How painful is MTF SRS?

24
u/IcyStrawberryGirl
Fri Feb 3 23:36:00 2023 UTC
(57 comments)

Hi, I am an incredibly pain sensitive person on almost every level. I was wondering how bad anybody who has had a vaginoplasty thought the pain was?? Your input would be greatly appreciated!!

all 57 comments



21
u/KatarinaM414
Sat Feb 4 02:27:38 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Definitely an individual experience. I never used the codeine I was prescribed, and stopped all my routine pain meds about 3 weeks post-op. Having the catheter removed felt weird, as did the packing but didn't really hurt. But at the same time, I heard someone screaming in extreme pain from the same thing across the hall. You just have to gauge your own pain levels and tolerance.

19
u/EmmaLake
Sat Feb 4 02:40:00 2023 UTC
(0 children)

It's not the immediate post-surgery pain that's terrible. I'm not pain sensitive per say, but most hospitals provide good in-patient pain management. My 3-days in the hospital after GRS were an epic nightmare. The pain from surgery had very little to do with my bad experience.

The pain you'll remember gets real after the first week is when the packing is removed and dilating starts in earnest. At that point you're likely off the pain meds and dealing with incisions, soreness, trying to pee, and getting yourself moving. Underneath all that, you're bodies still recovering from the physical trauma and anesthesia along with the anticipation of months of dilation discomfort for 2 to 6 hours a day --and this is the least you can expect.

Underestimate GRS recovery at your own peril. If you're pain-sensitive, do what you have to do to prepare for that situation --BEFORHAND. It's a life-changing and humbling experience.

18
u/ohgodohfuckwhatami
Sat Feb 4 04:05:15 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Really bad for me. Everyone told me I wouldnt wake up in pain, but I woke up in about an 8/10 thrashing around in recovery, they gave me IV fentanyl which made it somewhat manageable but still awful and got me to my room. From there on it was panadol, tapentadol and oxycodon while I was in hospital. I stopped taking the oxycodone/tapentadol about 4 weeks post-op. Honestly when I was on the medications the pain wasn't that bad. The worst was the catheter which more than pain was just intensely uncomfortable and wasnt modulated by pain meds, and the dilating was intensely painful for the first 2-4 weeks. Getting the packing out didn't hurt for me, just felt weird.

By far it was the shittiest experience of my life, completely worth it though at 9 weeks postop.

15
u/Carolina-Swe
Sat Feb 4 01:20:05 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Depending on your pain medication, you may feel pain, but in the hospital and after surgery at home you have to control the pain otherwise it's bad. Certainly the worst moments of my life, but now I can enjoy my new vagina.

Right after the operation you don't feel pain at all, you are still under anesthesia, immediately after the operation you get 2x paracetamol plus some oxy in my case.

The pain gets worse after day 2, and then you should also ask for more stronger painkillers or you will go mad. They had to control me with painkillers because oxy causes a lot of sideeffects including I had a fever for 2 days.

The hospital and staff will take care of you so you don't have to worry so much. this is one of the major surgeries and you will not be left without post-operative care❤️

20
u/NatalieSurgeryDiary
Sat Feb 4 00:54:46 2023 UTC
(4 children)

It's different for everyone. The time in the hospital, and days after until my first post-op, were incredibly painful for me because of the catheter. At that post-op, the catheter and packing were removed. The catheter stung but only hurt for a moment, but the packing coming out was the absolute worst pain of my life. Since then, though, I've been in basically zero pain. I last took any pain medication for surgery-related pain 4 or 5 weeks ago, and for reference I'm about 7.5 weeks post-op now.

10
Sat Feb 4 01:03:53 2023 UTC
(1 child)

The packing was the worst. The entire hospital floor must have heard me screaming as they pulled that out.

6
Sat Feb 4 01:22:33 2023 UTC
(0 children)

I took painkillers and it was still very painful and burning but what a relief

8
Sat Feb 4 09:01:09 2023 UTC
(0 children)

I can't believe I didn't mention the motherfucking catheter. It's like a ball amd chain made out of your own pee. Every time I moved I had to adjust something or wriggle around to avoid pulling my bladder out of my urethra. Nine days of that was terrible.

