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 OK my consolation prize for postponing SRS was to get a "bilateral simple orchi"

All went well, and heading home now. Short answer why: I got spooked because SRS is kind of a big surgery, and it was overwhelming.

I cancelled and rescheduled the SRS, and thought about how to make the anxiety more manageable, and decided that an orchi would be a good "first step" in breaking the cold icy fear of surgery I have had since early childhood.

Good idea, because i handled it with ease and aplomb...even got off a joke about when I'd get my "cone" for recovery...

Ok sleepy time now, happy new year to everyone, hope your holidays were good!

congrats on a safe landing

Big hug! Nitey nite, honey!  :)

Hugs, Devlyn

Congratulations; I'm glad everything went well. Did you have an inguinal or simple orchiectomy?

Hey,

Glad it went well.  I eased into GCS as well.  Its been a little over a year for me. 

I beleive that having this done a few months prior to GCS makes GCS recovry easier.

Hugs,

Jen

Glad it went well!

I am glad you are well but a bit of advice. As you have a fear of surgery, tell the doctor about this because they can help you get through it. There is a medication they give you while they are prepping you for surgery the prevents you from forming new memories. When they used it on me this summer, I recall waiting for them to take me to surgery and the next thing I remember is waking up after surgery. I didn't even recall them giving me the medication. You will still be nervous before the surgery but it really helps reduce the fear and the memories you form as the result of the surgery.

Quote from: Dena on December 28, 2015, 07:53:32 PM
I am glad you are well but a bit of advice. As you have a fear of surgery, tell the doctor about this because they can help you get through it. There is a medication they give you while they are prepping you for surgery the prevents you from forming new memories. When they used it on me this summer, I recall waiting for them to take me to surgery and the next thing I remember is waking up after surgery. I didn't even recall them giving me the medication. You will still be nervous before the surgery but it really helps reduce the fear and the memories you form as the result of the surgery.

They usually give Ativan for anxiety, and then you feel relaxed, and drowsy, and then a second or two later they are waking you up, and telling you that the surgery is over and you did very well; it's just the few weeks leading up to the dose of Ativan that are the scariest for me  ;D

Congratulations. I am glad you have found a way to concur your anxiety for SRS. A huge plus is you will not need spiro :)

Yes, after they hooked up the IV it was only about 5 minutes and i started feeling loopy. Mentioned it, and the nurse said she'd "slipped me a little som'in som'in" which would help any anxiety i may have.

I don't remember mentioning that, but then...ghat just shows it works! I do remember the hallway gurney ride and sliding across to the OR table...then a mask was put on...then recovery.

I complimented everyone i saw after surgery....very well organized, very professional, very effective!

Balls out!

Quote from: Beth Andrea on December 28, 2015, 08:03:58 PM
Yes, after they hooked up the IV it was only about 5 minutes and i started feeling loopy. Mentioned it, and the nurse said she'd "slipped me a little som'in som'in" which would help any anxiety i may have.

I don't remember mentioning that, but then...ghat just shows it works! I do remember the hallway gurney ride and sliding across to the OR table...then a mask was put on...then recovery.

I complimented everyone i saw after surgery....very well organized, very professional, very effective!

Did you have it done at Greenbaum?

Quote from: Jill F on December 28, 2015, 08:04:57 PM
Balls out!

...And...they're gone! Outta the ballpark! Kiss 'em goodbye!

;D

Quote from: kittenpower on December 28, 2015, 08:14:48 PM
Did you have it done at Greenbaum?

Group Health on Capital Hill. SRS will be at Greenbaum (about a year and a half from now  :( )

Quote from: kittenpower on December 28, 2015, 07:36:58 PM
Congratulations; I'm glad everything went well. Did you have an inguinal or simple orchiectomy?

Simple

Congratulations to you! :)

Beth, I am glad things went well. It's totally understandable that. It's better to do what your comfortable and ready for than something that you will be more ready for down the road. Hugs
Mariah

*
(I apologise that I am treading lightly not knowing how explicit I can ask or pose my enquiry.)

I have read posts at various GCS / SRS surgeon sites who warn that pre-op orchiectomy could disqualify the patient for future GCS / SRS due to scarring on down below skin tissue.

I researched this and found that many orchi surgeons do violated protocol and do use entry from below rather than through the umbilis and thus the surgeon does scar and invalidate vital tissue required for later surgery.

My opinion tells me that orchi surgeons need to get with the program on behalf of their patients and need to operate with GCS / SRS in mind.  Why is this not already such a requirement?

*

Before beginning the process of getting approval for the orchi, I asked GH and Dr Meltzer if having this would in any way affect the procedure or the insurance benefits.

No, and no, so I went ahead with it. My orchi surgeon is familiar with Dr Metzer and his needs for a particular incision location, so everyone was on the same page.

