“This Is So Hard:” Coping with Complications from Gender Affirmation Surgery

[VickySGV]

This is something that is almost never talked about even here on The Playground, but IRL, our decisions to have GCS do have risks, and sometimes the risks do not turn in our favor. Even the best surgeon and patient team meet a facet of life that neither desires or prepares for but must live with.  If you are facing GCS or think you will, use this as a springboard for discussion with your GT to see if you are mentally ready.  I do not mean to scare anyone or counsel you against GCS per se, but as happy and uneventful as my surgical recovery has been, I have still experienced the "might happens" in my own little ways.  This is written by a top notch Trans* Journalist.

http://gomag.com/article/hard-coping-complications-gender-affirmation-surgery/

[Carolyn Marie]

Interesting article.  Thanks for posting it, Vicky.

Carolyn Marie

[KathrynJulia]

Excellent article Vicky.  I have suffered complications from my transition.   

1.  I had an serious infection in my left Breast following breast augmentation.  It was a serious strep infection  Think toxic shock.  Strep kills people.

2.  I suffered a Trans ischemic stroke and didn't know it.  Than in July and August 2015 I has back to back ischemic strokes that I feel I was lucky to survive.  My doctors believe the strokes were due to the estrogen I was on.  When we tell folks that HRT can be dangerous.  I was monitored by an endocrinologist and a Primary care doctor and still almost died while on hormones.

A chuckle today.  I've worn an insulin pump for over 20 years.  When I started wearing a pump, I used a 43 inch tubing from the pump to the cannula in my side to my pocket.  Back then I. Carried my pump in my pants pocket as I was male then.  And if you dropped  your pants, it nearly ripped the port out of my side.

My endocrinologist   Questioned my desire to wear a 23 inch tubing.  23 inch is what little kids wear.  I now  wear a bra 24/ 7 and it's more convenient to clip my insulin pump inside my bra.  When I started wearing an insulin pump, I didn't Have any boobs.  Now it's convenient to wear it between my breasts and a short body tubing works well for me.