My Circumcision Story

jarom676

So.. Reading all the positive stories about circumcision here really gave me hope for when I had mine. I had phimosis for most of my 30's (I'm 42 now) and in the last 2 years or so I also found what felt like hard lumps under the foreskin on the glans. I was worried about this in particular. In April I eventually went to my GP (who's a woman) about it.. She suggested circumcision and referred me to the local hospital to a surgeon. (I currently have a medical card). I saw him in May and he agreed that circumcision would be required. It was the phimosis they were both suggesting this for. The lumps under the foreskin were believed to probably be trapped Smegma, although I felt it was something more.

Well let me tell you.. My procedure was no where near as simple and quick as those described by a lot of you guys.. I had mine done this week, on Monday, 25th. I was in for 8am, I was checked in by this African nurse (who turned out to be dangerously incompetent later), I had a long wait. I was seen be a female member of the surgeons team who looked about 16 and I'm not sure who was more awkward, me or her. I went down to the theatre for the procedure about noon. The surgeon was on holidays so a visiting locum was actually the one carrying out the op. He spoke to me briefly before the procedure and told me he would sort out what ever needs to be sorted with any lumps. I went under General anesthetic. I woke up about an hour later in the recovery room. I was transferred back to the day ward to rest. My penis was bandaged and I couldn't feel anything. I didn't look down at it. I stayed in bed for about 2 hours resting. The nurse passed a few times asking how I was etc, she never checked my bandage for bleeding etc. Then I was being encouraged to have a wee before I could leave. I slid myself off the bed and blood started dripping and running everywhere.. This black nurse popped her head in to my cubicle and said oh what are you doing or something like that. She grabbed some gauze and bandages and briefly instructed me on how to put them on myself and then left, she left me there bleeding and ****ed off. I was shocked, about 2 mins later I rang the alert botton and 2 or 3 other nurses arrived in and saw the urgency of the situation and started working to stem the bleeding and they alerted the surgeon to come down, which he did quite quickly.. I had had a bleed from a point that hadn't been properly closed off and possibly a stitch had popped too. He said I had a haematoma and I would have to go back to surgery to evacuate the haematoma. Since they had already given me tea and toast they couldn't do another General anesthetic so I had to get a spinal anesthetic for my bottom half and some local too. So I had to go back to the theatre where they had to reopen my wound sort the haematoma and recheck for bleeds and close everything up again. The surgeon was sort of trying to joke with me a bit during the procedure the second time as obviously I was conscious. Oh you must really love this place etc. It turned out also that my lumps were actually just caused by blocked sebaceous glands so were totally benign. I was sent back to recovery again with my bottom half feeling paralysed for the next 2-3 hours but slowly wearing off. Two of the side effects from this spinal anesthetic were nausea and urine retention both of which I suffered from. I couldn't pee and later that night they had to put in a catheter (right into my pee hole). I lay on my back all night on a drip with fluids going in one end and going out the other into a bag. And I was on oxygen. The next morning I was able to wee OK myself and get up and about etc. My bandage had fallen off too and had to be put on again. I got out of hospital that evening about 5pm, after being in for about 35 hours. So.. Not an easy procedure at all for me and not helped by a surgeon who obviously didn't close all the blood vessels properly and a stupid nurse who either doesn't like blood or touching men's penis's. I'm going to put in a complaint about her.

Hopefully this heals ok.. And as I'm 'a grower not a shower' hopefully the surgeon didn't take off too much skin as that can be a problem later when your penis is erect. I hope to God that didn't happen. I googled this particular surgeon afterwards and saw that he was in trouble for negligence years ago!! 😳😳😳

northwest40s

You poor man. If you have any questions about healing or after care, send me a private message or look back on some of my posts. I had a very positive experience and even though the pain was awful during the healing for the first few weeks, it does get better. Just don't try to be too brave without painkillers. Nurofen plus took the edge off and my surgeon put me on antibiotics before the operation in case of infection. He also said i could take 2 paracetamol every time I had the nurofen plus. I kept bandaging it up for a couple of weeks while it healed and i made a strong salt bath and got a little plastic jug to dip my penis in and leave it there in pre boiled water. I had it good and warm and it really helped with the healing. I heal well and some of the stitches started pulling and cutting through my remaining attached skin. I ended up snipping them to get relief. It all healed up well. I'm a grower too and i had plenty of skin left.

tooktheplunge

So I thought I'd give a quick update on my experience to date after having a partial circumcision last Tuesday. There has been highs and lows so to speak but overall very happy with progress.