5
Sat Feb 4 03:39:11 2023 UTC
(0 children)

I didn't feel any pain when the packing came out (compared to the catheter, but as you said, it only hurt for a moment), but it just felt so WEIRD that I went vasovagal on the PA and nearly passed out.

18
u/Agitated-Action4759
Fri Feb 3 23:54:05 2023 UTC
(6 children)

The absolute worst pain I have ever felt in my life by an order of magnitude.

14
Fri Feb 3 23:59:01 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Currently nearly 5 weeks into recovery and... Yep. This really fucking hurts. Worth it, though.

3
Sat Feb 4 03:49:35 2023 UTC
(4 children)

worse than electrolysis?

3
Sat Feb 4 03:54:20 2023 UTC
(3 children)

I've actually never had it, but I imagine so, I've had tattoos and the like.

3
Sat Feb 4 03:58:35 2023 UTC
(2 children)

my mind cant comprehend pain worse than taint electrolysis without real numbing, so lets hope for my sake you're wrong 😅

3
Sat Feb 4 04:09:13 2023 UTC
(1 child)

Make sure the surgeon you choose is willing to give you decent drugs. Some don’t.

2
Sat Feb 4 04:13:23 2023 UTC
(0 children)

no problem there 👍

10
u/formykka
Sat Feb 4 10:42:54 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Mine was actually mostly just discomfort. After the first day I was just on acetaminophen and ibuprofen for pain (opioids don't tend to do much for me anyway) and pain was generally between 1-3 out of 10. Worst part for me was sweating under the dressing, not being mobile, and having to poop in a bed pan. At home the pain would build slowly while sitting so I'd have to lie down every 1-2 hours or so.

Honestly I've had tooth aches and hangovers that were worse.

8
u/ExpJustice
Sat Feb 4 01:02:35 2023 UTC
(0 children)

For me. The worst thing i ever went trough. Worth it, but almost life ending.

7
u/TunePsychological840
Sat Feb 4 04:31:53 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Depends on the surgeon and what they put you on for pain management. I was pretty much on morphine and other stuff so it was fine, overall the pain was probably a 6/10 for me, not the worst, the actual pain was the dilation for me, mentally and physically too, I had to get used to the fact that this is gonna be a lifetime routine for me. I had to pop in painkillers to manage the intense pain initially and more than physically, mentally it was a lot to go through, you’re off your hormones and you’re constantly going through a compilation of emotions and you’re bed ridden for months. But it does get better :) I am post 2 months, and still recovering but you learn to work your life out of dilation eventually.

7
u/ZebedeeGirl
Sat Feb 4 07:33:19 2023 UTC
(2 children)

That's a really good question - thank you for asking it... (reading other replies with interest)

Yesterday I emailed to book my initial consultation with a surgeon, and I don't mind admitting that I'm shit scared!

I have a pretty poor track record with hospital procedures, having gone into shock twice after endoscopies (Which REALLY gets the attention of the nursing team when my blood pressure tanks and I don't know which way's up!! 🤪).

But I keep reminding myself that going on as I am is ultimately a LOT more painful than coping with a few painful weeks, or even months recovery, before getting on and enjoying the rest of my life...

4
OP
Sat Feb 4 13:32:58 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Good luck girl omg!! You will do great and be sm happier in the end!!! Also that last sentence resonates sm!

1
Thu Jul 11 17:00:59 2024 UTC
(0 children)

I’m doing my surgery con on Monday. I’m scared but want these off.

8
u/Wickedbitchoftheuk
Sat Feb 4 11:37:53 2023 UTC
(1 child)

If you are very pain sensitive, then you’re going to have to have a severe think about srs. It’s major surgery. It’s a long process. You’re either going to have to grit your teeth and go through it or you’re going to need to rethink your desire for it. It’s gonna hurt for a while.

