Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

Post-Op GCS question for using the restroom


Recommended Posts

Hello All:

 

I have a question and wanted to know and have heard very little about it so I will also try to keep it as clean as possible.  So after your GCS surgery and you need to use the restroom, I have heard that the first month or 2 when using the restroom that it tends to spray more than be like a stream and when it sprays, it tends to get everywhere and usually due to the swelling and getting used to the new part for going to the restroom.  Then I heard that after awhile when the swelling starts to go down that it becomes less of a spray and more of a stream in time and also you then learn how to better control it when using the restroom.  So was wondering if this is correct and what is some of the post-op girls out their experience with using the restroom from right after GCS surgery and going to the 1 year after or more?

 

Thank You All

 

Side note, I have 46 days and counting till April 21st for my GCS surgery with Dr. Crane

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

A folded piece of toilet paper held in front of your genitals will keep you from making a mess. There's a little spray but it's actually easier to control than when, for example, you get up to urinate in the middle of the night and the stream from your penis initially forks because the universe has decided to punish you in particular tonight. So yeah, a little foresight and preparation and you're good to go.

 

After a couple of weeks, I just sat, urinated, cleaned myself then got on my way. Here we are a year later and there are no issues. I'd recommend keeping your Kegel muscles strong with regular exercise, but that's more for sexual health and to prevent leaks.

 

Hugs!

Link to comment
  • Admin

My spraying was mostly on my self inside my vulva and not the toilet seat, floor or ceiling, and it required simply drying myself off with a fold of TP, which is still a habit 8 years later.  As you sit down spread your legs and butt cheeks and sit straight with your body a bit forward, heels under your butt  My spraying lasted the first 6 months gradually getting better and will happen even now if I have been sitting too long.

 

I kept some moist towelettes in my purse and on the bathroom sink at home, the ones with Aloe in them, but check with YOUR doctor there. 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Its a bit erratic for awhile until the swelling subsides.  I still frequently get a wet bottom.  Vicky's idea of moist towelettes is a good one.

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Yeah, I keep feminine wipes in my purse (Summer's Eve on suggestion of my surgeon). I haven't had to use one in forever, but I still keep them on hand.

 

Hugs!

Link to comment

Thank you all. So I now know what to expect as I am preparing for my surgery.  I have been preparing with getting things that I will need.  So I have gotten 64x 12.5 tubes of surgilube and a hand mirror to see down their for when I start to dilate.  I have gotten some wipes, and some pads for after surgery.  I have some loose clothing like PJ bottoms, sweats, dresses, skirts all for after surgery

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

You sound well-prepared. Did your surgeon suggest diapers? Buy them at your destination if possible, they really destroy your luggage space.

 

Hugs!

Link to comment

I just got out of the hospital (today!), and I have to admit that I did a horrible job with packing. I erred on the side of having way too much. I recommend finding out about the hospital you will be staying at, and if it’s local, visit the hospital shop. Jackie’s right that diapers take up a lot of space, but so can taking lots of clothes. The hospital probably provides gowns for you to wear during your stay, and the hospital shop might have diapers and other little items you’ll need. I had a tough time getting home because of all my stuff—most of which I never used. Don’t forget entertainment, though. That’s most important, I think. Something to keep your mind distracted after surgery. Good luck!!!  Thanks for bringing up this thread. I am worrying about this, too, so the answers were really helpful for me. I still have a catheter in, so I won’t have to face that hurdle for a couple more days. 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Fortunately after the essentials (diapers, pads, wipes) there wasn't a lot of room for clothes. I packed a couple of outfits but I was expecting to be in a gown for my hospital stay. I only needed like two or three outfits and my pajamas. I packed my tablet and my kindle though. Mostly I was using my smartphone and the TV at the hotel. Though the TV was more for my spouse. I would have liked it quieter.

 

Hugs!

Link to comment

After talking to Dr. Crane.  I will only be in the hospital for 3 days and then be sent to where I am staying.  I picked up some cheap cotton underwear that I really don't care to much if they get messed up.  Then I am really thinking on dresses and sweats for my 3 weeks in Austin TX.  I will most likely be just wearing dresses as I heard if I can wear a dress or gown that would be ideal while I am doing my life around dilation.  I am planning on once I get to Austin TX on picking up enough wipes, pads to last me 3 weeks

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

You're going to want some adult diapers. There is a LOT of ick while you heal. I didn't go back to "just pads" until I'd been home, oh, a couple of weeks anyway. At least a month before I felt brave enough that I wouldn't be soaking completely through whatever I was wearing while I was sleeping. The diapers were gross, don't get me wrong, but I didn't wreck anybody's sheets.

