Hi, I'm Patrice, I've been away been away from this site for about 4 or 5 years, which I use to frequent pretty much every day. Anyway I'm scheduled for an orchiectomy on the 26th of next month, and schedule for a pre-surgical interview on April 12 with the surgeon.
I'm interested in every bit of information everyone and anyone has to contribute on the surgery (including the the nature of the pre-surgery interview), the effects, results, side-effects, etc. I am especially interested in penis size and function, as I am relationships with members of both genders (hard for me to choose presently).
I will have the surgery done with some surgeon done regardless of what I hear here. My general practitioner suggested this procedure when when I confided that I felt like I was "trapped between two worlds", in that the hormones on their own seemed to be doing little--certainly NOT nearly enough anyway.
Lastly my surgeon is Dr. Mark Sigman, 2 Dudley St., Providence, R.I.
All information shall be much appreciated, thank you.
This could help you:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,193238.0.html
If you plan to have SRS later you might tell your Surgeon.
There are methods which leave few scars.
Some SRS surgeons are even willing to advise surgeons on the best methods.
*hugs*
It might compromise later results with SRS or the intervention itself requiring skin grafts from areas other than the genital area.
Also, you say the hormones did little to you. Have you perhaps considered that your HRT is inadequate?
Another place to look is The Eunuch Archive. Yes, there is a lot of fetishism there but also a lot of great information on recovery, aftereffects, etc. from a lot of people who have had orchies.
Quote from: KayXo on March 24, 2016, 01:27:01 PM
It might compromise later results with SRS or the intervention itself requiring skin grafts from areas other than the genital area.
Also, you say the hormones did little to you. Have you perhaps considered that your HRT is inadequate?
(1) I originally didn't think I'd
ever be a candidate for SRS. However, recently I saw some beautifully done and virtually indistinguishable from nature's work surgical vaginas, and my reaction: oh my, I do believe I
may want one. So, yes, I'll speak to the surgeon in the pre-surgery interview.
(2) "Have you perhaps considered that your HRT is inadequate?" No, firstly my doctor is very good and has pretty much exhausted my options there. The problem is that (although I don't think I look it) I'm 62 and even with the best hormones in the world they're working against a ton of history as a male. So they do need help. Thank you for your impute sweetie.
Quote from: patstar on March 25, 2016, 10:08:01 AM
The problem is that (although I don't think I look it) I'm 62 and even with the best hormones in the world they're working against a ton of history as a male. So they do need help. Thank you for your impute sweetie.
If you are suppressing androgen levels to castrate levels now, what will be the difference post-orchiectomy?
Quote from: KayXo on March 25, 2016, 12:05:37 PM
If you are suppressing androgen levels to castrate levels now, what will be the difference post-orchiectomy?
The testosterone blocker (spironolactone) was just about completely ineffective. My doctor told me an orchiectomy is a "game changer" as far as eliminating testosterone and developing feminization--and, from everything I've read, I have no reason to doubt this. ?
Hey Patrice,
I am going "nutless" on Monday next week. I was an anesthetist for 33 years and have done some homework that is very reassuring to me about the results we can anticipate from an orchiectomy.
If you are in the US then you should expect or be assertive about receiving a pre op interview that we call PAR. You are entitled to know about the Procedure in any detail you need. You should hear about the Alternatives, basically more HRT and keeping your testes. And then we talk about the Risks. Again your surgical team including a surgeon and anesthesia provider should answer your questions and help you feel prepared and at ease.
My HRT has done a great job and the spiro I nick named "man away" has my T quite low. Therefore I do not expect much difference in my secondary characteristics gains but a reduction in my drug needs. All drugs carry inherent risk and I am tired of the diuretic side effects and the fear of going back should anything happen to my HRT drug delivery line.
Sexual function is variable for us as you know. My experience and, that I hear about, is along the "use it or lose it" concept line. My trans sisters who "get it up" regularly and use it generally are functional and experience less shrinkage than those who find IT untouchable or unwanted in the first place. I do not know how an orchi would change your size?
