Affordable m2f SRS

[vanna]

Walk a mile in somebody else's shoes before you judge them.

Mina.

Very good points

But you will get blisters in my shoes

[Kim6]

I don't think Blanche was judging anyone.  I think Blanche was speaking to the conundrum of being born with GID and trying to fit into a world where men are born with penises and women are born with vaginas.

We all know that there are women who were born with penises and men who were born with vaginas, that goes without saying.

But we (as a collective) tend to exist on the outskirts of that world, surviving on tidbits of "acceptance" that have been cast over the wall. 

[tisha]

Ya know. I guess the whole moral of the story is DON"T GIVE UP !!  It you want something bad enough you can do it. Never let anyone tell you you can't or it's not possible. And above all else don't say to yourself that you can't do it. In life we all have times where we say its just not possible. But we still manage to find a way. Or if not, we just didnt want it bad enough. And it doesnt matter how much or how little we earn there are always thing that seem out of reach. Maybe just at different levels of cost, but we all see it . So please, dont give up. Just keep trying.

[Valentina]

Even travelling to Thailand & getting GRS there can be very expensive.  I know I had my GRS with Dr. Sanguan.  It isn't just the surgery fee but everything that comes along with that.  Plane tickets, hotel if someone's going with you, food & extra money if there's an emergency whilst you're there.  I've heard dr, Kamol & the Samui clinic in Thailand are cheaper but don't know anybody that's gone to them.
Post Merge: January 22, 2009, 03:38:25 PM
The Samui clinic's awfully cheap but I don't know if their fees are current.

http://srsthailand.com/pages/srscosts.html

[Julie Marie]

In the US we have a lot of costs built into health care, not the least of which is malpractice insurance.  The regulations here are more stringent than in most other countries, thus the additional cost.  I've heard great things about Thailand but I've heard horror stories too.  Allowing money alone to dictate where you go for the surgery is like buying a parachute because it's the cheapest one you can find. 

This is major surgery!  People have died.  A friend of mine almost did and she was in the hands of a highly respected surgeon.  It wasn't the surgeon's fault though.  My friend had a condition nobody saw before the surgery that caused her to hemorrhage.  She says if she had gone to a less qualified doctor she might not be here now.

On the orchi route, while I realize that will stop T production it could also leave you with insufficient tissue to work with when you have GRS.  The longer you wait between surgeries, the worse that situation could get.  T-blockers aren't the perfect solution but they cost less than an orchi and you lessen the risk of insufficient tissue at GRS time.  When I did the math it made more sense to me to wait til I had the money for GRS.

Julie

[vanna]

In the US we have a lot of costs built into health care, not the least of which is malpractice insurance.  The regulations here are more stringent than in most other countries, thus the additional cost.  I've heard great things about Thailand but I've heard horror stories too.  Allowing money alone to dictate where you go for the surgery is like buying a parachute because it's the cheapest one you can find. 

This is major surgery!  People have died.  A friend of mine almost did and she was in the hands of a highly respected surgeon.  It wasn't the surgeon's fault though.  My friend had a condition nobody saw before the surgery that caused her to hemorrhage.  She says if she had gone to a less qualified doctor she might not be here now.

On the orchi route, while I realize that will stop T production it could also leave you with insufficient tissue to work with when you have GRS.  The longer you wait between surgeries, the worse that situation could get.  T-blockers aren't the perfect solution but they cost less than an orchi and you lessen the risk of insufficient tissue at GRS time.  When I did the math it made more sense to me to wait til I had the money for GRS.

Julie

About sums up how i feel on the whole thing too. Patience and save money for the right surgeon for you.

[soldierjane]

If someone told me that the only factor they were looking at in deciding where to have their surgery was being cheap or merely impatient, then I'd say they were being unreasonable. However, this is not the case for me.
I'm 30 and I don't want to be in my 40s before I can begin to feel right about my body. Of course one can even start transition in their 40s and beyond and live a full life, but I was lucky to be able to start at 25, so I want to make the most of my good fortune and hard work. In life, time is the only currency we have that matters really. While I never expected the ease of a 2-4 year transition from start to finish like some fellow brothers and sisters, I'm not letting fate and/or circumstance dictate where I'm supposed to go or how long I'm supposed to wait unless devoid completely of options.

