Phimosis

[Soymocha]

Looking for advice from anyone whose son has this. My almost 10 year old DS has fairly severe phimosis. It's something the GP has monitored over the years and they hoped would improve as he got older but it hasn't. He cannot retract at all still and it makes peeing uncomfortable and, sometimes, painful. Fortunately, he's not had any UTIs as a result but sometimes it bleeds if he's not gentle enough.

Steroid creams have not worked nor have warm baths and pulling back gently everyday.

He was finally referred to a consultant urologist who advised a procedure called freeing of foreskin adhesion. We don't want him circumcised and the GP agrees. This is the next step solution to see if it will help.

I'm feeling quite nervous about this. Has anyone had experience with this procedure and can tell me whether it worked for their son? Unfortunately, it's got to the stage where we are looking at other ways to manage his condition because the creams and self retraction isn't working and we want going to the loo for him to be comfortable and pain free.

Thank you in advance.

My son had the surgery when he was 11. It was absolutely the right thing to do. It's a horrible thing for young boys to deal with, my son was so happy he had the surgery and obviously hasn't had any problems since.

Thanks @Inca22 for sharing this. This is reassuring. I do think it's the right thing to do and we explored at length all options with the GP and consultant. I think I'm nervous as this will be DS' first surgery and he himself is rather scared (though obviously I'm not letting on that I'm nervous but reassuring him instead that it will help him). I'm sorry your son had this but I'm glad surgery resolved it for your son. I hope we will have a similarly successful outcome🙏

I really understand! My son is the littlest in the family and I felt exactly the same way. I was so nervous but actually he wanted it more and ultimately it is his decision. I felt he should have a say seeing as he was living with it.

I am v concerned my Ds has this.
He’s been under urologist care for years due to lots of incontinence. Ds wouldn’t let the consultant examine his penis last time, and the appointments before that were on the phone because of covid.
Ds is now 12. He’s had some stinging and sharp pain on the penis last night and today. I managed to get a telephone consultation tonight when the dr asked about how well his foreskin moves. I said it moves but I’ve never fully retracted it and now he’s 12 he showers/bathes without my help generally.
He’s freaked me out by saying he needs an examination in case he needs a circumcision.
He’s prescribed a topical cream for now and suggested I get helping Ds moving his foreskin, which feels a bit uncomfortable in all kinds of ways.

Ps sorry got jumping on your thread and not starting my own 🤦‍♀️

@icelollycraving no worries about jumping on the thread 🙂. I'm sorry to hear about your son. It does seem like a good idea for the urologist to examine him. I hope the cream works for you. I am really hoping surgery works for us.

@Soymocha thank you. I was Googling for hours last night and horrifying and worrying myself 🤦‍♀️
How long do you think you’ll be waiting for the op for your son?

My husband had this chronically, and he was circumcised in his teens. He had tried everyday going. Warm baths, steroids (this is only what he tells me as one day I asked out of curiosity why he was circumcised) and he said the surgery was simple, he was put to sleep for it but woke up minutes later. Slight soreness for a few days and was right as rain. Never had a problem since and I can't even see the scar.

Obviously I don't know what it's like and I can't speak for everyone but it was life changing for my DH. Is your DS open to being circumcised? I think I'd explain everything to him and if he was open to it, maybe go down that option then?

Id take his lead on it now he's getting a bit older.

Hi all, What was the steroid cream your son had been prescribed?
TIA