Post op, some folks might need adjustments in HRT and we know of some who might utilize T gel or other medication options to maintain their sexual function. You will likely have pre and post lab results to compare.
I am planning to have a local anesthetic with sedation and that is so I don't tell too many jokes and start laughing. A moving target is not a good surgical field but honestly this will reduce my overall risks. My urologist is well informed and experienced with the procedure, suggested to take a half hour. I will be an outpatient and will have some tight jock strap sort of panties to wear. I will be laying around for awhile with an ice bag between my legs rather than a full nut bag. With much reduced testes size, shelling them out requires a small incision that will be generously flooded with long acting local anesthetics.
I had a vasectomy long ago but did not listen to their post op advice to not use the equipment for sexual pleasure for two weeks. Bad idea!! Swelling and infection were my reward. >:-)
Best of luck to you and keep your positive sights on your post op recovery, freedom and more space between yer legs. ;D
Quote from: patstar on March 25, 2016, 10:08:01 AM
(1) I originally didn't think I'd ever be a candidate for SRS. However, recently I saw some beautifully done and virtually indistinguishable from nature's work surgical vaginas, and my reaction: oh my, I do believe I may want one. So, yes, I'll speak to the surgeon in the pre-surgery interview.
I emailed Dr. McGinn's office regarding an orchi with my urologist. They replied with a recommendation of a lateral incision rather than vertical. They even recommended my urologist call their office but as busy as he is, I doubt he will do it.
Quote from: Tessa James on March 25, 2016, 01:14:06 PM
Post op, some folks might need adjustments in HRT and we know of some who might utilize T gel or other medication options to maintain their sexual function.
In my opinion, adding T is more harmful than beneficial. Some effects might be irreversible, like scalp hair loss, further voice masculinization , acne scars and even body hair growth. Estrogen alone is able to maintain sexual function (is a vasodilator, so is progesterone) and libido. You just need enough of it and I suspect those that resorted to T didn't have enough E because doctors didn't fully understand the health risks associated with bio-identical E, especially if taken non-orally so prescribed too low doses.
I just had it done and almost two after the pain is gone along with being totally happy they are gone and being off the spiro,
One of the main reasons I finally got it done was I never liked juggling my easter eggs and I was more self concious of them when wearing jeans or long pants and after 10 years of being on HRT Ive found it hard to save the large amount of dollars needed for full GRS and found that I could get it done in the public health system with my private doc.
My bloold levels have generaly been fine over the years but my T level fluctuates from time to time,
My urologist surgeon made two 2 vertical incisions and after surgery I was kept over night at my request,
When I went home I was told to take pain killers only as needed and plently of rest for the first week and ice to reduce the swelling
I found for me it was best to were PJs with no underwear and only wear them if going out or to the shops but removed them when I get home as they made me sore, and to get plenty of fresh air to help with healing something I learnt years ago and my GP told me ages ago.
Before the surgery my endo and my urologist said I will still need to take the HRT but not the spiro after surgery and having regular blood test will continue to keep a eye on my blood levels and there may be a little more feminizing after and went though the pros and cons of the orchi surgery and made shore I was doing if for the right reasons and to make sure I didnt have any regrets after it was done along with a good psych elevation.
After the surgery I was told that I couldnt start tucking it for at least a month and only when the swelling from surgery ifs fully gone and fully healed up so wearing skirts or dresses when out works best.
And it is has its moments when it grows FWIW
All the best with your surgery ..
Cheers Tracy
Quote from: KayXo on March 25, 2016, 03:55:51 PM
In my opinion, adding T is more harmful than beneficial. Some effects might be irreversible, like scalp hair loss, further voice masculinization , acne scars and even body hair growth. Estrogen alone is able to maintain sexual function (is a vasodilator, so is progesterone) and libido. You just need enough of it and I suspect those that resorted to T didn't have enough E because doctors didn't fully understand the health risks associated with bio-identical E, especially if taken non-orally so prescribed too low doses.