 

That's about the same schedule I had. Surgery Tuesday, discharged from the hospital on Friday. I did buy some cheap towels to use while dilating though. Like I said, there was a LOT of ick.

 

Hugs!

Link to comment

I have been told those puppy piddle pads work wonders as well and can just throw them away.  I am so glad that I am staying in an Airbnb and have access to a kitchen so I can meal prep everything before surgery so my mom can just pop something in the microwave for me and it's real super easy.  

 

Another question I have and my previous major surgery reminded me to ask is when you have the involuntary cough and sneezes, does it cause pain?  I remember on my stomach area when I coughed or sneezed it would hurt right on the scar and had to use a pillow over my stomach to help lessen the pain.  Would that be the same but further down?

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator
12 hours ago, Kasumi63 said:

I had a tough time getting home because of all my stuff—most of which I never used. 

You never need as much as you think.  I tried to be careful packing but had too much anyway! 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator
2 hours ago, Aurora said:

Another question I have and my previous major surgery reminded me to ask is when you have the involuntary cough and sneezes, does it cause pain?

 

Coughing was OK, but I am a cough virtuoso. I've been coughing for years for one reason (mostly untreated allergies and asthma) for my entire life. Sneezing though. Sneezing sucks. That'll hurt. I was in terror of sneezing.

 

Also, do not sneeze while dilating. Remove dilator first, then let fly. Not only is it uncomfortable and can injure you, I about shot the thing across the room.

 

Hugs!

Link to comment

I’m afraid my experience on coughing and sneezing was different; they hurt A LOT. Laughing, too, but I’m not feeling much temptation to laugh these days. Oh, it occurs to me, that this would be worse for me because I had a sigmoid colon vaginoplasty operation which is much worse on the stomach area.

 

Diapers might feel embarrassing at first, but with a catheter in, putting on underwear might be difficult for a while. I packed several pairs of underwear but haven’t worn a single pair yet. I admire your courage and determination; my pride and embarrassment went away pretty quickly. 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

I can cough using only my upper chest. Like I said, I cough at the pro level. If you cough with your diagram, yeah, that's gonna hurt.

 

Hugs!

Link to comment
4 hours ago, Jackie C. said:

I can cough using only my upper chest. Like I said, I cough at the pro level. 

Wow! Is there a trick for doing that? I don’t feel in control of my coughs at all. Though at times like this, I wish I did!

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

Unfortunately, it's all practice. Cough for three to six months of the year plus any time you're exposed to... well, seasons. I have like four weeks a year where my asthma isn't kicking my butt without intervention. Of course my asthma meant I COULDN'T use my lower chest. It just wouldn't inflate.

 

It's not GOOD for you of course, but I can keep my abdominals rock-steady during a cough and can mitigate a sneeze a little.

 

Hugs!

Link to comment

First off, I am getting really excited.  45 days and counting till April 21st for my GCS.

 

Then also, when I had my major surgery on my stomach area back in early 2009 for cancer.  I found that just holding a pillow over my stomach area really helped out with pain when I sneezed or cough.

Link to comment

I bet you’re excited! Congratulations! Even if there are some painful moments, you’ll get through it! I wish you all the best!

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   3 Members, 0 Anonymous, 74 Guests (See full list)

    • April Marie
    • awkward-yet-sweet
    • KymmieL
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.5k
    • Total Posts
      767.2k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      11,940
    • Most Online
      8,356

    Raelyn
    Newest Member
    Raelyn
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. **Angela Charlotte **
      **Angela Charlotte **
    2. Carlie
      Carlie
      (63 years old)
    3. Cbxshawn
      Cbxshawn
      (49 years old)
    4. HannahO
      HannahO
      (31 years old)
    5. JustKatie
      JustKatie
      (40 years old)
  • Posts

