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My Circumcision Story

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  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭westskipper


    IF you want my honest opinion, you should still think about meeting with the urologist. I cant really answer questions about your own individual situation, and you dont have the answers either. I'm sure any good doc will not mind a consultation to discuss the issue and the pros and cons of a full circ or stretching without any obligation to continue with surgery there and then.
    You owe it to yourself to seek professional advice, reading other people's stories here is not quite the same, no two of us are the same.
    You have come this far,you should continue with the consultation now,if you back out you may have to start all over again.

    It is scary and daunting, but the hardest part of the whole process is walking through the door to meet the doc :)

    It is no worse that visiting the dentist to have a problem tooth investigated, the wait is worse than the examination !

    Thanks westskipper.

    I went to see the my gp last week. He didnt say much because he was honest in saying he didnt know too much on the subject but that he knew that stretching rarely worked and surgery was usually the best solution. So he referred me to a urologist, he said it would take a month or two to setup an appointment so i said it was grand i'd continue with the stretching and see how i got on b4 i met with the Urologist.

    At reception, I got an appointment setup for late May with the Urologist. I was suprised the appointment was so late, so i email the doc asking did he have any advise on if i could get an appointment quicker he said he'd get back to me...

    So at the weekend i was stretching my foreskin. I can now stretch my foreskin 3/4 down my head when 100% erect which is an improvment on 50% down 2 or so weeks ago. i also practised using condoms with a fleshlight :-o). So when i was 80-90% erect i could pull the foreskin past the head, id put the condom on, use the fleshlight and when 100% erect my head was completely exposed and the foreskin was trapped behind the head, it was a small bit tight but not uncomfortable. The foreskin was stuck behind the head an wouldnt move up tho and wouldnt till i came and lost my erection.

    So i think that is good progress. A couple of questions...

    Is it dangerous to have the foreskin trapped behind the head like that even tho when flacid i can eventually move the foreskin back into is orginal position.

    If this is as far as stretching gets me, is it practical that putting a condom on at 80% erect with the foreskin behind the head then getting 100% erect trapping the foreskin behind the head?

    I randomly bumped into a girl i have 'slept' with before on Sat night and she seemed quiet interested, but unfortuanatley i dont like 'like' her so i kinda squashed it and i was also meeting up with somebody else. But now I'm thinking about just meeting up with her next weekend and practising with her...she's a nice girl so i feel like a dick if i do it, but i think i should for my sanity.


    Now the real kicker. My doc just emailed me saying he got onto the Urology dept and that i can meet with a Urolgist and have the curcumcision March 18th!!! Thats waaaaay to soon, i'll have to email him back and say can i just meet with the urologist on March 18th and do not do the curcumcision.


  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭westskipper


    Frenuloplasty may help in your case, yes.

    However sometimes a thick/short/tight frenulum can cause tearing and scarring of the attached foreskin over the years when it is pulled tight during sex, if so you may have a tight non elastic ring around the foreskin which may still cause problems even when the frenulum has been relaxed. That was my story.
    Once again, only an experienced urologist can really give you proper advice. I would be merely speculating, no two men have precisely the same set of issues i'm sure.

    Put your mind at rest and have it assessed professionally; whatever the verdict is, it will be in your own best interest and you deserve to be free of your problem, not to suffer on.

    Ok, I've been looking into my problem.

    Without getting too graphic, essentially what happens with me is that I can retract my foreskin even when erect, but it feels very tight around the frenulum, and it looks like the skin is being pulled taut. I don't think I have tight foreskin per se, I think it's that my frenulum is too short or unforgiving. Sex without a condom hurts, and that's not a good sign.

    Given that the frenulum is likely my enemy, would a frenuloplasty be a good idea? Or am I going to have to look at getting a whole circumcision?