Thanks for all the valuable input ladies. Actually I was thinking more of possibly Viagra and other related meds....?
Thank you so much Tracy. Your post tells me I have a of thinking and planning to do. I have two cats I love dearly (and no one else that could likely gain entrance to my apartment building), so staying over night might be out of the question. The sensitivity to underwear seem problematic since I have that dripping after urination issue and usually line my undies with some form paper tissue. I'll come up with something. I'm also an avid fitness buff (I've lost about 30 pounds and want to lose 30 more)--this includes a spinning class 3 times a week (I guess it will be months before I'm ready for those bicycle seats again). A much more accurate picture of the recovery time is starting to form. Thanks again sweetie.
Hi Patrice, if your taking spiractin you will find that "dripping after urination issue" will stop after surgery as your body will returns to its old self when you stop the spiro and you retrain your blader,
It took my body about a week and it feels so good not having to go to the bathroom after drinking anything and no more drip after............
Not sure if I mentioned it in my post but I stopped the spiro 2 days before surgery so I didnt have to go to the bathroom when I wok up after surgery from the fluids they gave me.....
Cheers Tracy
Thanks Tracy. This is VERY useful information. I will also cut back on my fluid intake before the operation.
Love,
Pat
Usually, spironolactone should be stopped about a week before as it can interfere with anesthetic and also affects electrolytes so that you may end up with too much potassium in your body (i.e. hyperkalemia) due to the IV.
Thanks sweetie. Good to know.
Love,
Pat
Quote from: Tessa James on March 25, 2016, 01:14:06 PM
Hey Patrice,
I am going "nutless" on Monday next week. I was an anesthetist for 33 years and have done some homework that is very reassuring to me about the results we can anticipate from an orchiectomy.
If you are in the US then you should expect or be assertive about receiving a pre op interview that we call PAR. You are entitled to know about the Procedure in any detail you need. You should hear about the Alternatives, basically more HRT and keeping your testes. And then we talk about the Risks. Again your surgical team including a surgeon and anesthesia provider should answer your questions and help you feel prepared and at ease.
My HRT has done a great job and the spiro I nick named "man away" has my T quite low. Therefore I do not expect much difference in my secondary characteristics gains but a reduction in my drug needs. All drugs carry inherent risk and I am tired of the diuretic side effects and the fear of going back should anything happen to my HRT drug delivery line.
Sexual function is variable for us as you know. My experience and, that I hear about, is along the "use it or lose it" concept line. My trans sisters who "get it up" regularly and use it generally are functional and experience less shrinkage than those who find IT untouchable or unwanted in the first place. I do not know how an orchi would change your size?
Post op, some folks might need adjustments in HRT and we know of some who might utilize T gel or other medication options to maintain their sexual function. You will likely have pre and post lab results to compare.
I am planning to have a local anesthetic with sedation and that is so I don't tell too many jokes and start laughing. A moving target is not a good surgical field but honestly this will reduce my overall risks. My urologist is well informed and experienced with the procedure, suggested to take a half hour. I will be an outpatient and will have some tight jock strap sort of panties to wear. I will be laying around for awhile with an ice bag between my legs rather than a full nut bag. With much reduced testes size, shelling them out requires a small incision that will be generously flooded with long acting local anesthetics.
I had a vasectomy long ago but did not listen to their post op advice to not use the equipment for sexual pleasure for two weeks. Bad idea!! Swelling and infection were my reward. >:-)
Best of luck to you and keep your positive sights on your post op recovery, freedom and more space between yer legs. ;D
Very best of luck to you as well Tessa. As everyone's experience varies at least a bit, it would be great if you keep us posted on how things go, and on your recovery. I, in all likelihood, shall do the same
Quote from: Floritine on March 26, 2016, 12:50:47 AM
I just had it done and almost two after the pain is gone along with being totally happy they are gone and being off the spiro,......
