Solo GRS With Chet on 07/26/2016

[IWentWithChet]

Constipation is a common side effect of painkillers like Tramadol/Tramol and I think antibiotics. I understand its important to fix it because otherwise you won't be able to dilate to depth, and that's bad.

Well, you CAN. It just.... Really hurts and kinda sucks. At least, that's been my experience so far.


---TMI Warning Begins---

Anyway, the laxatives did eventually make me want to go (after second dilation) like 7 hours later. I just relieved myself, at least somewhat (I don't feel 'cleaned out' or even 'normal,' but I'm not in constant pain anymore), but it was maybe the most painful experience since waking up after the surgery haha. I haven't screamed that much in a long, long time. Felt like I was passing clay, which I've never experienced before. I think it's because drinking enough is a bit difficult when you're mostly waiting around passing time. It's easy to go your whole day without drinking the requisite amount. I also legit think that the painkillers, which have constipation as a side-effect, were contributing A LOT. One thing I did was stop taking them yesterday - that might have been what did it.

Anyway, on a side note, I found out a bit about Chet's laxative type and I figured I might share it. I can't find the bag that carried it, so I don't know if the name of the laxative was on it. But, the thing is, there's a gazillion types of laxatives. Those that help your stool in various ways, or those that help YOU want to go in various ways. My SUSPICION is that Chet's laxative is of that latter type (a 'stimulant').

Given the TMI info above about the experience, mixed with the sudden enormous urge to go, I can come to the following conclusion: If you're having difficulty relieving yourself (due to lack of water intake or any number of other things) and it feels more like you CAN'T go, rather than you don't WANT to go, I recommend AGAINST requesting the default laxatives Chet gives you. Ask them for a stool softener or something. Make sure you get the right kind - otherwise, it'll just make you feel more pain.

---TMI Warning Ends---


PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR WATER INTAKE - AND STOP TAKING THE PAINKILLERS AS SOON AS YOU CAN. TRUST ME. And, when you can take fluids, and even when you're unrestricted, order fruit and yogurt from room service. Even if it's just an addition to your meal. This stuff REALLY matters when you're dilating.

Stupid water being all necessary and stuff. I've also got yogurt and fruit. I never want this to happen again ;_____;.

(On a side note - order the 'in season fruit' from the Dusit. You get a REALLY neat variety - I only know one or two of these fruits on the platter! And I regularly travel the world! They're all good though, so it's nice to experience delicious, new food!)

[jujubes1986]

Well, you CAN. It just.... Really hurts and kinda sucks. At least, that's been my experience so far.


---TMI Warning Begins---

Anyway, the laxatives did eventually make me want to go (after second dilation) like 7 hours later. I just relieved myself, at least somewhat (I don't feel 'cleaned out' or even 'normal,' but I'm not in constant pain anymore), but it was maybe the most painful experience since waking up after the surgery haha. I haven't screamed that much in a long, long time. Felt like I was passing clay, which I've never experienced before. I think it's because drinking enough is a bit difficult when you're mostly waiting around passing time. It's easy to go your whole day without drinking the requisite amount. I also legit think that the painkillers, which have constipation as a side-effect, were contributing A LOT. One thing I did was stop taking them yesterday - that might have been what did it.

Anyway, on a side note, I found out a bit about Chet's laxative type and I figured I might share it. I can't find the bag that carried it, so I don't know if the name of the laxative was on it. But, the thing is, there's a gazillion types of laxatives. Those that help your stool in various ways, or those that help YOU want to go in various ways. My SUSPICION is that Chet's laxative is of that latter type (a 'stimulant').

Given the TMI info above about the experience, mixed with the sudden enormous urge to go, I can come to the following conclusion: If you're having difficulty relieving yourself (due to lack of water intake or any number of other things) and it feels more like you CAN'T go, rather than you don't WANT to go, I recommend AGAINST requesting the default laxatives Chet gives you. Ask them for a stool softener or something. Make sure you get the right kind - otherwise, it'll just make you feel more pain.

---TMI Warning Ends---


PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR WATER INTAKE - AND STOP TAKING THE PAINKILLERS AS SOON AS YOU CAN. TRUST ME. And, when you can take fluids, and even when you're unrestricted, order fruit and yogurt from room service. Even if it's just an addition to your meal. This stuff REALLY matters when you're dilating.

Stupid water being all necessary and stuff. I've also got yogurt and fruit. I never want this to happen again ;_____;.

