Dàwkbua your having the same problem I did. The Dilator set that I got the first time would not go inside my vagina. I had to call the office many times complaining that I couldn't get the stents inside. They had to send me a special set their white and smaller and I been using that which really opened me up more to get the regular stents inside. I think your best bet is the same white stents that I recieved. their much smaller and go in easier then the regular stents. I could send you a picture of them and try and help you get a set if that'll help.

I think tinkerbell offers good advice.

As an ftm I don't have experience to draw on, but from what I've heard if you're having issues with width you should try using smaller dilators and work your way back up to the bigger ones.

I hope that can take care of what's going on before you need to resort to more surgery.

Dear Dàwkbua,

I am really sorry to hear you are having issues with ur srs, I think the best option is for you to buy a ticket to Thailand and get a revision with Dr. Suporn since your srs is covered under his life time warranty. I would say your problem is to do with scarring.
Please don't leave it for too long. And let us know how you go. I wish you all the best with your recovery.

Quote from: Tinkerbell on August 15, 2010, 05:34:38 PMDàwkbua your having the same problem I did. The Dilator set that I got the first time would not go inside my vagina. I had to call the office many times complaining that I couldn't get the stents inside. They had to send me a special set their white and smaller and I been using that which really opened me up more to get the regular stents inside. I think your best bet is the same white stents that I recieved. their much smaller and go in easier then the regular stents. I could send you a picture of them and try and help you get a set if that'll help.

I would appreciate that immensely! How big around are they? What do they cost? I've been trying to stretch out with whatever I have on hand but I don't really have anything that works well. Can't get enough leverage to apply as much pressure as need be. I found out the reason why I failed to maintain width was I hadn't been pushing hard enough.

This morning I managed to check my depth. In a bit more than a month I've lost 2". If I kept what I have now it would be enough but how likely is that. Just a little longer and there won't be anything left to salvage.

Quote from: Dàwkbua on August 18, 2010, 12:56:16 PM
Just a little longer and there won't be anything left to salvage.

I hope you're able to reverse the damage before it gets to this point.

Hi Dàwkbua

Back in the 1990's I knew of three other gals that went through with SRS back in Brighton about the same time as me....

One of them, had many complications....and had to have multiple revisions at least 4 in all....I seem to remember....?

We all had the same surgeon.... (but your physicality is unique to you.).... so results for that reason 'always' vary.... there is never a uniform standard result....

But revisional work is something many just simply have to undertake...

People are made of flesh and blood and a miracle fibre called courage...

[Mignon McLaughlin]

Quote from: Dàwkbua on August 18, 2010, 12:56:16 PM
I found out the reason why I failed to maintain width was I hadn't been pushing hard enough.

Yes that's true, I'm only five weeks post op and I do have to apply some pressure to get full wide and depth.

Stardust

Quote from: stardust on August 19, 2010, 07:18:02 AM
Yes that's true, I'm only five weeks post op and I do have to apply some pressure to get full wide and depth.

Stardust

So how does one know if they are pushing hard enough?  Obviously, Dawkbua did not know.  So how will I and others know?

Quote from: Valeriedances on August 19, 2010, 09:26:47 AM
An important marker to learn is the dilator mark immediately after surgery when you first begin dilating. After that keep working to maintain that. I have been, even when it was uncomfortable to the point of hurting. I cried more than a few times, especially when moving up in size. When it is at it's fullest point, the end of the dilator hits what feels to me like the pelvic bone, or at least some harder than normal area.

It no longer hurts to dilate and fortunately my depth has not reduced.

I took Kate's advice and used quarter turns, twisting back and forth, periodically even after reaching full depth to make sure I was where I thought it should be. In time I gave up on trying to make it deeper. It never went deeper than my initial mark.

I did notice a few times while reading that I would forget to keep pressure on the dilator and it wouldnt be at the mark it should. I'm trying to be more careful after realizing that.

Best of luck to you Dàwkbua. The white dilator's sound promising.

