Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Is anyone else here scheduled (or scheduling) with Suporn for March 2013? I'm scheduled for March 20 and would like to make contact with others who may be there the same time as me.

Nope, I had mine done there a few months ago.... but it is almost impossible NOT to make friends there, and quickly. Don't worry; you won't be lonely! Good luck, not that you'll need much... the whole experience, clinic, staff, etc, were amazing. Bring yourself, they'll take care of the rest. :)

Thank you so much! :) I'm definitely looking forward to making new friends there!

I'm scheduled for March 21 2013 :) though there is a possibility I will have to cancel as I've just got a new job, and whilst I really want (and need) to be there and have this, the job will allow me to save the money I need for surgery in under a year, so I won't have to use up all of my superannuation, plus, I've been out of work for nearly a year, so I can't afford to throw away a job after only just securing it - seems for a long discussion with my employer to see if they are willing to be flexible around me taking time off so soon

Good call on the new job vs surgery.... don't forget that by all accounts (mine too), Suporn's recovery is more taxing than most others due to the complexity, the massive number of stitches, the dilation schedule, and the single stage nature of the procedure. I wasn't able to sit comfortably for long periods until a few weeks ago, and I had it done at the start of August.

Hey Sarah, that's so interesting! I wondered who was scheduled right next to me :)

I did the same thing as you actually. I was originally scheduled for Feb 5, but then I got a new job and realized that date wasn't going to work with my work schedule so I pushed it 6 weeks or so.

Best of luck in working out your date!

I've got a question:

My parents are coming with me to Thailand and will stay with me the first few days after my surgery. I am wondering what the "VIP suite" in the hospital is like for guests? It's not just two additional hospital beds for guests is it? It's like a room with regular beds connected to the hospital room? I'm just trying to figure out if maybe they would be much more comfortable over at the Chon Inter and making the trip to see me each day.

I originally booked the VIP because my wife was staying with me throughout.... kinda dingy and uninspiring room attached to your hospital room, so yes it is a separate room with door, but I don't recall beds, just sofas (which may or may not pull out) and the possibility i'm sure of bringing in hospital beds for your parents...there is a kitchenette of sorts, too. my wife and I just nixed it and had them roll a spare bed into a regular room and she slept there for a week.

If your parents are older, esp, I'd say forget it and have them hang out at the chon inter. You'll be pretty high / sleepy the first few days anyway.

I don't know much about the VIP suite at the hospital, but I would agree with GendrKweer, from what I have heard, your parents would probably be better off staying in the hotel and making the short trip to see you each day.

Hello M@D3LYN, and Sarah_aus,

I'm happy to tell you I'm the girl getting it done just right before you, the 19th March 2013!! ;)
So nice to meet you girls !

(I'm new here (I've just registerded after viewing your post)... so I guess I can't get PM right now until after a certain amount of posts and I can't publish my avatar... but I'll do it sooon!)

Hope to hear from you soon!

Kisses!!

Hello Adabelle, I have booked my surgery with Dr Suporn in February. And I'll be leaving Chonburi when you're having SRS. If you arrive early enough, I can tell you how it was. I'm admitting that the closer the date comes, the more afraid I am. Dunno.
See you.
Blue

Hey Blue. Don't worry I am nervous too. As the date gets closer I am definitely have some anxiety about it. It's my first surgery ever so I'm quite nervous. But I also am excited too. I donno it's a unique mix of feelings about it. I am fortunate to have several personal friends in real life who went to Suporn and are very happy with their results, so I feel like he's one of the best options in the world for surgery.

I hope to meet you when I'm there! I'm going to arrive on Monday the 18th to get checked in and everything, so perhaps I will meet you before you leave. I will be wishing you well for your surgery!

Hey Adabelle, you say on Monday the 18th? So, there might be a chance. I'll be leaving on Wednesday. But you know what? It's my first surgery, too. Initially, I wanted to have FFS first, but then things changed. And now, I'm so damned scared. Yes, me too, I know of many people having excellent results. This is why I also wanted to undergo SRS in Chonburi. But this doesn't make me less scared ??? :'( ::)
Blue   

Hey Blue, you'll be leaving the same day as my surgery. I'll be staying at the Chon Inter before my surgery so I am sure I'll see you. Let's make sure we find each other.

I'm sure you will do great. I know quite a few girls that have had great results with Suporn. The surgery part does make me nervous too, but I also know that this is normal. Lots of people are nervous about surgery (me too), but they do come through it okay.

Be warned...the internet is not always reliable at the Chon Inter! I tried to post this a few days ago, but it didn't get into the thread.

I'm a day out from surgery here now, and have calmed down considerably by meeting the other inspiring women here who have been through it. Some are doing very well only a few weeks after.

I'll be here for ages...i thought I may as well stay and learn Thai and eat nice food, and do my research work from here instead of racing back home. Gone by the end of January, though.

