This question is probably going to be best understood by other trans women. If you do not like your original genitals do you ever worry about why, like if it's dysphoria or socilization in a weird way? Like when I was just a really small child, I was ashamed of my genitals and believed something was really wrong with them and my genitals caused a lot of emotional turmoil all on their own, even a year ago or six months ago that felt like it was the case. But then I grew up with all the negative images of trans women and our genitals. I've had a partner who could sometimes be triggered by them and I felt embarassed/ashamed of them as well while we were in that relationship. And I've felt that there's this pressure or expectation that I will not like my genitals due to being a trans woman. I finally have the means to have srs if I really want to and now I wonder if I should try to accept my genitals. I see trans women post picutures of naked and proud/beautiful trans women and I wonder if I should/could be like that? A year ago I was 100% sure I wanted srs and was sure long before that too. The possible risks sound scarry (and my thinking all this all of a sudden could just be fear of complications) and now I wonder if I just found the right person and worked on liking my genitals if I could be intimate with someone else and not have shame for that part of my body hold me back emotionally.
Don't fix what isn't broken. If you are comfortable with your body, then don't get the surgery. It's risky and expensive. Your genitals will always be female regardless of the appearance or function, because they are YOUR genitals, and YOU ARE FEMALE. On the other hand, don't be compelled to forgo what would otherwise be a necessary part of your transition into good mental health for the sake of advocating the "non-necessity" of such a surgery. If SRS is what you need to feel complete, then take your current financial situation as a blessing that many women will never have, and do what you need to do to be happy WITH YOU. Not with your partner, not with society, not with the LGBT, not with anyone but you. Not sure if this helps at all. I wish I could have it done tomorrow, or tonight, right now. I wish. Love you <3
It's helpful thank you for the response. It just feels hard to talk to any care providers about this because I also need their recomendations and my friends irl know how bad I've wanted it in the past. I can't remember but don't they recomend at least getting an orchioctomy eventually just because of the high hormone doses required for hrt while having testicles. I think if that's the case I just want to get it. Otherwise I'll need to think about it some.
Extremely prolonged hormone treatment can be very dangerous. Getting rid of the gonads is pretty important top protect your health.
Yeah that's what I thought. I think I'll probably do the srs in the end it's just really scary to think about all the possible complications, it all just feels so real now that I have the financial resources. I think it's the same as that 'whoa am I really ready for this' kind of thinking that a lot of people go through before starting hormones.
I'm jealous, it makes me sad that I won't be able to afford surgery for at least another 5 years or so.
If you arent sure dont get it! You have plenty of time ahead of you to decide. Its irreversible. ---------- Post added 29th Jun 2013 at 12:57 PM ---------- Evidence?
Evidence? My doctor told me that the longer I use full dosages of oral estrogen the higher the risk for thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Not to mention the even more dangerous risk of developing Hyperkalemia due to the continued use spironolactone which can cause a build up of pottasium. Inguinal orchiectomy is recommended for women who have decided not to go forward with full vaginaplasty since it removes the need for the continued use of aldactone, and makes it so you don't need to take as much estrogen. Orchiectomy is a simple outpatient procedure, cheap, and incredibly helpful in protecting the health of non-op transsexual women.
It also makes it less likely to have a succesful full srs later on so its a double edged sword. I havent heard that continued use of estrogen continues to increase risk over time except in the sense that you are always at a higher risk when on those drugs.
A friend of mine spoke with an SRS surgeon for advice on where incision should be made to prevent scarring in areas that are important to a successful vaginaplasty. When she finally went for her srs several years after her ochi, the surgeon was very impressed and had no difficulties with the remaining tissue available. She did have a habit of *cough* stretching things out down there on a regular basis though, since there can be loss of tissue over time after orchi. I don't plan on have an orchi, even though it will be several years before I can afford SRS, just because I don't want to risk losing necessary tissue. A skin graft would be a huge bummer for me.