  • Registered Users Posts: 12 username_


    Day 5 Post Chop

    Feeling good Today am sleeping well at night and am not really sore at all just as everyone else has reported its more uncomfortable than anything. The swelling on the underneath side of my head appears to have gone down but it still looks a bit odd. However the majority of posts here seem to say I need to give it about a week before I see some real healing.
    Have been keeping him out during the Day and In at Night and have to say the auld helmet is already de- sensitiveing a little.

    Count Duckula just in reply to your post. I had similar problems to you when i pulled my foreskin back It would be very tight and id nearly feel like the Banjo string would snap. However during sex when the lubrication juices were going I had no problems with or without a Condom.

    But I have suffered from Yeast infections aka Thrush from probably down to being run down and not cleaning properly under the foreskin as it was kinda tight to pull down.

    Considering the last yeast infection I had lead to bad scarring and then phimosis, where having sex was pretty crap I would definitely recommend you getting proper advice off a Urologist.

    The Quicker you see someone professional the sooner you can get a solution which could mean;- stretches ,Creams, a Frenuplasty, or the dreaded Circ Which Really isnt too bad in my opinion so far.
    But More importantly you can stop worrying about it and start also enjoying having really good sex when you get yourself sorted!!

    Best of Luck

    I can Pass on details of my urologist if you like I managed to get an appointment two weeks from initial contact.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭Stu


    Well, it's been 2 and a half weeks since the OP and while the healing has gone quite well, i still have 2 stitches left to fall outbut they are not uncomfortable.

    Unfortunately, the OP doesn't appear to have worked, i can pull the foreskin most of the way back when erect but its still very painful and another slight tug would probable snap my Banjo String OUCH!

    I'm absolutely gutted about this :(. I really don't want to get circumcised due to stories of loss of sensitivity with the glans after circumcision but what other choice do i have.

    Have any of you lost any sensitivity since having the circ? I've read that 50% or more sensitivity is lost after a Circ. Can anybody who has has the OP verify this? or is sensitivity the same. Thanks, Stu.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    Stu wrote: »
    Have any of you lost any sensitivity since having the circ? I've read that 50% or more sensitivity is lost after a Circ. Can anybody who has has the OP verify this? or is sensitivity the same. Thanks, Stu.

    it's exactly the same for me. OP 4.5 years ago, so I've plenty of experience before and after. Don't dispair just yet, you may still have some healing to do. If you do have to get the full op, don't worry. While it's not risk free, you just have to read back through this thread to get first-hand details of results, I think there's only been one poster who wasn't 100% delighted with the results.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 43 scared_silly


    IF you want my honest opinion, you should still think about meeting with the urologist. I cant really answer questions about your own individual situation, and you dont have the answers either. I'm sure any good doc will not mind a consultation to discuss the issue and the pros and cons of a full circ or stretching without any obligation to continue with surgery there and then.
    You owe it to yourself to seek professional advice, reading other people's stories here is not quite the same, no two of us are the same.
    You have come this far,you should continue with the consultation now,if you back out you may have to start all over again.

    It is scary and daunting, but the hardest part of the whole process is walking through the door to meet the doc :)

    It is no worse that visiting the dentist to have a problem tooth investigated, the wait is worse than the examination !

    I want to meet with the Urologist, but what i find a bit rushed is that my GP said she can meet me and do the cicumcision on March 18th...i thought i'd have at least one consulatation with the Urologist before we consider surgery.


  • Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    she can meet me and do the cicumcision on March 18th...i thought i'd have at least one consulatation with the Urologist before we consider surgery.

    she - female urologist? really/

    I know there are plenty of male gynaecologists but just curious


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,161 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    No matter what the medical need happens to be, don't ever be rushed by any doctor. Indeed being rushed would for me be a red flag. There is always a second opinion(even if it agrees with the first).

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭Stu


    Thanks for that TBH. Thats my only worry about getting the circ, is the potential loss of sensation but the vast majority of posters on this thread have said its the best thing they've done but then i watched a video on youtube about circumcision and it was very anti-circ and gave some compelling reasons why it should be a last resort so i guess i'll wait for another month and do some stretching exercises before deciding what my next step is.