As for success and horror stories, all surgeons have them really and it's a matter of carefully weighing multiple factors in deciding where to go. I'm confident that, supportive friends and common sense can win the day (*)

In regards to having an orchiectomy, I read one can tell the doctor beforehand one wishes to save tissue for SRS and they will keep that in mind. I used to think it was more of an option, but honestly when I go for surgery I want to get done what I need to get done. There's a lot of things I want to do in life that have nothing to do with transition and me being pretty body dysphoric, I know that won't be completely off my mind until I have it done. Being forever on Spiro is not an option either as it wouldn't be very healthy.



PS:
Oh, and US healthcare is... US healthcare


(*): No, I didn't mean "financial support".

[BunnyBee]

Heeeey everybody!! So, who in here ordered the cut-rate vajayjay??

Hiya folks!  This is Crazy Auntie Annie for Doctor Nutso's Bargain Blowout Surgery Emporium!!  Listen up y'all, if you call right now you can get in on our One Time Special Double Daily Oh-My-LAWD-Somebody-Fill-Her-Rit'lin Price Sticker Ripper Romparoo!!  And I hope you have us on speed dial y'all, because the first 100 callers qualify for our Special Early Bird Bell Ringer!!

...DING!!

Okay are you ready for this!?  Listen up people... if you are one of the first 100 callers we'll throw in a second one of equal or lesser value absolutely free!!  WOW, now there's a value you don't want to miss!!

[Cindy]

I don't understand the health insurance system in the USA, but it doesn't cover you?
In Australia if it's judged a medical need it's covered to some extent.
Sorry Girls, I have a spare bedroom for refugees

Cindy J
Post Merge: January 28, 2009, 03:27:01 AM
And a set of steak knives

[vanna]

I don't understand the health insurance system in the USA, but it doesn't cover you?
In Australia if it's judged a medical need it's covered to some extent.
Sorry Girls, I have a spare bedroom for refugees

Cindy J
Post Merge: January 28, 2009, 03:27:01 AM
And a set of steak knives

Lol Cindy

[deviousxen]

This thread makes me feel so awesome inside that I want to launch fireworks at myself...

[lisagurl]

I don't understand the health insurance system in the USA, but it doesn't cover you?

The U.S. does not have a heath insurance system. There are many corporate private companies each with their own rules. Then there is the welfare system which many doctors do not accept.

[tekla]

I don't understand the health insurance system in the USA

Oh don't feel bad, as it turns out, nobody does.  Despite that every four years or so when people look at changing it we get told its the best system in the world, and since no one here knows much (not that they care) about the rest of the world, its never challenged. 

[BunnyBee]

The US ranks 45th worldwide in terms of life expectancy.  I don't think you need to say any more about how wonderful the US healthcare system is.

[sd]

If you can afford it, we have great health services.

The keyword being IF.
Not many can really afford it.

[SarahFaceDoom]

Honestly the way the economy is going, saving money for SRS may need to be backburnered for a bit.  If you're like most people I know, just making rent and getting enough to eat while still being able to have comfy things like the internet, is about as lavish as life gets these days.

The prices we have to pay for these surgeries are disturbing.  It's even worse if you're FTM (which is great, because if you're FTM, you've probably spent a fair amount of your life being paid 70 cents to the dollar of what an MTF has made--so huzzah!).

It's a very bad system in the US.

[soldierjane]

Heeeey everybody!! So, who in here ordered the cut-rate vajayjay??

Hiya folks!  This is Crazy Auntie Annie for Doctor Nutso's Bargain Blowout Surgery Emporium!!  Listen up y'all, if you call right now you can get in on our One Time Special Double Daily Oh-My-LAWD-Somebody-Fill-Her-Rit'lin Price Sticker Ripper Romparoo!!  And I hope you have us on speed dial y'all, because the first 100 callers qualify for our Special Early Bird Bell Ringer!!

...DING!!

Okay are you ready for this!?  Listen up people... if you are one of the first 100 callers we'll throw in a second one of equal or lesser value absolutely free!!  WOW, now there's a value you don't want to miss!!

I can have two vaginas? And for the price of one? OMG SIGN ME UP NOW!

[BunnyBee]

I can have two vaginas? And for the price of one? OMG SIGN ME UP NOW!

Mhm, that's right!  If ya want one, then two is twice as good, right??  And remember it's not only cheap but FAST too!  I always like to say Dr. Nutso runs 'em through there like sheep!!

=P

[Sephirah]

But... um... wouldn't that mean you'd have to start with two... uh... nevermind.

[Chloe]

Ya know. I guess the whole moral of the story is DON"T GIVE UP !! 

  The expression is "NEVER GIVE UP"! The saying is on a wristband that I wear all the time & was given to me by the wife of a TG friend!