Yeson voice feminization surgery 2.0

[anjaq]

As far as I know Dr kim only uses steroids , cortisol of some sort, as an IV on the surgery day. No inhalation or anything.

Denjin - I think you are right about your low pitch - when I measured my relaxed "male" pitch at home, I was at about 110 Hz, but it took me like 15 minutes to get into the "mood" to do that. At Yeson it was 134 whcih I think was a bit higher than it could have been but my normal everyday pitch was at 140-150 so it was kind of hard to really let it drop there. They did not check my lowest or highest notes though, but I have them from home and knew it was 82 Hz to 880 Hz.
I think a Taxi once is definitely worth just not walking in those endless corridors of the subway stations - also in Korean subway you seem to almost never get a seat when it is even close to rush hour

I cannot tall you a good Bimibap place though, we went to a restaurant in Meyongdong and took that, but it was not really that great - more a bit like "fast food bimibap" for people doing shopping in Meyongdong. So maybe try Insadong and don't let some restaurant advertisers pull you in from the street. I hate that and they do it there - standing on the street and trying to tell you that their restaurant is great and then bring you there... just go into a place you like

Since its April now, almost, maybe you can even find a place that has outdoor seats open already if there is a good weather day, but I believe in general it is probably too cold for that, still.

If you like Bimibap, it may be worth actually buying a pot for that in Korea, they are insanely expensive to mail order here in Europe at least, so I never did even though I would have liked to try that at home.

[Dena]

Odd, I was sure steroids were common treatment.
Based on this perceived lax aftercare I'm starting to be bothered that I didn't go to Korea instead. They also sort of glued my wound shut after the trachea shave. There's no sutures or anything, but the wound is HUGE. If that's not gonna leave a big scar, I don't know what does.

It seems you girls get to experience cough medication that actually works too. Meanwhile I sit here with basically maple syrup. Tastes nice at least...

Nice to hear you're having a good experience with Dr. Kim though, hope all goes well.

I went to Dr Haben and I was given steroids by IV and pill. The function of the steroids is to reduce swelling after surgery and they can be important depending on how much your body tends to swell after surgery. The need for them goes down the longer you are post surgical but Ibuprofen would be a second best substitute.

[Denjin]

Yes, Yeson gives an anti-inflammatory shot before surgery and then another before you go home that day.  That's it...although you do get your amazing seven days worth of various pills and cough syrup.  Wish they gave you a humidifier for a few days, too.  The one in your recovery room is very nice and it seems very dry back at the hotel.

My surgery went fine and I just have a sore throat now.  I lucked out and there is no numb tongue or anything else weird; just the store throat, which is to be expected.  Haven't coughed or anything, but I know have a nagging bit of phlegm doing my head in

Took a taxi back, but it costs like 4x more than using subway, so doubt I'll use the taxi again unless I'm feeling knackered like I am today.  Time to see if the Phil House guys can order me something heavy.

[Vii]

I went to Dr Haben and I was given steroids by IV and pill. The function of the steroids is to reduce swelling after surgery and they can be important depending on how much your body tends to swell after surgery. The need for them goes down the longer you are post surgical but Ibuprofen would be a second best substitute.

Thanks for the info, far as I gathered Remacle's laser makes for less swelling than usual, so I hope I'll be alright with just Ibuprofen. The pharmacy doesn't want to hand me steroids. Still not sure how to keep the coughing in check and I'm having nightmares in which I keep slipping and do talk, but am aware I shouldn't. Hope the ride ends soon...

Yes, Yeson gives an anti-inflammatory shot before surgery and then another before you go home that day.  That's it...although you do get your amazing seven days worth of various pills and cough syrup.  Wish they gave you a humidifier for a few days, too.  The one in your recovery room is very nice and it seems very dry back at the hotel.

I got a humidifier at home but if anything, it just adds to the phlegm I already do feel and it gets particularly bad at night. Feels a bit like I'm drowning.

[barbie]

Denjin,

March in Seoul is the worst season of air quality. All kinds of dust are transported from the mainland China. You may purchase some special mask for protecting your throat from a nearby drugstore, but it will not be helpful so much. You can check air pollution at a Japanese site: http://www.tenki.jp/particulate_matter/?p=3

Most Koreans can read simple sentences or words in English. You may show a written memo to any Korean to communicate, as you will not able to talk anyway.

In Seoul, very few people stare at me. Young people are just busy watching their smartphone in subway. Here in my hometown, I still face all kinds of stare from all kinds of people, including people from other countries.