1
Thu Jul 11 17:01:57 2024 UTC
(0 children)

You say it’s major surgery. Yea it may not be minor but it’s routine and it’s not major like open heart surgery Generally it’s pretty safe

6
u/AutumnGlow33
Sat Feb 4 00:30:15 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Some people sail right through, for some people it’s extremely painful. My supposedly “easy” minimal depth procedure was actually extremely painful, but my colon graft later, while a long and horrid recovery, hurt less in terms of actual pain. There are medications and stuff they can give you that will help things, but no surgery is fun or free of discomfort.

6
u/Aspicorn
Sat Feb 4 11:58:41 2023 UTC
(0 children)

I'm 3 weeks post op and my partner is still taking care of me since I can't do more than lay in bed while taking oxy for the pain. But I think that the infection I got a week ago contributes to that. Apparently it wasn't that uncommon to get post op SRS. Once I do get outside the elderly still outwalk me 🤣

9
u/confused_newleaf
Sat Feb 4 00:06:53 2023 UTC
(1 child)

Honestly it wasn't that bad, I had a tonsillectomy earlier that year and it was worse than SRS. The catheter however, that was a living hell. The catheter and the cramps from it and the gas/constipation were the worst part.

1
Tue Aug 13 00:29:13 2024 UTC
(0 children)

I had a tonsilectomy and that did hurt for like the day after, and then it got better. I can understand the catheter being terrible though.

5
u/Good-Expression-4433
Sat Feb 4 04:45:13 2023 UTC
*
(0 children)

I have a high pain tolerance and it was pretty bad. The week in the hospital was rough even through the round the clock pain meds. It was made worse by the catheter and I have vasovagal syncope which can cause me to faint at an initial reaction to pain, despite my tolerance making things super easy after, so I struggled with being able to walk and got really sore and achy all over.

I'm a little over 6 weeks in now and the pain for the last 3 weeks has been either the erectile tissue remnants under the skin still being a bit swollen (I know that's what it is because I can feel it extra bad if I get aroused) or a result of having some granulated tissue causing some issues on the outside and around my opening.

The packing coming out sucked so bad though. I was super swollen and the swelling made my packing get flushed out when it started to sort of deflate. Had the remainder of the packing immediately taken out in office when I called my surgeons office about it and that was so painful.

The two weeks after coming home were pretty difficult but if you have any support and can afford to just rest, something I didn't have, I think it's manageable despite being unpleasant. The first stretch though, be prepared and don't be afraid to advocate for yourself to keep medication rolling.

6
u/Low_Painting_5955
Sat Feb 4 09:40:22 2023 UTC
(0 children)

I had surgery in the UK March 2022, I had no pain at all, no pain at all stages of my recovery. The worst pain was from the iv drip on the night of the surgery which made my arm ache most of the night. I must of had so much local anesthetic pumped into me- it was bizarre how painless the whole experience was for me.

4
u/Jas_Sinclair
Sat Feb 4 18:15:31 2023 UTC
(0 children)

I've had srs and srs revision and both times weren't that painful. Put it this way.. if you go to a decent doctor... Who prescribes decent pain medications. The pain, isnt going to be that bad

3
u/No-more-confusion
Sat Feb 4 13:44:32 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Currently 1.5 weeks post PPT. There is pain but it’s far from the worst I’ve ever had. I’m just taking Ibuprofen for pain. It’s a low level ache and the worst was while the packing and catheter were in.

3
u/debraMckenz
Sat Feb 4 16:10:13 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Honestly, the pain for me was more of a discomfort. That is not to downplay it though. It was a constant bloating/discomfort kind of pain. I definitely did not enjoy it.

Once they took the packing out, it was better. Then it was swelling that made it impossible to pee.

It was over a decade ago now so that may be part of it, but that's the pain I mostly remember, the weird bloating/discomfort pain that wouldn't go away and the meds wouldn't touch.

I suppose the fact that I didn't have incision pain says something.

3
u/Riverghost79
Sat Feb 4 20:31:27 2023 UTC
(5 children)

Mine wasn't that bad, my BA was FAR worse. I kept up my pain management and I was quite sore, but not really in pain.

1
Tue Apr 9 09:39:56 2024 UTC
(4 children)

Iknow this comment is a bit late but was wondering what your BA pain was like. When i had my first BA i had the worst burning stretching pain, so much so i was crying my eyes out about how i couldnt go on. I have srs in 3.5 months and am scared to death about how much more this might hurt.

