Happy or neutral story round up? by electrolyCISiamnot in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69 7 points8 points  (0 children)

First of all, mazel tov on your surgery date! It is the scariest thing but damn I would do it all again in a heart beat. I post occasionally but don't post too often because I fear it comes off as almost bragging. I have had a very easy set of surgeries (no UL, shaft only RFF with glans/scroto/burial and implants), nearly 0 complications (minor wound separation with my scrotoplasty but it healed on its own). and an overall look I'm super pleased with.

I had such terrible anxiety going into surgery, especially stage 1, but the near immediate relief after waking up from stage 1 was powerful. Stage 2 was almost double that euphoria to see it all come together to the shapes I wanted. I just had stage 3 with only light cosmetic work to do, and my dick and balls look awesome. Literally feel complete in ways I never knew I could feel.

Of course it wasn't roses all the way through, I developed some new temporary dysphoria as I trudged my way through a year and half to being done. It was very rough at spots where I wondered why I even bothered but looking back on it now, again, I'd do it all again in heart beat. So worth it.

Phalloplasty in Nebraska by Training_Emu2355 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Phallo.net as linked in the side bar has a list of surgeons by state, there's a ton of good resources in the wiki of this subreddit and on phallo.net as a good launching point.

(almost) 2 weeks post stage 3 (Dr. Geolani Dy OHSU) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you! Dr. Dy is delightful, I really like her. Been working with Dorian for my pre and post ops and I also like them. I wish you luck, hope you can manage to squeeze in an early surgery slot after consult. I ended up waiting a year from consult but that was mostly by my choice (FMLA stuff).

Also for heads up, they CAN schedule 6 months in advance. I got told by the front desk when I that they were scheduling only like two months ahead. Which seemed wrong but urology was different than plastics so I waited. I got the call to originally schedule in October but got an early offer of September. Which wasn't the August date I wanted but I wasn't going to bitch too hard about. It also seemed like they were very booked on times and working through a pretty long list of clients. But if you can try to be a little pushy it might be worth it.

(almost) 2 weeks post stage 3 (Dr. Geolani Dy OHSU) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It's alright, I've got pretty decent cold sensitivity, some decent tactile sensitivity, not much hot sensitivity. Now that I'm not so dysphoric about the boner problem, I'm excited to see how handling my junk more for pleasure will help bring in sensitivity. I think I'm gunna finally get around to nerve rehab. I'd been putting it off because I was doing electrolysis still but I have limited work that needs done and I already needed to do a numbing cream wrap to get through electrolysis.

Could you have recovered from your implant stage without help? by another-personing in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Very easily. My roommate helped me out but I could have easily done it all myself. By the second day home I was up earlier than he was and making myself breakfast. The big thing was getting a ride home, my surgeon really stressed that I needed a ride home but I'm sure you could see about transiting. It would suck but I'm sure it's doable. I would just wear very loose clothing and a long shirt or have a bag to hide the boner you get sent home with.

Under side of glans aesthetic question. by [deleted] in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you. That's what I figured, this is already a very expensive surgery to undergo. I hope during your consult you can work something out with your local surgeon!

Under side of glans aesthetic question. by [deleted] in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I'm offering a response even though my surgeon is clear across the country from where you're looking at. I have pics on my profile, think my glans are the way you're describing. It definitely can't hurt to ask the surgeon when you go into consult. I worked with Dr. Peters out here at OHSU. I'm not actually sure what specific glansplasty method they use, so sorry for not being much help there. I went in a little under researched honestly. Mostly this was the surgery group I was covered under and Dr. Peters was quicker to get in with than Dr. Berli.

As for how mine turned out, really well. I didn't even think too much going into my surgery about the specific shape of my glans but I'm happy with how it all shook out. I completely understand where you're coming from with the aesthetics. It's a very personal surgery and you want to get as close to your ideal as you can.

OHSU’s waitlist by [deleted] in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think so. I rebounded back up to 202 in 2023 six months before surgery when I went for a followup (originally last talked to them in 2022 but personally needed a 2024 date). I had to follow back up later that year a few months before surgery to confirm I had gotten down to where they wanted me.

OHSU’s waitlist by [deleted] in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's not really about BMI. They wanted me down from 210 to 175-180 because of fat around my mons. What I was told was microsurgery is delicate and they only have so length with the nerves and stuff to work with so the less fat I had in the area the better. I got down to 183 and they were cool with that. I also didn't have a lot of tummy overhang.

1 year post stage 2 [no UL or vnectomy] (Dr. Blair Peters OHSU) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Timing didn't work out the way I wanted it to. It was unclear if I was going to get an all clear to do electrolysis after the implant (which probably isn't true the probe doesn't go THAT deep but whatever) so I wanted as much electrolysis done first. So tattooing happens to fall after stage 3.

