Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Kate's thread about healing times got me to thinking about this...

At some point after my upcoming surgery I have to make the grueling 24-hour plane trip back from the U.S. to Australia. I hope to wait at least 8 weeks before that happens, but there's still the lovely prospect of having to dilate on the plane, at least a couple times if I stick to my surgeon's rather rigorous schedule, and I will.

For anyone who's had to deal with that, how exactly do we deal with that? Do I take 30 minute restroom breaks and hope they don't think I'm in there constructing a bomb or something? Or perhaps try to pull it off under the blanket while everyone's asleep? (On those long flights they make the plane dark for about 8 hours so as not to disrupt passengers' sleep cycles too much.)

And of course that also means taking the dilators in my carry-on luggage to be scrutinized by the x-ray crew during the security check, and not to mention the sheer physical stress of sitting for that many hours.

Just... eek. There's trying to survive that trip 8 weeks after surgery, and then the dilating issue. Anyone have any tips?

(and as a side note, dilating 6 times a day for 8 weeks after surgery (Dr. McGinn's schedule) means every 4 hours, non-stop, for 56 straight days. When does a girl sleep??)

I just figured it out.  Given a 24 hour day and figure 8 hours for sleep, that would be every 2.5 hours to dilate.   :icon_yikes:

No wonder some of the other girls say that your life revolves around dilation.  And some said that on that long flight you may have to forgo dilation.  But I figured that if you got a long layover somewhere, you might be able to dilate then.

Dr Suporn's staff tell you NOT to dilate on the plane.  You just play catchup when you get home.  I'm not worried about it... just about every SRS patient here has made the 15-24 hour trip home, without major issue getting caught up. 

Dr Suporn only requires dilation 3 times a day, which seems to work, as I've been able to maintain depth, whilst also going to the biggest bf.  :P

I leave in 2 days for my 25 hours of travel, wish me luck, *smiles*. 

Take Care,
Melan

Ok I have a question for you, Melan.   What kind of schedule did you have to go to, to 'Catchup'?

And it is all FairyGirl's fault that I am beginning to think on this subject again.  Bad FairyGirl.  Bad.  :-* ;D

Quote from: Janet Lynn on February 14, 2010, 09:19:18 PM
Ok I have a question for you, Melan.   What kind of schedule did you have to go to, to 'Catchup'?

I'll let you know in 3 days. 

The thing about dilation is that you picture it in your head as being a simple act of putting the dilator in, taking it out some time later and getting on with your day. But it's soooooooo much more involved than that, expecially when you are in the early stages and still healing, there are quite a few things involved in the routine that make it very very difficult and probably a bad idea to be dilating on a plane.

Don't worry about dilating on the plane (unless your surgeon suggest that you should). I had nearly 24 hours between dilations when I came home, and it was tough to get back to depth on that first dilation back home, but it's better than getting an infection from a gross airplane bathroom or airport, you know?

It actually works out to every 2.667 hours.  And that is from when you start the dilation session.  Figure in the time it actually takes, it is no wonder your life revolts around your new  "boyfriends".

Even with taking it all in, I would go tomorrow, giving the chance.

If you don't mind me asking, Birdie.  what was your catchup schedule?

QuoteIf you don't mind me asking, Birdie.  what was your catchup schedule?

That's cool, no problem at all!  :D

Before leaving Thailand I planned to dilate with an hour to spare afterwards before leaving to go to the airport. The first dilation once arriving home was difficult because of tightness in the muscles around the entrance and it took longer to get those last two inches. It probably took about an extra 20 - 30 mins to get to depth on top of the usual 20 - 40 minutes that it takes me (you don't start timing your dilation until you've achieved depth) as well as a 15 minute massage of the entrance to loosen it up. Then there was 15 minutes of dynamic dilation with the medium and 15 with the large. There's also the issue of setting up your dilation area once you arrive home too, that can take a few minutes to unpack everything. Plus the clean-up afterwards, it was probably close to 3 hours all totalled.

 :icon_yikes: :icon_yikes: :icon_yikes: :icon_yikes:

So much for my proposed schedule.  No wonder you would not be going back to work for two months minimum.  ;D

Thank you, Birdie.

okie WHEW! Thank you ladies! I was kinda worried about that! Now just have to deal with the discomfort of sitting for that long.

Dr. McGinn's schedule as I mentioned for the first 8 weeks is 6 times daily for 30 minutes. That works out to 24/6 or every 4 hours, for 30 minutes, for 56 straight days. It drops to 4 times a day or every 6 hours from then until week 24, followed by once a day for the rest of the first year, and after that once weekly.

