Tentative orchi

[Sojourn]

So, I had a quick conversation yesterday afternoon with my surgeon's assistant and she's getting my insurance's pre-approval for the orchi. It looks like I'll only have the testosterone factories for another 6 weeks... The weird thing is, I'm not ecstatic. I mean, I'm excited and I have no reservations, but I'm mostly just reflective and content. I do some questions though: Did any of you have any regrets? Like I said, I have no reservations. After all, I did try to perform the operation on myself when I was a teenager, but got scared when I saw blood and the thought of bleeding out hit me. I'm just wondering if there may be something I haven't considered. I've already stored sperm (which I'll probably never use, but it is nice to have the option). Also, for those who've had it done, what type of anaesthesia did your doctor use? I've read it's not uncommon to use local or an epidural. I'm pre med and I'm wondering if they'll let me watch and possibly record the procedure. I know, I'm weird. I can imagine it's a common request either! [emoji23]

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[josie76]

My urologist used general anesthesia. It was done in a surgical center that does all kinds of outpatient procedures.
Absolutely zero regrets. Happy that they are gone.

[iamthatiam8]

Hi. I was the same way leading to the couple of month saving up for orchie to the flight of which i am terrified of to laying at the operation table. I was just observant its both part of my personality and part ' they're going to open up my testicles holy >-bleeped-<'. I have no regrets cause even if i were not trans i didn't want those things there (even though the reason i didn't want them is most likely correlated to the way i feel). I had general anesthesia. I also starded crying after they started to operate which came out of knowhere, i was so cool headed up untill that moment. I was so happy that this stanger were cutting me up. And i gave me this profound feeling like ' wow maybe i am really a girl inside'. Before that i always saw my condition from a scientific and medical perspective, but that they i had a very profound dare i say 'spiritual experience' and keep in mind that surgery was the most painful and uncomfortable thing i have ever experience.

[Devlyn]

I had general anesthesia. I documented everything from start to finish. Pictures start on page 4.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,224375.0.html

Hugs, Devlyn

[Chris8080]

I had general anesthesia. The only regret is that I had to wait and endure them for so many years before getting it done.

[AnneK]

I had general anesthesia. The only regret is that I had to wait and endure them for so many years before getting it done.

Is that short term general?  When I had some wisdom teeth out, a few years ago, I had a general, but was under only long enough for the work.  This compares with other surgery I had years ago, when it took quite a while to come out of it.

[Tessa James]

 One minor regret, and that is not having the testicular sac removed.  At the time i wished to preserve my options for GCS and that seems very unlikely now with my level of satisfaction where I am.  I am greatly relieved to have this permanence and never fear the T coming back if i run out of blockers etc.

I asked for a local anesthetic with sedation but my sedation was profound enough to have been equivalent to a general anesthetic.  From my experience I recognize that operating room crews prefer minimal interaction with talkative patients like me

[gracefulhat]

So, I had a quick conversation yesterday afternoon with my surgeon's assistant and she's getting my insurance's pre-approval for the orchi. It looks like I'll only have the testosterone factories for another 6 weeks... The weird thing is, I'm not ecstatic. I mean, I'm excited and I have no reservations, but I'm mostly just reflective and content. I do some questions though: Did any of you have any regrets? Like I said, I have no reservations. After all, I did try to perform the operation on myself when I was a teenager, but got scared when I saw blood and the thought of bleeding out hit me. I'm just wondering if there may be something I haven't considered. I've already stored sperm (which I'll probably never use, but it is nice to have the option). Also, for those who've had it done, what type of anaesthesia did your doctor use? I've read it's not uncommon to use local or an epidural. I'm pre med and I'm wondering if they'll let me watch and possibly record the procedure. I know, I'm weird. I can imagine it's a common request either! [emoji23]


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We do emergency orchiectomies all the time here in surgery for testicular tortions. It's really a quick surgery (usually
less than an hour) and they will glue the scrotum sac so there's no bleeding. The patient will usuallu go home with an hour or two post op without too much discomfort.

