I'm working my way toward getting bottom surgery, and I'm trying to be as informed as possible about what my life is going to be like after surgery. So far, I already know the very basics about dilation (including that I will have to do it for the rest of my life), that I will have two very large incisions on both sides of my vagina, and that I may have some trouble with peeing/not peeing after surgery. Is there anything else I should be prepared to deal with?

As for the issues with peeing, I'm not completely clear yet on what they are. I've heard that some post-op trans women have trouble with not peeing themselves, and that peeing in general can be a major adjustment. Is there more to it than that? Does that happen to everyone, or just sometimes? How long does that last when it happens?

You could have a look here:
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,190342.msg1695427.html#msg1695427

Concerning peeing its swollen after srs... so it may be like a hose where someone holds together the opening a bit... it should be better after some time...

opening the feet a bit might help, and leaning a bit forward...


hugs

Peeing issues are by no means universal. I didn't have the slightest problem.

Things that surprised me:
* How ordinary it all felt. It felt like I was just tucked especially well, not that everything had been cut apart and rearranged.
* Even after a year, things down there are still rearranging themselves a bit.
* The biggest deal is that I developed an interest in being with men. I'm still not sexually attracted to them, but somehow my body wants what they can do.

I didn't have any issues with peeing, aside from having to learn to lean forward a bit more. Scar tissue inside breaking down and regenerating is something no one really talks about or mentions, maybe it doesn't happen to everyone and I'm sure it doesn't last forever. You may or may not need or want to use pads.

Things can chaffe and get uncomfortable when walking and swaying hips can lesson that, for the first time I felt like that was something I couldn't help doing as opposed to feeling like it was something you needed to emulate pre-op.

It takes up a lot of time especially at first.

Phantom itches and nerves playing up can happen.

Dilating may take much long than expected . 30 mins, might actually mean 40 mins getting to depth then 30 mins in, as well as 10-15 mins cleaning and preperation.

The thing I've noticed people posting a lot is that life goes back to normal. All that work building up to it, then its done, and now what do you do?

Maybe by "normal" people mean that the pain has gone and the sudden "shocks" as the nerve endings reconnect and the healing is well advanced.

I wouldn't sweat the scars as they are generally hidden in the natural folds of your body. I haven't seen mine so I'll take a better look when I get the chance.

I found the first 3 weeks were the toughest, especially dilating, and I began to feel better each day after that. The schedule itself is tough but it does get better and shorter over time. The pain itself didn't appear to be too much and I didn't take any of the pain medications post-op. All I did take was a couple of Tylenols and that was it. I'm a pain weenie but I didn't experience much at all.

I didn't have a  problem peeing although for a while I still found myself trying to set things up. It took a while to get used to the idea there's nothing external any more.

For a few weeks after surgery I found that a pad helped with the discharge as things healed up. It wasn't a great deal but I felt better with one. A light day type with wings will be all you need.

That's all I can think of as others have added some advice but don't worry. If you have a good surgeon things should work out just fine and sometimes too much information can be a bad thing.

Best wishes to you.

Love,
Clare

I loved reading all of the reply's on this tread! I am a very curious lady about what it will be like to finally have a vagina.

Sent from my 0PJA2 using Tapatalk

Hello everyone, well, since the entire class has now gone before me, guess its my turn.
Peeing was an uneventful event.  90 minutes after surgeon removed catheter I had my first bathroom experience. It was a bit messy and wild but it worked, I peeded without much effort and no pain.  Bladder control has been fine.  On rare occasion at home I have miscalculated bladder capacity.

Now for something really ugly. I had the worst smelling discharge from the prostrate gland.  You know the one that is supposed to provide some post-op self-lubrication.  My CIS BFF who shares a house with me was very much beyond concerned.  She would joke that no guy is going to want any of that.  Worse I could smell the discharge despite all attempts to stay fresh and clean.  My body did not know the difference between pain and pleasure and the faucet would stay open.  Urologist who also preformed the surgery felt it was a prostrate infection.  He put me on a strong antibiotic and prescribed Finasteride. 
Thank you Lord Jesus!, exclaimed the Jewish girl. The smell went away and the faulty faucet was repaired at 10 weeks post-op.  My therapist; also a transsexual woman who underwent SRS advised me that a neo-vagina can smell fishy.  Never was so happy to confirm a report.
BFF no longer can detect any foul smells on me or in laundry basket.  Lovers seem OK with my vagina.

