Recovering from surgery

[Cosmic]

So I had surgery late September.  It was a "double incision"  which I use quotations cause I have one incision going clear across my chest which kinda looks like a ball jointed doll chest.  I also had a hysterectomy last week.  I had nipple grafts that are dime sized,  I stressed I wanted round nips cause my surgeon warned they are often vertically oval at the end and I knew I wouldn't like that. 

I was actually surprised,  I got my approval letter for surgery on my first visit with my therapist.  I've never even heard of that happening before.  (however I already had been on hormones for years,  had my name and gender changed on my ID,  am in a happy relationship,  amongst other things).

I felt well read on what I  was getting into but nipple sensitivity was something I wanted to keep.  I was happily sensitive and my girlfriend was into nipple play with guys.  I wanted to keep it because we both enjoyed it. 

I decided to sacrifice it for appearance.  I am sure it will look great when it heals all up.  I am using cocoa butter twice a day every day since I removed the tape...  But after removing some adhesive from around the nipple grafts it caused some minor dead skin around it.   Now that's not a big deal but I literally have NO sensation around the nipple.  I can't feel pain,  if I scratch,  pinch or rub the area.  (I have just been grooming my body of the dead flakes caused from the adhesive)  I am not sure if I will feel anything there again and I never read about this happening.   The whole area was numb at first and slowly it's feeling more normal but that area is completely dead of anything but basic pressure.   I can't even identify where my nipples are aside the fact they have a different texture.

I just wanted to share my story and maybe ask what I should expect next. 
Also anyone undergoing surgery make sure you ask for them to pay extra attention to your body temperature.  My surgery staff didn't pay enough attention to my body temperature and I went hypothermic.  It was awful and it could have lead to infections.  Luckily I am healthy.  (Also trim, apparently.  Surgeon was able to remove 93% of breast tissue.   That is apparently above average.  The tissue left behind is on the upper pectoral near the under arms where there were too many nerves.)

[Alexthecat]

It can take a long time for nerves to redirect themselves. Give it time before you declare an area dead.

[Kreuzfidel]

I'm 9 months post-op (DI) and I still can't feel probably about 70% of the area where tissue was removed.  I also feel the sensation of pressure and sometimes even pain depending on if it's being pressed on too hard.  I certainly can't feel any nipple sensation at all.

[Cosmic]

That's just crazy.  I really had no idea the area could feel so little after it was done.  Aside learning that I would lose sensitivity in the nips, I did have a little bit of reluctance because I felt it would just be kinda 'fake'.  I mean its one thing to alter your body, but the fact the areolas are only left for cosmetic purpose kinda bugged me, because that's not how normal guys are put together.  I really hope I regain at least the ability to feel in that area. 

It's one thing to have non-functioning nipples but another thing to have your basic skin not reacting to pain.  (And I say non-functioning because I know guys who's nips at least react to the cold.)

All the same, this beats binding, though with the incision being so fresh tbh it kinda feels like I am wearing something still.

[Bimmer Guy]

I'm 9 months post-op (DI) and I still can't feel probably about 70% of the area where tissue was removed.  I also feel the sensation of pressure and sometimes even pain depending on if it's being pressed on too hard.  I certainly can't feel any nipple sensation at all.

Kreuzfidel, I remember us talking about the possibility as to whether you would have sensation on the one areola that wasn't removed and grafted.  You don't feel it on that one?

Cosmic, like the others said, I wouldn't worry about the lack of feeling on the skin it at this juncture.  For me, I quickly regained sensation except for about 1 x 3 inches below my areolas for several months, but everyone is different.  I don't know if it relates to the surgeon or not.  Who did you have, by the way?

In terms of areola sensation, I only feel pressure.  I think there is little chance of erotic sensation returning, but you knew that going in.  I didn't like my nipples touched (it just made me sick to my stomach), but I can see how for someone who did that this would be a tough decision.  Hopefully, you feel (or will feel), that you made the right decision choosing looks over sensation. 

[Kreuzfidel]

Kreuzfidel, I remember us talking about the possibility as to whether you would have sensation on the one areola that wasn't removed and grafted.  You don't feel it on that one?