The first three days was the hardest bit of the recovery. After waking up on Wednesday, there was a lot of blood on the dressing which meant I had to clean and replace the dressing straight away. I personally found it difficult to clean the head of the penis for the first three days, naturally due to the sensitivity. It was maybe more psychological than anything though. However, to prevent infection I knew it had to be done. I kept the soldier bandaged up as per my after care instructions and just watched boxsets to pass the days. For anybody getting a partial circumcision done, I'd recommend taking 2-3 days off work. With hindsight they are needed and it does help with recovery.

From the fourth day onward I stopped the dressings. I took showers for the first time which turned out to be no problem and I practised stretching the remaining skin in the shower. It goes over the head now which is a relief with no issues. The sensitivity is still there particularly when the head brushes against the cotton material of my boxers but I'm definitely getting used to it. With the cut I agreed on, when flaccid, the skin covers 75% of the head. It gives it quite an uncircumcised look which I'm delighted with.

I'm currently on day 9 of recovery and everything is going well. The wound is healing nicely and there is no swelling or bruising. At present it is a waiting game for the remaining stitches to come out and the sensitivity to die down but I hope given another two weeks, I'll be nearly there in terms of full recovery.

Overall, I'm very happy to have got this procedure out of the way. The healing is quicker than I thought and I'm glad I opted for a partial circumcision rather than a full one. Don't get me wrong, there was times in recovery when the days dragged in and I was questioning my sanity but now that I've made it this far into recovery I honestly have no regrets about getting it done. To quote many a person on this site, my only regret was not having it done sooner.
If anybody needs any info or has questions, dont hesitate to message me

jarom676

northwest40s wrote: »

You poor man. If you have any questions about healing or after care, send me a private message or look back on some of my posts. I had a very positive experience and even though the pain was awful during the healing for the first few weeks, it does get better. Just don't try to be too brave without painkillers. Nurofen plus took the edge off and my surgeon put me on antibiotics before the operation in case of infection. He also said i could take 2 paracetamol every time I had the nurofen plus. I kept bandaging it up for a couple of weeks while it healed and i made a strong salt bath and got a little plastic jug to dip my penis in and leave it there in pre boiled water. I had it good and warm and it really helped with the healing. I heal well and some of the stitches started pulling and cutting through my remaining attached skin. I ended up snipping them to get relief. It all healed up well. I'm a grower too and i had plenty of skin left.

Thanks for that. I'm on day 5 now and I'm feeling a little better. I haven't had any pain really other than the terrible sensitivity and stinging in the glans when touched. I'm still concerned about the amount of skin left but I won't know if that is an issue until I'm healed and am having erections properly. My ball sack is totally purple / bruised and I presume that will go away in a week or two.. Think with having a smaller penis I should have had a half circumcision maybe.. I just hope all is ok when I'm healed.

kaibon

I have gone through the same thing. I never knew the foreskin was supposed to be retracted. My father fled from a religious country to here and he was circumcised at birth. My father fled because he was a political atheist. When I was born he said no to circumcision because he wanted me to be like everyone else. However since he didn't have a foreskin he didn't know that I was supposed to retract it and never told me anything. Then I couldn't have sex at 19 because of pain and I met a GP and he told me about it. I tried stretching and didn't work so I had to get a circumcision.

I remember telling my father who was first angry because he thought I had gone religious after everything he had gone through. I told him about the problem and he said okay, no problem, we'll get through this. Got the operation a while ago. Remember a few days later my dad seeing me in pain because of the sensitivity and he got teary eyed and said he now wished that he had gotten it for me as a child so I wouldn't have gone through this now and that he wish he knew and told me about it at a younger age when stretching was probably more possible. The reason for his regret is because my mother still wanted it for me at birth so he pushed back at her to not have it done.

