My Circumcision Story

JaseBelleVie

This is my own experience of it:

JaseBelleVie wrote: »

I can't believe I'm going to tell this story, but here goes anyway. This is for guys who think that a tight foreskin and/or tight frenulum always equals "circumcision".

For starters, I have a fairly long foreskin. There's a lot of it. But I also suffered from frenulum breve. It made it impossible for me to fully retract my foreskin, made sex/masturbation painful sometimes and was just a nightmare. But, of course, I kept it a secret for ages. I was embarrassed and ashamed of the condition. Also, internet searches did nothing to assuage my concerns; the only course of treatment appeared to be a full circumcision and I did not want that.

I kept researching, however. I wanted to solve this problem and I wanted to be able to avoid getting circumcised. Eventually, I found out that there were/are surgical techniques that can be used that will allow relief from the condition.

I was 18 before I went to my GP and explained what was wrong. He examined me and told me the options. I vehemently opposed getting circumcised, and in fairness to him he didn't push it. I suggested the technique that I had "discovered" online and queried whether it would work. The procedure was a frenuloplasty, which is basically where small incisions are made in the frenulum, the frenulum is stretched to lengthen it and the incision is then closed to allow it to heal. It just makes your frenulum breve into just normal frenulum!

I was lucky that the procedure was covered by my parents' health insurance plan and I was able to get it done at a private clinic. It was done in like 10 minutes.

I was sweating and nervous and ready to faint before the procedure. But apart from the mild pinch of the local anaesthetic injection into my penis, I never felt a thing. For some reason, I opted for a local instead of them putting me out cold completely.

There was a shawl thing and a small screen covering from my stomach down, so I couldn't see what the surgeon was doing. Thanks to the anaesthetic, I felt nothing, but I could definitely sense movement and so on. The surgical assistant who was there could sense my nerves getting the better of me. He started light-hearted chatting and talking about football and other such stuff. It really, REALLY helped me. Before I knew it, the procedure was over, I was sutured up, bandaged up and ready to go home!

I had to refrain from sexual activity of any kind for six weeks afterwards. For an 18 year old, that was very hard (pardon the pun). Lukewarm baths, watching the sutures, keeping an eye on things and so on.

After a final check up, and it was all confirmed to be a success after 6 weeks of healing. It was seriously the best thing I had ever done. My penis looked and felt so much more normal! I had no pain or discomfort during sex or masturbation. For the first time in my life, I was able to get my foreskin fully retracted without any pinching or pain.

I found a few things very helpful:

-wear cotton briefs/y-fronts in the immediate future after the surgery; keeps things relatively motionless and secure.
-lukewarm baths are incredibly soothing and relaxing after the surgery and also keep the genital area clean.
-avoid anything remotely sexual following the operation. Even the Argos catalogue has lingerie pictures in it, so avoid!
-Don't take aspirin (thins the blood and can increase the chances of bleeding)
-Don't rush things. Starting too quick back into masturbating or sex can lead to unpleasantness that is best left to the imagination.
-There's no need for an immediate check up after the surgery, but I got one after a week just for my own peace of mind from my GP.
-Your penis will appear slightly different in the region of the surgery. This is normal and don't worry about it.
-Bruising and small bloodspots are normal. Only if there is persistent pain and bruising that fails to heal and so on is there a cause for concern.

However, this is all personal to me! Everyone is different. For me, I just couldn't bear to get a full circumcision, so I opted for the frenuloplasty. Other people may need a full circumcision.

Choose what feels the most right for you and also get advice from your GP and urologist. But don't suffer with it for longer than you have to.

I had a very severe case of frenulum breve when I was younger, and while a lot of doctors/website/etc. all gave the treatment as a full circumcision, I never wanted that at all. So I researched more and got more opinions and ended up with a frenuloplasty instead. And the result was so good and I was able to remain intact.

Obviously, some people are not able to get a less invasive procedure and need a circumcision, but I would strongly suggest that you consider all options first.

