Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transsexual talk => Post operative life => Topic started by: Renate on November 06, 2009, 09:14:26 AM

Poll
Question: Have you had a prostate exam post-op?
Option 1: Yes, through the vagina votes: 0
Option 2: Yes, through the rectum votes: 3
Option 3: Post-op I've had it sometimes either way votes: 3
Option 4: I've haven't had one (yet) votes: 10
Option 5: I don't have a prostate votes: 5
Title: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: Renate on November 06, 2009, 09:14:26 AM
Have you had a digital (as in finger) prostate exam post-op?
Did they palpitate it through your vagina or through your rectum?
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: Debra on November 06, 2009, 09:34:39 AM
I'm still young yet , think it's 50 when you get your first or something? I can't remember
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: Northern Jane on November 06, 2009, 10:50:19 AM
A doctor tried that 30-some years post-op and couldn't find one - didn't show up on ultrasound either - not sure if I ever had one.
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: Steph on November 06, 2009, 12:13:16 PM
My doctor checks me yearly.  Funny thing is that she couldn't find it this time (2 months ago.)  She tried both modes of entry.  Her comment was that it probably shrunk as it's not unusual for the prostate to enlarge or shrink in size.  Of course an enlarged prostate can indicate trouble.

-={LR}=-
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: jade on December 06, 2009, 08:37:16 AM
men get prostate problems due to prostate enlargement, transwomen's prostate is left inside to serve as a Gspot like in a cisgender female, however the HRT makes it shrink over time so I do not think its necessary
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: Yvonne on December 18, 2009, 01:00:12 PM
Don't you have to be 40 or 50 to get this done?  Still something else to look forward to when I reach old age.

EDIT:  thinking... Given my birth condition, I don't even know if I was born with a prostate.  Marci Bowers certainly didn't say anything aside from what was already known on my medical history.
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: lisagurl on December 18, 2009, 08:27:05 PM
Quote from: Renate on November 06, 2009, 09:14:26 AM
Have you had a digital (as in finger) prostate exam post-op?
Did they palpitate it through your vagina or through your rectum?

Find a new doctor. The hormones make it unnecessary. It shrinks and does not pose a cancer threat.
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: Danacee on February 22, 2010, 01:10:54 AM
Quote from: lisagurl on December 18, 2009, 08:27:05 PM
Find a new doctor. The hormones make it unnecessary. It shrinks and does not pose a cancer threat.

I second that, unless you had HRT and surgery after the age of 40, your doctor is a moron. If there was any truth the argument that transwomen still need prostate exams, all men would get prostate cancer regardless of genes and biological women would get skene gland cancer far more commonly.

Just like the -selective service- bs some people spout, ignore it.. its of no concern to you. Doesn't mean it will never be a problem for anyone, but so are the chances of being killed by a meteor.
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: Sheila on February 28, 2010, 11:04:58 AM
Just because you are taking lots of hormones and you no longer have testes doesn't mean that you can't have prostate cancer. It is highly unlikely but you still have the gland no matter how small it is. There is a blood test that is given, I think it is called PSA (not sure of the letters) it can determine if you need to be tested more.
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: Sarah B on March 04, 2010, 04:46:26 AM
I have just got back from my doctor who is aware of my condition, a very kind, understanding and considerate person and as a result has gained my trust and respect and has allowed me to trust her with my medical history.  One of my discussions with her was of having a prostate exam.  I explained I was aware of the effects of hormones on the prostate and I have had no problems in that area.  In addition because of the effects of hormones on the prostate, it would be rare that I would get prostate cancer. 

She mentioned that any girl that changed their gender and ended up having prostate cancer were more than likely to have the symptoms (condition) before they began the change and these girls would have changed late in life.

She mentioned that to have the test, I would be exposing my condition to the staff who would be conducting the test and hence this information would be in the system.  She is aware of my need to keep my life private and to all intents and purposes it would not do any good to have the test.  I agreed with her and I said I would not expose myself in that way needlessly, I related my recent humiliation in getting a document signed and I would not go through that again if I could help it.  I would not have any test that would expose my condition unless it was absolutely necessary.

She then suggested that I have the PSA blood test to establish a baseline which can be used to indicate in the future of any changes that may occur and hence act upon those results accordingly.

Have the PSA test and establish a baseline and if it changes then further examination would be warranted.

Take care of yourselves

Kind regards
Sarah B
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: Northern Jane on March 04, 2010, 10:55:28 AM
Quote from: Sarah B on March 04, 2010, 04:46:26 AMHave the PSA test and establish a baseline and if it changes then further examination would be warranted.

I went through that a couple of years ago. Because I transitioned SO long ago nobody has any idea what to expect - there aren't many who are 35+ years post-op - so she suggested a PSA test. Boy did that cause a stir in the lab! Eventually I explained to them WHY the doctor would ask for a PSA but it was all quite funny. NONE of the lab techs wanted to ask me LOL!
Title: Re: Prostate exam post-op?
Post by: rejennyrated on March 04, 2010, 12:52:04 PM
I don't appear to have one. I had a precuationary exam before booking my recent vaginal update surgery I was informed that after 30 years on homrones to all intents and purposes my prostate is either missing or has morphed into a different form (if it was ever even there in the first place as I was intersex), and therefore any further consideration of this was pretty pointless.

I strongly suspect that this idea ONLY has any relevance to those who transition later in life say beyond the age of 30 or so. Those of of us who did so rather younger would just be wasting the doctors time as it is the prolonged exposure to high levels of Testosterone that cause the cells to go cancerous.