Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Okay, I went and had my SRS done a few months ago.  I did it stealth, for the reasons I mention in this topic. (https://www.susans.org/forums/index.php/topic,32534.msg226278.html#msg226278)  It wasn't the perfect experience, and, after much reflection and overcoming a desire not to brag, not to call attention to my 'status' (whatever that is,) to share my story with the community and especially with those who are struggling to choose their SRS surgeons.

I settled on Dr. Chettawut. 

I did my homework.  I found that the North American surgeons had some few cases of dissatisfaction with the SRS.  I also found most Thai surgeons had cases of dissatisfaction.  The two who seemed to have the fewest dissatisfaction stories were Dr. Suporn and Dr. Chettawut.

Dr Supporn's reconstruction is quite extensive and quite invasive, and I heard that an extra week of recovery was needed because of it.  The results are supposed to be esthetically wonderful.  I heard the term "supornista', referring to those who had their SRS's by him, and their insistence that their SRS was the Rolls Royce of SRS's

For that matter, it was hard to do my research, ans each first-hand account painted their surgeon in the most glowing terms, and everybody else was an alcoholic hack (sometimes the writing rose to that level of vitriol.)

I finally settled on Dr. Chettawut because 4 local girls had had their SRS there and I had the chance to question them closely.  I felt that I was able to get past the my-doctor-is-the-best factor and uncover a more realistic picture of this particular surgeons results.

After questioning them at length, I felt that I had enough good information, and that Dr. Chettawut was the best overall choice.  I booked the surgery and paid the fee.

Two days before surgery, Dr. Chettawut explained a risk of the procedure.  He told me and drew diagrams explaining that sometimes the prostate and the rectum grow too close together and the space between becomes tough and overly vascularized.  He asked me whether depth was an issue.  My answer was that depth was an issue, but I was afraid of getting a fistula.  My directions were that he try as hard as possible to to achieve usable depth unless he was reasonably sure he was about to create a fistula.

A day and a half after an 8-1/2 hour procedure that included breast augmentation, I had my happiness that I'd completed the race and had achieved the complete physical transformation I desired destroyed by Dr. Chettawut telling me he had only been able to achieve 2.5 to 3 inches of depth.  He said he had encountered the condition he had described in his office, and felt he could not go on.

To say I was bummed is an understatement.

There was another transwoman who had her surgery two days after mine.  She had just SRS and was under general anaesthesia for 9-1/2 hours, and had to spend the first night in ICU because of it.  She got adequate depth only because of the length of the surgery.

That was a clue I needed.  Most North American surgeons rarely spend over 6 hours for a straight SRS, and usually it's only 3 or 4.

I asked Dr. Chettawut about a re-do.  Several times.  I finally got the message he was done with me.  He was sorry it had not worked out, but he was done with me.

I'm booked with Dr. Meltzer for a re-do.  I get to get a fake c-section scar (tissue donor site.)

He commented that he sees a lot of vaginal deepening cases from the Thai surgeons, and that it's because they don't learn the proper technique and method of dissecting a neovagina.  The ones you hear about that have 6 or 7 inches are the cases that present no challenge.  He gets to see the ones that the Thai surgeons couldn't handle

In preparation for telling this story here, I presented it to the support group recently.  I wanted to have them ask questions so I'd know what information I needed to include or explain better.  One woman signalled she wanted to speak with me privately after the meeting.

She confided that she also had no usable depth from Dr. Chettawut.

I really didn't want to present this information.  I don't want pity for my results.  You pays your money, and you takes your chances.  It's working out that I'm paying about as much as if I'd gone to Dr. Meltzer and had SRS, BA and trache shave all in one go.

I especially don't want to provide fuel to those who may crow about my 'misfortune' and how they were smart/intelligent/charmed enough to choose the right surgeon out of the gate, and thus they must be in some way superior to Karen (Us monkeys do such things...)

I hope you're able to use this information.  I really wish it had been there when I was choosing.  I wish there was a Consumer Reports rating of SRS surgeons, with little graphics for the different criteria areas, and a "CR Best Buy" logo next to the surgeon who offered the best value for the money...

It's just like the housing market or tech stocks -- the choice only looks stupid after the fact.

May you choose well;

Karen

While I'm sure that there is a wide range of skill in the various people doing the surgery, I'm also sure your right about the time factor.  But I also imagine that frame size, weight and other factors come into play.  I understand that the price is a huge difference.  However, I would hate to have a doctor I had no recourse against.

That's what I believed.
Its almost impossible to get decent info
on plastic surgery from any patient.
They will skirt relation unless they are so damaged they can't
this happens in all surgery forums (I've had rhino and had my forehead bump removed
so I know what I'm talking about. I was looking for info in many forums
for a long time. There's plenty of rhino patients, hundreds of times more,
but the info is just as unreliable...

I finally went with Brassard for my FFS because I was confident in
his surgical skill. That's the key one. Because I saw in him a surgeon
who's so pasionnate about his skill after meeting him 2 times.
I knew them there was a good chance
he'll want to learn how to please his patient by keeping himself
up to date.