I wish you luck Melan on your flight home! Please let us know how it goes. :)

I'm not really bad Janet.... okay, yes I am >:-)

I flew from Thailand to Bulgaria (my native country) 2 weeks after GRS.  The flight lasted 24 hours with some stopovers in between.  I felt I was dying when we arrived in Sofia ::).  I didn't dilate at all whilst on the plane.  Are you serious?  Your vagina isn't going to close if you don't dilate for one day.

lol thanks Valentina I was just making sure ;)

For most of us, the trip home is usually not a problem for suspending dilations.

Most doctors understand that you can't dilate in the air or at a truckstop.  Just make sure to get plenty of rest and stick to your schedule when you get home.

-Sandy

Thank you Sandy and Valentina.

And thank you FairyGirl.  For those of us would may yet make it this has answered several questions.

When it comes my time, I won't worry about the trip home, excepting getting there safely.  ;D

Quote from: Matilda on February 15, 2010, 03:57:30 PMI also want to know if her patients sleep at all. >:-)

yeah I'm wondering the same thing. Something I'm definitely going to ask her about!

Quote from: FairyGirl on February 15, 2010, 04:12:47 PM
yeah I'm wondering the same thing. Something I'm definitely going to ask her about!

this is just my opinion, but 6 a day is way too much during initial healing since as was pointed out in another thread (travel from thailand) that missing out isn't the end of the world, so it makes sense that one should be able to start out at 3 times a day (for the first 6 weeks) to break up the scar tissue. (then two times a day for 18 weeks, then once a day for 9 weeks)

https://www.susans.org/wiki/Vaginal_dilation (https://www.susans.org/wiki/Vaginal_dilation)
I believe the table here is for brassard but it should be a good starting guide. (I made the procedure part based off reed's instructions, it should probably be revised once I'm done myself)

edit: changed thoughts on dilation

Thanks girls.  I now know what I'm going to be doing with my life from May through October. ::)

BTW, I was talking to a GG girlfriend about this today.  She said "Well, you've done a lot already.  You could just stop here."  I surprised both of us with my vehemence about getting rid of my boy bits at last.  (Or at least reconfiguring them as they should be.) 

If one's life must revolve around the dilation schedule then so be it.  No one said this would be easy.  (Well, perhaps I did in my now-fading naïveté. :P)

- Kate

The one thing I did notice if I deviated from the schedule was that the subsequent dilations were more uncomfortable. 

I did keep pretty much to Dr. McGinn's schedule and there were many times that I would nap out while dilating.  It was a thirty minute regimen that broke my day up.

Coughing or sneezing while dilating is an *interesting* experience.  Make sure that there isn't anything breakable in the flight path...  :D

-Sandy

 ??? :-\ ::) :o :icon_yikes: ;) :D ;D

Thanks Sandy.  That is an image that I will have when is comes my time.

Quote from: Janet Lynn on February 15, 2010, 08:56:39 PM
??? :-\ ::) :o :icon_yikes: ;) :D ;D

Thanks Sandy.  That is an image that I will have when is comes my time.

I believe that one of the other girls and myself were thinking of making it an Olympic event with points for style, distance and accuracy.

-Sandy

Just be thankful you didn't end up with excessive depth Sandy! If you do, you can get to the point where the dilator is in right up to the hilt and then sneezing or coughing becomes about the only way to get the darned thing out!  :laugh:

But seriously folks - whilst it pays to be dilligent in your dilations, (even after all those decades I occasionally still do it,) you really needn't panic about missing one once in a while. Just don't make a habit of it and it'll all be fine.

Every surgeon should follow Marci's dilation schedule.  3 times a day for the first 3 months, 2 times a day for the next 3 months, once a day for six months & as needed after that.  Simple to understand, easy to follow & drama free.

Quote from: Jeannette on February 19, 2010, 06:50:43 AM
Every surgeon should follow Marci's dilation schedule.  3 times a day for the first 3 months, 2 times a day for the next 3 months, once a day for six months & as needed after that.  Simple to understand, easy to follow & drama free.

That's Dr Suporn's recommendation too! Great minds think alike! :)

Quote from: Janet Lynn on February 14, 2010, 09:19:18 PM
Ok I have a question for you, Melan.   What kind of schedule did you have to go to, to 'Catchup'?

And it is all FairyGirl's fault that I am beginning to think on this subject again.  Bad FairyGirl.  Bad.  :-* ;D

With the travel and waiting for lost/delayed bags to arrive, it was around 35 hours between dilations.   It took me about half an hour to work back to depth on the first dilation on my return home.  And now I'm back on the regular dilation schedule 3x daily, with no loss of depth.   Dilations are harder now, but I believe that to be more of a function of healing (week 5, where everything is wanting to close in) , then any lost time from travel.

There is no need to dilate on the plane, was the original question I think I was answering :)  ...

Good Luck!
Melan

Thank you, Melan.  I now have a good idea what to look forward to.  At least, I know that I don't have to worry when on the plane, when and if I get ti go.

-Sandy