Dilator Training in the Recovery Room

[Heather34]

Hi ladies. Prior to my procedure, I was very nervous about the idea of using dilators. I was a Lamont 5++ and could not even insert a q-tip … how would I be successful with dilators? Despite this fear, my husband was very supportive and assured me that I would be able to. Immediately following the procedure, I woke up with the largest blue dilator inside of me (pure romance set) and was amazed that it didn’t hurt. I then took it out to go to the bathroom and was able to re-insert it pain-free. Again, with this, I was kind of in shock that it was working but also so incredibly happy at the same time. Then, in the recovery room, this great nurse, Andrea, encouraged me to practice gently taking the dilator out and pushing it back in. Here, I remember protesting a little as my husband was right next to me. I had always had the mentality that this was “my” problem and issue and wanted to fix it myself. With very supportive counseling and encouragement from Andrea, I realized that it really was “our” issue together. I then practiced taking the dilator out and putting it back in several times and also allowed my husband to participate in this as well. He was in just as much awe as I was that the dilator was going in and out and I wasn’t crying in pain and it was comfortable. The whole experience of practicing with the dilators together was very important and actually brought us closer – I developed even more trust in him and he was elated in realizing that I had no pain whatsoever with insertion. For the treated patients, what were your experiences with practicing with the dilators in the recovery room???

[mazemelissa]

Just wanted to bring this thread back around. If anyone who had the procedure would like to comment about the recovery room experience, please let us hear from you.

Many patients think that they are going to panic when they wake up with the large dilator inside the vagina, but overwhelmingly patients are fine and happy.

There are a lot of emotions going through your mind and body at the time, but we are there for you the whole way.

[recessivegenequeen]

My experience dilating in the recovery room is one of my clearest memories of the procedure. It was, understandably, very emotional, especially because my boyfriend was there cheering me on. It felt surreal that the largest dilator was inside of me, but it didn’t hurt at all. I moved it around and still felt perfectly comfortable.

Even more memorable for me was the dilation practice at my followup appointment the day after my procedure. I’d spent the whole night before with a medium-sized dilator in, as I was supposed to, but at that appointment I was supposed to change the blue dilator out for the purple one, which was a size larger. It was my first time administering my own dilator size change, and I remember how much cajoling I needed from Melissa at the time. It took psychological effort because I was still getting used to the discomfort from the dilators that comes from the muscles stretching, and I was so used to resisting anything entering my vagina. Patiently but insistently Melissa insisted that I insert and remove the dilator three different times. It felt like so much work, but she was helping me to prepare for what was ahead because she knew I could do it.

All the work the Maze Clinic does with the patients of the botox procedure is meant to help them achieve the sexual lives they want, even when it feels hard. I don’t think I could have done it without their faith in me!