3+ years later...

21/03/2017: I'm sorry I didn't keep writing this, to those of you who found it so useful. That says something in itself, really. I didn't keep writing simply because the healing process got quicker and easier and I walked away from the whole experience in pretty much a positive way. There were some niggles but I'll tell you about those now.

Overall, it's clear to say it was worth it, despite it being one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life (second to tonsillectomy... but that's another story).

Day 13 onwards
All I can remember after day 12 was continuing to wash and dry my penis and surgery area carefully and thoroughly in much the same way. I continued to let myself have erections to see how the healing was going, and didn't get any sharp pains after that first time a few days before. I also remember noticing that the stitches just weren't there. I didn't pull them out, and I wasn't sure if they dissolved, were absorbed, or fell out in the shower. They were gone by about the end of week three, I think.

After probably around three/four weeks from the initial surgery, I decided to try gently masturbating (don't worry; I won't go into a lot of detail!) mainly because I was pretty desperate for a release by that point. It went absolutely fine and of course didn't take much coaxing as it was so sensitive. The only part that was scary was climaxing. Since it had been such a long time, I was very sexually charged and the orgasm was particularly strong with lots of semen. As such, I was extremely erect and at ejaculation, it felt like the head of my penis would burst. It wasn't painful as such, just quite uncomfortable, and the main concern was that it felt very out of control for a few seconds.

Luckily, though, it didn't bleed, and from then on I had no problems, other than the occasional knock.


Follow-up, three months later
I had to go back to the doctor who had performed the operation. It was organised on the day of the operation, so I wasn't going back because there was a problem. By the time three months had passed, I was able to have sex again, although very carefully and tentatively and of course with a condom helping to protect it.

Anyway, he had a look at my penis and poked and stretched it (uncomfortable!) and said it was looking good. I said it felt fairly tight still, and he agreed that the scar tissue that was left behind was a little tighter than he would like, but said it was overall a successful outcome in his experience. That was quite heartening. I asked if there was anything that could be done to relieve the slight tightness of the shaft where the frenulum used to be. He said there could be an additional mini-operation of cutting away some scar tissue but advised it probably wouldn't do much, and I'd have to go through the whole healing process again (no thanks!). The alternative he suggested was Bio-Oil. It's something used to soften and help scars fade.

I used the oil every day for many weeks and I think it did help a little, though it's hard to say how much the scar tissue loosened naturally. Still, it's worth a go, I'd say.


Years later
As I said, sex became a thing again, and I've never had a problem again with the frenulum area to this day (though I'm sure to be a little careful at all times!)

However, psychologically, I've not fully recovered. In fact in the last year or so, I've become averse to sex in pretty much any form, and am seeing a psychotherapist/counsellor to work through the problems. It has to be said that the operation was definitely a catalyst in this, as I still get that massively uncomfortable, vulnerable, invasion-of-privacy, cringing feeling that I had during the operation sometimes, when in intimate moments. It has spurred me on to not wanting to have sex at all, relying on masturbation instead. Luckily my girlfriend (still the same wonderful, beautiful, supportive woman as before!) is really understanding and is giving me space (sexually) for a long time while I work through this with the psychotherapist.

But that's not to say the frenuloplasty caused this. It was a spark that brought a lot of my own historical/family/personality issues more to the surface, and took firm root after the operation. But those problems were always there underlying, so please don't be put off having a helpful operation simply based on this.

I am the type of person who focuses on pain, becoming obsessed with it and letting it overwhelm me at times, hence my trepidation and caution throughout the frenuloplasty process (and probably why it still affects my sex life today). Overall, you may well find the whole process less horrible, less painful, less psychologically taxing than I did.


Final thoughts
I am glad I had the operation, despite the psychological complications it helped to bring to the surface. Those needed dealing with anyway.

It's horrible to have something as precious as your penis injured and then operated on, but in the end, it's a tiny amount of time recovering fully. I mean, I didn't even finish this blog until 3.5 years later; I've even noticed how my writing style has changed!

I would recommend going ahead with it if it's on the cards for you. As long as you follow the fairly decent aftercare I was given (which I listed earlier in this blog), and try not to focus on the injury and discomfort as much as I did, you should have a decent outcome in a relatively short amount of time.

Please leave your comments if you had/are having/refused the operation so people can read them and we can all share information and opinions. I won't be answering comments because it's time I put this all behind me now, but I hope you've found my experience helpful.

Peace and love, good health and happiness.