Urologists, GP's, and Surgeons - Please Read and share your input!

[Paolo]

The intent of this thread is to discuss your surgical castration and/or penectomy - no matter who performed it - and the complications you encountered if there were any.

After much thought and careful consideration, I have decided that it is time to start a thread about any problems that anyone has encountered with surgery performed by any professional. We've all heard horror stories about DIY jobs or cutters, but we're beginning to get some alarming feedback on even the pro's.

This thread is in NO way meant to make allegations at, or to slam Dr. Kimmell OR anyone else doing these surgeries. Right now, there are not a whole lot of real medical professionals out there who take voluntary castration and/or penectomy seriously at all. As we’ve often said here at EA, we do not endorse using a ‘cutter’ or having a ‘back-alley’ castration. We recommend medical professionals, but they are VERY few and far between. No doubt, this is because it would probably do some serious damage to their reputations. In our day and age, even as Society at large has become more liberal and open, it’s still not perfect.

However, it has been brought to my attention via email, PM’s, and IM’s lately that several Members who have gone to a pro have had alarming complications. There have been a couple of posts on the Boards here as well, which I think are worth repeating.

I feel it is our duty here on the Archive to bring these to light without naming names or betraying any confidences.

When Dr. Spector began to slip up, there were posts on EA. There was chat on IRC, for those who remember. Posts have begun to show up here, now, again. The fact that I got a few unsolicited emails and PM’s also bothers me. Also, a couple of IM chat buddies said the same thing.

When something like, “P., I think you need to know about this…,” come in unexpectedly, I begin to worry. And I DO worry. Not a day goes by that I don’t wonder if someone has done something stupid – as I would have done, had I not landed in the old Archive chat when I did. I still owe a great debt of gratitude to Talula, Gem, IE, and Portentum…wherever he may be.

So, it is my intent to begin this thread for informational purposes only.

Anyone who has had something go wrong with a “pro job” – other than an infection – should post that experience here. Infections, I think, are so common as to not warrant posting. I get infections at the drop of a day-old ham sandwich, myself!

The points in question I have been informed of are:

Improper / faulty stitching – dissolving sutures where they should not have been used, or vice versa.

Improper / faulty stitching – technique / sloppy job / came loose without overexertion.

Drains or lack thereof – improper drain (Penrose) technique, or lack thereof.

Loss of information – no record of payment, appointment, asking same questions over and over again. Showed up for appointment, only to be told that you didn't have one.

Technique – cut cord problems / length left, placement, healing, etc.

And finally:

Bleed-outs – this is the big one. Winding up in the local ER down the road to have the job repaired. Not good press at all.

If you have information to share, please do. This is very important to the Community here. As many will tell you, Dr. Spector was a Godsend in his day, but he didn’t seem to know when to quit. His slips increased in number, as did the problems. We don't want this happening again.

Again, thank you, and be rational and serious with your posts to this thread. Serious data replies, only please.

[sag111 (imported)]

Thanks Paolo for your post and as some know i had my surgery last June it was preformed by my urologest in the hospital he belongs to.I did not have any complications from this at all and their was no infections no stiches no draining or pills to take for this it was healed over in a weeks time.Their was very little swelling but it was sore for a few weeks but that is expecited and not a problem.The doctor did the surgery because i asked him to do it and although he had to think about it for a few weeks it was his decission to go ahead with my request.He didnt cut the cords like i here most explain in here but opened up the testical and removed everything inside he told me he dose this so the cords wont attach themselves somewhere inside the body and cause pain later.The testicales are still their in the sack but they are empty and thus no testosterone and my last test was testosterone at castrate leavles as it should be.And if their was any of this operation that was unsanatary i missed it because i was out for this and only woke up after it was all over.

[bigtwin (imported)]

Ok,I have an hour to kill so I may as well begin.back in august 2004 I flew to philly to see the good doctor murray kimmel.For a simple castration.My first impression of the doctor was he was quite old.But that didn't stop me as I was determined to get this done.As he worked on me I noticed he kept bumping into things quite often.He wore no mask and had to stop half way through the procedure to answer a phone.he left his bloody surgical gloves on and left the room.He then came back and went right back to work,gloves and all.he told me no drain would be needed because he left the stiches apart.What I had was 4 stiches for a wound almost 3 inches apart.I returned home and followed directions to a tee.A few days later the stiches disolved leaving a open disgusting oozing wound,Not too mention the terrible smell that came from down there.I went to the er here and recieved some antibiotics and butterfly bandages.I thought that was the end of my problems but boy was I wrong.I healed up after 4 to five weeks and discovered the two cord ends had grown together and to the scrotum skin.

