Does anyone know what it costs, and where to get it done in England? I'm assuming there's no way I'd get it on the NHS, but I've been realising lately that it's a real issue for me - as I've feminised more, I notice people looking at my neck to help them try and "figure me out" - oh and as a side issue, I really, really want to be able to wear chokers (I've had a thing about this since I was a kid) and my Ada's Apple [sic] makes that impossible.
You and me both. U can get it done under the new nhs guidance but it's considered on a case by case basis. You are unlikely to get it soon. I looked in the UK and didn't find much. You might want to look at dr Bart in Gent. That's who I was planning to go with.
Good luck :-) x
Full FFS including Tracheal Shave *IS* available in Scotland if that's an avenue open to you?
Best of luck!
Kelsie
I think I'd have had to be living in Scotland for x years in order to be eligible for that (I know it works that way for educational grants). I'm really just after Ada's Apple reduction - and in England, that's only available to me on the NHS if it's considered "clinically necessary" - i.e. if it's so obvious that it'll cause distress. I'm going to talk it over with the doc at the gender clinic new week, as I have an appointment with him. I've been told someone knows a couple of trans women who've managed to get this on the NHS, so I'm going to at least try. Being as tall as I am, anything that mitigates against me being misgendered as male is very helpful (the "ability to wear chokers" would just be a welcome side effect :) ). I'm very likely to need reconstructive boob surgery in any case, as I have Poland's Syndrome, which means that my right boob is half the size of my left (and now that my left has some weight to it, it hangs lower than the right too). So I already know I'm eligible for that.
I think you will have to be there with a cheese grater prepared to take it off yourself before they put their hands in their pockets. That's if its like *anything* else the NHS do.
I think you just need to be 'in' Scotland........if you do cause a minor injury there yourself - minor - and tell your therapist you just can't stand seeing it, they'll do you on the NHS pretty much anywhere. For all the problems with the NHS right now, and how Cameron has dicked around with it since he's been Prime Oik, there are still ways to get things done ;)
Being over here makes you realize how precious the NHS really is.