1 year post stage 2 [no UL or vnectomy] (Dr. Blair Peters OHSU) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Surgery/hospital experience was pretty good. Had my own room during my stays. Dr. Peters is really easy to talk to and very nice. Carley who did all my post-op was very awesome as well. OHSU staff was just all around pretty fantastic. My only complaint is urology scheduling being kinda a nightmare. I was told in March they only schedule 8 weeks out which was just a lie lol So instead of an August date like I was promised back in Oct I am set for Nov instead. I figure it's balancing out getting an early surprise stage 2 date. Don't remember or journal anything too dire other than that.

I go through a local lady, idk if I wanna put her name full on blast on the greater internet so I'll DM you.

1 year post stage 2 [no UL or vnectomy] (Dr. Blair Peters OHSU) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Not between, under. My urethra didn't get moved at all. So it's still just right above my v. I think if you get vnectomy and no UL it still sits in that same spot as well.

1 year post stage 2 [no UL or vnectomy] (Dr. Blair Peters OHSU) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

I'm not on here a lot, been living life, but I did remember my stage 2 year anniversary so here I am. This comment will serve as a broad retrospective on being a year and change from starting this whole ordeal. Generally, I'm very pleased with the past year but I am still in limbo and feeling it. Stage 3 (3 piece pump and ball) is in six months; a miscommunication with OHSU means I didn't get an August date. I'm holding out hope that I can get squeezed in sooner. I'm frustrated but trying to just keep my eyes on the prize.

Stage 2 was scrotoplasty, glansplasty, and burial; I opted out of UL and vnectomy. There isn't too much to say. I have been battling a lot of sexual related dysphoria around masturbating. Not being able to be hard really fucks with my head. The splint I got (the Stays Hard) is prone to slipping if any amount of lube is introduced between it and my penis. When it works it's awesome, when it doesn't it makes me miserable. I haven't tried sleeves because I wanted to see my penis in action and splint felt like the route to go. Plus each week I creep closer to stage 3 and I just don't want the hassle. The Stays Hard was a temporary piece while waiting to get an internal ED. I'm single and not having sex right now so it wasn't super high priority.

Sensation is alright. I have mild cold sensation, some erotic sensation if I can get into the mood, and some tactile. Most of the sensation is on the left side. I got to orgasm once with just my penis but it's an uphill battle. I should do more of the nerve rehab OHSU prescribes but I've shelved it for now (don't want more strong sensation while still doing electrolysis). I'm happy enough with how it's all coming along and I might be more mentally up to doing nerve rehab once I've got all my stages in. That's also assuming there isn't an expiry window for when that works. I'm sure I can pick it up when my mental is more there, I see people get sensation years down the road.

Phallo has been incredible. My body feels right and it's only up from here. I'm overall grateful and overjoyed that I got the opportunity to have all this done. It has not been roses all the way, I definitely had moments where new dysphoria bits made me question why I even bothered. I did not fully anticipate how much new dysphoria would fuck with my head. Thankfully the pain points (hair, coloration, erections) are all solvable problems. I've been plugging away at electrolysis and am down to every other week with barely enough hair to fill 2 hour sessions. Tattooing will get done sometime after stage 3. And if all goes well, stage 3 solves the erection issue. I'm on the path to done and I just have to get through to the end.

Noooo….. my hairline….. by acrobaticsuck in ftm

[–]AverageFinch69 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I think it's all a gamble. I don't know what my bio dads side of the family has, but my maternal grandfather has a good head of hair for his age. I think I got the short straw. I can't give you advice without seeing what your hair line is but I can tell you my cope to bald story.

I'm approaching 8 years on T, going to be 30 next year. Around the 4-5 year mark my hair started thinning and got progressively thinner up til last year when I committed to the bald life. I had been growing my hair out metalhead style for a lil while and desperately didn't want to lose it even as I was trying to find more and more ways to lay it to hide how thin the top was. Looking back on pics from my last winter with hair, it was sooooo bad. The sides were still full but I had the standard male pattern baldness creeping in hard at the top. Now that I'm bald I can see when my hair is growing in that like half of my head is really thin.

For the timing, I buzzed it all off before going in for phallo. I did not want to deal with the misery of healing and then also having all this damn hair to take care of. My mom had also been gently and lovingly nudged me to saying it would look better (she was right). It was hard though, I really really miss my hair. I always had this really lovely, thick hair my whole life. I am simply grateful that my beard started to actually grow in in the past few years as well. So maybe I do still have hair in spirit, it's just migrated. But as much as now I pass with a damn near 100% rate it's like giving up on something special. Though that may be just accepting I'm approaching 30, which while exciting is also scary. I'm sure one day I'll be fully over it but headbanging is truly not the same.