...and hi everyone 

Hi Valerie, nice to hear from you!  Thanks for the great advice I will definitely be using it.  Sorry to get off-topic for a moment, but are you back to running yet?

Quote from: Kristyn on August 19, 2010, 07:55:46 AM
So how does one know if they are pushing hard enough?  Obviously, Dawkbua did not know.  So how will I and others know?

Yes what Valerie said about the depth. I usually reach a natural stopping place, but continued pressure for a few minutes gets me another complete inch or more of depth. Dr. McGinn told me this is normal, and that sometimes girls just stop there which causes that little extra depth to go away. When it bottoms out I can definitely tell, it feels like it's up against the back of my pelvic bone or something.

I also have to use tons of lube with the bigger dilators because they are so tight it tends to completely wipe it off the sides as it pushes in. Pushing while twisting helps (like trying a locked doorknob according to Dr. McGinn), and I put some mineral oil in a little applicator bottle which I can dribble on the sides while dilating and that helps a lot too. She also recommended massaging in some lanolin cream (like the stuff that women use for breastfeeding, and not while dilating) around the vaginal opening, which she said will help soften up scar tissue, keep it from toughening up, and make it easier to dilate.

Quote from: FairyGirl on August 19, 2010, 10:03:50 AM
Yes what Valerie said about the depth. I usually reach a natural stopping place, but continued pressure for a few minutes gets me another complete inch or more of depth. Dr. McGinn told me this is normal, and that sometimes girls just stop there which causes that little extra depth to go away. When it bottoms out I can definitely tell, it feels like it's up against the back of my pelvic bone or something.

I also have to use tons of lube with the bigger dilators because they are so tight it tends to completely wipe it off the sides as it pushes in. Pushing while twisting helps (like trying a locked doorknob according to Dr. McGinn), and I put some mineral oil in a little applicator bottle which I can dribble on the sides while dilating and that helps a lot too. She also recommended massaging in some lanolin cream (like the stuff that women use for breastfeeding, and not while dilating) around the vaginal opening, which she said will help soften up scar tissue, keep it from toughening up, and make it easier to dilate.

Great advice, thanks Cloe!

If the clinic does not or can not provide a smaller set, I would just go for the Soul GRS dilator set.
I have gone through a few different sets of dilators, in my experience, they are the best ones so far.
They are easy for insertions, they don't have the big bullet shape at the tip.

http://www.soulsourceenterprises.com/html/products_grs.html

I hope you gain your depth and width back.

Keep us posted.

All the best

Quote from: jade on August 20, 2010, 10:46:28 PM
If the clinic does not or can not provide a smaller set, I would just go for the Soul GRS dilator set.
I have gone through a few different sets of dilators, in my experience, they are the best ones so far.
They are easy for insertions, they don't have the big bullet shape at the tip.

Those are way way way too large but thank you. I need something around half an inch diameter or a little smaller. I've started using my fingers to stretch. Can't reach depth that way to maintain it but at least I can try to gain width this way. I didn't know how hard to push sideways; it sounds like the inversion technique requires the patient to only maintain depth which Valerie's advice is great for. Suporn's skin graft technique just comes with more upkeep I guess; the instruction book says to "make it hurt" but how descriptive is that? My tolerance for pain is apparently quite low so just making it hurt isn't enough.

I struggled a lot with Dr Suporn's dilation regime in the beginning too. I don't know what to recommend at this stage if the dilators wont go in, but from what I understand, that width can be returned with more dilations. That's they key. If things are getting difficult you need to dilate more often and for longer, even if you can only use fingers right now.

Try going to a sex shop and finding a thin dildo if you can. It's not the best option but it's something to start with. Make sure it isn't rubbery, you don't want any friction.

Use a LOT of lube! (I used heaps in the first six months).

Do NOT give up!

Double the amount of time spent dilating (I did this when I was having troubles).

