The great collective wisdom here

[tomsaltsman (imported)]

You know, I'm somewhat embarrassed that I thought I had castrated myself with only speaker wire. (It was effective short term.) But then I realized that not even my shrink could tell me the real situation--except that I wasn't in any real danger.

That was my point earlier about not "being lucky" because I wasn't in danger. I had researched DIY castration enough to know where the worst and most common dangers lurk. I had researched it enough to know that though I couldn't expect an orchidectomy through my insurance, I could start the process, go to ER, and have them finish the job. And I knew that suffering pain before going to the ER was smarter than suffering blood loss by having my arteries draw up into my body because I had cut them without first tying them off twice and keeping enough sterilized suturing device hanging out to pull them out of any cavity.

All those DIY dangers lurk on the oozing side of cutting, of blood loss. But I guess permanent castration is virtually impossible without some kind of blood loss. I only recently realized that a Burdizzo works because it ruptures the walls of the arteries so that they break and leak blood into the scrotum. By the time the arteries heal themselves, the testicles have been deprived of blood long enough to have died off permanently. THAT'S how a Burdizzo works and that's what I didn't understand because I had never read it anywhere. Though things like leather shoelaces and speaker wire can cut off circulation of the arteries temporarily, they can't cut off circulation long enough or strong enough to castrate permanently.

But my shrink admitted on our first visit that he didn't know much about the subject of castration. My GP didn't even know the word orchidectomy! So it appears that my GP is even dumber than my shrink about the issue! Remember my GP offering me Viagra, me, an HIV+ man? And he deals frequently with HIV+ men! Wow! Is that depressing or is that depressing?

So think about it! OMG! That's pretty sad. In other words, the collective wisdom here on castration EXCEEDS that of the professional community concerning one of the oldest surgeries known to humanity! Am I the only one who is scared by that fact? No wonder I don't trust their judgment! Then there is the worse subject of global warming and those money-mad clowns running the planet! Whoops! There seems to be a pattern here. "We wrestle against spiritual wickedness in high place," St. Paul wrote. That's pretty obvious spiritual wickedness in both places: the medical community and those who control the environment. And I can think of a lot of other places, too. See the pattern?

Money is power but knowledge and wisdom are greater powers and we can't have them without communication. And we can't have communication without forgiveness.

Thanks for all your input but I'm feeling pretty irritated right now and would prefer to not engage anybody one on one. I'm in a state of mind where I could say something mean and stupid.

By the way, did you know that when poor European boys were castrated to be singers between around 1550 and 1870, they often died not because of blood loss but because of being given too much opium to kill the pain?

[mrt (imported)]

I've had two surgeons suggest I knew more about some aspect of this then they did. One teaches at a Univ! My MD thanked me once for giving her a book and some print outs from the internet on some aspects of Hypogonadism.

YES!

At one time I think I felt the same fear you did. How can "I" know more then they do on any health subject? Well as my MD said "We are not God. As a GP there are bazillions of things we need to know. And once it gets beyond the general meds we often turn to specialists. The problem with several aspect of my health care is that Hypogonadism (Low Testosterone) in men is a moving target as far as the current knowledge goes. Take the guidelines for treatment published in 2002. Even tho this is 5 years old it takes a while for it to be general knowledge. The labs that test my hormones are still using the pre 2002 values for normal. And my older Urologist was also in that mindset. And btw NOTHING would change his mind. I ended up seeing someone else.

You and I are the final word in our own health care. My MD urges me to learn everything I can about my own health problems. She is great because she is not upset when I ask questions or make points about what I've read. I'm often shown why the Internet is not a perfect resource btw. There are lots of idiotic people posting "facts" that are not true.

Chronic Testicular pain is not common either. And the "correct" way to treat it is a bit in limbo. Some doctors insist the only way to deal with it is A and others say Z. I know I'm not as well versed as a Doctor even if I do come across data they might not have. So I've gone with the idea that you have to investigate all the options and make my own choice.

GID problems that make men want to be sex-less are at best rare. Many doctors don't even "get" transexuality which is much more mainstream. So... I guess if I were in your shoes I would keep looking for the right doctor. Pre screening them by calling the Triage nurse and discribing your issues then asking "Does He/She deal with this?" before you make an appointment can be a time saver if nothing else.

I URGE you to seek professional help - Doctors or Shrinks to help guide you and keep your healthy and safe. Your health / life is too important.

You know, I'm somewhat embarrassed that I thought I had castrated myself with only speaker wire. (It was effective short term.) But then I realized that not even my shrink could tell me the real situation--except that I wasn't in any real danger.