  • Registered Users Posts: 43 scared_silly


    Stu wrote: »
    Thanks for that TBH. Thats my only worry about getting the circ, is the potential loss of sensation but the vast majority of posters on this thread have said its the best thing they've done but then i watched a video on youtube about circumcision and it was very anti-circ and gave some compelling reasons why it should be a last resort so i guess i'll wait for another month and do some stretching exercises before deciding what my next step is.

    I'd be very wary of the videos on circumcision videos on youtube, they all seem to link out to another website that offers some miracle treatment that doesnt require surgery, they all seem like scams.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭Stu


    Dont Worry, The video on Youtube is just a discussion between 4 people on the Pros v Cons of circumcision and having watched it i would say that a circumcision should be a last resort but in saying that, if having exhausted every other potential solution, i have to get circumsized, i will have no problem getting it done.

    Below, is the video i watched (4 Parts). It's informative and worth a look for anybody thinking of getting circumsized before exploring other options.



    Heres anothing thought provoking video from a guy in America who was Circumsized at age 18



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    Stu wrote: »
    Thanks for that TBH. Thats my only worry about getting the circ, is the potential loss of sensation but the vast majority of posters on this thread have said its the best thing they've done but then i watched a video on youtube about circumcision and it was very anti-circ and gave some compelling reasons why it should be a last resort so i guess i'll wait for another month and do some stretching exercises before deciding what my next step is.

    There's definitely no rush, and you should definately try every alternative before you get the OP done. One thing to bear in mind is that when people put videos on youtube, they have an agenda (nothing wrong with that btw). So, if you watch a video from someone who regrets getting a circ done, all the viewpoints in that video will be selected to support the poster. If you have a positive agenda, the opinions will be selected to make it seem like the best thing ever. We don't edit any opinions on this thread - negative stories are just as valid as positive and just as welcome - but there don't seem to be many.Now I promise you, that's not me trying to persuade you to get it done - it makes no odds to me - but it is me trying to reassure you that if you *have* to get it done, going by the stories on this thread, you are far more likely to be glad you got it done than to regret you got it done.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,073 ✭✭✭sam34


    loggedout wrote: »
    she - female urologist? really/

    I know there are plenty of male gynaecologists but just curious

    why do you deem that to be unusual/ a subject of curiosity?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭Stu


    I take your point tbh. This thread is just giving people information on their options and has helped me to make an informed decision which is oviously very important when it involves and kind of surgery of your prized possession :D.

    From the videos i've watched on Youtube, i have come to the conclusion that Circumcision is a last resort but am encouraged by the replys from everyone on this thread who has being circumsized. In saying that, i'm surprised that nobody has complained about a loss of sensitivity, even too a small degree when it is known to be an issue for many men circumsized as adults.

    Still, i may not have a choice and if Circumcision is my only viable option then i will not hesitate to get the job done but i've one or two more alternatives to have a look at first.


  • Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭Nip The Tip


    username_ wrote: »
    Day 3 Post Chop!

    Took the bandage off yesterday afternoon in the bath I think ive definately got smaller so not too impressed with that. :mad: also on the underside of helmet where the banjo string is looks completely mangled with some serious bruising? Was it like this for you Guys ?

    Would you guys reccomend a shower or a bath and do you think salt is a big help as my urologist seemed to dismiss it when I asked ?

    I too was raging because I was noticeably shorter after the op, but it did indeed grow back (lol) gradually as the several weeks went by. So I wouldn't sweat it.
    As for the mangled banjo and bruising, i had a massive bruise on the side of the shaft (haematoma like) but it disappeared after 4 or 5 days. My banjo area looked mangled too, like they did a nice job on top and the sides but hurried up with the bottom part! It's gradually evening itself out though, as time goes by. I could show you pics :eek: :pac:

    Stu wrote: »
    Have any of you lost any sensitivity since having the circ? I've read that 50% or more sensitivity is lost after a Circ. Can anybody who has has the OP verify this? or is sensitivity the same. Thanks, Stu.

