Posts by Brandon Fowler3

I’m honestly not sure—he wrote it down somewhere on my discharge papers or maybe one of those lab results, I can't quite remember which.

As far as I know, Ceporex is an antibiotic, right? It’s supposed to be there to prevent any infection from setting in.

Now that I’m thinking about it more clearly, I actually remember seeing some orange-ish stuff leaking out too. It wasn't a ton, but it definitely left a mark on the gauze. Plus, the bandage kept getting stuck to the little guy! I’ll admit, I went a bit paranoid myself because the tips looked this weird shade of purple. Honestly, I don't think you have anything to worry about unless you start seeing heavy bleeding. But man, it does seem a little strange that they didn't give you an antibiotic.

swiftscout8, sorry I have to be blunt here, but please, let’s not be rude! The guy was just looking for some comfort and actual info. I totally get how overwhelming those first few days feel. Also, just for context, I didn't go under the knife for cosmetic reasons—it was medical. It’s only logical that things will look way better once everything heals properly and you're actually back to being functional, you know?

Jeremy Cruz46, hang in there, it’s going to be fine! Just stick strictly to whatever the doctor told you and try to stay patient. I’m guessing you’ve already had a follow-up appointment? As for me, I had my procedure on September 5th, 2005 (diagnosed with relative phimosis and a short frenulum). I stayed on strict bed rest for two days, used warm chamomile soaks for care, and then headed in for my check-up on September 7th. During the cleaning, the scab on my frenulum came off, and the doctor advised staying rested for about seven days total. I actually took it a little longer because I had to get used to the sensation of clothing rubbing against it—honestly, I was too embarrassed to tell anyone but my immediate family and my girlfriend! He told me to change or remove the bandage around September 9th and prescribed Ceporex 500 (one capsule three times a day) for five days. After that, they said I could come back if needed, but I ended up being totally fine.

P.S. Who did you see? I went to see Kapun in New York City, and I honestly can't recommend him enough for anyone needing a urologist. He is absolutely amazing, and I am so incredibly grateful to him. 🙂

I totally get where you're coming from. I went through my own procedure over a year and a half ago, and man, I felt just as weird about it as you do right now. Honestly, I was terrified that something was going to go sideways. I remember the first time I finally peeled back the bandage under a warm shower—I kid you not, I thought I was going to pass out right there! But looking back, I was totally overthinking things. Everything went smoothly without a single hiccup. Around day 16 or 18, I was pretty much itching to get back to normal because the abstinence was getting old, and by the three-week mark, all the stitches had dissolved on their own. Nowadays, everything is perfect, and even my girlfriend says it looks great. 🙂

Just hang in there! Be patient with yourself and try not to let the panic win. You've got this! 😉

Thanks! 🙂

I honestly feel like a whole new person today. I finally managed to get myself through a shower! I kept the water pressure low and avoided hitting anything directly, instead just working up a nice lather with my body wash and gently massaging it into my scalp. I was actually being pretty strategic about it too—trying to stay "excited" enough to make sure I could properly clean everything down there—and once I was done, I finished things off by slowly rinsing everything with some lukewarm chamomile tea... very gentle... very gradual...

Does anyone happen to know when these stitches are supposed to just fall out on their own?

I’m seriously debating whether I should register a new nickname... maybe something like topless... 🙂

So, day nine is officially winding down. Honestly, the pain hasn't been too bad (and I really want to emphasize *too* bad!), though I still get hit with these random waves of anxiety and paranoia every now and then.

By the way, Dr. Miller is absolutely fantastic. He isn't even that pricey ($83 just $150 for the consultation, and $1,200 for the actual procedure).

I haven't quite summoned the courage to hop in the shower yet, so I've been doing this nightly ritual of cleaning everything with lukewarm chamomile tea. I actually think those middle-of-the-night erections are helping in more ways than one (even if they do keep me up all night!)—mostly because they help things detach from the hair down there and just get my skin used to the feel of fabric again...

The stitches are finally starting to come loose...

At the end of the day, the biggest thing those advocates for the procedure won't tell you is this: tons of guys who grew up having been circumcised deal with massive issues regarding tissue sensitivity because that area used to be protected by the foreskin. Once that's gone, you're constantly in contact with your underwear, and honestly, for some people, it’s a total nightmare for months until they finally adjust.

That’s actually my biggest fear! And if I'm being totally honest, the main reason I haven't just pulled the trigger on it yet is because I couldn't handle the exam (though, granted, I was a bit of a nervous wreck mentally back then).

I think I might actually go ahead and try to book an appointment with that Captain. I told my mom to give him a call, but she said he's on vacation until August 25th... and man, I really don't want him to mess up my upcoming school year. Fingers crossed everything goes smoothly! 😕

I honestly feel like this thread deserves to be pinned right at the top of the subforum!

dolčevita said:I don't know, I think they were just expecting it to sort itself out during the "exercises." But nope, I didn't follow that advice at all. Honestly, I can still feel the worst pain I've ever experienced in my life; if I remember correctly, it happened over at the local community clinic in Seattle. Some doctor there basically forced the foreskin back all the way while my dad had to hold me down on the exam table. So, naturally, the idea of ever being back on that table absolutely terrifies me. I dread the actual exam, too. And the fingers... any kind of fingers... ugh. But I know deep down I really need to get this taken care of.