That was my point earlier about not "being lucky" because I wasn't in danger. I had researched DIY castration enough to know where the worst and most common dangers lurk. I had researched it enough to know that though I couldn't expect an orchidectomy through my insurance, I could start the process, go to ER, and have them finish the job. And I knew that suffering pain before going to the ER was smarter than suffering blood loss by having my arteries draw up into my body because I had cut them without first tying them off twice and keeping enough sterilized suturing device hanging out to pull them out of any cavity.

All those DIY dangers lurk on the oozing side of cutting, of blood loss. But I guess permanent castration is virtually impossible without some kind of blood loss. I only recently realized that a Burdizzo works because it ruptures the walls of the arteries so that they break and leak blood into the scrotum. By the time the arteries heal themselves, the testicles have been deprived of blood long enough to have died off permanently. THAT'S how a Burdizzo works and that's what I didn't understand because I had never read it anywhere. Though things like leather shoelaces and speaker wire can cut off circulation of the arteries temporarily, they can't cut off circulation long enough or strong enough to castrate permanently.

But my shrink admitted on our first visit that he didn't know much about the subject of castration. My GP didn't even know the word orchidectomy! So it appears that my GP is even dumber than my shrink about the issue! Remember my GP offering me Viagra, me, an HIV+ man? And he deals frequently with HIV+ men! Wow! Is that depressing or is that depressing?

So think about it! OMG! That's pretty sad. In other words, the collective wisdom here on castration EXCEEDS that of the professional community concerning one of the oldest surgeries known to humanity! Am I the only one who is scared by that fact? No wonder I don't trust their judgment! Then there is the worse subject of global warming and those money-mad clowns running the planet! Whoops! There seems to be a pattern here. "We wrestle against spiritual wickedness in high place," St. Paul wrote. That's pretty obvious spiritual wickedness in both places: the medical community and those who control the environment. And I can think of a lot of other places, too. See the pattern?

Money is power but knowledge and wisdom are greater powers and we can't have them without communication. And we can't have communication without forgiveness.

Thanks for all your input but I'm feeling pretty irritated right now and would prefer to not engage anybody one on one. I'm in a state of mind where I could say something mean and stupid.

By the way, did you know that when poor European boys were castrated to be singers between around 1550 and 1870, they often died not because of blood loss but because of being given too much opium to kill the pain?

[twaddler (imported)]

But I guess permanent castration is virtually impossible without some kind of blood loss.

Ya know, when I did it myself I had almost no blood at all, but after I got to the hospital they said I lost some blood -- so I'm guessing that blood I lost IN my testes... ? I really had not experienced any blood loss other than a very little bit (bleeding would have scared me shitless, so that was good).

[Paolo]

I'm glad to see some sense here.

I've been very busy the past few days, and I'll admit, the old light saber almost came out swinging when I saw that other post.

In all reality, much chaos here was just prevented by a bunch of rowdy nine year olds that only Jesus (A) will ever see or know...well, maybe Krister, too and the rest of the 2001 EA Flying Circus.

Toms., you bring up a very valid point that I can justify.

My own GP, while a good one, admitted during my last exam that I know more about diabetes than he does. Sad but true. He's not a specialist in that area, and freely admits his day's education on diabetes took up 1...ONE...day in medical school. I also ran into the same kind of poor education and lack of understanding that Mr. T. describes.

Right now, as it stands, hardly anyone out there in the medical community is willing to admit that things can go wrong with a man's testicles - other than cancer or mumps. And at the rate they admit to cancer, it seems, and from I've been hearing from those who've had it, you're damn near dead of metastasizing cancer FROM the balls before they admit to taking them out.

Circumcisions and hysterectomies (NO thread hijacking...start another one...) run rampant, it seems, and even preventative breast surgery, etc. ... but mention the "male goodies" and all hell breaks loose! You're instantly sent to the men in white coats with the butterfly nets, sore balls and all...

OH! Take a pill! Yes, that'll cure everything...and cause about 12 more thing to go WRONG, thank you very much. The main reason I am SO careful about my diabetes ... I don't WANT the side effects of the meds. Sure we can fix one thing, but...

You get the picture.

Remember this:

http://www.cafeoflifepikespeak.com/Vide ... 20Pill.swf

But then again, I digress.

Being at a point that I seem to infer that you were/are at, it's not hard to think yourself into believing that you truly succeeded. It's an honest mistake. Now you know.

For what it's worth, Tom.S., I'm sorry that you're having this kind of luck - for lack of a better word. However, as far as professional help, I'd say you're in the same boat as just about every other serious reader here. If you don't have the ca$h and don't have a trip to Kimmell planned, you're pretty much out of luck and on your own.