SRS/GRS with dr brassard October 12 2016

[jujubes1986]

I wanna start my story from today till one year post op. I would like to hear from Brassard's graduate... Specially anyone from Toronto.

When you come home from Montreal... How did you find a doctor/gyno that has experience with transwomen?

I wanna know one before I leave for my surgery because what if I get some complications and need to see a doctor. Would the emergency doctor be able to know what's going on with my neovagina if ever?

I know I'm gonna get a letter of confirmation a month before but what do I need to stock up on? Lube? Panty liners? Pee pads? Etc

It's 2 months 2 weeks and 3 days until the surgery date.

Can I tell dr brassard what kind of look I want or he would just make it like how he makes the other girls... I heard it's like one size fits all kinda deal... I'm hoping a nice minora and majora and a cute clitoris

[Paige]

Hi Jujubes1986,

Thanks for starting this thread.  I'm very curious to hear people's input.  By the way, I'm guessing you got CAMH approval.  How long is it taking these days to go through the whole process.

Thanks,
Paige

[AnonyMs]

Based on posts I've seen it would be a good idea to get rid of the appropriate genital hair so it doesn't end up inside.

[jessical]

I am not sure how it works with going through the Canadian approval process, but for me once I got the surgery date and confirm that date would work for me, they sent me out the confirmation letter, which also includes everything you need to stock up on.  If you message me, I could send the documents they sent me.

In terms of hair removal, Brassard's preference is not to have any.  If you have any they say you should wait 1 year after the last treatment before having surgery.  Not having any hair removal does have some risks, but I could not find any recently surgeries that have had that issue.  There are some people who have had internal hairs, but they surgeries were several years back.

[AnonyMs]

Regarding hair

Hair inside the vagina and scars outside vagina
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=203188.15

I and two other girls who had their operation done with DR. Brassard recently (mine was in 2005) ended up with hair inside our vaginas. If I had to go back in time, I would have most definitely done electrolysis (NOT laser as hair sometimes grows back years later) prior to SRS and waited 1 yr after last session for operation. I regret having listened to his advice. My case as well as those of the two other girls show scraping is no guarantee of ending up with no hair inside the vagina. He even mentions in the documents he provides to the patients that there is a chance all the hairs may not be removed but I did not read attentively enough. Mea culpa . A link to my post about this in more detail was noted above by AnonyMs.

11 years later, I still have a hairy vagina. Removing the hair now is close to impossible and not worth the hassle and potential complications.

I may be the odd ball out but still, had I known there was even a very slight chance of hairs growing back, I would still have opted for electrolysis.

https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,210106.msg1861095.html#msg1861095

I know it happens occasionally with Suporn as well, and he also recommends not to have it removed. However its easy to get rid of post-op with Suporn due to his particular technique.

[jujubes1986]

Regarding hair

Hair inside the vagina and scars outside vagina
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php?topic=203188.15
https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,210106.msg1861095.html#msg1861095

I know it happens occasionally with Suporn as well, and he also recommends not to have it removed. However its easy to get rid of post-op with Suporn due to his particular technique.

Thank you!

[jujubes1986]

I am not sure how it works with going through the Canadian approval process, but for me once I got the surgery date and confirm that date would work for me, they sent me out the confirmation letter, which also includes everything you need to stock up on.  If you message me, I could send the documents they sent me.

In terms of hair removal, Brassard's preference is not to have any.  If you have any they say you should wait 1 year after the last treatment before having surgery.  Not having any hair removal does have some risks, but I could not find any recently surgeries that have had that issue.  There are some people who have had internal hairs, but they surgeries were several years back.

Thank you, I private messaged you thnx again

[jujubes1986]

Hi Jujubes1986,

Thanks for starting this thread.  I'm very curious to hear people's input.  By the way, I'm guessing you got CAMH approval.  How long is it taking these days to go through the whole process.

Thanks,
Paige

I gave them the application October 2013 and they gave me a call for an interview August 2015... Then I got approved feb 2016 and sent my medical package to dr brassard April 2016 and I got surgery date October 2016

[Paige]

I gave them the application October 2013 and they gave me a call for an interview August 2015... Then I got approved feb 2016 and sent my medical package to dr brassard April 2016 and I got surgery date October 2016

Wow that's just incredible.  3 years is just too long.  It doesn't seem Brassard is the hold up, it's the approval process.  There was talk last year about other clinics, such as Sherborne being able to approve people for surgery.  I wonder what ever happen to that.

Thanks Jujubes,
Paige

[jujubes1986]

Wow that's just incredible.  3 years is just too long.  It doesn't seem Brassard is the hold up, it's the approval process.  There was talk last year about other clinics, such as Sherborne being able to approve people for surgery.  I wonder what ever happen to that.

Thanks Jujubes,
Paige

Try calling them... I go to them for my HRT... They were the one who referred me to CAMh in 2013

[jujubes1986]

Omg it's 2 months 1 week and 5 days away... I can't wait for the summer to end... I already faxed them the blood work... Everything went well though I had to redo the urine analysis... Dr brassards clinic is closed from July 30 to August 22 for the summer

[islandgirl]

Lucky girl! So exciting! I spoke to Adrienne this week and found out that my referral has everything that is needed. It is been sent to the clinical nurse for review. Unfortunately, we are not in their summer holiday period, and it will not be until the end of August or September until my file is seen. I am OK with this as I am not looking for a date until next Spring as I am out of the country until April. My referral was sent into the clinic in May, 2016. I guess I cannot complain. I use the phase 'patience grasshopper' while playing tennis, and now so need to really take this to heart!

[jujubes1986]

Lucky girl! So exciting! I spoke to Adrienne this week and found out that my referral has everything that is needed. It is been sent to the clinical nurse for review. Unfortunately, we are not in their summer holiday period, and it will not be until the end of August or September until my file is seen. I am OK with this as I am not looking for a date until next Spring as I am out of the country until April. My referral was sent into the clinic in May, 2016. I guess I cannot complain. I use the phase 'patience grasshopper' while playing tennis, and now so need to really take this to heart!

You will probably get November 2016 surgery date... I gave them my information late April 2016 and gave me October 2016 surgery date...

[jujubes1986]

In 29 days I will be leaving for MTL ... I will be arriving 2 days before my surgery and I'll be staying at the gite du marigot bed and breakfast... Where I will be doing my bowel  prep and shaving before surgery

[jujubes1986]

I'll be posting pictures on Twitter of my stay in Montreal and during my recovery at the recovery center... It's a public account, you won't need to follow me or anything you'll be able to see my pictures

Twitter account @iamjuju1234