Medical issues

[Guest Sunshine]

Feel stupid posting this, but here goes...

Having trouble figuring out how to deal with something.

Had a really bad thing happen and I ended up going to the ER, and then a Urologist. Basically, my "penis" "popped" and then swelled up horribly while I was with my gf. The pain and swelling were insane, a huge hematoma formed within minutes and my gf ended up driving me to the ER for my most hideously embarrassing visit ever. The doctor looked, called a urologist, and then told me that there was nothing she could do, and referred me to a urologist the next morning.

I looked it up online after getting home and the closest description I could find was "fractured penis", with a quote about it being a serious condition requiring surgery within 24 hours to repair. So, I braced my self mentally for the Urologist setting me up with an operation or something.

Instead, the urologist said that there was nothing he could do. I mentioned the surgery, and his reply was that it wouldn't work because its not the same kind a tissue. Instead of fixing it, he just sent me home with a bunch of pain meds and told me it would heal by itself (but call if there is any pain or swelling increase).

It turns out, he was right about it healing, but now I'm actually scared to become sexually active because of the pain and embarrassment of the combo of ER visit and then being told I was wrong about my own anatomy by the doctor. I know I'm IS... its just... argh... I feel so ... scared and stupid.

Any recommendations for getting over it? and ending the sexual embargo? Is this something a psych could help with? Is there some type of doctor I should be looking for? Or some mental health specialty I should look for?

- Amber

[Guest ~Brenda~]

Hi Amber,

I am not a physician so I cannot comment on what happened to you. However, it seems to me that if this episode in your life makes you question yourself and your sexuality, I would definetly talk to a therapist about this.

A physical reaction like this might indicate a deeper issue that may require some followup to understand exactly what happened and why.

Unfortunately, I have not had this particular experience so I cannot advise from any personal perspective.

I know that this is a sensitive subject and I appreciate your courage to discuss this issue.

This sounds like a case of professional, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy.

Love

Brenda

[Guest]

Hi Amber,

Ouch! I'm so sorry that this happened!

About the only answer I have to give you is to seek a second opinion if you're left with uncertainty about your future. But, giving the injury a chance to heal is probably a wise course for the near term. Let us hope that you heal quickly!

Love, Megan

[VickySGV]

Online self diagnosis is a heavy source of stress if we hit on the wrong deal. In the case of a penis, there are several layers of tissue, and which one took the hit is important. If you mistook a skin layer problem for a deep tissue problem, you could really freak yourself out. I do wish doctors could take just a few minutes to actually give details of injuries to us, but then, that might freak us out even worse. I have gotten to the point of asking my doctors to give me a little more detail of why they made a diagnosis a certain way, and while one or two got huffy, the others at the worst would ask me to stay in the office for a few minutes while they took care of another patient, and then see me in their study where they showed me medical book diagrams of what they were seeing and I could not. Why not call the doctor up and see if (s)he can give you a more thorough answer to your concerns. If you do not ask, you know what the answer is ahead of time.

When I saw my SRS surgeon at SCC last month, she had a shortened time video of the SRS technique she had used on me (and a lot of others) she actually took the penis apart and showed the tissues as they were re used for my vaginoplasty. Very interesting but did give me a strange feeling down below.

Get with your own doctor or the urologist to consult about your intercourse fears.

[Guest Astrosmurf]

Wow this actually happened to me once Amber if we're talking about the same kind of thing. Sounds like it from how you describe it as 'popping'. On the side of penis just under the head i had a large clump of what looked like varicose veins, thaty were saw to touch and i thought i'd done myself a permanent injury. It was quite distressing but it healed by itself and I'm happy to reort I've never had any trouble like that since and I'm quite highly sexed. So I'd say just follow the doctor's advice, rest up and get help if it gives any further trouble but otherwise don't sweat it.

[Charlize]

Gosh dear that sounds terrible. Please get another MD to help you out. This is not the kind of thing we can make educated guesses about. I would see a different urologist who is better qualified to answer your questions. Even if you have SRS in your future you need to take care of your lower bits.

Hugs,

Charlie

[Guest Sunshine]

Thank you for the advice. Its pointing me more towards talking with an MD than a PsyD about this stuff. Hadn't really thought about getting a second opinion. Really good simple solution on many levels.

Thank you

[Bulldog1948]

Hi Sunshine,

Man, that had to be scarey as heck. Just happy to hear that you are coming along ok.

I see you'rein FL. If you are near any large universities down there, they usually know someone on staff that is knowledgbe in IS issues. Also, most childrens hospitals have staff that know how to deal with IS issues.

I do know that if mine popped like that I would have gone the extra 50 + miles to either Childrens Hoapital in Columbus and or Ohio State University Hospital. You have to remember that local yokel urologits are not used to dealing with IS and even Trans issues- just so called normal folks issues. Hope that has been a wee bit helpful. PLease if you persure this please keep us updated on here. To me, it is an important issue

Mike