Slow Healing, Painful Recovery, But DEFINITELY Worth It

After years of pain while exercising and wearing certain clothes, I will be having my labiaplasty next Friday. I've had chronic yeast infections for years that diflucan is now useless against (and I have to use suppositories), so I'm pretty nervous about getting a yeast infection as a result of the surgery and not being able to treat it. I'm both excited and nervous. I actually genuinely love my vulva the way that it is now, but I am sick of being uncomfortable all the time and having my labia minora bleed after going for long runs. The doctor will be using the wedge technique.

So, today was the surgery ("labiaplasty - excision double fold"). I got there around 11:15, my surgery started around 1 and lasted about an hour. Dr. Temmen and her nurse were very very sweet and made me feel very comfortable throughout the surgery. The worst part was the local anesthesia injections, but the nurse held my hand and I actually found that to be REALLY helpful.

I didn't really feel anything besides pressure and tugging during the surgery. I was allowed to have my phone on me during it and it was kind of amusing that I was messaging friends while someone was cutting my genitals. After the surgery, I put on my compression garment and drove myself to my hotel. I was in zero pain at this point.

I got back to my hotel and the pain was starting up. I took two vicodins, but during the 30 minutes it took for the medicine to take effect, the pain was pretty severe. Maybe a 9/10. It felt like you'd think it might feel to have parts of your labia recently cut off. Since the vicodin has taken effect, the pain has reduced to maybe a 5/10. The pain is worse in my right labium; I think that's because that one was thicker than my left. Right now, I'm feeling REALLY thankful for the vicodin. REALLY thankful.

I haven't urinated yet and I'm a little nervous for that, but I think it will be okay. The area is really swollen right now, but I'm excited (and nervous, but I'm an anxious person) to see what it will look like in the end. I haven't really looked at the area more than to take this quick picture. I'm trying to leave it alone as much possible.

Last night was pretty awful. As I mentioned in my previous comment, I spent a long time throwing up, despite taking anti-nausea medication. No more opioids for me. I'm just using extra-strength Tylenol, but it's barely touching the pain.

I woke up this morning to use to urinate (third time since operation) and it still burns like hell. Highly unpleasant experience. I have an external stitch that is kind of near my clitoral hood that gets caught to the pad whenever I take my compression garment off. I'm really afraid that that stitch will eventually get pulled out, so i'm trying to be extra careful when I get undressed.

I think from the lack of food from all the throwing up last night, I felt really really dizzy when I got up this morning to urinate and almost fainted. Since I'm just using Tylenol now, i'm going to try to get some food in me before I leave in an hour to drive the 2 hours home.

As you can see in the first picture, there is more bruising and swelling. The part that concerned me a little is where part of my skin turned a little white (you can kind of see it in the picture). I hope that it's not an infection or anything.