Post-Op life: the first few weeks

[AlexCallende]

Hi, everyone!

I just want to share my story here on Susan's.

I had my SRS (non-penile skin technique with scrotal and groin graft) with Dr. Kamol Pansiritum in December.  I am now on my sixth week of post-op recuperation.  Not many people know my doctor, and it seems that he is very popular among Japanese MTF and FTM patients, not to mention Chinese, locals and a few North and South American MTFs.

I had been on hormones for at least 10 years and was living in stealth prior to the surgery.  As such, my donor skin was limited so I was prepared to have the skin graft.  I currently have 5.5 inches of depth using the 19/16" dilator provided by the clinic (no. 4) and will ease into the no. 5 this week.  The largest one is 21/16" (1.3 inches).

The first 6 days were not so bad.  My doctor has his own facility that allowed "regular" patients to be operated on and stay until they can be discharged.  I have met some patients who had to be scheduled at the Piyavate Hospital due to pre-existing health conditions.

On the 4th day, the dressing was changed by Dr. Kamol.  That was also the first time I saw him though we had 24-hour nursing staff to attend to us (feeding, bathing, medicine, etc).  Day 5 was catheter off after the vaginal mold was taken out.  I have to say, it was a very strange sensation feeling the gauze unraveled out of the vagina.  It wasn't painful, just weird.  Though I would say that doing no.2 was extremely exhausting, I thought I was going to pass out.  I think that was the first time I cried due to physical exhaustion.   

On the day I was discharged to stay in a nearby hotel, the drains were taken out.  Then they took me to my hotel for further recuperation.

The first few days alone in my room was a little bit unnerving.  What if I passed out?  What if everything fell on the floor (or worse, into the toilet while I am doing my business there) since it certainly felt that way whenever I would change positions.  Fortunately, nothing of that sort happened.  On the 8th day post-op, I started dilating.  It was No. 0 for a couple of days, followed by No. 1.  Each time lasted for about an hour plus pre- and post-dilation cleaning.  My life currently revolves around my dilation schedule of twice a day for the next 3 months.

Two weeks after I was discharged, I flew back home.  It was an emotional goodbye since I have become close to the nurses and nurse aids.  Communication wasn't always easy, but I was aware of their situation so I tried to speak in pigeon English just to get the message across.   

Like the other girls, I did (and still do) have my share of phantom pains and electric shocks every now and then.  I would say the pain is usually in the outer labial area.  Dilation is still difficult since my meatus area still has some swelling.  There is also some hair growth on the perineum area.  I was advised to have electrolysis but I thought maybe I would be OK without it.  Perhaps this would be a project for another time.

I am cleaning the surgical site using boiled water and a few drops of betadine.  I am advised to use plain tap water eight weeks post op.  Fortunately, there hasn't been any infection in the area.  i was initially alarmed by some pungent smell coming from the vagina (to which I decided to use a few more drops of betadine--that solved it!).

One of cosmetic concerns now is the swelling of the labia minora.  One the website, it seems that labia majora swelling is more likely to happen.  Oh, and when I say swelling, I mean "fat".  It's not very sensitive.  I wonder if other girls have experience this as well?

I read somewhere here that long-term douching is not advised by many doctors.  I was just wondering how to go about post-dilation douching (to get rid of the lube inside)?

I hope people will take the time to reply and maybe give their two-cent's worth on this one.  Thank you very much for your time.  Please feel free to ask some questions if you have any.

Cheers,
Alex

[spacial]

I can't offer any advice, hopefully others who can, will.

But I would like to say that  enjoyed rang your piece. It is very informative.

Really pleased for you.

[Debra]

Thanks for posting this! And congratz. Hope you heal up nicely =)

[AlexCallende]

I can't offer any advice, hopefully others who can, will.

But I would like to say that  enjoyed rang your piece. It is very informative.

Really pleased for you.

Thanks a lot!

Thanks for posting this! And congratz. Hope you heal up nicely =)

Thank you, Jerica!  I read your surgical thread and I have to say, you should write a separate thread on "financing your SRS through 401K cannibalizing".  It was very informative!

Good luck on your surgery!  I'll try to post another thread on post-op food & supplements that I feel helped me a lot in my recovery!

[Cruelladeville]

Healing is a very personal experience there is no general one size fits all norm....

Age, skin type, diet genetic profile all make a huge difference...