So what does it look like...well it looks like a vagina.  And no two look alike, so they say.  I can see room for improvement but not worth the risk at this time to change it up.  It works fine for everyone involved.
Avoid any compare and contrast of your unique 'flower'.

Complications should be expected.  I was part of series of girls that underwent SRS one month after another with 3 different surgeons.  All including myself had issues.  Some fairly serious and all with top SRS surgeons.  Be prepared to deal with issues and have a plan.  Hopefully you won't need to implement.

I want to be sensitive how I close this reply.  Post-op transsexual woman are known to congratulate girls who underwent SRS by saying "welcome to the other side". Well for me it does feel incredibly natural and liberating.  Very much a new woman!
Wishing all the girls who desire to undergo SRS the very best.  Yes, it's much better here.
Thank you,
Anne

I had surgery in Mid October and have never had any problems with anything about peeing and I goes strait down. The only think that I can say is the first 3 weeks or so It can be a pain to dilate after that is becomes easier just it is time consuming but it will only get better. I love being Post-op it is so wonderful on this side.


Hugs Lyndsey

The only time I really had issues peeing was right after they took the catheter out...for a few days. It was purely because of swelling.....the swelling was pushing my labia shut covering my urethra so I couldn't go. They threatened to put the catheter back in so I just ended up prying my lips open to pee. it was a pain but it only lasted a couple days.

Nowadays, there's no 'issues' but I have noticed that sometimes the spray is messy (sometimes it's not) and sometimes it wants to spray more forward than down....and yet sometimes it doesn't. Shrug.

Quote from: Debra on December 22, 2015, 12:42:30 PM
The only time I really had issues peeing was right after they took the catheter out...for a few days. It was purely because of swelling.....the swelling was pushing my labia shut covering my urethra so I couldn't go. They threatened to put the catheter back in so I just ended up prying my lips open to pee. it was a pain but it only lasted a couple days.

Nowadays, there's no 'issues' but I have noticed that sometimes the spray is messy (sometimes it's not) and sometimes it wants to spray more forward than down....and yet sometimes it doesn't. Shrug.

I had the same problem like you said only for a couple of days and now it is always strait down
Hug's Lynn

I was a big time sweller and after surgery the swelling was so bad I couldn't pee for days. The would come in every few hours and tap me. The tube they used hurt as they inserted it so I had an incentive to get things working. One day before they tapped me I gave it the good old try once again and sprayed the bathroom door. It's not supposed to work that way! Because they wanted to collect the output to make sure I was getting it all out, I stuck my hand in the stream to redirect it into the collection container. For months I would lean way forward to avoid a repeat but the swelling went down and my aim is where it belongs. For a couple of years, thing that weren't there itched. The joy of not having the bump to conceal and having feminine panties fit properly. I wore a girdle pre surgical to conceal the bits and the joy of wearing panties on the way home. Most important is allow plenty of recovery time. I went to work 4 days after leaving the hospital and it was one of the biggest mistake I ever made. Constant exhaustion and I would spend most of the day trying to find a comfortable way to sit.

Quote from: Dena on December 22, 2015, 08:29:17 PM
I was a big time sweller and after surgery the swelling was so bad I couldn't pee for days. The would come in every few hours and tap me. The tube they used hurt as they inserted it so I had an incentive to get things working. One day before they tapped me I gave it the good old try once again and sprayed the bathroom door. It's not supposed to work that way! Because they wanted to collect the output to make sure I was getting it all out, I stuck my hand in the stream to redirect it into the collection container. For months I would lean way forward to avoid a repeat but the swelling went down and my aim is where it belongs. For a couple of years, thing that weren't there itched. The joy of not having the bump to conceal and having feminine panties fit properly. I wore a girdle pre surgical to conceal the bits and the joy of wearing panties on the way home. Most important is allow plenty of recovery time. I went to work 4 days after leaving the hospital and it was one of the biggest mistake I ever made. Constant exhaustion and I would spend most of the day trying to find a comfortable way to sit.

Hi All
I made the mistake of trying to work the week after I got home in October and I had to stop. It has been 9 weeks for me now and I still don't have all my strength back. I talked to my Dr. and she said it can take up to a year to get back on track. But then again think about it we just had a very large life changing surgery,

Lyndsey

Quote from: TG CLare on December 20, 2015, 01:59:25 PM
Maybe by "normal" people mean that the pain has gone and the sudden "shocks" as the nerve endings reconnect and the healing is well advanced.

