This may not be the correct forum, and if it's not then please feel free to put this where it belongs.  I did some searching and this is where I found what looked to be a correct place for it.

So I had a medical checkup last week (first in several years).  everything was going fine till the doctor was feeling my pelvic region she stopped and started over.  She noted that it looked like I had had surgery at some point and I noted it was to repair a hernia (or so I was told) when I was a baby.  The area she was feeling was just below the 2 scar areas where she would push down with one hand and push up with the other.  It wasnt uncomfortable, but there was a definate pressure felt internally.  She asked if I had ever had stomach problems and I answered I had.  Once every few months I would have cramping around the midsection that started when I was around 12.  All my young life I was told that this was likely growing pains and I pretty much left it at that since it wasnt something that took me out of the game by any means.  To make this more interesting, I'd had light spotting but again, the doctors always attributed this to pushing too hard when having a bowel movement.  She wrote something down and continued with her going over the rest of my medical history, and continued with the physical.  Being male she did check the external plumbing and closely looked at everything and made some more notes. 

At the end of the physical, she asked if she could send me for an abdominal ultrasound and some bloodwork.  I told her I HATE needles but that if she felt there was a problem that I would indeed like to get checked out and a clean bill of health to which she noted that the area in my pelvic region, which she stated just like this: intrigues me, as I have not seen this before but want to gather more information from the ultrasound.

I had asked for a copy of the writeup of the physical, but was told that I will have to request it in writing (which I did, as I keep a copy of my medical records for everything), and I was given the slip of paperwork to goto have the ultrasound performed.

Now, a bit about me.  I have a wife and daughter.  The place I am scheduled to go is the same place my wife went for her ultrasound so I know how they work and what they do, but am scared to death at what I might find out.

I am sure others have had similar experiences and am just looking for some help in mentally settling down.  The only other time I had an ultrasound was for a heart mumer at the age of 6.  I have been otherwise healthy and I do exercise, though not nearly enough. 

I've had a few ultrasound procedures done and can tell you that they are painless and really easy to get through.  But, of course, you're probably more worried about what might be found.

No matter what is found, don't forget that whatever is done to "fix" it (if there even is a problem) has to be done with your permission.  And also, remember that there can be many reasons for the symptoms you've described and most of them are fairly benign.

By your choice of forum I seems that you suspect you might be found to have some vestiges of an intersex condition that was operated on at birth.  If something is found, what would the implications be?  It can be just a funny, kind of, story that you tell your kids and grandkids.  It wouldn't inherently change anything.  If the condition is combined with an internal sense that you are in a body that doesn't match your gender, however, this could provide an impetus for you to pursue the how and why and what to do about it.

If I were in your shoes I would wait, not get too upset over something that could be as simple as a misplaced bunch of scar tissue from an early childhood hernia.  If other things should arise, you'll have a chance to take them up with a therapist, if you want, or not.  It'll all be up to you.  And if you want, you can come here for support, information and maybe a little fun.  You'll be welcome.

hugs & smiles
Emelye

I had the ultrasound done today, and was hoping to have the bloodwork done as well, however, they noted that I have to fast for 12 hours prior and the only thing I can have is water prior to the bloodwork.   Ultrasound went well, though the young lady doing it wasnt able come to a hard and fast conclusion and I will have to wait for the sending doctor to receive the results.  It was mentioned that I may need to schedule a second apointment, or I might be recommended for an MRI or CAT scan for a more detailed look.  Looking at the ultrasound I was only able to compare what it looked like when my wife went in for her ultrasound when she was pregnant, but I was unable to make out anything specific, though the area they were looking at, there is something there other than the bladder.

I have the bloodwork scheduled for tomorrow with those results available late week to early next and I am back at my Doctor tomorrow late afternoon to see what she has to say.




Posted on: September 11, 2007, 09:21:23 PM

---

Thought I would stop by and give an update on my soveryconfusing last week and then some,

Bloodwork was done, and as I said earlier, I HATE NEEDLES.  I have yet to have anyone get blood on the first attempt, and it ends up that it normally takes more than 3.  The Nurse today got it on the second try thankfully.