Quote from: Adabelle on December 06, 2012, 11:14:00 PM
Hey Blue, you'll be leaving the same day as my surgery. I'll be staying at the Chon Inter before my surgery so I am sure I'll see you. Let's make sure we find each other.

I'm sure you will do great. I know quite a few girls that have had great results with Suporn. The surgery part does make me nervous too, but I also know that this is normal. Lots of people are nervous about surgery (me too), but they do come through it okay.

No Adabelle, I'm sorry. I've decided that I will cancel my surgery with Dr Suporn. So, I will not travel to Thailand either. But I'm wishing you good luck and all the best, from the depth of my heart. Take care.
Blue aka Georgia

Anyone else going to be there in March? I feel fortunate to have met the girl who will have her surgery the day before, and the day after me. :)

Hey Eve, Congrats on your date, it's pretty exciting!
Hey Blue, sorry to hear you are cancelling, hope things work out for you.
I've decided to start documenting my surgery now, with video blogs every few days, and will be doing lots of writing, and video throughout, with the end hope of having a doco style record of my surgery!  If anyone else is interested in being interviewed whilst I'm in Thailand, I'd be happy to have others featured, honoured in fact, anyway, best of luck and wishing you a happy new year.

~Sarah

If you're recording / documenting your SRS, ask the girls/nurses to take TONS of photos during the surgery. I say this because as you know, a free cd of pics can be made for you, which I asked for myself. BUT I was quite disappointed recently viewing the CD and seeing they skipped a good amount of stuff.... only about 15 pics! :) Maybe I'm just an idiot, but I was hoping for a lot more shall we say graphic stuff to understand what's what. Good luck!

thanks for the advice, I will definately ask for lots of pictures, I was even going to ask if I could video, or them, see if we can do some kind of share arrangement for promotions or something?  I was recently speaking with a friend, who said she had a girlfriend who had her surgery nearly 10 years ago now, awake for the whole procedure! she had them administer a spinal block so she could experience her surgery first hand, all I can say is brave girl, braver than me! but has anyone else heard any weird and wonderful stories?

OK related question for people going to Suporn. How did you decide Dr. Suporn was right for you? How did you decide that it was safe in Thailand and that you would be well taken care of even if you had a complication or anything? I'm just wondering since I have been reading up on Thai surgeons including Suporn but it's tough to find info about certifications and real info for why a surgeon is really great.

There are lots of threads discussing the pros and cons of Suporn, so I'll focus on what made the difference for me. It was knowing several people personally who went to him, and then talking to several people online as well who went to him. After you consider the differences in technique and decide if that makes sense for you, then I think it's important to find others who have gone there and talk to them about their experience.

What I found is that the hospital facilities are very modern, and if anything were to go wrong you would be already in the hospital to have people there to take care of you. Traveling to another country does involve risk, however there are also benefits of Suporn's aftercare in that you stay right there next to the clinic and under his care for 30 days after surgery to address any complications early. Even so, as you point out if you have complications later on in your recovery this could mean a trip back to Thailand to see him again.

Ultimately I think each person has to do their research and weigh out the pros and cons for themselves.

Quote from: sarahbear on January 01, 2013, 11:02:22 AM
OK related question for people going to Suporn. How did you decide Dr. Suporn was right for you? How did you decide that it was safe in Thailand and that you would be well taken care of even if you had a complication or anything? I'm just wondering since I have been reading up on Thai surgeons including Suporn but it's tough to find info about certifications and real info for why a surgeon is really great.

You hit the nail on the head, couldn't have said it better myself!
What made the difference for me was knowing, and seeing first hand the work Suporn does, the aftercare, and to some degree, I like the idea of going to Thailand, it's pretty! But in the end it comes down to the technique and what I stand to gain from going through Suporn.
~Sarah

I am excited for the both of you! omg I have knots in my tummy and its not even for me yet.

Quote from: sarahbear on January 01, 2013, 11:02:22 AM
OK related question for people going to Suporn. How did you decide Dr. Suporn was right for you? How did you decide that it was safe in Thailand and that you would be well taken care of even if you had a complication or anything? I'm just wondering since I have been reading up on Thai surgeons including Suporn but it's tough to find info about certifications and real info for why a surgeon is really great.

For me it was a simple process of elimination. I went to see a couple of surgeons in my surroundings (Belgium). Because they're all using the standard penile inversion technique and that my source material isn't enough to make it work, they all suggested to get donor tissue somewhere else (belly, bum...) leaving scarring in places I don't want.