I told him I really appreciated his choice and that I was at least given the possibility of a normal foreskin and I will not have my sons circumcised. I told him he is not to blame for not knowing what to do with a foreskin. We hugged for the first time in like 10 years and if something this operation has brought me closer to my dad which I really appreciate.

The plus side I guess is that I look like a person who would get circumcised at birth so it's not a shock to prospective partners..

That's my story, quite some irony in there about me being the first in a line of ancestors not to get it done at birth and then needing it for medical reasons. I hope my future son is the first not to have it even though it isn't the biggest deal in the universe. Just as a symbol for the work my father did as a youngster.

Also the surgery has given me more appreciation for family, friends and experiences. After the surgery I could barely move for two weeks and I was crying sometimes because I missed exercise and everyone around me. Since the surgery I've been calling at least one friend or family member each day and I never say no to invitations anymore. I realized how awful it must be to have certain diseases and I would want to have lived my life to the fullest before anything else gets to me or someone I know. So in a weird twist of events my surgery helped me conquer my social anxiety, depression and has made me appreciate life for every day that goes by. I'm grateful for modern medicine and so many other things.

northwest40s

That sounds like a very positive outcome. If you have any questions about the healing process, have a look back at my earlier posts or send me a private message. At least you're not going through this alone. It's good to have support. Let me know if you have any questions.

Converse1959

Has anybody got it done in St Vincents private? It's covered by my insurance there but I have also had an initial consultation in Malahide.

I have only heard good things about Malahide and am wondering if I'm better off paying out of pocket. At the same time maybe Vincent's private is just as good.

Any help very much appreciated!

Waestrel

Hi fellas , anyone have experience "restoring" the foreskin?

IanB23

tooktheplunge wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Long time lurker on this forum and have gone through exactly what many of you have also experienced in regards to phismosis.
I myself have went for the operation today at a certain location in Malahide, I understand that I am not allowed to name the clinic or doctor in question but lets just say that without naming his name, a famous cartoon fireman comes to mind.

To give some background to my personal situation, I myself am 23 years old and to this date suffered extreme phismosis in that i could never pull the head back at all... even when flacid. It bugged me for years and when having sex.... I got no pleasure from doing so as the foreskin would not retract and i knew something had to be done. It was hell at times knowing that I couldn't perform like the majority of the male population.

From looking at these forums over the course of a few months and reading the positive reviews of this place, I decided to take the plunge and book the appointment with the place in Malahide. I emailed last Thursday to see if I could get a consultation and procedure in the near future and was contacted within hours from the doctor stating that I could in fact have both the following Tuesday afternoon, a very quick turnaround and I gratefully accepted the offered date.

For me personally, travelling from Northern Ireland, it suited me to travel down and stay in a hotel for the procedure as i did not want my parents having to watch me potentially limp round the house back home. I was lucky enough to have booked annual leave that week so it made sense for me to get it over and done with. It turns out that the clinic I went to can issue a certified certificate of leave stating 'medical procedure' which is recognised by employers...something which I did not realise before arriving so anybody who has concerns over work... a certificate can be issued which has to be recognised by employers for sick leave.

This morning I woke up and did not eat or drink anything (fast for 4 hours)... as advised by the email I received after accepting the appointment. I arrived down in loose tracksuit bottoms with tight 'jocks' or boxers as described. From then on I was looked after brilliantly upon arrival. The first thing you have to do is read and sign a medical consent form. Not gonna lie,, after reading the medical consent form I did get a bit nervous as it was hitting home that I was getting the op done... but as soon as I met the doc, he was first class and assured me of everything. He brought me into the threatre room and advised of the different types of cuts or circumcision you can go for. For me personally it was the hardest part of the procedure... deciding if to go for a 'partial' circumcision where only part of the foreskin is removed meaning that when flacid you can see the top of the head... or 'classical' where all foreskin is removed below the head. I opted for the partial circumcision as ultimately I wanted to keep part of the foreskin. After deciding on this (after a lengthy decision it has to be said)... the doc went through in great detail the aftercare that I would need to follow aka cleaning the wound,, dressing the wound,, when i could masturbate/have sex etc etc. All was very clear before he asked me if I was happy to proceed which I was.