My doctor noted she wanted to send me to have a CT scan performed, however has asked that I hold off till I am cramping as this will give them the best view of the internal structure.  Unfortunately, that means it will be at least another 2 weeks.  She pointed out that that would be fine as that would allow time for the bloodwork to return. 

Hi soveryconfused,

it is sometimes worring to now you are intersex - it changes your prospective on life.

Keep us informed- I am sure many are interested in your story.

Alice

Well, I started cramping this morning and I called my Doctor who asked me to come in.  While there, she made a few calls to see if they could get me into their locations today for an MRI.  Unfortunately the soonest I can get in is on Monday next week.  The Doctor also made an appointment with another specialist to be onsite to read the MRI once it's been completed.  She noted that he has had success reading the output and being able to identify the slightest of differences, even though she believes her opinion is right, she would like a second more exacting answer.  I asked her what they would be able to see, and when they would have the final results.  She noted with the doctor she has coming in to meet with us that we should have the results before I leave the office.  So now I am in a waiting for verification stage.  We shall see come monday.

Posted on: September 21, 2007, 03:55:56 PM

---

I had the MRI this AM and got the results.  I do have a small malformed uterus.  The cervical neck is not well formed, but even though small the uterus and incapable of supporting a child inutero is capable of menstration.  Once the evidence was available to the doctor, we went over to his office for more investigation.  I might add that being 'male' and asked to place your feet in sterups is strange.  He poked and prodded to locate the field in the MRI that would be my vagina.  It is there, and present on the MRI as exiting, though extremely narrow and only about one and one half to two inches in length but only what appeared to be roughtly two millimeters to four millimeters wide.

After poking and prodding in the region he had identified, he was able to locate the very small opening about 7 millimeters above the anus that was less than a millimeter in external appearance and to make matters harder, it was immediately between a hair folicle and a pore.  He was able to painfully insert a thin probe once this was located and verified it was the correct region.  He wanted to use a scope to get a better internal view of the uterus and cervix, but the small probe was very painful because of the layer of fat and blood vessles that had to be passed.

The wife was with me today which was nice and after settling down a bit (I get nervous and stress about everything and anything) the doctor showed her how I needed to use the dialator and would likely need some assistance for a bit until the enterance was more pronounced.  We were sent home with a prescription to order the smallest dialator set that was available which we ordered and have to now wait seven to 14 days for it to be received.  In the meantime, we have the small utinsil that was used by the doctor which is basically a rounded tipped stainless steel straight rod.

It was kinda soothing to have the wife available to be with me today.  We were able to joke now more about our moods during the her time of month and now MY time of month as I am usually the following week of her.

Still waiting on the bloodwork that was done to come back.  I had to go back again as they only drew one vial and they needed two.  I saw the same young lady who was able to draw my blood last time so there was no need to reexplain my nervousness to her again luckily and she got the vein on the first 'stab'.

Thanks for the update soveryconfused.

Alice

Thought I would stop in and give an update.  First off, I had been dialating for several weeks, the set that we ordered arrived about 5 days after it was ordered (yay?..).  I moved to the next larger size and was in severe pain, even though it was only slightly larger than the previous.  We went to the doctor again as I was fearing I was doing more harm than good.  He again looked me over and offered a solution.  Being that the key to the dialation was not so much to open me up as to allow more room for the surgical scope to be inserted for a full detailed exam of my cervix and uterus. 

An option was presented which I opted for.  They performed an outpatient process to relieve the stress on the perineum, basically scar tissue is what i was told, that was the cause of the pain.  I was locally anestitized for the procedure and the doctor moved slowly ensuring there was no pain, there was pressure, but no pain thankfully.  Once they were completed, they were able to perform the full exam, perform a pap smear (that checked out), as well as a endometrial biopsy which also came back without problems. 

That was 3 weeks ago and brings us to current.