If you really want a nice meal of vegetable, you may try this restaurant. It is relatively expensive, but very special.

https://www.trazy.com/spot/1871/barugongyang-%EB%B0%9C%EC%9A%B0%EA%B3%B5%EC%96%91-restaurant-cafe


barbie~~

[Denjin]

Vii, looking at my packet of medications I got from Yeson, they actually give us something that is almost identical to ibuprofen (dexibuprofen).  I don't know the dosage or anything, but I am to take them 3x per day.

Barbie - Thanks for the kind information. I will keep that in mind when interacting with Koreans.  You are correct about writing things down.  People are so friendly here.  The taxi driver kept burbling away at me on the way back to the hotel, too, even though I had no idea what the heck he was talking about.   I picked up a really good 3M mask before I left home, although it has a garish black '3M' logo on the front of it.

I'll have to go that restaurant, it looks like food I had in Japan - shōjin ryōri (精進料理). 

[Vii]

Vii, looking at my packet of medications I got from Yeson, they actually give us something that is almost identical to ibuprofen (dexibuprofen).  I don't know the dosage or anything, but I am to take them 3x per day.

For how long are you supposed to take them? After my FFS 1 week prior to VFS I've been given paracetamol, to which I was allergic, so we switched to fairly high dosed Ibuprofen. The way I understand it I have to be careful with long(ish) term use.

[Denjin]

I was given a seven-day supply, Vii.   Ibuprofen is a fairly safe drug, though.  If taking large doses for a long period of time it mainly can cause some upset stomach, and of course it is a mild blood thinner.

Today I'm going to find the grocery store near Philhouse.  I'm dying for some fruit and veg.  Edit: The Staff didn't know where I could buy fruit and veg and I had no luck finding a shop that sells them.   I did find a solitary apple, though...beats nothing.

[anjaq]

Grocery stores are right on the other side of the big street with the subway station. Also some restaurants there that also offer takeout as well as street food booths.

I think one of the electronics stores certainly has a USB-powered ultrasound humidifier you can put on top of a water bottle



Otherwise just do as I did and hang a lot of wettened towels in the room everywhere...

Jessie can help you find the best mask to protect from dust. There is a pharmacy right across the street from Yeson and they have good ones.

[Denjin]

Thanks, Anja.

No luck with groceries, but at least they seem to sell fruit on the street here so I've just gone that route.  There is an Emart, but it's near the university so a a bit of a trek perhaps.

I must admit I find it so hard not to talk or vocalise at all.  I really had no idea how much I made SOME sort of sound! 

[anjaq]

Ah yes "groceries" is something different there - lol - I was also expecting something like a supermarket as we are used here in Europe or the USA, but they only have thse small shops that sell fruits and veggies, most of it on the street and then have some other stuff inside. Its next to impossible to get something "regular" like bread, butter, cheese and some ham for a sandwich - we tried that at first, thinking it would be easy to get that to have some simple food in the fridge - wrong - lol. If you want to cook, there are those markets that sell veggies and fruits and noodles and rice and all that, there is also a butcher in that area for meat (very expensive!) and they also have soy sauce and all that, so you can make nice noodle soup or vegetable stir fry - but if you want to really do "grocery shopping" as in USA or Europe, you need to find a supermarket and that is not so easy in the city. We speculated that they are probably more to the outskirts of the city? We did not consider it worth it an just lived on what those markets sold - fruits, we found a french bakery for some bread - and otherwise we just went with take-out food and the fried food they sell on the street there...

[Denjin]

Thanks, Anja.

Yep, that's exactly it!   It's different than Japan somehow, too... I guess Korea is Korea (who'd have thought!). Given the amount of time I'm actually going to be here, it's a bit silly to buy too much in the way of 'basics' I guess. I just feel that when I eat out, the food is all very salty or deep fried in some fashion.  Definitely will head to the restaurant barbie linked earlier, perhaps even tomorrow for lunch!

[anjaq]

The advantage of salty food is: It compensates for the striking lack of salt/minerals in the bottled water
The advantage of deep fried food is, you will not get any stupid stomach infections or such as it is often the case in some asian countries. Even if it is sold on the street - no virus or bacteria can survive being dipped in hot fat for a minute

But yes - there are some restaurants that are less fatty and salty - I found it easier to find those in the city center. Insadong or Meyongdong. In the Achasan area there seems to be more of the simple food restaurants. Oh and don't try the soup shop across the street from the metro station in one of the side roads - No one I know so far liked that soup - its too foreign...

[Denjin]

Hah! I shall keep all of that in mind. 