(On a side note - order the 'in season fruit' from the Dusit. You get a REALLY neat variety - I only know one or two of these fruits on the platter! And I regularly travel the world! They're all good though, so it's nice to experience delicious, new food!)

Sounds like you are going thru a roller coaster... I'm not looking forward to being constipated!

[EmmaD]

TMI 'n all, I still laughed!  Sorry!

I had the reverse issue.  The nurses were minutes out of the room after unwrapping me and I was going!  The reason was I had my gall bladder removed 6 weeks before my wee op with Chet.  My digestive system wasn't used to all the disruption and the constant supply of bile (as opposed to being released as needed through the gall bladder) loosened things up.  I also stopped taking Tramadol after leaving the clinic.  It was a very close thing.  I am 9 months post op for the gall bladder and things still aren't back to the way they were and perhaps never will.

Drink lots regardless.  It is good for you and you want lots flowing through your system. 

[annquance]

Hi, so after eventually overcoming the constipation has dilating become easier. Is it still painful to do? Think when I come over i'll get some laxatives from the pharmacy before the op in preparation. Finding all this really useful information as I will be on my own when I come out xx

[IWentWithChet]

Hi, so after eventually overcoming the constipation has dilating become easier. Is it still painful to do? Think when I come over i'll get some laxatives from the pharmacy before the op in preparation. Finding all this really useful information as I will be on my own when I come out xx

Thank you! The reason I'm oversharing to hell is that I want people, exactly like you, to have more knowledge on what to bring and how to prepare. My suggestion is to get a stool softener laxative, rather specifically. But bringing a variety of types couldn't hurt.

The dilation is MUCH less painful after overcoming constipation. I'd go so far as to say you should AVOID dilating until AFTER you do number 2 each day.

Basically, you're told by the doctor to dilate 'morning, afternoon, and night' with no specific times. But when I asked my nurse the 'ideal' times she told me 9am/3pm/9pm. Now if you read between the lines there, the key seems to be maintaining six hours between dilations. So I'd honestly just do your first one 'after doing #2 in the morning' whenever that is, then do That+6hrs and then That+12hrs.



But dilation... It's legitimately making me kind of wonder whether this was worth it. A large part of me just wants to stop dilating, let things close up, and take pleasure in just 'no longer having a penis.' I won't, I don't think, but... This is a commitment and a level of constant pain that I wasn't prepared for.

If you can't tell - I hate dilation. It takes SO much time out of your day (say goodbye to LITERALLY 3-4hrs/day every day for the next year of your life), it drains all of my energy once it's done (I just kind of collapse and stare for like a full half hour to an hour afterwords), it's boring and painful while it's happening, and it makes my hand (sadly I'm needing to use my bad arm) go numb. It also seems to have granted me the power of constant, aching pain in my nether regions throughout the day. As well as occasional sharp, piercing pains that make my cry out. It just.... It feels terrible. It's to the point where I'm legitimately looking forward to my 16 hour plane flight home because, at least, I'll have an excuse not to dilate while I'm on the plane. No one should ever look forward to a 16 hour plane flight.

Please, please, take dilation into consideration when considering SRS. It's genuinely awful. It's genuinely, genuinely awful. It's like a little slot of torture for yourself for LITERALLY 3-4 hours every single day for the next year. You'll be scheduled for 3 (well, 2hrs50mins), but note that it takes time to get to full depth, so the more 'realistic' time commitment is 4hrs/day.



I suppose I should add at least one positive note to this. I suggest anyone and everyone sign up for food panda before coming to BKK. It's a food delivery service that allows you to get a taste of REAL Thai food (the hotel food is very westernized). Most importantly, you can get it delivered to your room at the Dusit Princess. And, by the way, the food there is literally 1/4 the cost of the hotel food (you may even save more than that).

Now, you can sign up in Thailand, obviously, but for some reason my phone wasn't receiving their text messages, so I had to verify my account via their telephone call (which cost me a couple cents). Just do it before you leave and you'll have no issues.

[Dena]

I don't know how long you lurked this site before joining but it could be worst. Standard treatment for me was 6 days on my back after surgery. The packing came out and then you were permitted to sit up. This was a required step because after that long on your back you could pass out if you stood right a way. It would take weeks to rebuild your strength but 4 days out of the hospital I was back at work. Dilation became really interesting because I was so exhausted that more than once I would start dilating and hours later wake up to find the dilator half out and my hand relaxed on it.

