One Week until SRS

[Drea]

Drea, the differences in our thinking on this subject stem largely from our own views on what is an acceptable risk. When it comes to SRS without RLT, you believe that 2.3% is small AND IT IS! I'm not arguing that! lol What I am arguing is that from a mathematical standpoint, there is no reason not to opt for a path that will give you this 2.3% edge IF the opportunity cost of RLT is low.

II feel, it has nothing to do with my view of acceptable risk. Mathmatically with the small number of respondants 2.3% isn't statistically significant. Another study could easily show a reverse result. I really consider RLE/RLT a side issue to the satisfaction thing. I firmly believe RLE/RLT is a good thing, as is the test posed by having to pay for one's surgery.

As far as expectations, how we preceive things plays a major role in beliefs. If something meets or exceeds our expectations we tend to be satisified or even elated. If it fails to meet our expectations we will tend to feel unsatisified. This is basic human nature and nothing about SRS suggest to me that this bit of human nature won't apply.

I also feel it is relevent because I have encountered more than a few who did have some pretty unrealistic expecations in my opinion. I have ennumerated some of those things before such as it helping them pass, solving employment issues. Some have very high cosmetic expectations or feel it will solve other problems that surgery won't change. These people have been uniformly dissipointed. Conversely, those who have had realistic expectations were pretty much satisifed. So it has been my observation that expectations are very important to being satisied with surgery.

Ideally therapists would identify such unrealistic expectations, and I would say most going for SRS do have pretty reasonable expectations and for the most part are pretty well grounded. I agree realistic expectations should be the standard. Yet some do exhibit unrealistic expectations anyway.

I note in the study you quoted, 33% of respondants had one or more sugical complications (much higher than I would have expected) yet the majority did not have regrets and happiness and quality of life measures were still very positive. So evidently non-optimal surgical outcome wasn't a key factor for many.

[Guest vtphoenix]

I note in the study you quoted, 33% of respondants had one or more sugical complications (much higher than I would have expected) yet the majority did not have regrets and happiness and quality of life measures were still very positive. So evidently non-optimal surgical outcome wasn't a key factor for many.

Well, speaking for myself at least, I could have surgical complications, which would stink, but as long as they don't affect my long-term outcome, I wouldn't expect them to affect my long-term satisfaction. I imagine most of the 33% who had complications also had relatively minor complications. So this is not exactly surprising. The major complications are reported to occur anywhere from .5% of the time to 3% (from what I've read) and the regret stories seem to also fall into that range. It doesn't necessarily mean they are exactly correlated but I would not be surprised at all if they were.

[Guest DesiB]

I know the time is drawing near for you, Ashley. But you have faced your doubts and fears and I know you'll be strong, which, as you point out, is how you even got to this point. And even when you wake up from surgery, you'll continue on in the same manner.

Yes, it is possible that life could become worse if you had to wear a colostomy bag, are in chronic pain, or could never have another orgasm as a result of surgical complications. But such things could also result from an automobile accident or innumerable other causes. We can become paralyzed by doubt and fear and still have no guarantees, or we can face our doubts and fears, as you have, and take our chances on a better life. I know it is easy for me to sit here and say this, but I feel very confident for you because you have clearly gone into this with your eyes wide open. Best wishes!!

[Guest vtphoenix]

Thanks! You're awesome, Desi!

Positive energy is always appreciated!

[Drea]

I imagine most of the 33% who had complications also had relatively minor complications. So this is not exactly surprising.

The complications for which 33% indicated having one or more were specifically identified as "signfiicant" complications. It listed them as being:

rectovaginal fistula - abnormal opening between rectum and vagina

vaginal prolapse - vagina falling out of the body

vaginal stenosis, constant - narrowing or closing up of your vagina, at all times

vaginal stenosis, during sexual arousal only - narrowing or closing up of your vagina, only during sexual arousal

misdirected urinary stream - urine stream directed too far forward, or off to one side

urethral stenosis - narrowing or closing up of your urethra

clitoral necrosis - death or loss of tissue of the clitoris

genital pain - pain in your vagina or genitals

deep vein thrombosis - blood clot in a leg vein

other - not listed above

I am curious which of these are considered "relatively minor"?

Now the misdirected urinary stream seems like it be pretty minor to me. And maybe the genital pain if it isn't constant.

Even assuming every person of that 33% reporting only one "significant" complication was reporting urinary stream, that leaves about 9% of the entire sample having at least one other complication on that list. So it is still a surprising number to me.

And my apologies, this is just the way the discussion ran. I hadn't seen such high complication numbers prior, but I never looked at the stats and this is the second bit of research that had surprisingly high numbers. To me this is purely academic and observational so easy to talk about. I am drawing no conclusions about you. Your ability to talk about this is admirable and shows confidence at this time close to your own surgery.