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Two weeks post-op penile preservation vaginoplasty
Initial post: https://www.reddit.com/r/Transgender_Surgeries/comments/revtj4/part_1_penile_preservation_vaginoplasty/
One week post-op: https://www.reddit.com/r/Transgender_Surgeries/comments/rl9k2s/part_3_penile_preservation_vaginoplasty_1_week/
This last week was supposed to be the week of swelling, although I didn't see much until the last few days. Swelling is still pretty low, but it's enough to make dilating more difficult. Still, I'm able to get the dilator in 13cm in about 5 minutes, and by the end of the 30 minutes I'm usually at 14cm.
At the second post-op they finally took my catheter out, so I no longer have a tail (yay!), but it does mean I have to get up a lot more. When they took it out, Dr Wittenberg first disconnected the collection bag and then filled my bladder with water through the catheter tube. She counted to three and I coughed and she yanked it out. Once my bladder was done spasming after like a minute, I peed in a funnel over a bucket to make sure I could pee a normal amount. (Thankfully she and her assistant left the room for that part!)
Two days later my bladder felt fairly normal again, and was nearly back to its normal capacity.
The vaginal discharge is no longer pink-ish, just yellow gook.
I'm still icing everything all the time to try to keep ahead of the swelling (you can see some freezer burn on my thigh lol). Dilating actually feels kinda good now (once I get it in all the way), and last night it even ended up turning me on a bit to have something in there to squeeze down on.... I'm very excited for everything to heal so I can explore the new parts of my body.
I'm walking around the block once a day now for exercise, on top of the other times I get up and move around. I'm still not supposed to be up for more than 10 minutes three times a day, although that's not always practical since I have to shower and stuff.
I'm excited to go back home to NYC next week after my third post-op appointment.
Three weeks: https://www.reddit.com/r/Transgender_Surgeries/comments/rz0n0k/three_weeks_postop_penile_preservation/
Thank hou for the share, not a lot of information available for this procedure. Did you have the orchi at the same time?
I did. Happy to give any other details if you're interested.
There's some more details and pictures on Dr Wittenberg's website too.
details
You said you had to have a catheter? I was hoping PPV would have a simpler recovery than penectomy + vaginoplasty, but I guess it's still pretty involved?
Thanks so much for cross-posting to the salmacian sub. I really want PPV in the next year or two and seeing good outcomes from other people will make me feel safe in committing to it!
You're welcome! I should mention that I had the catheter in for twice as long as most people do because of a decision Dr Wittenberg had to make while I was under. I don't entirely understand the anatomy behind it, but she had to choose between going closer to my bladder or closer to my rectum for some reason, and she chose bladder. So the catheter was in for an extra week to help make sure swelling didn't interfere with my ability to pee.
From what I've read, PPV is a more involved recovery than your average PI vaginoplasty, I think because of harvesting peritoneal tissue from the abdomen. However, my own recovery has been very easy so far, much smoother and less painful than I was prepared for. And the catheter was an inconvenience in certain ways, but on the other hand it was nice to not have to get out of bed to pee frequently for two weeks, so trade-offs.
Best of luck with your own journey!
When I had my PPV, I only had the catheter in for a week, and by that point I felt back to normal. I still took it easy, per surgeon's instructions, but I was able to take care of myself by the end of that week.
This is something relatively a new concept to me. Can you still get erections?
Can you still get erections?
I'm not OP but someone says here https://old.reddit.com/r/salmacian/comments/rojfry/these_questions_are_probably_stupid_but/hpyvk59/ (I'm trying to link together info on PPV for my own research)
Penile preservation vaginoplasty doesn't inherently cause ED. Orchiectomy and/or hormone therapy often cause ED.
I'm not allowed any sexual activity yet but I'll be sure to test when I am. I expect it will be the same as when I was on Spiro. I've had a few semi-erections despite my best efforts.
I never heard of the penile preservation method. I'm very curious as to what it is/how it works.
Dr Wittenberg uses the peritoneal pull-through method to create the vaginal canal, and since that uses peritoneal tissue harvested from the abdomen rather than penile skin, there's no need to do a penectomy (or orchiectomy, although I wanted one anyway).
In a year, I plan to have a labiaplasty using the scrotal tissue, which will basically be pulled down to make inner labia. That's a much easier procedure, but it works better if you wait for all the swelling to go down first, otherwise the erectile tissue causes the labia to lose definition. You can see this happening on Dr Wittenberg's website for the patients who chose to do a labiaplasty at the same time as the primary vaginoplasty.
https://www.mozaiccare.net/peritoneal-pull-through-vaginoplast (nsfw)
Modern science is truly fascinating. I think this type of surgery will become more common in the future. I wish you an easy recovery!
Thank you!
No need to do an orchi
Huh. So there's an option to have penis, vagina, and external testicles?
Or can they internalize testicles?
I'm unsure if they can internalize testes, but if you're interested, I'd recommend scheduling a consultation with Dr Wittenberg to discuss options. Leaving the testes as-is is definitely an option that one or two people have or will do through Dr Wittenberg.