    • Ashley0616
      Wow that is a high number for Estradiol good grief! Testosterone levels are better than mine. I don't remember my Estradiol level but testosterone was 80. To me that is really high but it was in the two hundreds the check in before last one. 
    • Ivy
      I don't understand why this would make a difference being a "dad" I mean, as far as how they would grow.
    • Ashley0616
      I don't see why not. I have worn forms since I came out. 
    • MaeBe
      I have never worn breastforms, but I assume as long as they don't aggravate your nipples you could.
    • MaeBe
      Every week I've been excited to take my shot, so it's never been an issue. Yesterday, however, I woke up and started my usual "slow roll" and then suddenly realized I had breakfast plans that I had to rush out the door for. After, it was straight into work calls, and then I got the notification from the doctor about things being too high and all the while my mind had completely slipped that I needed take my shot.   Given that I am not asking for medical advice, but sharing my journey, I will note my results: Estradiol at 447 pg/mL and Testosterone was 23 ng/dL, up and down from 26 pg/mL and 526 ng/dL respectively before treatment. Almost flipped the bit! The doc would like my Estradiol closer to 300 pg/mL, so we'll see what Monday's tests state.   Oh, and I teased the dinner with old soccer teammates and never updated the thread! It went well. There were a couple funny moments. One guy, who I was worried about their response, greeted me with "Hey, you've lost some weight!" 😎 And a friend who lives near me picked me up on the way to dinner exclaimed, after we learned one of the invitees might show up with a date, "Wait! We could have brought women?!" To which I instantly responded, "You kind of did, bringing me!" Everyone got a good laugh out of that. 😁
    • Ashley0616
      To me there isn't that much difference other the measurement, which side the zipper is on and men's pants have bigger pockets. 
    • missyjo
      I hope this is not stupid question..I have yet to start n not sure if doc will approve..but once you start growing buds n such, can you still wear forms to get to the size you were?   I'm a dad, so when I start blossoms they will be smaller for a long time n probably need surgical augmented..that's fine. I don't want to go ddd to aa to ddd..   any ideas?   thank you
    • missyjo
      April sounds fun..I keep some boy jeans to visit mom in..fir now   hugs
    • Ivy
      I like them too.  We had them growing up.  But my father's family were Swedes.
    • awkward-yet-sweet
      Oh my!  I guess it just goes to show how different tastes can be. Since we don't live near the ocean, Seafood is a rare luxury. We absolutely love pickled herring! Especially my husband and my GF, I guess it's a Ferman/Russian cultural thing.  But most of the kids like it too, and a jar wouldn't last in the pantry for long 😆
    • awkward-yet-sweet
      I think the key to that is just not minding eating the same thing repeatedly. Since we produce a lot of our own food here, we end up eating what is in season at the moment. So, when the yellow squash is ripening, we end up fixing squash 20 different ways. When the strawberries are ready, we eat lots of strawberries. It's kind of a different mindset to eat in season when it has become such a part of American culture but the grocery store has everything we want all the time. Like grapes in December.  My family does even things out a little bit by having a greenhouse so we have some fresh things in the winter, but it's not a 100% fix.
    • KathyLauren
      My brothers and I had to eat what was on the plate.  All of it, and nothing else.  Pickiness was not tolerated.  Some of our least favourite were liver and onions, sauerkraut, and especially rollmops (pickled herring).  We finally protested enough to persuade our mother not to serve rollmops, though she kept a jar in the pantry for years afterwards, as a threat if we didn't behave.
    • Carolyn Marie
      I'll go first.  My favorite team is the Yankees.  Loved them since I was a kid.  I was born in NYC so, yeah.  I know everyone loves to hate them, and that's OK.  I just love baseball in general.  It's a game of traditions, strategy, power, grace and skill.   Play Ball!!  ⚾   Carolyn Marie
    • Ashley0616
      I guess you do have a good point. It's just hard to try and not have the same meals over and over again. 
    • Willow
      Hi   I’ll weigh in on being picky about food.  Yes, and I was brought up that way.  We didn’t have to eat everything our parents ate.  They had a number of things they ate that they figured we wouldn’t eat, an acquired taste things or one or the other didn’t like them too.   even as an adult there are many things I won’t eat.  In my defense, there are different things my wife won’t eat.   the weird thing is that after being in E, my tastes have changed.  Sweet, sour, salty or bland, if I eat or drink too much of any one thing and I have to counter act it.   Willow
  • Upcoming Events

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...