Susan's Place Transgender Resources

probably more than one!

so here's kinda what's on my mind as an informal agenda (as preliminary to the question)

I'm going to attempt to complete the program for a gastric sleeve over the next few months unless I hit a snag. You have to go through a 90 day diet plan first so...April sometime? The weight has to go before anything else works.

Because you have to take a month off from hormones before surgery, I'm thinking that my strong desire to get under a doctor supervised hormone program (I've been forced by lack of $$$ to DIY it until now, no cash no insurance) might as well wait until after, though I might go and get the intake and the blood work done before and just not start taking them until after - but this part is fuzzy on cost. At the moment we really have no extra money so even the gas money to get to Memphis (or Jackson) will push it and if the co-pays are too high then I have a problem. On the GS surgery that's not a problem because I have Medicare and medicaid and the latter takes up the co-pays because it's in-state...but if I go to TN then Medicaid is out of the equation, OTOH if I go to Jackson, I save the co-pays but I let myself in for several gas-consuming 200+ mile trips.

*sigh*

Now, here's the thing that's on my mind - the best way to take advantage of estrogen is to get rid of the testosterone. I can get - and desperately want - an orchiectomy for about $2500 (plus travel and lodging) I think which is money I see no way to come up with. I'm considering a GoFundMe type thing, but I wonder if I could raise that much?

Then, a couple of years after the GS if you need it you can go back for lypo and skin removal to clean up the former site of the fat (because fat cells don't go away, if you leave them there and you put on any weight it will go first to the pre-existing belly-fat cells) BUT that's not covered by the insurance (AFAIK)

SOOOoooo....I'd have to raise money for that again, having already been a begger once (and plus, if after 2 years I haven't grown breasts of any size then I'd try to roll a BA into that - so probably needing $10k or more?)

With all I still wouldn't have had GRS (it's covered by Medicare now but unless I get a windfall I'd never have the copays and travel expense and stuff) and I have no idea how I'm ever going to pay for electrolysis, but beard aside, I feel like with the weight off, the evil twins gone, and some reasonable breasts and curves I could accept the plumbing issue if I just had to.

But the question remains, would a crowdfunding attempt work even once, let alone twice? I know some who have succeeded, and others who failed miserably at the same maneuver.

THAT, however, was not the question I came to ask because most of you don't know/remember me so you couldn't answer it. This is my question:

Is their still a surgeon in Atlanta that will do an orchi on informed consent?
If not (or if so) who else in the Southern US does so, if any? I know Dr. Reed in Miami does them (if you have letters) but it would be a huge burden to travel that far.

Suggestions?

odd that it shows this as post #1. There must have been some board update that wiped me previous post count.

Welcome to Susan's Place. Crowd funding might raise some of the money but there are many people who have come up with this idea already that people may be a bit burned out on this. Because you have attempted a DYI approach to HRT, it may have cost you more for worst results. I am post surgical and my HRT is running about $20 for 6 months. Pre surgical I suspect the cost would be about $100 or so for 6 months. I am not sure about this number because there is a drug called a blocker that stops testosterone production which I don't take. These drugs work best with regular doctors visits because they need to be balanced to match your body. Under dose and they are not as effective, overdose and you risk other complications. Informed consent clinics would allow you to get HRT prescriptions at minimal costs and can be found in some cities.

The bottom line is the prescription drugs would cost less than what you are now paying, you would get proper medical monitoring at minimal cost allowing you to save up for one surgery instead of two.

As for the post count, look to the far left of any of your posts. At this point it shows two posts which is correct. The number above the post is the response count for the thread.

We issue to all new members the following links so you will best be able to use the web site.

• Site Terms of Service and rules to live by  (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,2.0.html)
  
• Standard Terms and Definitions (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,54369.0.html)
  
• Post Ranks (including when you can upload an avatar) (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,114.0.html.)
  
• Reputation rules (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,18960.0.html)
  
• News posting & quoting guidelines (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,174951.0.html)
  
• Photo, avatars, and signature images policy (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,59974.msg383866.html#msg383866)
  

but that only works if you have a provider which is economical. Until I got on Medicare, a doctor supervised program would have involved, at minimum, regular 200 mile round trips to first psychologists, then doctors, then endocrinologists (for blood work that costs $300 or more each for at least two if not more work-ups) , then regularly back to doctors until they were satisfied things were as they should be, at a cost of many hundreds of dollars out of pocket.

I'm not by any means advocating anyone DIY (I know the rules) but in my case, ordering from on-line sites came at a FAR cheaper cost than the proper course of treatment.  (and yet even that was a burden on my well-below-poverty income).

"As for the post count, look to the far left of any of your posts. At this point it shows two posts which is correct. The number above the post is the response count for the thread. "

Ah, but I can check my messages and see PMs from when I posted here regularly, as far back as 2011. I had...a couple thousand? posts...my name was still registered (I get the regular monthly e-mails even though I'd been away for a while) this is not a new registration even, let alone a first time visit. But I don't know why my post history is purged.

okay, I've figured out what is wrong on that - this is a second account I created in 2012 when I couldn't recover the log in to the original Tammy Hope account. I need to recover that one so this one can be closed.

I found that account but I wasn't sure it was yours. Do you remember the password and email for that account? There is a limit to what I can do to recover the account but an administrator has more powers than I do so I can pass the information up and see what can be done.

Hi Tammy, can't help you with your main question, sorry.

Might I suggest you repost that specific question with the subject heading:
"Any surgeons in Atlanta that will do an orchi on informed consent?"

That way there's a better chance someone who knows the answer might see it and reply. :)

Quote from: Dena on December 30, 2016, 01:05:50 PM
I found that account but I wasn't sure it was yours. Do you remember the password and email for that account? There is a limit to what I can do to recover the account but an administrator has more powers than I do so I can pass the information up and see what can be done.

I can PM the e-mail associated with the account, I can't be certain what the password was.

Quote from: Ms Grace on December 30, 2016, 02:21:48 PM
Hi Tammy, can't help you with your main question, sorry.

Might I suggest you repost that specific question with the subject heading:
"Any surgeons in Atlanta that will do an orchi on informed consent?"

That way there's a better chance someone who knows the answer might see it and reply. :)

As it turns out, I got in contact with the one in Atlanta, but it's not pure IC, they want a therapist letter and one from my primary GP - but there's no way on Earth my GP will dirty his hands with THAT.

So I will have to go to Memphis (or Jackson) establish a patient relationship and get scripts and then try to convince them to write a letter. Which is all going to put me right back where I was, wondering how to pay for it all because co-pays and gas will add up for multiple trips like that.


And they wonder why people get desperate and try to cut them off themselves. :(

Quote from: Dena on December 30, 2016, 01:05:50 PM
I found that account but I wasn't sure it was yours. Do you remember the password and email for that account? There is a limit to what I can do to recover the account but an administrator has more powers than I do so I can pass the information up and see what can be done.

so apparently I CAN'T send pm's yet

GRRRR!

Okay, the email is tammyrainey@ymail.com

Don't know if I remember the password and obviously can't post it publicly anyway.