Question about dilating after surgery

[Debra]

So I've talked to a couple girls who recently had surgery and they talked about how you start out dilating with the smaller dilator and then after like X days, you switch to a bigger one, etc .

Does anyone know why it works that way? I would think you'd want to keep everything open as much as possible from the beginning.....after X days, doesn't it begin to close up?

I guess I'm trying to understand why you start out with a small one and then graduate to the bigger ones when in between that time, wouldnt it have closed up some to the small size?

Maybe it's a stupid question, just wondering.

[Melody Maia]

I obviously don't have direct experience, but I imagine in the beginning the point is to keep things from closing up, but not damage the newly configured and delicate tissues. As you heal, stretching the opening is desirable to help break up scar tissue and increase flexibity. Plus, it hurts! Uh, just a guess, so I will defer to the experienced ladies.

[Flan]

i think it's most a swelling and initial healing thing, have to fight that the first week or 2 after surgery (that said, I don't know really).

[Janet_Girl]

I was going to say "Well Dah Blondie".  LOL j/k

But From what I have gathered, that even after you heal up, you can still start to close up.  By starting small and working up you keep yourself open.

But I am sure the post-op girls will chime in.  You will find out quicker than I, but we both will this year.

Right On Class of 2011

[CaitJ]

I'm a Suporn graduate and this isn't the dilation schedule we use.
From Day 1 of dilating you use the medium sized dilator. You are only supposed to use the small if you are having trouble getting to full depth with the medium - then use the medium straight after you get to depth with the small.
I was encouraged to start using the large dilator within 3-4 weeks of surgery and to try using it as my sole dilator from 6 weeks onwards.
Which follows the logic that you're expressing - you want to keep it at stretched as possible, so use the biggest you are comfortable with.

[Renate]

I would mention that apparently the largest dilator used by the Thai doctors is smaller than the largest of the western doctors.
The largest dilator used in the west is 1.5 inches, 38 mm.

On a humorous note, Jerica:
You may question why you don't start with the largest dilator.
When you see the #4 in real life for the first time, you'll say, "Holy crud! That's going in me?"

[Debra]

All good info so far, thanks =) Hoping to hear more from post-op girls that had surgery in the US too

[CaitJ]

I would mention that apparently the largest dilator used by the Thai doctors is smaller than the largest of the western doctors.
The largest dilator used in the west is 1.5 inches, 38 mm.

The largest in my set is 35mm.
What's the smallest in the US set?

[Renate]

The typical four dilator set runs from the #1 to the #4.
If a five dilator set (1" to 1-1/2") is supplied the 1" dilator is not used.
The naming of the dilators follows that of Soul Source Enterprises.
Th P1 and P2 dilators are for special usage.

P1		7/8"		22 mm
P2		1"		25 mm
#1		1-1/8"		29 mm
#2		1-1/4"		32 mm
#3		1-3/8"		35 mm
#4		1-1/2"		38 mm

[katgirl74]

As mentioned above, early on you are fighting swelling, and the sutures are still healing. Too aggressive too soon could cause damage to the still healing sutures. Once you get passed some of that early healing then it is a matter of working your way up to the larger dilators as you tolerate them, and also on personal preference. Some only use the first two and never go any higher. I spent my first eight months using the first three, and only recently moved up to number four. I think the waiting was actually beneficial, for me at least. At this time things are more elastic, as a large part of the healing is done and the tissue has softened. I still start each session at the smallest and work my way up, kind of like warming up for exercising, so I spend about 40 minutes dilating now as I use each one for about 10 minutes. It seems to work for me, though dilation technique varies from doctor to doctor and even from individual to individual, no one is 100% correct, but always best to follow your surgeons directions.

[Debra]

As mentioned above, early on you are fighting swelling, and the sutures are still healing. Too aggressive too soon could cause damage to the still healing sutures. Once you get passed some of that early healing then it is a matter of working your way up to the larger dilators as you tolerate them, and also on personal preference. Some only use the first two and never go any higher. I spent my first eight months using the first three, and only recently moved up to number four. I think the waiting was actually beneficial, for me at least. At this time things are more elastic, as a large part of the healing is done and the tissue has softened. I still start each session at the smallest and work my way up, kind of like warming up for exercising, so I spend about 40 minutes dilating now as I use each one for about 10 minutes. It seems to work for me, though dilation technique varies from doctor to doctor and even from individual to individual, no one is 100% correct, but always best to follow your surgeons directions.

Thanks! That makes total sense. =)

[Cruelladeville]

It's mainly pain and discomfort from memory.... too big to start with is a no, no for many....

Defo if you be older I would imagine..... though I was early 30s when I went down to Brighton....

Though in the UK it was only two sizes of rigid straight perspex shaped bullits!

I moved to a designer rubber dildo though as its bent shape was better for me....lol

I would wait till yer post-op Jerica.... and see how you get on...

If you can progress fast to bigger and you need the size/depth then press on.... but it depends I guess on how well the 'material' adpats and what depth you Dr gets for you?

You also don't want to be too big.... and loose....

[NikkiJ]

It's been 2 months since my surgery, and one week short of that since I started dilating. I started with the #1, then went to the #2T and #2, now I start with the #2T for a couple of minutes and then switch to the #3. I usually end my last dilation session of the day with the #1 as this makes sure I'm getting all the way to the back of the vault. That last one with the #1 usually has some bacitracin on the tip too.

[peggygee]

I am going to agree with what a few of the other ladies have stated:

In the weeks and months post operativly, you may be in varying degrees of pain, thus it may be somewhat painful to dilate with the larger dilators.

Sutures, for me, one of my biggest fears was that I would be too over-zealous with my dilating, and that I would pop my sutures, and do damage.

[NikkiJ]

I am going to agree with what a few of the other ladies have stated:

In the weeks and months post operativly, you may be in varying degrees of pain, thus it may be somewhat painful to dilate with the larger dilators.

Sutures, for me, one of my biggest fears was that I would be too over-zealous with my dilating, and that I would pop my sutures, and do damage.

This is one of the oxymorons involved in dilation in the early stages. As a nurse explained it to me, "well, yes, the act of dilation will cause some bleeding, but it will heal eventually". And, of course, it does.

[symempathy]

This is one of the oxymorons involved in dilation in the early stages. As a nurse explained it to me, "well, yes, the act of dilation will cause some bleeding, but it will heal eventually". And, of course, it does.

If there is bleeding, there is pain, isn't it? Were you given any pain reliever medication?

[CaitJ]

If there is bleeding, there is pain, isn't it? Were you given any pain reliever medication?

I very rarely have a dilation session without pain. It's just one of those things you have to put up with for a few months.
You can take pain killers to mitigate the level of pain, but it's still there.

[NikkiJ]

If there is bleeding, there is pain, isn't it? Were you given any pain reliever medication?

Oh, I stopped taking the pain meds on the 2nd day after surgery. The dilation doesn't hurt, it's hard to push through that band of muscle, about 3 inches in, but I was told to just take a deep breath and put my head back, and that seems to work, I just keep pushing, very slowly, until it's up to the mark (6") on the dilator. The bleeding stopped awhile back, and it was not painful.

[Rosa]

How long do you have to leave in the dilator per session?

[CaitJ]

How long do you have to leave in the dilator per session?

It varies greatly depending on who your surgeon is.
As far as I can ascertain, 30 minutes seems to be fairly standard for US surgeons.