One surgeon told me not to worry because it would look just like I had a Caesarean. When I asked him how I should explain to my future boy friend that I had a C section while I have no children to show for, the room went quiet. :)

Anyhow, with traditional techniques not working for me, and refusing to go for a colovaginoplasty, the list of available surgeons was significantly reduced. I ended up with Suporn because of affordability (of the operation, but also the cost of staying over - Thailand is not an expensive country), reputation and the email exchange we had. I felt he was the only one who really understood my issue and was able to offer me an appropriate solution. At least one that felt it was not "out-of-the-box" (I know it's an illusion, but at least I got the feeling I was taking part in the solution crafting).

Quote from: Emmanuelle on January 17, 2013, 03:04:19 AM
For me it was a simple process of elimination. I went to see a couple of surgeons in my surroundings (Belgium). Because they're all using the standard penile inversion technique and that my source material isn't enough to make it work, they all suggested to get donor tissue somewhere else (belly, bum...) leaving scarring in places I don't want.

One surgeon told me not to worry because it would look just like I had a Caesarean. When I asked him how I should explain to my future boy friend that I had a C section while I have no children to show for, the room went quiet. :)

Anyhow, with traditional techniques not working for me, and refusing to go for a colovaginoplasty, the list of available surgeons was significantly reduced. I ended up with Suporn because of affordability (of the operation, but also the cost of staying over - Thailand is not an expensive country), reputation and the email exchange we had. I felt he was the only one who really understood my issue and was able to offer me an appropriate solution. At least one that felt it was not "out-of-the-box" (I know it's an illusion, but at least I got the feeling I was taking part in the solution crafting).

I refuse to have a colovaginoplasty or any scars my abdomen. My gender specialist looked at me with a deadpan expression when I explained this. WTH! If I had to then I would wait around a little further until some surgeon created a technique that avoided this issue. I've already been procrastinating since '97. I had been circumcised.

Had you given any thought to Chettawut?

Quote from: Tesla on January 17, 2013, 05:19:58 AM
Had you given any thought to Chettawut?

I did. He was my number 1 for a long time. The thing that tilted the scales towards Suporn was the email-exchange. Somehow I felt "my case" being addressed (correction for bilateral cryptorchidy and a phalloplasty in early puberty). Where Chettawut left me with an "oh, don't worry, it's gonna be fine" approach, Suporn managed to address my fears, detailing all the possible consequences in relation to my medical history.

Probably a silly criterion, but it was enough for me to bite the bullet.

Quote from: Emmanuelle on January 17, 2013, 06:15:23 AM
I did. He was my number 1 for a long time. The thing that tilted the scales towards Suporn was the email-exchange. Somehow I felt "my case" being addressed (correction for bilateral cryptorchidy and a phalloplasty in early puberty). Where Chettawut left me with an "oh, don't worry, it's gonna be fine" approach, Suporn managed to address my fears, detailing all the possible consequences in relation to my medical history.

Probably a silly criterion, but it was enough for me to bite the bullet.

I had a unilateral cryptorchidism, but it was corrected at 4 years.

I haven't yet started any exchange with Thai surgeons, but will do once I see at least one surgeon in the UK who does penile inversion. I can then get an idea of the limits of this procedure when material is lacking.

The main worry for Thailand is the 11 hours journey by plane plus the time for all the connections before one can get back and dilate again.

As someone who made that 11 hour plane ride last August, don't sweat it. There is NO need to dilate in the airport during a layover, etc; that came straight from dr suporn. After one month, the dilation is still fairly easy, believe it or not, and a day out ONCE will not give you any bigger headache than a few extra minutes of dilation effort. Besides, you'll want to be hopped up nice and high for the plane ride home, and you'll be on those pills for another month at home or so, ie you can dilate without much pain. (The painful stuff for me at least started during the 3rd month, and went on for a month or two, when most suporn patients get tighter and you're off pain meds... you'll get through, no sweat, but yeah, be warned!:)

I can't believe I'm less than 60 days away from my surgery date! It's CRAZY!!! I'm excited and still a bit nervous too. :)

Quote from: GendrKweer on January 17, 2013, 08:50:20 AM
As someone who made that 11 hour plane ride last August, don't sweat it. There is NO need to dilate in the airport during a layover, etc; that came straight from dr suporn. After one month, the dilation is still fairly easy, believe it or not, and a day out ONCE will not give you any bigger headache than a few extra minutes of dilation effort. Besides, you'll want to be hopped up nice and high for the plane ride home, and you'll be on those pills for another month at home or so, ie you can dilate without much pain. (The painful stuff for me at least started during the 3rd month, and went on for a month or two, when most suporn patients get tighter and you're off pain meds... you'll get through, no sweat, but yeah, be warned!:)

This is only my first week dilating post-op at supporn. The process is bearable enough (takes about less than an hour each time for me including all the preps and cleanup afterwards) but I would expect things to get harder in the coming months. All I can say is so far so good...fingers x

Today is my V-30 day!! Crazy. I'm mostly at peace with it (and even excited) but I do have moments of nervousness too. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night with some nervousness about it for example. But overall I think I am doing okay so far.

