Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Hi Girls,

So I just had my SRS surgery 6months ago (peno-scrotal grafting). I am now down to dilating once a day now. Does anyone here uses tampons instead of pads? I just hate it whenever I slouch and getting back leaks from time to time. I know that this will be not a problem once I am down to dilating once or twice a week (cause of lube residue). Is it safe to use tampons over pads?

No it is not safe. You will make your new part too dry. Cis women have fluid that need to be disposed off, so their insides won't dried out. They can't use it for prolonged period of time either due to the chance of toxic syndrome.

Quote from: jfong on April 01, 2015, 11:33:46 AM
No it is not safe. You will make your new part too dry. Cis women have fluid that need to be disposed off, so their insides won't dried out. They can't use it for prolonged period of time either due to the chance of toxic syndrome.

Not even just when I dilate? Like right after I dilate? I dilate before bed time so I will just wear tampon over night? Is it still a bad idea?

Tampons are meant to be absorbent, if you don't produce enough fluid on your own it will absorb whatever moisture from within your vagina. You don't want it to be too dry inside, as a matter of fact you want it to be moist all the time.
When the inside of your vagina gets too dry, it might cause other problems not to mention when it is dry it will be very difficult to remove the tampon.
With pads/liners, whatever excess will be dumped outside and yet the moisture inside will be what it supposed to be.
There's a reason why regular cis-women don't use any tampons if they are not menstruating.
http://youngwomenshealth.org/2014/07/02/is-it-bad-to-insert-a-tampon-before-going-swimming-if-im-not-on-my-period-yet-im-afraid-ill-start-in-the-water/
Here's another one.
https://www.ubykotex.com/get-the-facts/question?id=51317

NO NO NO, NOT EVER!

While I carry half a pack in my bag (one of my passing tips because every girl carries tampons), you should never ever use them.

I've read of a transgirl who used one once and didn't the helping hands of her doctor to remove it

I'm ftm so I don't know whether this would work, but have you considered a silicone menstrual cup?

Short answer, er, NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NON! NYET! NOT EVER! NUH UH!!!!

I tried them once.  And yes, I didn't leak.  But when I went to extract it, the tampon was stuck.  I almost had to use a block and tackle to take it out.  And when it came out, I felt like I pulled some of my still healing tissue out.  It was incredibly painful.  It had adhered to my vaginal tissue.  I only had it in for a few hours.

Use a pad.  I used super absorbent over night pads.  They provided good protection and a bit of cushioning when I sat.

My surgeon suggested using regular gauze bandages rolled up into a tube and inserted.  They won't adhere to the vaginal walls and provide a modecum of protection.  You still have use a pad, but it won't saturate as quickly.

A menstrual cup may work, I've never tried one.  But it would collect any drainage from bleeding or dilation.  And they don't adhere to your vaginal walls.

-Sandy

The answer like everyone else says is no..

but....

I used one once.. Due to a counting error on my side.. I ran out of pads. I really thought there was one left.. as I was planning to get more that day.. so I went to ask my roommate if she had one to spare, she only had tampons. So i decided ok... She showed me how to use it and I inserted it.. I went and got more pads.. When i got home I took out the tampon and replaced it with a pad. The tampon was maybe 2 hours at most inside me.. No damage was done. I was about 3 months post-op at the time.

Well at least I can say.. I have used a tampon.

As others said no.

I used panty liners most when needed at 6 months  The long version.

The problem will end soon enough as why maybe cause issues that will last a life time.

If surgeons wanted us to use tampons it would be written in the instructions .

I'm ftm too, tampons come in a range of sizes of how much fluid they will hold.  One of the first things a girl starting to use them does is learn by experimenting on how long it takes for her to have a almost complete saturating the tampon for her period and size of tampon she used.  A almost full tampon is the easiest to pull out without it pulling on the vagina walls and hurting badly. I can see how you girls may not have enough fluid to even fill the smallest size tampon and also leaving one in a short time, 2 hrs, would could cause great pain when trying to pull it out.  I know feeling of wetness down there with pads which is what got me to using tampon.  Never tried a menstrual cup and never will, but you girls know as much about your new vaginas that you may not have a problem getting one in and out.

technically, we should be able to do anything a natal female is able to do concerning hygiene. I have used tampons both pre and post op, and they are indeed easier to use if lubed up and wet.

By design, the tampons are made to be really really dry, and will suck up the moisture from anything it comes in contact with. So, simple way around that is to run it under some water while its still in the plastic applicator before inserting. BUT I would only ever use one for times that I would be swimming or soaking to keep things out of there rather than keep the lube discharge in.

Last time was for about 6 hours swimming at the beach. Worked like a charm keeping sand and such out of there. Removal was a little tight, but I took my time with it (just like dilating) rather than shoving it in and yanking it out of there. Probably also a good idea to keep it in front of the PC muscle rather than in or behind it if you so choose to experiment with tampons.

I didn't know we needed to use pads or tampons 6 months post op. I thought it was pads only immediately post op for the first few weeks to get excess blood.

Quote from: awilliams1701 on June 07, 2015, 12:23:38 AM
I didn't know we needed to use pads or tampons 6 months post op. I thought it was pads only immediately post op for the first few weeks to get excess blood.

There is some KY jelly left behind and if you don't mind it on your underwear, you may be alright without a pad. Once I was down to once a day, I would take a shower after I dilated and that cleaned up the mess.

The pads usually are just to catch discharge immediately post-op; personally, I was able to stop after the first month or so. There was still the leftover lube, but it tended to come right back out when I stood up after dilating, so no worries about putting on underpants a few minutes later.

Tampons are designed to catch blood and discharge internally, so there's not a lot of *point* to using them if there's nothing like that to deal with... and they are a terrible idea during the initial post-op period because of the risk of infection and tearing. I suppose someone unfortunate enough to have a lot of long-term discharge might consider it (or someone who's curious about it and wants to try just once), but they should follow the cis guidelines about changing them frequently to prevent TSS and other infections.

(Cis women without a uterus or a menstrual period also don't usually bother with tampons, for the same reason - not much point and it's likely to be too dry. I suspect if we asked cis women who don't need them whether they've been tempted to use one anyway, we'd get odd looks. ;) )