Yeson voice feminization surgery

Teslagirl · July 03, 2015, 03:06:02 PM

Does anyone know if Dr Kim will still operate given that I take Ramipril for high blood pressure and Lanzoprazole for stomach reflux?

iKate · July 04, 2015, 04:05:52 PM

Quote from: Teslagirl on July 03, 2015, 03:06:02 PM
Does anyone know if Dr Kim will still operate given that I take Ramipril for high blood pressure and Lanzoprazole for stomach reflux?

Did you send Jessie the pre-op checklist? Make sure you mention all medications. They will work with you.

In my case I have diabetes and I take metformin, so it is controlled. I also have high blood pressure and take a few drugs (because I can't take the combo I was taking now that I am taking spiro). My BP measured 129/89 when I went in. I was off spiro by then, so it was elevated a little. Could have been a bit of white coat syndrome too.

The day before your op, one of the nurses will go over all your medications and may even give you special instructions if you have conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. In my case they gave me a shot of something (may have been insulin) on the day of my op and they measured my blood glucose before I went under. They told me take one of my blood pressure pills (Amlodipine) in the morning of the op with a sip of water. Dr Lee, the anesthesiologist is extremely skilled and experienced. I fully trusted him. In Korea, only the top 1.5% of the class are allowed to be licensed as doctors. Therefore any Korean doctor is supposed to be highly skilled.

They worked with me and it was no problem at all.

In general though, antihypertensive agents are not really a problem. You just need to stop them the day before or the day of surgery and they will adjust the anesthesia accordingly. They will tell you. But you need to be up front.

iKate · July 04, 2015, 04:11:00 PM

I am back in the US now.

Incheon airport is terrible for anyone not having an updated passport. They ping ponged me back from men to women's security line (there is one for each gender) and when they finally settled on the women's line and I walked through the scanner they looked at my passport and then called over a man to wand me down. I couldn't talk of course so I couldn't tell them about the trans thing. I did not even wear a dress or anything just a T shirt and jeans. I tried to guy it up as was suggested by stephe in the other thread but that didn't work so well.

So I'd suggest updating your documents like your passport as soon as possible. My name change court order goes in on Monday and when I get it signed by the judge I am getting an updated passport. No more of this nonsense.

US immigration and customs was no problem at all. Besides, TSA and CBP knows how to deal with transgender people and I used the automated entry kiosk anyway.

anjaq · July 04, 2015, 04:41:40 PM

Imagine what would have happened if you would have - as we did - taken a indirect flight that stops in Bejing. I was very glad that I had all passport documents AND the GRS behind me at that point as I had to undress to the underwear...

I think it totally makes sense to get the passport changed before doing international flights - or get a letter in all relevant languages to explain to the people at the customs and immigration.

Not speaking is not so much of a problem I believe though. I just used my phone with swype and speech assistant installed and could type very fast and show it in large letters on the screen to the people everywhere - it worked like a charm and I think they were extra friendly at times because they believed I was somehow disabled.

barbie · July 04, 2015, 05:28:16 PM

Quote from: iKate on July 04, 2015, 04:11:00 PM
I am back in the US now.

Incheon airport is terrible for anyone not having an updated passport. They ping ponged me back from men to women's security line (there is one for each gender) and when they finally settled on the women's line and I walked through the scanner they looked at my passport and then called over a man to wand me down. I couldn't talk of course so I couldn't tell them about the trans thing. I did not even wear a dress or anything just a T shirt and jeans. I tried to guy it up as was suggested by stephe in the other thread but that didn't work so well.

Because of the summer Universiade, the security level has been elevated across the country.

http://www.globalpost.com/article/6597544/2015/06/28/universiade-vice-security-minister-run-safety-checks-universiade

I also got an unusual security check at Gimpo airport.

barbie~~

iKate · July 04, 2015, 10:31:56 PM

Quote from: anjaq on July 04, 2015, 04:41:40 PM
Imagine what would have happened if you would have - as we did - taken a indirect flight that stops in Bejing. I was very glad that I had all passport documents AND the GRS behind me at that point as I had to undress to the underwear...