I will never go to a surgeon I can never meet or communicate with in person.
I've been to Asia many times and I know too well how hard it is to communicate
with people in Thailand, Japan or China. There's a cultural and language barrier
that makes communication difficult even if they know the technical aspects of
languages (even if it sounds right, they may not mean what they say...)

If I spoke Thai and lived there I undoutably would have a different view of
the situation. So, its nothing against the thai doctor's specifically.
I just don't trust I could do a proper assessment of the situation if I was
to choose to go there.

Karen:

No, sympathy, no pity, and no crowing.

I really want everything to work out for you.  I'm sure it will.

-Sandy

Karen,

Thank you for sharing this very delicate matter with us.  This is a story we need to hear.

I know you are a very persistent person and this is going to be fine.  Prayers are with you and Dr. Meltzer.

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fganjataz.com%2F01smileys%2Fimages%2Fsmileys%2FloopyBlonde-blinking.gif&hash=4545ddf8251cf9c32ae6074d56e48bc34a755857)Kristi

Thanks for sharing for sharing your experience with us. Honest feedback on surgeons is rare.

I hope your revision goes well.

Ann

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us.  It certainly gives me food for thought.

Lia

As Karen so eloquently stated, it is so hard for those seeking SRS references to find factual, truthful recommendations.  I'm not sure why there is the need to promote the surgeons we use, only talking about the positive points and not mentioning those areas that were not satisfactory.  I would have to say that nothing is perfect in this world, and even the most skilled surgeons cannot guarantee the out come of any surgery they perform.  After all they are human and only work with the material and the physical parts that are available.

It takes a lot of courage to admit that ones results were not quite what was expected but by doing so Karen has done everyone a service.  I hope that more members follow her lead and post those issues that caused concern.

Thank you Karen.

Steph

Hi Karen,

    It always amazes me how brave you women are to even put your trust in a doctor to begin with.   I'm sorry to hear about your experience and I wish the information had been more readily available to you beforehand.
    I think it's great that you are sharing what you've learned.

    I hope the redo goes well.  I'm sure it will.  Someone I know went to Dr. Meltzer and she left there happy.


Wish you the best,

Rebis

I would also like to thank you for this thread and wish you all the best with your re-do, Karen.  My thoughts and prayers are with you :)

tink :icon_chick:

Thank you Karen very much for the honest info. SRS is still too much in the future for me but I want to know all I can before I have it. I've heard a lot of good things about Dr. Meltzer and hope it was accurate. It's awful to have to redo but I hope and pray it will be very successful for you.
Sheena

Quote from: Steph on April 21, 2008, 06:28:18 PM
It takes a lot of courage to admit that ones results were not quite what was expected but by doing so Karen has done everyone a service.  I hope that more members follow her lead and post those issues that caused concern.

Like Steph, I hope that everyone responds here with their surgery concerns and outcomes.  It's one thing to be able to call a US or Canadian surgeon and ask questions, or to ask questions of those who've been to one. It's quite another if we're talking about a doctor in Thailand.

Carol

Thanks for sharing that Karen... it must have been a really hard thing to do but it will help
a lot of girls here make the right decision. I wish you the best of luck with the re-do.

Amanda

Thank you very kindly for this valuable information Karen.  I'm going to Dr. Sanguan in Thailand for my GRS.  My big day is September 20.  I will happily post my experiences when I go back home.  Good luck with your revision.

Karen,

You are a brave girl.  Thanks for sharing this information for I am sure there are many who need it.

I had my surgery many years ago.  For my friends and myself, even though we went to different surgeons, we all had things that we did not like.  The depth thing was true for many of us.  The aesthetics were not always just right.  Most breast augmentations hardened up within just a few years.

I'm happy to discuss specifics of my own situation with people I know.  But I am hesitant to post publicly.  I'm still pretty much a prude ;)

Cindi

Hi Karen
I am truly sorry to hear the bad news. I can't say a whole lot because of lack of proof. I have heard  numerous negative rumors about SRS in Thailand through the years.
I will send prayers that all will go well on the corrective surgery.

Cindy 

That was a very nice and selfless act to tell us something that personal to have us not get into the same trouble. I appreciate it. Good luck on the redo!

hey,
i know this topic is kinda dead but im just glad i read it, im looking for a surgeon and chettawutt was one on the list thati was considering... so this info was useful

Thanks for sharing !

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Post Merge: April 15, 2010, 10:03:11 PM

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Karen
I meant to say I hope your redo came out well. You are very brave.
I am torn between meltzer and suporn and it seems like I hear horor stories about them both, (as well as successful outcomes). It is making me crazy. 

Quote from: Hazumu on April 21, 2008, 12:12:25 AMI'm booked with Dr. Meltzer for a re-do.  I get to get a fake c-section scar (tissue donor site.)

May you choose well;

Karen

Hi Karen,

I'm doing a re-do, as well, and wondered how yours went with Dr. Meltzer.

Kara