Also, Tracy, being that you've been through whole thing, can I ask another question? I have read of one lady's experience with the operation here on these forums. Specifically, it's the injection of the testicles at the start of the procedure. There a few shots, one of which she described as "the worst pain I've ever felt" :icon_yikes:. As someone with a very low pain threshold, and who doesn't like getting a shot in the arm and winces a bit when the needle penetrates the skin, this frightens me more than a little. I'm wondering (hoping :eusa_pray:) if your experience was any different?
Hi Patrice, They first put a cannula in my arm when I was in the pre operation room on the bed and did a final check of my details then injected general anaesthetic and then the next thing I remember is waking up in recovery the after the surgery was done, I didnt feel any of the operation just sore after the surgery was finished,
I to hate needles and having tiny venes it makes it worse when they are tring to find the right spot then there is my ishue of hating hospitals and my anxiety of being near one which causes me to scratch from being in and out a lot over the years,
And the above was the same when I had a large cyst removed from the same area about 6 months earlier,
If your still concerned I would make a appontmet to have a chat to your surgeon about the way your operation is going to go and keep your GP in the loop about everything (if you get on well with him /her or have a lot of trust with him or her)
Just a side note before the surgery shave the area that is going to opened up as it makes life easier when your cleaning the wound at home....
I was also told the night before surgery to stop eating and drinking anything 12 hours before the operation and only drink a tiny bit of water if I needed to have my medication the day of surgery, but they will explain there policies when you call and get your time and what to bring with you..
Can you send me a link to the ladies experienvce your were talking about ...............
Cheers Tracy
Quote from: Floritine on March 27, 2016, 11:10:04 PM
Can you send me a link to the ladies experienvce your were talking about ...............
Cheers Tracy
Thanks Tracy, I already feel a lot better, here's the link: https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,193238.0.html
I also sent her a PM in the hope that she could set my mind at ease a bit. This is her reply: "The pain I described relates to the anesthesia itself. If your surgery is performed like mine was, they'll be giving you multiple injections of a local anesthetic directly into your scrotum. At least one of those injections is going to hurt really, really bad. I won't lie, you need to brace yourself for it. The good news is that it's over really quickly, no more than 15 seconds. You can take 15 seconds of pain, right? "
Hi Patrice, thanks for the link as I just read the whole thread and feel how good my surgery went when I had it done two weeks today,
When I go for any operation I expect the surgeon thats doing it will be there from the start to the finish and not wonder off to do other things cause thats what Im paying for even if its a private surgeon in a public hospital, '
Also when I was doing reseach about having a bilateral orchiectomy everyone said they ether had general anaesthetic or epidural anesthesia,
And having the area frozen and having needles is a first as the doctors never said a thing about it and if they did I would of insisted on having a epidural or general just incase something goes wrong........
Cheers Tracy
Thanks a great deal Tracy. I must definitely do not want go through what she did if it really isn't at all necessary. Her experience sounds slightly terrifying, lol. Thank you again.
Love,
Pat
I am happily two days post op from my orchiectomy and very satisfied and mostly quite comfortable. I did have a local anesthetic, as planned, with just enough sedation that I didn't have a care in the world and seemed to have forgotten most of it. They may have sedated me a touch more since I rarely shut up ;D It took about a half hour and I feel joyfully free and in permanent status without those testy testes.
It doesn't have to be a big deal or require a general or epidural anesthetic. Everyone having this level of surgery gets an IV and if you can handle that the rest is a piece of cake. Nice to have it over and done, what a huge relief.
Quote from: Tessa James on March 30, 2016, 12:41:55 PM
I am happily two days post op from my orchiectomy and very satisfied and mostly quite comfortable. I did have a local anesthetic, as planned, with just enough sedation that I didn't have a care in the world and seemed to have forgotten most of it. They may have sedated me a touch more since I rarely shut up ;D It took about a half hour and I feel joyfully free and in permanent status without those testy testes.
It doesn't have to be a big deal or require a general or epidural anesthetic. Everyone having this level of surgery gets an IV and if you can handle that the rest is a piece of cake. Nice to have it over and done, what a huge relief.