last week I flew back to see the good doctor again with the full intention

of having all this repaired.we talked in his office for a half hour and in that

time I got a real uneasy feeling that maybe the doctor has reached the age

where he should retire.You see in that half hour he asked me my age four times.I am serious!! Opon answering the fourth time my girl friend and I looked at each other and decided to come back home and schedule surgery with a local and yes more youthfull doctor.No disrespect to the good doctor at all,however he will not be working on me in the future.Thanx for posting this thread paolo.[twin]

[slavejoseph (imported)]

Paolo, Sir. Thank you for guiding me in this direction. As you know, through our conversations on MSN. i was seriously considering going to Doctor Kimmel for the procedure. i had chickened out once before with Doc Spector and was determined to get the nasty deed done this time around. But then you told me to do alittle investigation on my own, which i did. i made a few phone calls. Did research on the web and contacted the AMA board in Pa.

It seems to me that i will have to keep looking for a lic. Physician so to get the deed done. Being chemically castrated is good, but expensive. i just want to get this over and done with. So thanx again for this thread and all the help you've given me.

[Christina (imported)]

When I first met Dr Kimmel on January 12, 2004, I did have some concern about his age. At that time his knowledge and self assurance reassured me I was going to be ok.

The procedure itself took a little over an hour. It could have been less time, but I was told I had some adhesion on one side. Most likely this was caused by an infection I had in my early teens.

The doctor did care about me and called the hotel that evening. I also went back the following day so he could check things.

There was no drain put into the wound, instead the lower part was left slighty open to drain on it's own. The incision was about 1-1/4 inches long. Every few hours for the next few weeks I change the gauze pad.

My surgery was on a Monday. I was home by Tuesday afternoon. On Thursday of the same week I had an appointment with my local doctor. He examined the incision and commented on it's small size and told me it looked fine and was healing well. I took the first 3 days of the following week off to rest some more.

I had taken anti-biotics for 2 weeks. when the prescription ran out I didn't refill it. I believe that this is where I went wrong. The surgery was healling by the 3rd week with no drainage and things looked good except for some swelling I still had. During this 3rd week I was also aggressive about cleaning the wound and aplying some neosporin to aid in healing.

Early Monday morning on the 4th week is when I noticed there was some trouble. The wound had opened and a bloody mess was coming from it. To me it looked like an infection. To be safe I went to the local ER to have them check me out. Beside the poor attitude and treatment I recieved from the staff once they knew of the procedure I had done, they gave me another weeks worth of anti-biotics and said it was just normal drainage. After that things healed and I had no trouble since.

As the weeks went by, I did had the occasional phantom pain. I think this was due to some adhesion of the ends of the cords to the incision. It could also have been atributed to the scaring I had from the infection when I was a teen. Every couple of weeks I could feel this pain, but as time went on there was less and less.

Doing a self examination at around six months after surgery, I could still feel the ends of the cords somewhat. They were not attached near the incision, but more towards each side of the scrotum.

Today, over a year after surgery, it is very difficult (if not nearly impossible) to find the ends of the cords. It's also very rare to get any pain. In all I am pleased with the outcome of my surgery. It has afforded me the benift of reducing the unwanted hormone and has given me a sense of accomplishment towards my final goal.

[Paolo]

Christina makes a valid point here, as she usually does!

About antibiotics - If your doctor prescribes them, with a refill, and he's your regular doctor, chances are he knows what he's doing. I've been on some of them for months at a stretch, been tested (internal infections) and still found the need to be on them. One batch seldoms turns the trick. If you have a relationship with your doctor, as I once did with The Loopy Arab who retired, chances are he's not out to screw you over on meds. Get the refills and take them all!

[Riverwind (imported)]

I would like to add,

I also got an infection which was totally my fault, I misplaced the pills on my return home. The hospital gave me a scrip when I got out and it was the same thing Dr Kimmel had perscribed.

Next, of all the places on the body that you can cut the groin is the worst, you are more likely to get an infection there then anyother part of your body.

You said Dr Kimmel looked very old, well I am 58 and he did not look that old to me. He did not give his age nor did I ask, we talked about our kids and grandkids, we both have several and as I recall there ages were about the same as mine. I would guess his age is mid 60's and that is not OLD.

River

[Uncle Flo (imported)]

I for one certainly hope 60's isn't too old! --FLO--

[bigtwin (imported)]

river,flo,I work in a home for the aging.I see people decline practicly overnight and loose cognitive ability all together.You wouldn't believe how fast dementia sets in.My observation of dr kimmel was strickly from experience with the elderly.yes I see it and it sucks.Very educated people acting like two year olds in their 60's,'yes 60' Asking my age 4 times within a half hour scares the hell out of me.I am very greatfull to the good doctor for helping me but he won't be working on me again.Age has nothing to do with it.mental ability does.[twin]

[Uncle Flo (imported)]

Good point. Age is not the determining factor in competence. --FLO--