As for the blood work that was taken, it came back estrogen shown as 23 and testosterone came in at 154, high E but low T for a reproductive male.  I have since gone back to have 2 more tests and have 1 more remaining for them to get a feel for the fluctuations that my body goes through.

Will try to update more.  Man, life gets complicated.   

Doesn't sound like fun. 

Dear so very,

I understand your being confused. I have had similar pains every month since puberty. Sometimes more severe. Never any blood, but usually accompanied by  black diareah, or sometimes I pass this chalk-like stuff. I swear I thought I had stomache cancer until I found out there may be a reason for this stuff. This month I had my "period" first and my wife directly followed. We tease each other about our "time of the month too and it IS nice to have someone who understands the pains. If hers came first then mine, people could say mine are psycological, but mine come first, hmmm. There is a theory that the pheromones realeased trigger women in close quarters to menstrate in sync. If that ain't a messed up event, having a houseful of women being moody at the same time  doh!!

Ah yes the old "had a hernia removed" story. Heard it several times. I wonder was it an actual herniated gonad or did they remove it because it may have become herniated? Those doctors, telling people they have to have those differentiating gonads removed because they may become cancerous. Why not remove EVERYONES gonads to prevent cancer? Wouldn't it be better to just have people come in for checkups instead of cutting up things they may want later in life? Same with my breasts. They say I should have them removed because they can become cancerous. So what? I'll come in for a mamogram, like all the other girls.

Anyway, my estrogen level is way high too, 77 points above normal for a man and I was wondering if you have gynecomastia ( I don't consider mine to be gynecomastia but breasts, but since I got a "weiner" they put these labels on me)

Just wondering because now I have found several people in this forum who seem to have internal female anatomies and I am scheduled for a cat scan myself.

I do know how confusing it can be to have your body not match up with your social role. I do not dress as female in pubic. Luckily, we both have wives who are supportive of our different anatomies

Hugs to you
Michelle

I have always had 'larger' breasts, but it has gotten 'worse' with age.  My wife joked a few weeks ago about it, but that was all in fun.  I am definately not in need of a bra, but also likely not too far from it.  I started wearing undershirts a few years ago to help mask them.

On another note, I started my period this month before my wife.  She was joking that "it was my turn to stop for the feminine products".  I am still even at my age and being married weirded out when going down that aisle, however I did as I have in the past for her.  I decided to pick up a pack of both varietys and found that I am still too tight for the alternate.  I guess I will have to continue with the pads at least for a bit longer.

As for dressing, I have never tried on anything more than panties (mens underpands are not designed for feminine products) and I only wear them as needed during that time of month and only started in urnest since my period before last due to my doctors visit.  Before that, I could get by without, however, since the visit, I have had a heavier flow due to less constriction at the vaginal opening. 

Well I threw a good monkey wrench at the Dr today. On Nov 15, He had retested my estrogen because it was so high. The day after my visit, my cramps started. My estrogen levels on the day before my cramps were "untetectable" according to the lab. I know women's estrogen levels plummet during their periods, but I don't know if they are "undetectable". It is interesting that he said the mistake was that the numbers were low this time, not that they were low this time. I think he knows more than he is letting on, but he's the Dr.

The doctor just kept scratching his head and remarkng how this must be wrong. He reordered the test again. It has been 14 days since the last cramps began so this should be REALLY REALLY fun when he sees them back up ther again.

mama mia, this is one crazy planet!

I keep telling him 'I have these cramps every 21 to 31 days, since I was 12 or so, and he keeps on taking blood. I hope he will take a CAT SCAN instead.

He did, however ask me; "if you had to have your breasts removed, or your face fixed to be more female, which would you prefer"?

Now, I have never talked about this to a man before, but I confessed that taking off the breasts will only make me someone that looks like a man, but feels like a woman anyway. I told him they can change my body but it won't change my brain. He set another appointment to talk about it and said he has some people he can work in concert with to "make that happen" and was concerned about what would make me happy.

So, a little confusion, a little compassion, a little more waiting, a lot of anxiety about the future, all in all, I'm pooped.

