Yeson voice feminization surgery

[Jennygirl]

thanks for the tips misschievous

Luckily a lot of it cleared out last night and today. Tonight is the first time in 2 or 3 days I won't be taking cough medicine to fall asleep. I had some of that promethazine stuff left over from a really bad chest cold a couple of years ago. It's the stuff that has codeine in it. KNOCKED me out and kept the tickle away from my vocal chords.

Well it's hard not saying more than 15-20 words in a day. Especially when I want to figure out how to use my new voice. But luckily I have only 10 more days until I can start using it in full conversation mode. I realized that the 11th of June here is actually the 12th in Seoul. I know I know I'm getting SO technical with my countdown.. but can you blame me?

[Shantel]

thanks for the tips misschievous

Luckily a lot of it cleared out last night and today. Tonight is the first time in 2 or 3 days I won't be taking cough medicine to fall asleep. I had some of that promethazine stuff left over from a really bad chest cold a couple of years ago. It's the stuff that has codeine in it. KNOCKED me out and kept the tickle away from my vocal chords.

Well it's hard not saying more than 15-20 words in a day. Especially when I want to figure out how to use my new voice. But luckily I have only 10 more days until I can start using it in full conversation mode. I realized that the 11th of June here is actually the 12th in Seoul. I know I know I'm getting SO technical with my countdown.. but can you blame me?

I think what you are suffering with is the same locus of the mocus I have along with many others. It used to be that a cold was just a scratchy throat, a cough and sniffles and it was over in a few days, but it seems that these virus's have morphed into something really nasty that goes on for weeks now. Hang in there girlfriend, we all wanna hear that totally girly-girl voice when you're ready.

[misschievous]

Well, you have a right to be technical with the countdown. After all, you want to start talking full conversations when the doctor wants you to. If you go too soon, even a day, you might mess something up. I doubt you would but there is still the chance.

[Jennygirl]

8 days remaining!

An update:

I've been getting a little more used to my voice when talking to other people. It is seriously not easy. My brain is still doing it's thing where when I am alone I am fine, but when I'm with people I know it wants to use a lower tone.

But now, there is no lower tone! So usually when I talk to other people unless I focus on raising the pitch the word comes out sounding like sh**, haha. Today I made some good improvements though. It's starting to sound normal to me to have a higher voice. Little by little, my brain is adjusting.

Also, phlegm is finally going away but still getting quite a bit after drinking water. I think the botox is still affecting my vocal chords and they are still in the semi-over-relaxed state, letting a few drips of water down my esophagus when I swallow water.

Overall my voice is getting a little bit stronger and doesn't sound as hoarse at a louder (but still soft) volume. Things seem to be healing really well.

And this whole time I have had no discomfort or pain or anything. This procedure is truly amazing

Just thought I would update you! Every day is a noticeable difference.

[Kiwi4Ever]

8 days remaining!

An update:

I've been getting a little more used to my voice when talking to other people. It is seriously not easy. My brain is still doing it's thing where when I am alone I am fine, but when I'm with people I know it wants to use a lower tone.

But now, there is no lower tone! So usually when I talk to other people unless I focus on raising the pitch the word comes out sounding like sh**, haha. Today I made some good improvements though. It's starting to sound normal to me to have a higher voice. Little by little, my brain is adjusting.

Also, phlegm is finally going away but still getting quite a bit after drinking water. I think the botox is still affecting my vocal chords and they are still in the semi-over-relaxed state, letting a few drips of water down my esophagus when I swallow water.

Overall my voice is getting a little bit stronger and doesn't sound as hoarse at a louder (but still soft) volume. Things seem to be healing really well.

And this whole time I have had no discomfort or pain or anything. This procedure is truly amazing

Just thought I would update you! Every day is a noticeable difference.

Jenny, I am so thrilled for you...and me, because I am going to have this procedure!  Can't wait, but I have to as my FFS is still quite raw.  Have been in touch with them and only need to give them 3 weeks advance notice...You know when you talk (pardon the pun) about having to work at it, what do you mean?  When you talk, don't you just use what comes out of your mouth and now it's more feminine, totally female?  Is it not that simple?

Hugs...

[Jennygirl]

Jenny, I am so thrilled for you...and me, because I am going to have this procedure!  Can't wait, but I have to as my FFS is still quite raw.  Have been in touch with them and only need to give them 3 weeks advance notice...You know when you talk (pardon the pun) about having to work at it, what do you mean?  When you talk, don't you just use what comes out of your mouth and now it's more feminine, totally female?  Is it not that simple?

Hugs...

Well no it's not really a "boom, now you have a fully female voice". The brain still has to get used to having the higher pitches, as well you have to train yourself to use different resonance, word choice, and inflection. Lemmie put it this way...  if someone with a 100% male sounding voice (no feminine voice training at all) were to get this surgery, it would probably end up sounding like a male with a high pitched voice.