I had a 2nd stage labiaplasty in Sept 2010.... and even now every month or so big improvements keep coming.... lol

But at the start i was very badly swollen and bruised..... black and blue....

Thankfully as I'd had a vagina for over 18 years not dilating for 6 weeks or so... was no problem!

No pain no gain as they so rightly say.....lol

[Ruby]

Hi Alex,
I am new to the site. This is my first post. I am married to a MTF post-op transsexual who just had her SRS on Dec 8th with Dr. Suporn in Thailand. I think that makes her just a little behind you in recovery. We got back to the states 6 days ago after a month of recovery with the other girls overseas. What country were you in?

I have been helping my beloved partner all the way through this transition. I am one of those rare spouses who is actually excited about the whole process, arduous and difficult though it often is. lt has made such a huge difference in her happiness that I know it is a wondrous thing.

What Chelsea uses for douching is a little douche bag we got from the pharmacy. She uses plain water for the first rinse. She had to use bottled water in Thailand, but the nurses said our tap water would be fine. After rinsing one time with the douche bag in the shower, she uses a 60 ml syringe that the doctor's clinic provided with a solution of 50ml water and 5ml betadine. She is to do this until the end of the 2nd month post-op.

Dr. Suporn's method is also not penile inversion; he uses scrotal skin for the neovagina and penile skin for the labia. Chelsea has a depth of 7" which she has maintained since the hospital with dilation 3 x day. It is a 32mm dilator which appears to be 20/16" also provided by the clinic.

We know just what you mean about trouble with communication. The nurses in the clinic were quite good with their English, but in the hospital where she had to stay for the first week, it was difficult. We are so glad to be back home now! She also has the "gremlins" as she calls them, phantom pains. She also has a "separation" where some stitches form one of the labia minora have broken free at the bottom. This happened when she was still in Thailand and the doctor stitched them up again. But after our long trip home, they have come loose again. Because of the swelling, it is uncomfortable, but we visited the doctor today here at home, who sees lots of trans patients, and she said it is not so bad and once the swelling goes down, it can be mended if need be. In the mean time, we had medications adjusted so she could be more comfortable.

So, I just wanted to say hi and pass on our story a bit. You wanted to know if other girls had swollen labia minora; this is one girl who definitely does have that swelling. I hope your healing continues smoothly.
All the best,
Ruby

[KillBelle]

Very interesting read, thanks for this =]

[AlexCallende]

Hi Alex,
I am new to the site. This is my first post. I am married to a MTF post-op transsexual who just had her SRS on Dec 8th with Dr. Suporn in Thailand. I think that makes her just a little behind you in recovery. We got back to the states 6 days ago after a month of recovery with the other girls overseas. What country were you in?

I have been helping my beloved partner all the way through this transition. I am one of those rare spouses who is actually excited about the whole process, arduous and difficult though it often is. lt has made such a huge difference in her happiness that I know it is a wondrous thing.

What Chelsea uses for douching is a little douche bag we got from the pharmacy. She uses plain water for the first rinse. She had to use bottled water in Thailand, but the nurses said our tap water would be fine. After rinsing one time with the douche bag in the shower, she uses a 60 ml syringe that the doctor's clinic provided with a solution of 50ml water and 5ml betadine. She is to do this until the end of the 2nd month post-op.

Dr. Suporn's method is also not penile inversion; he uses scrotal skin for the neovagina and penile skin for the labia. Chelsea has a depth of 7" which she has maintained since the hospital with dilation 3 x day. It is a 32mm dilator which appears to be 20/16" also provided by the clinic.

We know just what you mean about trouble with communication. The nurses in the clinic were quite good with their English, but in the hospital where she had to stay for the first week, it was difficult. We are so glad to be back home now! She also has the "gremlins" as she calls them, phantom pains. She also has a "separation" where some stitches form one of the labia minora have broken free at the bottom. This happened when she was still in Thailand and the doctor stitched them up again. But after our long trip home, they have come loose again. Because of the swelling, it is uncomfortable, but we visited the doctor today here at home, who sees lots of trans patients, and she said it is not so bad and once the swelling goes down, it can be mended if need be. In the mean time, we had medications adjusted so she could be more comfortable.

So, I just wanted to say hi and pass on our story a bit. You wanted to know if other girls had swollen labia minora; this is one girl who definitely does have that swelling. I hope your healing continues smoothly.
All the best,
Ruby

Ruby, thank you for sharing your partner's story.  It was a delightful read!