1
Tue Apr 9 12:32:24 2024 UTC
(3 children)

Sounds like they didn’t give you decent drugs. Opiates, etc. I’d find out what the policy for you surgeon is for that, some are good, some bad.

1
Tue Apr 9 12:37:48 2024 UTC
(2 children)

Sadly where im from (the netherlands) they are not very keen on perscribing opiates during recovery. You have to work with NSAID's which I couldn't take due to being on spiro, so all that was left was tylenol/paracetamol

1
Tue Apr 9 12:53:25 2024 UTC
(1 child)

Don’t suppose you can afford to travel for surgery?

1
Tue Apr 9 12:54:29 2024 UTC
(0 children)

For srs im going to dr morath in München, from what ive heard they do give some form of opiate pain meds in the first days if asked. Hopefully that'll make things more bearable

3
u/wolvine9
Sat Feb 4 21:18:52 2023 UTC
(0 children)

I'll echo everyone else's experience with my own - it's definitely going to vary from person to person.

I'm almost 4 weeks into recovery and I've had a fair amount of pain all the way through. I'm still on about 1600mg Tylenol / 1600 mg Ibuprofen / 600mg Gabapentin, and I take a 3.5mg Sativa edible in place of anything higher than that so that I'm able to sleep, because my ability to do that has been wrecked since surgery.

The most pain I had was with the wound vacuum and catheter for the week or so they were still in, as soon as that was removed my pain dropped. I'd say I was around an 8/10 or the first week, then went between a 4 to a 7, changing more or less day to day (some days are 4-5, some are 6-7, it doesn't get better on a constant upward trajectory.

About half-way through this last week I felt a turnaround and have been feeling more in charge of my movement, have been able to get out of bed to make breakfast / throw a ball around for my dog, but the recovery process is no joke. You or someone else needs to take full charge of your pain management, as it's something you don't want to fall off of.

It does get better, though, and I don't regret it for a second. You just have to get through this part.

3
u/Aspicorn
Sat Feb 4 21:48:08 2023 UTC
(0 children)

But as for pain, I'd do it all over again than going to the dentist just once. Dilation is my entire world at the moment. No time to think of the pain 😂. You'll be alright. It's just a small part of the rest of your life as you ❤️.

5
u/WillingDaikon2402
Sat Feb 4 04:53:43 2023 UTC
(6 children)

Reading all that puts me off getting SRS :( but I want it so bad though

5
Sun Feb 5 00:23:01 2023 UTC
(1 child)

Nothing was as painful as having the attachment you didn't want. Easy trade-off for some. What you should take away from all this is being prepared. Ask the right questions in the hospital to get what you need. Don't freak out if you get misgendered or someone calls your Vagina a "wound". Ask about pain meds after surgery and make sure you have everything you need waiting for you when you leave the hospital.

1
Sun Feb 5 06:50:51 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Oh 100% , I still plan on getting it done I was just being over dramatic about it at the time of reading the responses :)

4
OP
Sat Feb 4 13:37:00 2023 UTC
(2 children)

Felt, this is a huge life altering decision and we have time to evaluate dysphoria. You’re not any less trans if you don’t get or want a GRS. If I don’t get a vaginoplasty, I def will get an orchiectomy because I don’t want to be on antiandrogens longer than I have to but that is a very personal decision. You always have time girlie 💞

3
Sat Feb 4 13:40:11 2023 UTC
(1 child)

I get terrible Dysphoria about down below literally I hate it :(

2
OP
Sat Feb 4 13:46:49 2023 UTC
(0 children)

I wish there were a way to help you through all this but you just have to ask questions to people with GRS and evaluate what about your bottom dysphoria makes you dysphoric and is it worth the financial and personal costs. I know for some trans women the majority of their bottom dysphoria comes from their inability to get pregnant, of which bottom surgery will not fix. It’s just stuff to think about and I’m so sorry this is so hard :( it shouldn’t be this difficult. If you can afford it, getting a gender-affirming therapist may be a good idea to help process your dysphoria. Be safe and I wish you the bestie <3

2
u/renodj
Sun Dec 8 08:48:20 2024 UTC
(0 children)

I hope you changed your mind. I am reading all of these stories and… don’t relate to most of them. I had PPT full depth on Monday 12/2/24 and had packing / cath removed today. And discharged to hotel. Follow up Tuesday. If all is good I get to go back home to Nevada.

