Community Conversation => Transitioning => Gender Correction Surgery => Topic started by: Stephe on November 13, 2014, 09:31:33 AM Return to Full Version
Title: Had my orchi Tuesday - write up
Post by: Stephe on November 13, 2014, 09:31:33 AM
Post by: Stephe on November 13, 2014, 09:31:33 AM
I wanted to do a short write up of my experience.
I had mine done by a experienced urologist (Dr Foote) in their own surgical center. Their fee was $3000 including all pre-post op care and tests etc. I was referred to her by both my hormone doc and a therapist I chatted with a few sessions a year ago when I was considering SRS. I went back to my therapist and she gladly wrote a orchi letter even if neither of us is sure SRS is something I should do at this time. The surgeon never asked for this letter but at the end of my first visit she seem relieved that I had one. She didn't require two letters and possibly would have been ok with informed consent. She clearly understood that I may have SRS at a future date and performed this via a very small central incision.
As far the the surgery, I had this done with only local anesthesia. I didn't want to add recovering from full on anesthesia to the recovery process. Last time I had general, I felt weird for over a month from it. The only pre-op med I too was 2 benadryl as I have a very overactive histamine reaction to trauma. This also made me drowsy enough to not be nervous. Alternately she prescribes some lorazapan.
By FAR the worst part of the whole process was getting numb. They started by dumping cold water over my groin/sac and then immediately started injecting the numbing medicine. Sting and burn with shooting pain is how I would describe it. This part only lasted for 30 seconds, so it wasn't -too- bad. While I was "numb", I could still could feel them doing stuff which she said is normal. Once or twice I felt a sharp pain while they were cutting something, and some pressure like ur nuts being squished, but those were very short duration and tolerable. The whole procedure didn't seem to take very long, my guess would be 30 to 45 minutes at most. They asked me if I wanted them, I laughed and said "Throw them in the dumpster plz" :P
As far as the recovery, the trip home wasn't too bad (they require someone else drive you home) and she prescribed some loratab for pain. One mistake I made was: I should have taken one loratab with me and taken it right after the surgery was over. I got home and took one, but before it took effect, the local started wearing off and -this- was the worst part of the post op recovery, the same stinging and burning when the nerves were waking back up. It only lasted for 5 minutes or so but that was not pleasant. The first night wasn't too uncomfortable with 15 minutes of ice with an hour between. She did leave a rubber drain tube in and I had the change the gauze dressing and my undies several times as stuff drained out. To sleep that night I took one lorazapan along with a pain pill and slept well.
The next day (yesterday) was the post op visit, they checked my vitals, removed the drain tube and made sure everything was OK. Walking was more of a waddle and I tried to stay prone as much as possible. The main problem yesterday was swelling. I iced a lot trying to keep it under control but that was a losing battle. I was a little concerned but the pain wasn't too bad and took my last loratab that morning and had switched to tylenol by noon. I ended up taking one more loratab before bed to make sure I got a good nights sleep. My appetite was fine and I made sure to drink plenty of fluids. The place where they pulled the tube out continued to drain for a while but by bed time very little was on the pad.
Woke up this morning and 90% of the swelling has disappeared during my sleep. My groin area is still tender and the sack is black and blue, but I'm not in any real pain and don't see even really needing a tylenol today. Everything looks clean and no signs of infection. The other thing, I chose to take no antibiotics as I have really nasty reactions to most antibiotics and I've had several more invasive surgeries in the past without taking any. She told my to just keep an eye on things and prescribed one "just in case". Of course her official line was "take these" but off the record she said I would likely be fine without them.
Today I plan to rest and how I have my schedule set, I don't go back to work till next Tuesday. I guess it's hard to say at this point what "changes" this has caused, I do feel "lighter" mentally like a weight has been lifted but that's most likely just because this is behind me. I am glad I can now slowly ramp off of the spiro and as I have never been able to get my T levels down where they "should be" with medications, I should feel much better once I fully recover.
I will add more as the week goes on but just wanted to post my experience for anyone who may have this done in the future, to have an idea of what to expect. Honestly, this was less traumatic than having my wisdom teeth removed.. And like most parts of my transition, I should have done this years ago. Then again, I was 100% sure at this point and this isn't something you can undo if you change your mind.
I had mine done by a experienced urologist (Dr Foote) in their own surgical center. Their fee was $3000 including all pre-post op care and tests etc. I was referred to her by both my hormone doc and a therapist I chatted with a few sessions a year ago when I was considering SRS. I went back to my therapist and she gladly wrote a orchi letter even if neither of us is sure SRS is something I should do at this time. The surgeon never asked for this letter but at the end of my first visit she seem relieved that I had one. She didn't require two letters and possibly would have been ok with informed consent. She clearly understood that I may have SRS at a future date and performed this via a very small central incision.
As far the the surgery, I had this done with only local anesthesia. I didn't want to add recovering from full on anesthesia to the recovery process. Last time I had general, I felt weird for over a month from it. The only pre-op med I too was 2 benadryl as I have a very overactive histamine reaction to trauma. This also made me drowsy enough to not be nervous. Alternately she prescribes some lorazapan.
