I am relatively healthy for a person my age, I've had no problems recovering from prior surgeries (a procedure in the 1990s as well as top surgery and complete hysterectomy in 2008). No reactions to meds or drugs or anything. As transition progressed, like many of you, lower surgery became very important to me.
I am now 25 days post op and recovering nicely. But I wanted to put this info out there while it was still fresh in my mind, as time tends to make you forget things.
First: Which surgery do you need? That decision is one only you can make. There are a whole host of factors that go into that decision, from personal preference to finanacial. What is your ultimate goal? Do you want to retain use of your front hole? Do you need to pee through your dick? Does size matter? What will you be happy with? What will you NOT be happy with? I would definitely recommend thinking about all of the options for a while before deciding. And since most of us are not flush with cash to rush out and get the procedure done, mulling over all of the possibilities might get you thinking of something you might not have thought of before.
Second: Once you've decided on the procedure you need, who is the best person for the job? Who does the procedure you're needing? What are their qualifications? What is their medical specialty? Are they an OB/GYN? Plastic surgeon? General surgeon? Urologist? How many of these procedures do they do in a year? Do they do 3? 6? 40? What is their complication rate? Can you speak to former patients? Are there post-op photos available? How available via phone and/or email is the surgeon? Can it be done in one stage? Two? Three? Why?
Third: How will you pay for it? Most of us have saved, or got gifts, or have financed it through loans or Care Credit. More options are available through insurance. Lots of recent posts on that. Will your surgeon take insurance?
Fourth: I read so many accounts of guys undergoing surgery, only to find that the post-op information very scant. Most guys get surgery then disappear off the radar. A few have posted detailed accounts of their surgeries, but still, the post-op stuff seems to be missing. I know I had a lot of questions post-op, not stuff I really needed to bug the doctors about, but general stuff, and found answers not very available.
I want to say that this is the big one. No matter how easily you sailed through other surgeries, this one will likely throw you. I would plan on 6-8 weeks off minimum, unless you have some cushy desk job that is not in the least taxing. I worked out for 6 months minimum, doing cardio and strength training and basically getting into excellent shape, and I'm reduced to a slow-moving old man.
You need to rest, you need to heal, you need to take it easy. I found the pain minimal, for the most part, but still need to take it easy.
There is itching. There is irritation. There is drainage. That's all normal. I wish I had known in advance; not that it would have made me think twice about having surgery, but I just like to know what to expect.
Anyway, good luck in choosing which surgery and surgeon is right for you.