Best of luck with whatever decision you make!

anfearbeag

Some very fair points have been made by several people about the possibility that stretching (with steroid creams) or frenuloplasty (modifying the frenulum by means of a 'Z' shaped incision to make it longer and thinner) can be a viable alternative to the full circumcision.

There is some truth in this, but it may not apply to all people.

From what I was told by the doctors, age is the most important factor. The younger you are when the problem is first diagnosed, the better.

The original problem may in fact be frenulum breve (tight thick frenulum), which leads to a 'tight' foreskin on erection. However, if left untreated for years, the pulling and tearing which this causes on occasion :rolleyes: results in damage to the tissue - some of which may lead to tearing, bleeding and bacterial infection - and results in the formation of scar tissue.

This process accelerates in the thirties and beyond because your skin becomes less elastic due to aging (less elastin is produced from mid-thirties onwards) and therefore is more prone to tearing. This can result in an even thicker, less elastic scarred frenulum - which causes even more pain and tightness - and scarring of the foreskin at the tearing site also which eventually presents itself as a white ring of scar tissue at a site on the inner foreskin.

As scar tissue is by definition not elastic at all (contains no elastin) it will not stretch - even with steroid creams and stretching exercises - so at this point a vicious circle has been established which cannot (apparently) be resolved in any way except by excision of that scar tissue and surgical modification or removal of the frenulum.

Therefore I would suggest that if you are in your teens or early twenties it may be worth asking about the options for stretching, frenuloplasty etc as it may work in your case, depending on the exact nature of your problem that is.
However, due to the human aging process, if you are older and have been suffering from this issue for years, it would appear less likely that non surgical resolution is going to be a success, especially if your foreskin has been scarred.

This may explain why different people have been recommended different options.

BTW, 'preputioplasty' (prepuce is the anatomical term for foreskin) is just another term for a surgical procedure where a permanent slit is made longitudinally in the foreskin so that the cylindrical 'sleeve' of foreskin is now a 'wrap' of foreskin, which will now be loose and floppy (or flappy ?) While it doesnt result in a removal of foreskin tissue, it does permanently disrupt the nature of the foreskin and leaves you with a non intact foreskin. Is this better or worse than a circumcision ? That is the question.

It is possible to have a 'partial' circumcision (usually in combination with frenuloplasty) where the white scarred ring is removed from the foreskin and the cuts ends either side of that side at stitched together, therefore resolving all of your problems at once. This results in a shorter foreskin, but not as short as the full circumcision - and if you had a long foreskin to start with, you may still have enough left to look nearly 'normal', ie glans covered when soft.
However, some people who have had this procedure dont like the result, as how the foreskin folds at the end (where it tucks in) is different to a non modified foreskin and feels weird as it was no designed to fold there. This is obviously up to the individual and is a matter of personal choice.

With a 'fuller' circumcision (whether with a high or low cut line) there wont be any folding of the foreskin as there is much less loose skin to fold when soft) so this isnt an issue, the skin is pulled smooth and it lies flat.

So the answer to the various viewpoints about possible resolutions would appear to be....there is no one answer. Each case is different, each person is an individual, each resolution may be different. There is no one resolution for everybody, some people may have a few options available if they seek enough medical opinion, others may have only one solution available any more.

Good luck to all you guys out there, hope you find the best solution for your own issue, whichever it may be. Thats whats important.

Wibbs

Good post AFB however

anfearbeag wrote: »

BTW, 'preputioplasty' (prepuce is the anatomical term for foreskin) is just another term for a surgical procedure where a permanent slit is made longitudinally in the foreskin so that the cylindrical 'sleeve' of foreskin is now a 'wrap' of foreskin, which will now be loose and floppy (or flappy ?)

You're describing a dorsal slit, not a preputioplasty. The "slit" isn't permanent. As the wiki describes it "limited dorsal slit with transverse closure". It also goes on to suggest "However, Y-plasty and Z-plasty require a degree of surgical sophistication that physicians in general practice may lack.". Maybe this is one reason it's not on the table of options? Back in the tread one poster had a doctor who seemed entirely ignorant of the procedure and another who thought it meant what you describe above, which is not good when men are looking for options. It does seem from the majority of men on this thread who have sought medical advice that full circumcision is in pretty much every case the only option they're offered.