Thank you Tessa for posting this. Have a wonderful recovery. I can't wait to get mine done ;D, with much thanks to your input and that of other ladies here. :)
♥♥♥,
Pat
Heya! I had an orchiectomy over 10 years ago now at age 24 so the memories aren't too sharp. My main priority was, well, I just didn't want anymore testosterone in my system to continue with potential masculinization.
I had the procedure done at a local hospital by a urological surgeon who does the procedure regularly for cis men living with prostate cancer (for which it is a relatively common intervention/treatment as these cancers are often androgen sensitive). He was competent enough. I'm sure other have mentioned it, but if you are at all considering vaginoplasty one day (or even if you aren't, you never ever really know where you'll be at) it's important for the surgeon to do a MIDLINE INCISION so as to keep the scrotal tissue most easily usable for subsequent vaginoplasty.
The procedure was done under local anaesthetic. I was fully awake. It took surprisingly long (it is a little bit more than just a slice/snip/snip/sew as you may be aware, almost an hour but felt longer. I wasn't in pain at all though I could feel a tugging now and then. The emotional release though of taking control of this 'situation' and of knowing that my body was free of T forever was just so uplifting I danced out of the OR (literally). Once the local anaesthetic wore off I was sore but nothing some OTC painkillers couldn't resolve. I was working 2 days later (as a waitress) and was okay though it was tough, and I had to wear skirts for a week, which was not my style at the time, LOL.
I wrote a Live Journal post about it back then. I'll see if I can find the link....here it is! It's a wonderful read and it conveys the experience quite vividly in its emotional cathartic release.
http://splinterjete.livejournal.com/16738.html
---------
Rebecca
Toronto, ON
35 years old
Transitioned socially 1997
Hormones since 2002
Orchiectomy - Toronto (Klotz) 2005
GAS (vaginoplasty) - Montreal (Brassard) 2008
FFS (forehead/nose) - Buenos Aires (Rossi) April 20, 2016!!!
Quote from: RebeccaM on April 02, 2016, 02:04:20 PM
Heya! I had an orchiectomy over 10 years ago now at age 24 so the memories aren't too sharp. My main priority was, well, I just didn't want anymore testosterone in my system to continue with potential masculinization.
I had the procedure done at a local hospital by a urological surgeon who does the procedure regularly for cis men living with prostate cancer (for which it is a relatively common intervention/treatment as these cancers are often androgen sensitive). He was competent enough. I'm sure other have mentioned it, but if you are at all considering vaginoplasty one day (or even if you aren't, you never ever really know where you'll be at) it's important for the surgeon to do a MIDLINE INCISION so as to keep the scrotal tissue most easily usable for subsequent vaginoplasty.
The procedure was done under local anaesthetic. I was fully awake. It took surprisingly long (it is a little bit more than just a slice/snip/snip/sew as you may be aware, almost an hour but felt longer. I wasn't in pain at all though I could feel a tugging now and then. The emotional release though of taking control of this 'situation' and of knowing that my body was free of T forever was just so uplifting I danced out of the OR (literally). Once the local anaesthetic wore off I was sore but nothing some OTC painkillers couldn't resolve. I was working 2 days later (as a waitress) and was okay though it was tough, and I had to wear skirts for a week, which was not my style at the time, LOL.
I wrote a Live Journal post about it back then. I'll see if I can find the link....here it is! It's a wonderful read and it conveys the experience quite vividly in its emotional cathartic release.
http://splinterjete.livejournal.com/16738.html
---------
Rebecca
Toronto, ON
35 years old
Transitioned socially 1997
Hormones since 2002
Orchiectomy - Toronto (Klotz) 2005
GAS (vaginoplasty) - Montreal (Brassard) 2008
FFS (forehead/nose) - Buenos Aires (Rossi) April 20, 2016!!!
Thanks Rebecca your experience sounds wonderful--ideal pretty much! I'm also hoping for some sort of emotional lift from the procedure and a virtually brisk comfortable recovery.
♥♥♥,
Pat