    I've had plenty of action before and after the full circ, including with the same woman, and I can tell you for me there is only a negligible decrease in sensitivity, if any. You feel things differently is all.
    You could liken it to your eyes first thing in the morning, they are hypersensitive due to the sudden light when you wake up. After a few minutes they are fine, but you can still see everything perfectly.
    Well, to me my chopped lad is like that, the only sensitivity you lose is the (for me) unwanted hypersensitivity - the kind that makes you go ouch! when your head hits your jocks or something :)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭Stu


    OK Guys, i've looked at other alternatives to Circumcision and the only one i can see sorting the problem without me having to get circumsized is to have a "Frenectomy". This means i would get the Frenulum fully removed but would keep the foreskin. Without a Frenulum i would have no problem keeping the foreskin back with an erection.

    Has anybody had a "Frenectomy" I'm guessing that most Urologists don't do this procedure but i'm getting it done. I didn't realise i could have just the Frenulum removed. It makes more sense to only remove the Frenulum if it is too tight. Why cut off the foreskin as well?

    I'm learning more about this condition everyday but am dismayed that i have had to do my own painstaking research to find out that there is another alternative to circumcision, even after a failed Frenuloplasty, but most urologists apparently don't discuss this option ("Frenectomy") with patients and just do the circumcision. Not good at all. :mad:.


  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭westskipper


    unfortunately its rarely as simple as that, if it was very few people would ever need circ's at all.
    If you are an adult and you have suffered from a tight foreskin due in part to a tight frenulum, removing the frenulum alone will not fix the issue with the foreskin. THe tight frenulum will have caused scarring of the foreskin into a phimotic band which is part of the reason it wont retract properly, as car tissue doesnt stretch. removing or lengthening the frenulum isnt the magic answer, the damage has been done over the years so to speak and the foreskin is not a regular foreskin anymore.

    In my case, i had to have the frenulum almost completely removed and i still needed to have a circumcision to remove a section of the foreskin that has been damaged.
    Be careful what you read on the internet, esp on americam anti-circ sites, there is a huge amount of rubbish written there which is honestly not the full truth at all.

    I doubt an irish urologist will excise any more tissue that is deemed necessary to resolve your problem.The question is not should you have foreskin removed or not, your question is do you want your problem resolved properly or not...
    My surgeon discussed the frenuloplasty / frenectomy option with me, but said that it would make little or no difference to my condition and that i would be back in a few months again for a circ if he didnt remove a section of the foreskin as well, he had seen this many times before. In retrospect i now believe he was right and i think he did perform the appropriate surgery on me to resolve my problem.


    Stu wrote: »
    OK Guys, i've looked at other alternatives to Circumcision and the only one i can see sorting the problem without me having to get circumsized is to have a "Frenectomy". This means i would get the Frenulum fully removed but would keep the foreskin. Without a Frenulum i would have no problem keeping the foreskin back with an erection.

    Has anybody had a "Frenectomy" I'm guessing that most Urologists don't do this procedure but i'm getting it done. I didn't realise i could have just the Frenulum removed. It makes more sense to only remove the Frenulum if it is too tight. Why cut off the foreskin as well?

    I'm learning more about this condition everyday but am dismayed that i have had to do my own painstaking research to find out that there is another alternative to circumcision, even after a failed Frenuloplasty, but most urologists apparently don't discuss this option ("Frenectomy") with patients and just do the circumcision. Not good at all. :mad:.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭Stu


    Westskipper, i am aware that many people with a tight frenulum also have a degree of phimosis as well. I am one of them. But, phomosis can be cured with a Glansie Tool or other stretching exercises, a tight frenulum can only be fixed through a Frenuloplasty (that works) or a Frenectomy.