Does anyone here have any inside info on doctors working for the public health system?

Correction: actually, that happened at the hospital downtown...

My parents were just too naive, you know? They put way too much trust in the medical establishment. If they’d been a bit sharper—maybe more experienced with how things work—they would have just sent me for the procedure right away.

And... honestly, I'm starting to think it isn't even worth the gamble with the government-run clinics, because they're going to come looking for money eventually anyway (you know how the American healthcare system works).

I was actually wondering about this too...

Does anyone know how long the wait times actually are for surgery (or whatever you want to call the procedure) when you're seeing doctors through the public healthcare system?

Man, there's just nothing better than a classic burger from Five Guys! 🙂

Nothing at all?

Amanda Lee42 said:Why didn't your parents just have you circumcised when you were a baby since you already had the diagnosis?

I think I read in one of those parenting magazines that if there's phimosis, the recommendation is to get it handled
as early as possible.

Honestly, I'm not entirely sure—I guess they just assumed things would resolve themselves through "stretching exercises." But, uh, I definitely didn't follow those instructions. To be totally honest, I still vividly remember the single most intense pain I've ever experienced in my life; it happened back at the local County Hospital, if I recall correctly. Some doctor there forced the foreskin all the way back while my dad was literally holding me down on the exam table. So, yeah, naturally, the thought of ever being back on that table absolutely terrifies me. Even the idea of a standard checkup makes me break out in a sweat. Just thinking about fingers... well, any fingers... is enough to make me shudder. But I know deep down I really need to get this sorted out.

Does anyone here happen to know much about how things work with doctors at public clinics or state-run hospitals?

Jamie Clark74 said:@ dolcevita

Keywords: phimosis, circumcision, foreskin.

Basically, it’s just when the foreskin tightens up so much that you can't pull it back over the head.

Unless someone was circumcised right at birth... if they weren't, and then as they grow up, they learn to pull the skin back to clean underneath, things can start getting tricky.

Even though my son was taught how to handle it properly, by the time he hit 12 or 13, he just couldn't pull the skin back over the tip anymore.

He ended up having a circumcision, which wasn't exactly easy at first... not because of the surgery itself, but because of how sensitive the new skin felt once it was exposed... it took some time to adjust. Honestly, we never went back to see that surgeon/GP again.

I don't really get why you're looking for a "specialist nerve doctor"—are you saying you're just incredibly overwhelmed by the whole thing?

Look, speaking as a guy, I know it's sensitive, but it’s truly not that big of a deal. It's not like undergoing spinal surgery or brain surgery!

You just have to tell yourself that it isn't a massive, scary operation; it’s a little sensitive, sure, but you'll bounce back without any issues.

The sooner you just get it over with, the sooner you'll move past all that fear, anxiety, and the blues.

Oh man, that is exactly what I'm terrified of! My tip gets pretty sensitive whenever the skin isn't covering it (well, as much as I can manage to pull it back).

I think I’m eventually going to have to go through with a circumcision. How long does it usually take after the procedure before everything feels (finally!) okay? And how am I supposed to deal with erections during recovery? I've heard stories about stitches popping open...

Amanda Lee42 said:Are we talking about a standard circumcision or that newer type of preputioplasty procedure?
Did you deal with this from birth, or did it start happening because of constant infections?
I'm guessing you might have already tried stretching things out with steroid creams?

To be honest, I’ve never even heard of preputioplasty before!
It feels like I’ve had this since I was born, anyway.
And no, definitely haven't tried the cream route—honestly, the mere thought of that makes me a little nervous!

There’s a specialist, I think his name is Kapun or something similar, who is pretty well-known for handling these kinds of "urological issues." He runs a private practice and I believe he does smaller outpatient procedures there; just a standard consultation with him usually runs about $150

What about seeing doctors through the public healthcare system?

So, I’ve got this one issue that’s been weighing on me for years now, and honestly, I think it’s the elephant in the room when it comes to my low self-esteem and those depressive slumps. It’s phimosis. A few years back, I actually went to see a private urologist, but let’s just say the exam was a total disaster—I just couldn't handle it. No matter how hard I tried to keep my cool (I even tried gripping my hands tight to distract myself!), I just couldn't stay calm. But the real kicker? The part that totally floored me? I was told the procedure—I think that's the right word for it—is done strictly under local anesthesia. I really need to get this sorted out once and for all because I've been putting it off for way too long. If anyone has any advice, or maybe a recommendation for a doctor who has nerves of steel and can handle someone a bit high-strung like me... anything would be so appreciated!