Hi,

Considering the original intent of this thread.  It may be a good idea to start a new thread which discusses the following concerns/topics.

I think it is a very good topic for discussion.

I'll leave it up to you ladies to decide whether or not you'd like to do that.

Quote from: Ms Delgado on January 23, 2009, 03:10:49 PM

Quote from: deniz on January 22, 2009, 09:32:55 AM

Quote from: Laura Eva B on January 09, 2009, 10:21:32 PM
Brassard seems to have a reputation for resulting in UTIs early post surgery ...

I had my first UTI two weeks post op, and twice since, but GP prescribed antibiotics (Cyprofolaxin, etc.) did the trick.

Sounds like yours might have gotten right into the bladder, which can be nasty and present the pain and incontinence problems you're experiencing ?

It must really add to the post-op depression many of us experience.

Just think you need to find a decent doctor.

Hope things get better soon, I know they will ...

Laura x

should that thing really discourage me from having my srs by brassard??or is it sth usual to be expected as well in most docs??
what is the problem in his technique to result in UT infections??

Yes interesting, Brassard is my choice, are we speculating here or can anyone shine light onto this vs any of the other top named surgeons?

Another consideration beyond, depth, look and feel?

Thank you

Maybe a new thread / survey would be interesting ?

Brassard (when discussing my UTI) said it was a frequent post-op hazard, think he quoted incidence of a bit under 10%, caused by the difficulty of maintaining hygiene in those messy post op weeks.

And maybe Brassard positions the urethra closer to the vagina and anus, the natural position, and the outer labia fold in more.

But a UTI (Cystisis) is no big deal, so many women are plagued with them, just look on your pharmacy's shelves for non-prescription remedies.  Sure it can come on agonisingly painfully, but once you take antibiotics symptoms go away within 24 hours.

As I say I've had two full blown UTIs since the post-op one, one brought on probably by sex messing fluids about, the other by dehydration and not peeing enough to keep the urethra clean.

Laura x

Oh my god gothique11! What you went through sounds really horrible. I sort of wish I had signed up earlier. Minocin me thinks is called is good for urinary tract infections. Sounds like you went through hell and some. Im glad your still alive! I cant believe that doc. refused to actually help you! What a bastard! All that pain. You can honestly now shove it to people who tell you they cant do something for you cause they are sick. The good thing is that you are still ALIVE! 

Removed profanity.  Please review the TOS (Rule #11) Thank you - Tink

Yeah, it sucked -- a lot. Physically I'm fine (I had an ultra sound). Although, there's another development in my health that's not related to surgery, but is related to my bladder problems. Now doctors think I have MS (multiple sclerosis), and bladder issues can be an early symptom (and with problems, come infections, which makes it worse). Now, there are other reasons why the docs think I might have MS, not just the bladder issues, namely, having numbness with legs/arms and sometimes pain, fatigue, and the big clue was my balance/coordination going all funky, and of this last week, my ability to walk has greatly decreased. I'm still waiting for an MRI, which sux, but I had two doctor opinions on this, and waiting for a third from a Neurologist.

Basically, they've been going over various symptoms I've had over the last year or two, and connecting the dots with various possible on-set symptoms. And bladder issues is a symptom, apparently, and I could have gotten in a bad cycle of leaking which caused humidity, which caused infections, which made it worse. Infections can flare up MS, so thus the cycle. Heck, now they are even thinking that I was mis-diagnosed bipolar years back, and that it's related to the MS. o_0 At the moment, however, I'm just hoping they hurry up in figuring things out, since not walking kinda sux.

I just wanted to mention this since I don't want to discourage ppl from getting surgery, being afraid that they can get the same bladder issues that I've had, or to the extent that I had. Since now, there's a possibility it wasn't even related to surgery at all.

*Hugs ya*

That's definitely hard news.  My cousin has it too.

Hi Gothique hon, long time no see. I suppose I should read all the posts before responding but I wish to say that I am sorry to hear about all the health problems. Anyway email us or call us if you wish, I believe you still have out phone number

Cindy

Aww Nat,

I hope they can sort this stuff out soon.

*Big Hugs*

Alice

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear it! My heart just sank.  I hope that at least having a name for it can help you find a way to manage it.

~Alyssa

Oh, Nat!  So sorry to hear that.  I hope it turns out not to be MS.





Kristi

A friend has MS and I never thought about that it could be that.  I will ask her tomorrow.

Janet

That totally blows!

ask your doc about growth hormone.it is still experimental but they use it here in greece for sclirosis and altshaimer.