Best of luck with your own journey!
Internalized testicles is a no-go. Sperm cells are kept cooler than the rest of the body on the outside; this leads to increased risk of testicular cancer if they are internalized (this is seen in patients with undescended testicles) so you aren’t going to get a reputable doctor to do it.
I’m curious how penetration works with this option?
Does this involve excising the erectile tissue? If not, it seems like it’d be difficult to have penetration while aroused.
I haven't had a chance to test yet since I'm not allowed any sexual activity for a while still, but I'll be sure to post again when I find out!
The surgeon has also said that erections will cause the vulva to become tighter (she did not remove much erectile tissue at all), so we'll see. But arousal for me doesn't usually result in a super hard erection anyway, so it might not be a practical problem for me.
Hey, thank you for sharing this side of you.
I’ve been wondering if the location of the base of my shaft might preclude me from this surgery. I’d love to know about what (if any) discussions you and your care team had during consult regarding placement and angle.
Stay safe; thanks again. 🫂
We didn't discuss placement and angle, but I don't think that has changed at all from before.
I realize when I made this comment initially, I mistakenly said she did not remove any erectile tissue. In fact, she removed a little bit at the very base (under me) to make room for the vagina. The erectile tissue ends just in front of the entrance, where the scrotal tissue is sewn to the peritoneal tissue that lines my vagina. The couple times where I started to get an erection showed me that the erectile tissue will likely press down on anything in my vagina from above.
For what it's worth, when I get my labiaplasty done in a year, she'll remove a little more erectile tissue so that it doesn't interfere with the labia.
I honestly have not noticed the missing erectile tissue and wouldn't have realized at all if I had not discussed how labia would work with erectile tissue present. I'll have an update on sexual function though in a couple months.
In fact, she removed a little bit at the very base (under me) to make room for the vagina.
Fascinating; first I’ve read about this. Also, this puts my mind at ease 😊
The couple times where I started to get an erection showed me that the erectile tissue will likely press down on anything in my vagina from above.
How did you feel about this? I worry a little that this aspect would make penetration difficult during arousal.
I honestly have not noticed the missing erectile tissue and wouldn’t have realized at all if I had not discussed how labia would work with erectile tissue present. I’ll have an update on sexual function though in a couple months.
You’re awesome. Your posts have been lifting my spirits and I truly believe there might be a day when my body matches my sense of self. I hope your recovery is swift, and thanks again 😊
How did you feel about this? I worry a little that this aspect would make penetration difficult during arousal
I'm unsure, and a little bit worried about it, but at least I'll have a chance to talk to Dr Wittenberg about it in a year when I get the labia done. She'll be removing some more erectile tissue then anyway, and we can discuss options if it's a problem for penetration. Aside from that, I don't usually get very hard anyway, and I've been able to orgasm without an erection for years (even before I started hormones), so I'm not super concerned. But for now, erections are still uncomfortable (with or without penetration) because of the swelling and ongoing healing.
Thank you for the well-wishes, and best of luck on your own journey! I'm glad you've been getting value out of my posts!
O-oh... I didn't know this was possible yet... Neat. Now I might actually want surgery
I'm glad you found this! Best of luck with your own journey!
It's been an option for at least 4 years now, and the number of surgeons offering it are slowly growing.
WoW this so interesting, does your penis remains the same ? And still work the same ?
So far I'm not allowed any sexual activity so I haven't tested it out specifically, but it should be about the same as it was on Spiro. And it's gotten semi-erect a few times despite my best efforts. I'll be sure to update everyone when I get to test everything out.
I’m so happy that you posted this !!!! Thanks for sharing .
Thanks! Good luck on your own journey!
Why can’t doctors put the canal at this position for standard SRS
I thought that they did but a few people have asked this so I'm not sure exactly. My understanding of anatomy is limited, but the pubic bone is where it is so I'm not sure the vaginal canal really could be anywhere else.
Sorry what's the advantages to keeping it?
The advantage is I like it ☺️
It looks so pretty(is that weird to say about your genitals? If so sorry)
Thank you! I think it will look better once I get the labiaplasty done in a year, but I'm very happy with the results so far and I'm excited to see what it looks like when it's healed.
Wow very interesting, never knew it possible,what made you decide on this procedure,results look incredible.
Thank you! I've always wanted this, but didn't think it was possible until my partner found another similar post on Reddit a couple years ago. Best of luck on your own journey!
Best of luck,keep us all updated on results,you a brave girl,will really look into the procedure,looking at penial inversion at the moment,not liking the bulge at all. However best of both worlds can always be the answer,would love a clit though.
Thanks! I'll be sure to keep the sub updated. Best of luck figuring out what's best for you!
Thank you,BA in June first,many options and one wants to make the right choice that is for sure,good luck with recovery.
(For anyone not familiar with the concept)
Thanks for linking this group! I cross-posted there too.
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Thanks! I am definitely doing well!