Hey, Brett.  No, I only feel brushings of pressure.  As in I know that my finger is touching it, but there's no feeling.  I can't feel hot or cold - and I often wonder if I could feel it if I stuck a needle into the skin (not that I would).  There were times when it was healing that I wondered if I could regain full sensation, but I wonder now.  It doesn't bother me too much, though. 

[Bimmer Guy]

Hey, Brett.  No, I only feel brushings of pressure.  As in I know that my finger is touching it, but there's no feeling.  I can't feel hot or cold - and I often wonder if I could feel it if I stuck a needle into the skin (not that I would).  There were times when it was healing that I wondered if I could regain full sensation, but I wonder now.  It doesn't bother me too much, though.

That's interesting about the needle idea...hmmm...now you have me curious!  I suppose after it got through the areola itself we would feel it after it hit the skin underneath?  I dunno. 

Thanks for the update.

[aleon515]

I'm convinced (and I believe Dr G. said something about this, to another patient) that the erotic feeling in a grafted nipple was association and psychological. I'm not really saying it's all in one's head- well not exactly-- but the brain is a very powerful sex organ and is able to make associations between pleasurable sensations and past experiences and all that. So I think people who REALLY are into nipple sensation are more apt to get it back, if that makes sense.

I'm just about a year post-op. I have hot and cold, and pressure. I can feel if I touch them, but I wouldn't describe it at the same level. Another odd thing which makes sense if you think about it, I don't know exactly where they are. You go and touch your nose (or any other part of my body) with your fingertip. And unless you have some kind of neurological condition, you can find it eyes closed and all. But I'm a lot more unsure where my nipples are. I think the term for this is lack of proprioceptive input or something. But I find it kind fo interesting.

I have better sensation in my left than my right. It's how they look as well. The left is far better. Oddly, it was the one that looked worse early on, so you really can't tell.


--Jay

Kreuzfidel, I remember us talking about the possibility as to whether you would have sensation on the one areola that wasn't removed and grafted.  You don't feel it on that one?

Cosmic, like the others said, I wouldn't worry about the lack of feeling on the skin it at this juncture.  For me, I quickly regained sensation except for about 1 x 3 inches below my areolas for several months, but everyone is different.  I don't know if it relates to the surgeon or not.  Who did you have, by the way?

In terms of areola sensation, I only feel pressure.  I think there is little chance of erotic sensation returning, but you knew that going in.  I didn't like my nipples touched (it just made me sick to my stomach), but I can see how for someone who did that this would be a tough decision.  Hopefully, you feel (or will feel), that you made the right decision choosing looks over sensation.

[Bimmer Guy]

I'm convinced (and I believe Dr G. said something about this, to another patient) that the erotic feeling in a grafted nipple was association and psychological. I'm not really saying it's all in one's head- well not exactly-- but the brain is a very powerful sex organ and is able to make associations between pleasurable sensations and past experiences and all that. So I think people who REALLY are into nipple sensation are more apt to get it back, if that makes sense.

I'm just about a year post-op. I have hot and cold, and pressure. I can feel if I touch them, but I wouldn't describe it at the same level. Another odd thing which makes sense if you think about it, I don't know exactly where they are. You go and touch your nose (or any other part of my body) with your fingertip. And unless you have some kind of neurological condition, you can find it eyes closed and all. But I'm a lot more unsure where my nipples are. I think the term for this is lack of proprioceptive input or something. But I find it kind fo interesting.

I have better sensation in my left than my right. It's how they look as well. The left is far better. Oddly, it was the one that looked worse early on, so you really can't tell.


--Jay

Jay, I find it interesting that you (and others?) can feel hot and cold, but I can't.  You have a large number of friends, so I am curious, do the Garramone clones you know typically feel it?

[aleon515]

Jay, I find it interesting that you (and others?) can feel hot and cold, but I can't.  You have a large number of friends, so I am curious, do the Garramone clones you know typically feel it?

Haven't heard any kind of study among clones. Perhaps Dr G should enlist the help of his army??

However, knowing what I know of the brain, it might just be really feeling skin behind the nipple. I haven't isolated it that extent. You know the childhood trick where you rub someone else's hand where your hands are tightly together, it tricks the brain into thinking that the other person's hand belongs to you and it feels strange? It could be like that actually. The sensation of the nipple gets tied to your own skin and you attribute it as having feeling it doesn't actually have. But I have no idea. The brain is a powerful organ, let's just say.

--Jay