Good luck to all you guys out there, hope you find the best solution for your own issue, whichever it may be. Thats whats important.

+1

Gael23

JaseBelleVie wrote: »

This is my own experience of it:



I had a very severe case of frenulum breve when I was younger, and while a lot of doctors/website/etc. all gave the treatment as a full circumcision, I never wanted that at all. So I researched more and got more opinions and ended up with a frenuloplasty instead. And the result was so good and I was able to remain intact.
Obviously, some people are not able to get a less invasive procedure and need a circumcision, but I would strongly suggest that you consider all options first.

Best of luck with whatever decision you make!

How do you find masturbation now being circumcised?
I had a full circumcision 16 years ago age 8 due to constant infections caused be the phimosis.
If I had it over again maybe I would look at other options but I guess I never knew and different in terms of function, you just have to add lubricant for anything to happen. Phimosis is probably the worst pain I have experienced in all my life. I remember going to my GP and nearly passing out trying to give a urine sample.
I got a severe UTI 11 months ago but in 16 years I've only had 3 of them so it did work

JaseBelleVie

Gael23 wrote: »

How do you find masturbation now being circumcised?
I had a full circumcision 16 years ago age 8 due to constant infections caused be the phimosis.
If I had it over again maybe I would look at other options but I guess I never knew and different in terms of function, you just have to add lubricant for anything to happen. Phimosis is probably the worst pain I have experienced in all my life. I remember going to my GP and nearly passing out trying to give a urine sample.
I got a severe UTI 11 months ago but in 16 years I've only had 3 of them so it did work

I'm not circumcised, though. I got a frenuloplasty done when I was 18. Up to that point, I had frenulum breve, which made it impossible for me to fully retract my foreskin (when I was soft or hard; it was actually painful if I tried to retract it at all, to be honest). This made sex, masturbation, and hygiene all a lot more difficult.

I was 18 when I had the frenuloplasty, and it is the best thing I've ever had done. I didn't have to get circumcised and my problems with frenulum breve are gone.

The reason I had opted for a frenuloplasty instead of a full circumcision was because I had read all these horror stories of losing sensitivity and potential mishaps that can happen during the operation and so on. However unlikely this instances may be, it had a really strong effect on me, and I was adamant that I would not get a circumcision if I could avoid it.

I'm absolutely delighted that I was able to get a much less invasive procedure than a full circ and the result was absolutely perfect. It was almost like going from black and white to full colour once it was done.

Gael23

JaseBelleVie wrote: »

I'm not circumcised, though. I got a frenuloplasty done when I was 18. Up to that point, I had frenulum breve, which made it impossible for me to fully retract my foreskin (when I was soft or hard; it was actually painful if I tried to retract it at all, to be honest). This made sex, masturbation, and hygiene all a lot more difficult.

I was 18 when I had the frenuloplasty, and it is the best thing I've ever had done. I didn't have to get circumcised and my problems with frenulum breve are gone.

The reason I had opted for a frenuloplasty instead of a full circumcision was because I had read all these horror stories of losing sensitivity and potential mishaps that can happen during the operation and so on. However unlikely this instances may be, it had a really strong effect on me, and I was adamant that I would not get a circumcision if I could avoid it.

I'm absolutely delighted that I was able to get a much less invasive procedure than a full circ and the result was absolutely perfect. It was almost like going from black and white to full colour once it was done.

So you can function the same way sexually?

JaseBelleVie

Gael23 wrote: »

So you can function the same way sexually?

Absolutely! If anything, my sex life and everything else improved so much after I had the operation, you would not believe!

Before the op, sex and everything else was at best awkward and uncomfortable, at worst painful and just impossible. Obviously, not all the time, but a lot of the time. It was hell.

After the op. It was a new lease on life! Sexual function is one million percent.

kaji

Today is Day 15 post circumcision for me. I yanked the stitches out last night, they were coming out anyway. I am just dying for a release, I really want to masturbate but don't want to mess up the healing.