I wouldn't sweat the scars as they are generally hidden in the natural folds of your body. I haven't seen mine so I'll take a better look when I get the chance.

I found the first 3 weeks were the toughest, especially dilating, and I began to feel better each day after that. The schedule itself is tough but it does get better and shorter over time. The pain itself didn't appear to be too much and I didn't take any of the pain medications post-op. All I did take was a couple of Tylenols and that was it. I'm a pain weenie but I didn't experience much at all.

I didn't have a  problem peeing although for a while I still found myself trying to set things up. It took a while to get used to the idea there's nothing external any more.

For a few weeks after surgery I found that a pad helped with the discharge as things healed up. It wasn't a great deal but I felt better with one. A light day type with wings will be all you need.

That's all I can think of as others have added some advice but don't worry. If you have a good surgeon things should work out just fine and sometimes too much information can be a bad thing.

Best wishes to you.

Love,
Clare

+1 to that...I was all set and ready to go for mine, and suddenly had a HUGE panic attack and cancelled everything! "Too much information", indeed! I started thinking about everything that could go wrong, and much of that is because the post-op instructions aren't followed faithfully...and I was afraid that I'd screw things up!

Which is kind of a stupid thing to think, especially since I do follow instructions very well...but what's done is done. Trust the process, and nearly every time things will work out without excessive issues.

Some other things.

1. You aren't going to want to walk much with the stitches until they are well-dissolved.  They tend to scratch against your groin.  Buy some good seamless boyshort-type undies for recovery, they help a bit to cover the stitches.

2. I had a complication where my surgeon accidentally cut into my rectum and sewed it up (successfully)--going to the toilet was therefore terrifying for like 5 weeks...

3. Buy a reusable douche a month or two before going for surgery.  They are impossible to get at most drug stores (they only have disposable) and off amazon all the good ones with holes depressed inside grooves have to ship from like China and stuff (given regular douching is generally contraindicated by medical practitioners in GGs nowadays so it's fallen out of practice/the market).  You are going to want it with all the dilating you're doing (SO MUCH LUBE IN THERE), plus if your vagina is deep or the surgeon prescribes betadine rinse, you can use it for that.  You are also going to want a whole lot of pantiliners given the drip drip of ze lube (I btw find KY to be good when you're out and about, and mineral oil to be more comfortable/cheaper otherwise, but ymmv).

4. You're going to want your tush-cush (donut cushion) for quite a while after surgery.  I only stopped using it a week ago and I had surgery 3 months ago.

5. I know everyone says it but let me remind you, dilating is annoying.  Currently at 3x a day until Mid-March and I'm like sick of it!!!  Mcginn's PA cleared me for intercourse and use of a vibrator--I really just don't feel like sticking anything else in there atm because those ceramic sticks are tiring!!

I don't Douche and My Doctor advices against it as you ar trying to form the normal Bacteria there that all women have. When I had my the last checkup and was doing fine. Different doctor have different Ideas. I have Dr. Marci L. Bowers and I'm very happy. Everyone has a different situation and Dr. have deferent ideas. My thought is go with what you Dr. says

Lyndsey

Quote from: Lyndsey on December 31, 2015, 06:36:04 PM
I don't Douche and My Doctor advices against it as you ar trying to form the normal Bacteria there that all women have. When I had my the last checkup and was doing fine. Different doctor have different Ideas. I have Dr. Marci L. Bowers and I'm very happy. Everyone has a different situation and Dr. have deferent ideas. My thought is go with what you Dr. says

Lyndsey

Yep, Mcginn and Marci differ here.

Quote from: JessieBirdie on December 31, 2015, 06:57:50 PM
Yep, Mcginn and Marci differ here.

Hi Jessie
Yes they do but what ever works is good. You must pay attention to your owen Doctor as they are the ones that we chose.

Lynn

Quote from: Lyndsey on December 31, 2015, 07:00:28 PM
Hi Jessie
Yes they do but what ever works is good. You must pay attention to your owen Doctor as they are the ones that we chose.

Lynn

No douching for me either, but I had to have salt baths minimum twice a day from as soon as the catheter came out till about 3 months.

Quote from: Serenation on December 31, 2015, 07:27:55 PM
No douching for me either, but I had to have salt baths minimum twice a day from as soon as the catheter came out till about 3 months.

It is Funny how so many different things you would think that there would be something standard that they all agree on.

Lynn