[Sojourn]

We do emergency orchiectomies all the time here in surgery for testicular tortions. It's really a quick surgery (usually
less than an hour) and they will glue the scrotum sac so there's no bleeding. The patient will usuallu go home with an hour or two post op without too much discomfort.

When I was in the Navy, I tried to give myself testicular torsion [emoji23] My plan failed and I just had a lot of pain for a day.

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[Pisces228]

I had an orchiectomy on March 8th.   My Dr used general anesthetic and it took about an hour.  I was ready to leave about 30 minutes after I woke up.  I was able to stay on hrt up until the day of surgery.  I did bruise badly though and it continued to spread for about a week after.  My perineum, upper inner thighs, and anus all bruised.  It looked streaky like you could see where gravity pulled the blood down.  I am a heavy bleeder whenever I've had injuries or teeth pulled in the past so that didnt surprise me.  I didn't have pain in the incision area on the scrotum, but I could feel where the spermatic cords were cut and that felt like I got wacked in the nads for a while until the swelling went down.  As of now I can't feel any spermatic cord stumps as they've shrunk away and my scrotum has shrunk quite a bit.  My breast have grown some since but that could just be time and not surgery related.  That's all I can think of for now.

[Chris8080]

Is that short term general?  When I had some wisdom teeth out, a few years ago, I had a general, but was under only long enough for the work.  This compares with other surgery I had years ago, when it took quite a while to come out of it.

That has been my experience also but as it was explained to me when I had my orchi last September there is a whole new class of drugs they use that don't have any of the side effects that was the case not all that long ago. I was up & about in an hour without any of the side effects that I had experienced several years ago with other surgeries. Literally couldn't tell I just had surgery. 

[Chris8080]

One minor regret, and that is not having the testicular sac removed. 

I can really relate to that. Now thinking hard about another surgery to get done what could have been very easily done the first time. I had always heard how much it shrinks after the orchi so at the time I didn't give it much thought. Mine did shrink but I started out with so much of it even after it shrinking there is still way too much there for my liking. Live & learn I guess.

[josie76]

Is that short term general?  When I had some wisdom teeth out, a few years ago, I had a general, but was under only long enough for the work.  This compares with other surgery I had years ago, when it took quite a while to come out of it.

Yeh general now is so different than years ago. When you wake up you might be groggy but that's about it. I had two surgeries this year. Both were really easy to wake up from. Very different than a decade ago when I had a hernia surgery. Back then I was half in half out for hours afterward.


I had no bruising aside from a spot on the left scrotum. I had a vasectomy years ago so the ducts were all cut, stitched, and burned back then. This time only the blood vessels needed that done. My urologist used self dissolving stitches. I wish he would have used glue. My body did not like those stitches.

[ErinWDK]

Yeh general now is so different than years ago. When you wake up you might be groggy but that's about it. I had two surgeries this year. Both were really easy to wake up from. Very different than a decade ago when I had a hernia surgery. Back then I was half in half out for hours afterward.

I had a colonoscopy recently.  The doctor wouldn't do me in the outpatient center, so I had to go to the hospital.  They did not put me fully under, so this was not general anesthesia -- but it might as well have been.  I was out so quick I didn't even see the 10,000 miles of tubing.  This is all one would need for an orchi -- and recovery is fast.

Good luck!

[AnneK]

Literally couldn't tell I just had surgery.

You didn't notice something was missing?   

[Chris8080]

You didn't notice something was missing?   

Not so much no, had a wad of gauze down there.  Evil twins were pretty painful 24/7, biggest thing I noticed walking out of the hospital was that there wasn't any pain. But aside from that I was referring to a lack of any after effects of having just had general anesthesia.

[Sojourn]

Well, I spoke with the doctor's office today and his assistant said he only uses general anesthesia. I'm a little bummed about that, but she did say he sometimes allows students view procedures. So, I may be able view a GCS at some point. That would be pretty cool (albeit lengthy)!

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