When you are starting a dilator, you may fold your legs up and spread your legs to locate your vagina. Place the dilator in the correct location starting it. You then need to straighten your legs and pull them close together leaving enough room for your hand to hold the dilator. It works best for me to sit up but bend my body at the waist. You also need to totally relax the lower portion of you body and if you are the least bit tense, you will have problems.

Dena pretty well covered it. You will get there, just takes time. Hugs
Mariah

Yay me! I got 2T in for 5, then 2 for 15!

I guess the lesson learned is to not force things, but just try and if it doesn't work this time, don't worry we'll try again next time! And the next, and the next, until it does work...I probably got a little lucky after just two tries, but...

Dayum! It just felt so dang BIG! I know I'll look back on this post after I get #3 in (and if I go with #4...woof!) and laugh at how "easy" it has become...

But for now...I'm happy to have broached a new barrier!

I've found it helps a lot if I take two Ibuprofen about 10 minutes before dilating for pain discomfort management. Two days in, using 2T and 2.

I have a pretty high pain tolerance (depending on where it is, and how sharp it is) but I found myself getting reluctant to dilate because of the discomfort. It is very similar to being constipated with a very large poo that won't come out...obviously I need to dilate, so that's why I gave in to OTC pain meds. (I still have the prescription stuff, but I always start small and if needed increase dosage or more potent meds)

4 weeks after surgery...a lot of the swelling has gone down, I'm finding several pokey things around the area (sutures coming out). Still doing 2T + 2, 4x/day, but getting tempted to try 3T + 3.

I've got a little bit of separation at the perineal "corner", about 1/2" (12mm) x 1/8"+. It makes a small "W" shape, but it's healthy and not infected or inflamed so I'll just keep tending it and using bacitracin.

Tip: When starting a vehicle with a clutch, BE SURE to depress the clutch before cranking the engine! The sudden lurch can surprise and cause a mite bit o'hurt!

Fwiw, I think my breasts have gotten a little larger, fuller, or something. Or maybe we are just imagining a more feminine effect. I like it though!

Getting out of bed and standing up from a chair no longer hurts. It used to, at first the whole crotch area then just the perineal area...but now it's ok.

Really not anything negative to mention...very happy about my new parts! Still 0 sex drive, but the "ah hell no!" response has given way to, "rh, not tonight." Things are getting better on that front!

After several days of trying, I'm finally getting 3T in to full depth (it's not marked nor intended to keep the vjj open, just to open the muscle enough to get #3 in) and the pain/discomfort is tolerable now.

At first I couldn't even get it in past the muscle (~3" depth), and when I could, it was in 1/2"-3/4" increments...and yowza it hurted! Each day I made a tiny bit more progress, and called it off after 2-3 minutes of pain/discomfort...hard to tell when it was pain or discomfort, it just depended on how tolerant I was that day. I have take Ibuprofen before, which helped with 2T+2, but didn't help as much with 3T. I have stronger stuff from the surgery, but haven't taken any of that.

It's amazing how much a 1/8" diameter increase can slow down progress! Today I actually was able, after doing 5 mins w/2T and 15 mins #2, to keep 3T in for the full 5 mins. Yay! Hopefully in the next couple days or so I'll take the 3 as well...but woof!

The T dilators are not intended for full insertion. They are only intended to be inserted far enough to stretch open the outer muscles. This is because they are pointy and might damage the end of the vagina. Insertion should be about half way then follow it with the non tapered version for depth.

The T dilators are not "pointy," they have the same curvature as the next size down. They're not to be used in place of the regular dilators because the T ones are not marked for depth, and they are not full diameter for the whole length (which would not enlarge the entire vjj).

I appreciate your concern though. 

A few days ago I stopped using 2T to pry open the vjj, and was just using 2 for 5 mins to open it enough to get 3T in (again for 5 mins), just so I could get 3 in for its 15 mins of fame.

Each day I'd reduce the time for the 2, until last night it was in for just a minute...so this morning I tried dilating starting with 3T. Got it in with just a couple of minutes of firm but slow pressure! Five of that, then 15 of 3, with very little discomfort. Some, but not enough to make me cringe.

So...just 4 months of twice a day, then once a day. Hopefully I'll adapt enough to not need 3T anymore. All of this has been TOTALLY worth it!

Question: Can anyone describe what necrosis looks like? I don't have any unusual skin/scarring issues, but I'm just curious, and want to know what to notice. (I'm not the type to jump into a dr's office for every little sniffle or red mark, but necrosis is something to catch early, methinks)

Three things you might see if thing are going normally.
1. Normal pinkish flesh
2. Bright red - proud flesh or granulation
3. White flesh which is dead flesh that isn't ready to peal off.
At this stage of the game everything should be converting to normal flesh. If it isn't and if it is growing, see a doctor now. I think you are far enough along now that necrosis isn't much of a risk if you don't have it already.

Thanks Dena!

Everything looks good at this point, have sensation etc. No worries!