    Even a partial circumcision where just the tip of the foreskin is removed would seem a more sensible option that full removal of the foreskin. Foreskin restoration is becoming very popular is america amongst men circumsized at birth because many of these men cannot orgasm through penetration alone because of penis de-sensitisation.

    I'm quite amazed that most urologists don't tell men what all their options are. There are 5 different options including circumcision when you have a tight frenulum or phimosis yet more urologists just go ahead with circumcision. It's a scandal.


  • Registered Users Posts: 43 scared_silly


    Wibbs wrote: »
    No matter what the medical need happens to be, don't ever be rushed by any doctor. Indeed being rushed would for me be a red flag. There is always a second opinion(even if it agrees with the first).

    Got a phone call from the Urologist office, i'm getting an appointment only at the end of March (no surgery), which is way better than the end of May. So it appears it was just a misscommunication on the part of my GP.

    I have the name of the doctor, so i googled the hell out of her. She's young, only 2 years of experience of being a full time on her own Urologist Surgeon and she doesnt specialise in circumcision, although i doubt anybody does. It says she specialised in things like:
    Clinical Interests:
    Incontinence
    Bladder Cancer
    Kidney Cancer
    Prostate Cancer
    Kidney Stones
    Bladder Stones

    So i'm a little worried she is an unexpierenced doctor and she doesnt specialize in anything remotely like a penis! (even tho reviews of her have been good). I dont know if i should bring it up if shes says surgery is a must, would it be unprofessional to question her experience?


    I know this shouldnt matter but while googling her (sounds so stalkerish) i found her profile page on the hospital website which had her picture, shes in her mid to early 30's and is cute, so the physical examination is going to be awkward. Even talking about erection, sex, and foreskin was weird with my male GP. I was hoping for a mid 50's male urologist who looked like Harry Redknapp or something.



    Anyway till i meet the Urologist in a couple of weeks im going to continue stretching and i'll let ye know how i get on. Thanks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭Nip The Tip


    So i'm a little worried she is an unexpierenced doctor and she doesnt specialize in anything remotely like a penis! .....shes in her mid to early 30's and is cute

    I'll bet you 5 pounds she is VERY experienced with penises :D

    On one hand she'd have as much up close & personal "experience" with penises as a veteran circumciser male surgeon... on the other hand, if her boyfriend cheated on her or something she could cut more than your foreskin off out of spite! :eek:

    so the physical examination is going to be awkward.

    Yes, as you will probably get the horn when she examines you :) but I'm sure she's well used to that and won't think any less of you.

    I was hoping for a mid 50's male urologist who looked like Harry Redknapp or something.

    :pac: made me lol!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 117 ✭✭LaughOrDie


    Hi everyone,

    I'm getting a circumcision on the 1st April. I have a question for anyone who's had the op.

    How much time do you need off work? My GP said to take a week off after. I applied for the holidays off work but can't get it. My manager said if it's for a medical procedure I have to get it certified.

    Did any of you's have to take time off work? If so, how long? Was it certified?

    If it was certified can you get a doctors note in advance? And one last question who do I get to write the note? GP or Urologist?

    Thanks in advance


  • Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭Nip The Tip


    1st April, jeeez be careful they don't try to fool you!!

    I took 1 week off, and was fine going back. But I took personal holidays as it was an elective procedure and not like I had an accident or an illness or something (why should the company be at a loss, like).
    So I didn't get a cert. But I'd imagine a letter from your doctor would suffice.


  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭westskipper


    HI had the op done on a friday morning under local anaesthetic. Drove home afterwards and was back at work (gingerly) on the monday morning.

    All depends really on what type of work you do....if you have an easy desk job and you can drive to work, you should be fine on the 3rd day.

    LaughOrDie wrote: »
    Hi everyone,

    I'm getting a circumcision on the 1st April. I have a question for anyone who's had the op.

    How much time do you need off work? My GP said to take a week off after. I applied for the holidays off work but can't get it. My manager said if it's for a medical procedure I have to get it certified.