I don’t have the stamina I had before. I get sore after standing too long. But. Before I discharged today, I met with (and impressed OT). Went down and back up 2 flights of stairs) got dressed on my own… showered. And at day 5… am about 20% of my baseline. I did not expect to be above 5%.

In the hospital, I had good meds. Take them. Get rid of the pain so you can ambulate. If you don’t use it, you lose it. With that being said. Be smart. Follow their rules. Don’t lift, don’t twist, don’t bend too far…. And take small strides. Listen to your body….

Get the surgery. The results are worth whatever sacrifices need to be made.

He’ll, my first time peeing was today… and it was humiliating … I cried.

There’s no handle. It felt like taladega nights. Where do I put my hands. With all the swelling I couldn’t close my legs. Was hard to sit all the way down…. But I needed to pee. And I did. Got a few drops in the bowl. The rest on my bum, my legs, down into my socks. The floor. All over the seat.

I felt defeated. Where’s the manual for this thing?

lol, hours later… it’s funny… and 2 more pee’s since then… I’m figuring out how to make it work.

You’ve got this. You all can do this.

4
u/Fuzzy_Sir_6955
Fri Feb 3 23:56:07 2023 UTC
(0 children)

People can have different pain tolerance.

2
u/AmeliaTG
Sat Feb 4 07:56:37 2023 UTC
(0 children)

It’s so very painful eating crappy hospital food. 😂

2
u/raceinbk1980
Sat Feb 4 13:50:11 2023 UTC
(0 children)

I have a pretty high pain threshold. I took pain killers for the first 3 days post op and then only Tylenol after for the first month. After that nothing. Everyone is different though!!

2
u/fairyfartzz
Sat Feb 4 15:33:45 2023 UTC
(0 children)

first day i literally cried twice. partly because of pain and party bc i was just emotional and just wanted to see my mom and boyfriend but couldn’t see them yet LOL. but the pain the first day really messed with me. the next day tho was soooooo much easier that the first. the pain starts to subside fairly quickly.

2
u/[deleted]
Sat Feb 4 17:02:34 2023 UTC
(0 children)

The good news is - you only have to go through it once.

It wasn't pleasant but I was prepared for a lot worse. I ended up not using most of the painkillers I was prescribed, it wasn't painful just... uncomfortable.

Years later, I would go through it again if I had to because it truly did improve my life drastically. Pain is short term and can be managed. Happiness is lifelong.

2
u/girlwhomovedon
Sat Feb 4 17:08:07 2023 UTC
(1 child)

Shocked by these answers! It was largely painless for me. There was what I would call "discomfort" as things reconnected and I got up to waliking again. But yeah most of it was just boredom and grogginess for the first few weeks. Early dilation pain is real though!

1
Sun Feb 5 00:17:01 2023 UTC
(0 children)

You are definitely in the majority. The OP asked out the pain, so that's the people who responded.

u/[deleted]
Sat Feb 4 19:25:23 2023 UTC
(1 child)

[deleted]

1
Sun Feb 5 00:36:30 2023 UTC
(0 children)

Would you mind posting a review covering fibromyalgia. There's very little info on this and it could help others.

1
u/Equal_Ad_1084
Mon Dec 30 08:29:23 2024 UTC
(0 children)

Its an individual pain tolerance type of thing. I have alot of overwhelming pain because i have a low pain tolerance so i feel pain intensely. I dont regret it but honestly the pain can be too much. If your pain tolerance is high then id say maybe youll be able to tolerate it better. I am 2 months post op and i hate dilating every time because of the pain. When i first dilated my first two weeks i cried every time because of the pain and i had a wound separation complication. So more painful. But to answer your question, I think by 6 months pain lessens though im not really sure. Im still dilating with the smallest one because i cant tolerate the next size yet.