JaseBelleVie

kaji wrote: »

Today is Day 15 post circumcision for me. I yanked the stitches out last night, they were coming out anyway. I am just dying for a release, I really want to masturbate but don't want to mess up the healing.

Sweet JESUS. :eek:

Did that not kill with pain?! Seriously? I don't know how you did that one. I hope it worked, regardless.

It's as rough as anything, believe me. I was 18 and couldn't go near it for 6 weeks following my operation (not a full circ). It is worth it for the agony of having to wait to not screw up your penis. Please bear with it and let it heal.

kaji

I pulled at them and they just slid out. It was painless actually.

Wibbs

kaji wrote: »

I pulled at them and they just slid out. It was painless actually.

As of these posts our Kaji is now officially hard as nails.

hefferboi

Op booked for May 26th. How long should I take off work?

whiskeyman

hefferboi wrote: »

Op booked for May 26th. How long should I take off work?

What sort of job do you have?

If office job, and if you can, a week is great to help with healing and give you time to take it all in!

IvyTheTerrible

Sorry to butt into this thread as I am a woman but my 3 year old son has some issues with a tight foreskin (I didn't even realise it was a thing to check but his pediatrician checks routinely at each developmental check up). Initially she said to stretch it a little bit every time his has a bath, when this didn't change anything, she prescribed steroid cream which we used, and it seemed to improve things a bit (at 2.5 years) so we stopped using cream, but now pedi says it has regressed so we have to go back to the cream! He hasn't had any infections or pain or anything like that. Does anyone else have a boy with the similar issues? Can it be resolved just with stretching a cream? I'm not looking for medical advice, just reassurance, as I'd really prefer not to have to go down the surgery route.
And if it resolves itself, can the problem come back at puberty?

adam88

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Sorry to butt into this thread as I am a woman but my 3 year old son has some issues with a tight foreskin (I didn't even realise it was a thing to check but his pediatrician checks routinely at each developmental check up). Initially she said to stretch it a little bit every time his has a bath, when this didn't change anything, she prescribed steroid cream which we used, and it seemed to improve things a bit (at 2.5 years) so we stopped using cream, but now pedi says it has regressed so we have to go back to the cream! He hasn't had any infections or pain or anything like that. Does anyone else have a boy with the similar issues? Can it be resolved just with stretching a cream? I'm not looking for medical advice, just reassurance, as I'd really prefer not to have to go down the surgery route.
And if it resolves itself, can the problem come back at puberty?

For his sake Id get the op. He'll thank you in years to come, he won't remember s thing about it now but if he has to get it done in later years it will be a big thing

JaseBelleVie

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Sorry to butt into this thread as I am a woman but my 3 year old son has some issues with a tight foreskin (I didn't even realise it was a thing to check but his pediatrician checks routinely at each developmental check up). Initially she said to stretch it a little bit every time his has a bath, when this didn't change anything, she prescribed steroid cream which we used, and it seemed to improve things a bit (at 2.5 years) so we stopped using cream, but now pedi says it has regressed so we have to go back to the cream! He hasn't had any infections or pain or anything like that. Does anyone else have a boy with the similar issues? Can it be resolved just with stretching a cream? I'm not looking for medical advice, just reassurance, as I'd really prefer not to have to go down the surgery route.
And if it resolves itself, can the problem come back at puberty?

No! Do not get him circumcised! The foreskin is adhered to the glans when a boy is very young. It is potentially harmful to try to force it to retract before he hits puberty. I'm not his doctor, so I don't know how severe it is, but don't get him circumcised so early. Unless it is causing him pain, preventing him for peeing normally or something, leave it alone.