Thank you for the reply

M

Hi Natalie, I agree with you. I never heard anything like this before. I suppose it does happen, but usually the parts left over inside are usually none functional

Sounds more like what a transsexual would go through when undergoing SRS. Well anyway I do pray  that you two ladies do fine with whatever you decide to do.

Mamia what a crazy world, yep for certain. The only way to stay ahead of a crazy world is to be crazier then it is.

Cindy   

Ugh!  That time of month again.  The good news is, the cramping this month was less than normal.  . 

I guess I owe an update.  I have been continuing to dialate and I no longer have any pain from being streched 'down there', but I think I will stay where I am now.  I am just under 24mm.  This allows me to use something other than pads, but I'm not sure if I am 'deep' enough to use the alternative as my cervix (no matter how unformed it is) is only about 2inches deep (that's as far as I can comfortably insert the dialator).  I am worried since I am 'wider' towards the cervix that the tampon may get too expanded and cause pain while removing.  Wife said I should just try them and change them more often and that the smaller absorbancy don't expand as much which is what I purchased a few months back..  Any further and I get a pain in my pelvic region.  I had a sample of the cervix tissue tested as well as a sample of the wall of the uterus tested.  I can tell you, having this done hurt ALOT.  OB noted I may have some spotting (yeah, right) which I did (more like a short period than spotting).  This was done as a precaution (cervical cancer runs in my family on both my parents sides).

Anywho, I hope everyone had a good week this past week, and are enjoying the weekend.

I see it's been awhile since you've posted here, but I thought I'd tell you if you want to go the tampon route, there's an alternative to the dry cotton ones. 

You can try sea sponge tampons, which are real sponges harvested & sterilized.  They are reusable for 3-6 months & usually come in packs of 2 for about 12-14$.  They can be trimmed to size, and they feel like a part of your body when inserted, rather than a foreign object.  They also won't dry you out.

I think the only thing that prevents more people from using them is that you have to rinse them when you change, and that freaks a lot of people out.  For me it's not an issue, I just pick the big bathroom stall with the sink.


Hope things are going well -- best of luck to you....

Valerie

Removed link - please the link policy, TOS, rule# 1 - Tink

Quote from: soveryconfused on September 07, 2007, 06:18:03 PM
This may not be the correct forum, and if it's not then please feel free to put this where it belongs.  I did some searching and this is where I found what looked to be a correct place for it.

So I had a medical checkup last week (first in several years).  everything was going fine till the doctor was feeling my pelvic region she stopped and started over.  She noted that it looked like I had had surgery at some point and I noted it was to repair a hernia (or so I was told) when I was a baby.  The area she was feeling was just below the 2 scar areas where she would push down with one hand and push up with the other.  It wasnt uncomfortable, but there was a definate pressure felt internally.  She asked if I had ever had stomach problems and I answered I had.  Once every few months I would have cramping around the midsection that started when I was around 12.  All my young life I was told that this was likely growing pains and I pretty much left it at that since it wasnt something that took me out of the game by any means.  To make this more interesting, I'd had light spotting but again, the doctors always attributed this to pushing too hard when having a bowel movement.  She wrote something down and continued with her going over the rest of my medical history, and continued with the physical.  Being male she did check the external plumbing and closely looked at everything and made some more notes. 

At the end of the physical, she asked if she could send me for an abdominal ultrasound and some bloodwork.  I told her I HATE needles but that if she felt there was a problem that I would indeed like to get checked out and a clean bill of health to which she noted that the area in my pelvic region, which she stated just like this: intrigues me, as I have not seen this before but want to gather more information from the ultrasound.

I had asked for a copy of the writeup of the physical, but was told that I will have to request it in writing (which I did, as I keep a copy of my medical records for everything), and I was given the slip of paperwork to goto have the ultrasound performed.

Now, a bit about me.  I have a wife and daughter.  The place I am scheduled to go is the same place my wife went for her ultrasound so I know how they work and what they do, but am scared to death at what I might find out.

