Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So me again. When I was in hospital the nurses said swelling would start to go down after about 3 weeks, my surgeon said by 3 months things should look mostly like how it's going to look, but also was pretty adamant that swelling can last up to a year. Also says in my post operative care book that swelling can last up to a year.

So I know most of you, probably all of you are going to say yep, had no swelling after a month or something. My friend said hers was all healed and she was riding bikes at 4 weeks after op. I get that I'm healing slower than most.

Did or does anyone have experience with swelling lasting 3 months or more? after the swelling starts to go down how long did it take to go from swollen to normal?

I get my 3 month check up in 2 weeks and he was assuming the swelling would be gone enough to tell if I needed a correction or not. I feel like the swelling is much the same as it was last time I had a check up at 5 week mark.

P.s I had salt baths twice a day religiously for the first weeks and since then once a day. as directed.

I had tremendous swelling, to the point where even the nurses were startled. To be perfectly honest, I don't think all the swelling was gone before TWO years.  There was a noticeable reduction at three months, it's true, and then a very gradual improvement from then on, but the one year thing seems to be typical results rather than guaranteed. Well, nothing's guaranteed, right? :) I healed well in some ways and very slowly in others, and I have to admit I couldn't tackle a bike until at least 9 months or so.

Also, the surgeon's the expert, so it's possible he can "see past" the swelling enough to know whether a revision is needed even if there's still significant swelling. Or he might ask you to come back for one more follow-up.

Thanks Jenna, was hoping someone was having a similar experience. Did dilating get easier after the swelling resolved? I imagine my surgeon will see me as much as needed, post operative experience with him has been above and beyond.

here are a few things you could think about:

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,190342.msg1695427.html#msg1695427

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,190515.msg1697107.html#msg1697107

Just talk it through with your doc...


hugs

Hello, you don't mention where you are swollen.  I had ugly and painful swelling right on the pubic mound.  Tough time believing that amount of swelling was possible.  I though for sure it would become a permanent characteristic of my neo-vagina.  Doctor said repeatedly it was normal and all women have mounds.  My hope was the area would look flat.  It was flat prior to SRS so why the mound.

Right at 8 weeks post-op the pubic mound deflated.  It's looking flat, petite and very pretty!  Can't really see any swelling and left wondering how much less is possible or expected.

Don't see myself riding a bike anytime soon.  Very happy regaining ability to sit on hard surfaces without pain.

Have begun to stretch and work legs and pubic area as I prepare to try things out.  By that I mean sex!  Still 4-6 weeks out but want to be in good shape.  Also in preparation for sex I  went back to twice a day dilation, which has become easier and very much routine.  Big concern now is how big men boast they are.  Sizes 6.5 to 9 inches exceed capacity!

Serenation, wishing similar progress comes to you very soon!
Thank you,
Anne

Quote from: OOAnne on August 01, 2015, 07:33:18 AM

Have begun to stretch and work legs and pubic area as I prepare to try things out.  By that I mean sex!  Still 4-6 weeks out but want to be in good shape.  Also in preparation for sex I  went back to twice a day dilation, which has become easier and very much routine.  Big concern now is how big men boast they are.  Sizes 6.5 to 9 inches exceed capacity!

Serenation, wishing similar progress comes to you very soon!
Thank you,
Anne

Well not all of the inches go inside... 1 to three inches might stay outside due to anatomy...
and there are extra positions listed in womens mags where entry is less deep... so its a known issue...
and the guys with that size probably kind of know already...

and some describe bottoming out as pleasurable after they got used to it...
it can lead to a wave like internal stimulation...
and the guy has something to brag about...


hugs

thanks for replies girls, I looked at a pic from another thread a post srs pic from your surgeons site I believe Anne, and that just looked flat compared to mine, scars look to be in same place and discolouration were the different skin types are joined looks the same (I don't know to much about the details of surgery, other than I had inversion technique and I needed a scrotal graft due to not much to work with)

I had zero bruising, the reason I say its swollen because it looks the same swollen as when I last had my check up like a month ago. By swollen I mean the labia majora as thats all I can see, I don't even think I have inner labia, but perhaps it's just swelling. Surgeon also said it's swollen on the inside making dilation a harder. I had to start on no1 dilater, were others that had srs on same day started on no3 My gp who has been helping me with transition over the last decade checked some granulation said it looked amazing and all correct although she said it looked very sore still.

Basically really puffy labia, all there is too see from outside is a line were the labia press together, one sides a little mishapen from scar tissue not being as flexible, so it puffs a bit each side of the scar. He said he would check that again at 3 months, to see if it looked normal after the swelling went down.

Not sure sex with my boy will ever be possible as my biggest dilater is 1.5 diameter and his 2 or something.

It seems functional enough, I pee fine isnt numb anywhere, clit is sensitive, can almost orgasm from penetration or clit. My brain tends to wander at just the wrong moment and I lose it, still feels 100 times better then as a boy. I don't seem to have any sex drive though, will ask gp about that. My endo just put me on menopause pill.

I probably should have added that I had swelling *everywhere* - outer labia were too swollen to see my clit or inner labia for at least six months, hugely swollen pubic mound, and from the feel of it the inner labia were swollen too. I am not kidding when I say that according to how my (two sizes bigger!) underpants fit, the new bulge was at least twice the size of what I went in the operating room with. Oddly enough, it didn't interfere with dilation much, or at least it didn't hurt; I did notice that yes, it got easier to get the dilator in there as the swelling went down.

As for sex, penises compress in ways plastic can't, so there's hope yet.

Concerning hormones this might help:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,190296.msg1695059.html#msg1695059

Well concerning swelling some people say some exercises might help... walking a bit...

and eating healthy...


hugs

Laura : That's definitely a "consult your surgeon" question, as while Brassard recommended light exercise, his nurses added that on the other hand overdoing it can *worsen* swelling. Which was true in my experience; I noticed that when I walked or stood for longer than usual, the swelling increased, for months afterward.

thanks again girls, guess i have to be patient. Mine doesn't sound quite as bad as yours was Jenna.

thanks laura, not sure how far to push myself concerning exercise, I do a reasonable amount of walking, but gets a bit tender, scar area feels sore rubbing on the pads.

My endo didn't seem too concerned about blood tests post op. He never really seems too concerned about anything. Now that im post op I guess I don't really have to see a gender specialist endo anymore. Will get my gp to check my levels and see what she thinks.

Quote from: Serenation on August 01, 2015, 11:53:08 AM
thanks again girls, guess i have to be patient. Mine doesn't sound quite as bad as yours was Jenna.

thanks laura, not sure how far to push myself concerning exercise, I do a reasonable amount of walking, but gets a bit tender, scar area feels sore rubbing on the pads.

My endo didn't seem too concerned about blood tests post op. He never really seems too concerned about anything. Now that im post op I guess I don't really have to see a gender specialist endo anymore. Will get my gp to check my levels and see what she thinks.

Well if necessary a small dose of testosterone might help...
there are pellet implants for menopausal women for that purpose... and there are topical gels...
it might help with overall drive and orgasm capability if levels are too low...


hugs