    Did any of you's have to take time off work? If so, how long? Was it certified?

    If it was certified can you get a doctors note in advance? And one last question who do I get to write the note? GP or Urologist?

    Thanks in advance


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,161 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Stu wrote: »
    I'm quite amazed that most urologists don't tell men what all their options are. There are 5 different options including circumcision when you have a tight frenulum or phimosis yet more urologists just go ahead with circumcision. It's a scandal.
    This is the bit I have the objection to. Far too many doctors it seems just go straight for full removal of the foreskin no matter what the condition presents as. Tight frenulum? Remove the lot. Tight opening to foreskin? remove the lot. Like if you had an infected little finger they'd lop off the whole hand. IMHO it's fashion and "how we've been taughtism" going on. Or quite simply they don't know the surgical alternatives(never mind the non surgical). Conservative procedures seem to be in the minority. :confused: Especially for a condition that affects a fair number of men.

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15,914 ✭✭✭✭tbh


    Wibbs wrote: »
    IMHO it's fashion and "how we've been taughtism" going on. .

    Or, they could be making a decision based on their medical experience and knowledge. In my job, eg , I've seen lots of times where people will want to make the least changes possible to try and fix a problem. I don't have a problem with my advice being ignored but I know that I'll be back in six months to do what I suggested originally.


  • Registered Users Posts: 73 ✭✭westskipper


    I am inclined to agree with TBH here - I was in the same position last autumn as i knew i needed to ave a case of tight frenulum and phimosis sorted out once and for all - I spent months reading all sorts of rubbish on websites from over the world, and i have to admit that the sites and forums which have been consistently closest to the truth as I have experienced it myself both before ad after the (elective) op has been this one and the British Men's Health magazine forum.

    I found most of the American forums were strongly biased one way or another, and there always seemed to be an agenda or product being promoted or endorsed. Part of the additional angle of the American forums seemed to be that a lot of men had either been circumcised as babies by routine procedure and were angry about that, or were adults seeking elective cosmetic circumcision, ie getting the chop so that they would 'fit in' with their buddies in the football locker room showers.

    While i am sure all of that needs to be discussed and aired somewhere, most of us in Ireland and the UK are coming from a different angle - very few of our residents have been routinely circ'd as infants or buys, except the members of some religious faiths, and very few are seeking circumcision for cosmetic or aesthetic reasons.

    Most folk have a problem with their foreskin which requires intervention, because it wont get better on its own.
    The question is whether a 'complete' circ, or a partial circ, or frenuloplasty/frenectomy is appropriate, or whether 'stretching' either with or without cortico-steroids or physical devices is satisfactory.

    That is what we are asking the urologist when we walk into his surgery as a total stranger to him. Some of us are happy with his opinion, some are not. However, he is a medical professional who has spent his life studying or practicing medicine and surgery and is likely to have a lot more qualified opinion on the subject that a lay person who has browsed the internet.

    In my own case, i did ask my surgeon about stretching and steriods etc and he said that if i wished to try them he would write the prescription for them and let me experiment with them for a few months. However, he also said that in his experience, it rarely worked for people with my prognosis, and that the vast majority ended up coming back with poor results and still requiring surgery. This is from a man who is in his late 40's, so he has over 20 years experience of medical practice, so why should i assume that he is short on knowledge of the subject ?

    The reassuring thing for me is that on both this forum and the MH forum, the vast majoiry of guys who had the snip reported that they were pleased with the result, had no regrets and did not feel that they were conned or had lost an irreplaceable part of their anatomy. Most felt that they had no loss of sexual sensation that mattered, and also that their wives/girlfriends were also happy. I can echo those sentiments, and i have no agenda nor am i endorsing anybody or any product.

    The beauty of our nation is that it is a free country and we have freedom of speech - nobody can be forced to have a circumcision unless they are in agreement, and if anyone wants to explore possible alternatives, they are free to do so. In fact I for one would be interested to find out the experiences of anybody who has opted for a course of stretching instead.

