Susceptibility, Dilation & Time for dilation after GRS

[Blanche]

Hiya! I will have my GRS in three months time.  And I'm curious about vaginal susceptibility.  How long did it take you to achieve a vaginal response to stimuli?  Does dilation improve your sensitivity?  Does dilation hurt?  I know Dr. Bower's dilation regimen's quite arduous.  How did you make time to dilate?  Thank you kindly for your answers.

[Beyond]

I know Dr. Bower's dilation regimen's quite arduous.

Where do people get this?  Dr Bowers dilation schedule is about the EASIEST you can get:

3x/day for 3 months

2x/day for 3 months

1x/day for 6 months

as needed thereafter


Does it hurt?  Sort of but YMMV applies.  I never had much pain except when moving up in dilator size for the first time and even then it was manageable.  I would describe it as discomfort while inserting, everythings good once its in.

I found time by taking 9 weeks of paid time off from work.  Then when I went back to work I went down to 2x/day dilation.  No problems.  Dilation has nothing to do with sensitivity, it's about patency.  That is training the body that that opening is supposed to be there.  You don't dilate and you lose depth and possibly the vagina closes up completely.

I have no idea what you mean by susceptability???  As far as response I can state my electricity officially went on at 7 weeks post-op.  Haven't dated yet so I can't comment on that.....yet.

[Sheila]

I had about the same schedule as Dr. Bowers schedule. I'm was fine with it and had time to get it done. You just work it out. Some will take their lunch hour to do it and others will find other times to do it. You just need to adjust your time. For 3 months that is the most time you will spend on dilation. It hurt a little, but like she said it was mostly uncomfortable.
Sheila