Id like to know if anyone has had serious complications with getting srs. And what would you wished you would have known before getting it done?. Also would you do it again knowing what all was involved? Please be honest and don't candy coat it please. Thanks to anyone who responds.
Nothing big. I did tear open about a one inch area where the stitches were (it was an inch long and a quarter inch wide, and a quarter inch deep).
It was my fault because I was mowing grass, riding the motorcycle, and just too active three weeks after surgery.
Funny thing was I didn't have any insurance at that time so I went to my good friend the veterinarian. The way I saw it she does a lot of stitching and wound work. She took a look at it and said that she could stitch it but if I just waited about a day it would seal itself. She was totally correct. It sealed itself. So I'm the only person I know that went to a veterinarian for medical advice.
Katie
I had bladder spasms from the catheter, and did have one stitch pull loose too early and leave a little sore/open spot. Neither was serious long-term.
I wish I'd known how *tired* I would be. I was prepared for the pain (actually, that wasn't nearly as bad as I expected, at least not from the surgery - the catheter was hellish pain) and the not being able to sit and all that, but I was shocked at how long-term exhausted I was. It was probably six months before my energy was 100% back, and I went from riding my bike 50 miles a week to needing a nap after too many errands. Everyone talked about the pain, so I thought I'd gotten off lightly in terms of recovery until I tried to do too much. ;) I also underestimated how exhausting and frustrating and generally miserable being in low-level discomfort and healing up for months would be.
That said, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. The only thing I'd change would be to take one more week off of work (instead of 4 weeks).
My only "complication" related to the surgery was a Candida yeast infection at about 11 days post op which made dilation miserable by making the dilator feel like it was coated with sandpaper. It took 48 hours to clear it up with oral and vaginal medication. In checking around, that one is about 1 out of 15 patients that will get it. As I said, it made life miserable but survivable until the meds had kicked in. For several weeks, the dilation can seem like a major complication all by its lonesome, but be gentle and persistent and you will be fine.
Have a good Ob/Gyn picked out close to home, and briefed on the chance of needing their help. Be sure to give your surgeon permission to share the records with your normal health care team, and to be able to have phone consultations with all doctors involved.
I am not nearly as athletic as Jenna says she is, but I concur that the fatigue is a real problem the first 6 or so weeks, and its made worse that you cannot sit for long periods of time to rest.
I do know of people that have gotten much more serious problems which the doctors warn you about, but for everyone with one of those, I know of three people who asked for trouble by not following their post care recommendations. Some of those stories are so stupid that you are almost glad the complication happened to 'em. (Note I said ALMOST.)
Define serious first. ;D
If referring to me bleeding out and being hospitalized, I knew it would be a risk before I went in and was the unlucky minority. Maybe could blame the surgeon but it could happen to any of them. As far as other complications a lot of them were things that just aren't talked much about (bladder spasms, granulation tissue).
And yes I would do it again in a heartbeat.
thanks to the crazy Munchausen shrink my surgery was so delayed I had to have a colovaginoplasty which meant double the incisions and flesh moving and I was sent home with a thrush infect which I have pix of and then because of the intense pain caused by the bowel mucus being quite caustic I had intense pain that stopped me dilating for a bit so I tightened up and I had to have several sessions with the surgeon to open me up by force and then I had to have a further small op to rectify skin growths blocking the way and then another to let me pee properly.
Cost of all this was probably about $100,000 which the UK NHS had to pay as penalty for employing a shrink with Munchausens by Proxy.
I had some complication however light compared to some, I couldn't breath and had to be on oxygen for several extra days, mainly because of my asthma, and then had to be on extra fluids because of anemia. Other than that nothing major.
Kia Ora Lana,
I had no serious complications, however a friend of mine who had her surgery 6 months before me ( in 2005 we both had colonvaginoplasty procedures-performed by the same team of surgeons), she has had nothing but complications and serious ones at that...She's had surgery after surgery to try to fix the 'problems', carried out by surgeons both here in NZ and in Thailand and now she's going to have her vagina closed/sealed/removed as this seems to be the only option she has left in order for her to live a pain/complication free life...This is to be performed in March by the surgical team the did the original surgery...
When it comes to surgery, one can never know for sure how it will turn out, for example I have had no problems, but my friend has had non stop "major" problems...
Are the surgeons at fault ? Or was/is it the material they had to work with ? ie, body type, healing time, etc etc...Who really knows for sure ?
Metta Zenda :)
After my srs in thailand with dr suporn, we were all advised to rest, and under no circumstances, smoke. That didn't stop a number of patients running around all day and smoking a week after... I don't know about their complications specifically, but I'm quite sure this, especially the smoking, can increase your chances of having them hugely.
Quote from: GendrKweer on January 07, 2014, 03:21:03 PM
After my srs in thailand with dr suporn, we were all advised to rest, and under no circumstances, smoke. That didn't stop a number of patients running around all day and smoking a week after... I don't know about their complications specifically, but I'm quite sure this, especially the smoking, can increase your chances of having them hugely.
Kia Ora GendrKweer,
My friend was a 'heavy' smoker and from what I gather she did smoke right up to and shortly after her surgery...
Metta Zenda :)
I had the displeasure of experiencing a rectal fistula. That upped the total surgery count for GCS to 4 over half a year and left me with some serious scars :(
Lana, we did have one MtF member last year who had a terrible experience with a low-cost Thai surgeon. I will try to find the topics for you. Lots of complications, infection, pain, etc.
Edit: It was MandyH92 and here is one of her topics
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,122729.0.html
But you are headed to Brassard, right? One of the best in the world. You should have no worries.
Quote from: Jamie D on January 07, 2014, 08:09:20 PM
Lana, we did have one MtF member last year who had a terrible experience with a low-cost Thai surgeon. I will try to find the topics for you. Lots of complications, infection, pain, etc.
Edit: It wad MandyH92 and here is one of her topics
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,122729.0.html
But you are headed to Brassard, right? One of the best in the world. You should have no worries.
oh my I had almost forgot about Mandy's ordeal, god PAI is so bad :(
I had a slight allergic reaction to the keflex that was administered to me as standard. I had a minor infection in one labia that cleared up after some antibiotics. However, I was pain free after 4 weeks. By about 5 or 6 weeks, I was back to my pre-op energy levels. I had also prepared for the worst and spent 6 months doing daily morning cardio, weekly weight lifting and ate a low-carb, pescatarian diet to help mitigate any eventuality.
Thanks Jamie D, I read that horror story of Mandys. I'm sorry but I will never get grs f^&k that none sense. My new motto is if it ain't broken why fix it.
Lana, most SRS procedures are major complication free.. But if you don't need it, don't have it..
Quoteif it ain't broken why fix it.
(y) Definitely. If you feel it is broken, you have the option to fix it with a genital corrective surgery - if it does not feel broken, why "correct" it?