Because I am not sexually active, I am dilating once a week and I always have something to read. Lately I have been catching up on the news with my phone but when I first started it was a book or magazine.

As much of a pain as dilation is, doing it right now will protect your investment and you will find in the future dilation will be very minimal.

[Rafaela]

Just wondering, would it not be possible to make up a kind of harness thingy to allow you to dilate while doing other things? Obviously I don't know the mechanics of it, but if all you're doing is putting it in and holding pressure on it there has to be an easier way than spending 3-4hrs a day wishing you were somewhere else, doing something else?! Not saying you'd be competing in a triathlon or gymkhana or anything, but wandering about the house or playing video games ought to be on the cards, surely?

[IWentWithChet]

I've gotten more used to dilation and it's maybe not AS bad. I found I was doing things in a somewhat non-optimal way. With the optimization (going in a full 4" partially sitting, making SURE the dilator hits the bottom of the vagina going in, and making SURE my legs are ALL the way down for the remainder once you leave semi-sitting), it's a bit more tolerable and hurts a lot less.

THAT SAID. I just had my catheter removed.

OH
MY
GOD

The pain was real. It was like a severe, awful, inhuman burning. The best way to describe it is... Do you know when you hold your pee in WAY too long and it starts to actually hurt in kind of a burning/piercing way? It was like that, but about 10x worse.

And that was WITH me taking the "strong pain reliever" (I figured I'd risk it, despite thinking that, that caused, or heavily contributed to, the awful constipation) beforehand. I.... Never want to do that again.

Once it's OUT the burning subsides a lot. It's still there (this literally JUST happened recently), but yeah. In fact, I'm typing to try to keep my mind off of it, though it's not a killer.

Now I'm peeing on my own... This should be an experience. I haven't peed yet, but once I do, I'll update peeps. Since that's always been one of the 'big questions' pre-op peeps have. "HOW DOES PEEING WORK/FEEL POST-OP," etc.

[Michelle_P]

THAT SAID. I just had my catheter removed.

Foley catheters.  That damn balloon may deflate, but it is never as small coming out as going in.  I've had them in a couple times now (prostate problems), and the second time the hospital gave me a quick tutorial and a syringe to do it myself at home.  Yeeeeeep!

I get to do this again at the end of the month.  Through ten inches of urethra, not a dainty post-GCS five inches.  A pill beforehand sounds like the way to go.

Glad you're OK, though!

[IWentWithChet]

Pee happened. That's really about all I can say... It honestly felt mostly??? like it did before? Which is a bit bizarre. You feel the desire to pee where you normally do, more or less, and then it happens. Except it comes out in a different place/way. The end.

It's not really anywhere near as bizarre as I expected it would be. I didn't feel like.... My body fluids go through different plumbing or anything. Which is actually a bit of a change - whereas, with a penis, you feel the urine course through your penis, post-op you kinda don't. It just kinda happens and then it ends.

Burnt a liiiiiiittle. But barely noticeable. And it didn't fly out everywhere for me like many people say it does. Honestly, it felt pretty 'stream-y.'

Not much else happening. I'm going to Dr. Chet for my final checkup tomorrow suuuper early in the morning. I have to be up at 6am ;-;.

Now, onto second dilation before I delay it any further. Then to play more games on my vita until third dilation <3.

[IWentWithChet]

I figured, in addition to my last post about peeing, I'd double-post here to say that, once you 'get' dilation, it genuinely isn't that bad. Since I figured out the corrections I needed to make, it's actually pretty okay. It stopped hurting.

It's even kinda nice, in a way, because it basically forces you to sit around and watch tv or youtube or whatever. It's like a kinda uncomfortable forced relaxation period you need to take 3x/day.

Now, I may take that back once I move up dilators . But for dilator 1, it's now definitely nbd to me.

[IWentWithChet]

Just came back from my final checkup with Dr. Chet.

I went in, they stripped me down, just like for my surgery, and took me to the operation room. I was... Scared. This is a room you see very briefly before you get knocked out, then very briefly again when you initially wake up (which is horrifying, by the way). So this was not a good feeling room.

Still, the nurse insisted that they wouldn't be putting me under again and there'd be no pain.

Basically, he looked at my vagina, said everything was fine, and removed my stitches. What was most remarkable was that, while it felt a little strange, there was NO pain from removing the stitches. Except when he slipped once and knicked me during an inspection, there was no pain during the whole session. And that was just a kinda minor "OW!" and that was it.

