Having explored my gender identity, I have come to realize that I want bottom surgery.  Actually, looking back now I realize that I've always wanted it, even long before I realized I was transgender.  I never had painful dysphoria - at least not physically - but I've always felt that girls had what I should have had, but wasn't lucky enough to get it.  After having accepted myself as transgender with a strong desire to transition, I was wondering how painful bottom surgery is.  I know that any surgery involves pain, but I was curious as to how unbearable the pain is until the urgent is fully healed.  Pain or I pain, bottom surgery is something I definitely want.

Danielle, I can't answer your question, because I am still pre-op myself.

However, don't let fear of pain deter you from moving forward.  Lots of trans woman have the surgery, survive it, and are happy with the results.  So clearly, the pain is survivable.  Fear is what kept us in the closet for so many years, don't let it win now.

There are numerous threads from post-op ladies detailing their experiences before, during and after surgery.  Read some of them to get an idea of what the experience is like.  In the accounts I have read, the pain is there, but is manageable.

Hello, of course this answer is subjective and everyone is different. The pain was managed very well when I had my GCS. I stopped taking the prescribed pain meds after about 12 days post op. I did take an occasional ibuprofen after that when needed. Discomfort was felt on and off for the next 8 weeks, and it was uncomfortable with the hair growing back around the surgical area (itchy). By 4 months, I was pretty much pain free. I had a very nice outcome, no complications happy to say.

Hope that helps

Cynthia -

Hi Danielle,

You'll get different answers from different people as we all perceive pain differently.

I was relatively comfortable after surgery because of the heavy pain meds used. Things were definitely painful and sore but I perceived the pain as tolerable because it was caused by something I had wished for my whole life. The month after leaving the hospital things definitely hurt and it was difficult to move around. I had pretty bad swelling so that was a major source of pressure/discomfort. But once I was able to get into a comfortableish position things were just sore vs painful. Dilating hurts in the beginning and my whole pelvis region stayed sore for several months. But the pain wasn't sharp just very sore.

Another thing to consider is how fit you are. Being active and mobile before surgery will definitely make recovery easier. All the lying down and sitting I was doing put a lot of stress on my lower back and it became a major source of pain for me.

The pain is definitely manageable throughout the whole process. The key is maintaining a positive mental outlook and accept that things will be difficult while you are healing.

The surgery itself didn't hurt at all, in fact I slept through the whole thing!

Quote from: Colleen_definitely on April 25, 2019, 08:19:45 AM
The surgery itself didn't hurt at all, in fact I slept through the whole thing!

But after a while, the alarm went off, and you woke up, and could not find the pain pills!

Thank you all for your responses.  I know that GCS is in my future, albeit a few years away however.  What it sounds to me is that it is a matter of which pain is worse: dysphoria or surgery.  Well, surgeries heal, but dysphoria doesn't stop - at least it hasn't for me anyway.  I can't wait to become my true self!!!


Danielle

All joking aside I never had pain that reached the unbearable level.  There is plenty of dull pain and the occasional sharp one from nerves reconnecting but nothing excruciating. 

The biggest thing for me was being really tired that first week so I slept a lot.  I was walking pretty strangely thanks to the catheter and packing but after those came out I could get around on my own pretty well.

Being 8 days post op, my memory is still pretty fresh 

The surgery itself I did not feel at all. I remember being pushed through a door in the bed and next I know was waking up.

During the three days hospital, they managed pain with Oxycodone, Ibuprofen and ice. It was actually much less than I had feared.

Coming out of the Hospital, it is more or less the same. I am pretty much off the Oxy know, still taking the Ibuprofen, especially since it does help with the swelling and inflammation.

The biggest pain point right now is the swelling of the right labia which causes pressure pain. Also, the clitoris is in the phase of rebuilding the nerve connections and is swollen, so they are a "bit angry" right now, Ice packs are my friend...

Overall, it is tolerable and of course, knowing what just happened makes all pain bearable.

Quote from: sarah1972 on April 26, 2019, 09:57:44 AM

Overall, it is tolerable and of course, knowing what just happened makes all pain bearable.

That sounds really great! 
And everybody, of course, has a different pain threshold, and experiences those pains different!

I just wish I would be at the place to talk about my pain, the wimpy orchi I had cannot be compared with the major rebuild of the downstairs facilities!

Keep on going lady!
Linde

As others mentioned, my full-depth vaginoplasty and labiaplasty just produced some dull pain, a sort of aching sensation that wasn't terribly localized. I had a 'pain pump' on my IV line the first 3 days, and I did hit the button a few times, but not much.  I had Norco (oxycodone/acetaminophen) tablets past that point that I split and took a half tablet sublingually when the irritation was annoying, and just before the drains and packing came out and I did my first dilation.

The 'zaps' of reconnecting nerves started about 10 days after surgery.  Once I realized what they were, and how quickly the 'ouch' faded away, I could ignore them pretty easily.  Electrolysis zaps were worse!

