The Imperfect Community

Rebecca_R · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 5:31 pm Post subject: Ever experience this?

So yesterday Nate starts complaining that his "pee-pee" hurt. We looked at the part where you can pull back the foreskin looked torn and red, but just on one side. So I took him to the doc today because it just looks worse. Come to find out, he really had adhesions (are any of you familiar with this?) and the whole head of his penis at the base of it, if that makes sense, was stuck together with the skin of his penis. So probably when he gets those night time erections, it's naturally pulling away, and the head of his penis is tearing away from the skin on the shaft. I hope I'm making some kinda sense here. So anyway, the other side is still stuck, and the doctor said it's going to eventually pull away like this side, just to treat it with ointment and motrin for pain like I have been.

Anyway, he made this comment to me. I know he is very pro-circ. Aaron isn't circed. I researched this issue while pg with him and decided against it. Awhile back when I'd taken Aaron for a checkup he made a comment "why did you circ one and not the other?!" Like, oh my god, the horror!!! Laughing

So he made this comment today, "your other son isn't circed so he could be developing adhesions too!" I was a little miffed by the comment so I told him that having problems with adhesions on a circumcision doesn't seem like a logical argument for circumcision. So he goes on to tell me yadda, yadda, uncirced kids have so much trouble, etc. I've never heard this to be true.

Any thoughts?

supergirl · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 7:38 pm Post subject: Ever experience this?

My son's been to the doctor a couple of times for the same thing. He is circumsized. I remember the last time was two summers ago, and I get a call from my husband (I was out of town) and hear Hunter crying in the background. I think he went to urgent care for it that time.

Scout · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:06 pm Post subject: Ever experience this?

That seems like a stupid time to be singing the praises of circumcision, since the circ'd one was the one with adhesions. Rolling Eyes

I hope it's better soon. My boys are circ'd, but we haven't has any problems like this. But I would not do it with another baby.

Anthromomma · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:53 pm Post subject: Re: Ever experience this?

honeybee · Queen of Imperfection Joined: 20 Dec 2002 Posts: 3163

In all my time of researching and debating circs, I never came across any info that intact children get adhesions. There is the natural detaching of foreskin in late toddlerhood/early childhood so that it becomes retractable, where it may be paratiallly attached still, but that is NOT the same thing as an adhesion.

I would SO be getting a different ped if one ever said that to me. Mad

MainstreamMom · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:26 pm Post subject: Ever experience this?

No I never experienced that but I HAVE experienced asshole doctors that should keep their parenting views to themselves. There's nothing worse than a doctor asking you a question in a condecending manner like "duh?"

Insert foot up ass

Jessica · Posted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 9:43 pm Post subject: Ever experience this?

Holden is circ'd and he's never had any issues with hygiene or adhesions.

So, I guess I really don't have any suggestions. Like Kristy said, I'm not sure why this doc would say that given that your son who is circ'd is the one having "problems".

Having said that, Graham is NOT circ'd and I really, really regret it now. I've had so many problems with major irritation and even blood and rashes under his foreskin, no matter how much I clean it. Being that Graham has sensory issues, it's been a bigger pain than I think it's worth. Scott would disagree with me, but I should have just went with my mainstream attitudes and not tried to be progressive because it's a lot of maintenance and I'm a low maintenance type of girl.

Weird thing is though, Graham's ped kept telling me to pull back the foreskin and I didn't do that and now I think I'm screwed because now it's completely attached and I think that's part of the reason he gets so irritated. Plus, it will be a long, long time before he's able to care for it appopriately himself. (I dunno. Maybe I'm just being a freak and obsessing over nothing.)

DietCokeHead · Queen of Imperfection Joined: 29 Apr 2002 Posts: 3805

My sister's son who isnt circed is having tons of problems with infections. She wanted to get it done a couple years ago when they adopted him (at 2 years) but then decided against it. She will probably have to get it done now because of all the issues.

Rebecca_R · Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 9:23 am Post subject: Ever experience this?

Jess, what do you mean by it's completely attached? Does it not retract at all?

MM, don't worry, I won't be going back to that guy! He's not a ped actually family practice doctor. The reason I had to see him today is because I made the appt on such short notice and I *had* to take Nate in that day because I was worried, he was the only one with openings. I'm in the process of switching practice's though, I want the boys at a ped specifically.

Scout · Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 9:39 am Post subject: Ever experience this?

Everything I've read about uncirc'd is that you are basically not supposed to touch it or do anything to it like clean under or retract it for the first year, after which it should start to retract on its own. Pulling it back before then can cause adhesions and problems.

Did I tell y'all that when we were talking about dh getting a V, my mom randomly told me that when my dad got his, he also got circ'd. Shocked

I was horrified. I asked why??? and she said he'd had problems with it but that was as much as I cared to know, lol. That is really weird to me.

Rebecca_R · Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 11:31 am Post subject: Ever experience this?

I wonder if that's why Nate got the adhesions? Because the skin would retract a little over it, and I'd pull it back when diaper changing or giving him a bath. Or, I wonder if it just healed that way after the circ?

Aaron's foreskin still isnt retractable. Kinda wonder about that. A lot of people say it may not happen until he is a few years older. Other than that he has had no problems *knock on wood* with any type of infections. I wonder if the fact that he drinks LOTS of water and pees a lot has anything to do with that. Like it's constantly getting flushed out and nothing just "sits" there.

Sewingsiren · Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 1:58 pm Post subject: Re: Ever experience this?

honeybee · Queen of Imperfection Joined: 20 Dec 2002 Posts: 3163

Jessica · Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 5:58 am Post subject: Re: Ever experience this?

Jessica · Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:03 am Post subject: Ever experience this?

Well Scott just made a brainiac suggestion to me that could be the culprit of Graham's problems. He said that it's probably because he's still in diapers that he's having these almost diaper rash-like issues under his foreskin.

Can I just let out a big, "DUH"!

I swear, I'm losing brain cells. I'll bet that exactly what's causing the problem.

Okay, now I'm fine with him being uncirc'd again. Carry on...