SRS...very shortly

[Gisellen]

Aloha,

I am prepping and getting ready for my surgery. It'll be here in about 3 months. The anticipation is killing me. I'm so excited. However, I'm also a little worried about the pain that I'll be experiencing. They don't give you a morphine button for no reason.

So, to all my sisters that have gone through with the surgery, may I ask, on a scale of 1 to 10...and also if you've had breast augmentation, how do you rate the pain of the SRS in relation to your breast surgery? My doc told me the boob job is more painful than the SRS...yeah right. Like as if I'm going to believe that.

Boob job would be a 4...I suspect SRS to be around a 9?

Any pre op and post op advice would be appreciated. Foods to eat, not to eat. How to stay in shape while on bed rest.

Just fyi, I'm an exercise freak. I play tennis 2-3x a week. I do Zumba and work out. I do pole dancing and volleyball every other week. As you can see, I will be dreading the bed rest. AND! I tear up the dance floor in clubs...hehe.

I read that some of you went to Thailand to do the surgery. How is it there? Were there any complications? I chose to do it in the states as I wanted my family and friends to be around me during the recovery in the hospital. I was worried that if I needed to do some sort of check up that it would be easy for me to fly 5 hours instead of 20+.

Any info you find helpful or beneficial to my body, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Thanks much.

/hugs

Giselle

[sandra-leigh]

I really have no idea on the pain levels, other than that a couple of people have posted recently that their FFS was more painful than their SRS.

[Kathryn Martin]

I know it is an anxious but wonderful time. While I did not have BA a friend did at the same time we had SRS and she would tell you your doctor was right. I was up and walking six hours after the operation. Pain was about a 6 until the stint and catheter was removed abd then dropped to about 2. I am now six months post op and life is great. I wish you all the best

[Stephenie S]

Based on my experience with many, many, post-op breast augmentations and many post-op SRS recoveries, your doctor is absolutely correct. The pain from BA is much greater that that from SRS. I collected a raft of poop on this forum when I made this statement earlier, but it's true. SRS is a walk in the park compared to BA.

S

[Aprilrain]

I have not had SRS or BA but I've had FFS. I too have been told that BA is the worst. FFS is just REALLY, REALLY, REALLY uncomfortable more than it is painful. I'm not looking forward to the pain from BA which I will be having soon, I have a consultation on November 1st. Hopefully I will have the money for SRS sometime late 2013.
Good luck with your surgeries!

[Frances]

Some people experience more pain from a BA, some more from SRS. Some have no pain at all from nothing. I have seen people run up the stairs at Dr. B's recovery house. I was in excruciating pain for two months from SRS because of an infection post surgery. There is no way to predict in advance.

I have noticed that the ones that are in the best shape possible before surgery experience less pain, so you are doing good there.

Advice:
Don't do sitz baths in a bathtub. I am pretty sure that's how I got the infection. Use a plastic sitz bath that goes on a toilet.
Bring at least two bathrobes (one will get soiled with blood).
Bring a pair of slippers that you will not mind throwing away in the trash before leaving the hospital/recovery house.
Buy yoga pants. You will be wearing them for quite a while.
I loved my MP3 player during recovery, but could not read books with all the medication and things to do. I brought them for nothing. I watched TV a bit, but fell asleep all the time. Some people say that they visited me, but I can't remember.

[CharleneT]

Aloha,

I am prepping and getting ready for my surgery. It'll be here in about 3 months. The anticipation is killing me. I'm so excited. However, I'm also a little worried about the pain that I'll be experiencing. They don't give you a morphine button for no reason.

So, to all my sisters that have gone through with the surgery, may I ask, on a scale of 1 to 10...and also if you've had breast augmentation, how do you rate the pain of the SRS in relation to your breast surgery? My doc told me the boob job is more painful than the SRS...yeah right. Like as if I'm going to believe that.

Boob job would be a 4...I suspect SRS to be around a 9?

Any pre op and post op advice would be appreciated. Foods to eat, not to eat. How to stay in shape while on bed rest.

Just fyi, I'm an exercise freak. I play tennis 2-3x a week. I do Zumba and work out. I do pole dancing and volleyball every other week. As you can see, I will be dreading the bed rest. AND! I tear up the dance floor in clubs...hehe.

I read that some of you went to Thailand to do the surgery. How is it there? Were there any complications? I chose to do it in the states as I wanted my family and friends to be around me during the recovery in the hospital. I was worried that if I needed to do some sort of check up that it would be easy for me to fly 5 hours instead of 20+.

Any info you find helpful or beneficial to my body, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Thanks much.

/hugs

Giselle

Whew ... lottso Q's !

Different people, different reactions to the pain or even how much you experience. I think that the docs technique affects that too. Ok the Q's in order:

1. I did not have much pain from GRS, really. It was fairly dull pain and nothing that was a concern. In fact, as much as few seem to believe me ... I never took any narcotics after surgery at all. No morphine PCA etc... For the first month after I did take a lot of Tylenol and for 12 days or so, Tramadol ( a non-narc pain reliever that is about 1/2 as strong as codeine). I'm going to say ( compared to other pain I've had from medical procedures ), the GRS was around a 3.