I am sure others have had similar experiences and am just looking for some help in mentally settling down.  The only other time I had an ultrasound was for a heart mumer at the age of 6.  I have been otherwise healthy and I do exercise, though not nearly enough. 

I hope you might still be checking this forum.  I came in here looking for other information.  When I was 14 I started developing breasts.  No one mentioned anything including my doctors.  When I was in my mid-20's I fathered a child.  By my late-20's I came out as a transsexual.  Upon introducing myself to folks "in the know", their immediate question has been, "how long was I on hormones?"  At the time, I had not been on them.  Flash forward a few years later when my endocrinologist pre-screened me for HRT, he confirmed through physical examination that I did have female glandular development in the breasts at puberty.  We discussed the possibility of intersexed, but it was dismissed due to my fertility as a male and no known surgery completed at my birth.  Since beginning HRT, we've identified a few other anomalies between my body and a "base-line" male.

Flash-forward to reading your post.

"To make this more interesting, I'd had light spotting but again, the doctors always attributed this to pushing too hard when having a bowel movement."

I've had a similar issue I can trace back to around the time my breasts started developing.  Similar reasoning from my doctors, "wiping too hard".  It occurs regularly and lasts for several days.  The location of the blood is consistently the same, and like your opening, roughly 7mm from the anus.  Before reading your post, I would not have made this connection.  But after reading it and factoring in my known physical variances, I'm thinking I should get the initial tests done to confirm if I do/ don't have a similar situation. 

I am unclear which specific tests your doctor ordered to discover this.  Clearly she started with a physical exam... did she ever specify which physical clues triggered her to order the tests?  Was there something in particular she had been looking for?

Once she determined tests were warranted, which blood tests did she order?

I'd appreciate any additional information you are willing to provide since it would help me to connect some medical mysteries I've been trying to unravel.

Thanks.

Ultra sounds don't hurt. I've had a few.

My last one the tech was busy taking pictures of my ovaries (I got to see 'em on the screen -- whee!) But she was having difficulties getting good enough pix to see what was wrong with them, so she wanted to go inside of me. That's when I had to tell her that (at the time) I had boy parts. Her jaw dropped, and she panicked, grabbed some towels and threw them on me and left the room.

Then my results went missing after that -- almost three weeks later, after several calls from my doctor, the just sent a paper out with a letter head and one short sentence that said they found no serious medical conditions. That's it. No pix. No word of nothing. Not even an examiners report.

So, sometimes, in this world doctors freak out and don't be surprised is all I'm saying. Other times doctors wanna poke you and see how you work (I ended up staying screw you to the docs over that, and left it at that... I got sick of the testing).

The first time that they found "something" down there was when I had an ultra sound for something else over 5 years ago. The guy went, "WTF? You're not supposed to have that?" And when I asked the doc he said not to worry, it's extra tissue, it won't hurt you, and then he wouldn't want to talk about it.

I don't really think about it much these days. Only if it hurts down there... and I'm glad it hasn't really gotten really painful in the last while. It was hurting lots for a couple of months before I had my SRS. I just got sick of the testing over them and the docs testing everything else, being told that I was "weird" by the doctors, and how "I shouldn't have those," and having that metal duck thing pulled out only for me to tell them that they can't inspect me that way (LOL -- oh the joys of explaining to a doctor that you have boy bits!).

Even now, with my SRS, if something happens, I still have to explain to the docs about certain things (ie, why I have no womb or cervix). Fun, fun!

Quote from: gothique11 on August 21, 2008, 02:39:46 AM
Ultra sounds don't hurt. I've had a few.

My last one the tech was busy taking pictures of my ovaries (I got to see 'em on the screen -- whee!) But she was having difficulties getting good enough pix to see what was wrong with them, so she wanted to go inside of me. That's when I had to tell her that (at the time) I had boy parts. Her jaw dropped, and she panicked, grabbed some towels and threw them on me and left the room.