Push hard! Especially when doing the stirring motion! Dynamic dilation has different goals to static dilation. Suporn patients can develop scar tissue that can tighten and restrict dilation. The aim of dynamic dilation is to stretch that tissue.

Oh, and always listen to the advice of Sophie and the Clinic, and always stay in touch with them. They have dealt with every possible scenario before and know the best ways to move forward. Do NOT rely on the dilation techniques or post-op care instructions of ANY OTHER SURGEON. They are tailored to meet the needs of those ppatients only. This is a different surgery with different requirements to heal well.

*hugs*

You can do it!

Maybe this explains why Dr. Kunaporn told me he finds Dr. Suporn's technique too aggressive to use it himself on his patients.
It sounds like a lot of hard work after SRS when the patient goes back to her country and is on her own to deal with this dilation schedule and issues that may arise.

I genuinely hope you gain your health and function back, I really feel for you.

Please update us on your progress

Love

You mentioned in an earlier post that you had an infection.  This is what you mentioned:

Quote from: Dàwkbua on August 14, 2010, 09:38:07 AM
I do, actually, and I went to the emergency clinic. And oh do I ever have a story about that - incompetent doc misdiagnosed it then when the test results came back & showed I need an antibiotic he fails to forward my prescription that I don't know if I can afford to get filled anyway, so now 2 weeks out I am still untreated.... but that's only been going on since I closed up.

I still remember Dr Suporn telling me even if I have an infection to keep dilating anyway.

Can you clarify if the infection has been cleared up and was it from your operation.  The infection would need to be cleared up, else the infection will spread.  As has been mentioned before.

Take care, my thoughts are with you and I hope you get better soon.

Kind regards
Sarah B

Quote from: Birdie on August 21, 2010, 08:51:10 PMIf things are getting difficult you need to dilate more often and for longer, even if you can only use fingers right now.

Sophie did tell me to do it often.

QuoteTry going to a sex shop and finding a thin dildo if you can.

I did, and used it for a while. It won't fit inside me anymore. I might take an evening and force it in by whatever means necessary, though it's sure to leave me in tons of pain the next day.

QuoteDouble the amount of time spent dilating (I did this when I was having troubles).

The clinic said not to do that. 15 minutes is apparently the maximum. Did they tell you different? I know the recommended session length is not the same between their guide books and what they told me to do, so it wouldn't surprise me if they've changed their recommendations.

QuoteOh, and always listen to the advice of Sophie and the Clinic, and always stay in touch with them. They have dealt with every possible scenario before and know the best ways to move forward. Do NOT rely on the dilation techniques or post-op care instructions of ANY OTHER SURGEON. They are tailored to meet the needs of those ppatients only. This is a different surgery with different requirements to heal well.

She actually told me at one point that she didn't know what to say. That once I can't use the dilators I'm sure to lose depth & width, and to just get hold of whatever is small enough and stretch stretch stretch. Seems that although it's common to underestimate how much force to use, it sounds as if few of us manage to let it deteriorate this much. But yeah with surgeons having differing techniques there's bound to be differences in aftercare.

Quote*hugs*

You can do it!

Thank you!

Quote from: jade on August 21, 2010, 09:49:11 PMI genuinely hope you gain your health and function back, I really feel for you.

Thank you.

Quote from: Sarah B on August 21, 2010, 11:05:11 PMCan you clarify if the infection has been cleared up and was it from your operation.  The infection would need to be cleared up, else the infection will spread.  As has been mentioned before.

Take care, my thoughts are with you and I hope you get better soon.

It appears to have cleared up. I am almost finished with my antibiotics so will have to see if it returns. It came on when I was not quite 4 months post-op.

Thank you. With luck I will!

Quote from: jade on August 20, 2010, 10:46:28 PM
If the clinic does not or can not provide a smaller set, I would just go for the Soul GRS dilator set.

These look to have a turn up at the end.   Which guy did they model them on?

Interesting that they say chilling them might help with some soreness.

I've no idea what my surgeon will recommend when I eventually get srs.