By FAR the worst part of the whole process was getting numb. They started by dumping cold water over my groin/sac and then immediately started injecting the numbing medicine. Sting and burn with shooting pain is how I would describe it. This part only lasted for 30 seconds, so it wasn't -too- bad. While I was "numb", I could still could feel them doing stuff which she said is normal. Once or twice I felt a sharp pain while they were cutting something, and some pressure like ur nuts being squished, but those were very short duration and tolerable. The whole procedure didn't seem to take very long, my guess would be 30 to 45 minutes at most. They asked me if I wanted them, I laughed and said "Throw them in the dumpster plz" :P
As far as the recovery, the trip home wasn't too bad (they require someone else drive you home) and she prescribed some loratab for pain. One mistake I made was: I should have taken one loratab with me and taken it right after the surgery was over. I got home and took one, but before it took effect, the local started wearing off and -this- was the worst part of the post op recovery, the same stinging and burning when the nerves were waking back up. It only lasted for 5 minutes or so but that was not pleasant. The first night wasn't too uncomfortable with 15 minutes of ice with an hour between. She did leave a rubber drain tube in and I had the change the gauze dressing and my undies several times as stuff drained out. To sleep that night I took one lorazapan along with a pain pill and slept well.
The next day (yesterday) was the post op visit, they checked my vitals, removed the drain tube and made sure everything was OK. Walking was more of a waddle and I tried to stay prone as much as possible. The main problem yesterday was swelling. I iced a lot trying to keep it under control but that was a losing battle. I was a little concerned but the pain wasn't too bad and took my last loratab that morning and had switched to tylenol by noon. I ended up taking one more loratab before bed to make sure I got a good nights sleep. My appetite was fine and I made sure to drink plenty of fluids. The place where they pulled the tube out continued to drain for a while but by bed time very little was on the pad.
Woke up this morning and 90% of the swelling has disappeared during my sleep. My groin area is still tender and the sack is black and blue, but I'm not in any real pain and don't see even really needing a tylenol today. Everything looks clean and no signs of infection. The other thing, I chose to take no antibiotics as I have really nasty reactions to most antibiotics and I've had several more invasive surgeries in the past without taking any. She told my to just keep an eye on things and prescribed one "just in case". Of course her official line was "take these" but off the record she said I would likely be fine without them.
Today I plan to rest and how I have my schedule set, I don't go back to work till next Tuesday. I guess it's hard to say at this point what "changes" this has caused, I do feel "lighter" mentally like a weight has been lifted but that's most likely just because this is behind me. I am glad I can now slowly ramp off of the spiro and as I have never been able to get my T levels down where they "should be" with medications, I should feel much better once I fully recover.
I will add more as the week goes on but just wanted to post my experience for anyone who may have this done in the future, to have an idea of what to expect. Honestly, this was less traumatic than having my wisdom teeth removed.. And like most parts of my transition, I should have done this years ago. Then again, I was 100% sure at this point and this isn't something you can undo if you change your mind.
Title: Re: Had my orchi Tuesday - write up
Post by: mrs izzy on November 13, 2014, 09:34:36 AM
Post by: mrs izzy on November 13, 2014, 09:34:36 AM
Does the happy dance with Stephe
Just keep up with the post op care and thing should heal with out issues.
Hugs
Just keep up with the post op care and thing should heal with out issues.
Hugs
Title: Re: Had my orchi Tuesday - write up
Post by: Jill F on November 13, 2014, 09:39:26 AM
Post by: Jill F on November 13, 2014, 09:39:26 AM
Congrats on going "balls out". I loved the feeling of going T-free right away and enjoy it 24/7 now. Guess that stuf didn't agree with me...
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Title: Re: Had my orchi Tuesday - write up
Post by: Stephe on November 16, 2014, 09:31:44 AM
Post by: Stephe on November 16, 2014, 09:31:44 AM
More follow up, abdomen was still swollen and tender on day 3 and 4 but I took no pain pills, just a couple of tylenol. Tylenol sorta upsets my tummy so I didn't want to take any more than I absolutely had to. Day 3 the incision stopped draining/ozzing anything. On day 4 the doctor said I could start taking advil and it I did which seems to have helped with the swelling. Woke up today (day 5) and had another night of major swelling reduction. Now there are just a couple of tender spots in the area where the testicles retract into when tucking. Hardly noticeable.
It might be a while before any real changes happen vs being on spiro-hrt, don't really feel much different at this point other than glad they are gone. As far as my sex drive, HRT lowered it but didn't totally kill it. I never had "unwanted erections" after being on HRT but I still would get "frisky" :) On day 4 I was feeling frisky and also was curious, yes I can still have an orgasm and it's not much diff than after I has been on HRT for a year or so. That was one thing I didn't see many people mention in their write-ups about this procedure and possibly varies with the individual but for me, that's not going to be an issue it appears :)
It might be a while before any real changes happen vs being on spiro-hrt, don't really feel much different at this point other than glad they are gone. As far as my sex drive, HRT lowered it but didn't totally kill it. I never had "unwanted erections" after being on HRT but I still would get "frisky" :) On day 4 I was feeling frisky and also was curious, yes I can still have an orgasm and it's not much diff than after I has been on HRT for a year or so. That was one thing I didn't see many people mention in their write-ups about this procedure and possibly varies with the individual but for me, that's not going to be an issue it appears :)