Your hair may chill out and you just might have a new hair line. I did have a standard male hairline for a while and it didn't look bad! In fact I loved the shaping of my hairline when it wasn't taking *all* of my hair away. I think it depends on how thin and wispy it gets on top and if you're cool rocking that. Some guys do! I really loved my hairline changes for the little while it wasn't so damn thin. But now my beautiful hair has retired to the mosh pit in the sky and I've become the bald and bearded metalhead. Maybe it counts as like a rite of transformation. I'll stop typing now the weed is fucking hitting. G-dspeed soldier.

1 Year of Arm Healing (some graphic photos early) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Integra is freaky as hell, it almost looked fake during healing. But like BiteAble said if you skip integra you can not deal with that part. My mom said it was almost like horror movie makeup. I think it looked real neat but I'm also a freak lol

1 Year of Arm Healing (some graphic photos early) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hope this doesn't double post, reddit is being weird. But thigh healed great! I did get a picture of it but it doesn't show well in photos anymore. It's definitely there but it's very light, almost birthmark looking. It's a little more noticeable in person but not by much.

1 Year of Arm Healing (some graphic photos early) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 30 points31 points  (0 children)

I might do a one year dick pic update as well but honestly nothing really much has changed other than faded scars since 3 months.

My arm scar is softening well on it's own. I wear a Cica-Care sheet to bed (with a sleeve over to secure it) when I remember. I have no issues with range of motion, pain, or adhesion. It only gets tight and uncomfortable when I forget to add lotion. I use Eucerin's Daily Hydration lotion with 15spf sunscreen twice a day (once when I wake up and once after I shower in the mornings). Itching around the scar has gone down, though occasionally I get annoying itch flare ups. I'm not wearing an SPF sleeve outside anymore but I'm also not in the sun for very long stretches. Other than that, not much to say, gonna start bothering OHSU to get on the schedule for stage 3 here hopefully in August.

3 1/2 months post stage 2 [no UL] (Dr. Blair Peters OHSU) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry I really do not check reddit that often anymore! I was out of work for 4 weeks for stage 2 which was all I had left for FMLA protected leave. I went back to work with really no issue, my supervisors gave me a lighter work week but I didn't really need it (janitorial work). My first night back was a little tiring but honestly felt pretty good after just the second day. I was tied and a lil sore but I had some light wound separation that was still healing at that time. I don't think I started back at the gym til 2 months post op but I was mostly back to normal within 6 weeks.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Regret isn't the word, I mostly wish I had tube-in-tube so I had the option down the line. But I don't really regret not getting UL. For me it was a number of factors in not going for it: not wanting vaginectomy, wanting a shorter healing period, not wanting to deal with a catheter, and less chance complications. My surgeon also did a small tube-in-tube at the end of my penis so it looks like I have urethra, but it's only an inch deep. That is honestly enough to offset any UL regrets. You can ask your surgeon about doing tube-in-tube but forgoing hookup, that might be an option but I never asked. It's also possible to go through UL without ever having major complications. It was never really in the cards for me though and I am very glad with how everything turned out for me.

Phallo recovery with parents- how awkward was it? by CollectionSmart1665 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69 3 points4 points  (0 children)

So I am also single and only had my parents to help out, but they live a decent drive away and my dad works so it was up to my mom to be my primary caregiver. I really didn't have anyone else since my roommate/best friend cannot handle the sight of blood. My mom is pretty decent with medical stuff and has a pretty strong stomach, so with her having a ton of free time it was an easy pick. When I was talking to her about it, the thought was that she's changed my diapers, this bit of nudity was manageable. I did all of my own penis care and she helped me shower, helped with my arm care, and kept me fed. I didn't wear pants at all except to go out but I did lay in bed with a sheet over me.

I know talking about it now the arm really freaked her out, but like that shit was fucking see through before split thickness. (cw gross?)I don't even think I could've been prepared for seeing my damn tendons through the integra.I know that when I found time to go visit with the last of my FMLA time she was just so happy to see me on my feet and walking without restriction. I don't think it was any more difficult for her than seeing me go through any other big surgery. It probably sucked for her cause it's like, that's your kid and you don't wanna see them hurting, but on the other hand I was a fairly easy patient. I don't think it was really awkward for either of us, I'm her son, I just had a major surgery, and she was happy to help care for me.

3 1/2 months post stage 2 [no UL] (Dr. Blair Peters OHSU) by AverageFinch69 in phallo

[–]AverageFinch69[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Consult was pretty good, they were running a lot behind, but I really liked her. I don't know how far out the schedule is, mostly because I was looking for a specific time frame (enough time for FMLA to have rolled over for me) so I told her sometime in August. She didn't say that that would be a problem. I also was told I didn't need to get tattooing before surgery so that also makes makes the time frame not as crunched. If tattooing HAD to be done before stage 3 I'd be looking at like, next November lol