Circumcised yesterday

[Steppenwolf]

Problems with foreskins that are too tight seems to be a recurring theme in these threads. Reading the various opinions and real-life accounts has been a great learning experience. I had been perfectly happy not having been circumcised as an infant. I started having second thoughts a few months back. First of all came the issue of it being too tight. There were also concerns of lack of sensation and tearing during sex and increased risks of infection. Keeping clean really had never been a problem, and I actually liked the way it looked.

I had enough concerns that I talked with my primary care physician. He's only been my PCP for a few months now, but then about any physician has seen and heard far more intimate details than anything I could possibly tell him. If you can't talk to your doctor about any medical issue that concerns you, it's time to switch physicians anyway. I didn't tell the receptionist why I wanted to see him. I just told her I needed to consult with my doctor about some medical concerns. My doctor was pretty cool. He agreed with my concerns and referred me to a local urologist. It turns out that there was some scaring that I didn't even know about.

So yesterday I was circumcised. The procedure itself was a piece of cake; it was the strong headache I had since the night before that got to me. After some simple blood tests on Wednesday night, I checked in to the hospital at 6 a.m. Thursday morning. They put an IV into my right hand, which just initially felt like a bee sting. By 9:30 they wheeled me into the operating room. They had told me that they would put me totally under and insert a breathing tube, which might make my throat a little sore for a few days. I remember nothing else after that, not even being put under. A short time later I woke up in a recovery room ready to check out.

I have two sets of prescribed medication. One is an antibiotic (Cephalexin), which I'm taking every 8 hours. The other is Oxycodone (for pain). I'm not taking the last one. The painkillers they gave me at the hospital made me sick to my stomach yesterday. I threw up in the Walgreens bathroom while picking up the medications on my way home and was on a crackers and Seven Up diet for the rest of the day. Had I knows better, I could have saved the $55 for the Oxycodone. I have no pain at all today and am only taking the antibiotics and Tylenol. Urinating is not a problem. One thing I haven't done yet today and am a little apprehensive about is changing the bandage. I'm about to do that in a few minutes. Dealing with erections shouldn't be a problems for a while, I hope. My man is out of town for a few days.

For those considering circumcision, I have the following advice: First do your research. There is a lot of good info available on the web. If you still have concerns, talk to your doctor. Whether or not to get circumcised is a personal as well as medical decision. A lot of people are never circumcised and never have any problems. If it is done right, it does not have to be painful or sideline you for long. I actually feel ok to go to work today, but I'm on physician-prescribed sick leave through today. Out-of-pocket cost is nominal. With my health insurance, the most it will cost is $1300, but the actual cost in this case should be just a few hundred dollars plus $75 for the meds.

While it's not for everybody, as of today I can say that I would do it again (just without the headache).

 

[star-warrior]

Good lord! That was a brave decision. I wish you well, although I would have urged you to try the months of stretching first.

Anyway, if you're fit and healthy, you're likely to recover quickly. As for erections, you will get them through the night, anyway.

 

[unclaimedblessing]

I hope they did it with pinking shears so you can show us a pic of your new "frilly dilly".
Hope it heals quickly, but not before we can all kiss the boo-boo.

 

[3nipples]

Good for you. Look forward to hearing a blow by blow account, emmm, when all is healed. Hope it won't take too long

 

[Steppenwolf]

Sorry unclaimedblessing, no pictures (as far as I know). Only one guy gets to kiss it once it's healed, and he won't be back for a few days. Changing the bandages went fine. Looking at it for the first time, I think they did a nice job. I found out that I suck at wrapping things that are soft and tender, though. It's not quite like wrapping an arm or a leg.

 

[eftergivende]

Been there. Done that. Same positive experience.

 

[Croynan]

deleted/error in posting/eM.

 

[Croynan]

A very serious decision, but it sounds as if you did your "homework" and made the right decision regarding your well being. How you feel about the decision is the most important thing.

Certainly you sought good medical advise and weighed the information that was given to you.

I hope things continue to go well for you.

eM.

 

[caddymac]

I too hope things go well and you heal quickly. Sorry ):

 

[Steppenwolf]

From what I've read, it seems to take about a month to heal properly before sex. That doesn't mean, however, that my man will have to go without any attention for that long . Even if we did nothing at all for a month, it still wouldn't be a problem. Sex is great, but it is not the defining part of our relationship. Right now I'm more concerned with involuntary erections. I'm trying to keep those to a minimum. There's just no way avoiding them entirely. A week from Monday I have the follow-up with my urologist.

 

[star-warrior]

Try having a pee before bed, and not drinking too much in the evening. That way you lessen your chances of a painful morning glory.

 

[epicAdam]

I wish you a speedy recovery. At least you had it done for some medically-sound purpose.

Best wishes.

-epic

 

[luminum]

Thanks for the post. Anything that contributes to the good information here for men deciding either way is great in my book.

Good luck with recovery, stud

 

[stv21s]

Good luck, man. I think you made a good decision. Here's to a speedy recovery.

Ryan

 

[Andross]

I also had circumcision last Monday because of scar tissue causing tight foreskin and infections. It still hurts a little but I'm optimistic that it'll heal normally and without problems. It's still a little swollen and the glans is very sensitive, which is uncomfortable, but I think it'll grow a thicker skin soon. Welcome to both of us to the "cut-club"

 

[jamie_01930]

I had to have it done about 3 years ago. unfortunatly my dick doctor cut it tight and thus I have no extra play in the skin. hopefully that isn't the same with you.
For me I could cum at the drop of a hat before and now it take forever and a day and a lot less satisfaction.

wish I never had to do it

 

[mustangman]

Congratulations on having the guts to do this. I guess I am just a big chicken shit. Not only have I not come out yet, but my dick is still in hiding also. I just wish I had the guts to do this. You have certainly aroused my interest.
I will be interested in how the healing goes though.
How long were you off work? What did you tell people?

 

[Steppenwolf]

It's been almost four weeks, and everything has healed nicely. There were a few rough days. Every so often during the first ten days, I'd rip open one of the wounds when changing the bandages, and any kind of wrong movement was painful with the stitches in. I pretty much walked around like an 80-year old man for about two weeks and temporarily went back to briefs from boxer shorts. The last of the stitches fell out around Thanksgiving. Erections started not being a problem about 2 1/2 weeks after the operation, even with most of the stitches still in. That somewhat surprised me, because they had been painful before. The problems with sensitivity are much better as well.

I was off work two days. The operation was on a Thursday. I took another day of sick leave on Friday and used the weekend to recover. By Friday afternoon, though, I was fine and running errands. I never used any of the painkillers they subscribed, only the antibiotics. The painkillers was a waste of about $60. With my Blue Cross insurance, the entire episode will cost under $500 out-of-pocket, which isn't bad.

I told my family and friends but nobody at work. They know that I had an operation, and by the way I walked around know that it was below the waist, but the details aren't anybody's business.

Overall, things worked out well. It may not be the right thing for anybody else to do; it was for me.

 

[Andross]

Wow - $500 is quite a lot... I don't have to pay anything because it was medically necessary to do it... I also have problems still with the wound ripping open sometimes on the underside and I think I've grown a small "skin bridge" on the underside aswell... The stitches are still in, but should fall out within the next days. I hope the underside heals soon, because I hate having a bloody area down there

 

[Corny]

Wow - $500 is quite a lot... I don't have to pay anything because it was medically necessary to do it...

that doesn't matter in the US unless you have an insurance for that (i believe, correct me if i'm wrong).

but please do go to the doctor and let him have a look at the skin bridges!

you don't want it to look like that afterwards:

(ok that is a very big skin bridge, but you get the picture)