The soreness after FFS was worse than what I experienced in bottom surgery.

Also, like many others, I experienced some slight tearing at the bottom of the "W" incision.  It healed over time and is almost invisible after 18 months.

Yes, you want all the "zaps' feelings you can have, as this is what you want for the nerves are to connect/regenerate so you will have nice feeling over as much of the surgical area as possible.

Not very actually. I felt some tingling sensation immediately after I woke up and in the later 7 hours, but it did not hurt bad. It was uncomfortable not being able to move. At home what hurt the most was sitting with the dilator in. I was tired most of the time and felt so dizzy. That's because I had iron deficiency right after the surgery because of all the blood loss. But I wouldn't describe SRS as painful at all, if it it's well managed.

I wouldn't consider it "Painful", more, uncomfortable. The pain was manageable and the whole push by the medical team was to keep the pain levels under control. I used the pain pump a few times over the first couple of days then it was just ibuprofen. Another thing to keep in mind is that pain is not remembered. You remember whether you hurt or were uncomfortable but the feeling or magnitude is not retained. What is kept is that after surgery you have achieved a goal that has been there for a long time. It has been a bit over a year and a half since surgery for me. I never think of the process but I constantly enjoy what and who I am.

Tia Anne

As others have mentioned, different people feel pain differently.  I've read accounts of some for whom SRS was one big OUCH!!!  For me, I didn't really have any pain issues - just discomfort post-op (mainly while I was stuck in the bed in the hospital, during the first week post-op). 

My big source of pain post-SRS, was from something altogether different.  I experienced a major climate change traveling from the northern US in late November (with winter approaching) for my surgery, to the warm and humid conditions in Thailand.  This change (as occasionally happens to me when I'm subjected to major temperature changes) triggered my cluster headaches, (which at the time were undiagnosed for me [so I had no meds to stop the headaches]), and I ended up having to deal with them from about 3 days post-op, until after I got back from Thailand 3 plus weeks later.  Cluster headaches don't last as long as migraines, but they're far more painful.  It's no fun doing a 2 hour dilation session (and experiencing the general discomfort you have during the first few weeks you dilate) while trying to fight/deal with a severe cluster headache attack.  Some of the other post-op Suporn girls I was friends with at the hotel most of us stayed in post-surgery, told me I looked downright burned out after dilating, and having suffered a cluster headache attack, while doing it.  Yep, SRS (and even dilation for that matter) is nothing compared to cluster headaches.

I did the entire post surgical period without any pain medication. It was offered but I refused it because my fogged up mind bothered me more than the pain from the surgery. The important thing is if your hurting after surgery, discuss it with the staff or the doctor. Pain medication is available and the goal should be to make you as comfortable as possible. Don't fear the pain because it can be controlled.

Over the past few years I have read so many horror stories about complications post GCS.  Given my past medical history and current conditions I have been hesitant about vaginoplasty.  I did have an orchiectomy in 2017 and kept the scrotum intact in the event I do have vaginoplasty.

Reading this thread is making me want to pursue vaginoplasty.  Technically my orchie 'qualified' as GCS and sufficed for my birth certificate but living with my penis is not a technicality.  It still causes me moderate dysphoria.

Thanks for all the replies.

I am 4 1/2 months post op.   I guess I should join the "pain party!"    For me my recovery was awful and I thought it would never end.   Until about one month ago!   I am one highly sensitive, emotional girl.   Besides the pain and discomfort. I had to deal with post op depression.   There were days when I was dismayed at what I had done to cause myself so much suffering, but NEVER regret.  Two months later I was still taking an opiate pain pill to leave the house.

As I wrote, everything finally began to heal about three months post op.  So now I am happy and pleased that I had the courage to do this, but NEVER AGAIN!

Quote from: Dorit on April 27, 2019, 09:14:44 AM
.  So now I am happy and pleased that I had the courage to do this, but NEVER AGAIN!

There is no reason to do it every again, because you have all what I want!

As Tia mentioned, it wasn't that painful, just really uncomfortable. I had a 'pain pump' for the first day and pushed that button every time I thought about it. When they removed the pain pump I assumed they would bring pain meds on a regular basis, I was painfully wrong. After about eight hours without pain meds I was close to screaming, but a nurse stopped by and asked if I needed anything. About 15 minutes later I was back to just being uncomfortable. After a week I was fine with occasional ibuprofen. Honestly, the breast augmentation was the most uncomfortable part. When I left the hospital on day 10 I drove home, taking two days for the 800 mile trip. I lost a few sutures along the way and didn't even notice it until I got home. After a few days my labia swelled up and looked like giant blisters, walking was really uncomfortable. I slept with an ice pack between my legs for a month or so. It took about 5 weeks until I began to feel normal again. I still have one small area where the sutures failed that is healing, but it is just a minor annoyance. As others have said -- the pain and discomfort will fade, then all that will remain is the joy of finally being yourself.