My recovery has honestly been extremely smooth, especially considering what I was mentally preparing for. I'm not sitting in chairs or anything really (most of my time is in bed, mainly to help prevent swelling), but I have been sitting up in bed a lot this past week and I've also sat on a donut pillow while tying my shoe laces and on my way to and from the two post-op appointments I've had so far.
Pain has been extremely minimal. I had the surgery on a Tuesday and stopped taking oxycodone that same Friday, except for one pill I took the following Monday night to help with discomfort caused by the orchiectomy stitches of all things. In fact, those stitches have been the source of almost all of my day-to-day discomfort, the exception being tenderness when inserting the dilator. But I'm still able to get the dilator in in about 5 minutes, so it's not terrible.
I actually didn't really have much pain even the day of surgery, with the exception of when my catheter wasn't draining properly and I really really really needed to pee. But adjusting the tube quickly fixed that.
The three most painful moments were 1) when they removed the packing, 6/10 pain and extreme discomfort for about 15 seconds, 2) removing the catheter, 5/10 pain for about a minute after, then discomfort for a couple days, and 3) when the phlebotomist tried and failed to insert the IV into my arm on the first try, probably 4/10 pain for a couple minutes pre-surgery. That last one had me so shaken about what I was getting myself into, since I expected worse pain later!
For what it's worth, Dr Wittenberg seemed surprised that I was off the oxycodone so soon after surgery. It might have made a difference that I did a lot of "prehabilitation" in the weeks ahead of surgery, though, to the point that I could run a 9 minute mile on the treadmill at my gym (looking forward to getting that back... eventually). Plus I'm relatively young, around 30, and I've had no real health problems in my life.
Best of luck on your own journey!
Congrats on getting your catheter out and everything! I hope the rest of your recovery goes well :)
Thanks! Best of luck with your own journey!
So fascinating! Thank you for this!
You're welcome! Best of luck with your own journey!
Thank you!
Oh, my! Amazing.
That is exactly what I was thinking about =)
Tnx for sharing.
Do I get it right, that the vaginal sensitivity is provided by the prostate?
Thanks! I'm glad you found this!
I haven't tried to reach my prostate/g-spot yet, but there's a lot more vaginal sensitivity than just that. The dilator reaches far enough (13-14cm) to press on my bladder from behind, which can feel nice when I move it around. There's also a lot going on around the entrance, especially if I pull it forward a little and move it side to side it presses against my erectile tissue (which I kept). I also feel the dilator with my pelvic floor muscles when I squeeze them, which feels really nice (and I can't wait to size up and see how much better that feels too). I can also just generally feel the dilator as it slides in, along the whole vaginal canal. It's more of a pressure/filled sensation than touch exactly, but I understand that's what cis women experience too.
I'll be sure to post again when I'm allowed sexual activity. I'm very excited to explore my new body and try out vibrators and other toys....
Best of luck on your own journey!
Congrats on getting the catheter out! Feels so much better without it, huh?
Good work on the walking around, keep it up and that should have you feeling back to normal rather quickly. Just don't push yourself too hard, don't overdo it. And ice will be your best friend even after the recommended period when they tell you you can stop icing things.
I hope things continue to go well for you!
Thank you! You're so nice 😊
Hi, sorry if I sound ignorant but honestly I don't know how is this procedure made. I thought a vaginoplasty needed the penile and scrotum tissue to be built. How is this possible? Which what tissue and where is this placed? Can you give me more information about this procedure? It's so interesting! And I love the idea of having both genitals, but since this vagina isn't made with the penile tissue, will you be able to feel pleasure? Sorry, I know this are so much questions, but I have all the curiosity for this! Thanks in advance and I hope you are healing well!
I appreciate your interest! There's lots of information on Dr Wittenberg's website , but in short it's made from peritoneal tissue from my abdomen. This allows it to be wet, deeper than a penile inversion, a bit stretchier, and no chance of internal hair growth. Plus I get to keep my penis!
I'll still be using the scrotal tissue for the labia, but that surgery has to wait a year for this to fully heal.
Internal sensation is not like touch exactly, but I can definitely feel the dilator going in at every point. It's more like fullness and pressure. I can feel the canal peeling open when I first insert the dilator too, which is very weird.
Interesting! Thank you! I will check the website
Might I ask why it looks kind of stringy down there? Almost like there's mucus and blood.
Oh yeah that was discharge, all part of the healing process. I'm not sure what exactly it's made of, but I think it's partly dead cells sloughing off, partly a little blood, and partly wetness from the peritoneal tissue.
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why, why use porn terms
Thank you
Please don't say things like this. Most trans women, myself included, find the term awfully fetishistic and derogatory.
Thank you
I agree partially, as I find the word carrying such a negative connotation only in the English speaking world. In Japanese the word’s primary meaning is duality, or having two shapes at the same time. I think not using the word at all just perpetuates the negativity associated with it. It’s really only a porn term in English
While that may be true, the post was in English and so must be contextualized in English. Reclaiming words is fine, but it's NEVER ok to call someone a term that could be reclaimed or is being reclaimed unless you are SURE they are okay with it. If you're using English, then just use a different word rather than such a fetishistic one like that one.
Agreed
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