Account Of My First Bottom Surgery

[Guest Martin]

I had surgery on Tuesday, May 12th. It was a hysterectomy, an oopherectomy, a vaginectomy, and a metoidioplasty with urtethral lengthening done by Dr. Meltzer, Dr. Webb, and an urologist whom I’ve never met while awake and whose name I’ve forgotten.

I had a consultation with Dr. Meltzer back on January 7th. Despite the mix-up with the transportation lady from Dr. Meltzer’s office and me missing my original appointment, I still saw the doctor. We went over what procedures I wanted and their risks, and he answered all of my questions. I also saw a bunch of pictures of results, including the guy with a 4.5 in. meta, and got hooked up with some testosterone cream and information on how to order a pump. I used the cream for a while after comign home, but it got my testosterone levels too high so I had to stop. I also pumped in the months before surgery, mostly while I slept, but didn’t do it every single day. Still, Dr. Meltzer said he noticed a difference. I flew there and back on the same day for the consultation. Soon afterwards I scheduled a date, which required paying a deposit.

A month before surgery, I had to stop taking any Ibprofen or Asprin. The nurse also started calling me to make sure I knew what to do and didn’t have any concerns, and to check if my normal medications were okay to take. Around that time (but I don’t remember when) they wanted the rest of their money. Two weeks before surgery, I had my last testosterone shot (luckily it was only a day early for my regular shot – other people have to go longer without testosterone to be without it for two weeks, depending on how their shot cycle falls).

I’m not sure if I could have gotten a surgery date sooner in terms of waiting list, but May 12th worked out perfectly for me. I played for graduation on Saturday and drove back to my parents’ place. On Sunday, my dad drove us to a major airport. From there, my mom, my service dog, and I flew to Pheonix. I had all my normal medications in a carry-on, though the testosterone was in a small ziplock bag and put in the screening bucket seperately because it’s a liquid. Once in Pheonix, we let my dog out to this fence spot the airport has for dogs and let him relieve himself. Despite not having had dinner or breakfast or water for that amount of time (I didn’t want him throwing up in the plane), he refused to drink their water. Then we got a taxi and drove to our hotel in Scottsdale. After letting my dog finally drink, we went shoping for some food for us and some food for my dog. There are three groccery stores within walking distance of our hotel – which is good, because we didn’t rent a car.

The following day – the day before the operation – I had pre-op appointments with Dr. Meltzer and Dr. Webb (seperately) to go over what they were going to do one last time. They explained the risks and asked me if I had any questions. I also received my scripts for post-op medication (pain medication, Celebrex, and anitbiotics), the bowel prep kit, two stretch briefs, lots of gauze, a container of tiny Arnica Montana homopathic sugar testicles, a bottle of stool softeners, a tube of antibiotic ointment, and an Ensure. With this stuff came my post-op instructions.

That day, I could only drink water and apple juice, couldn’t eat anything, and had to do a bowel prep that evening. The bowl prep stuff was supposed to taste like lemon-lime, but it tasted AWFUL. I’ve had to drink activated charcol before, and this stuff is worse – though the texture is better (it’s a pale colored liquid that wouyld go down like water if it weren’t for the taste). Patients are allowed to chill it and drink it over ice; supposedly this makes it taste better. I didn’t because I have trouble drinking cold liquids quickly, and I wanted the experience over with as fast as possible. The stuff made my stomache make all kinds of funny noises and tied me to my room with it’s bathroom for the rest of the evening. Eventually I took the two pills that came with the kit, and, after some more fun bathroom time, went to bed. Right after drinking the liquid bowl prep, I did drink two Ensures (with Dr. Meltzer’s permission) so that I could take one of my normal medications (it can’t be absorbed without food). Before bed, I took my first dose of Arnica Montana.

Although I slept through the night, I had to have some more fun bathroom time when I woke up. I also took a shower. I made sure I put on my glasses, not contact lenses. I was allowed to take my morning medications with a small sip of water, but was not allowed to drink anything beyond that. Then I walked a very short distance to the hospital to arrive there at 5:30 in the morning.