It was mostly - you sit there, in these stirrups, and then weird feelings happen as things are pulled out of you, he takes some pictures, shows you, and tells you what's up. Then you leave. Pretty painless.

[jujubes1986]

Just came back from my final checkup with Dr. Chet.

I went in, they stripped me down, just like for my surgery, and took me to the operation room. I was... Scared. This is a room you see very briefly before you get knocked out, then very briefly again when you initially wake up (which is horrifying, by the way). So this was not a good feeling room.

Still, the nurse insisted that they wouldn't be putting me under again and there'd be no pain.

Basically, he looked at my vagina, said everything was fine, and removed my stitches. What was most remarkable was that, while it felt a little strange, there was NO pain from removing the stitches. Except when he slipped once and knicked me during an inspection, there was no pain during the whole session. And that was just a kinda minor "OW!" and that was it.

It was mostly - you sit there, in these stirrups, and then weird feelings happen as things are pulled out of you, he takes some pictures, shows you, and tells you what's up. Then you leave. Pretty painless.

I'm so happy everything is healing properly when Do you  come back stateside?

[mm]

IWentWithChet, yes getting positioned in stirrup is a different feeling, but you need to get use to it; for you will need to get examed many times in the future.

[IWentWithChet]

I'm so happy everything is healing properly when Do you  come back stateside?

I leave the 14th and arrive... The 14th haha. Timezones. It's much shorter than a typical visit (they normally require like a full month, I'm only doing like 2.5 weeks or so).

My first day with the level 2 dilator will be on the 13th, so I'll prolly post an update on what moving up on dilators is like.

Interesting thing about hormones and stuff by the way. You're not allowed to take hormones again until AFTER you arrive back. The reason being that, apparently, resuming hormones earlier can cause blood bubbles in your legs or something horrifying like that while you're in the airplane due to the altitude. So I'm looking forward to being back. I've been off of hormones for almost a month!

IWentWithChet, yes getting positioned in stirrup is a different feeling, but you need to get use to it; for you will need to get examed many times in the future.

I was thinking that, actually. I suddenly 'got' a lot of jokes I've seen based on OB/GYN visits...

[annquance]

Hi, how come your you were allowed a short visit? When i booked he told me how long i would have to stay, as he did when I had ffs and ba. Please keep the updates going on healing ect xx

[judithlynn]

Hi;
Interesting comment about the stirrups. I had to see my doctor recently as with my HRT, I have been getting some pain in my tiny testicles and I have been getting quite sore  down there. Anyway, my doctor put up on the examining table and had me put my legs in these stirrup things which sort of lifted me up. She said you will need to get used to this from now on as when you have your vagina and lady bits, I will want to check you out each year with your PAP smear. I must admit it felt very strange sort of exposing myself this way, but she said its quite normal for women.
Judith

[mm]

judithlynn, yes when you are in stirups with yout legs opened up, you are completely exposing everything down there. The dr can see and exam you parts complete, can use a spectrum to opening your vagina to see inside.  You can imagine the first experience for girls and young women when they are ask to do get in this position the first time.  You are told to relax to make the exam much easier on you, but getting in this position makes relaxing very hard to do.

[IWentWithChet]

I just did my first dilation with #2. I was unable to reach maximum depth, no matter how hard I pushed or where I pushed. I was about a full inch away! This is troubling. I just emailed Dr. Chett's staff to see if this is okay/common.


Additionally, since I'm flying out, Dr. Chett's nurses told me to do a full hour dilation with #1 3x and then 10 mins with #2 in the afternoon and evening. Then to resume dilation immediately after landing again. Didn't mind the hour with #1, but that #2 has me concerned...

[IWentWithChet]

Just a brief update while I wait for my first plane.

Dr Chet basically said that not making it to full depth your first time out using the larger dilator is normal

But also GET YOUR OWN DONUT PILLOW IF YOU'RE DOING SRS. Chet's seems to be made of iron or something. It's DEEPLY uncomfortable to sit on for any length of time. The way it cuts into your butt may actually be described as openly painful. I wish I brought a high quality one. As I'm now learning. Oof. I may try to do as much as I can without this damn thing.

edit: AHHHHHH the pain from this goddamn donut pillow is so freaking real. I HATE THIS THING. The pain isn't in the vagina either - it's just like some circular portion of my butt is stuck sitting on iron. Feels more like bruising than anything else.