According to a study by Gairdner, the foreskin is usually still fused with the glans at birth. As childhood progresses, they gradually separate. There are differing reports on the age at which the foreskin can be retracted. Thorvaldsen and Meyhoff (2005) reported that 21% of 7-year-old boys in their study had non-retractable foreskins and this proportion dropped to 7% at puberty, with first retraction at an average age of 10.4 years but Gairdner reported that only 10% of 3-year-old boys had non-retractable foreskins, however, Gairdner was wrong about development of foreskin retraction. Wright (1994) argues that forcible retraction of the foreskin should be avoided and that the child himself should be the first one to retract his own foreskin. Attempts to forcibly retract it can be painful and may cause injury

Until he's a bit older, please do not be worried if his foreskin can't retract. Only if it stays like that as he gets older should you consider medical intervention.

The following is a bit graphic, so if you are a bit squeamish, do not read:

When a baby boy or a young boy is circumcised, the foreskin is fused to the glans, as mentioned above. When a baby/young boy is circumcised, the foreskin has to be literally torn away from the glans due to it being fused in place. This can lead to scarring on the glans and is, as you can imagine, very painful.

Wibbs

+1 to J's post. Link from wikipedia on the matter.. There are other independent studies out there that back this up(which makes the doc checking this all the more odd and the steroid cream in one so young). Maybe a second opinion? Though if online try to avoid the US based rabidly pro or anti circumcision sites for info. They're incredibly polarised, it's damn near a fetish with some of them.

Gael23

I had it done age 8 following recurrent infections which eventually led to passing urine being an agonising experience. I think I'd wait for a few more years if possible but at the same time accept the possibly it may be the best option in years to come, o would think its best before puberty because then you don't feel your missing anything.

kaji

Today is Day 17 since my circumcision. I finally masturbated (carefully) yesterday. The true effects of the circumcision can really be seen when you're erect and made me realise how glad I am I got it done. Also, when I came, I shot straight out rather than just slowly come out before, guess it was because of the tight foreskin before. Anyway, for those that say people lose sensations, I actually thought it was a more intense session than ever before.

hefferboi

whiskeyman wrote: »

What sort of job do you have?

If office job, and if you can, a week is great to help with healing and give you time to take it all in!

I work in a factory, its all manual work so I don't know if that would affect it? Is there any way that i could kind of bandage it up so it wouldn't be hanging loose and rubbing off the pants?

Also, its for the 26th of May and we're planning a lads holiday around the start of July, would I be healed enough by then to have sex do ye think?

Gael23

kaji wrote: »

Today is Day 17 since my circumcision. I finally masturbated (carefully) yesterday. The true effects of the circumcision can really be seen when you're erect and made me realise how glad I am I got it done. Also, when I came, I shot straight out rather than just slowly come out before, guess it was because of the tight foreskin before. Anyway, for those that say people lose sensations, I actually thought it was a more intense session than ever before.

Just be really careful with it. Make sure your hand is clean before you start and you clean your penis after you come.
You seem to have found it more pleasurable than before?

kaji

Gael23 wrote: »

Just be really careful with it. Make sure your hand is clean before you start and you clean your penis after you come.
You seem to have found it more pleasurable than before?

Yeah, I mostly massaged the head. I tried now to touch the scarline. Yeah, it was more intense at the end, but I guess there is some loss of sensation when getting there. I'm ok with that. It builds up more at the end then I find. Plus, I last longer.

Gael23

kaji wrote: »

Yeah, I mostly massaged the head. I tried now to touch the scarline. Yeah, it was more intense at the end, but I guess there is some loss of sensation when getting there. I'm ok with that. It builds up more at the end then I find. Plus, I last longer.

I was done 16 years ago age 8 so I have no experience of before but I still find the sensation I get quite nice. You can hold it easily enough once you stop stroking at the right point and last a few minutes longer. For me, it can take up to a few minutes to feel anything but it can end up being quite intense just before ejaculation. I find it can take 5-10 mins from 1st tug to coming

anon0314

Hey guys, regular poster going anon initially.

From reading through the thread it appears that some posters have 'cut out the middle man' so to speak and have just made an appointment directly with a Urologist without going to a GP first. Can anyone confirm if this is indeed possible? I'll be going Private if that makes a difference.

LegacyUser

Hi anon0314,

i got a partial circ done about 3 weeks ago at a private clinic in north dublin, which has been mentioned countless times in the thread.