The people there checked me in. After I put on a gown, they put a bracelet around my wrist, started an IV, gave me some kid of pill to swallow, gave me a painful/stinging shot in my thigh. Luckily they allowed my mom and my dog to stay there with me in pre-op. It was easier for my dog for me to be wheeled out of the room than to have to be walked out without me. Also, I got the benefit of his support while all the nasty medical stuff happened.

Some time after I was out, they shaved me and preformed surgery. Apparently I lost very little blood.

When I woke up some time in the afternoon, I was very tired. I had ice between my leg, was wearing a different gown, and was in my own room. Aparently I was in a post-op room before that, but I certainly don’t remember that. My mom came with my dog to visit, but I slept through most of it. In fact, I slept most of the time Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The first two days, I didn’t get any real food – just Jell-O, clear chicken broth, gelato, and apple juice. At first, I needed help eating that – spooing broth was an incredibly difficult task at the time. When the “real” food started, it tasted horrid – probably because my mouth was so dry despite drinking a lot of water. I also had two cathaters in, and I soon got used to have tubes go out of me. I had a pain pump, which I only had to pump twice. I also got some pain meds flowing into me.

On the second day, I walked a tiny, tiny bit. On the third day, I walked a bit more. Because I was spending so much time laying down, they gave my a device to breath into. Apparently the lungs need to be exercised to avoid pneumonia. On the third day (Thursday), I was released from the hospital. Once I was home, I didn’t take any pain medications (never even filled the script) except the Celebrex and didn’t need to take any stool softeners because of that. I’m glad I never tried the stool softeners because I had diarrah anyway that only started going away a week after surgery.

Friday, my cathater got twisted and so stopped working. I didn’t see the twist, so eventually called the answering service who got me hooked up with the nurse. She met me at the office and untwisted it. While I had to take a taxi there and back, the office reimubursed us for the money.

Slowly I spent more time walking and less time sleeping. Eventually I could sit down without discomfort. I had brought a pillow to support my abs when getting up, but I never needed to use it for that because the surgery was done lapriscopically. However, it worked well as a seat cushion. Saturday the 16th was the first day I could sit at the computer long enough to jot down a quick post and read some email. On Sunday the 17th, I was able to walk to a resturant about a 1/5th of a mile away. I was only able to walk at a snail’s pace, and I had to sometimes stop on the way and rest for a bit. I was EXHUSTED when I got there. Still, I did it. I also walked back. The next day, I had my first check-up with Dr. Meltzer since the hospital, and he said everything was looking good. The transportation lady drove us to a restaurant on our request, and I managed to walk back – again, around a 1/5th of a mile. The next day – a week after surgery – I was once more able to walk that distance, this time to a pharmacy. I wasn’t as tired afterwards, didn’t have to stop on the way, and walked a bit faster, though I still waddled and couldn’t walk fast (or even a normal speed).

That pretty much takes us up to the present. I’m still very bruised down below – they’re still a redish-purple color. I get my folic cathater taken out on Monday the 25th and will fly back the same day. Once that’s out, I can lose the cathater bag from the other one. I’ll receive instructions on how to take the other one out, though it will remain in for a further 1-3 days. Once I’m back home, I’ll be allowed to do light aerobic exercise, but I still won’t be able to lift anything heavier than 10 lbs for another two weeks.

Over all, I’m healing quickly. I’m just bored of being in this hotel.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Oh, and my next surgery is August 12th.

[Guest Justme]

Hey Martin. Congrats on the surgery, and thanks for the detailed account. I'm hoping to do the same this year if all goes well. I have been looking for a pump. Where is a good place to get one? The next surgery, I'm assuming is for the scrotal surgery??? Glad things are healing well, and again thanks for the info. Even though things are still healing, you must be feeling great.