    But I honestly think that Irish doctors generally dont seek to push people into unecessary surgery and loss of tissue, we have a good base of medical professionals in this country who are less driven by the attraction of huge profit in private clinics paid for by generous private medical insurance that prevails in some other western countries....


    tbh wrote: »
    Or, they could be making a decision based on their medical experience and knowledge. In my job, eg , I've seen lots of times where people will want to make the least changes possible to try and fix a problem. I don't have a problem with my advice being ignored but I know that I'll be back in six months to do what I suggested originally.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,161 Mod ✭✭✭✭Wibbs


    Yep that's all very well, but at the same time the first response by most of men's medical experts in this thread has been full circ, IE removal of the lot. With very little if any discussion of how much is removed going on. It makes no sense. I give two hoots about their experience/qualifications on that score. Give me one good reason why the vast majority of posters have been advised or had a full removal of their foreskin, inner and outer. If a phimotic band exists then removal to the point where it occurs I can understand, but beyond that? It's neither logical, Hippocratic nor scientific. Ditto with full removal of the frenulum.

    OK, another question? How many of those on this thread were consulted or given a choice as to how much tissue to remove? How many here have been offered a partial removal of the problematic tissue? How many have been offered the notion of steroidal creams and stretching*. I can pretty much guarantee the words "fcuk all" springs to mind on all counts. Especially when it comes to the amount of tissue removed.

    The words "oh trust your doctor they know what's best" is daft. It's like any other job. Some are good, some are crap(though medicine is among the best to remove morons to be fair), but most go with the flow at the time. Don't believe me? Look over the last 50 odd years. Routine tonsil removal was... well routine. Then it was adenoids. Then we had glue ear as a fashion for a while. Then we had circumcision, which comes and goes. An Irish male in the 40/50's was likely to have been lopped at birth. That kicked off in victorian times and was a medical fetish for so long they forgot it was a fetish.

    I'd like any medical doctors who may be online to explain a couple of things;

    1) by what measurement do you judge how much tissue to remove?
    2) By extension of 1, why do you remove most of the foreskin tissue?
    3) Why don't you give alternatives? Never mind try them.
    4) How up to date are you with conservative surgical techniques?
    5) Without googling or hitting an updated Gray's or similar, what functions do the foreskin structures have? If you can't answer that you shouldnt be advising a damn thing IMHO.

    I totally agree with others on this thread. Get all the info you can. Find a doctor who will listen and remember the Hippocratic oath and work the path of least harm.

    Ye'll excuse me, :o I'm not some yank looney, :) Truth? I just come out in a fcuking rash when I hear the words "accepted wisdom". I really fcuking do. Plus I got interested in this particular subject when a mate of mine was told he needed the snip. Not usually the convo between blokes, but fear being what it is...(and beer) :) I thought as most did that "meh/piece of skin/no diff/etc" but did a little digging and it is truly bloody amazing how little medical science knows about the human foreskin. Or at least knows in the general doctor population. Shít the word schmuck means the discarded foreskin. A "Useless thing". Anyhoo this guy was told he needed the snip. Turned out he had a tight banjo string. Now he saw three local(Cork) urologists and they all said the same. All off/never gonna get better/no other option. He declined and cos his partner was(and is) French and her Da's a doctor he got a fourth opinion and after a frenulum operation and stretching he was fine and intact. He's got two kids now and before, sex without a condom was too painful. Now this is a good few years back, but I doubt biology has changed much in that time.



    *lets face it, if there are guys and gals out there with 4 cm holes in the cartilage of their earlobes, yet the stretchiest skin in the body can't give up a couple of mm? Shít there are friends of Sting in the amazon rain forest with lip plugs the size of CD's. Do not tell me there was no fibrous scar tissue involved in that. Does not compute

    Rejoice in the awareness of feeling stupid, for that’s how you end up learning new things. If you’re not aware you’re stupid, you probably are.



  • Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    Well its been 2 and a half weeks since Ive had the op & I musy say the healing has really speeded up in the last week alone. Ive relieved the little man twice (being veeeeery gentle though) so its all good in that department. Erections are no longer painful.Still a bit of sensitivity but im sure that will pass in time.Stitches are nearly all gone but theres still 1 or 2 stubborn ones.Ill leave them to fall off on their own.Im starting to appreciate the new look & wish Id had it done a long time ago.But as they say better late than never.
    Yeah I got that sunburnt skin peeling thing too, but only because I wore a loose, coarse pair of boxers on say the 8th or 9th day. Have you tried tight fitting jocks to stop the lad from flapping about?
    Mine was fine when I wore tight cacks. (not restrictive tight, just snug enough to hold the lad in place)

    Regarding the stitches, I found that after about 1 week they started letting go at one end etc and getting caught in the jocks etc - like an upstart on your fingernail.
    It wasn't until maybe 3 or 4 weeks when the last little bit came off.
    Seemed that they start to disolve real quick but take forever to completely feck off :rolleyes:

    hth

    Thanks for the advise man.Didnt do the the tight cacks thing at all really.I thought it would be better wearing loose boxers so as to let more air circulate around that area to speed up the healing process.Think it was the best decision for me really because of the high sensitivity.


  • Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭LegacyUser


    Am an Australian doctor, who has worked for over 20 years in the US, just returned to OZ.
    Sad to see the anti-American sentiment that smacks of stereotyping or not understanding the attitudes of US men. No matter. Forums like this are quite different in the US as someone here rightly noted, often dominated by gay men who want their foreskins back. There are few penile problems discussed on the US boards because there are so few penile problems there. There has been a bit of a drop in the rate because of immigrants who haven't yet adopted the custom for their children, but the rate is still well into the high 80% range. This mostly eliminates the need for a forum like this!! ;-)
    And it is definitely not the money that US doctors do newborn circs for!

    Done by someone who does lots of them- there are a few good clinics in the UK with excellent expertise- will produce a result that is as good as or better than the "original" equipment. I had mine done for non-medial reasons at 34 years of age and I wished I had done it sooner. Of course, creams, stretching have a place if the man is adamant about keeping the foreskin but as many studies have shown, and it has been my experience, the bit of foreskin that is removed plays no great role in sexual function and the low maintenance thereafter is a valuable gain.

    Here is a good website for scientific information and not the rubbish about miles of nerves arteries and the like being removed from the most sensitive part of the body!

    http://www.circinfo.net/


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 249 ✭✭Stu


    Listen Lads, the fact of the matter is that in most cases of Phimosis or a short Frenulum there is absolutely no need to remove the Foreskin. Wibbs is spot on with everything he's said in my opinion. Doctors don't know it all, infact some of them are clueless and are not well up on modern medical procedures and stick to what they learned 20 or 30 years ago in college. Times change and i for one would not take a doctors word as gospel, not a chance. I'd rather do my own research because at least i know i have my own best interests at heart where as a doctor will just tell you to get circumcised no matter how small the problem and thats just wrong.

    The foreskin has over 20,000 nerves and is way too important in my opinion to have removed unless absolutely necessary and in most cases it aint necessary. A glansie tool will sort out most cases of Phimosis within 3 weeks, how do i know this ...... because i purchased one over a year ago and sorted out my own Phimosis in under 2 weeks, my foreskin would go back if it wasn't for my short frenulum when previously it wouldn't even go back flaccid.

    I'm now in a situation where i need a Frenectomy (Full Frenulum Removal) but i know i'll be told to get a circ and god help the doctor who tells me a circ is the only option. I'll have to go back to see a doctor and pay him €50 to tell him that my Frenuloplasty didn't work and that i need to Frenulum removed and wait another year for the OP after referral. Jesus, its frustrating :mad: but i aint getting circumsized, especially now that i have extensively researched the subject.


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