I rang up and asked for an appointment for the end of that week, they couldn't do it that soon but offered a date the following week.

I went in the next week, had the check-up and the procedure done there and then, was about 3 hours but i was waiting for about an hour and half due the usual issues in any health clinic (someone came in sick!).

I had never spoken to any Doctor about this issue before seeing the doc doing the circ that evening, due to embarrassment i suppose and what ever other excuses i could think of.

The biggest joke of all is before the procedure he asked if i minded if a female doc viewed the op and i said i had no problem with that, (by the end there were the doc and 3 others in the room for the surgery!) and i genuinely didn't have an issue with this at all because i was just so bloody happy to have finally had it done.

I should mention the doc would have kept the room private had i wished.

As for my own circ most of the stitches have fallen out and just the foreskin which was peeled aback and the glands are sensitive. Still have all my foreskin under the glands which i am happy about.

I had a very bad case of phimosis which i realised was a problem when i was 16 but did nothing about until now when i'm 34.

My advice to anyone who thinks they have an issue, just go and see your doctor first of all, confirm there is a problem and if there is just talk to him/her about what you can do to sort it out.

Don't be an idiot like me who knew there was an issue and solution but did nothing about it out of fear and embarrassment.

Btw to the OP of this thread, its probably the most balanced source of actual info and real live experiences of adult circumcisions anywhere on the web that i found so kudos to you my man, you and the others here who contributed really saved me from myself.

Also i am not advocating circumcision in any case other than when it is medically necessary and certainly don't agree with the op being carried out on newborns but for someone like me, it's been a godsend. Here's hoping the healing continues unabated and good luck to anyone getting the op done.

HalloweenJack

I'm an hour out of the OR and already back at home (this is with the Spanish HSE so I imagine they have different norms, etc).

Tbh, it doesn't hurt as much as I thought it would. The operation was fairly quick, maybe twenty minutes altogether. It was fairly traumatic, even with the anesthesia I felt a lot more than I would have liked, but then I'm also a terrible patient and incredibly nervous about anything medical related.

I'm genuinely relieved that I've got it done. The last few days I've been really nervous about it but at least it's out of the way. I've taken today and tomorrow off so will have four days with nothing to do, just relax.

I'm finally feeling very positive about the whole experience.

HalloweenJack

Had my bandages changed today and got a first glimpse of what it looks like now. It's a lot different but the old look gave me a lot of trouble so I'm not going to get upset about it, just remind myself that what it was like before was what was causing me problems and getting me down.

Peeing is tricky because of the bandages but it's a small price to pay for how much more confident and happier I've been since the op just 25 hours ago.

After all the nerves of the last few weeks and how much I build it up in my head, I can't believe how good I'm feeling about it right now Still a way to go of course but it's nowhere near as traumatic (the operation aside but then again it's only 20 odd minutes) as I had imagined.

happycirc

Hey lads, I had a partial circ 4 years ago, it's the best thing I ever did. I was reluctant going to GP and urologist, but they've seen it All before!

I had a few days discomfort but was back at work in 2 days.

My sex life only really began properly after the circumcision, no pain anymore and a lot more sensitivity and more intense climax. I even think my penis is a bit bigger as the tight foreskin was holding it from getting bigger when aroused.

My advice is, if fear is holding you back, just go for it- life is too short and sex is one of our few simple pleasures!

LegacyUser

Hi,

To grab your attention, just yesterday I was circumcised in a south Dublin hospital.

I don't think there's enough information on this 180 page thread from people who have actually gotten circumcised in Ireland & I've no doubt it causes quite a lot of anxiety among those who it may be deemed medically necessary/beneficial down the line for - certainly the case for me.

There will always be those who are pro- & anti-circumcision, but at the end of the day, you need to make the best decision for YOU, irrespective of others' "commonly held beliefs". That decision simply just needs to be informed through consultation(s), factual research, & your own best judgement.