Is there anyone else new that's going to be in Chonburi in March? Would love to connect!

Quote from: Adabelle on October 16, 2012, 11:24:37 PM
Is anyone else here scheduled (or scheduling) with Suporn for March 2013? I'm scheduled for March 20 and would like to make contact with others who may be there the same time as me.

*Hoping for a revision on March 19*.

My girlfriend sweetie emailed with you. ;-)

Hey Strawberry! That would be so great to see you there! I hope you're able to get the revision scheduled. :)

Hi all. I just wanted to post an update to this thread that I had my surgery as planned on March 20th. It was successful and I'm now recovering in the hotel. I've already met some wonderful other girls here. I'm happy!!

Congratulations.  I am very happy for you.

Yay! Glad to hear it went well! Heal quickly!

:)

Congrats!! :D  so many people having their surgeries this month!!! What is it national Transgendered surgery month? ??? lol Definately a happy time for sure! Again gongrats the hard part is now over ^-^ ;) :D

Thanks so much everyone! I'm filled with so much gratitude to have the opportunity to be here, and to have had this surgery. I'm extremely happy I chose Dr. Suporn as my surgeon and now totally understand why he has so many positive reviews. I'll comment more later on my own experience here, but just mainly wanted to thank everyone and let you all know I'm doing well! :)

Great to hear, hope all is still going well.

That's really awesome to hear, looking forward to more updates when you're able.

Quote from: Adabelle on April 02, 2013, 04:31:20 AM
Thanks so much everyone! I'm filled with so much gratitude to have the opportunity to be here, and to have had this surgery. I'm extremely happy I chose Dr. Suporn as my surgeon and now totally understand why he has so many positive reviews. I'll comment more later on my own experience here, but just mainly wanted to thank everyone and let you all know I'm doing well! :)

Dr Suporn is pretty cool in my book. :) Something about him just radiates confidence, his staff are lovely (Aey and Jib were especially sweet to me)... I'm glad you're having the same experiences I did! Rest, heal, go easy, make friends, enjoy that amazing bread cart at the breakfast bar! :)

Quote from: Emmanuelle on January 17, 2013, 06:15:23 AM
I did. He was my number 1 for a long time. The thing that tilted the scales towards Suporn was the email-exchange. Somehow I felt "my case" being addressed (correction for bilateral cryptorchidy and a phalloplasty in early puberty). Where Chettawut left me with an "oh, don't worry, it's gonna be fine" approach, Suporn managed to address my fears, detailing all the possible consequences in relation to my medical history.

Probably a silly criterion, but it was enough for me to bite the bullet.

I'm writing about to be discharged from Chettawut's clinic. My reading of him is that he's just like that about complicated cases. It's definitely frustrating, and I would consider it off-putting at the decision-making stage. I have some complications and at first he was saying, "Don't worry, it'll be fine. I'll make it good." That's not much comfort to someone who wants to know details, and whether I need to arrange to extend my stay. But I pressed him, and the details came and we had the conversation I needed. I think people should have confidence that he knows what he's doing, even in the complicated cases, but I admit that he makes it hard to *think* that of him in the way he interacts with potential (and actual!) patients sometimes.

Especially when you consider how much money is being invested in it.

Quote from: EmeraldPerpugilliam on April 13, 2013, 03:40:54 AM
Especially when you consider how much money is being invested in it.

Some of it may be supply and demand: these people are in such high demand, that they can get away with this. Honestly, though, once you're a patient, things change. I'm not saying it's right, or even good, but maybe this helps shed light on what things are like.

24 days post op, and no regrets!  I'm so glad to be here, and to be here with friends,thank you all for your support xx Sarah

Quote from: rachl on April 12, 2013, 06:55:19 PM
I'm writing about to be discharged from Chettawut's clinic. My reading of him is that he's just like that about complicated cases. It's definitely frustrating, and I would consider it off-putting at the decision-making stage. I have some complications and at first he was saying, "Don't worry, it'll be fine. I'll make it good." That's not much comfort to someone who wants to know details, and whether I need to arrange to extend my stay. But I pressed him, and the details came and we had the conversation I needed. I think people should have confidence that he knows what he's doing, even in the complicated cases, but I admit that he makes it hard to *think* that of him in the way he interacts with potential (and actual!) patients sometimes.

hey rachl,
hope all's goung well with the recovery and sorry for my late reply.

Yes you're absolutely right. i had the same with my FFS, the only difference being: i met with the two surgeons of choice. For my FFS, nor for my SRS i have and had any doubt about the quality of any of the surgeons i spoke to, it's just that the decision is too complex to merely rationalise and you end up with your gut feeling about who is addressing your issues best. after all, selecting a surgeon is entering into a trust relationship.