Why did they strip you to underwear?

I have problems with China anyway. I work for a TV media organization and China doesn't like journalists. To get a visa for China the company has to write a letter saying I am not going for work purposes.

anjaq · July 05, 2015, 11:39:29 AM

I had quite a few medication with me and an inhaler for water vapour. I think they believed the inhaler to be a pot pipe and the medication to be illegal drugs or something. They questioned me about all the medication and hormones and the glass inhaler several times.

Teslagirl · July 06, 2015, 05:00:43 PM

Barbie,

I have booked the Ramada which you said you used, but the reviews I saw weren't very good. Could you give some more details about it? Is there reasonable air conditioning and is the breakfast good?

Thanks,

Sarah.

barbie · July 06, 2015, 07:32:30 PM

Quote from: Teslagirl on July 06, 2015, 05:00:43 PM
Barbie,

I have booked the Ramada which you said you used, but the reviews I saw weren't very good. Could you give some more details about it? Is there reasonable air conditioning and is the breakfast good?

Thanks,

Sarah.

There are many Ramada hotels here in S. Korea, and all of them I stayed in were nice. Of course, the room temperature is automatically controlled. I seldom eat breakfast in hotels, but I guess it will be nice if offered from Ramada.

barbie~~

runaway · July 07, 2015, 10:18:32 PM

Jessie has confirmed with me, that Yeson does not offer a tracheal shave together with VFS, due to its possible adverse effects on the surgery's results.

My trachea isn't prominent, but my voice is deep, so I'm torn between getting both procedures done and regretting it, or only getting VFS and always wondering what-if.

Has anyone else besides Jenny had both a tracheal shave and VFS with good results?

Dena · July 07, 2015, 10:56:45 PM

Quote from: runaway on July 07, 2015, 10:18:32 PM
Jessie has confirmed with me, that Yeson does not offer a tracheal shave together with VFS, due to its possible adverse effects on the surgery's results.

My trachea isn't prominent, but my voice is deep, so I'm torn between getting both procedures done and regretting it, or only getting VFS and always wondering what-if.

Has anyone else besides Jenny had both a tracheal shave and VFS with good results?

Dr Haben has concerns because I had a tracheal shave about 35 years ago but he will be seeing me next week. I had mine done by a reconstructive plastic surgeon and he was very fearful about weakening the larynx so he was very conservative about how much material he removed. As the result I can still feel a bIt of the bump but it doesn't show enough for anybody to pick up on it. The scar across my neck as faded as it is shows more and i have never received a comment on that either. The Adams Apple provides no additional support so if that is all that is removed it will not alter the voice. Now if you look at my picture, you will see my larynx but about the only way to hid that is put on far more weight than I want to carry.

iKate · July 07, 2015, 11:43:44 PM

Quote from: runaway on July 07, 2015, 10:18:32 PM
Jessie has confirmed with me, that Yeson does not offer a tracheal shave together with VFS, due to its possible adverse effects on the surgery's results.

My trachea isn't prominent, but my voice is deep, so I'm torn between getting both procedures done and regretting it, or only getting VFS and always wondering what-if.

Has anyone else besides Jenny had both a tracheal shave and VFS with good results?

As an aside, Haben will do it as part of the "triple."

