500. He told me to bring my money order with me. You can tell he wants you to be sure he doesn't do it only for the money because if he did he would require the money before you arrive. I used a bank check because the bank said I can't have a money order exceeding a certain amount of money. A bank check is fine he just doesn't accept personal checks.
First of all I want to say it's amazing how good I feel. He prescribed Cephalexin 4 times daily and I also took two Acetaminophen with Codeine every four hours at first after the orchiectomy. Now I am taking it every six hours. If I continue feeling painless I will not take any more Codeine because they are strong pills and Dr Arnkoff told me to be careful with them.
I have not felt any real pain but when I felt a little coming on yesterday and this morning I just took the Codeine and it stopped.
I have never taken any female hormones or anti androgens before but when he saw my testicles he said it should be easy because of the shape and I believe also because they were small. I am so glad I ignored all the urologists here in Boston who tried to force me to take hormones for a year first.
I know some people report good effects from them but it's not for everyone and often they can have bad effects. I think it's because hormones= $$.
Nobody should be forced to take them prior to an orchiectomy.
An orchiectomy is permanent and INSTANT relief from testosterone. I was desperate to have it and thank God i found Dr Arnkoff.
He gave me the local anesthesia shots. There were a few. I didn't count. They felt like pinches. Nothing scary.
I made an oww face during one of them but that's because I like attention.
We waited 10 minutes for them to take effect. The orchiectomy only took about 20 minutes. I did not feel anything and I watched some parts of it but I was lying down most of the time. A nurse named Sarah was also there. She was nice as well. I was nervous so I remained quiet most of the time.
Also I did not want to distract him during surgery...I would advise anybody who does it to not speak a lot during the surgery...let the doctor focus.
I know what I am talking about because he told me I am a good patient.
Most of the thoughts I had anyways started with "Hail Mary, full of grace"
At the end he leaves a tube that goes through the skin because there is a lot of blood for a while after the surgery. He explained that and told me to take it out the next morning. It's not painful when you take it out. It just slides out easily.
Before surgery I went to Walgreens and bought some depends underwear and Neosporin to apply to the stitched area after the surgery.
He of course explained this and so did the nurse. The depends underwear are used for a while because there will be a lot of blood so you have to keep changing them.
I feel so happy because as soon as the surgery was done I felt an instant relief coming on. It's hard to explain but I already feel the difference.
His office and O.R. room are in a nice location. That also made me less nervous when I arrived. There are two big glass doors and a huge area full of plants next to his office.
It's in a building full of other doctor's offices. The Walgreens pharmacy is right next to it. So I went and got my pills right after. It's so convenient.
I stayed at a hotel that's a 10 minute walk away form him. It's called Spring Hills. He recommended it when I called him a few weeks ago. The hotel is nice can't complain. It was three hundred something dollars for three nights. I came there Thursday afternoon. I needed time to rest from work and get mentally ready for the orchiectomy...I was kind of freaking out..if only I knew how simple it would be. There is a lot of places to eat and drink next to the hotel. Some of them are Tim Horton's, Subway, Dunkin Donuts, McDonalds. I also ordered food in my room.
He offered me a ride back after surgery but I went to Walgreens to buy some other things too
I walked back to the hotel even though he told me to take a cab when I am done.
I still have the depends underwear. Only a tiny bit of blood down there. It's becoming less messy naturally.
I took my Codeine pills at noon today last time. There is no pain at all so I won't take them anymore unless I feel pain later.
And yes I went alone because I knew I would be more comfortable by myself. But I think it's smarter to bring somebody with you in case something doesn't go easy.
Like I said he knew because of my testicles it should be simple and quick. And I haven't ever had bad reactions to anesthesia or had trouble with medications.
But hmm I think that's it. I am soo happy. And I am going back to work tomorrow already although Dr. Arknoff gave me a note which says if I have to lift heavy things not to do it until the fourth day after surgery.
I took a taxi from the airport. It's a 20 minute ride to the hotel.
I also want to add that before this I called a Dr Robert Oates here in Boston. His secretary told me I need to get a therapist letter and he will perform the orchiectomy.
I was scared of flying out to have it done...like i said if only I knew how simple it was going to be with Dr Arnkoff I would have done it right way.
So I went to therapy for SIX MONTHS. Got my letter. Then I scheduled my consultation. I was thinking I was going to schedule the orchie that day.
Dr Oates comes in telling me rudely he has never done this for somebody who was not on hormones. And that I have to go on hormones for a year or more and live in a "female role" before he would do the orchiectomy. He never mentioned this before. I wasted hundreds of dollars of therapy for him.
What a jerk. And I was so disappointed that day. He wasn't willing to listen to me or the reasons I had for wanting to do it. It was just his way only.
I should have listened to the reviews online which rated him poorly. But I never imagined that would happen. I considered starting hormones but decided NO.
Also a nurse friend of mine found a urologist in the hospital I work in who said she was willing to do it if I get a Lupron shot. But then she emailed some of her urologist friends and said she changed her mind and has to follow Harry Benjamin standards. Again I was crushed because they told me I have to take hormones for a year or more first.
So getting to this orchiectomy was a big and long emotionally damaging process for me.
Thanks to Dr Arnkoff it's all over.