I actually made a mistake about the technique that my surgeon performed.  It's called Non-skin Inversion with skin graft.  The labial lips were created using the scrotal skin.  The swelling has been consistently going down, and hopefully the healing will just keep going at this rate (if not faster).

I have two other friends who were patients of Dr. Suporn and they only have good things to say about him.  Anyway, I hope Chelsea's loose stitches heal well!   

The thing that I really liked about the staff in Bangkok was that they never said anything bad about other doctors.  I thought that was very professional of them ("Dr. Suporn is well-known, and he and Dr. Kamol were both trained by Dr. Preecha").

Healing is a very personal experience there is no general one size fits all norm....

Age, skin type, diet genetic profile all make a huge difference...

I had a 2nd stage labiaplasty in Sept 2010.... and even now every month or so big improvements keep coming.... lol

But at the start i was very badly swollen and bruised..... black and blue....

Thankfully as I'd had a vagina for over 18 years not dilating for 6 weeks or so... was no problem!

No pain no gain as they so rightly say.....lol

Cruella, who did your first SRS and who did you go to for the labiaplasty?  I hope you are healing well!  I also can't wait till the first year is over and everything has healed well and in the right places! *lol*

Have a lovely day, everyone!

[Cruelladeville]

I'm a Brit Alex..... so my first 1stage (SRS) surgery was way back in 1992 in Brighton with Mr. Michael Royle...

Then last year ('im in ma early fifties now) and ageing disgracefully I decide it was time to tweak ma self up a bit so flew out to Scottsdale and did two ops 14 days apart with Toby Meltzer.

A 2nd stage labiaplasty first and then a dose of lipo/buttock lift...

Both have been very good results and my city suits from the 80's now fit fab again... and I got my girlie hip to waist ratio back.... which was a key driver for me...

Decades of long-term HRT had got me tummy/torso too fat....

And my skirts once more are getting the right kinda glances!!

[AlexCallende]

I'm a Brit Alex..... so my first 1stage (SRS) surgery was way back in 1992 in Brighton with Mr. Michael Royle...

Then last year ('im in ma early fifties now) and ageing disgracefully I decide it was time to tweak ma self up a bit so flew out to Scottsdale and did two ops 14 days apart with Toby Meltzer.

A 2nd stage labiaplasty first and then a dose of lipo/buttock lift...

Both have been very good results and my city suits from the 80's now fit fab again... and I got my girlie hip to waist ratio back.... which was a key driver for me...

Decades of long-term HRT had got me tummy/torso too fat....

And my skirts once more are getting the right kinda glances!!

Keep 'em heads turnin', Miss deVille!

[Debra]

Thank you, Jerica!  I read your surgical thread and I have to say, you should write a separate thread on "financing your SRS through 401K cannibalizing".  It was very informative!

Hehe Thanks, glad it was informative. Not much else to say except it depends on your company and 401k plan/company. But I may go over more detail once I've actually taken the $$ out (closer to the end of the month)

Good luck on your surgery!  I'll try to post another thread on post-op food & supplements that I feel helped me a lot in my recovery!

Great! Thanks =)

[mash]

Hiall  and thanks for  the Info Alex .
Where could I see some surgery results of Dr Kamol?
Regards from Sunny South Afrca

[Vicky]

*********
One of cosmetic concerns now is the swelling of the labia minora.  One the website, it seems that labia majora swelling is more likely to happen.  Oh, and when I say swelling, I mean "fat".  It's not very sensitive.  I wonder if other girls have experience this as well?
*******
I read somewhere here that long-term douching is not advised by many doctors.  I was just wondering how to go about post-dilation douching (to get rid of the lube inside)?

I have just passed 13 months post op, and until 11 months + there was some swelling going on and sensitivity issues not a great as desired.  Happily, I can say I am 98% free of the swelling but my doctor's discharge list said it could last a bit longer.  You will look plumper than you will after a while because some of the swelling is internal.  BTW, I was VERY colorful for about 2 weeks after my surgery due to some bruising, again described as normal.

If you are using a water soluble gel for dilating, do not worry about the stuff being in you for the most part, your vagina will just absorb the water, and the other components will be discharged over several hours with only a tiny bit of wetness.  That is the reason to use the water soluble stuff UNLESS the doctor told you to use an oil based lube specifically for their warranty purposes.