I am curious do you take baths or showers? It seems when i took baths i got a lot more UTI's and also do you weigh a lot or just normal because i had gained weight living with an elderly woman and cooking for her and i gained a lot of weight and went from a size 6 to a size 16 - 18 and my left thigh went numb. I have since moved to a farm and take showers and never seem to get UTI's anymore. Yes i did take a antibiotic which helped but no baths seems to have kept them away. As for my leg it is no longer numb as i have worked hard and lost a lot of weight and i was down to a size 6-8 this past summer traveling by horse and buggy and now i am back to a 8-9 (winter and all) and so i have no numbness. This spring i will surely get back to a 6 again as it warms up.

My friend Peg, who has MS, has problems with her bladder and bowels.  She has some memory problems, which may or may not be related.  She is just about 65.  And some coordination problems.

Janet

postoplesbian: I rarely take baths, and I'm not fat. Yes, I gained some weight after SRS, but now I'm a healthly weight. In the last 4 days, I've been to the hospital twice as I can barely walk anymore (legs are starting not to work). Tomorrow I go to the hospital yet again, for an MRI this time. Last night, i had a cat scan to look for tumors. I'm pretty sure if my problems were because I'm fat the doctors would have noted that. I've seen three doctors in the last 4 days, and I see another one tomorrow -- I highly doubt they'd be bringing in specialists and doing all of these scans if they weren't worried and if the cause of it was being fat. Here, the wait list is 9 months to get an MRI and see a neurologists -- I'm getting all that done in a week, believe me, it's more serious than gaining 10 whole pounds after surgery.

Everyone else:  Thnx for the kind words. I hope I get answers soon, as my ability to walk has gotten worse and worse, along coordination in the hands. It's very scary at the moment. A week ago, I had some balance issues but I could walk, now, I can can't walk far, and walking is slow and mostly stumbling, falling, or not working at all. I call it my zombie walk. LOL

As for the cat scan last night -- it's not a tumor, thankfully.

hugses.

Mina.

Thats awesome news about the tumor gothique, i know your having rough time of late...just hoping it gets much much better for you.

~Big Hugs~ on the news of the tumor.  Hoping that the other will turn out in a positive note.

Janet

Well, I went and saw a neurologist, who canceled my MRI because he's uncomfortable with me being trans. The first question/statement he said to me was, "So, you're a boy who's trying to become a girl?" He mostly kept mentioning the trans stuff, and was at first suggesting that I'm mentally ill because I transitioned (and has surgery), so there for, everything is in my head. He mentioned that I probably am having a hard time being a woman, and suggested I shouldn't take hormones, etc, etc. I was royally pissed. He was very ignorant and focused more on his dislike of trans ppl than helping me out as a patient. He said an MRI would be a waste of money on me.

Meanwhile, I have a psychiatrist (2 actually) that can vouch that I'm not depressed or "having a hard time with being a woman." Also, that my symptoms are not psychosomatic or a manifestation of depression, dress, or because I'm transgendered. My hormones are perfectly fine, which my GP checks regularly. I have been FT for about three years and been on HRT for three years, and had surgery last June -- I'd say I'm pretty well adjusted. And 3 doctors, my GP and two doctors at the hospital all agree that I have something neurological going on.

So, now I'm back to square one and talking to my GP in a few days (hopefully by Wed) to look for another opinion. I'm also going to mention the anti-trans rhetoric that I had to endure from the neurologist. I'm not happy about that, and again, highlights how bigots can be doctors, and how those doctors can affect the health care of trans ppl buy denying or shrugging off concerns because they are "uncomfortable" treating a trans person.

(He knew I was trans because it's in my health records. I usually try to avoid talking about it unless I have to, ie, at the hospital I didn't mention it and I had fair, honest, treatment in regards to blood tests, a cat can, and being generally nice to me. The Neruo had my full file, and so I couldn't hide sadly).

I'd say this is the 2nd time I've had anti-trans rhetoric by a doctor. I had a GP near the start of my transition (I already was FT, but seeking hrt) who decided to tell me that God didn't want me to be a girl, and that he'd been a missionary for years, saving people from the "transgender lifestyle" and all I had to do was believe in Jesus and be cured, etc, etc, etc.

As for the Neuro, I can send in a complaint (they don't go far, and I have no evidence except my word vs his). I'll have to see what notes he might have sent to my doctor; if the wrong pronouns are used, that can be evidence. If he suggests to stick me on a psychiatric-based medication, that's also evidence (he subtly suggested it). It can be a long, drawn out process, actually.

Of course, I didn't sit there and take the insults, I rebutted with saying that I've been on HRT for 3 years, my levels are fine, and I've been FT for years, and that being a woman in the world isn't a new adjustment that's causing major chaos and stress in my life. That I see a psychiatrist, who doesn't believe my symptoms are psychological at all. And that I'm a woman, both anatomically and legally, not a "boy," and he should respect that.