I'm 25 & had BXO and phimosis. I literally couldn't retract my foreskin at all. It was welded to the underside of the glans (i.e. couldn't see the frenulum), whilst the top side was separated from the head, but the combination of the phimosis ring being so tight and also the opening in the foreskin literally the size of a pea made it virtually impossible to pull back. The BXO caused a whitening of the tissue & sort of a bumpy uneven opening. If dry, the skin easily tore during masturbation and then hardened up causing more scar tissue - quite unwelcome & stinging for a day or two. BXO was also linked to penile cancer to some extent by the consultant, I just can't remember how closely.

Separate to most with phimosis, sex wasn't actually sore at all because the foreskin wasn't being pulled halfway over the head or anything, it literally stayed completely covering the entire head except for the small opening, so there wasn't this "squeezing/strangling" effect on the glans. The problem was while cumming etc. was normal, there was a lack of sensation with how the thick foreskin just sat there. For both medical & psychological reasons, I had to get this done. I've carried it around for about 7/8 years since knowledgable about it, & only now had the courage to do it. Easy to say "wish I had done it sooner" but for anyone grappling with it, a natural point will come when you decide you can no longer put up with it & you'll take action.

Under general anaesthetic its literally pain free, natural nerves etc lying in the bay waiting to be brought to theatre but you're comforted by the nurses. Once the anaesthetic goes in, (also I hate needles but I swear a pinch is more sore than the little thing they put in your hand), you're out & next thing wake up in a recovery area. It only takes 20-30 mins for the procedure. Given a local anaesthetic in the penis while you're knocked out so that numbs any potential pain for when you wake up, hence why you feel none.

After a bit of food and tea and passing urine, you're free for discharge (by someone you've arranged e.g. relative or a friend) a few hours later (I was in at 12 & out at 7, in theatre about 3).

They say wear loose clothes, but after talking to them after they agreed tight boxers are fine too, so tight black boxers and the penis pointing upwards (helps take blood away and reduce swelling) is perfect to stop that sensitivity of the now exposed glans against the cotton boxers. I'm able to walk around fine (almost normal) with tight boxers.

There was and still is (24 hours later) quite a bit of swelling on the right side of the glans, although I think this won't subside until I remove the tight bandages (told to do this 3 days after). There is some minor bruising around the corona & also a tiny blister or two, but they're only unsightly side effects that don't hurt.

The stitches are dissolvable but I can't see them under the bandaging yet. Told to wait until bandage off to get the whole area wet in bath/shower, whatever I'm comfortable with. Given a prescription to take augmentin which is to pre-empt any infections occurring and keep them at bay.

Had a couple erections last night but I tucked into foetal position which helps & there was only very very mild discomfort - I suspect everyone will be different due to penis size, location of cut, bandaging etc.

I'm sure there's more I could put in here but this is long enough as it is & covers the majority of it. I really think mine was a more extreme case of underdevelopment of the foreskin than others, where pulling the foreskin halfway back or so is common for a lot of "sufferers" whereas it wasn't possible for me.

At any rate, full circumcision for me will be aesthetically pleasing once healed & when you're backed into a corner with no other option (initially I wanted anything but a circ, but that was BEFORE I did ANY research), you come to terms with it & it's actually a very positive outcome given the situation you were in.

Hope this resonates to some extent with some & is a help as opposed to a hindrance. I'm not going to be posting anything more beyond this FYI so undoubtedly anyone "anti-circ", it will fall on deaf ears. Good luck to those who have similar issues.

HalloweenJack

Been 25 days since the op now and it seems like everything's going well. I was back at the doctor last week just so I could get a checkup and they didn't say anything one way or the other so I guess no news is good news. The stitches have started falling out but I don't know if they've all fallen out yet. I'm still adjusting to the being able to feel every single movement down there. I'm always a bit nervous as I don't know if it's a bad feeling or just the norm for now (though, I'm aware it's just the norm, just at the moment of it happening, I'm never too sure).

I have a girlfriend and we've been together a long time. She's been very understanding for the last year or so since I've had my problem but I know she wants to return to the bedroom. I do too but, understandably I feel, I'm incredibly nervous about it as I don't know how it's going to go.

Any suggestions for this?