This being the first op I've ever had, I was s******g it tbh but in reality there was no need to. The sedation is a simple needle into the arm and i barely felt it. I didnt even realised being knocked out and when I woke up, an hour and 5 mins had passed and was in absolutely no pain whatsoever. The doc went through the result of the op and there and behold I was actually looking at my member for the first time able to see the head and withdraw the remaining foreskin... it felt great at that moment... made everything worth it.

I was then treated to tea and biscuits and was left in a room to just let the sedation wear off. I was then prescribed numbing cream for any sensitivity I may get which I got from the chemist opposite and the doc himself provided me with the dressing for the wound to cover it for a few days. I paid up before the op took place...after the inital consultation.... £1150 euro and received my receipt. I was then provided login details for the specific clinic which had a copy of my aftercare on it. I got the stuff from the chemist and got a taxi back to the hotel where im staying where I'm currently I am sat up watching the world cup.

For me,... I'm aware that there will be likely pain to come from erections at night mostly but the cream subscribed will hopefully help with that. A tip as well which I forgot to mentioned is to buy johnsons baby wipes to help clean your body as I'm not allowed to shower for three days while the wound recovers.

I'll hopefuly will still be as positive in the posts to follow, I plan to keep people updated and return the favour for what many did before me and persuaded me to get it done.

The one thing I will say is that this experience is only from the clinic mentioned, I know from reading others posts before that aftercare has been different and in some cases non existent. The place does look after you from start to finish and I've even given the docs number if anything does need to be sorted regarding aftercase.

Hope this helps and feel free to contact me if needed.

How’s your healing going mate? I’m a few weeks over my partial circumcision, thinks are settling down nicely. Still get the odd dull pain in my frenulum but little to no scarring which is a big plus!!!

tooktheplunge

Hi mate.
Glad to here you're making significant progress.
I'm approaching a month this week since the procedure and glad to report that everything has all but healed.
Like yourself, I get the odd sense of discomfort if I make a sudden movement but as each day passes it's becoming few and far between.
No scarring or bruising at all which I agree is a major bonus. The stitches have come out by themselves which is a relief as well. Tbh you couldn't tell I've had an operation on it.
Overall, no regrets about having it done.

IanB23

Thanks man.
Delighted you’ve had no regrets. I’m a few weeks ahead of you, mine was done with a laser so no stitches thank god and the bandage was off after 5 days. I’m the same you wouldn’t even notice anything had been done. I’ve still a small bit of brownish dry skin left to come off. Trying to resist the urge to just scrub like a mad man but I’ve been told if it doesn’t come away naturally it may leave a scar

If you don’t mind me asking, have you masturbated yet?

Jhin1789

Hi guys, I'm 18 and actually needed something called a frenectomy as the frenulum caused my skin to bleed when i tried pulling back my foreskin. In combination with my paraphimosis though it was recommended I get circumcised, and with college only a month away I did so during my trip to India. Its been 3 days since my op and I recently had the bandages removed and am on pain meds. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet as I've heard both the foreskin and frenulum are fairly sensitive erotically, and I had to get both removed, so even thought it may be healthier, did I end up losing something I only got to experience with masturbation or is it not a big deal? Also, I hope it heals soon because as it is it looks swollen and a bit gross though my doctor said it wasn't infected and normal. Will it heal soon?

Thanks!

Ally Dick

Waestrel wrote: »

Hi fellas , anyone have experience "restoring" the foreskin?

Hiya. I had a circ done in 2001. I reckon trying to restore the foreskin is a waste of time. I have learned to enjoy sex without it

davi1989

well lads, total noob to boards here,im booked in for my circumcision on Friday morning and I'm absolutely bricking it. I've never been able to pull back my foreskin so I'm really worried it will be too sensitive now. does the sensitivity really go away?