[Guest Martin]

Thank you. I am excited. The next surgery is the scrotoplasty with expanders, and then on December 17th I'll get the permenant testcular prothesis. I think I got my pump from pumptoys.com or something like that - I'll check when I'm back home (probably Tuesday). What Dr. Meltzer recomends is a 3" long pump with a flared base (if I remember correctly). The folks at the website will give you what you need if you say you want the Dr. Meltzer kit. Good luck with your own surgery! Who are you going to, if you don't mind me asking?

[Sally]

I am so glad that you are doing well.

I am so impresed with your lack of need for pain killers!

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest StrandedOutThere]

Congratulations on your bottom surgery! I hope you are continuing to heal up well.

[Guest Justme]

Thank you. I am excited. The next surgery is the scrotoplasty with expanders, and then on December 17th I'll get the permenant testcular prothesis. I think I got my pump from pumptoys.com or something like that - I'll check when I'm back home (probably Tuesday). What Dr. Meltzer recomends is a 3" long pump with a flared base (if I remember correctly). The folks at the website will give you what you need if you say you want the Dr. Meltzer kit. Good luck with your own surgery! Who are you going to, if you don't mind me asking?

Hey Martin. I am looking into using Dr. Mcguinn in Pennsylvania. I know Meltzer does great work, but Mcguinn is alot more in line with my financial capabilities. Thanks for the pump info. Contined good healing to you.

[Guest leo]

wow congrats

was you worried at all?

how much did it cost?

[Guest Martin]

Thank you for the well-wishes.

This first surgery cost $38,158.00. I could have gone to Germany and gotten the surgery covered as I'm a citizen of that country, but I liked Dr. Meltzer's complication rate (less than 5%), was sick of jumping through hoops, and wanted my legal sex in Germany to change before I lived there. Right now I don't regret spending the money at all, though I'm a bit afraid that I'll be in debt the rest of my life. My parents loaned me the money at a relatively low interest rate. At least the next two operations are far less expensive.

In the weeks prior to the surgery, I was quite worried. I was wondering if I made a mistake on spending this much money and whether I had the right surgeon. I had to remind myself again and again that I had made an informed decision. I revied all the photos of his results and reminded myself of his skill. The week prior, I was so busy finishing my finals and cleaning out my apartment that I barely had time to think about surgery. When I was actually on the way there, I wasn't worried, though I was dreading the bowel prep. Overall, I was calm.

I also looked at McGuinn. She seems promising - I hope you love your results.

[Guest Evan_J]

I am so glad to hear from you Martin. And so glad you like your results . I dug the detailed account Thank you . So much to know/ think about prior to getting done.

[Guest Martin]

Thank you. Yeah, I'm hopinh my account helps someone. When I was in the planning stages, I read every experience I found, but didn't see any from anyone who had seen my surgeon. I thought a Meltzer-report would be useful.

[Guest Martin]

I'd edit the original post, but I can't. I did NOT take Arnica Montana testicles but b a l l s. As in, little round things, about the size and shape of a pin head.

Getting the catheters out was a bit painful by the way, but I'm so glad they're gone. I can finally stand to pee, but my aim is terrible. Apparently that's very normal. Aim improves with practice and with more time to heal.

[Sally]

Hey Martin,

Thats great news about getting the catheters out.

Don't worry aout your aim, ask any woman - genetic men have lousy aim too!

I still love you.

I am so glad that the pain wasn't too bad.

Love ya,

Sally

[Guest Elizabeth K]

Great detailed information! I am the other directin but have always been curious about you guys. We are really just about the same - just THRILLED to be in our true body, even if it is an approximation in some ways!

Thank you for posting!

Lizzy

[Guest leo]

ye my brothers aim is riduclus!

i can aim better in my female body, and have done

your surgery sounds promising

[Guest OneSmallStep]

Congrats on your surgery! And thanks for the very detailed account, Martin! I notice this is from over a year ago, I wonder if you have an account of the following surgeries? And also how the surgeries have healed?

Thanks