GCS - finding a surgeon

[sophie1904]

Hi All,

I transitioned a while back and I recently relocated to the US (Seattle). I have good health insurance from work but I'm struggling to find surgeons.

I know the *usual suspects* - Bowers / McGinn but they have enormous waiting lists and ideally I'd like to tackle this in the next 12-18 months.

I have two questions:

1) Any recommendations for surgeons that don't operate with multi-year waiting lists?
2) Any recommendations for whether genital hair removal is required prior to surgery or not?

Thanks,


Sophie

[DawnOday]

You may want to try Dr Ley who operates with Dr. Meltzer in Scottsdale.  https://www.themeltzerclinic.com/

We have decided to partner with Legacy Good Samaritan in Portland, OR to offer gender confirmation surgery, starting in the Summer of 2019. We will be holding our first clinic on February 8th, patients seen during this clinic will be eligible to schedule surgical dates in Portland or Arizona, pending availability, readiness and location preference. We are hoping this additional location will allow for better access to care for our Northwest patients unable to travel. For more information please contact our office via email info@themeltzerclinic.com or via telephone 480-657-7006!

[Linde]

Hi All,

I transitioned a while back and I recently relocated to the US (Seattle). I have good health insurance from work but I'm struggling to find surgeons.

I know the *usual suspects* - Bowers / McGinn but they have enormous waiting lists and ideally I'd like to tackle this in the next 12-18 months.

I have two questions:

1) Any recommendations for surgeons that don't operate with multi-year waiting lists?
2) Any recommendations for whether genital hair removal is required prior to surgery or not?

Thanks,


Sophie

Welcome to the club!  Besides finding a surgeon, it is also difficult to find a surgeon who takes my insurance.  It is not an exotic one, just the simple Humana PPO.  I found one in NYC, but they don't want to do a telephone or online consultation but want me to fly up.  That would mean, I need to spend $$$   for a flight ticket from Florida to NYC  + hotel cost, and still have the chance that the surgeon and I would not fit together!  I don't like that a lot!

I am in the process of getting my genital hair removed (I had it trimmed away for my orchi already), and get now the laser treatment done, because all my hair down there is pretty dark.  But I would do this anyway, because I like the hairless feeling down there (another side effect of the orchi  )

[Linde]

You may want to try Dr Ley who operates with Dr. Meltzer in Scottsdale.  https://www.themeltzerclinic.com/

We have decided to partner with Legacy Good Samaritan in Portland, OR to offer gender confirmation surgery, starting in the Summer of 2019. We will be holding our first clinic on February 8th, patients seen during this clinic will be eligible to schedule surgical dates in Portland or Arizona, pending availability, readiness and location preference. We are hoping this additional location will allow for better access to care for our Northwest patients unable to travel. For more information please contact our office via email info@themeltzerclinic.com or via telephone 480-657-7006!

Would you accept Humana Medicare Advantage PPO?

[Dorit]

Some surgeons are not requiring genital hair removal.  Dr. Gallagher is one of them, here is a video where she explains why. Dietland, there is no requirement whatsoever for hair removal if you are having a partial vaginoplasty.

[DawnOday]

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
UnitedHealthOne
UnitedHealthcare

[Linde]

Some surgeons are not requiring genital hair removal.  Dr. Gallagher is one of them, here is a video where she explains why. Dietland, there is no requirement whatsoever for hair removal if you are having a partial vaginoplasty.

Thanks Dorit, I know.  But from my clear shaving for the orchi, I find the hairless feeling so much more comfortable that I decided to get it done now while it just has the right length for the laser!

Just wrote them an email and see if they would want to take me!

[Linde]

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
UnitedHealthOne
UnitedHealthcare

Thanks Dawn!  Would you know if they would want to become part of the Humana PPO thing?  I have a number they can call for individual acceptance, if they would want to do this.

[Anne Blake]

Hi All,

I transitioned a while back and I recently relocated to the US (Seattle). I have good health insurance from work but I'm struggling to find surgeons.

I know the *usual suspects* - Bowers / McGinn but they have enormous waiting lists and ideally I'd like to tackle this in the next 12-18 months.

I have two questions:

1) Any recommendations for surgeons that don't operate with multi-year waiting lists?
2) Any recommendations for whether genital hair removal is required prior to surgery or not?