Converse1959

I'm also booked in for Friday in Vincent's private. If anybody has some helpful tips for the recovery that would be brilliant. Even the smallest of things or something that took a while to figure out that you wish you knew at the start.

I'm slightly nervous of course but at the same time I can't wait to have it fixed and for it to work like it should.

davi1989

big day for both of us tomorrow, im nervous but excited to finally have it done. good luck to you.

davi1989

Seeing the head of my penis today for the first time ever made whatever im about to go through 100% worth it already. i cant believe ive waited until my late 20s to do it. if anyone has phimosis, you dont have to suffer on with it. go see your GP. ill probably post here every few days just incase i have any problems. all good so far though.

LegacyUser

Just a quick update. The first 2 days with the bandage off were very uncomfortable. It was so sensitive, it was almost painful, but it’s getting better. Tight boxers are definitely helping. The erections are annoying but you get used to it.

Converse1959

Had my procedure moved to today. Numbing has died off and with it has come the sensitivity. It's pretty severe, I'm glad I've booked the week off work.

I was told to take the dressing off tomororow and very little further instruction. I can only see the tip due to the dressing and I am dredding what lies beneath

davi1989

I'm a few days ahead of you so mate and i hate to tell you, the sensitivity will get worse when you remove the dressing. the first two days with it off was torture for me, but its definitely getting better. tight underwear helps but i couldn't wear anything the first day. the first having a shower with the dressing off was daunting to say the least, but its best to just get it over with.

Converse1959

Yea I've taken off the dressing and it's much much worse. Worse than I feared it could be. I'm top of that it looks like somebody put a shotgun to my little guy

Can't really leave the house because I basically can't walk at the moment. Praying it gets better over the coming days

davi1989

I was like that too,but now im wearing normal clothes again and walking almost perfectly. it sounds strange but the more you let it touch your clothes,the less it hurts. but it will get easier in the next day or two.

Heres Johnny

So what's a person's option for this?

It's a very long thread and reading through it looking for the info might lead me to outdated stuff.

I too suffer from phimosis and time to get it sorted I think.

So, I can go to a GP and get a referral letter? A referral to who exactly? And is there going to be a long waiting list for this? Is there then a cost to get it done? Public or private?

Otherwise is there a clinic I can just go to straight away and have a consultation and just pay to get it done if I'm suitable?

I think I'd prefer to just pay and be done with it.

davi1989

I think you have to go to a GP first and they'll send a letter off for you to see a urologist. but don't let that put you off, it only takes two minutes at the GP. I got mine done at a public hospital so i waited about six months after my visit to the GP. I'm sure you can tell the GP that you want to go private and you'll be seen much quicker.

Converse1959

3 days down and things are getting easier everyday. Sensitivity has eased in most parts but there's still a few touch points that make me wince when they get a knock

davi1989

Day 7 for me. still a bit tender but getting easier everyday. looking forward to using him again. does anyone know how long you have to wait?

Converse1959

Sex I was told 2 weeks which is just ridiculous, I doubt my stitches will be out by then. Several reputable sources I've found online say 6 weeks which seems about right.

davi1989

2 weeks can't be right. I suppose everyone heals at different rates, I can't see myself lasting 6 weeks to be honest. I'll probably aim for 4 weeks.

Heres Johnny

I got an email from the clinic in malahide I can have a consultation next week and a procedure within 2 weeks if it's what I want to do. I just have to pay the fee of 1150 and get job done when I choose.

Anyone go through this place? South African doctor will be doing it.

Converse1959

I really thought the sensitivity was getting under control, but turns out it was just the tight briefs. I only had loose boxers to wear today and I almost went back to square one, struggling to walk. This has really put me down.

Everything was healing very well until last night. I was to be out of the house for a couple hours so I bandaged it all up, when I went to take off the bandage, one of the stitches somehow managed to get tangled into the thread of the bandage. As I removed the bandage the stitch came out and there was some bleeding. It has also left a small lump because obviously enough the stitch wasn't meant to come out.

All in all, my positivity is way down currently