All that the surgery does is change the pitch. It's up to you to get the rest down

I'm trilled for you, too, Kiwi Hopefully your FFS recovery is quick and easy!

[Jennygirl]

Oh and sorry I didn't answer the question fully about having to work at it.

Well, I was used to using a lower tone around other people. So, when tried to say words around people (which I've only been allowed to do the past 4 or so days), I have been adjusting to not having those lower pitches available.

Today was kind of a breakthrough day for me. Just a half an hour ago when I was hanging out with a few of my roommates, I noticed I'm becoming much more comfortable with the pitch I need to be using and it's already becoming second nature. Not having lower pitches definitely accelerates the process I think. I really can't even make a noise below ~170hz at the moment. My regular speaking voice used to be 140hz average. Now it is 212hz (as far as I know from the few tests I've done). That is a big change to get used to all in one go!

See what I'm saying?

[Kiwi4Ever]

 :)Perhaps I should say...probably most people don't think there is any need for me to have this surgery, but I don't want to ever be mistaken for a male on the telephone (which has happened) and I don't like the sound of my voice when I leave a message on the telephone answering system...so, I have redone the message over and over until I'm happy with it.  Sometimes transgender people sound a certain way...I have been able to discover people just on their voice alone in the past.  So yes, I can sound more feminine than other times when I want to, but I'd rather not have to.

As for the FFS...it's taking forever and my hair has thinned remarkably.  My face is sore in parts and I wake to different degrees of uncomfortableness in different parts of my face.  I would love to know "what" he did.  I imagine, hammers, chisels, and god knows what else.  I get the most wicked "shocks" in my head as the nerves reattach?  A real journey...but already something I didn't expect but have noticed...people are keener to talk to me than before, I guess it's because I look so much better than before the FFS.

[Shantel]

As for the FFS...it's taking forever and my hair has thinned remarkably.  My face is sore in parts and I wake to different degrees of uncomfortableness in different parts of my face.  I would love to know "what" he did.  I imagine, hammers, chisels, and god knows what else.  I get the most wicked "shocks" in my head as the nerves reattach?  A real journey...but already something I didn't expect but have noticed...people are keener to talk to me than before, I guess it's because I look so much better than before the FFS.

Kiwi, I am assuming that you are a New Zealander right? If that photo that you had previously used as an avatar is indeed you then I can understand clearly how people would be keen to talk with you. I've always been drawn to nice looking women over homely ones, it took me years before I figured out that the external packaging isn't as important as the person inside. That was a strong male trait for me to get over, but I think that women are drawn to want to converse another nice looking woman as well so that desire isn't limited to strict gender proclivities after all.

[Kiwi4Ever]

Kiwi, I am assuming that you are a New Zealander right? If that photo that you had previously used as an avatar is indeed you then I can understand clearly how people would be keen to talk with you.

Shantel, thank you for the compliment.  I will upload a new one before long but having had FFS, my face is still going through soreness, puffiness & swelling.  Yes, I have noticed more people are wanting to approach/talk with me.  It can only be due to the FFS surgery...and when I make myself up (doesn't take as long either) the results are nice.  It makes a difference, because this subtle contact increases my inclusion into society almost automatically.  It's something I didn't anticipate. 

[Kiwi4Ever]

Kiwi, I am assuming that you are a New Zealander right?

Oh, sorry Shantel, yes, I am...An interesting fact...While we aren't a big country (4 million) and increasingly multi-cultural due to Asian & refugee influences, (we are losing our Kiwi identity ) Years ago there were only a hand-full of "sex-changes" in the country and everyone knew everyone else...an interesting statistic emerged.  We were all Cancerian!  Born in the Cancerian Horoscope

[Shantel]

Oh, sorry Shantel, yes, I am...An interesting fact...While we aren't a big country (4 million) and increasingly multi-cultural due to Asian & refugee influences, (we are losing our Kiwi identity ) Years ago there were only a hand-full of "sex-changes" in the country and everyone knew everyone else...an interesting statistic emerged.  We were all Cancerian!  Born in the Cancerian Horoscope

That's more than just interesting, it's bizarre don't you think?

I knew a big Maori in Vietnam in my earlier life. He was a rather fine fellow we shared a little Scotch and observed Christmas eve out in the boondocks.

Multiculturalism is destroying a lot of western nation's characteristics and supplanting it with something that the former Yugoslav Republic has shown doesn't work, especially when the newcomers refuse to assimilate and insist on changing the existing culture to suit them.

[Tristan]

Wow girl. I just saw this thread . I must say really awesome

[Jennygirl]

Wow girl. I just saw this thread . I must say really awesome

Thanks Tristan

Today has been awesome! I am really getting used to having a higher pitch and saying words to people is becoming much more natural in the higher register. Seems like it's a combination of healing and also mental adjustment. It also feels like my voice is getting higher as I go- it is definitely most comfortable more towards the 220-230hz range now.

