Vaginoplasty shopping list

I had surgery on June 16, 1998 with Toby Meltzer. As time goes on, this list may become less applicable as procedures and policies change.

Check with recent patients for the most up-to-date information.

Explanations follow this summary. Items in red are especially important.

What Meltzer supplies

• Obstetrical maxi pads
• Incentive spirometer
• Mesh underwear
• Hospital gowns
• Slippers
• Catheter bag and leg catheter bag
• Dilation kit
  • Three lucite stents
  • Hand-held mirror
  • Surgilube
  • Small non-disposable douche kit
  • Dial liquid soap
• Chux

What you should bring/get before surgery

• Prescriptions (written by Meltzer at pre-surgical consultation)
  • antibiotic (for immediately after I.V. is removed)
  • stool softener
  • pain medication
  • antibiotic (for after catheter removal)
  • premarin cream (after incision healing)
• Bacitracin ointment (one-ounce tube)
• Always brand maxi pads with wings  (one box of 28)
• Vitamin E oil (either in capsules or a 4 ounce bottle of just oil-- 4,000 I.U.)
• Hormones

Things you'll probably want to bring (in rough order of importance. Optional items are marked *)

• 100% cotton underwear (eight pair)
• Loose street clothes (three or four outfits, and at least one long skirt)
• Toiletries (toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, etc.)
• Hair detangler or good leave-in conditioner
• Cash, checkbook, and/or credit card
• Sleep shirts
• Extra lubricant (4 ounce tube of K-Y jelly or Astroglide)
• Shaving supplies (if you can't go that long without electrolysis)
• Robe*
• Invalid ring*
• Camera and film*
• Entertainment (music, books, computer, etc)*
• Scissors for trimming hairs*
• Stationery and stamps*
• Betadyne*
• Preparation H*

What you should have at home upon return

• Liquid Dial in pump bottle
• Paper towels (lots)
• Old clean cloth towels
• Wet wipes (flushable)
• K-Y jelly (two 4-ounce tubes)
• Toilet paper (lots)
• Groceries

What they supply at Meltzer's

Obstetrical maxi pads

About as comfortable as putting a chalkboard eraser between your legs.

Incentive spirometer

As you inhale, a plunger slowly moves up a cylinder. You try to get it to the top while breathing in steadily, There's a small piece of plastic in a second duct to gauge if you're breathing in too slowly or quickly. It's like a bong without the water sound.

Mesh underwear

I'd rinse and dry one pair while wearing the other. I liked these, but some people found them really itchy, and were glad they brought lots of their own underwear.

Hospital gowns

Typical show-your butt hospital gowns. You could wear gowns all week if you felt like it, but some people like to have sleep shirts and street clothes.

Slippers

Eastmoreland's volunteers crochet these goofy-looking but perfectly useful slippers. I'd brought my own, but just ended up wearing theirs.

Catheter bag and leg catheter bag

You wake up with a big round bag attached to your foley catheter, but they also supply a smaller and more discreet leg catheter bag which some like better. I was mildly amused to see my bag was made by Mentor, the same folks who made the bags I just had stuck under my pectoral muscles.

Dilation kit

This is given to you on the day your packing is removed

• Three lucite stents: slightly bent upward at the end, in 1, 1.125, and 1.25-inch diameters. In other words, from about the width of a roll of quarters to the width of a shower rod.
• Hand-held mirror
• Surgilube: This was enough to last me until I got home, but you might take your own tube of K-Y just in case.
• Small non-disposable douche kit
• Dial liquid soap: travel-size container for cleaning your dilators and douching

Chux

Blue paper/plastic sheets to lie on during dilation and suture removal.They prevent leaks from getting on the bed. Some liked to sleep on them, even.

What you should get yourself

--

Prescriptions

I paid about $100.00 total. They're written at your presurgical consultation, and I recommend filling them that day.

• antibiotic (for immediately after I.V. is removed)
• stool softener
• pain medication
• antibiotic (for after catheter removal)
• premarin cream (after incision healing)

Bacitracin

Or generic triple antibiotic ointment

Always brand maxi pads

Be sure to get the ones with wings (1 box of 28)

Vitamin E oil

Some purchase these in capsules, but I found a bottle of oil at the drugstore

Hormones

You'll be able to start back up a few days after surgery at Meltzer's. Don't bother bringing that androgen blocker-- you won't need it any more! ;)

Things you may want to bring (in rough order of importance)

--

Underwear

Get a bunch of cheap 100% cotton ones somewhere. You may need to throw them out in a few weeks.

Loose street clothes

I didn't wear many outfits. Bring three, maybe four, including a long skirt

Sleep shirts

I preferred these over hospital gowns. I had three.

Shaving supplies

I did my legs one night, but I no longer need to do my face.

Hair detangler/conditioner

I strongly recommend putting a bunch of this in your hair before surgery and leaving it in.

Cash/checkbook/credit card

I brought $200.00 in cash and used most of it by the time I got home.

Robe

I had a big terrycloth one which I liked

Invalid ring

Some love these, some find 'em useless. A dear friend gave me hers after embroidering it with a cute message.

Camera and film

I have been very pleased to have photos of what was a major life event. You might, too.

Entertainment (music, books, computer, etc)

I preferred lying in absolute silence, but some need entertainment in a bad way. Depends on who you are.

Scissors for trimming hairs

I had six coarse face hair by the end of my stay, which I trimmed

Stationery and stamps

You might want to write notes to friends

Betadyne

I bought some, but I haven't used it much.

Preparation H

As time went on, I found I was getting hemorrhoids, which I'd only had a couple of times in my life. If you're prone to this, bring some; otherwise, someone can get some for you if necessary.

Things to have at home

--

Liquid Dial in pump bottle

You might even get one for the shower (douching) and one for the sink (washing hands and dilators)

Toilet paper (lots)

Disposable paper products will be very useful for all sorts of cleaning. Along with lots of paper towels, I'd recommend some good soft toilet paper for extra-delicate cleansing.

Paper towels (lots)

I'd lie on a cloth towel with a couple of paper towels underneath while dilating, and I'd have one out to set dilating supplies on. I also used those three for preliminary cleanup after. Keeps towels cleaner, and, just toss 'em when done.

Old clean cloth towels

I put them on the bed and chairs just in case. Plus, since I have cat hair everywhere, it's probably a good way to keep cleaner.

Wet wipes (flushable)

These are handy for cleaning up in the bathroom or after dilation, although I usually just used regular toilet paper.

K-Y jelly

Jellies stick to the dilators better than liquids, so I recommend K-Y unless dilating is difficult for you. Here's another tip: The premarin cream prescription includes an applicator for placing it in the vagina. Some find it helpful to put some lube directly into their vagina before dilating, using the applicator.

Groceries

Healthy, easy-to-prepare food, plus some treats for the occasional pick-me-up.