Getting Feminization laryngoplasty with Thyrohyoid elevation soon

[june bug]

Hey there.

I'm now updating my surgery info via my own forum : http://forum.deviever.com/viewtopic.php?f=175&t=8208

Feel free to stop by and ask questions or contact me via email : devi@deviever.com

[Janet_Girl]

Interesting.  Dr Thomas in Portland and an orchie done under a local.  Your Orchie surgeon wouldn't have been Dr. Nguyen, by chance?

Your therapist doesn't happen to be Vanderburgh?


Playing Sherlock Holmes. 
Janet

[june bug]

Yes, I got an orchi with Dr. Nguyen, and I have seen Reid in the past.

Portland is definitely a "small town" when it comes to trans-health-providers.

Then again, I guess most places are. 

[Janet_Girl]

Defiantly a small world.  Dr Nguyen was my Orchie surgeon and I have also seen Reid.

Do you by chance know Victoria Sinclair?   I am in Fairview. 



Janet

[june bug]

Do by chance know Victoria Sinclair?

I know of, but have never met her personally.

[Janet_Girl]

Nice lady.  She helped me a lot in the beginning.  But this is about your upcoming surgery.  Best of luck in your surgery.

Personally I would not want someone playing with the larynx.


Janet

[june bug]

Here's a sound sample of my voice when I was really working hard on making it more femme / how it sounded with out effort (after years of hormones) / and lastly how it sounded before I was consistently on hormones.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ymwmymnjyjy
It's password protected... the password is "susans" (with out the quotations).

[maidenprincess]

Your female voice is fantastic.  Why are you getting surgery?  Just keep working on it.  You'll get it.

[june bug]

Your female voice is fantastic.  Why are you getting surgery?  Just keep working on it.  You'll get it.

Thanks.

I don't like having to make such an effort, it's never consistent, I don't have time to practice, and I have full confidence that Dr. Thomas's FemLar technique is going to rock my world. 

[Nero]

Thanks.

I don't like having to make such an effort, it's never consistent, I don't have time to practice, and I have full confidence that Dr. Thomas's FemLar technique is going to rock my world. 

Are you concerned about the risks?

[june bug]

Are you concerned about the risks?

Sure.  Not enough to not go through with it though.   

I mean, I'm as concerned as I'd be with FFS or GRS in regards to the fact they're all pretty serious surgical procedures, and ultimately I won't know 100% what the results will be like, but I'm confident the result will be more than adequate for what I am expecting it to be.

[gothique11]

damn, I wish my voice sounded like yours!

I hate my voice -- although ppl keep telling me they like it, and it's worse when I do change it a bit friends who have known me feel awkward about it. My voice isn't consistant. I think it's probably my worst down fall, and probably the only thing that seems to give me away. Most people don't question it, but I've had it mentioned before... I've been wanting to practice again. LOL My voice is easy to hear, it's on my youtube account (check my profile, you'll find it).

[june bug]

damn, I wish my voice sounded like yours!

Well, that was a clip from one of the better days. 

... but thanks.

it's worse when I do change it a bit friends who have known me feel awkward about it.

I totally understand that.  It was actually the hardest thing for me, because I had a lot of dumbass guy friends who gave me a hard time about changing my voice.  Strangely enough they thought my "normal" voice was good enough, but I noticed immediately that when I had my femme voice going strong I was getting "ma'am'd" more consistently, especially on the phone.

Screw'em though, ya know.  If you feel your voice could be better, don't be afraid to experiment!  That's what really got me to the point where I was anywhere decent with my voice. 

I think it's probably my worst down fall, and probably the only thing that seems to give me away.

My best advice is to keep a tape recorder on hand at all times and continually do a "check up" on yourself when you have alone time through out the day.  Also, having people who are sympathetic to what you are trying to achieve to listen to your voice from time to time can really help you mold it into a place that is pleasing.

For instance, one night I was messing around and thought it was "okay" but my friend thought it sounded great, so I immediately recorded it, and then listened to it later and tried to mimic where I was at at that point.  Turns out I was overcompensating in a lot of ways before that night, and backing off in terms of pitch and tightening my throat really "opened up" my voice and made it sound more natural.

Anyhow... sorry... I'm sure you've been through all of this.  Thought I'd toss it out there though for people who might be looking for a way to get a leg-up on changing their voice sans-surgery. 

I definitely feel like a bit of a war veteran when it comes to voice manipulation though... tried really hard for months, even going to a vocal coach, but in the end, once again, I feel best about getting the FemLar done. 

[gothique11]

cool, sounds good. Yeah, I usually don't get problems about not getting ma'med, phone or other wise. I'm not sure when the last time I got a sir before. *shrugs* I just would like to sound better, and I think some of it might be in my head. I guess it comes down to not really passing or not, but just wanting to sound better.

[june bug]

cool, sounds good. Yeah, I usually don't get problems about not getting ma'med, phone or other wise. I'm not sure when the last time I got a sir before. *shrugs* I just would like to sound better, and I think some of it might be in my head. I guess it comes down to not really passing or not, but just wanting to sound better.

Understood.  I'd suggest spending some time trying to mimic voices you find particularly pleasing.  Like, taking a few lines from a movie or speech from an actress or public figure you like and then really studying the subtleties that make up those particular speech patterns, texture, tone.

Ha ha.  People will probably think you are crazy if they catch you doing it, but I guarantee it'll help. 

[june bug]

If anyone is interested in following my life in general, with plenty of video of my pre-op voice (which as you can hear I've pretty much given up on trying to change anymore), you can find me here : http://www.youtube.com/user/deviever

I'll be posting video there as my voice progresses after the surgery as well, and will _definitely_ have examples of my singing voice too, which is something I haven't seen a lot of people talk about, but is definitely a big concern for me, personally, and one of the big reasons I've decided to do this.

[Suzy]

I wish you the very best of luck.  I keep hearing not-so-pleasant things about laryngoplasty.  But I confess I have not studied it very much.  Please keep us informed.  Sounds like the year will be quite an adventure for you.

Kristi

[june bug]

I wish you the very best of luck.  I keep hearing not-so-pleasant things about laryngoplasty.  But I confess I have not studied it very much.  Please keep us informed.  Sounds like the year will be quite an adventure for you.

Kristi

If you don't mind sharing, I'd be interested to know what you've heard since there isn't much information available online as to people's personal experiences.

I'll go ahead and take this opportunity to mention that I've had the pleasure to befriend a patient of Dr. Thomas's this year.  She's about a year out from having had both surgeries done and she sounds great, even after having some complications in the healing process (nothing too serious).

Anyhow.  Just sharing what information I have beyond what is out there.  I know there is one other post somewhere here with a woman who had work done as well with good results.  Will dig up the link in a sec.
Post Merge: January 03, 2010, 07:18:13 PM
Here we go : https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,41548.msg270938.html#msg270938

[Suzy]

Well mostly things like this:

http://www.tsroadmap.com/physical/voice/voicesurg.html

[june bug]

Well mostly things like this:

http://www.tsroadmap.com/physical/voice/voicesurg.html

There's nothing there about FemLar or THE.

Those are all CTA, which I agree is not a procedure worth risking one's money or voice on.

If you (or anyone reading this thread) has documentation of someone's negative (or positive) experiences with Femlar / THE, I'd be grateful for the information to be posted here.

I'm really hoping this thread may spring board into a good resource for people in the future since, once again, there's not a lot of documentation out there with people's experiences with the FemLar / THE procedures.