I felt very bad about canceling (I now say "postponed", because I did reschedule it) and I wanted to share with others that it's not the end the world...one just has to think about why we felt the need to cx (in my case, fear of surgery anesthesia not working--which was based on a childhood event) as well as post-op pain and complications.

Ok, I gave in to my fears. Oh well!  ;) I'm still me, still a woman, and still want SRS. I feel much better about anesthesia now that I've experienced the best that 2015 technology can give (as opposed to 1969), and with "the boys" gone, the rest is going to be easier to accept.

Chin up! Stiff upper lip, and all that! Now if ya'all will excuse me, I have to change my dressing.

*hugs*

^-^

Looks like I'll be doing the same in a couple of months.  However due to a childhood problem, one side may have to be done inguinal.  My therapist is recommending it so I don't have to use blockers and shrinkage in my case isn't a big deal. 

Congratulations Beth,

Sounds like you made a well informed choice.  I am getting ready to send my balls to the pathology lab too now that Kaiser has come around.  An inguinal orchiectomy also removes the spermatic cord but why, when no sperm can possibly be produced?  The inguinal canal can be a place where hernias form but the easy approach to an orchi is through the scrotum and this can be done with a  local anesthetic and sedation.  Some surgeons also perform a scrotal reduction if the patient does not plan further GCS/SRS.  Any urologist can do a simple orchiectomy but a GCS/SRS experienced surgeon might be preferred if one considers more surgery later.

I have a vivid fear of running out of my "man away" drug, spiro, and the return of T would be a nightmare to me.  The advantages of not needing the blockers forever and having those boys gone is enough for me.  Plus GCS/SRS can still be entertained down the line if needed.

Quote from: Beth Andrea on December 29, 2015, 09:52:39 AM
I felt very bad about canceling (I now say "postponed", because I did reschedule it) and I wanted to share with others that it's not the end the world...one just has to think about why we felt the need to cx (in my case, fear of surgery anesthesia not working--which was based on a childhood event) as well as post-op pain and complications.

Ok, I gave in to my fears. Oh well!  ;) I'm still me, still a woman, and still want SRS. I feel much better about anesthesia now that I've experienced the best that 2015 technology can give (as opposed to 1969), and with "the boys" gone, the rest is going to be easier to accept.

Chin up! Stiff upper lip, and all that! Now if ya'all will excuse me, I have to change my dressing.

*hugs*

^-^

In my opinion 1969 wasn't bad compared to the 1950's. They put me under with ether and you haven't lived until you wake up sick from ether twice. By about the mid 1960's when I had my third surgery, injectable drugs were available and it was so different waking up from surgery and not puking my insides out for 3 or 4 hours.

Vomiting is all well and good, pain during surgery is not: I was conscious but immobile due to anesthesia being ineffective on me during my tongue-clipping (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankyloglossia). Put fear in me about surgery for 45 years.


Fwiw, I did vomit after my orchi...after I was discharged and heading home, I devoured half a bag of "goldfish" crackers...salt + cheese = WIN...but stomach was like, "BARF!" After that, I was ok, and proceeded to eat what seemed like half a 7-11.

An observation one day post-op:

For all the worry I had about "OMG...the 'boys' will be gone soon! Do I *really* want this...?" leading up to the surgery, now that they're gone, I am so glad! Just a dull ache down there, in fact I'm going to go to work tomorrow (I have a split shift, so I can call out if needed).

Sure, they're gone...but now that they are, I know I want my "male tether" to be gone also.

Quote from: Beth Andrea on December 29, 2015, 09:49:33 PM
Vomiting is all well and good, pain during surgery is not: I was conscious but immobile due to anesthesia being ineffective on me during my tongue-clipping (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankyloglossia). Put fear in me about surgery for 45 years.


Fwiw, I did vomit after my orchi...after I was discharged and heading home, I devoured half a bag of "goldfish" crackers...salt + cheese = WIN...but stomach was like, "BARF!" After that, I was ok, and proceeded to eat what seemed like half a 7-11.

It must be many years since I ate anything out of a 7-11. About the only thing I use them for is buying lottery tickets.

Quote from: Beth Andrea on December 29, 2015, 09:49:33 PM
Vomiting is all well and good, pain during surgery is not: I was conscious but immobile due to anesthesia being ineffective on me during my tongue-clipping (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankyloglossia). Put fear in me about surgery for 45 years.

Wow, I had to get my tounge strip-thing cut when I was a kid too!

I've never met anyone that's had to have that... but I guess it's never come up.

Second day post-op, and I did a full days work (driving a bus). Took two aleve in the morning, and no problems...still a tiny bit sore down there, but wow a quick recovery I do believe!

Great to hear from you Beth and see you're healing well. It's always special to see your posts. You were an inspiration to me early on. I am so glad you still post.

Hugs and good wishes for the best recovery ever.