Thanks,


Sophie

Hi Sophie,

I was very pleased working with Dr. Ley. They treated me well and a year and a half ago, the waiting list was not long. She did require genital hair removal for full depth surgery but as I was only going shallow, it was not a requirement.

Good luck with your choices,
Tia Anne

[sophie1904]

I had never heard of shallow vs full depth and have been doing some reading on it.

How have you found it? While it rules out penetrative sex, does clitoral stimulation remain? I'm assuming the recovery time from it is much easier as well as dilation will be off the agenda?

[Linde]

I had never heard of shallow vs full depth and have been doing some reading on it.

How have you found it? While it rules out penetrative sex, does clitoral stimulation remain? I'm assuming the recovery time from it is much easier as well as dilation will be off the agenda?

I did extensive research.  Operating time is shorter, recovery is some shorter, less complications to be expected.  No dilation required.  No penetrative sex possible, rest like clit is the same.

[Dorit]

I am today exactly four months post-op from a modified vaginoplasty.   I have shared my experience with others, some like me with a modified and others a full depth.    I would not say that "recovery time is much easier."    Recovery is so dependant on the individual.   My recovery has not been easy and seems to be very similar to those who have had full depth.   What is true is that the risk of complications is less as the body cavity is not penetrated close to the colon as in the case of a full depth vaginoplasty.   Also, not having to do dilation is a given that certainly is a significant difference for all the years to come.   It is possible to add a vaginal canal after a partial, but then you have to go through another major surgery, but no labiaplasty is required.

[sophie1904]

Oh - it never even occurred to me you would be able to add it later. Presumably, that would need to be using a skin graft?

Not that I'm wild about a potential second major surgery but it's good to know it isn't a one way decision.

[Anne Blake]

I had never heard of shallow vs full depth and have been doing some reading on it.

How have you found it? While it rules out penetrative sex, does clitoral stimulation remain? I'm assuming the recovery time from it is much easier as well as dilation will be off the agenda?

I/we (my partner and I) have been quite please with our choice of the shallow procedure.

Yes, it does rule out penetrative sex but my clitoris is quite sensitive, way more so than expected and can be fun.

Surgical time was not greatly reduced, I was on the table for a long time and was told that if I had chosen full depth it would have only added perhaps twenty to thirty minutes more.

Recovery time is recovery time. It was major surgery with a lot of body modification and thus a lot of healing. I can not say that my recovery time was significantly "easier" than that of full depth folks. The opportunity of complications were greatly reduced and I did not have any "complications". It was still months until I had regained strength and endurance....that said, at a year and a half post op, healing is a distant and insignificant memory.

Dilation is a non issue. There are many who have chosen full depth and have gotten to the point of infrequent dilation requirements. We travel a lot and it has been a blessing to never have to take the time, find a place, carry dilators, clean up afterwards, etc. But then, penetrative sex is not an option.

We are both very happy with the choices we made. Please keep in mind that we are a long time couple, thirty five years together and I am now in my seventies....... And, if I had been single, I probably would have gone for full depth just to keep the options available and I would probably be grumbling about dilation maintenance needs....

Dr. Ley did say that if I desired to add a full depth vaginal canal at a later date, it could be done. She suggested that a skin graft would probably be taken from my thigh but the details were not discussed.

One more point on Dr. Ley's side, she is transgender and when she put her hand on my shoulder and told me that it would be all right, she knew what I was going through and that meant a lot to me.

Please feel free to pm me with any specific questions if you so desire.

Tia Anne

[Yuusui]

I can highly recommend Dr. Kim at the University of Minnesota. When I was scheduled, they had me in initially 3 months later. I couldn't do that date, so it was 4 months after my consultation until I had my surgery. The care team is top notch and the finished results are very pleasing.

[Linde]

I checked with them, but they don't take my insurance, and seem not to be willing to strike an individual deal (which is possible according to my insurance) with the insurance.

[Kirsteneklund7]

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona
UnitedHealthOne
UnitedHealthcare

Slightly off topic Dawn, but I must say you look absolutely lovely in the latest avatar- very feminine- quite pretty.

Kind regards, Kirsten.