Then my results went missing after that -- almost three weeks later, after several calls from my doctor, the just sent a paper out with a letter head and one short sentence that said they found no serious medical conditions. That's it. No pix. No word of nothing. Not even an examiners report.

So, sometimes, in this world doctors freak out and don't be surprised is all I'm saying. Other times doctors wanna poke you and see how you work (I ended up staying screw you to the docs over that, and left it at that... I got sick of the testing).



The first time that they found "something" down there was when I had an ultra sound for something else over 5 years ago. The guy went, "WTF? You're not supposed to have that?" And when I asked the doc he said not to worry, it's extra tissue, it won't hurt you, and then he wouldn't want to talk about it.

I don't really think about it much these days. Only if it hurts down there... and I'm glad it hasn't really gotten really painful in the last while. It was hurting lots for a couple of months before I had my SRS. I just got sick of the testing over them and the docs testing everything else, being told that I was "weird" by the doctors, and how "I shouldn't have those," and having that metal duck thing pulled out only for me to tell them that they can't inspect me that way (LOL -- oh the joys of explaining to a doctor that you have boy bits!).

Even now, with my SRS, if something happens, I still have to explain to the docs about certain things (ie, why I have no womb or cervix). Fun, fun!

Oh I wasn't aware you had ovaries all this time. You got a head start almost then

I too am confused ? When I saw a specialist about my raised hormone levels He found a scar that probably been there most of my life  He said I might have been born with an intersex problem and that in those days they just sewed up the  "extra hole" In those days they never removed a babies scrotum or penis ? An ultrasound showed I had more tissue than I should have had near my prostrate gland A MRI did the same tissue samples were taken by a needle It only proved that the tissue was not prostratic or cancerous ? My mother had birthing problems Had peritonitis and was out of it for a week My father once told She nearly died apparently ? Maybe my father ordered the sewing up ? I know my mother hated my father and all men and had prefered I had been born a girl. I certainly looked like one in the B&W pics someone took of me with a girl both of us wearing Both of us holding dolls Our names were written on the back of the photo Mine was was my boys name. I do remember her The dolls and the place where she live nearby and being dressed and taken out shopping dressed as a girl
My eldest daughter an archivist found the medical records of my birth and my mother. It did not prove much. But there was only an anaethetists note of me having an anaesthetic when I was 5 days old. It was a Catholic hospital So probably the details were puposely not recorded purposely ? My daughter commented In my girly pics I just look like my eldest daughter at that age ?  Both of us about 7yrs old
Who knows what realy happened. But Ive been a CD since my mother first dressed me as a girl and have a hormone imballance CD  but described by the Dr as  possible qualifying as a TS Im not healthy enough for the big op he says. The presence of congenitla heart valve problems and diabetes goes through our family history I have a cousin who is also a TS and very old photos from the late 1800 of a woman  A great Aunt who just looks like me and has traces of a beard shadow ?? Coincidences ?? Maybe but it seems to be within the family genes like the other medical problems ? What ever I enjoy living  and dressing as a girl or rather a woman

WUUUUT? You intersexed? What a discovery! I've always wondered about intersexed individuals... I hate how parents decide their sex for them. If I had an intersexed child, I wouldn't want to mess with their parts unless it was necessary. Once they started to age and their gender expression immersed, then we'd do something.

I'd hate to cut my son's penis off or sew up my daughter's vagina. I'd hate to make the wrong decision as a parent.

Sometimes I wonder if it was possible that I had a penis cut off. But my female genitals are perfectly normal. There's no sign that I ever had a penis. So I guess that's just my wishful thinking talking...

Grumble, snort, grouch, grrrrrrrrr!!!! and all that neat stuff. WHAT IN BLOODY H is wrong with these Drs, Do they know which end of their stethoscope to use? Well, Ye of course they use them to take and anus probes??? And maybe enough room left over after to shove a pair of size 12 Kodiak boot in there as well. Na scratch all the above and just use my mojo to materialise a large pimple at the end of their sex. "Pant, pant, pant." I am plumb tuckered out and my magic wand is bent.

Cindy