2. My AM was at the same time as my GRS ... but I will say that your doc is right, the AM causes more discomfort - definitely !! I did not have very big implants either ( 300 cc ). AM = 4.

3. Advice ... geesh ... I could write a book. Try searching here for the hundred of posts about SRS/GRS/AM. Write a few more notes (get over 10) and then apply to join the Safe Haven section. There you will find more info, and we can speak more freely. The best general advice I can give is to stop worrying, get things in "order" before you go ( you are not going to be moving real fast when you return), follow your docs advice. That last one is important. Your doc knows the most about how to recover from her/his technique. Listen to what they say, especially the nurses ( if they work exclusively with GRS patients).

4. Thailand, just for the record, is a fantastic place with very skilled docs and great after care. I'm sure you'll find decent care here too. After care will end up being more important: all the top surgeons do a good job of GRS - tis that stuff after that can make the difference.

5. Give yourself time to heal, everyone is hell bent to get better and get on with things (whateve that means to you). BUT it takes while. Your hormone system goes thru a little shock, your body thru a bigger shock, your mind/emotions and even bigger one.... patience is a virtue after surgery. It is a big step, but there are many after that too -- 'taint the end of transition at all.

p.s. I wrote this without reading the other replies (bad forum member, go to my corner). Now that I have .... I did want to say that Frances is quite right ( as sure as the sun rising, that is...) and you should not take baths after the surgery. I did not take a bath at all for 3 months (docs directions). I had no probs with stitches or bugs etc, while I have heard that sitz baths make you feel better, they are risky - you do not want any infections in this "place". Also, at least my doc said "...NO swimming for 3 - 4 months post op" I think he was right about that.

pp.ss. Aloha to you too ! I'm from Hawaii :D

[Laurie Ann]

I wish you all the best on your upcoming GRS I have nothing to add as I have not had surgery but I did have a total knee replacement and for 48 hours the pain was an 11 on a 10 scale but filling my docs orders it went away quickly.

[Britney Johnson]

Reading posts like this make me cry. I am so happy for you that you are becoming whole. Right now, I can only dream of that day. I wish you the total best and a speedy recovery. Always follow your heart and dreams... (Easier said than done most times �� )

[Jennifer Marie P.]

Everyone is different my SRS surgery was a 7 pain for two weeks and I think the worst was my breast implant surgery that I rate a 8 pain for weeks but it was worth it.As for recovery take it slow and good luck.

[Gisellen]

Thanks Frances for the info. It was very helpful. I will definitely keep that in mind.

And thanks to everyone for letting me know the pain level. I actually thought it would be more painful. I guess I won't know until I find out in January then. LOL.


Some people experience more pain from a BA, some more from SRS. Some have no pain at all from nothing. I have seen people run up the stairs at Dr. B's recovery house. I was in excruciating pain for two months from SRS because of an infection post surgery. There is no way to predict in advance.

I have noticed that the ones that are in the best shape possible before surgery experience less pain, so you are doing good there.

Advice:
Don't do sitz baths in a bathtub. I am pretty sure that's how I got the infection. Use a plastic sitz bath that goes on a toilet.
Bring at least two bathrobes (one will get soiled with blood).
Bring a pair of slippers that you will not mind throwing away in the trash before leaving the hospital/recovery house.
Buy yoga pants. You will be wearing them for quite a while.
I loved my MP3 player during recovery, but could not read books with all the medication and things to do. I brought them for nothing. I watched TV a bit, but fell asleep all the time. Some people say that they visited me, but I can't remember.

[Nicole Erin]

Am I the only one here who is smelling a load of BS?

[Gisellen]

Are you talking to me?


Am I the only one here who is smelling a load of BS?

[melissaK]

On the BA pain, were you flat or developed from HRT before?
And this seems to vary with surgeons, but pre-surgery were you asked to be off HRT for any significant time to increase tissue available for vaginoplasty?

[ReneeT]

Am I the only one here who is smelling a load of BS?


Yes....................

[Gisellen]

I developed from HRT, but it was NOT significant. I am after all...Asian. After developing AAA boobies, I now understand why girls feel the need to have BA. I thought it was preposterous before, but I think that if it's not severely intrusive, and the person is in good health, I support the surgery. However!!! Just don't do it porn star style...that's not cool. I don't like it that girls walk around with bowling balls on their chest. Just NOT sexy. Tasteful...

Yes, I have been asked to be off HRT for 2 weeks before surgery.



On the BA pain, were you flat or developed from HRT before?
And this seems to vary with surgeons, but pre-surgery were you asked to be off HRT for any significant time to increase tissue available for vaginoplasty?

[Momarie]

Am I the only one here who is smelling a load of BS?

Nope...

Your BS radar is fine tuned.