I am about seven months post-op from a simple bilateral orchiectomy with Dr. John Kowalczyk in Los Angeles.

photo album

The Surgery

The operation took around one hour and with general anesthesia. I had my boyfriend drive me to and from the surgical center. Driving from the surgical center to my home took around 2 hours which was NOT FUN! I was given a jock strap which held gauze in place around the surgical site.

The pain started about an hour after surgery. I noticed "two kinds" of pain, which I think are associated with (1) the surgical site itself ("outside pain") and (2) the nerve endings where they cut the testicles ("inside pain"). The "outside pain" was sharp and stinging while the "inside pain" was like a dull throbbing, similar to the feeling of being "hit in the balls". I was given Norco for pain management and Cephalexin for an antibiotic.

First week or so

While I could walk around starting from surgery day, it was quite painful and challenging. While the pain meds helped, it also made me forget that I shouldn't be moving. I over exerted myself a few times, which then resulted in more pain later in the day. The "outside pain" got worse, but I think was exacerbated by the fact that the gauze was caught on the stitches/scabs; after cutting the gauze, the pain improved.

My first bowel movement was on day 3. I was quite bloated the first few days. Urinating was challenging with the jock strap. The technique I invented was to fold down the strap and my penis very gently. I then pee'd into my shower while standing (I had to lean forward a bit).

I stopped taking Norco on day 4, and only took ibuprofen afterwards. I was naughty and had a G&T while on Norco and got REAL SLEEPY.

By day five I started to wear normal underwear with some gauze for spotting. Noticeable swelling and tenderness on the inside where I presume the testicles where cut from. Removing the jock strap made walking easier (it was quite bulky).

Back to work

I went back to work on day 18. I think I would've liked a few more days of rest. Scabs were mostly gone by now. "Outside" pain was completely gone by now. "inside pain" occurred if I pressed on the swelling inside; this prevented me from sitting with my legs closed which was frustrating.

I was able to successfully masturbate at this time (I only use a vibrator). It was a little painful, but not a problem.

Long term and general thoughts

The "inside" sensitivity was completely gone by around 3 months or so. At 7 months, if I poke around inside my scrotum I think I still feel a tiny bump where my testicles were severed. It doesn't hurt at all. I can pretty safely hit myself in the groin area without any pain; it's kinda fun.

I have lots of excess skin. To be honest, it looks a little creepy to me, but I'm happy with it since I want to save the material for possible future surgeries. There is a scar about 1/2" long that is vertically orientated along my scrotum, but it's not very visible to me.

Tucking is a lot easier. My penis was never that large, and so my testicles contributed to the majority of my bulk. I can get a pretty flat appearance with some relatively tight panties. However, the presence of the excess skin makes things a little ... sweaty.

I still get erections, but they are far less intense. I haven't noticed a significant change in fluid consistency; still liquidy and clear. I didn't notice any change in my libido. I think I would have wanted to get rid of erections entirely since they can sometimes hurt.

I have insurance through my employer, but my total out of pocket cost was around $700.

Overall, I am very happy with my result. Tucking is easier. My testosterone levels are much lower. The psychological benefit of not worrying about my T levels is immense. I struggled to get my T sufficiently suppressed for a long time. Since I'm on injectables, I only take one pill a day (progesterone) and a have a weekly shot. It's really great for someone who is quite forgettable. I haven't had other surgeries, but I felt this recovery was pretty easy. Aside from the first week which was a little rough, everything was smooth sailing. I even think my junk down there is a little cute!

However, I will say that I'm pretty sure I want a vaginoplasty now! Now that I've done the orchi, the concept of more surgery is far less intimidating.

Feel free to ask questions!