Fortunately I didn't need it.

anjaq · July 08, 2015, 11:36:01 AM

Women have a larynx, too 😉 - So basically only the additional part of the larynx has to be removed, right? And if done properly you can still have a prominent larynx, but its not an adamy apple then, its just a larynx, a voice box - every human has one (almost).
I wonder though why Yeson does not provide the surgery. I know that some time ago, Dr Kims aid not to do a trach shave with anyone else because it can be bad for the voice, but I remember that he basically said to better do it with him, as he would know how to handle the combination. Another surgery team that can deal with it is FacialTeam in Marbella, they do FFS and also trach shaves and they know Dr Kim and can use proper intubation that is not harmful after a VFS and AFAIK they also know how to do a trach shave that does not impact Dr Kims voice work.

iKate · July 08, 2015, 02:00:05 PM

So it's 12 days post op and I had a few coughs, not many, but I tried to keep my mouth open and let the air escape. One or two got away though. I did not make any sound.

I hope I hadn't screwed up anything. However there hasn't been pain or even a sore throat. I'm just worried about it healing OK. In any case I managed to get through the first seven days with just one mild cough and nothing screwed up so I'm hoping everything is fine for the next three weeks or so.

This morning my wife came to wake me up at 4:30 to ask a question. Out of pure reflex because I was asleep I answered, but the voice was slightly elevated above my pre-op pitch. Then I realized, oh darn, what have I done? I'm supposed to keep silent.

Went to my primary doc today and gave her a copy of my records from Yeson as well as the video of my vocal folds so they have it for my file. I also mentioned the clonazepam and other stuff. Checked out my A1C from my last blood draw and it was 6 which is actually pretty good for a diabetic. They also wanted to check my CBC to make sure I'm ok after surgery and any blood loss.

Friday makes it 14 days post op, tomorrow makes it 7 days post BoTox so I guess I can say 1-2 words then? Dr Kim said I really should keep silent for the full month though.

iKate · July 09, 2015, 01:18:47 PM

Quote from: barbie on March 11, 2015, 12:31:47 PM
About 10 years, I frequently used Amex in Korea. It is not so much popular as Visa or Master, but anyway is a standard credit card here.

barbie~~

BTW just a follow up on this, I used Amex everywhere in Seoul without issue. No FTF and the exchange rate was the interbank rate.

Claraaa · July 10, 2015, 10:11:18 AM

Kate, sorry if I missed this on the thread someplace... What type of job do you have that you can be "silent" for such a long period? I just can't imagine that in my current job.

Clara

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

iKate · July 10, 2015, 10:52:06 AM

Quote from: Claraaa on July 10, 2015, 10:11:18 AM
Kate, sorry if I missed this on the thread someplace... What type of job do you have that you can be "silent" for such a long period? I just can't imagine that in my current job.

Clara

Sent from my HTC6535LVW using Tapatalk

Engineering and IT supervisor at a division of a TV network in NYC. I sit at a desk all day sending emails and we all IM each other here. I haven't really answered my phone in months as most people communicate with me via email and the phone calls I get are nuisance calls from people trying to sell stuff.

I did clear it with HR though and my VP agreed to accommodate me.

People here have had to accommodate me but the effort has been minimal. I also have a text to speech app on my iPhone and I type really fast.

Teslagirl · July 10, 2015, 02:59:29 PM

Can I ask if anyone here paid the Yeson surgery fee by Mastercard or Visa on the day of the consultation? I'm thinking of doing this if Jessie replies to say it will be OK.

Thanks,

Sarah

ReDucks · July 10, 2015, 07:51:07 PM

Quote from: Teslagirl on July 10, 2015, 02:59:29 PM
Can I ask if anyone here paid the Yeson surgery fee by Mastercard or Visa on the day of the consultation? I'm thinking of doing this if Jessie replies to say it will be OK.

Thanks,

Sarah

I did, no problems at all. They use the old fashioned carbon paper imprint device (just fyi). Make sure to tell your card company that you will be in South Korea so they don't block the charge.

iKate · July 10, 2015, 08:09:31 PM

Quote from: ReDucks on July 10, 2015, 07:51:07 PM
I did, no problems at all. They use the old fashioned carbon paper imprint device (just fyi). Make sure to tell your card company that you will be in South Korea so they don't block the charge.

Do they take Amex?