I think I did too much walking today, as my throat feels a bit odd and scratchy; my Fitbit says it is 4.5 miles.  If it still feels odd tomorrow, perhaps I'll call off my Insadong excursion and read a book in the park.  I will recommend that anyone else who comes brings a partner.  At least in my case, it's a bit too isolating being a solitary mute in a foreign country sometimes.  However, I do have to say Korean people seem amazing and are a very very friendly bunch!

[anjaq]

It depends on how you are. I had someone with me but she was sick in the hotel most of the time, so it was not really that we did a lot in the city together, but I had fun anyways, exploring Insadong and the "old town" part and the kings palace... Having someone with you causes the temptation to speak something though, keep that in mind. Happened to me twice in that first week

[barbie]

No luck with groceries, but at least they seem to sell fruit on the street here so I've just gone that route.  There is an Emart, but it's near the university so a a bit of a trek perhaps.

My wife usually purchase fruit and vegetables at Emart. There are several chain stores. Near Phil House, I can see a "Home plus" express. Express here means a small store. At least you may purchase some selected fruit and vegetable there.

It says it takes about 17 min by walking (1.1 km = 0.7 mile).





You can also see the location of Home Plus in Google: https://www.google.co.kr/maps/place/%ED%99%88%ED%94%8C%EB%9F%AC%EC%8A%A4%EC%9D%B5%EC%8A%A4%ED%94%84%EB%A0%88%EC%8A%A4+%EA%B5%AC%EC%9D%98%EC%A0%90/@37.5425952,127.0833933,18z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x357ca52715ea23bd:0x8b9902011e7461f8?hl=en

You may go there by taxi after  showing the map to the driver. The fare is KRW3,000 (about US$ 3).

barbie~~

[Denjin]

True, Anja. I've narrowly stopped myself from talking to myself these past few days... probably would be even worse if my partner was with me.

Thanks, barbie.  That looks a little bit closer than the emart near the university.

I am pondering going to Gyeongbokgung Palace tomorrow, and possibly the War Memorial on Sunday.  Then, as many places are closed on Monday I found a temple not toooooooo far from Yeson that I could visit on the day of my check up - Bongeunsa Temple.  Hope they are interesting places!

[barbie]

I am pondering going to Gyeongbokgung Palace tomorrow, and possibly the War Memorial on Sunday.  Then, as many places are closed on Monday I found a temple not toooooooo far from Yeson that I could visit on the day of my check up - Bongeunsa Temple.  Hope they are interesting places!

You may also go to Jogyesa temple: http://www.jogyesa.kr/user/english/ . Jogyesa is very close to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Google location of Jogyesa: https://www.google.co.kr/maps/place/Jogyesa/@37.5749724,126.9732046,16z/data=!4m18!1m15!4m14!1m6!1m2!1s0x357ca2e9e449881d:0x5694ba3fd890e430!2sJogyesa,+55+Ujeongguk-ro,+Jongno-gu,+Seoul!2m2!1d126.9826498!2d37.5743716!1m6!1m2!1s0x357ca2c74aeddea1:0x8b3046532cc715f6!2zU2VvdWwsIEpvbmduby1ndSwgU2FqaWstcm8sIDE2MSDqsr3rs7XqtoE!2m2!1d126.977041!2d37.579617!3m1!1s0x357ca2e9e449881d:0x5694ba3fd890e430


In the front of Jogeysa, there is the restaurant for veggies I previously mentioned (Barugongyang:
https://www.trazy.com/spot/1871/barugongyang-%EB%B0%9C%EC%9A%B0%EA%B3%B5%EC%96%91-restaurant-cafe ). Google location: https://www.google.co.kr/maps/place/%EB%B0%9C%EC%9A%B0%EA%B3%B5%EC%96%91/@37.5738252,126.9822918,17.5z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x357ca2c278fa6e67:0xb14e8c1d1b864d74

barbie~~

[barbie]

Internet sites says that there are two Barugongyang restaurants at the same building. One is a simple one on the 2nd, and the other is on the 5th where you may enter.



You will see the English sign "Temple Stay" in the top of the building.

barbie~~

[Denjin]

Thanks, barbie. It's not so far from the Palace.

I would advise others to do this sort of thing on a weekday, though!  The Palace was totally heaving by lunch time... and, the restaurant needs reservations.  Well, perhaps it doesn't need them, but they are a good idea on a weekend at least.  So, get your hotel to phone up in advance would be my recommendation.

For those who stayed at Phil, do they have the liquid or powder for washing your clothes, or do I need to buy some?  If the latter, perhaps I'll just wait - not that many days left.