The best part for me- using a higher pitch is really starting to take shape around others, and it feels great I still have moments where a word will come out sounding croaky / hoarse because my brain wants to go back down, but that is happening less and less. My whole reason for doing this surgery was because I could not conquer the fear or stage fright or whatever you wanna call it of using my female voice around others. Now that it is forced, I really have no choice in the matter and I could not be happier about that.

A side note of something I noticed... When I have some phlegm and I try to clear it out, it kind of stuns my vocal chords a little bit and my voice becomes very wavered in pitch. So I am trying not to do that whole throat clearing thing for now.

[Carrie Liz]

Jenny, if you don't mind me asking, I've heard you speak many times about how resonance is not changed, only pitch is. So, I'm just really curious, does that mean that things like coughs and sneezes are affected, or not? And also, how much effort does it take to change your resonance so that a surgery like this sounds natural? I'm thinking about it myself for the future because it takes so much effort to push my voice into a higher tone, but I'm a bit scared that because you've said this technique does not change the resonance, would it still require that same amount of effort anyway in order to sound natural?

Again, just curious. My voice is like my #1 dysphoria issue, and I'd give just about anything to have the same soprano notes that I had before my voice changed back, so I am weighing my options.

[Jamie Marie]

Jenny,

Love your voice.

The wavering pitch thing happens to me tired, dry throat , etc. For me it's normal. Maybe for lots of people. Thinking seriously about the voice surgery. My therapist even says I have the feminine speech range and my voice pitch is very similar to her cis female voice. So i'm not exactly sure what to do different. She said my voice has feminine speech patterns already, the range during speech. Yet I struggle to maintain my female voice for more than short bursts, and singing in my female voice range stresses my voice in 6-10 minutes. Any suggestions? I have range, and inflection down, yet struggle on maintaining pitch and volume for very long.

Thanks

[Jennygirl]

Jenny, if you don't mind me asking, I've heard you speak many times about how resonance is not changed, only pitch is. So, I'm just really curious, does that mean that things like coughs and sneezes are affected, or not? And also, how much effort does it take to change your resonance so that a surgery like this sounds natural? I'm thinking about it myself for the future because it takes so much effort to push my voice into a higher tone, but I'm a bit scared that because you've said this technique does not change the resonance, would it still require that same amount of effort anyway in order to sound natural?

Again, just curious. My voice is like my #1 dysphoria issue, and I'd give just about anything to have the same soprano notes that I had before my voice changed back, so I am weighing my options.

I've heard your voice in a video, Carrie! I remember it sounding really really good!

Anyway to answer your questions:

Coughs and sneezes are affected when there is phonation but this is a huge no-no during recovery so I haven't tried it. Everything from laughing to clearing the throat, to sighing and yawning IS feminized. Anything with phonation of any kind. Resonance isn't too much of an issue with these things imo.

Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about resonance training. Anyone can do it, you just have to put the time in and learn how to gain access to those muscles to make the voice box smaller. I would say it depends on the person how much effort it takes. If you are a really detailed, observant, and/or methodical learner, you can figure it out pretty fast. It took me about 2 months of regular voice training to have that "ah-ha" moment and resonance clicked. I am also very methodical and extremely determined when it comes to figuring things out during a time of need.

Jamie- Thanks

It sounds like you'd be a perfect candidate and would likely have a great outcome out of the gates since you've already done the necessary training. This surgery takes the struggle out of maintaining pitch which seems to be your only issue. Definitely, though, please be very careful about stressing your voice.. because it can really do harm to your vocal chords if you are frequently feeling pain there. They can fix voice complications during the surgery (like they did for me) but I think it's best to start with healthy vocal cords

[Jennygirl]

Omg I love my new voice!!!

It's my first day back at work and I've been saying sentences for a few days already. I love the way it sounds both recorded and as I'm saying stuff!

Still not a lot of volume yet, but it's getting there. Still noticing big differences with every passing day

But I looove it!!! Makes me so happy to finally have correct pitch- the resonance and everything else just falls into place automatically now. It feels like every time I open my mouth to say something out comes a pleasant surprise

[barbie]

Jenny,

I remember that you still need to wait until June 12. I am looking forward to listening your fully recovered new voice on that day.

barbie~~

[Jennygirl]

Jenny,

I remember that you still need to wait until June 12. I am looking forward to listening your fully recovered new voice on that day.

barbie~~

Well it's not going to be fully recovered on that day, but recovered enough to have full conversation at will. Right now I'm keeping it to one word responses for the most part (using a lot of hand gestures) and occasionally saying a sentence here and there.

It won't be until July 10th that I am fully 100% recovered enough to yell and sing. But I've only 3 days left of limited conversation